Crazytown

THE CINEMA SHOW: CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURISM!

Sometimes, The ONLY Way To Get Something Done Is To Do It Yourself!
By Tim Lorge (Playwright/Filmmaker/Photographer)

Photo by Tim Lorge; Artwork artist unknown. If this is yours or you know whose it is, please contact me.

Taken at Think Coffee, 248 Mercer St., NYC During The PlayGround Experiment Volume 27, June 13, 2016

 

When we started this journey back in June, we talked about some of the best films ever made by some of the greatest filmmakers of all time.

Three weeks ago, we shifted the conversation to the film making process. I shared with you some of the tools I’m using to create my projects to help get you over that hump.

We discussed Werner Herzog’s Masterclass on becoming a filmmaker both physically and mentally. It’s the mental part that can kill your project, if you aren’t properly girded. Herzog can help you there.

Here are some additional thoughts from none other than Mark Duplass. During a keynote at SXSW in 2015, he improvised eight tips for success as an indie filmmaker; read Indiewire’s summation of them here.

The next hurdle is how do I shoot the damn thing. We then talked about working with your public access television station to learn all of the technical stuff: shooting, sound recording, editing, special effects even getting studio space.

The next thing you need to consider, and it’s a doozy, is how do you actually shoot your feature film AND get it in front of audiences AND maybe make some money from it?

For that, you need to become a creative entrepreneur also known as becoming your own movie producer.

Part if the reason why I selected “Mad World” last week was because, starting any business is sheer lunacy. It’s a wild, wonderful ride you take while you’re looking for the buried treasure.

I’m not going to kid you, there is a lot to becoming a producer. However, if you want true creative freedom, producing your own stuff, and then eventually that of your super talented friends, is the only way you will ever achieve it.

Don’t worry - you can do this.

 

Dov S-S Simens, Image Courtesy of Dov

Luckily you live now and can do what Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan, Spike Lee and Kevin Smith have done – They went to Dov S-S Simens’ Hollywood Film School.

After working as Development Executive, Production Manager and Line Producer with the king of indie film, Roger Corman,  Dov started the Hollywood Film School as a the live “2-Day Film School” seminar. That begat the “DVD Film School” which begat the “Streaming Film School”.

These programs provide the tools and information first-time filmmaker/producers need to get their projects off the ground and to the audience. It’s not a “pie-in-the sky” formula but actual real information about the Business of Hollywood.

The content of the DVD and Streaming Film Schools are exactly the same. The only differences are printed books are included with the DVDs and PDFs with the streaming. Also, naturally, the DVDs are yours for $249. The streaming access is available for $89 for 20 days or $149 for 60 Days.

In 16 Lessons, Dov covers:

• Independent Filmmaking
• Screenwriting
• Working with Guilds & Unions
• Pre-Production
• Directing
• The Shoot
• The Edit
• Digital Filmmaking
• Budgets
• Publicity (Festivals & Awards)
• Cable & Video deals
• Foreign Sales and Profits
• Financing
• Distribution
• Scheduling
• Hollywood Success

This was originally shot in 2004. As such, there is a ton of information about shooting on film. Considering the recent resurgence of film, it’s handy to know.

The digital filmmaking section is a bit dated; pardon the pun. Digital filmmaking has come a long way in the past few years. Because of this, Dov came out with an update in 2015 to discuss these and all the other changes since the DVD Film School’s original release.  

Also, Dov maintains the “No Bull Blog” that keeps you up to date on all of the latest and greatest and is a constant source of motivation. If you do nothing else, subscribe to this blog and start learning about the wonderful world of filmmaking.

In all candor, this is the one product I wish I watched years ago. It is nothing short of amazing. I can’t say enough about it.

Yes, this is a glowing review and yes, that is OK. And no, I was not paid for it.

As we wrap up this summer session, I hope you learned something from this blog. It has been a great joy for me to write these articles for you every week.

There will never be a better time for you to start the journey of becoming a filmmaker and producer.

Do it now, without delay. The world needs your stories to save us from boring ones.

Good luck and drop me a line sometime!

Peace!

