The Third Man. Now that's lighting, baby!



Some other ideas for films all animation and film people should see at least once in their careers-

THE THIRD MAN (1949) Sir Carol Reed- The famous chase in the sewers.
TRIUMPH OF THE WILL (1934) Leni Reifenstahl- you need a strong stomach to stand all the Nazi idolizing, but it Leni's hauntingly hypnotic poem to power and the regimentation of evil. Try the documentary by German Peter Muller, THE TERRIBLE, WONDERFUL LIFE OF LENI REIFENSTAHL for an interesting look at this controversial filmmaker.
In fact, try to see some of Frank Capra's WHY WE FIGHT series like PRELUDE TO WAR- 1942. It is intended to be a propaganda film to e show on troop ships so kids from Detroit and Nashville will understand why they have to hate and kill the enemy. Propaganda films are film in the raw with a simple message, and so now the the message is no longer relevant, it can be studied for it's style.
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA-(1962) David Lean- masterful frame composition in the wide screen format.
FORBIDDEN PLANET and THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL for sci-fi beginners.
RAW DEAL (1952) and KISS OF DEATH (1953) for more film noir fans.
CASABLANCA (1943) Michael Curtiz, for an all around great movie experience, great script, great performances.

The AGONY AND THE ECSTASY( 1965) Carl Reed. Reed's story of the clash of egos involved in Michelangelo's painting of the Sistine Ceiling is more an allegory on the relationship of creative people with their employers. Once it was popes, now producers.

Big Chuck shows us how it's done! courtesy CharltonHestonworld.com

Some of these films may not move as fast as the post-MTV generation might like, but there is something to be learned out of all of them. Disney Nine Old Man Ken Anderson used to teach us- when you see a film you like, watch it three times. Once to get the plot over with, a second time just watch the cutting, the third time watch the way the film is lit and framed.

ENJOY!


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Birthdays: King George III, Alvah Bessie, Rosalind Russell, Gene Barry, Dennis Weaver is 82, Robert Merrill, Bruce Dern, Andrea Jaeger, Dr Ruth Westheimer, Freddy Fender, Noah Wylie, Rachael Griffiths, Angelina Jolie is 32

Happy Saint John the Baptist Day.

1666- Moliere’s play"Le Misanthrope"premiered.

1896-Henry Ford tests out his automobile with headlights in a nighttime drive around Detroit.

1912-The first minimum wage law passed, in the state of Massachusetts.

1916-THE HERO PIGEON OF VERDUN- During the horrific battle of Verdun the Germans had surrounded the French strongpoint of Fort Vaux. The fighting in the underground 15 foot high concrete tunnels of the fort was ghastly, men killed each other with hand grenades and flamethrowers at close quarters while groping through the blackness and gagging at the stench of rotting corpses. The French commander Captain Reynal, his telephone communications cut, sent his last carrier pigeon to get help. The pigeon, despite being badly gassed and perching on the roof of the fort for a little while, got through to the high command. Delivering his message like Phiddipides of Marathon he then fell over dead. Help never got through, and Captain Reynal had to surrender, but the dead pigeon was awarded the medal of the Legion d'Honneur. Go figure.

1916 - Mildred J Hill, one of the two Hill sisters who composed the song Happy Birthday To You, died at 56.

1942- Capitol Records opened for business.

1944- American armies at last enter Rome. An Allied beachhead had been established at Anzio last February only a few miles away and scouts had reported the Eternal City wide open, but the American generals Lucas and Clark hesitated until the Germans could bring up reinforcements and bog them down for weeks. But this day they entered the city to the cheers of the populace. A G.I. cartoonist named Vinny solicited laughs from the troops by appearing on Mussolini’s balcony on the Via Del Corso and doing a mock interpretation of Il Duce.

1947- The film "A Miracle on 34th St." opened. Starring Maureen O’Hara, Edmund Gwen and 8 year old Natalie Wood.

1951- The Supreme Court upholds the anti-Communist Smith Act. This act stated you could be fired from your job or jailed even on a suspicion that you were a communist, no proof required.

1951- Tony Curtis married Janet Leigh. the result was to produce Jamie Leigh-Curtis.

1965- The Rolling Stones release the single "Satisfaction".

1967- The television show "The Monkees" win the Emmy award for Best Comedy. The producers of the Pre-Fab Four raise enough money and clout to fund later projects like the hit movie Easy Rider. Band member Mike Nesmith later married into the Liquid Paper fortune and helped start the all music channel MTV. This same ceremony saw Bill Cosby become the first African-American to win an Emmy, this for his role in the series I-Spy.

1977- The Apple II went on sale. It became the Model T of the cyberworld, the first successful mass marketed personal computer.