Casting

My annual trip to the LA Film Festival generally coincides with my annual trip to downtown LA. That's about all I can handle in terms of driving across town. The metro line extension can't come soon enough.

This year's sojourn included two great docs: Our Nixon, an all-archival work compiled from hundreds of hours of Super 8 home movies filmed during Richard Nixon's administration by his close aides (and ultimately, Watergate fall guys) H.R. Haldeman, John Erlichman and Dwight Chapin. The FBI seized them 40 years ago and they sat forgotten for decades. I'm a Watergate/'70s-era junkie and this film provides a fascinating, intimate record of a complex presidency with a real cast of characters.

The second doc, Casting By, profiles legendary casting pioneer Marion Dougherty and the struggles of the unsung heroes of the entertainment industry to gain well-deserved recognition. Having some small experience in this area, I really enjoyed learning about Dougherty's work and the tremendous, game-changing influence that she had on filmmaking, the casting process and the careers of actors including Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford and so many more. HBO will be airing it in August as part of its summer doc series, so catch it if you can.

Here's to a hot summer of cool docs!

Summer

Eek, it's been a while. I've been blazing through the wintery-like Southern California summer, but of course have still found time to check out a bunch of new captivating docs.

HBO Documentaries has once again been showcasing a number of fine films in their esteemed, now annual Summer Series. I recently attended a screening for the film 12th and Delaware, an intense look at one Florida intersection where an abortion clinic and pro-life center sit within steps of each other. The incendiary abortion rights debate finds its ground zero here, in a daily battle for women at a crossroads (literally). That film stayed with me for a while.

I also have queued up on my dvr Smash His Camera, the story of pioneer paparazzo Ron Galella, whom you may remember as Jackie O's New York City street nemesis during the '70s and '80s. I can't wait to watch that one, nor Lucky - a film on the aftermath of winning the lottery.

My Sundance favorite, Gasland, also made the lineup - I'm glad their story of the consequences of natural gas fracking has reached a wider audience, to hopefully raise the level of public awareness and debate.

There are a number of other strong films - check them out Monday evenings on HBO. By the end of summer you will hopefully not only have a glowing tan, but be well versed on a plethora of fascinating stories from around the globe!

Brothers

Better late than never, I always say.

I finally screened the 2001 HBO dramatic miniseries Band of Brothers this week. After being engrossed in The Pacific this year, I wanted to see its epic and much-heralded predecessor. I had missed the original run - living in NY with the events of 9/11 eerily transpiring a few days after its launch.

My friend loaned me the impressive box set, and it only took a week's worth of TV viewing time as the summer doldrum of post-season finales set in. Perfect time to catch up on a real masterpiece of the medium. Somehow, I've become a war buff of sorts - but this series really set a high-water mark.

If you haven't seen it, the 10-part series dramatizes the real men and events of E "Easy" Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment assigned to the 101st Airborne Division - an elite and innovative U.S. Army paratrooper squad assembled at the height of WWII. Among other achievements, these incredible young men parachuted behind enemy lines in the maelstrom of D-Day, were a frontline force outnumbered and without supplies during the wintertime Battle of the Bulge, and ultimately were the first to ascend upon Hitler's infamous Eagle's Nest mountain retreat. Their efforts and the Band of Brothers series that pays tribute to them, remain unprecedented triumphs. Michael Kamen's score alone still gives me chills.

I also checked out the many extra features on the DVD set, including a magnetic documentary, We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company. The film includes interviews with the surviving men portrayed in the miniseries, interspersed with actual footage of the battles re-enacted during it. This was a terrific aid in understanding all of the episodes, and was honestly quite emotional. I can't wait to also finally read Stephen E. Ambrose's book on which the series is based.

I'm glad I made the time for Band of Brothers. It's so easy to forget each day the sacrifices of those who came before us and the true bravery of soldiers who were just kids - pulled from their quiet lives and thrust into hell. Kids who saved the world, but didn't consider themselves heroes. Just a band of brothers.

Wooden

It's tough to think of a life these days more worthy of celebration than Coach John Wooden. The iconic coach, teacher and author passed away last Friday night and I think at least everyone in the Los Angeles area breathed a collective, heavy-hearted sigh. At 99 years old and with recent health challenges, his passing was not exactly surprising but a profound loss for the sports world and beyond nonetheless.

I am glad to report that HBO2 will be re-airing The UCLA Dynasty documentary in tribute to him this Friday, June 11th at 7:30pm ET/PT. It captures the amazing run of UCLA's 10 NCAA men's basketball championships under Coach Wooden's leadership.

