Errata is a web journal written by Robert Davis who has neither spent a night in a ghost town nor pulled a turnip from the earth. He doesn't even know if turnips grow in the ground. Perhaps on trees, like candy corn. Therefore, Errata is a non-commercial project.

Observation #1: It may be appropriate, when leaving a movie theater, to say "mysterious."

Observation #2: It may be appropriate, when leaving a movie theater, to say "mysterious" at the top of your lungs. Bring your eyebrows together before you say it. Effective!

Observation #3: Same for books. Even at libraries.

There is a prize for people who correctly guess the thing about Metropolis, Nevada.

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12 July 2004

Movie Log

6-15 Sunrise (Murnau) [DVD]
6-16/18 The Office, Series 2 [DVD]
6-18 Twentynine Palms (Dumont)
6-28 Fahrenheit 9/11 (Moore)
6-30 The Atomic Cafe (Loader, Rafferty, Rafferty) [DVD]
7-1 unknown doc about Jean Rouch, after 1967 [10-minute clip]
7-1 Jaguar (Rouch)
7-1 Petit ? petit (Rouch) [6-minute clip]
7-2 Before Sunset (Linklater)
7-5 The Trial (Welles)
7-6 Confidential Report (aka Mr. Arkadin) (Welles) [Janus print w/ flashback]
7-8 Humanit? (Dumont) [DVD]
7-9 Spider-Man 2 (Raimi)
7-11 The Circus (Chaplin)

I posted some thoughts about the Rouch films at filmjourney, and I'll post capsules on some of the other films shortly. Twentynine Palms, at least.

Posted by davis | Link

Reader Comments

July 12, 2004, 05:59 AM

Darren

I'm anxious to hear your thoughts on Dumont. I'm making final edits to a piece on Twentynine Palms that should be up at Senses of Cinema by the weekend. I've decided that the film is more interesting to write/talk about than to watch.

July 13, 2004, 02:26 PM

davis

Excellent -- can't wait to read it. I agree about the movie. I'm having a lot more fun thinking about it than I did sitting in the theater.

July 14, 2004, 11:49 AM

phyrephox

So far that's how I have felt about all Dumont's films.

July 15, 2004, 06:30 AM

Darren

They get better with repeat viewings. I think so, at least. The Life of Jesus is one of my favorites.

July 15, 2004, 12:03 PM

phyrephox

They get better as in they are more enjoyable to watch or they get better as in the film deepens?

July 16, 2004, 05:50 AM

Darren

Both, actually. Well, I don't know if Twentynine Palms deepens but the other two certainly do, and I did enjoy each film more on a second and third viewing. I think that's one way in which the comparisons to Bresson are appropriate.

July 16, 2004, 11:25 PM

davis

I hadn't thought of that comparison to Bresson. I know that people have likened his actors to Bresson's "models" -- especially the actors in Humanité. I haven't seen Life of Jésus.

I've posted a first stab at a review of Twentynine Palms. Darren, I loved your comment about the red truck on your blog. :-)

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