Tim Lorge

 

 

 

 

TIM LORGE Playwright, Filmmaker, Photographer www.timlorge.com
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THE CINEMA SHOW: ITS A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD

Let's Go on a Road Trip with Some of the Greatest Film and Comedic Actors of All Time
By Tim Lorge (Playwright/Filmmaker/Photographer)

Stanley Kramer is director-producer from New York who straddled the fence between both indie and studio worlds. Born in Hell’s Kitchen in 1913, he’s known for making some of the best socially conscious films of all time including “Guess Who's Coming to Dinner” and “Judgment at Nuremberg”.

While these two and a number of his other films should definitely be in you viewing list, I’m in a mood to laugh.

Coming in at #40 on the AFI “100 Years...100 Laughs” list is the epic in the truest form of the word … “It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”. 

 

This was the first comedy Kramer directed and man, did he pull out all the stops. Here is the cast list from IMDB:

Cast (in credits order)

• Spencer Tracy
• Milton Berle
• Sid Caesar
• Buddy Hackett
• Ethel Merman
• Mickey Rooney
• Dick Shawn
• Phil Silvers
• Terry-Thomas
• Jonathan Winters
• Edie Adams
• Dorothy Provine
• Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson
• Jim Backus
• Joe E. Brown
• Alan Carney
• Chick Chandler
• Barrie Chase
• William Demarest
• Andy Devine
• Peter Falk
• Norman Fell
• Paul Ford
• Stan Freberg
• Leo Gorcey
• Sterling Holloway
• Marvin Kaplan
• Edward Everett Horton
• Buster Keaton
• Don Knotts
• Charles Lane
• Mike Mazurki
• Charles McGraw
• Zasu Pitts
• Carl Reiner
• Madlyn Rhue
• Roy Roberts
• Arnold Stang
• The Three Stooges
• Jesse White
• Jimmy Durante
• Morey Amsterdam
• Jack Benny

“Smiler” Grogan (Jimmy Durante) is driving erratically along a winding mountain road when he drives off said road and crashes his car. Five Samaritans, Sid Caesar, Jonathan Winters, Mickey Rooney, Buddy Hackett and Milton Berle, stop to help.

Right before Durante literally kicks the bucket, he tells them about $350,000 buried in Santa Rosita State Park near the Mexican border under "The Big W".

Let the wacky road picture begin!

The original cut of the film was 210 minutes which was cut to 192 for the premier and 161 minutes for distribution. When it was restored for The Criterion Collection in 2014, 197 minutes were reconstructed and restored in 4K.

Admittedly, by today’s standards, some of the comedy doesn’t hold up but this is a fun ride nonetheless, pardon the pun.

TIM LORGE Playwright, Filmmaker, Photographer www.timlorge.com
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THE CINEMA SHOW: LEARN THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF MAKING YOUR MOVIE

Like Anything, Film Making Requires Developing Your Chops 
By Tim Lorge (Playwright/Filmmaker/Photographer)

One of the biggest hurdles confronting most filmmakers when they start out is the equipment issue.

• How do I get a camera
• What do I do with the camera once I get it
• What about sound
• How do I edit all the footage
• How do I get it online

This isn’t as big of an issue as you might think.

Every town in the U.S. that has a cable provider (Comcast, Time Warner, RCN, etc.) has to designate channels for public, educational or governmental (PEG) use. In addition, the providers must provide training and equipment to the public to produce and airtime to televise the shows.

This means you, as a member of the public, have access to these channels and training.

How so?

Public Access Television (PATV) – Think Wayne’s World or any number of other SNL skits.

Based on these caricatures, one might be tempted to cast aspersions on the concept of PATV. However, as an emerging filmmaker, they have what you want and need.

Every borough in NYC has PATV and they have training programs. In Manhattan, it’s called Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN). This is open to all regardless of whether or not you are a cable subscriber.

If you are outside NYC, check with your cable provider or PATV station for details.

With MNN, you have to attend an orientation class and become a certified producer prior gaining access to equipment and facilities.

To become a certified producer, you must attend either a studio or field production class. MNN charges a nominal fee, about $20-30 for most courses. Other PATV stations may do the same.

The studio class teaches you how so use a state-of-the-art TV studio and control room to create your show. MNN has two studio types to shoot your project.

The first is what MNN calls an Express studio which has two cameras and a sound-proof room for you and your guest.

The other type is a nice-sized, three or four camera studio and control room. Due to their size, you’ll need a crew to help you with these rooms.

