Lucille, Melanie, Danny, Jillian and I with director John Waters at the Holiday Inn in Clinton, N.J. on Tuesday evening, April 18th.
by Sam Juliano
The busiest juncture at Wonders in the Dark is nearing fruition, though the last stage of preparations for the first of two projects -the Allan Fish Online Film Festival- still needs to be finalized. Thank you to the many who have volunteered to pen introductions/framings/full reviews for the noble venture which was suggested by Jamie Uhler. The May 11th launch will in all likelihood continue until around the 25th. Depending on the final number of participants a final schedule is forthcoming.
The follow-up project – the Top 60 Television Shows of All-Time is also reaching the stage where a mass e mail to prospective participants is imminent. Dennis Polifroni has taken a very active position on this polling -the one dearest to his heart- and has sent on some rules that he feels will contribute to the countdown’s success. These prospective guidelines will be sent on the day after the Allan Fish Festival in complete, and ballots can be sent all the way up until June 20th. The Top 60 will then start posting on July 1st and will continue unabated every day until the last essay on August 29th. Dennis has strongly suggested that each voting choice be no shorter than nine (9) shows. For example Ken Burns’ The Civil War, a critically venerated miniseries would quality for it, though barely. I have looked over the prospective rules, and have been most impressed. Voters are asked to vote for their Top 60, which will directly coincide with the Top 60 we will go with on the countdown.
Lucille, Melanie, Jillian, Danny and I met with director John Waters at the Holiday Inn in Clinton, N.J. on Tuesday evening where the famed cult artist spoke, fielded questions and signed his new book “Make Trouble.” We briefly chatted about our once formidable laser disc collections, our family’s Baltimore tour and the hope that Criterion will do more blu rays of his films. Waters seemed pleased when I told him I thought his films “Female Trouble” and “Desperate Living” were his two absolute masterpieces. Event was run by the Clinton Bookshop, and well over 270 attended.
Lucille and I saw three films (Thursday, 4/20) on the Tribeca Film Festival’s opening day for mass viewings, on our Wonders in the Dark press passes. It was a fairly solid evening, and I have provided my 1 to 5 star ratings for the trio. Ten more films are set to watch for the remainder of the weekend, with a tentative 35 features for the entire festival. We saw all features at the Cineapolis multiplex on 23rd Street.
Holy Air (Israeli) ****
The King of Peking *** 1/2 (USA; filmed in Mandarin)
Super Dark Times *** 1/2 (USA)
Lucille and I saw two films (Friday, 4/21) on the festival’s second day. Not at all what I could describe as a memorable evening, but the documentary was memorable enough. I will speak more on the films in my recaps later in the week. Today (Saturday) we have five films set to watch beginning at 3:30 P.M.
No Man’s Land (USA) ***
The Endless (USA) * 1/2
Lucille and I watched four (4) feature films on the festival’s third day (Saturday, 4/22). It was thus far the best single day of the event, though the last screening of the planned fifth film ended with a rejection as all seats were filled (My Friend Dahmer). We will see that film now this evening at 9:45. Highlights yesterday were meeting Burt Reynolds (Dog Years) and the cast of the deeply moving documentary “True Conviction” about innocent prisoners and their lengthy, bogus incarcerations.
(1 to 5 star ratings)
True Conviction **** 1/2
Dog Years ****
A Thousand Junkies **** 1/2
A River Below *** 1/2
Meeting up with my friend Steve Kopian from UNSEEN FILMS in front of the festival site, the 23rd Street Cineopolis multiplex.
Lucille and I watched four films on Sunday (4/24), and the line-up featured two of the very best films of the festival, “Saturday Church” (**** 1/2) a partial musical about a 14 NYC boy trying to find his gender identity, highlighting a superlative performance by young Luka Haim; and the Czechoslovakian “Ice Mother” (**** 1/2) an incisive look at a dysfunctional, troubled family. “My Friend Dahmer” (**) about the early years of the Milwaukee cannibal was totally unremarkable–and rather pedestrian in its depiction of a teenager’s descent into depravity. I was mistakenly informed this would be a documentary, but it is a narrative feature. The documentary “Blurred Lines: Inside the Art World” (** 1/2) contained some fascinating revelations, but didn’t hold together. We have now seen 13 feature films so far in the ten day fest.
Click on names for archives
Writers/Founders
Wonders in the Dark 
I heard that Hilary Clinton was attending the film festival for several days – Did you perhaps see her? I would sometime like to attend a film festival. I can not say that I never have because when I was attending Grad School we attended a week long conference at Rutgers about sexuality and each day started and end with different kinds of PORN. I don’t usually share that experience with folks, though it became rather numbing. The documentaries were most interesting.
What a busy life you lead and how fun to see a director and have a picture and chat. I think if I met Gloria Steinem or Meryl Streep I would be too tongue tied to say anything or ask them my questions.
