Video of the Day

A wonderful video on why you should avoid full screen presentations, if possible.

Quote of the day.

Max Ophuls

 The camera exists to create a new art and to show above all what cannot be seen elsewhere: neither in theater nor in life; otherwise, I’d have no need of it; doing photography doesn’t interest me. That, I leave to the photographer.

Video of the Day

Here's a trailer for Nicolas Winding Refn's(Bronson, Pusher trilogy) new viking movie, Valhalla Rising. Judging by the trailers that have been released for the movie, this seems like a very slow and meditative film. Like an Andrei Tarkovsky film, but with a lot of violence. Hope to see Mads Mikkelsen's violent temperament and quiet intensity on the big screen. So quiet in fact, that he doesn't say a word throughout the whole film.


Valhalla Rising is slated for limited release July 24th, 2010.

Quote of the Day

Marlon Brando

"It is a simple fact that all of us use the techniques of acting to achieve whatever ends we seek.... Acting serves as the quintessential social lubricant and a device for protecting our interests and gaining advantage in every aspect of life."

Video of the Day

I've got a few videos today from the brilliant Levi's "Go Forth" ad campaign. I'm not one to promote commercials, but what they've done with these ads are wonderful. The first one is an older commercial from excellent up and coming director Cary Fukunaga.(Sin Nombre)Using the poetry of Walt Whitman perfectly compliments the aesthetic of the piece.



The second one here is a Terrence Malick influenced ad by John Hillcoat.(The Proposition, The Road) Richard Wagner's beautiful Vorspiel from Das Rheingold was used towards the end of The New World. Though used in a great way in this commercial, it still doesn't match up with one of the great moments in cinema of the past decade in Malick's masterpiece. The voice over is very obviously heavily influenced by the voice over Malick used in Days of Heaven as well.

Quote of the Day

 Martin Scorsese

“Cinema is a matter of what's in the frame and what's out.”

Video of the Day

Orson Welles talks about what a real audience is and how certain performers win them over. After watching this video, you will never be able to see a sitcom the same way ever again.