No need for you to worry about getting the crew. MNN has a requirement that other producers must work as crew on three productions that are not their own in a year in order to maintain their show making privileges.

Yes, that requirement will apply to you as well.

That is a good thing for you because you will need to learn, practice and develop your skills to make your great TV show or movie. The only way you can do that is by doing it.

Plus, you’ll get to network! You will meet other like-minded people. You help them with their projects and they’ll help with yours. You bring your talents, they bring theirs and then you know what you have?

Two projects that you can be proud to say you worked on. Take that IMDB!

The Field class teaches you how to work the camera and starts your cinematography education. Once field certified, you be able to take a Sony NX5U camera into the field to shoot your show or movie.

A couple other MNN requirements are that any equipment sign out or studio time booking must be attached to a project and that project must air on MNN. It cannot be a commercial project, meaning, you can’t sell stuff during your show. Those are pretty standard PATV things but check with your station for their requirements.

MNN also provides courses on Adobe Premier Pro for editing, After Effects for motion graphics and Photoshop for photo and still graphics creation and editing. In addition, there are seminars on “how to be a successful producer,” “iPhone shooting,” working with YouTube and many more - all geared to help you become the best producer and filmmaker you can be.

When you make a film of any length, there’s a lot to do. If you haven’t worked with real cameras before, ones with F or T-stops, or sound or video editing, working with a PATV will give you the opportunity to start developing those skills.

Do that, meet some like-minded people along the way and put in your best effort every single day until it’s done, you will then have your first feature film.

It is a lot closer than you think.

Next week: Producing your movie.

 

TIM LORGE Playwright, Filmmaker, Photographer www.timlorge.com
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THE CINEMA SHOW: TIME TO MAKE YOUR MOVIE

What are You Waiting for?
By Tim Lorge (Playwright/Filmmaker/Photographer)

 

Werner Herzog on the set of "Fitzcarraldo"

 

Or should that be, for what are you waiting?

Or maybe even, What? Are you waiting?

Consider this your kick in the ass: It’s time for you to make your first feature length film.

When I first heard this, my head nearly exploded.

Why not a short? Why not a web series? Can you make money off of them? If so, how?

Shorts you notoriously can’t. I know, people claim shorts are a calling card but stick with me.

As for web series, with the exception of a handful of YouTubers, I see that as a very glutted market. Isn’t everyone you know shooting a web series or doing a podcast?

Yes, I know every couple of months Variety, Hollywood Reporter or someone else runs some article about how the web series is “changing the world.”

But, as a storyteller, can you really tell an interesting and entertaining story in 90 seconds to 3 minutes? And is that changing the world or just the length of a long commercial?

For as many web series as there are, how many are actually making money?

There are no hard stats available on that but the only people making any money on web series are the stockholders of: Apple, Facebook and Google. Admittedly, I want to be wrong on this and hope someone would be kind enough to show me the error of my ways.

However, the most compelling reason is, well, let me ask you this: If you can get something for free, why would you ever pay for it? Tina Fey realizes this and has very plainly said the reason why she is not on social media is “Why would I give my jokes away for free?”

Why should you or I do that?

If you want to become a filmmaker, screenwriter or act in films, you have to make movies.

With the same amount of time, effort and money it takes to shoot a short, with the proper planning and execution of that plan, you can shoot your first feature film. You just need a Sherpa to guide you up the mountain.

Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be discussing some of the tools available to you. You have a lot more than you may realize.

For starters, you may recall a few weeks ago, I mentioned Werner Herzog’s course at Masterclass.

Masterclass is a website that delivers on-line training from some of the foremost creatives in the world such as Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Spacey, Aaron Sorkin and, of course, Herzog. Each course is $90; for which you get lifetime access to it.

In Herzog’s course, there are 26 lessons that involve a video of Herzog discussing the concept, a “Take it Further” section that provides links to articles and clips to further expand on the lesson and a couple of assignments.

There is also a suggested viewing schedule which recommends 3 to 5 classes per week. Frankly, if you have a day job, I think that’s a bit of an assertive schedule considering some of the length of the assignments.

After starting it, however, I can tell you it is intense but worth every bit of effort.

In all the content is superb but don’t take my word for it, watch a clip.

Next week, learning how to use cameras, editing and special effects software and getting access to the equipment.