Have a great week.
Patricia—
Hillary DID attend the festival over the first two days, though by way of panel discussions that I wasn’t able to negotiate. I understand her time was brief, but for those lucky enough to get there, that was surely a cherished moment. I would have loved to take a photo of her, with her, or at least get a glimpse. The festival has been quite a high-quality one this year, but with the energy needed one is exhausted as I am now as it winds time to the final three days. But I still have a dozen features in that span, so there is still a lot to be seen, and then a comprehensive post on the Top Ten Tribeca Films 2017. That is a wild Rutgers Grad School topic!! I know a few people who would have signed up in a heartbeat!! hahaha!!! Yeah I hear ya though, when you say it was numbing! It is to be sure very exciting to meet some of the artists involved, and a special thrill to be able to chat. Thank you so very much as always my friend!! Have a great upcoming weekend!!
Hey Sammy,
You are one busy guy as usual. Very cool to meet John Waters and I’m sure that was a treat. Also, your dedicated viewings at Tribeca are of course marathon-like in their dedication. I’m excited to hear about the plans for the TV show countdown and would definitely be honored to participate in this one. Looking forward to it and excited to see that Dennis will be back in the saddle! Miss seeing his comments and energy on here over the last few years. Also looking forward to being involved in the Allan Fish online festival as well!
We have been busy with spring cleaning and gardening projects. Lots of time was spent enjoying the beautiful weather over the weekend. I’ve also had a trip cancelled for this week so will be able to be home which is always good.
Managed a viewing of Fences: I’ll go 3/4 on this one. Great performances and effective tone made for a moving film. A little long for me, but very solid on the whole.
Have a great week Sam!
Thanks so very much Jon!! Yes it was quite the thrill to meet John Waters and even more so to spend some time talking with him directly! His reputation has always been quite favorable, as many have attested to his warmth and humor. This was the third time we have seen him, and each instance has been memorable. I informed Dennis of your kind words and he was very moved! Very heartened at your resolve to participate in the festival! Nice that you finally had some quality home time with all that traveling you embark on. Fair enough with the 3 of 4 on FENCES, which is a wonderful film based on one of the American theater’s great masterpieces. I gave it the top rating, but I have always been a big August Wilson guy! Enjoy your weekend with the family!!
Where’s your pencil mustache, Sam? Where are Lucille’s beehive and liquid eyeliner? Love the photo.
Happy b-day to Shirley MacLaine and Barbra Streisand. My three favorite MacLaine performances: The Trouble with Harry (her film debut); Desperate Characters (criminally neglected); and Terms of Endearment.
My three favorite Streisand roles: Funny Girl (film debut and the Oscar); The Owl and the Pussycat (with George Segal, Barbra’s best male co-star, I think); and Yentl (outrageously, the film and Streisand’s performance weren’t even nominated by the Academy — 1983 was MacLaine’s year to win the statuette).
Mark, we all should have been sporting that pencil mustache actually! Ha! Yesterday was also Jack Nicholson’s Birthday and I’m sure there are more than a few he starred in that you’d speak well of. 🙂 My own favorite MacLaine performances were The Children’s Hour and The Apartment, though I do like the excellent ones you note including her celebrated Oscar winning collaboration with Nicholson. The best Streisand performance ever is absolutely the one she gave in FUNNY GIRL, but she was splendid in YENTL indeed. I’d also give a shout out to her turn in HELLO DOLLY!, though I suspect not everyone will agree with me there. If you ask most film goers though, they will continue to name THE WAY WE WERE, which after FUNNY GIRL was probably her most popular performance. Yes, 1983 was MacLaine’s turn for Oscar. Thank you my friend! Have a great week!
Mark, how dare you have a go at THE DEVILS one week and praise YENTL the next? lol. How anyone has ever gotten through YENTL completely is beyond me. Horrid film.
Jamie, I will say this: Until Mark vouched for it I never in a million years would have figured him to go for YENTL. 🙂
I watched it (though not completely) when I given a copy of it in a Sexuality/Gender film class. I recall it was sandwiched by Sylvia Scarlett (1935) and Christopher Strong (1933), two great works. I’ve been embarrassed for the teacher that picked it ever since…
Well those bookends do definitely diminish it further, that’s for sure!
In any case Streisand never equaled the heights of FUNNY GIRL, which played best to her strengths.
It’s totally not my bag, if I never saw another Streisand film I’d be OK. So I’ll defer.
I guess Streisand is an acquired taste and I’ve certainly acquired it.
Jamie, agreed on Syberberg (and Fassbinder): Our Hitler and Berlin Alexanderplatz are both Teutonic and titanic masterworks.
The more quirksome the Jonathan Demme (gone too soon) film, the better I like it.
