By Michael Atkinson
Our official "B-movie" distribution stream -- straight-to-dvd releases -- grows in number and variety every year, as fewer films can be, or at least are, affordably shown theatrically than ever before. And these titles still can't qualify for awards or polls of any kind, or often even reviews, as the number of theatrical screens continues to drop. Does this make any sense? Here're my favorites from this year, the movies that first saw American screens (big or small) on digital video in 2008, be they brand new or decades old.
1. "Sophie's Place"
Lawrence Jordan, U.S., 1986
The renowned yet all-but-forgotten avant-garde filmmaker's grand animated masterpiece, a Victorian-styled dream-collage-painting-fever-feature brimming with hundreds of inexplicable epiphanies and a sense of visual magic that is all but utterly unique to Jordan. This honey was ensconced in Facets' lavish, under-celebrated set "The Lawrence Jordan Album," which in itself is more of an...
Our official "B-movie" distribution stream -- straight-to-dvd releases -- grows in number and variety every year, as fewer films can be, or at least are, affordably shown theatrically than ever before. And these titles still can't qualify for awards or polls of any kind, or often even reviews, as the number of theatrical screens continues to drop. Does this make any sense? Here're my favorites from this year, the movies that first saw American screens (big or small) on digital video in 2008, be they brand new or decades old.
1. "Sophie's Place"
Lawrence Jordan, U.S., 1986
The renowned yet all-but-forgotten avant-garde filmmaker's grand animated masterpiece, a Victorian-styled dream-collage-painting-fever-feature brimming with hundreds of inexplicable epiphanies and a sense of visual magic that is all but utterly unique to Jordan. This honey was ensconced in Facets' lavish, under-celebrated set "The Lawrence Jordan Album," which in itself is more of an...
- 12/17/2008
- by Michael Atkinson
- ifc.com
LONDON -- British indie micro distributor Word of Mouth Films said Wednesday it has struck a pair of U.K. movie distribution deals headlined by Richard Bracewell's The Gigolos, which unspooled at the AFI festival last year. WOMF said it plans to roll out the indie film in September. Set in the London between dusk and dawn, it revolves around two male escorts who specialize in dating older, rich and influential women (HR 11/2/05). The fledgling theatrical distributor said it aims to support first-time feature directors and innovative British films. It also plans to release documentary KZ from director Rex Bloomstein. The film explores the lasting impact of the Holocaust by looking at life today in a former concentration camp in Austria. Bloomstein's documentary premiered at IDFA last year and had its North American premiere in competition at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
- 5/10/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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