TIM LORGE Playwright, Filmmaker, Photographer www.timlorge.com
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THE CINEMA SHOW: PRESTON STURGES

This Saturday Night at 10 PM A Tribute to the Man Who Invented Multi-Hyphenates! #MultiHyphenatesUnite #ThanksPreston!
By Tim Lorge (Playwright/Filmmaker/Photographer)

 

Preston Sturges - See Photo Credit #1 below

 

 

I am fascinated with the work and biographies of the writers and actors, theater and film-makers who came before us and at one time called the stages and streets of New York home.

They are a reminder that “it” can happen for you, me, our friends with a lot of determination and tons of hard work.

Preston Sturges was one of us, the first true multi-hyphenate and someone whose work you really should know.

In 1928, he was a Broadway actor, appearing in Paul Osborn’s “Hotbed”. In 1929, his playwriting career took off with his plays: a comedy “The Guinea Pig” and the romantic comedy “Strictly Dishonorable.”

“Dishonorable” is notable because it was his first hit earning him over $300,000, which would be about $4.1 million today. It was co-directed by none other than Tony Award namesake, Antoinette Perry.

After a couple of theatrical flops, he did what any good playwright does: he or she goes to Hollywood.

Based on the success of “Strictly Dishonorable” he was able to land work as a freelance writer for Columbia, MGM, Paramount and Universal where he redefined screwball comedies and forever changed screen dialog writing from the stodginess of the early talkies to the more natural dialog we take for granted today.

In 1933, he sold his spec script of “The Power and the Glory” to Twentieth Century Fox. It became a star vehicle for Spencer Tracy and one of the inspirations for “Citizen Kane.” Fox paid him $17,500 (~$315,900 today) and, a then, unheard of percentage of the profits. Sturges would then settle into the studio system earning $2,500 (~$44,800) per week as a screenwriter.

Eventually, he would grow frustrated by how directors handled his dialog. He decided to take control of his destiny and sold “The Great McGinty” to Paramount for $10 (~$168.95 today) and the opportunity to direct, thus making him the first Hollywood writer to direct his own script.

“McGinty” would bring Sturges the very first Oscar for “Best Original Screenplay” in 1940.

The following year, in 1941, Sturges created was his masterpiece with “Sullivan’s Travels” starring Joel McCrea and the insanely beautiful Veronica Lake.

Sullivan's Travel Poster - See Photo Credit #2 Below

“Sullivan’s Travels” is part road picture and part satire. It is the story of Hollywood comedy director John L. Sullivan (McCrea) who has tired of making of making banal comedies and wants to make a serious picture based on a fictional book about the depression called “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”

 

The only problem is, he’s rich and doesn’t know the first thing about being affected by the depression. He then dresses as a hobo, finds an open boxcar and hits the railroad. He encounters “The Girl” (Lake and yes, that was the character’s name), an actress about to give up on her dream, who takes pity on him and buys him breakfast.

Lake & McCrea - See Photo Credit #3 Below

What follows was a bold depiction of the depression era that, for those of us born long after it’s end, we can’t even imagine: mobs of starving people, open access to dangerous rail yards, multiple assaults, amnesia, and chain gangs. It also features a rare instance in films of that era where people of color were treated with respect.

Perhaps the most moving sequence of the movie is when Sullivan has his epiphany and realizes that comedy does far more for people than any drama will. This occurs while he is watching “Walt Disney’s Playful Pluto” in Southern African-American church with church congregants and other chain gang members. This sequence was, at the time, considered quite ground breaking. Walter F. White, then Secretary of the NAACP called it a “dignified and decent treatment” of African-Americans in film.

Sturges’ greatest bit of output was between 1939 and 1944 where he wrote and directed seven features of which “Easy Living,” “Remember the Night,” “Sullivan's Travels,” and “The Great McGinty” are still considered some of the best films of all time and have a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sadly, from 1945 until his death, Sturges was unable to recapture the magic of his earlier work despite directing another five films and writing ten.

Preston Sturges died of a heart attack at the Algonquin Hotel on West 44^th Street on August 6^th, 1959.

In honor of his memory, this Saturday on the 59^th anniversary of his death at 10 PM EDT, please join me in raising a glass of your favorite beverage to the man who paved the way for all of us creatives to have multi-hyphenates. Use #MultiHyphenatesUnite #ThanksPreston.

