Mark, Stanley, Harold and Lillian

Saw three more great documentaries about film over the past couple days.

American Movie
Directed by Chris Smith
US/1999
First viewing/Amazon Instant

[box] Mark Borchardt: “Coven,” man, we gotta get this sucker done, though. Seriously. Last night, man, I was so drunk, I was calling Morocco, man. Calling, trying to get to the Hotel Hilton at Tangiers in Casablanca, man. That’s, I mean, that’s, that’s pathetic, man! Is that what you wanna do with your life? Suck down peppermint schnapps and try to call Morocco at two in the morning? That’s senseless! But that’s what happens, man. [/box]

Chris Smith’s American Movie (1999) is a documentary about Mark Borchardt, a thirty-something stoner that still lives with his parents and has woman trouble.  He has also been working on a short horror film called “Coven” for several years.  The documentary covers the final days of shooting of that film.  It is absolutely hilarious without disrespecting the subjects or their dreams.  I laughed out loud so many times!  If you have any affection all for inept low-budget filmmakers with vision I would say it is not to be missed.   Highly recommended. 

Stanley Kubrick:  A Life in Pictures
Directed by Jan Harlan
US/2001
First viewing/Amazon Instant

[box] Jack Nicholson [about Kubrick]: Everyone pretty much acknowledges that he’s the man, and I still feel that underrates him.[/box]

I thought this was a superlative look at the director.  I learned a lot – including that he married the German singer at the end of “Paths of Glory”. But the best part comes right after the opening credits.  Clips from all his movies are edited in such a way that the viewer can only leave the experience with an awestruck “wow”. The shots are all that spectacular – it’s like sensory overload.  Then the documentary goes on a more traditional track but still with excellent coverage of all the films and many behind the scenes shots.  The complete film is also available on YouTube.

Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story
Directed by Daniel Raim
US/2015
First viewing/Netflix Streaming

[box] [last lines] Lillian Michelson: The challenges that one has to overcome, I think is, making the other person feel that you are really vital to the partner’s life, in every sense, and that – there’s no enemy there. Even if you fight, there’s no enemy there. We were a team. [closes book][/box]

Fascinating documentary covers the 60 years of Harold and Lillian Michelson’s life and work at the center of the Hollywood movie industry.. Considering that she ran a research library and he started out as an anonymous story board artist that was quite a feat!  Lillian provided all the myriad detail that allowed production teams to create whole worlds on sound stages for many great movies.  Her library also became a kind of salon where people met and talked.  Harold was a storyboard artist – a profession I had not realized existed.  I thought the directors came up with the shot ideas but not so I guess!  Even Hitchcock hired him!  Later Harold became an art director and production designer.  And to boot, the two clearly had one of the great romances and were loved by all who knew them.  Recommended.