2014 Favorites With Keith Uhlich (Part 1)

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Another year, another cinema count down. Despite 2,500 miles between their locations, Peter couldn't resist sitting down Keith Uhlich—now of The AV Club, The L Magazine, and To Be (Cont'd)—to discuss their favorites of the year, so through the power of technology, the virtual balcony is open for this first of two parts. This year's freewheeling discussion takes us from the lore of Macedonia then up cabal cars to the gods of Nepal, the mundane moments of youth to the dystopic futures of simulacra takeover. And yes, even perhaps the realm of television might be crossed, but not without first fueling up on some cocaine from the good doctor. Plus, our favorite repertory picks of the year.

0:00-4:18 Opening Thoughts

4:19-22:34 Picks for #10
22:35-47:47 Picks for #9
47:48-1:04:41 Picks for #8

1:05:28-1:07:02 Mubi Sponsorship - Bluebeard and The Sleeping Beauty

1:08:05-1:24:18 Picks for #7
1:24:19-1:41:39 Picks for #6
1:41:40-1:56:10 Favorite Repertory Picks

1:56:13-1:58:26 Close / Outtakes

Read Keith Uhlich at The AV Club, L Magazine, and To Be Cont'd.
Follow Keith on Twitter.

Episode #44 - Gabe Klinger (The Bowery)

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"Writing is a solitary activity, but programming is a social activity."

Critic, programmer, and teacher Gabe Klinger isn't interested in what we know about the movies—his journey has been fueled by searching beyond the even the outskirts of the canon to many of the far reaches of cinephilia, bringing those films to light by any means necessary. In his interview with Peter, Gabe discusses his origins as a cinephile in Barcelona, his work as a programmer at a young age in Chicago, and the current state of the world film festival environment. They also discuss two major accomplishments: his co-edited volume on filmmaker Joe Dante and Double Play, a documentary that follows directors Richard Linklater and James Benning, finding the uncommon links between them. Finally, the two examine The Bowery, Raoul Walsh's pre-code historical comedy, and the unique similarities it shares between a 1900 actuality called Namo Village, which was shot in Indochina. 

0:00-1:47 Opening 

2:57-8:27 Establishing Shots - The Lovers on The Bridge

9:12-1:07:20 Deep Focus - Gabe Klinger

1:10:06-1:29:11 Double Exposure - The Bowery (Raoul Walsh) with Namo Village (Gabriel Veyre)

1:29:15-1:30:53 Close

Watch Double Play on iTunes on YouTube.
Read Gabe Klinger on Cinema Scope, Mubi Notebook, and Senses of Cinema. Purchase his co-edited volume on Joe Dante. You can Follow Gabe on Twitter here. 

Watch The Bowery and Namo Village, both on YouTube.

Episode #43 - Dave Kehr (The Whistler)

Photo Credit: Ray Pride

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"The real benefit of auteurism was taking the pressure off this endless search for stand alone masterpieces...there was an entire range of cinema not being addressed."

There are those who search out the most majestic works of cinema, and those who would rather search under the cracks for oddities and beyond. Dave Kehr, the former critic of the Chicago Reader and New York Times, and now a programmer at the Museum of Modern Art, certainly fits the latter bill. In his brief conversation with Peter, Dave talks about his origins as a cinephile in Chicago, the challenges of keeping the archive alive in the face of the digital programming switchover, and his recent series at MoMA—Lady in the Dark—dedicated to various crime films made at Columbia Pictures from the 30s to the 50s. Finally, the two investigate one series in particular, The Whistler starring Richard Dix, which features the former silent actor in terrifying and fatalistic situations, only to be reincarnated again and again.

0:00-1:27 Opening 

2:49-8:12 Establishing Shots - Boyhood and Dazed and Confused

8:55-48:47 Deep Focus - Dave Kehr

51:07-1:01:15 Double Exposure - The Whistler Series (William Castle, Lew Landers, and George Sherman)

1:01:18-1:04:04 Close / Outtake

Read Dave Kehr on his website and check out his NYTimes Column. Purchase When Movies Mattered here. You can Follow Dave on Twitter here. 

Purchase a box set of all eight Whistler films or watch some on YouTube, including The Whistler, The Power of the Whistler, and Mysterious Intruder.

Episode #12 - Kevin B. Lee (Slacker)

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"For me, it's been parachuting into a film, looking at everything that's been said about it, and trying to synthesize understanding of it from that...But I really want to establish a personal voice and a personal stake in the films that I'm talking about."

When Peter sat down to do a video essay on his own a few years back, he primarly studied and examined the work of Kevin B. Lee. Luckily, Peter has gotten to know Kevin, and was thankful to sit him down for a podcast while in Chicago last month. Kevin explains his long winded path into filmmaking and finally film criticism. The two discuss the art and process of making video essays, the importance and frustrations with film canons, and his work in highlighting the work of independent Chinese filmmakers. Finally, they open up a can of worms with Richard Linklater's Slacker, a film Kevin describes as similar to today's Facebook and Twitter feeds.

0:00-1:20 Opening

1:20-4:22 Establishing Shots - Side Effects

5:20-1:14:10 Deep Focus - Kevin B. Lee

1:15:33-1:45:12 Double Exposure - Slacker (Richard Linklater)

1:45:13-1:48:57 Trivia Round, Close, and Outtake

Read and watch Kevin B. Lee's work on Press Play, Fandor, Shooting Down Pictures, Sight & Sound, and Moving Image Source.

Follow Kevin on Twitter.