Grateful Dead

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Frisk Based on the novel by Dennis Cooper. can you spit into my mouth, i mean...

Philippe Garrel

Not a bad movie, if you like continuing actions sagas, Disturbing scene in this one though -- If you've watched these movies then you know the premise: Shadow govt. agencies are experimenting with viruses to make super-agents with high mental capacity and sub-super physical characteristics. So, in the middle of this one they are still trying to lay waste to the monsters they have created and in order to do that they psychologically program a scientist to wipe out all the workers in the lab. Massacre with a pistol. About 15 people in a locked lab. Reloading clips and shooting multiple times. I had a real, visceral reaction to this. This stuff is sick and shouldn't be acted out on television. It gives "lesser" intellects "unhealthy" ideas. I know, the freedom argument -- if you start there, where do you stop? I''m prepared to start right at this point.

So-so movie done about the killing of Osama Bin Laden, as told through a field CIA agent who has spent her whole career since just after 9/11 trying to get Bin Laden. It would seem to be part documentary as it shows the worst debacle of the Afghan conflict, CIA-wise. Seven officers including a station chief were killed when an Afghan defector blew himself up in 2007. Most all people know how the Navy Seals took out OBL. This movie shows the CIA efforts that found semi-conclusive evidence as to where he was hiding. Given the evidence, it is easy to come to the conclusion that President Obama made his decision on the possible political spoils. What is most troubling from all points of view is this: The most wanted man in the world is hiding in a compound and isn't even aware when two American helicopters, one of which ends up crashing, comes calling with all it's clatter. It's clear we aren't being told something. That or OBL was so sedated helicopters didn't wake him up and he even posted no guard. This movie left me with a lot of questions. (Although Justice Department lawyers maintained to the bitter end the US never used torture in Iraq, a settlement of 5 million dollars was announced for 173 prisoners of Abu Ghraib just yesterday. Torture was featured prominently in this movie)

I Dream Of Wires

Chris Carter: IDOW Extended Interview #9 from I Dream Of Wires on Vimeo.

Extended interview with Chris Carter.

Robert Fantinatto

I Dream of Wires: The Modular Synthesizer Documentary - Nov 2011 Promo from I Dream Of Wires A documentary about the history and resurgence of modular synthesizers. The film, directed by Robert Fantinatto, is currently in production. Jason Amm is serving as producer for the film. I Dream Of Wires started off as a modest exploration of the passion and obsession of a few designers, manufacturers, collectors and musicians, but interest in the film has convinced us that there is a demand for a comprehensive documentary that will explore, both geographically and thematically, the wide ranging influence of the modular synthesizer. http://idreamofwires.org/

Interesting premise: A couple's four-year old son is tortured to death by a kidnapper. He is caught and gets off with a relatively light sentence. The mother is all broken up. The father is emotionally distraught, though less so. They set about for revenge of the eye-to-eye method. Crashing the prison transfer van and then transferring the prisoner to thre basement of an old, abandoned farmhouse where they begin the process of torture. They have all the implements and drugs and know-hoe to keep their prisoner alive, as well as the cruder tools. The wife negins to have misgivings upon watching their prisoner suffer. The prisoner escapes and ultimately hangs himself, but not before an element of doubt is introduced that they have the right man as there were two in the prisoner van. This was good case study in raw human emotion and what would likely happen if people acted on their impulses and the mistakes that ciuld easily happen.

The movie Lincoln is a good chronicle of how the 13th amendment to the Constitution was passed. It intertwines scenes from the Civil War with the political drama going on in House of Reps. to get the 2/3ds majority needed to pass an amendment. The actor who plays Lincoln gives an excellent performance spinning his stories with folksy charm. Lincoln has won his second term and goes for broke on the 13th Amendment as the war is winding down in Jan. of 1865. The mood in Congress is grim as 600,000 people have fought and died and the Democrats want an end to the war at all costs. The Republicans (a far different party than the one we have today), led by Lincoln, want the amendment to make sure when southern states rejoin the union after the war they don't vote slavery back in. What purpose the war and all those dead, reasons Lincoln... He has an uphill battle in the House and is twenty votes short,18 of which he gets with patronage positions and various nefarious political arm-twisting. He is 2 votes short and thunders to his political handlers that he is the most powerful man on earth and they should get him those two votes. In reality, this is probably where the cash hit the table for an outright bribe. Lincoln also makes misrepresentations to Congress that he knows of no Confederate negotiating party wishing to the end the war,which he himself has initiated and is holding up on a riverboat somewhere in Virginia. Lincoln was a lawyer and a politician and the polishing of his image as almost a perfectly ethical man rings false. The lines written for Mary Todd Lincoln ring false at many times also. In the end, Lincoln pays with his life for his political legacy. A film worth seeing.

Matt Hulse

Dummy Jim Trailer from Matt Hulse on Vimeo.

Jim hails from Cairnbulg, a close-knit community on the North East Coast of Scotland, neighbouring Inverallochy. Folk here are descended from proud, hardworking Scottish fishermen. Locally Jim is well-known as 'Dummy Jim', or simply 'The Dummy'. A wee while ago he set forth alone on a Continental cycling tour which might have taken him from Scotland to Spain and Gibralter, and finally to Morocco. However, he encountered difficulties on route. He took a route Northwards, in a direction that eventually led him to the Arctic Circle. "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." Jim kept a journal of these Continental experiences that was published in 1955 with the title 'I Cycled Into The Arctic Circle', under his proper name - James Duthie. There has since been a beautiful website inspired by Jim's trip and an extraordinary album by The One Ensemble & Sarah Kenchington. There's also a Limited Edition artists' book that commemorates the 60th anniversary of his trip. In 2012 a feature film will be completed, starring deaf actor Samuel Dore, released along with a richly illustrated reprint of the original journal. DUMMY JIM IS HAPPENING - In May 1951 a profoundly deaf 30 year old Scotsman called James Duthie – known to his local community as ‘Dummy Jim’ – cycled solo on a return trip from the small fishing town of Cairnbulg in the north east of Scotland to the Arctic Circle. The round trip of 6000+ miles took three months and was managed on a budget of just £12. On returning to Scotland, Duthie wrote about his travels and in 1955 a slim volume called ‘I Cycled into the Arctic Circle’ was published. James sold copies of the book door to door to cover the cost of future excursions. Sadly the cyclist was killed in a road accident in 1965. In 2000, artist Matt Hulse received a copy of the book from his mother, who had unearthed the hidden gem whilst working at a second hand bookshop on Iona. Inspired by the journal’s eccentricity and genuine warmth, Matt decided to set about making a film of James Duthie’s unique story. A year later the wheels were set in motion with the blessing of an SAC Creative Scotland Award. http://dummyjim.com/ https://www.facebook.com/DummyJim Matt Hulse - http://vimeo.com/anormalboy http://anormalboy.wordpress.com/ Come rain or shine, friend or foe, hill or flat, puncture or no, Matt and his team have not stopped pedalling.

Antonio Mercero