Directories Movie Reviews
Family movie reviews for "Directories" sorted by average review score:
The Directors - Robert Altman
Released in DVD by Winstar Home Entertainment (27 February, 2001)
Starring: Robert Altman and Robert Altman
Robert Altman virtually defines the word maverick. He forged his remarkable career both in and (mostly) out of the Hollywood mainstream, so it's no surprise that he's the most engaging presence in this regrettably hurried one-hour tribute. "Every time I make a film I'm convinced it's a masterpiece," says the veteran filmmaker, commenting with justifiable pride that he's never been out of work and never made a film he didn't choose to make. That Altman has also been prolific is problematic for this edition of The Directors. All of the major films are given adequate time (notably McCabe & Mrs. Miller and Nashville), but most of Altman's erratic output of the 1980s barely rates a mention, offering further proof that this often shallow series treats unsuccessful films as orphans to be forgotten. Fortunately, Altman is a lively interviewee who isn't afraid to name names when describing the botched release of The Gingerbread Man, and he's equally animated when discussing how studio mogul Jack Warner nearly sabotaged Altman's career by seizing control of Altman's early film Marooned. Even then, Altman was beginning to experiment with unconventional uses of dialogue mixing and visual style; we can be grateful that he continued to cut a unique path to filmmaking greatness. The other interviewees (most memorably Buck Henry and Glenn Close) celebrate the director's admiration for actors, and the fact that Altman himself is pleased with his own career--good films and bad--closes this program on an upbeat note. --Jeff Shannon
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This Biography Takes Too Many Short Cuts
Robert Altman: Glossed OverLet me open by saying I am a far cry from a professional or seasoned film critic or film theory enthusiast. But Robert Altman has remained one of my favorite directors since I saw The Player in 1992 and I have watched everything I've found about and by him. When I saw this documentary focused solely on Altman, I had no problems laying down the...asking price.
I don't think I got my money's worth... The documentary is not much more than a chronological listing of his films up to Cookie's Fortune. The narrator wastes a lot of time simply reading titles and names of leading actors superimposed over a still of each particular movie. From time to time the narration is interrupted by some commentary from Altman and some featured actors, or key clips from the more successful movies, but not nearly enough time is spent on insightful behind-the-scenes or neat-o "never-before-seen" material.
I wasn't looking for fully developed critiques of each film or any such thing, nor a drawn out monologue by Altman and/or some well-reknowned critics, but I really was hoping to gain a lot more insight into Altman and his view of filmmaking and I didn't feel I gained much of anything by the end of the feature.
The interviews that do exist are interesting if brief, and do cover a decent breadth of reactions from different people who speak in a seemingly honest and introspective manner. That is, at least it wasn't a bunch of fan-actors only praising the lauded director in meaningless spurts. Granted, Altman has produced a goodly number of films in his day and to give all of them due coverage would not be practical for a DVD aiming to span his entire career. But I wish it were less of a simple list (that you can easily print out in greater detail from the IMDB.com) and more of a revealing look at a man many claim to be the definitive American director.
The medium of DVD is also somewhat wasted here. No special features to speak of are included other than your standard Scene Selection menu and a static listing of his works and awards. It doesn't even give plot outlines or cast overviews or any such useful information. If you are a die hard Altman fan you might consider picking this DVD up, but otherwise spend your money on one of his actual films and I think you'd be much happier with your purchase.
AFI - The Directors - James Cameron
Released in DVD by Wellspring (26 March, 2002)
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No reviews found.
AFI - The Directors - Roger Corman
Released in DVD by Wellspring (19 February, 2002)
Starring: Roger Corman
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No reviews found.
AFI - The Directors - Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker
Released in DVD by Wellspring (16 April, 2002)
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No reviews found.
AFI the Directors - Wolfgang Petersen
Released in DVD by Wellspring Media, In (20 August, 2002)
Starring: Wolfgang Petersen
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No reviews found.
