INDIE FILM CHAT FORUMS

A Lifesize "Monster" for U.S. and Canada

Worldwide distribution rights to director Cullen Hoback's "Monster Camp" has been picked up by Lifesize Entertainment. The company palns a U.S. and Canadian theatrical release in May. The award winning doc received top honors at the Rome International Film Festival, Miami Underground Film Festival and Cinequest. The film is a glimpse into the world of live-action role playing ("LARPing"), a real-life version of the videogame phenomenon World of Warcraft. "'Monster Camp' is an enlightening, entertaining and energetic look at an American subculture that also provides a broader commentary on the desire we all feel at times to escape the mundane tediousness of everyday life," commented Lifesize acquisitions manager Marc Hughes in a statement. [Brian Brooks]

I am going to post a front page piece on this growing phenomenon.  But I am getting tired of young actors who don't know how to enunciate their lines, or choose not to for some kind of stylish affect.

I just got through screening a couple submissions and it is just such sloppy craft in my opinion.  Do other people notice this in recent American indie films?

Hey All;

Any horror freaks or casual mashers out there want to enter a contest to win a free copy of our new horror film, FEAR HOUSE?  Just reply with your top three favorite horror films.  One entry per human, please... We'll choose a winner next week.

Just for kicks, mine are;

The Innocents
Nightmare On Elm Street (original)
The Fly

I know that there are some excellent English language coming of age films to remember, but during breaks from relentless emailing today, my mind drifted back to some of the great foreign language coming of age films I have seen. Tops on my list are; The 400 Blows, Il Postino and my all time favorite, My Life As A Dog. I see too many films to remember all the ones I'd like to.  So what are your favorite foreign language coming of age films?

OK, so it's not on par with this year's Sundance winner, or just about any year's winner from anywhere, but Penelope was a surprisingly fresh, and occassionally witty, romantic romp.  The actors, including a great supporting turn by Reece Witherspoon, are inspired.  Word is this film sat on the shelf for a while, but unlike most titles with that kind of delay in their history, Penelope feels more or less complete and ready to go.  If you are a strict film buff, it might not be for you.  But if you want to let a simple film work its charms on you for ninety mintues, then you can't go wrong with Penelope.

Hi;

If you are planning to shoot a feature, I strongly strongly urge you to rent a hi def camera.  It will cost you about $1,000 more or so, but will greatly enhance your film's ability to be sold when it is done.  If it is a short film I would go with one of the ones you are thinking of.  See the news feed here on the site about the new cameras avaialable.

Ok, so it was a snowy night here in the Northeast and I was able to make a break for the movies with a friend of mine.  I went to see Vantage Point like a good, serious moviegoer, and man, what an uneven film.  I am curious to see what anyone else thinks--what is your vantage point(bad, I know) on this film.  It has some great moments, but you can almost feel the studio guys wedging their two cents into this one. Overstated throwaway dialogue,unbelievable choices,macho shoulder grabs,polemical dying words, all there to serve their objective of creating boffo entertainment. I think this film could be studied for years as an example of how things can slip so easily from great to good and then even worse in the course of five minutes.

Anyway, I guess its worth seeing if you don't expect too much.

When I think of European Film Festivals, there are a few that I'd like to attend--San Sebastien,Edinburg, and several that I have and miss--Berlin. Cannes is a total rat race.  Films are good, but I go there two other times a year to sell, so the place lost its charm a long time ago. For me, my favorite is Locarno.  Just because the place is so beautiful.  The films tend to be very uneven but there are always diamonds in the haystacks, so to speak. And every time I walk outside I am stunned by beauty of the place.  So who needs films when you're in one of the most beautiful places in the world?

Trenidor said it as well as I could.  Once again, a middle budgeted Hollywood indie does not have to be uninspired and stupid. Indeed many of them are very good. But that doesn't mean it is an indie film either.  Money might not change everything, but it changes a lot.

I think that the studios reliance on their "tent pole" strategy has encouraged many smaller Hollywood productions; Michael Clayton, for example, to try and position themselves as independent to expand their potential audience.  While some of these films, including Michael Clayton, do have a real creative energy to them, I just can't accept them as "independent."  What's in a word anyway?  Well, "independent" does bring some cache to the table.  And if you seize that identity without deserving it, you are probably squeezing some truly independent films off of the review pages and suitable arthouse/independent screens.  This depositioning then carries over to dvd and tv as well, creating less choice for interested consumers.

Hollywood has made great films that weren't blockbusters, or wanna be blockbusters, forever.  What's wrong with calling these films what they are; really well made, smaller budgeted studio fare.  I have all the respect in the world for George Clooney.  I think Michael Clayton is one of the best films I have seen this year. But I have a hard time calling a film that stars one of the biggest names in Hollywood Independent.

Over the past three or four years the major studios and their "specialty" arms have managed to convince conventional wisdom that films made for less than $10 million and devoid of exploding heads, bad jokes and aliens are somehow independent.

I have nothing against these films, but can't we simply call them for what they are; lower budgeted studio fare with a touch more creative energy than their bigger budgeted studio kin?  Films like "In Bruges" and "The Proposition" are both worthwhile efforts, but the last time I looked Colin Farrell, Ralph Fiennes and Guy Pearce are establish "B" level Hollywood stars with Fiennes almost holding leading man status.

There are many foreign language films that follow the same pattern.  Audiences and critics receive them as if they are of the same lineage as films inspired by the French New Wave, when in fact they are created and financed by media conglomerates.

Again, some of these films are very worthwhile, but thinking of them as "independent" just makes it that much harder for a truly independent film to get noticed.

Many foreign language films fall into the same trap.