Category Archives: Film

Coming to HBO tonight, Monday, October 27: MR DYNAMITE: THE RISE OF JAMES BROWN

Alex Gibney’s tribute to the Godfather of Soul debuted as a work-in-progress at Tribeca this Spring. Other fests include Camden and the upcoming IDFA.

As suggested by its title, Gibney’s film is concerned with exploring how the influential musician made it to the top rather than dwelling on his decline. To that end, he concisely dispenses with the basics at the top – Brown’s difficult upbringing, abandoned by both parents, a stint in prison, and time working as a shoeshine man – to instead focus on the steps the performer took on his path to success, from joining Bobby Byrd’s Famous Flames and playing the Chitlin’ Circuit to stealing the spotlight in 1964’s TAMI SHOW and breaking through to the mainstream on THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW, all represented here in fantastic, rare performance footage. Still, this troubled past and how he dealt with it reverberates through the film, not only in references made in period interviews with celebrities like Dinah Shore, but as a defining character trait. Brown viewed himself as a self-made man, as evidenced by his controversial support for Richard Nixon’s “Black capitalism,” discussed here, and in his song “I Don’t Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open Up the Door, I’ll Get It Myself).” That he depended on others, particularly members of his band, is not ignored here – Gibney interviews quite a few – but it’s notable that for all their admiration for Brown, these collaborators also reference his ego, paranoia, and lack of generosity. That’s not to take away from the performer’s natural charisma, remarkable stage presence, social activism, or lasting impact on the music world, but Gibney offers an intriguing lens through which to view his life and career, and one that speaks to the distinctive challenges facing African American performers of his generation – perhaps best represented here in a spirited exchange between Brown and David Susskind on THE MIKE DOUGLAS SHOW.

Coming to theatres today, October 24: CITIZENFOUR

Laura Poitras’ in-the-moment chronicle of Edward Snowden’s revelations made its debut earlier this month at the New York Film Festival. It has also screened at the London Film Festival, at special pre-release events around the country, and will be part of DOC NYC’s Short List net month.

The third part of a trilogy on post-9/11 America, following MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY and THE OATH, Poitras’ newest film is also, out of necessity, her most personal so far. Already having ended up on government watchlists for her previous work, interrogated at borders and having her footage confiscated, the director was contacted by an anonymous source within the intelligence community using the eponymous handle. Employing encryption technology, they began a tense correspondence with the acknowledged aim that Poitras, as a journalist, would be free to use leaked information in whatever way she saw fit. Though she never expected to find out the source’s identity, much less meet him, that’s exactly what happened, as chronicled in this astonishing film. On Citizenfour’s advice, Poitras contacted The Guardian‘s Glenn Greenwald and they set out to Hong Kong to meet the man who the world would find out is Edward Snowden. Despite his genuine concerns about not wanting to become the story himself, Snowden’s belief in transparency above all else results in the filming of his debriefing over several days in a hotel room, leading up to his decision to reveal his identity and to seek asylum outside of America. The effect is remarkable – while audiences are by now very familiar with the information he provides here, Poitras adroitly conveys the immediacy of those revelations, and, strikingly, constructs the film as the media – and the world – react to the initial leaks. Even more effective is the smart balance achieved between these real-world espionage elements – where a hotel fire alarm sets everyone on edge, expecting the CIA to bust down the doors – and the upending of these expectations – where one might expect a tension-filled scene of Snowden rushing through the streets of Hong Kong to make his escape, Poitras instead focuses on the affable young man primping in the mirror, attempting to subtly change his hair and appearance prior to leaving the room. And though the filmmaker can’t help but be part of this story, she is careful to include herself just enough that it makes sense without detracting from the core of the film – something which which other filmmakers often struggle. The overall result is a cogent, gripping work of documentary as journalism that demonstrates Poitras as one of our best filmmakers.