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saunders48
Reviews
Chelsea Walls (2001)
A Hundred Stories and a hundred differrent stories
Chelsea Walls is not the usual film, that somehow all of the characters and their stories are inter-related. In 'Walls', none of the characters and their stories touch one another. This is what makes it more life-like, because all of us know that this is reality and not the movies. This film requires the participation of the audience in viewing it, there are many fascinating characters who are telling fascinating stories, just watch and listen. Finally, it is about Americans who are still 'On the Road' for that career in the arts and the experiences that they have and the people that enter their lives while they are on that journey. It is somewhat in the genre of Jack Kerouac, the difference being that this is a group of total strangers who never connect with each other, just with life.
Cradle Will Rock (1999)
In Dollars, We Trust!
In Dollars, We Trust! A Film Commentary by Pat Saunders We are all Whores! The Theater, Press, Arts, Artists, Government and Unions. We take the dollars from Mr. Big and his friends, the Capitalists (Rockefeller, Mathers and Hearst) and sell out our principles, values, co-workers, neighbors and friends. This is the message that Marc Blitzein was sending in his play written in 1936 and that is why it never seen the light of Broadway. Tim Robbins has sucessfully recreated the mood, players, chicanery, brilliance and idiocy that was alive during that period Along with the basic plot around Blitzstein and his play, there are many other subplots swirling: The Italian Fascist, Margharita Sarfatti (Susan Sarandon), representing "Il Duce," selling priceless works of art to american financiers and industrialists to get support for their war machine as they slaughter the Ethiopians in a one-sided invasion to resurrect a new "Roman Empire." The battle of wits between Nelson Rockefeller (John Cusack), financier, art appropriator and Diego Rivera (Ruben Blades), Artist and Leftist, over the mural in the Rockefeller Center, money wins. The attempts by the right wing to destroy the Federal Theatre Project, a part of the WPA. A compelling look at the relationship between Orson Welles (Angus MacFadyen)and John Houseman (Cary Elwes) and their theater projects at the time, the Mercury Players. The decision of the rich to subsidize or buy "art and artists." So that they can control its content, and prevent the Riveras' and the Blitzstein's of the world from subverting the people. One of the parts of this movie is the inside look that is given to the Federal Theater Project and the idea behind it. To get theater out to the people, to sponsor works that are not only entertaining but have a message. To make people think! When Hallie Flanagan (Cherry Jones)was testifying before the Dies Committee, it came across that the right wingers, Congressman Dies (Harris Yulin) and Congressman Starnes (Gil Robbins), would have censored Shakespeare, if they would have been around in his day. One of the themes of this movie is that the most terrifying thing to the powers, the Mr. Big's, the character in Blitzstein's play, of the world is the mass of folks having acess to uncensored and unfettered information. The movie takes a look at the hardtimes that were the reality, by showing how "Olive Stanton," was existing or not existing at the start of the movie. The masses of people who were out in the street for no fault of their own. It also takes a poke at myths, when Marc Blitstein (Hank Azaria) is queried about his politics, if he has ever been a member of the Communist Party. He answers," I believe in their social issues, but cannot be a member of the party , because I am a homosexual. The party will not allow homosexuals to be members." So much for egalitarianism amongst the comrades. This is also taken a step further with Tommy Crickshaw (Bill Murray), a vaudeville ventriloquist and his students, Sid (Jack Black) and Larry (Kyle Gass); Crickshaw thinks that they are communists and when he accuses them of this, they say, "We are not communists, we' re gay." Tim Robbins has carried on the tradition of Hallie Flanagan and the Federal Theatre Project in this movie, because it is truly a great film, that makes you think.