My 5 favorites in order of preference:
1. Stop Making Sense
2. Something Wild
3. Married to the Mob (among other things, a comedy about the horrors of living in suburbia, a Scorsese theme Demme picked up on and made hilarious by pouring on the kitsch)
4. Melvin and Howard
5. The Silence of the Lambs (for Hopkins’ landmark incarnation of evil)
I haven’t seen Demme’s documentaries on President Carter or Hurricane Katrina. Not yet.
Mark, in advance of Jamie’s response, I’d like to say that I am with you part of the way with Babs, though for me the problem has always been how off-putting she is as a person. She was extraordinary in Funny Girl (and in Hello Dolly! for me as well) and her great singing voice is of course rightly celebrated. On Demme, I’ve tempted to slip in PHILADELPHIA and for me SILENCE is still tops in his filmography. But I do adore STOP MAKING SENSE for sure.
Arguably Demme’s greatest film segment and knowing his love of opera probably one he adored himself:
Demme’s a real tough one, so many of his greatest things aren’t totally narrative works, but in a way they become that; STOP MAKING SENSE is a (or THE) concert film, moreso than a mere collection of great songs played live but an actual manifestation on the conception and creation of tunes. Just brilliant. It was an alarming coincidence when I’d watched two or three things off it the week previous on youtube. Scary vibes I then had when I heard the news.
From there, like you, I adore SOMETHING WILD, CAGED HEAT (off the top of my head, it’s the best women-in-prison film not made in Asia right?), SWIMMING TO CAMBODIA (his commitment to ol’ Spaulding was admirable), and the New Order video ‘Perfect Kiss’ is great if for nothing else but that camera mounted on Peter Hook’s bassneck that lets us closely watch a master work.
I also think HANDLE WITH CARE and MELVIN AND HOWARD are very funny pictures, same with MARRIED TO THE MOB. Staging comedy might have been his greatest gift among many. RIP
What an incredible week Sam! And so much more to come too, according to your planning. Would have loved to be there with you guys to shoot the breeze with John Waters. Your family has visited so many places connected to his work over the years.
On another count, what do you think of the Yankees this year?
Indeed Frank! I am tentatively set to watch 17 more over the last six days, including two this evening. So far, despite the usual number of duds the festival has showcased some unforgettable films. As to the Yankees, it is far too early to be sure, but they seem to be a better team than most prospects has contended. Many thanks my friend!
13 films over the weekend? Your eyes must be burning. What are the prospects of some of them getting theatrical releases?
Ricky, they are burning indeed. I am always rubbing them. The situation as always has been exacerbated by the awful spring allergies I am maligned with. I am certain a good number of the films will get theatrical releases, and then the light of day on DVD and blu ray. Thank you my friend!
Any rule about a TV countdown that rules out something like The Strange World of Gurney Slade should be peacefully protested. lol
You know what Jamie? That is an excellent point you make and one that I am determined to reverse.
Oh you needn’t do that Sam, I was just poking a bit. Truth be told THE STRANGE WORLD OF GURNEY SLADE has a snowballs chance in hell.
Seriously Jamie, there should NOT be running time restrictions with this poll. You have opened my eyes to that. As you will recall Allan imposed none at all on his landmark Greatest British television series. I certainly will be voting for THE STRANGE WORLD OF GURNEY SLADE, that’s for sure!
Sam — The photo of you and yours with director John Waters is WONDERFUL! How COOL that you got to meet with him!
Thanks so very much Laurie! It was quite an exciting night for all of us! Have a fabulous week my friend!!
I would argue for the countdown that 6 episodes or more is all that needs to happen. That way, yes, Gurney Slade gets in.
Adam, what you say makes quite a bit of sense.
But it just doesn’t stop; Our Hitler: A Film From Germany was made for German TV and only has 4 episodes. It’s a total masterwork, probably top 10 for the form.
I mean it’s almost as if you guys need to designate between ‘TV works’ and ‘TV Shows’, as those are sort of different things that could probably help sorting things a bit.
I thought it was for ongoing shows, not just programs. Limiting it to a certain number of episodes beyond something basic, like 6, seems arbitrary and somewhat punitive.
I would not list Hitler as a series. I would list it as a program, under film/miniseries.
Yeah, you’re in my same wavelength. ‘Shows’ are different from ‘programs’, but you and I know that most ballots will have it both ways… Like if voting is Shows ROSANNE is higher than KEN BURN’S BASEBALL, even though BASEBALL (or his CIVIL WAR) are better works of art. They just aren’t shows…
It seems nearly impossible to keep straight when getting so many voters. Best of luck…
Sam, looks like your working hard at Tribeca, looking forward to your picks for best of the festival.
Duane, it all finished yesterday of course, and on Thursday of this week I will have the complete Best Films of Tribeca 2017 up here at the site. Overall, it was the finest Tribeca Festival I have ever attended in terms of quality. Some really exceptional films, that I sincerely hope will earn wide release!! Thank you so much my friend!