Official Website

Wikipedia

TCM Movie Database

Photo Credits

1- By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17911080

2 - By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10552582

3 - By Trailer screenshot Licencing information :http://web.archive.org/web/20080321033709/http://www.sabucat.com/?pg=copyright and http://www.creativeclearance.com/guidelines.html#D2 - Sullivan's Travels trailer, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4284185

 

TIM LORGE Playwright, Filmmaker, Photographer www.timlorge.com
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THE CINEMA SHOW: WELCOME TO PHILADELPHIA

From the Land of Scrapple...
By Tim Lorge (Playwright/Filmmaker/Photographer)

In honor of the DNC making history this week in my home city of Philadelphia, I thought I’d give you a little of the local flair.

If you haven’t had enough of all the politicking, check out this list of political movies written by one of my all-time favorite journalists, radio hosts and brewer of beer, Glen Macnow and, hands down my favorite politician of all time and former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell.

Incidentally, Glen is the co-author of two books of movie lists:

• The Ultimate Book of Gangster Movies: Featuring the 100 Greatest Gangster Films of All Time with George Anastasia
  ISBN-13: 978-0762441549
• The Ultimate Book of Sports Movies: Featuring the 100 Greatest Sports Films of All Time with Ray Didinger
  ISBN-13: 978-0762435487

TIM LORGE Playwright, Filmmaker, Photographer www.timlorge.com
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THE CINEMA SHOW: AKIRA KUROSAWA'S RASHOMON

One Event, Four Stories - A Look at Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon
By Tim Lorge (Playwright/Filmmaker/Photographer)

 

Image Courtesy of The Criterion Collection

 

Rashomon: It is difficult to start a discussion about this subject because it’s both a film AND a story framework type based on the film. So where to begin?

As a story framework, undoubtedly, you are familiar with a Rashomon story. It is one where there is an event and different characters tell their conflicting versions of that event.

Additionally, there may or may not be a resolution to the story. If there is no resolution, that allows the audience to decide for themselves how the story ends.

It is a nice story framework for TV because the different versions of the event can sit right between the commercials. The notable difference is that TV typically resolves the story by the end of the episode as a matter of convention.

For example:

• Police are investigating a robbery, discover the robber’s mask, John and Eddie witnessed it, Police get their statements
• Commercial Break
• John was walking down the street, saw the robber who looked like Eddie knock the guard over the head as he fled the scene heading north
• Commercial Break
• Eddie, was across the street, saw someone who looked like John knock the guard over the head and head south
• Commercial break
• Cops match the DNA on the mask to John; John gets arrested
• Roll credits

Now, that is a horrible example and if you’d like to use it, feel free.

Perhaps a better example of a Rashomon story is the stage version of “Jersey Boys.”

As a story type, Rashomon really intrigues me because it allows you to fully explore a number of characters, their actions and motives from different angles.

Should you choose the vague ending, it forces your audience to think about and discuss the dramatic questions you raised.

Is there really any better gift you can give your audience?

When a Rashomon story is done right, it is amazing. For that, I refer you to …

“Rashomon” by Akira Kurosawa, 1950

Often cited as the reason why The Academy created the “Best Foreign Film” category and heralded as the first Japanese film to garner worldwide acclaim, Rashomon tells the story of a bandit who either had consensual relations or raped a samurai’s wife then either honorably duels with or murders the samurai in 12^th century Japan.

Happy stuff, I know.

The story is told from the perspectives of the bandit, the wife, the dead samurai through a medium and a woodcutter who witnessed the whole thing.

This is a fascinating study in the use of point of view. Kurosawa purposely did not resolve the story because wanted it to be an exploration of four witnesses accounts of an incident. Rather than he being judge and jury, he incites the audience to do that.   

What Rashomon ultimately demonstrates is that, in any given situation, no one person has a monopoly on the truth, even if one was involved in that situation.

For good reason, Rashomon is one of the best films ever made and definitely one you should watch. It does not disappoint.

