More from HotDocs 2008
Another quick round up of my viewings from this year's HotDocs festival in Toronto. I'm pushed for time for various reasons but would still rather post "live" than wait until I get home. So here are my next lot of films, very quickly summarised and completely free of any kind of spellcheck (sorry).
MAN ON WIRE is a definite highlight. James Marsh gave us the wonderful WISCONSIN DEATH TRIP and while the subject here is rather different, the style of the film is similar and as striking - the blend of archive footage, interviews, reconstructions and extremely well chosen classical music make it every bit as artistic as it is fascinating, and it scores highly on both of those counts.
The film concerns a crazy high-wire walker who, having already spanned a tightrope on Sydney Harbour Bridge and Notre Dame, went on a quest back in the 1970s to perform his act across the gap between the twin towers of the World Trade Centre. Seriously.
MAN ON WIRE is a definite highlight. James Marsh gave us the wonderful WISCONSIN DEATH TRIP and while the subject here is rather different, the style of the film is similar and as striking - the blend of archive footage, interviews, reconstructions and extremely well chosen classical music make it every bit as artistic as it is fascinating, and it scores highly on both of those counts.
The film concerns a crazy high-wire walker who, having already spanned a tightrope on Sydney Harbour Bridge and Notre Dame, went on a quest back in the 1970s to perform his act across the gap between the twin towers of the World Trade Centre. Seriously.
Steering clear of anything to do with the eventual fate of the towers, Marsh sticks to the audacity of the stunt, the incredible quest of one man and the effect it had on everyone involved. Marvellous.
LETTER TO ANNA: THE DEATH OF JOURNALIST POLITKOVSKAYA'S DEATH is a depressing documentary about the life and death of a courageous journalist who spoke out against the crimes allegedly committed by the Russian government and paid the ultimate price. The film is a tribute to her and also an investigation into why she was killed and by whom; it's all the more effective for containing interview footage shot with her before she was killed (the director had been intending to make a very different film with her). It's interesting certainly, but worrying too and a valiant attempt to get certain issues to a wider audience.
Man with mental issues draws a lot and records some out of tune music which achieves a cult following - sounds like THE DEVIL AND DANIEL JOHNSON to me, but no, it's WESLEY WILLIS'S JOYRIDE, a tribute to the underground musician and artist who died a few years ago. I'd never heard of him but aside from some of his drawings being very good and him being a reasonably charismatic individual (at times) I couldn't see the attraction. Plenty of others did however, so if you're a fan this is a film for you. If, like me, you'd never heard of him, you might wonder what it's all about.
DANCE WITH A SERIAL KILLER is a British film about a French serial killer. Rather than an in-depth look at the mind of the killer (which will remain a mystery) it concentrates partially on the effects of the investigation on the detective involved but mainly on the efforts he went to (over five years) to get a conviction. It is a portrait of obsession but equally of heroic determination to do good - not to mention an illustration of a detective mind at its best.
PASSAGE is a fantastic film by John Walker co-produced between Britain and Canada which looks at the historical records surrounding the discovery of the Northwest Passage. Challenging accepted history, mixing documentary with drama, and stirring up a real hornet's nest, this documentary is controversial, intelligent, entertaining, enlightening and a whole load of other things that a good documentary should be. It may well change your mind on things; it may not; but it will certainly give you food for thought and is another frontrunner for my personal highlight of the festival.
More from HotDocs soon.
LETTER TO ANNA: THE DEATH OF JOURNALIST POLITKOVSKAYA'S DEATH is a depressing documentary about the life and death of a courageous journalist who spoke out against the crimes allegedly committed by the Russian government and paid the ultimate price. The film is a tribute to her and also an investigation into why she was killed and by whom; it's all the more effective for containing interview footage shot with her before she was killed (the director had been intending to make a very different film with her). It's interesting certainly, but worrying too and a valiant attempt to get certain issues to a wider audience.
Man with mental issues draws a lot and records some out of tune music which achieves a cult following - sounds like THE DEVIL AND DANIEL JOHNSON to me, but no, it's WESLEY WILLIS'S JOYRIDE, a tribute to the underground musician and artist who died a few years ago. I'd never heard of him but aside from some of his drawings being very good and him being a reasonably charismatic individual (at times) I couldn't see the attraction. Plenty of others did however, so if you're a fan this is a film for you. If, like me, you'd never heard of him, you might wonder what it's all about.
DANCE WITH A SERIAL KILLER is a British film about a French serial killer. Rather than an in-depth look at the mind of the killer (which will remain a mystery) it concentrates partially on the effects of the investigation on the detective involved but mainly on the efforts he went to (over five years) to get a conviction. It is a portrait of obsession but equally of heroic determination to do good - not to mention an illustration of a detective mind at its best.
PASSAGE is a fantastic film by John Walker co-produced between Britain and Canada which looks at the historical records surrounding the discovery of the Northwest Passage. Challenging accepted history, mixing documentary with drama, and stirring up a real hornet's nest, this documentary is controversial, intelligent, entertaining, enlightening and a whole load of other things that a good documentary should be. It may well change your mind on things; it may not; but it will certainly give you food for thought and is another frontrunner for my personal highlight of the festival.
More from HotDocs soon.
Labels: documentaries, hot docs, toronto
posted by Alan at 11:35 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home