DOC NYC: New York’s Documentary Festival November 8 – 15
November 9th, 2012 by chocko
DOC NYC is happening right now! Here are a couple movies that I’ve had the extreme pleasure to watch and I recommend that you check them all out on the big screen at the IFC Center and SVA Theatre in New York City during the DOC NYC Festival which runs from November 8-15. Chocko and Mr. C will have more reviews in the near future but also be sure to check out Unseen Films for excellent DOC NYC coverage.
RADIOMAN
DIRECTOR: MARY KERR
A film that follows around a quirky, magnetic character who hangs around movie sets and movie premieres in New York City all day and night. He rides a bicycle everywhere he goes, wears a radio around his neck (hence the nickname) and everybody in the movie making business knows him. Once an alcoholic and homeless, Radioman (still looking a bit dusty and musty) is now a fixture on every movie set in NYC, hustling for autographs and food from crafts service tents. He even manages to get cameo parts in feature films. The film focuses on the weird character that is Radioman and his love affair with the movie industry, at home (a fortress of clutter and collectibles) and at work. There are plenty of interviews and kind words from big time celebrities such as Tom Hanks and George Clooney. I ran into Radioman on plenty of occasions in my early days of collecting autographs. He knew all the actors and directors and always had insider info-where all the the movies were going to be filmed and who was going to be there (this was before smart phones existed). Don’t miss this film about a true legend of the streets and movie sets of New York City. I enjoyed this documentary a lot!
RADIOMAN sceens 7:45 PM, Fri. Nov. 9, 2012 and 11:00 AM, Thu. Nov. 15, 2012 at the IFC Center.
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FAR OUT ISN’T FAR ENOUGH: THE TOMI UNGERER STORY
DIRECTOR: BRAD BERNSTEIN
Tomi Ungerer was a child who lived in Europe during World War II which to this day affects his daily struggles of living in paranoia and dealing with trauma and constant nightmares. After discovering America through the Sears Roebuck & Co. Catalogues, Esquire and New Yorker magazines, Tomi left Europe for America in 1956 with $60 in his pocket and an incredible talent for drawing. He would soon be signed to HarperCollins where he became famous for illustrating children’s books. Tomi’s peers Maurice Sendak and Jules Feiffer describe him as “drowning in talent” and as a “wonderfully brilliant and innovative mad man.” Tomi’s career came to a screeching halt and was blacklisted in American publishing after creating Fornicon, a self published book which featured highly erotic art. The movie is a wild ride and features Tomi’s amazing illustrations come to life through animation. Tom Ungerer is a pure genius and it is awesome that he is getting more recognition. If you see one movie during DOC NYC make sure it’s this one. Don’t miss out. Highly recommended!
FAR OUT ISN’T FAR ENOUGH: THE TOMI UNGERER STORY screens 1:45 PM, Sat. Nov. 10, 2012 at SVA and 11:30 AM, Tue. Nov. 13, 2012 at IFC Center
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SHEPARD & DARK
DIRECTOR: Treva Wurmfeld
The film follows the complex and unlikely friendship between Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright/actor Sam Shepard and close friend for nearly 50 years, Johnny Dark, a present day homebody, amateur archivist who works odd jobs and has a penchant for writing and getting stoned. The two kindred spirits met in the 1960’s in Greenwich Village in NYC, married into the same family and when Shepard abandoned his wife and son, Shepard and Dark still remained friends and corresponded faithfully through letters and photographs. The friendship gets put to the test after they decide to publish their letters and are presented the daunting task of sorting through endless pages of letters and photos while reliving and confronting the past. The film is fun to watch because the director Wurmfeld has great subject matter to work with. Shepard speaks with a charming midwestern twang and despite his fame, lives like a cowboy and struggles with the balance between solitude and companionship. Dark is a likeable character because he is genuine. He enjoys the writings of Kerouac and The Beat Generation, the companionship of his dogs and getting high on marijuana. Go see this film about a truly odd couple! It is a film that sheds light on the imperfections of humanity and friendship.
SHEPARD & DARK screens Saturday Nov. 10 at 9:30 PM and Monday Nov. 12 at 2:00 PM at the IFC Center
Tags: doc nyc, far out isn't far enough, movie, radioman, review, shepard & dark, tomi ungerer, unseen films
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