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Agora (2009)
Agora: a wonderful historic film about the fall of the pagan world and the rise of Christianity
The film Agora explores, without sentiment or melodrama, a time period and a subject that I have often overlooked; the violent and tragic end of the Pagan Classical World and the beginning of the Christian Dominated West, which also launched the Dark Ages. Watching this film I cannot help but ask myself, would we have been better off if the worshipers of Serapes and Isis had won the day.
The movie was divided into two historic parts: the sheltered pagan world of wealth and status-quo where Christianity was no more than an annoying cult; and the Christian world under Emperor Theodosius with all of its early Patriarchs and Saints. The film's main character, Hypatia, was a sheltered, brilliant, upper class Pagan: a mathematician and philosopher living in a liberal world of free thought. Before her, all the ancient knowledge of Rome, Greece, and the Near East lay in scrolls in the Great Library of Alexandria: a treasure that only the pagans seemed to comprehend. This pagan world felt a little bit like our own, with its freedom of thought and its blind belief in the universal search for knowledge and understanding. One of my favorite things about the pagan world was that the elite Patricians and the wealthy Jews all enjoyed the theater.
The pagan world presented in the film had a dark side as well. The slaves although treated somewhat warmly still had to wear a collar and they were also whipped. Another problem was in the established pagan cult religion of Serapes and its high priest who was an ass. But aren't so many "high priests" and people in authority asses, even today. It was a world in decline but Hypatia and the other privileged Pagans didn't know it. She dwelt in the realm of the mind, protected by the serapium and walls of the Great Library. Yet down below in the Agora the growing number of discontented Christians were about to rise up and smash the pagan world to bits. And that's exactly what they did, by tearing down the statues, taking over the city, and burning all of the scrolls in the library to ash, thus casting a darkness over the mind of the world which wouldn't lift until the Renaissance.
In the second half of the film we see Christianized Alexandria some years later. Here the freedom of the mind that was so prevalent in the beginning has been crushed. Most members of the pagan Patrician class have by now converted to Christianity whether they believed in Christ or not. Hypatia is the last holdout, huddled in her mansion working on her brilliant theory of a heliocentric universe while the world around her slips into intolerant religious darkness based on faith and scripture alone. As the Bishop held the Bible over his head proclaiming that the scriptures say that women should be seen but not heard a chill went down my spine. The Christians had traded in all books and all knowledge for that one book: the Holy Bible. And we today are still suffering under the yoke of that mindset whenever evolution is disputed or someone thumps their Bible proclaiming it to be the indefatigable word of God.
Sex Pot (2009)
reminds me of my youth
got a kick out of this flick on a lot of levels --- fun characters - crazy story - unabashed lack of restraint. It follows the story of two high school seniors looking to get high and get laid. In the grand tradition of Harold and Kumar it is an episodic adventure - and everything is off the wall because the characters are so stoned. The two leads - Mort and Spanky were fun to watch - especially when they had sex with a pile of food. I also loved the character of the crazy skinny insane girlfriend with all the piercings - Pinky. She rocked. And the transvestite was especially funny. Lots of good pot jokes and boobs - enough to keep the thing going strong. the 3 D doesn't add much - I saw it both ways and I liked the regular 2D better. This is one of the best films from the Asylum in my opinion.
Pledge of Allegiance (2007)
Director's commentary from the Sundance Film Festival Site
Below is the Director's note as posted to Sundance and other film festivals as part of the film's info pack. I thought that it was insightful. ----
"Pledge of Allegiance: American Torture Room" is a powerful statement against our country's recent abuse of human rights and a warning to the American people that as our nation's stake in world domination grows larger, the freedoms that we take for granted are quickly eroded in the name of the government maintaining authority. It's politics are frightening and raw. And so I tried to present these observations in a rich and uncomfortable way, bridging the film between political thriller and reality terror, as if Michael Moore had made a horror film with Quentin Tarentino and 60 minutes. The inspiration for much of the film was based on news reports, television specials and uncovered secret torture practices that I learned about over the past few years. I either had to run for office, or I had to make a film. So, like Passolini, I made a film.
The most difficult thing about the making of this movie was the saleability of the final product. We showed the first versions of the script to producers and distributors alike. A lot of big people in the industry loved it, some because of it's politics and others because it wasn't afraid to present the prison and the brainwashing in a gritty and never before seen way (the original script had far more brutal torments than the final film). Also, originally is was to be shot as secret news reel footage. But, the advisors that we had recommended this and that and the final film was altered to be a more narrative, almost genre style film. Some may even call it a horror because it is so horrible. And maybe that's what today's film market demands, an easy to identify film that can slip comfortably into a category for quick sale. But that was not my original intention and I think that this film transcends the genre that the marketplace would like to put it in.
I have to thank my wife Karen who produced this film and also the brilliant efforts of our lead actress, Lena Bookall who did a stunning job. Also, John Forgeham deserve thanks for his performance as the master brainwasher, Mr. Green. John came to us from England (he is a huge star there from his work in "Footballers Wives")and John so loved the film that he did the role for a thousandth of what he usually gets to star in a picture. In fact, so many people came to me during the production of this film asking to be a part of it because they believe in it's message.
It is the most meaningful picture that I have worked on. I hope that it goes a long way."
The Godfather (1972)
It stands the test of time
I was happy to see this on one of the cable channels the other day and we watched it. There was nothing dated about it. There we no special effects, no cookie cutter acts and scenes. It was a relief.
A friend of mine, whose father left home when my friend was a little boy, adopted The Godfather as his missing dad. He watched it 25 times and quoted it throughout his life as the voice of a loving father who takes care of business. In a way it is scary, but also an amazing thing, that a film can raise a man.
This movie has held the number one spot on my top ten list for most of my adult life. Western culture will remember it like we remember the works of Verdi, Rembrant and Shakespeare.
Coppola can make all the wine he wants. He's earned it.
Night of the Dead: Leben Tod (2006)
Awarded at Shriekfest for Make Up
This film made it into a lot of festivals. It's second fest was last night and it won. Best make up effects.
I love exceptional gore and when I work on a film I always strive to fill the screen with blood. In the case of Night of the Dead, Leben Tod, the people behind the make-up were tireless and eager to kill things. So, Congratulations to Tom Devlin and 1313 Effects for their hard work and abundant body parts. Also a big congrats to Gage Hubbard for his contributions, they were amazing ... and Kazuyuki Okada who was always on set ready with the blood. As well, a nod to the second unit director, Charles Schneider who has a romance with gore like no one else. Also, as good as the make up was it was made to look its very best by the excellent editing of Mary Ann Skweres.
This award is for the make up artists, the visual team and the film itself. Congrats to all.
THIS MOVIE IS AN EXPLOSION OF SANGUINIS INNARDS