Rashomon – 1950

Written by:  Akira Kurosawa and Shinobu Hashimoto

Based on "In a Grove" by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Directed by: Akira Kurosawa

Main Cast

• Toshiro Mifune
• Machiko Kyō
• Masayuki Mori
• Takashi Shimura
• Minoru Chiaki

Academy Award 1952 Honorary Award for "Most Outstanding Foreign Language Film"

100% Rating on Rotten Tomatoes

On lists

IMDB

Rotten Tomatoes

Wikipedia

Playing Where? Amazon, iTunes, Hulu, Netflix DVD

 

TIM LORGE Playwright, Filmmaker, Photographer www.timlorge.com
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AN OPEN LETTER TO FAMILIES WHO LOST SOMEONE RECENTLY AT THE HANDS OF THE POLICE

Have We Learned Nothing from the Death of Steve Biko or My Nephew?
By Tim Lorge (Playwright/Filmmaker/Photographer)

If we were at a Peter Gabriel Concert, the end of the show would come and he’d play “Biko.” The band walks off the stage one by one and we are left moved as the final notes are held on top of the galvanic drum pattern . Many would leave perhaps being moved until the moment when some chuckle-head bumps into them while exiting.

If you don’t know the song, it tells the story of the beating-death of anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko at the hands of the police in Port Elizabeth & Pretoria, South Africa in 1977.

 

 

 

Given recent events, I thought I’d briefly depart from our chat about movies to discuss something real. If you are looking for a movie this week, watch “Cry Freedom” starring Denzel Washington as Biko. Scenes from the movie are in the video above.

People dying at the hands of the police is not a new thing and, sadly, something my family and I know too well.

What you are about to read is something tremendously personal and the first time I’m speaking publicly about it, much to the chagrin of some.

On June 6^th, 1993 my then 19-year old nephew Bill was crossing the street and struck and killed by a reckless, speeding cop – That is my opinion based on A LOT of facts.

In the interest of avoiding libel, here is what I found out:

• Police departments are run by humans NOT superheroes;
• Despite statements to the contrary, there is a code of silence;
• Newspapers and Media will almost always get the real story wrong and they don’t care;
• Organizations do “internal reviews” when one of their own fucks up to see “just what happened;”
• Internal reviews from any organization are designed to exonerate and protect the organization;
• Never trust the findings of any internal review;
• When a cop kills a member of your family, the killer will get paid time off while the internal review occurs;
• Cover-ups will be attempted;
• To get to the truth, your family will have to go to court;
• The truth will come out as a result of going to court;
• The press will never cover it;
• Those who perpetrated the cover-up, nothing will happen to them;
• The person who killed your family member will get off but Karma is a bitch

My nephew was awesome.  Bill was/is about five years younger than me. He is more like a little brother than nephew.

THE CINEMA SHOW: Dalton Trumbo

Next Time You have Writer's Block ... Try Sitting in a Bathtub!
By Tim Lorge (Playwright/Filmmaker/Photographer)

Two Time Academy Award Winner, Dalton Trumbo writing in a bathtub.

 

Dalton Trumbo poses an interesting dilemma for me. On the one hand, his politics are polarizing yet some of his work is amazing.

In the 1940’s, Trumbo was one of the top screenwriters in Hollywood, having written films such as "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo," widely considered one of the best war films of the World War Two era.

He was also a communist and one of the infamous “Hollywood Ten”  who spent eleven months in jail for contempt of Congress and was then blacklisted by the Hollywood studios for 10 years for his refusal to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Incidentally, this is commonly and mistakenly referred to as “The McCarthy Hearings”. However, McCarthy was not a member of this committee and held separate hearings targeting both communists and homosexuals.

Trumbo was a fan of Soviet style communism. Though, I’m not sure why. Through the years, I have had the good fortune to meet many Russians who grew up under that oppression and from what they tell me, it wasn’t worthy of admiration. I’ve got to take their word for it because they lived it.

Nevertheless, his work was extraordinary, having won two Academy Awards for his work while on the blacklist for “Roman Holiday” and “The Brave One”. He also wrote the classic Stanley Kubrick directed Kirk Douglas starrer “Spartacus” and “Exodus” directed by Otto Preminger and starring Paul Newman. These last two films and with the support Trumbo received from both Douglas and Preminger restored Trumbo to the WGA and effectively ended the blacklist.

I had long forgotten any of the details surrounding the Hollywood blacklist until last year when the movie “Trumbo” was released. It stars Bryan Cranston and is an overly-simplified version of what Trumbo and his family experienced while he was blacklisted. Cranston gives an amazing Oscar nominated performance and, IMHO, should have won Best Actor.

