Friday, November 1, 2019

Image Makers: The Adventures of America’s Pioneer Cinematographers




When we talk about the art of classic film many of us tend to focus on the work of the director. It's easy to do that. Their names are directly linked with their work in a way that other crew members, beyond the cast, are not. It's easy to ignore the contributions of the cinematographers who do so much with framing, composition, lighting, focus and movement of the camera to create the masterpieces we love.

Director Daniel Raim's new documentary Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers celebrates the work of seven early visionaries who learned their craft through practice, curiosity and invention. Their work is simply incredible because there was no precedent. Cinematographers developed their art form from scratch and their techniques would lay the foundation for technicians for decades to come. The film calls them a "fraternity of light" and they would share their craft with their fellow cinematographers through apprenticeship and collaboration.

Image Makers spotlights seven notable cinematographers from the 1910s to the 1950s. These seven include Billy Bitzer, Charles Rosher, Rollie Totheroh, William Daniels, Karl Struss, Gregg Toland and  James Wong Howe. Bitzer was one of the early pioneers who came from nothing to establish a career working with D.W. Griffith. Totheroh was a former baseball player who had a background in illustration and his talent for being able to frame a shot lead to his long-time collaboration with Charlie Chaplin. Rosher had a background in photographer, gained the trust of Mary Pickford and became a master at lighting. Daniels worked with Greta Garbo at MGM developing techniques to best display Garbo's stunning countenance. Struss collaborated with Rosher on Sunrise (1927), used German camera movement techniques and even invented his own lens. Toland tragically died young at the age of 44 but during his short career photographed some majors including Citizen Kane (1941), Wuthering Heights (1939) and The Grapes of Wrath (1940). Wong Howe developed a love of photography as a child and after a brief career as a boxer found himself working in the film industry and quickly adapted to sound, color and widescreen working through the 1930s and into the 1970s.


"Cameraman Billy Bitzer and director D.W. Griffith ignite Hollywood spectacle with Intolerance (1916)"

"Cameraman James Wong Howe trailblazes on roller-skates for his breakthrough boxing film Body and Soul (1947)"

"Greta Garbo surrenders lovingly to William H. Daniels’ camera for the pre-code talkie Romance (1930)"

Film discussed at length include Intolerance (1916), Way Down East (1920), The Kid (1921), City Lights (1923), Greed (1924), Flesh and the Devil (1926), Sunrise (1927), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931),  The Thin Man (1934), The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), Body and Soul (1947) and Hud (1963). Other cinematographers mentioned include Karl Freund (the inventor of the unchained camera technique) and Harry Stradlings.

The documentary is directed, produced and edited by Daniel Raim. I really enjoyed his film Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story and the focus of his work is primarily on those in the industry who work behind the scenes. Illustrator Patrick Mate, who did wonderful artwork for Harold and Lillian, fills in the blanks with vibrant and expressive illustrations. They are always such a joy and add a unique energy to the documentary that archival images just cannot by themselves. The film has plenty of film clips, behind-the-scenes photographs and archival audio clips of cinematographer interviews in addition to the illustrations. 

Image Makers is narrated by Michael McKean and features interviews with various experts including the father of silent film research Kevin Brownlow as well as film historian and critic Leonard Maltin who wrote the book The Art of the Cinematographer (which I need to get my hands on!). Other talking heads include cinematographers John Bailey and Rachel Morrison, director of the Margaret Herrick Library, curator of the ASC Camera Museum Steve Gainer, David Totheroh, grandson of Rollie Totheroh, Lothia Toland, daughter of Gregg Toland, among others. One of the highlights of the film is a scene with Kevin Brownlow and David Totheroh as they geek out over a makeshift camera projector that Rollie Totheroh and Charlie Chaplin used back in 1916. 

Image Makers is an enlightening and informative documentary that shines a much needed spotlight on the work of early pioneers in cinematography. TCM fans, especially those who want to learn more about film history, will definitely want to check this one out.






Image Makers: The Adventures of America’s Pioneer Cinematographers is a TCM original documentary and premieres on the channel on November 6th. Check your local listings for air times.


Check out my interview with the director Daniel Raim on the TCM website!

