HELL AND BACK AGAIN

But HELL AND BACK AGAIN is about more than going to war. It is also about coming back, out of the war, wounded, disabled and taking on a new form of combat.  The combat of adjusting to a world where your life is not on the line every minute. Adjusting to a physical wound that will take years to heal and that may always leave you disabled  in some way. HELL AND BACK AGAIN focuses on Sergeant Nathan Harris and the Echo company platoon deep behind enemy lines fighting the Taliban where Sergeant Harris is severely wounded and then his coming home to his wife in North Carolina. HELL AND BACK AGAIN manages to give you a glimpse into Harris’s two fold problem; dealing with his physical injury and mental adjustment on being home again.

Perhaps HELL AND BACK AGAIN’S best quality is that it reveals what it’s like to be in a 3rd world setting, in a life and death situation for months, where you never feel safe, and violence is part of your mission and then to be thrust back in to the fast paced, high tech American world. The difficulties Harris is having appears obvious in scenes where he finds comfort holding one of the two handguns he constantly keeps nearby. With the love and support of his wife Ashley, Sergent Harris struggles to overcome the difficulties of readjusting to civilian life.

HELL AND BACK AGAIN begins in Afghanistan with a Helicopter Assault on a Taliban Stronghold and the landing of Harris and Echo Company. This is Harris’s third deployment and it seems that after eight years in the Marines and multiple times in combat he may be suffering some fatigue.  But the battles wage on. The marines try to explain to Afghanistan civilians that they are there to help them.  But the villagers just want everyone to go away, both the Taliban and the Americans.  The documentary then jumps from Afghanistan to North Carolina and Harris coming home wounded, in constant pain and taking pain killers. As these scenes progress there are flash backs to actual combat days back in Afghanistan  leading up to the day he was wounded.

HELL AND BACK AGAIN does tell a moving and important story. It sheds some light on the problems facing returning veterans of the wars that have been waged in both Iraq and Afghanistan. But some of the scenes of Harris and his wife Ashley seem staged.  More insight into what Harris and his wife are dealing with on an emotional level might have highlighted the struggle. The issues Harris has to deal with are the same problems many other vets have to deal with but that doesn’t seem to come across in this documentary.  Everyone who is severely wounded and/or disabled in combat or a car accident goes through a period of resentment and problems adjusting. The failure to show that this is a universal problem makes it more difficult to understand that Harris’s behavior is part of a process of recovery.  The documentary ends without as much as postscript as to Sergeant Nathan Harris’s progress.

HELL AND BACK AGAIN won a Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival in 2011 and has now been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary 2012. Danfung Dennis also received an award for the excellent Cinematography in the film.

REVIEW BY – J R MARTIN – AUTHOR CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEOS AND MULTIMEDIA — See other documentary reviews by J R Martin at http://www.jrmartinmedia.com/reviews

HELL AND BACK AGAIN – 2011 – 88 Minutes – Directed by Danfung Dennis – DOCURAMA FILMS and IMPACT PARTNERS

TRAILER – HELL AND BACK AGAIN

“We torched Superior Lumber in Glendale, OR on January 1, 2001. Superior Lumber is a typical earth raper contributing to the ecological destruction of the Northwest.  What happened to them should shock no one. This year, 2001, we hope to see an escalation in tactics against capitalism and industry. While Superior Lumber says, ‘Make a few items, and do it better than anyone else,’ we say, ‘choose an earth raper, and destroy them.”  — Communication Sent By The Earth Liberation Front (ELF).

IF A TREE FALLS  is a well-edited and structured documentary that manages to balance advocacy with objective reality in a thought provoking way. It brings you into the story from many different perspectives moving back and forth through time and events. IF A TREE FALLS keeps you interested throughout the entire eighty-five minutes.

IF A TREE FALLS is a documentary that explores many important issues by focusing on the rise and fall of The Earth Liberation Front (ELF). It does this mainly through the eyes of David McGowan, as he becomes radicalized into the ecological movement and ultimately into its most radical component, ELF. The film opens with archival footage of a ski resort burning. ELF burned it because the resort had plans to expand in to a forest area. The burning of the ski resort contrasted with other more blatant environmental issues shown in the documentary feels like ELF goes to far at times.

IF A TREE FALLS, directed by Marshall Curry, combines interviews with McGowan, who is living under house arrest waiting for a trial, as the film begins. He along with a number of other suspects were arrested simultaneously on December 7^th, 2005 and charged with domestic terrorism. ELF destroyed property but never endangered a human life. No person was ever hurt or killed because  ELF made sure no one was in the buildings they burned.  There is a question as to whether they are arsonists or terrorists?