I had the honor of meeting him once, briefly, at a book signing at the Westwood Borders - down the street from the campus where he made history all those years ago. He was promoting his book, Wooden on Leadership: How to Create a Winning Organization, which he graciously signed, along with my all-time favorite, Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and Off the Court. I told him how I had often given copies of that book to others over the years because it meant so much to me. I will never forget that moment and his lasting inspirational messages that have served so many athletes and everyday folk in finding success and a life well-lived.

One of my favorite John Wooden quotes: "Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."

Thanks Coach.

Black History

I've been catching some great docs this week in celebration of Black History Month.

HBO is airing Elvis Mitchell and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders' The Black List: Volume 3, the third annual installment of this provocative first-person documentary series, featuring intimate portraits and candid insights from some of today's most fascinating African-American icons. The cinematography in particular is terrific - the subjects are shot beautifully against a plain blackdrop, which makes their stirring perspectives stand out even more.

The fine folks at VH1 Rock Docs have assembled a fun history of the legendary, influential television dance series, Soul Train in Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America. The documentary celebrates the 40th anniversary of this landmark show, which was steered by charismatic host and executive producer Don Cornelius, and was the longest-running, first-run syndicated series in history. It was also the arbiter of African-American music and culture through the eras of soul, disco and hip-hop, before ending its successful run in 2006. After watching the film, I feel like standing up for the Soul Train dance line - who's with me?!

I also want to see PBS Independent Lens' upcoming documentary, Behind the Rainbow, which chronicles the changes in South Africa's post-apartheid political landscape. Looks to be a compelling film about that nation's struggles with equality.

Check these out for cool reflections and inspiring voices in the history of the African diaspora.

Cirque

Funny how things are intertwined sometimes.

Catching up on my DVR queue again (always), I recently watched the charming documentary, Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven on HBO.

Foodies like me who grew up in and around NYC in the '70s and '80s know Le Cirque restaurant as the legendary and treasured hub of Manhattan's glamorous restaurant scene. The film follows the story of owner Sirio Maccioni and his three sons as they prepare for the closing of Le Cirque, through its re-birth a few years later. Running any family business is tough, but imagine doing it in the worldwide spotlight. The film offers an intimate peek at father-son and sibling dynamics, the struggle to ensure a culinary and cultural legacy, and the shift from the old guard to the new. Plus, the food looks fantastic.

The film reminded me that I had a double Cirque experience several years ago, when I visited Le Cirque's restaurant at the Bellagio before a fantastic performance of Cirque du Soleil's "O" in Las Vegas. I was quite excited recently to attend another Cirque du Soleil performance of their "Kooza" show in my neighborhood. It is just mind-boggling and completely entertaining to watch such an effort come together under the big top.

Quite a circus, indeed.

Speech

Free speech issues seem to bubbling up a lot lately in our post 9/11 world and with the rise of social media on the internet. I recently caught an absorbing HBO documentary on the subject, Shouting Fire: Stories From the Edge of Free Speech.

Filmmaker Liz Garbus uses interviews with her father, famed First Amendment attorney Martin Garbus, to wrap some key recent situations where free speech has been under attack. She also examines and provides some cool footage of historically significant cases that her father was involved with, including the Pentagon Papers and the Nazi march in Skokie, Illinois. Haven't thought about those since my freshman law class at SU.

It would have been great to see the topic expanded a bit, but on the whole, the film serves as an important reminder that protecting free speech means also protecting speech we oppose. It is also interesting to ponder how much free speech we really have in our media-driven and hyper-sensitive country these days vs. what our founding fathers may have envisioned in drafting the Bill of Rights. Which reminds me, I still need to read Ellen Alderman and Caroline Kennedy's book, In Our Defense: The Bill of Rights in Action, to see what other atrocities have been committed against our national brochure for great living.

Did I say that out loud?

Mondays

I am a little late in mentioning the terrific HBO Documentary Film Series, currently airing on Monday nights this summer. I believe the network started the series last summer, kicking off with the riveting doc, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, and happily, they brought the showcase back this year.

The '09 series opened with Teddy: In His Own Words, a revealing film about the life of Senator Ted Kennedy. His niece, celebrated documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy, did not direct the film (as was previously noted) but did direct last season's portrait of White House correspondent Helen Thomas, entitled Thank You Mr. President ).

I am kicking back with some wine and tonight's film, The Nine Lives of Marion Barry. This should be good, as are all the films in the series. The esteemed Sheila Nevins and her team at HBO consistently do an outstanding job of selecting compelling films about the crazy thing we call life. I had the opportunity to attend a Q&A with her last year at the Los Angeles Film Festival - an entertaining peek into the mind and career of one of the most influential leaders in the documentary film world.

Finally, a reason to celebrate Mondays!