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Ida Lupino: Filmmaker Collection




Now available from the good folks at Kino Lorber Studio Classics is Ida Lupino: Filmmaker Collection, a Blu-ray boxed set featuring four films directed by Ida Lupino: Not Wanted (1949), Never Fear (1950), The Hitch-Hiker (1953) and The Bigamist (1953). Each of the four films has been beautifully restored and the discs includes a selection of special features. The Blu-rays are available individually too but the boxed set comes with a stylish slipcase and an exclusive booklet which republishes former Variety film critic Ronnie Scheib's article Ida Lupino: Auteuress.

I was particularly excited for this boxed set because I'm very interested in Ida Lupino's work and with bad copies of these films have been making the rounds it was high time they be presented at their very best.



Not Wanted (1949)

Ida Lupino's directorial debut came without an onscreen credit. She had taken over for Elmer Clifton when he suffered a serious heart attack and was too ill to continue. He died shortly after the film was released. Not Wanted stars Sally Forrest as Sally Kelton, a wide-eyed and naive young woman who falls for an older man, a piano player named Steve (Leo Penn). Much to her parents dismay, Sally runs away from home and follows Steve who only has a passing interest in her. Drew Baxter (Keefe Brasselle), a gas station attendant with an injured leg, falls for Sally only to have her runaway again. Turns out Sally is pregnant with Steve's child and hides out at a home for unwed mothers to decide her future. Lupino co-wrote and co-produced the film. This is a fantastic little drama that doesn't cast judgment on its protagonist. Rather it beckons the audience for some sympathy. Lupino's sister Rita has a small role as Joan, a fellow unwed mother who bonds with Sally.

Special features:
New 4k restoration in conjunction with the Academy Film Archive
Audio commentary by Barbara Scharres, Director of Programming at the Gene Siskel Film Center and filmmaker/historian Greg Ford
English subtitles
The Wrong Rut - hygiene reel
Various Kino Lorber Classics movie trailers




Never Fear (1950)

Lupino's next picture Never Fear was a personal one. The film reunites Sally Forrest and Keefe Brasselle as Carol and Guy, a pair of dancers on the brink of success. Just as Guy proposes to Carol and they book their next big job, Carol comes down with a case of polio which partially paralyzes her legs. She's sent to a rehabilitation center, Kabat-Kaiser, where she struggles with feelings of self-pity and despair. There she meets fellow polio patient Len (Hugh O'Brian) who has a much better attitude about his condition. Lupino's sister also appears in the film in a similar role to that she played in Now Wanted as one of the protagonist's peers who offers some perspective with her experience. At the age of 16, Lupino herself suffered from the disease which paralyzed her right hand. This was during one of the major polio outbreaks in California. The polio vaccine was still a few years away and this film was one major way Lupino brought awareness to the disease. Never Fear is a taut and compelling drama that feels authentic even if you didn't know the backstory. It was filmed at the Kabat-Kaiser facility in Santa Monica and the extras were real patients.

Special features:
New 2k restoration in conjunction with the BFI
Audio commentary by film historian Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
English subtitles
Various Kino Lorber Classics movie trailers




The Hitch-Hiker (1953)

Perhaps Lupino's best known and most acclaimed work, The Hitch-Hiker proves that a female director could work beyond the scope of what would be considered women's pictures. Lupino not only directs but she also co-wrote the screenplay with ex-husband and frequent collaborator Collier Young. The story revolves around three male characters. Roy (Edmond O'Brien) and Gilbert (Frank Lovejoy) are best buds out on a fishing trip in Mexico. They pick up a hitch-hiker Emmett (William Talman) who unbeknownst to them is a deranged serial killer who is targeting unsuspecting motorists. What ensues is a frightening road trip that keeps audiences at the edge of their seats. The dynamic between the three actors is palpable and Talman is absolutely terrifying as Emmett.

