An extraordinary documentary opens the 2008 Maine International Film Festival
By CHRISTOPHER GRAY | July 9, 2008
STEPPING OUT: Man On Wire. |
| Maine International Film Festival | July 11-20 | at Railroad Square Cinema, 17 Railroad Square + Waterville Opera House, 1 Common St, Waterville | $9 per screening; $12 for special events; passes $85-200 | 207.861.8138 |
James Walsh’s new documentary MAN ON WIRE opens this year’s Maine International Film Festival, which runs from July 11 to 20 in Waterville, on a soaring high. The film, which is poised to become one of the most successful documentaries in years and screens at the 900-seat Waterville Opera House on July 11, chronicles French thrill-seeker Philippe Petit’s quest to walk across a tightrope between the World Trade Center's twin towers in 1974.Petit, a spirited, infectious protagonist, dreams of bridging the towers before they’re even complete. (In the meantime, he walks between spires of Notre Dame and stops traffic with a stunt on a bridge in Sydney, Australia.) Equal parts rebel and amateur physicist, he has to pull off his baldly illegal stunt by monitoring security in the towers, considering wind variabilities, and planning for innumerable intangible occurrences (he likens himself to a bank robber). Walsh supports the tantalizing premise with a sense of humor, visual panache, and inquisitiveness that would do Errol Morris proud; full of gorgeous photography, archival footage, and memorable characters, Man on Wire is quite literally an awesome feat.
About 100 films deep, MIFF ’08 has intriguing offerings for cineastes of all stripes. Here’s a slice of what to look out for (recommendations are in bold).
Mid-life achievement
2008’s Mid-Life Achievement Award — previously bestowed on Sissy Spacek, Terrence Malick, and Lili Taylor, among others — will be given to John Turturro on July 17. A regular fixture of films by Spike Lee and the Coen Brothers, Turturro is one of the most recognizable character actors in American cinema. The festival’s selection of films featuring Turturro — his innocent, touching dramatic work in Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING (1989) and his absurd, cult-worshipped performance as bowler Jesus Quintana in the Coens’ The Big Lebowski (1999) — prove as much. They’ll also show his three directorial efforts, culminating in the awards presentation and screening of last year’s inventive musical ROMANCE AND CIGARETTES, on the 17th.
Artist bios
Among a deep slate of documentaries about artists and musicians, Matt Wolf’s WILD COMBINATION: A PORTRAIT OF ARTHUR RUSSELL, does a fine job of arguing for the legacy of a musician relatively few people have heard of. Russell moved seamlessly between the avant-garde, disco, and folk music scenes in the East Village of New York City in the 1970s and ’80s, collaborating with Allen Ginsberg and Philip Glass before his death from AIDS in 1992. Russell’s influence is apparent in today’s avant-garde pop scene (his voice is similar to Antony of Antony and the Johnsons), and Wolf’s film makes the point with dignity and restraint.
Related:
Arthur Russell, Get around to it, Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell, More 
- Arthur Russell
Following the 2004 release of Calling Out of Context comes yet another posthumous Arthur Russell session.
- Get around to it
You would not guess, listening to his music, that Arthur Russell grew up in Oskaloosa, Iowa. In fact you might not guess that he came from anywhere.
- Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell
There’s no explaining Arthur Russell. It’s best just to listen to his music. I hope Wolf’s documentary will encourage people to do precisely that.
- Dancing with himself
Arthur Russell's music does little to illuminate the mysteries and vagaries of his life. It simply tosses them aside, in pursuit of moods and rhythms few have successfully replicated, two decades later.
- Space cowboy
Ronald Mallett wanted to build a time machine.
- Politics as usual?
Conspiracy, corruption, catastrophe — politics and world events sure can be exciting. Even the mainstream news is taking an interest.
- EXTRAS! EXTRAS!
As much as I lament the continuing decline of attendance at the cineplex, it’s also easy to understand.
- Seasonal adjustment
After weeks of tormenting audiences with gems like Failure To Launch and The Shaggy Dog , Hollywood seems ready to shake off the Oscar doldrums and unveil its spring collection.
- Autumn peeves
With pundits already reading political significance into summer blockbusters like The Dark Knight (“Is Batman a stand-in for George Bush? Discuss.”), the meatier movies of fall arrive not a moment too soon.
- Bob Blank | The Blank Generation: Blank Tapes NYC 1975 - 1985
These days, Bob Blank spends his time in his Connecticut studio, producing profitable music for ads and ringtones for the likes of Susan Boyle.
- Trouble the Water
The direct, artless footage conjures a real-world Cloverfield , except with people who are resourceful and worth caring about.
- Less
Topics:
Features
, Entertainment, Sissy Spacek, Andy Warhol, More
, Entertainment, Sissy Spacek, Andy Warhol, Errol Morris, Spike Lee, Terrence Malick, Documentary Films, Film Festivals, Chris Gray, Philip Glass, Less
