Criterion Collection

This thing was made for film students. Watched Salesman and George Washington last night and today. Excellent films. Saleman was done by the Masyles Brothers and I found their interview from 1969 talking about the film more interesting than the film itself. That's not taking away from the film, it's a documentary on traveling Bible salesman. Funny and sad...although not as funny as I think it might have been way back then. Their interview, however, was fascinating talking about what they are trying to achieve as filmmakers - this idea of "direct cinema" where they are literally a fly on the wall in these people's lives. It's only the two of them - one with a 16mm camera, the other with a tape recorder. Thesedays, we insist that filming something inherently changes behaviour, and editing tells a selective truth. The Masyles insist that their presense does not MATERIALLY change the truth of the situation and the editing reflects their personal truth of the situation. One of the most interesting things Albert says is that this process becomes true because they believe it to be true. Interesting, eh?

George Washington is by itself an argument for film over digital. I'm a digital-phile...but if you show me a Terrence Mallick film or a film like this George Washington and say "that's what I'm after," fuck yeah, there is no place for digital in that type of movie....yet. And maybe ever. This movie was a dream and I loved watching it, but I will never make a movie like it.