Special features:
New 2K restoration in conjunction with the Library of Congress
Audio commentary by film historian Imogen Sara Smith
English subtitles
Various Kino Lorber Classics movie trailers




The Bigamist (1953)

For Lupino to have worked on The Bigamist to me meant she was the ultimate professional. Why? Not only was she the director, she also directs herself as one of the stars. Also she collaborates again with her ex-husband, writer/producer Collier Young who was at the time married to the film's other star Joan Fontaine. I'm not sure I would have been capable of all that but Lupino did so and the end result was this fine drama. Edmond O'Brien stars as Harry Graham, a salesman who travels back and forth from San Francisco and Los Angeles. It turns out he has two different women in each city, his wife Eve (Joan Fontaine) at home and his girlfriend Phyllis (Ida Lupino) in L.A. His secret comes to light when Mr. Jordan (Edmund Gwenn), an adoption coordinator, investigates Harry. The conceit could have lent itself to melodrama but instead Lupino and her crew offer a sensitive portrayal of a man in love with two women. We know how it will all end but we enjoy the journey anyways.

Special features:
New 4k restoration in conjunction with Paramount Pictures
Audio commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger
English subtitles





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Kino Lorber Studio Classics Ida Lupino: Filmmaker Collection will make a fine addition to your home library of classic films. This is a must-have for any Ida Lupino fan or anyone who enjoys 1940s/1950s dramas and film noir. My one complaint about the set is the formatting of the booklet which makes it difficult to read. I wish some more effort to design it as a proper book had been taken.

Thank you to Kino Lorber for sending me a copy of this set for review.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

DVD Netflix Giveaway: 5 Billion Discs Celebration


This post is sponsored by DVD Netflix.



Congratulations to DVD Netflix! On August 26th they delivered their 5 Billionth disc. What disc was that you may be asking? It was Rocketman (2019) delivered to member Becky in Seattle! I have been a subscriber of the service since I was a college undergrad in 2002. You can read about my journey in my blog post here.

DVD Netflix still boasts over 2 million members who look forward to receiving that bright red envelope in the mail. While the company’s streaming service has eclipsed the DVD/Blu-ray rental service, many of us classic film fans who treasure physical media still rent discs. Why? Because their catalog still has many classic film options and we don’t have to worry about which streaming service carries the film or not. I use the service a lot for my classic film research. I also add new Criterion Collection releases to my queue to check them out before I decide whether I want to purchase them or not. While the streaming service lacks classic films (are there even any on there anymore?) the rental service still has loads! I also use DVD Netflix to catch up on new releases that I missed at the cinema. And frankly I miss a lot so it helps me keep up on things.


Here is the current breakdown of monthly DVD Netflix plans:

1 disc out at-a-time (unlimited) - $7.99 for DVD/$9.99 for Blu-Ray and DVD
2 discs out at-a-time (unlimited) - $11.99 for DVD/$14.99 for Blu-Ray and DVD
3 discs out at-a-time (unlimited) - $15.99 for DVD/$19.99 for Blu-Ray and DVD
1 disc out-at-a-time/limit 2 exchanges per month - $4.99 for DVD/$5.99 for Blu-Ray and DVD

To celebrate this new milestone I’m hosting a special DVD Netflix giveaway. Enter for a chance to win a $100 DVD Netflix gift card and a bright red tote bag! I’m giving three of these prize packs away. This is a wonderful opportunity to try out the service for the first time, to continue to membership or to subscribe again if you haven’t in a while.




!!!THE CONTEST IS NOW OVER!!!

The winners are:

Gigi H.
Thomas P.
Mary M.

Rules and Regulations 

  1. For a chance to win, leave a comment below telling me why you treasure physical media. I’m looking for 3-4 sentences or more and the writing must be original and unique to you. Also include your e-mail address in the comment so I can contact you if you win. If you don't include an e-mail, your entry is automatically invalid.
  2. Three winners will be chosen at random from the qualifying entries. Prize is a DVD Netflix totebag (red) and a $100 DVD Netflix gift card.
  3. US ONLY! DVD Netflix is not available internationally.
  4. Contest ends September 30th at 11:59 PM EST. Winners will be announced here and contacted via e-mail within a few days.



For privacy reasons, after the contest is over I will copy and paste all the entries into the body of this post, remove the e-mail addresses and delete the comments. Unless DISQUS lets me edit the comments. If they do then I will edit out the e-mail.


Disclaimer: As a DVD Nation director, I earn rewards from DVD Netflix.

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