Mister Freedom

What is there to say about Mister Freedom? It is a very experiential film, so I am inclined to say, "Just watch it." It is a satirical farce about the American superhero, Mister Freedom, traveling to France to put down a Communist revolt. The film swings so wildly into hyperbole that when it swings in the other direction it is easy to be disarmed by it...

Mister Freedom (MF) was directed by fashion photographer William Klein in 1969 and stars John Abbey in the tittle role, Delphine Seyrig as Marie-Madeleine, and cameos by Donald Pleasence as Dr. Freedom and Serge Gainbourge (who contributes musically). John Abbey was an American Baseball player who made a career playing Americans in French films (Mr. Lacs in Jacques Tati's 1967 film Play Time is of note) and after MF, it seems clear that he probably couldn't retern to the US if he wanted to, but he should have, he is great here.

Film after the jump (sorry the sound is out of sync by a few seconds:/). 

Before/After Stonewall

This documentary is Before Stonewall, a 1984 film from directors Greta Schiller and Robert Rosenburg, about the gay and lesbian community before the Stonewall Riots of 1969 that was a major impetus in the gay liberation movement in the United States.
After the jump is After Stonewall from 1999 from director John Scagliotti - not as good, but worth including...

The Plague Dogs

The Plague Dogs is a 1982 animated film from director Martin Rosen centering around two dogs who escape from a medical research facility, and hilarity ensues...
It is based on the novel by Richard Adams who wrote Watership Down - which Rosen also directed in 1978. Like Watership Down this film is kind of a downer and had a feature over at Kindertrauma.
Trailer followed by our feature presentation. 

Holy Mountain

Alejandro Jodorowsky 1973 film Holy Mountain - I will not try to describe what the film is about, beyond saying John Lennon and Yoko Ono fronted money so the film could be made, beyond that I will let the trailer take over from there  - full film after the jump.

The Social Life Of Small Urban Spaces

The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces from 1980 by the ubanist William H. Whyte was adapted from his book of the same title. It is a witty little film about plazas  in the urban environment.

The print bellow is poor quality, but it is the best I have found - still worth viewing.

William H. Whyte: The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces - The Street Corner from MAS on Vimeo.

Night Of The Galactic Railroad

Night of The Galactic Railroad is a 1985 animated film from director Gisaburo Sugii based on the novel by Kenji Miyazawa. It is about two kittens that take a metaphysical journey on a magical train - and if you are wondering, no, there were no cats in the original novel...

The Chimes At Midnight

The Chimes At Midnight is a 1965 Orson Wells film about Shakespeare's character Falstaff, of who the film is named after in its non-US release. 

When The Wind Blows

When The Wind Blows is a cheery 1986 film from director Jimmy T. Murakami about nuclear war. It has the theme to tune by David Bowie and features animation set against an actual 3D background - and is a total downer...

Rudi Gernreich: Basic Black

For the late fashion icon Rudi Gernreich, Basic Black is anything but. Featuring muses Peggy Moffitt and Leon Bing, this short is a forerunner of  of the fashion video (maybe dead today?).

Ben & Arthur

I'm not going to try to tell you what Ben & Arthur is about, other then it is the worst gay movie ever made, but I will say it is 2002 film from director Sam Mraovich.
So, for a description, I will allow Rantasmo to fill you in on the plot. Who is Rantasmo you may be asking? Other than being a guy with the most amazing name ever, and being downright adorable with his little chin beard, he host a web video series called Needs More Gay, which "dissects the highs and lows of gay pop culture with the precision of a dull machete." And his summery of Ben & Arthur is a tour de force (along the lines of MST3K). Spoilers are included, but hey, it the worst gay movie ever made.

The full film jump - because, after that, I know you are dieing to see it. Really you should be. Reason one is you will find out the Mildread is the super of Ben and Aurthur's building for some reason, and that Ben's brother gets way gayer as the film goes on. Also, part 1 is called bnaone with part 2 through 11 titled Ben & Arthur 2/11 to 11/11...

In The Realms Of The Unreal

In The Realms Of The Unreal is a 2004 documentary about the artist and author Henry Darger by Jessica Yu. Darger, working as a janitor, amassed a 15,000 page novel and paintings and drawings that came to light only after is death.

Trailer bellow followed by the feature after the jump...

 

Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles

Another look at Los Angeles. 

Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles of 1972 came on the heels of architectural historian and theorist's seminal 1971 work, Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies.  Four Ecologies is an amazing work, this is more so so, but it is a fun ride (pun not intended) with Mr. Banham as he tears around a long gone Los Angeles , starting at LAX, in his Baede-Kar. 

Miracle Mile

I'm feeling romantic for LA. I got back here about three weeks ago and didn't realize how much I missed being here while in Chicago. 

Miracle Mile is a 1988 film staring Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham from director Steve De Jarnatt. The movie starts with Edwards getting a date with Winninghan to pick her up at the diner (Johnie's Coffee Shop) where she works when she gets off - he oversleeps and rushes out to meet her. He is too late and calls her from the payphone outside at 4am. He leaves her a message and waits around the diner for her to come back. While waiting the phone in the booth rings and the voice on the end of the line begins rambling bout a missile set to hit Los Angels in 70 minutes.

Not only does the film unfold in about real time it is set in LA in the late 80's! 

Bellow is the trailer followed by full length film after the jump. 

Good Copy Bad Copy

Tonight we are featuring a nice doc about copyright and music sampling - featuring interviews with Girl Talk and Danger Mouse (among others).  Good Copy Bad Copy is from 2007 and was directed by Andreas Johnsen, Ralf Christensen, and Henrik Moltke.