What I found fascinating was Trumbo’s work ethic despite being on the blacklist. He wrote thirty B-movie scripts under various pseudonyms. By Trumbo’s own admission, they weren’t very good. However, I submit to you, if you had the federal government on you back AND most of Hollywood against you, how many scripts could you write and how good would they be?

On the subject of writing, in November, 2015, Scott Myers over at “Go into the Story” started an online writing project called “Zero Draft Thirty.” It is a writing project akin to NANOWRIMO that takes you through writing the first draft of a screenplay in thirty days. Naturally, there are various social elements to it and one of them is the daily award of “The Trumbo” for the best comment of the day. He also ran the project in the spring. I’m sure he will again; links below for you to check it out.

Oh and he had something about writing in a bathtub… I have no idea what that’s about.

To say the least, Dalton Trumbo is a fascinating man and a gifted writer. Both are definitely worth checking out.

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo - 1944

Written by: Dalton Trumbo

Based on: “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo” by Ted W. Lawson and Robert Considine

Directed by: Mervyn LeRoy

Main Cast

• Van Johnson
• Robert Walker
• Spencer Tracy
• Robert Mitchum

Academy Awards: 3 noms /2 wins

IMDB

Rotten Tomatoes

Wikipedia

Playing Where? Amazon, iTunes,  Netflix DVD, Vudu

Roman Holiday - 1953

Written by: Dalton Trumbo

Ian McLellan Hunter (As a front for Trumbo)

John Dighton

Story by: Dalton Trumbo

Directed by: William Wyler

Main Cast

• Gregory Peck
• Audrey Hepburn
• Eddie Albert

Academy Awards: 10 noms/3 wins (Including Trumbo)

On lists

• United States National Film Registry - 1999
• AFI 100 Passions - #4
• AFI 10 Top 10 - #4 Romantic Comedy

IMDB

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Playing Where? Amazon, iTunes, Netflix streaming, Netflix DVD, Vudu

The Brave One - 1956

Written by: Dalton Trumbo and Merrill G. White

Based on: "Corrida de Toros" Original Screenplay by Juan Duval

Directed by: Irving Rapper

Main Cast:

• Michel Ray
• Rodolfo Hoyos, Jr.
• Elsa Cárdenas
• Carlos Navarro
• Joi Lansing

Academy Awards: 3 noms/1 win (For Trumbo)

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Spartacus - 1960

Written by: Dalton Trumbo

Based on: "Spartacus" by Howard Fast

Directed by: Stanley Kubrick

Main Cast

• Kirk Douglas
• Laurence Olivier
• Jean Simmons
• Charles Laughton
• Peter Ustinov
• John Gavin
• Tony Curtis

Academy Awards: 6 noms/4 wins

On lists

• AFI 100 Thrills – #62
• AFI 100 Heroes and Villains: Spartacus – #22 Hero
• AFI 07 #81
• AFI 10 Top 10 – #5 Epic film

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Playing Where? iTunes, Netflix DVD, Vudu

Exodus - 1960

Written by: Dalton Trumbo

Directed by: Otto Preminger

Main Cast

• Paul Newman
• Eva Marie Saint
• Ralph Richardson
• Peter Lawford
• Sal Mineo
• Jill Haworth
• Lee J. Cobb
• John Derek

Academy or other Awards: 3 noms/ 1 win (Best Score)

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Playing Where? Netflix DVD

Trumbo - 2015

Written by: John McNamara

Based on: “Dalton Trumbo” by Bruce Cook

Directed by: Jay Roach

Main Cast

• Bryan Cranston
• Diane Lane
• Helen Mirren
• Louis C.K.
• Elle Fanning
• John Goodman

Academy Awards: 1 nom/ 0 win

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TIM LORGE Playwright, Filmmaker, Photographer www.timlorge.com
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THE CINEMA SHOW: FILMS ABOUT FILMS - PART 2

The creative process can sometimes seem like moving a 320-ton ship uphill. Sometimes, you actually have to do that.
By Tim Lorge (Playwright/Filmmaker/Photographer)

 

Klaus Kinski

Fitzcarraldo and Burden of Dreams

There are some films in which the production itself was so unbelievable that they spawned a separate film documenting or dramatizing the process.

For some films, to truly understand it, you really need to know the backstory (a.k.a. horseshit) about its production.

