Name Albert Maysles
Born 26 November 1926. Massachusetts. US. Background Born to Jewish immigrant parents. Albert. along with his brother David (1931—1987), is often credited with inventing the documentary style known as cinema verite’ (direct cinema). After teaching psychology at Boston University. he went to Russia and made Psychiatry in Russia (1956). a short about mental hospitals which was later shown on TV. He and David then collaborated on Youth of Poland (1957) before Joining the documentary team of Robert Drew and Richard Leacock. with whom they worked on Primary (1960). a behind-the-scenes look at the 1960 Democratic primary in Wisconsin between JFK and Hubert Humphrey. The Maysles brothers went on to co-direct a series of celebrity portraits. including Meet Marlon Brando (1965) and A Visit With Truman Capote (1966). Two bona fide classics followed — Salesman (1968) and Gimme Shelter (1970). a disturbing record of the Rolling Stones' performance at Altamont. Throughout the 708 and for part of the 803 the brothers explored a variety of Subjects from Christos Valley Curtain to boxers Ali and Holmes in Mohammed and Larry (1980). After David‘s death. Albert continued working like a Trojan on many different commercial and non-commercial projects. What’s he up to now? Having already made four films in the last year (on everything from art heists to people falsely accused of killing children in Russia). he is currently working on a secret film in South Africa.
What he says about his seminal film Salesman. ‘The film's still really special to me because when l was a kid there was a lot of anti-Semitism and it was the Irish who were anti- Semites. Salesman is about four lrishmen who I finally could reach and love and understand.' Interesting fact Albert met his wife at the first ever public soreening of Salesman.
I 3 Shorts, Fi/mhouse 623 8030. 18 Aug. 5.30pm, £5.95 (£4.20); Salesman, Fi/mhouse, 18 Aug. 8pm, £5.95 (£4.20).
48 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE ‘ ‘
Johanna Oh God, it’s an opera written specifically for film. Things cannot get much worse. And yet this dreamy, odd updating of the Joan of Arc legend peopled by drug addicts, traffic victims and
hospital staff (the film’s original English language title was Joan of Arc of the Night Bus) has been winning
plaudits and fans at every film festival it has shown at. Check it out now at this its UK premiere.
I Cinewor/d. 623 8030. 18 Aug. 5.30pm, £7.95 (£5.20).
DOCUMENTARY
GRIZZLY MAN
(Werner Herzog, Canada, 2005) 103min COO
After last year's mockuinentary ab0ut a disastrous attempt to make a film about Scotland's pet monster (Incident at Loch Ness. directed by Zack Penn). the oddbal’ German director Werner Herzog goes back behind the camera to focus on a grizzly bear activist.
And why not? HitVlng sealed his reputation as an extreme filmmaker With Fit/carra/o'o iin which he persuaded a team of natives to haul a boat over a ll‘iOtllllitllli Her/og has taken leftover footage from the late Timothy Treadwell and fashioned it into a hypnotic and lyrical account of someone treading the fine line between Visionary genius and madness.
Like Fit/carra/do. this is also a Journey into the heart of darkness — in this case Treaowell's obsessive fight for the survival of the species although the animals were less than grateful. Treads/ell and his girlfriend Amie Huguenard were killed and partially devoured by a grizzly in Katmai National Park and Reserve in Alaska in 2003.
Treadwell was a fascinating, rebellious character. much given to fibbing. He carried no weapons. because be regarded himself both as a friend and protector of the bears. After flirting With
' f”, Amt) IZUUZ’)
drugs. alcohol and even a movie career. he found self-wonh by deliberately styling himself as a ‘grizzly man'. The bears clearly fay/Oured his animal side. (Richard Mowe)
I Fi/thL/Se. 623 8030. 18 Aug. 9.30pm, £7.95 (£5.20).
DRAMA LES YEUX CLAIRS (PALE EYES)
(Jerome Bonnell, France, 2005) 86min 0...
Anyone who caught director Jerome Bonnell's lovely and generally lightweight Le Chignon d'O/ga will know what to expect here: sensitive characterisation. a breezy theme and an exquisitely nuanced sensibility. Yet his second film comes as something of a Surprise. for it is a more exacting study in psychological aberration. Formerly institutionalised and crisis- ridden Fanny (Nathalie Botefeu) needs to get her life back on track. Liying with her brother and his Wife won't do it. and a return to the institute from which she came is unlikely to provide what she needs. But can Bonnell Suggest progress without falling into the convention of wellbeing lying in an escape into nature and a belated. untiSual reunion with her father? Yes
and no is the anssxer. as Bonnell avOids sacrificing his tale to the Obvious. This is ai‘. almost fablelike film that moves between Tat -(?53(ltl(} ot.)sen.'atioi‘.a| comedy and serious familial problems. but balances the tone surprisingly irrell. i'Toiiy McKibbini I Fi/iit/iouse. (523 8030, i8 Aug. DID/7‘. £7.95 (£75.20).
DOCUMENTARY SHAKESPEARE BEHIND BARS
(Hank Rogerson, US, 2005) 93min .0.
Communities must. at so". up to the task of :lea ng ‘v‘JfOligtl()(2l82 do tf‘e‘. "‘x .:t '-;:~t"‘:7i.:'."‘ offer rehabilitation’.‘ The l...Il‘ Correctioi‘al Complex at i et‘iia'igie. Kentucky offers "e<l<>ii‘i>tio" throng" education. Hank Hog-arse" 7;). anus .a group of ‘~.'.’()Ll|(l~l)t} thesitaps :;‘.t.;i‘. "ii Sti’atfoid-upo" Audi}; ‘i‘est as 1W“. DFLICI'COillKl exe'ittialy :i.t}"."!i‘ Tempest. It is a" apt .t'ic ce t"e:;e men who begin to ;:.>."f';‘."f i Tt?:' ;:i n‘es by explo'idg Sitakesiiea'e's ;:"aia."<"~‘ and tllt) themes 0" tag; \. >i‘--;:-:;:; a".i virtue. Roge'soi‘ ir'eseitts a sympathetic es. murderers and a itaetiei") ia'i‘."‘.i:;’.
others. as we: as .“ tw- t" :zc" ‘
-:‘:' tuckeit
\ tlt i‘ in {)A.