September 2, 2001

2:31 AM

A good week for movie fans. Cronenberg has a new movie in production (Spider, with Gabriel Byrne as well as the cast listed). And TCM is running some interesting stuff on Thursday and Friday (Andrei Rublev has quite a reputation(s)). That's a complete (I think) retrospective of Tarkovsky Fridays throughout September, BTW.
posted by aflakete (9 comments total)

Tarkovsky Fridays

Is that like TGI Fridays only in black & white and without food?
posted by feelinglistless at 2:56 AM on September 2, 2001

Tarkovsky Fridays

Is that like TFI Friday but with a long, slow building, close up of Chris Evans nose, and fast cutting between Will Macdonald and a bowl of soup?
posted by feelinglistless at 2:58 AM on September 2, 2001

Actually I'm quite envious. Film documentaries on UKtv are slowly becoming dull and repetative. This we've a documentray on three nights about Kubrick (again?) and a making 'Moulin Rouge' - which seems interesting but will probably be on the DVD anyway...I really miss 'Moving Pictures' and 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang'.
posted by feelinglistless at 3:01 AM on September 2, 2001

Believe me feelinglistless, TCM is an oasis. I caught Brewster McCloud tonight and it was great. I don't watch movies like I used to, too many other things to do, even with little money. But directors who have a vision and manage to get it on film will always get my attention.
posted by aflakete at 3:25 AM on September 2, 2001

Don't get me wrong - its not that I don't have access to film - you should see my collection - everyone should see my collection - it's just that on television anything beyond Hollywood or the past is treated very poorly -- Channel 4 used to be our oasis but even they are chasing the rating -- which means they're more likely to show some trashy tv movie at an acceptable hour, then show a French movie at two in the morning (or some other forgettable hour).

But directors who have a vision and manage to get it on film will always get my attention.

Pretty much. Unfortunately, the lessons learnt last year about how to give a film legs (good script, good script, good script) were to late for this year's summer 'blockbusters'. To be honest, I've a feeling the only way we are actually going to be happy at the cinema is if Scorsese, Soderberg and Crowe directed everything...
posted by feelinglistless at 5:24 AM on September 2, 2001

Does anyone know where filming of Spider is going on? My sister swears she saw Ralph Feinnes in Toronto the other day, and apparently he's been linked to the film.
Of course, he could be in town early for the Toronto Film Festival.
posted by nprigoda at 6:07 AM on September 2, 2001

Cronenberg is one of those directors I can recognize is a genius but I can't bear to watch. I feel the same way about Lars von Tier after dragging myself through Dancer in the Dark and The Dominion.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 7:30 AM on September 2, 2001

thanks for posting this. i absolutely adore Tarkovsky and will be sure to catch as much of this as i can. i just wish they'd release "Stalker" on DVD.
posted by cheesebot at 8:47 AM on September 2, 2001

Spider shot for three weeks in London and then moved to Toronto, Cronenberg's usual haunt. Although I can report that Toronto is filthy with celebrities at the moment, all due to the film fest.

Yeah, Cronenberg can be tough to handle. Crash is one of my favourite films, but I can barely watch it. That's part of the reason why I like it so much, I think.
posted by D at 12:45 PM on September 2, 2001