An important part of being a filmmaker/lover is to not only watch films, but to also engage in thought provoking discussions of said films with fellow filmmakers/lovers.
This is my goal:
Post critical as well as personal reviews for every film I watch.
Too ambitious?
I hope not, and I hope you'll find my reviews enjoyable, and possibly even discover some films you've never heard of!
To start off, here's a review of the most recent film I've seen: Primary.
Primary (1960)
Written and Directed by Robert Drew.
Primary is a documentary that follows presidential hopefuls John F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey during Wisconsin's Democratic primary. The most striking aspects of the film, to its original audiences at least, are the uninhibited camera movements and the genuine capturing of intimate moments. Both of these aspects are direct results of the then-emerging cinema verite style and technological advancements that produced hand-held and mostly quiet film cameras.The most intriguing scenes in the film include Humphrey taking a nap during a car ride between cities, a long take of Kennedy walking through a crowd before giving a campaign speech, and both candidates waiting for the results with their friends and family. Unfortunately the hour long film becomes arduous to watch in several places, especially a montage of feet seen under voting booths.
To an audience unfamiliar with the cinema verite style of documentary filmmaking Primary was most definitely an exhilarating and unique window into the lives of presidential hopefuls. Along with the rest of Robert Drew's documentaries from this time, Primary was a groundbreaking film and has impacted filmmaking, both documentary and narrative, ever since.
No comments:
Post a Comment