The Directors - Adriane Lyne
Released in DVD by Winstar Home Entertainment (13 February, 2001)
Starring: Directors and Adrian Lyne
If you thought Adrian Lyne only made glossy and sexually provocative movies like Flashdance and 9 1/2 Weeks, this hour-long profile of the British-born filmmaker will give you a new appreciation of Lyne's work and his consistently intelligent approach to making movies. Described by Lolita costar Frank Langella as "manipulative" in the best sense of that word, Lyne proves to be an engaging and eloquent host to this overview of his films, which (with the possible exception of Flashdance) have all been products of a singular passion to provoke and inspire discussion. "I love it when people are still arguing about the film after they've seen it, and discussing it the next day," says Lyne, and his films--most notably Fatal Attraction, Jacob's Ladder, and the aforementioned "remake" of Lolita--have consistently prompted that kind of heated debate. Woody Harrelson, Tim Robbins, Anne Archer, and studio executive Sherry Lansing are among those who offer their views on the qualities that make Lyne's films unique, but it's Lyne himself who is most illuminating. He frequently reveals a favored technique or belief (such as his use of long-focus lenses to give actors more natural space, or his reluctance to farm out the demonic imagery of Jacob's Ladder to a special effects company), and the result is a greater understanding of a passionate and often underrated director whose body of work--as refreshingly demonstrated here--is worthy of serious consideration. --Jeff Shannon
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The Directors - Barry Levinson
Released in DVD by Winstar Home Entertainment (27 February, 2001)
Starring: Barry Levinson and Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson comes off as a genuinely modest and amiable subject in this edition of The Directors series, simultaneously confessing an inability to define his working methods while conveying the certainty that he knows what he's doing. Film directing is an often mysterious and intangible process, as Levinson observes, but he clearly possesses a gift for creating indelible moments on film, particularly with well-chosen ensemble casts. A humanist who specializes in semiautobiographical comedy and drama (in his ongoing cycle of Baltimore movies), Levinson shares many of the motivations behind his work, while making a variety of seasoned observations about the subtle art of directing actors. On this topic, Dustin Hoffman weighs in with interesting anecdotes about Levinson's direction of him in Rain Man, including a simple direction to use the word Yeah as a defining characteristic that brought Hoffman's performance vividly to life. As might be expected, Robin Williams offers a high-speed combination of comedic riffs and affectionate appreciation (since Levinson was the first to give Williams a dramatic role, in Good Morning, Vietnam). Interestingly, Levinson notes that his overlooked 1999 drama Liberty Heights (that deals with themes of discrimination and racial identity) was inspired by a review of his sci-fi thriller Sphere, which made pointless reference to Dustin Hoffman's Jewishness. This kind of perceptive inquiry can be found in all of Levinson's films, along with a rich understanding of human nature that's clearly visible throughout this one-hour program. --Jeff Shannon
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The Directors - Garry Marshall
Released in DVD by Winstar Home Entertainment (27 February, 2001)
Starring: Directors and Garry Marshall
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No reviews found.
The Directors - Joel Schumacher
Released in DVD by Winstar Home Entertainment (27 February, 2001)
Starring: Directors and Joel Schumacher
The best thing about this segment of The Directors is director Joel Schumacher's candid acceptance that he is not a masterful filmmaker who's been "touched by the gods." With a career that includes such credits as St. Elmo's Fire, The Lost Boys, Flatliners, Falling Down, and The Client, Schumacher has enjoyed box-office success and a secure place on Hollywood's A-list, but he's hardly an important American filmmaker. A former costume designer and screenwriter, Schumacher is instead an experienced craftsman and pop stylist who readily admits that his success has been largely the result of happy accidents, improvisation, and his keen ability to foster a creative and enjoyable on-set atmosphere. It's clear that actors enjoy working with him; although many of the interview clips have clearly been lifted from other sources, the interviewees--including Nicole Kidman, Kevin Bacon, Dennis Quaid, and Chris O'Donnell--appear genuinely enthusiastic about their work with Schumacher. Unfortunately, the patchwork nature of this program--which is burdened by film clips of needlessly excessive length--echoes the lack of substance that has hampered many of Schumacher's films. The result is a mixed blessing, of value primarily for Schumacher's good-natured awareness of his place in Hollywood. More entertainer than artist, Schumacher is nevertheless an inspiration to aspiring filmmakers: a savvy player with cultivated skills who has triumphed at the highest levels of his chosen profession. --Jeff Shannon
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The Directors - John Frankenheimer
Released in DVD by Winstar Home Entertainment (27 February, 2001)
Starring: Directors and John Frankenheimer
The makers of this documentary about John Frankenheimer have done a masterful job of illuminating the work, philosophy, personality, and style of the eminent director. In revealing interviews, Frankenheimer shares fascinating thoughts and anecdotes about his life and career. He talks about having been "divinely happy" working in television, where he directed 152 live dramas between 1954 and 1960. Stories Frankenheimer tells about working with Burt Lancaster, star of his films Birdman of Alcatraz and Seven Days in May, reveal a great deal about both men. Frankenheimer discloses some surprising information about President John F. Kennedy's involvement with the groundbreaking psychological thriller The Manchurian Candidate. Actors who have worked with Frankenheimer over the course of his long career, including Samuel L. Jackson, Kirk Douglas, and Angela Lansbury, provide informative oncamera commentary. Jackson, who starred in HBO's powerful drama about the Attica Prison uprising, Against the Wall, has high praise for Frankenheimer's outstanding rapport with actors. Film clips from classic Frankenheimer pictures make the viewer yearn to revisit these movies. A look back at the director's oeuvre corroborates actor Clarence Williams III's appraisal of John Frankenheimer as "a perfect Charles Dickens for our time." --Laura Mirsky
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Worst of all, the "filmography" lists a movie called "Secret HARBOR" from 1984. Where do I send my resume?