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Reviews
Shining Night: A Portrait of Composer Morten Lauridsen (2012)
Transcendent Film
Eugene International Film Festival showed this film and I was fortunate to be in the audience, a healthy turnout for this most beautiful film. The man is one of Nature's Gentlemen, in tune to his muse. Southern California based Lauridsen is very well known and he is considered one of the modern American great composers of spiritual music. His canon of work is sublime, and the definition of sublime as spoken by one of the speakers in this well-produced bio- documentary speaks to the higher nature of understanding that few attain and understand. He is a minister and music is his message. Clearly a man of Christian faith, he makes a definitive case that belief and perseverance can lead to manifest breakthroughs in art, at the highest level, only if the artist truly accepts his creative spirit as the leading, guiding force in his/her life. "Be able to drop everything and go, when needed, to create," This films subject says.
The Soliloquy (2012)
Terrific example of Classical modernism!
What an interesting and intense piece of fiImmaking. I enjoyed watching this short. It was well produced and executed, mind the pun. Enjoyed all the elements that went into making it a terrific short. Congrats to Josh Murray, and his cast and crew for capturing such nice imagery. From Exorcist like statues to DC landmarks to crystal clear waters, it all kept moving. All very powerful. I met Josh recently at the IFFFest in Hollywood where we were screening our Hamlet-based first person doc and am glad to see his work here. Literate and imaginative filmmaking of classically structured text. No duh! Josh has a strong baritone voice which resonates well with the grating action portrayed. Would like to see him perform some of the other speeches from the play. Here's hoping that this is lucky to him. Congrats. From, Alex Hyde-White
Three Days (2012)
Remarkable and original docu-drama.
What starts out as a story about a father and his sons becomes a treatise on life, death and all in between. Using "Hamlet" the play as a starting point, which is unveiled during intense rehearsals and one performance over a three day period, we enjoy the stories of the actors behind the scenes (including Richard Chamberlain, Stefanie Powers, the remarkable Iva Hasperger, Peter Woodward and Joseph Culp) and watch them "hold the mirror up to nature." Human nature is the stuff of great drama, never moreso in this unexpected independent movie. A wonderful sense of discovery is in store for the viewer, particularly in the funny on-camera commentary of method actor (and teacher) Tom Badal, who plays Claudius in the play. The troupe come together, much in the same way that "troupes" always have, under actor/manager Alex Hyde-White, whose unique vision enabled this story to be told. Obviously benefiting from terrificly diligent editing (Sharon Rutter, Edo Brizio are credited), this film is highly recommended. Documentary filmmaker Louis Yansen is credited as a producer. Strong recommend, look out for "Three Days (of Hamlet)" at festivals. You will be in for a treat. It makes Shakespeare easy to understand.