Wildlife Docs May Violate Animal Privacy

British news outlet The Guardian recently pointed to a study that argues wildlife documentaries may infringe on animals' right to privacy. The author of the study, Brett Mills, is a lecturer in film studies at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. He notes, "we can never really know if animals are giving consent, but they do often engage in forms of behavior which suggest they'd rather not encounter humans." His rationing seems flawed. Those animals that avoid human contact probably just have good survival instincts.

That being said, there is a worthy issue here. Filmmakers need to develop minimally invasive methods such as the use of hidden and minute cameras not only in order to protect the privacy of creatures, but also to ensure an accurate representation of what happens behind closed cave doors. Accuracy is vital because the footage can be used as research that may be used to help the animals in the future. But in the end, there are more pressing issues to take up - if anything, Mills should be fighting against those animal prisons that attract human gawkers throughout the world.

Trivial Tidbits:

• According to Box Office Mojo, March of the Penguins is the highest grossing wildlife doc, grossing a total of $77,437,223 after an opening weekend of $137,492 in 4 theaters
  

Nerdcore Rising

Director: Negin Farsad, Kim Gatewood (co-director)
(2008)

A chronicling of nerdcore hip hop artist MC Frontalot's 2006 national tour. No true nerd will be disappointed with this film, from the Magic: The Gathering tutorial to the incessant Chewbacca's Wookieespeak. MC Frontalot's entourage is gloriously awkward at times, but this is just an instinctive reaction by nerds when a camera is pointed at them.

Nerdcore Rising is part of a cultural shift in which the formerly disparaging term “nerd” is embraced by the individuals in this subculture. Despite this adaptation, nerds are still seen as outsiders in certain circles. This is evident as MC Frontalot strives to gain respect in the greater hip hop genre (along with more pressing goals, like earning a living via this art form).

The film features insightful interviews with unnerdy hip hop producer Prince Paul, 90s nerd “Weird Al” Yankovic, comical nerd Brian Posehn, fellow nerdcorer mc chris, Penny Arcade entrepreneurial nerds Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, and even a brief interview with the great (punk nerd?) Jello Biafra.

The tour provides an excellent framework for the film. Their early performances are somewhat shaky and often in front of scant audiences, including a performance in Georgia in front of a downright befuddled crowd. The tour culminates with a performance with Minibosses in front of a massive audience at the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, ending the film with an encouraging sentiment.

official film site

Trivial Tidbits:

• The titular genre was coined by MC Frontalot in 2000 in the song "Nerdcore Hiphop"
• Nerdcore for Life is another documentary on the subject of nerdcore hip hop, also released in 2008

Lost In La Mancha

Directors: Keith Fulton, Louis Pepe
(2002)

This is the comically tragic tale of Terry Gilliam's failed attempt to adapt of the legend of Don Quixote to the silver screen. The failed production, titled The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, was completely financed by Europe and was to star French actor Jean Rochefort in the titular role with Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp. However, the project was marred by a barrage of absurd and unpredictable setbacks from the beginning.

Fulton and Pepe were granted seemingly unlimited access behind the scenes in what would’ve probably ended up being a “making of” special feature on the DVD release of the film. They captured each of the unthinkable hurdles Gilliam faced, including screaming F16 flybys and an epic flash flood in the middle of the desert. In the end, they proved their resourcefulness in salvaging their footage and crafting this entertaining doc which has been dubbed the first “unmaking of” in history.

Mr. Gilliam having a rough day on set

My time working in film production helped me to appreciate the gravity of each setback. A friend of mine once calculated that the production company we were working for spent roughly $7 per second when we were shooting. By that calculation, something as seemingly trivial as an uncooperative horse could be costing the production literally thousands of dollars.

The doc itself can be seen as a Cervantian tale, with parallels made between the ebullient dreamer Gilliam and the delusional Quixote. Towards the end it seems clear that the crew knows the project has no chance of succeeding, yet Gilliam prods on. It’s almost painful to watch the filmmakers continue to toil on the project, particularly when the audience knows that the project is ultimately doomed. Nobody wants to be the one to tell the protagonist that his endeavor is derelict (that is, until the insurers adjusters come in).

official film site

Trivial Tidbits:

• Don Quixote is a novel written by Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes published in two parts in 1605 and 1615
• Gilliam has rebooted production, with Robert Duval slated to act as Don Quixote