'68

A.O. Scott's N.Y. Times article on films from 1968.

2.5 out of 3

As of yesterday, I’ve received the last letters and phone calls. I’ve been accepted to New York University, American Film Institute and UCLA’s M.F.A programs in film directing. It’s 2.5 out of 3 because the NYU acceptance is for Tisch Asia in Singapore, not Manhattan.

I’m very torn. I have about two and a half weeks to decide. I wasn’t at all expecting AFI to come through. I need to do a lot more research to decide what program is the best for me. But I’m very excited. It’s been a long time coming.

Breakdown

I wrote this entry several months ago. I wanted to document my current living situation. Things change so rapidly and drastically and I wanted to remember exactly what this moment was like. I finally got around to posting it now because a major change will be coming soon.

I live in Oakland, behind a main house in a garage converted into three individual apartments. The one bedroom apartment I occupy is $825 a month, utilities included. I split the cost with my roommate and he lives in the bedroom while I'm in the living room. Outside of rent I spend an additional $20 a month on internet, $77 on car insurance, $30 on gas and $45 on my cellphone. That brings my living expenses to $589.50 excluding groceries. I work, on average, 23.5 hours per week and I make about $1,134.24 a month, after taxes. That leaves about $544.74 a month to purchase food, save or spend on other things like, for this past month, transcripts and fees for graduate school applications.

My apartment is recovering from a severe ant infestation. I couldn't leave a bowl of cereal unattended for longer than a 30 seconds without an ant crawling into it. I spent weeks setting poison, sealing routes of entry and cleaning dozens of ant bodies in a plot to kill the queen. However with the thousands of ants gone I've noticed more spiders in the apartment and I can't decide what it worse. I don't know of anyway to kill spiders other than smashing it. Ants are easy, you just set the poison and it does all the dirty work. I guess I don't like the confrontation.

The extra money I make each month usually goes to film screenings, the monthly trips to Los Angeles or savings. I splurged a little this month on movie posters, but they were all worth it. I've grown older, enjoy collecting and situating myself in a permanent living arrangement. For the past couple years I haven't remained in an apartment for longer than 12 months and I didn't feel right decorating. I know that I'll be moving to Los Angeles soon, but these posters are part of my furnishings, just like my bed and desk. I don't suspect I'll be purchasing more, I'm very content with the ones I already have and, conveniently, I'm running out of wall space.

Trailers #9

For films to explore and revisit.

Gillo Pontecorvo's The Battle of Algiers (1966)

Playing at the Pacific Film Archive, April 5 at 6:30pm

The Spring Season

It began Sunday of this week with Chimes at Midnight by Orson Welles. Followed by A Grin Without a Cat by Chris Marker on Wednesday leading up to another Welles, The Trial on Friday.

I doubt I'll go but The Battle of Algiers is showing this Saturday at 6:30pm. It is one of the best and most important films I can think of. The score by Morricone is reason enough to see it.

Then it will be April 10 with Oshima's The Man Who Left His Will on Film, then a week later on April 17 with Rocha's Antonio das Mortes at the SFMOMA. Unfortunately this is showing the same day as Last Tango in Paris at the Castro, it's the only film part of the United Artist retrospective that I'd like to see on a big screen. It's okay because I'll be see Brando two days later for Pontecorvo's Queimada! on April 19. And then maybe Watkin's La Commune on April 20.

Then the 51st San Francisco International Film Festival starts on April 24.

I'll begin with Frank Black's live score to The Golem on Friday, April 25 at the Castro. Followed by Leave Her to Heaven on April 26 at the Castro as well. Next is Sokurov's Alexandra and the J. Hoberman event on Sunday April 27 at the Kabuki. Then the Errol Morris event on April 29 at the Kabuki and the Mike Leigh event on April 30 at the Castro. Rest a little for Bela Tarr's The Man from London at 8:50pm at the PFA. Maybe Valse Sentimentale and La Zona at the Clay on Saturday May 3 and then the State of Cinema Address and All is Forgiven at the Clay then Still Life at the Kabuki on May 4.

And now I just learned of the 3-day 1960s Nikkatsu Action Cinema program at the Yerba Buena Arts Center.

Let me know if you'd like to come.

Trailers #8

For films to explore and revisit.

Michelangelo Antonioni's Zabriskie Point (1970)

Interview

Errol Morris and Werner Herzog discuss their friendship, filmmaking, reality and digging up Ed Gein's mother in Plainfield, Wisconsin.