Next up, the movie that is said to be one of the most difficult movies ever made, Werner Herzog’s “Fitzcarraldo” and Les Blank’s documentary on its making, “Burden of Dreams”.

If there is a theme between last week and this, it would be: film masters who, in one way or another, have suffered for their art.

The case could be made that Welles brought his suffering upon himself, in part, because of his arrogance. Herzog’s suffering, if he considers it so, is because he wants to tell a truthful and accurate story.

1982’s “Fitzcarraldo” is about Brian Sweeney "Fitzcarraldo" Fitzgerald (Klaus Kinski) is a (very German looking) Irishman who wants to bring opera, specifically Enrico Caruso, to the Peruvian Amazon in the early Twentieth Century. To do that, he needs to build an opera house.

To get the large sum of money he needs to build the opera house, he decides to harvest rubber from a swath of land that is almost impossible to reach by boat due to a long section of rapids and, of course, the indigenous people who want nothing to do with outsiders.

To get to the land, he has to portage (carry – didn’t know the word before this article), well, he got the locals to portage, a 320-ton boat over a steep, 40-degree hill.

To say the least, Herzog is a stickler for authenticity.

He shot the film on location in the Amazon AND actually moved a real 320-ton riverboat up and over the hill; no special effects were used at all! He actually moved a huge riverboat up and over hill!

That's a real boat on a real hill!

 

I should note that there was a Peruvian rubber baron by the name of Carlos Fitzcarrald from whom Herzog drew inspiration for this film. Fitzcarrald actually executed natives if they didn’t help dismantle and carry a boat over the mountain. However, according to Herzog, it was only a 30-ton vessel broken up into fourteen or fifteen parts or, 2-tons per part.

This alone would be reason to watch Fitzcarraldo. However, we have to discuss the 1983 BAFTA winner for Best Documentary about the making of Fitzcarraldo, Les Blank’s “Burden of Dreams”.

If Burden didn’t exist, I don’t know if Fitzcarraldo would be as legendary as it is.

We have the 320-ton boat, three of them actually, one of them has to get up the hill. We see how that was done and it is AMAZING.

Let’s go back to before the moving of the boat.

Jason Robards and Mick Jagger were originally cast as Fitzcarraldo and his assistant, respectively. They shot about forty percent of the film, Robards contracts dysentery, has to fly back to NYC and his doctor orders him not to go back – he’s out. Jagger has a Stones tour to do, so, he’s out too.

Herzog now has to recast and get more money and oh yeah, the leaders of one of the local tribes are pissed that Herzog didn’t pay them off obtain their permission so they burned down their camp and all the sets.

Now, these are some of the highlights and there are so many more problems.

On its own “Fitzcarraldo” is an amazing piece of work. However, since we are talking about thirty-three years ago, as I mentioned last week, it would help you understand the picture better if you watched “Burden of Dreams” first.

Werner Herzog is a true giant of independent film. There is really no one quite like him. His vision and dedication to authenticity, particularly as evidenced in Fitzcarraldo, is something to which more filmmakers should aspire.

I encourage you to do the same.

Incidentally, once every year or two, Herzog runs what he calls the Rogue Film School It is, according to Marie-Françoise Theodore’s Article on IndieWire, quite the experience.

He is also running a film making class on Masterclass later this summer. I hope to have an article for you on that after it launches.

Fitzcarraldo - 1982

Written by: Werner Herzog
Directed by: Werner Herzog
Main Cast:

• Klaus Kinski
• Claudia Cardinale
• José Lewgoy

Awards

• Palme d'Or, Cannes Film Festival
• Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film

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Fitzcarraldo Trailer

Playing Where? Amazon, iTunes, Netflix DVD, Vudu

 

Burden of Dreams - 1982
 
Directed by: Les Blank
Main Cast

• Claudia Cardinale
• Werner Herzog
• Mick Jagger
• Klaus Kinski
• Candace Laughlin
• Jason Robards

Awards: Best Documentary, British Academy Film Award

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Burden of Dreams Trailer

Playing Where? Amazon, iTunes, Hulu, Netflix DVD

TIM LORGE Playwright, Filmmaker, Photographer www.timlorge.com
EMAIL HIM |  FACEBOOK | TWITTER | OTHER POSTS BY THIS AUTHOR