IF A TREE FALLS is great documentary storytelling, moving between parallel themes highlighting events, McGowan’s experience, and current situation, and the FBI’s hunt for the members of the ELF.  There is archival footage of police using pepper spray on peaceful protesters that reminds you of recent violence by police on the Occupy Movement protesters. These attacks on protesters help to radicalize McGowan and others into taking violent actions themselves.

Most of the fires were set in the Northwest in protest of the logging industry and their harvesting trees in forests under the control of the National Forest. Environmental activists had been active there for some time by 2001.

Many interesting and controversial questions arise watching this documentary. One issue is the treatment of protesters by police. Why is all the violence necessary?  Environmental concerns based on the deforestation of huge areas of the country where large thousand-year-old trees are cut down and the land left bare. Another topic that comes to mind is the fate of the members of the ELF, many of whom could be facing life sentences for the acts of arson.

By focusing on McGowan’s life story up to the point he goes to court IF A TREE FALLS creates some empathy for McGowan and his fate. The ELF disbanded a few years before the arrests were made. McGowan left the group because things were, in his mind, getting to crazy. The investigators were treating it as a “cold case,” when they got an unexpected break. This aspect is skillfully incorporated into the story.

REVIEW BY – J R MARTIN – AUTHOR CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEOS AND MULTIMEDIA — See other documentary reviews by J R Martin at http://www.jrmartinmedia.com/reviews

 IF A TREE FALLS – A STORY OF THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT – 2011 – 85 minutes – Directed by Marshall Curry, An Oscilloscope Pictures Release – NOMINATED FOR OSCAR BEST DOCUMENTARY 2012 – Best Documentary Editing Sundance Film Festival.

TRAILER IF A TREE FALLS

“Hell and Back Again” – Danfung Dennis – See Review

“If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front”  – Marshall Curry  See Review

“Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory” – Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky

“Pina” – Wim Wenders

“Undefeated” – Stephen Bannon

This years group of nominated documentaries seems to be and odd assortment.  Hell and Back Again and If A Tree Falls feel like traditional documentaries that might get nominated.

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, the third in a series about three young men accused of murdering some young boys. The three documentaries trace the arrest, 18 year imprisonment, and eventual release, in the third film, of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley; also known as the West Memphis Three.  The documentaries played  a role in generating publicity, awareness, and support for the innocence of the men. Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory aired on HBO on January 11, 2012.  The documentary seems to rehash a lot of what was done in the previous two except for the release of the men.

TRAILER PARADISE LOST 3: PURGAORY

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PINA,  Directed by Wim Wenders, is a 3D dance film made in Germany. The film features Pina Bausch, who died during the preproduction phase of the documentary. Wenders cancelled production but the other dancers of the Tanztheater Wuppertal persuaded him to continue. The other dancers are featured and reminisce about Pina.

TRAILER PINA

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Undefeated is a film about Sarah Palin that feels more like political propaganda than a documentary.

TRAILER UNDEFEATED

Two documentaries that were not nominated and perhaps should have been are:

BUCK – THERE’S NO WISDOM WORTH HAVING THAT ISN’T HARD WON   AND BEING ELMO A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY

Documentary short subject

“The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement”

“God is the Bigger Elvis”

“Incident in New Baghdad”

“Saving Face”

“The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom”

Written by J R Martin

MAD HOT BALLROOM has many unique aspects as a documentary. First it’s a view from the inside looking out. There is no third party voice over narrator; the teachers and students tell their own stories.  Another thing you will notice immediately is the documentary camera is at the same height as the participants. This establishes a non-condescending point-of-view, the viewer is at the same eye level as the dancers. This style of shooting is intimate and allows you to experience how the children are feeling about what they are doing in every way. The coverage of actual dancing and competitions is excellent putting you right there with the children.

MAD HOT BALLROOM is a documentary that pulls you into the story including the process of learning, competing and emotional reactions. This is not an easy process for the children who need to suspend a lot of inhibitions to participate. Just holding hands with a child of the opposite gender seems kind of “icky” for a nine or ten year old. The notion of keeping eye contact with your dance partner adds another level of discomfort.  The children overcome other obstacles and in the process gain a great deal of self-confidence. It’s amazing to see the expressions on the children’s faces as they learn to dance and compete in the various competitions leading up to the finals. The story focuses on certain public school students in Brooklyn and their journey to the citywide competition. There is joy and heartbreak along the way. The pace of the documentary holds up throughout the length of the film but seems a little slow at the end perhaps because you want to know who wins the final competition to take home the trophy.

This is not a documentary that goes out of it’s way to determine if the notion of young students learning ballroom dancing is some new socially relevant idea. It is what it is. You can decide how you feel about it after enjoying the actuality of the documentary.

MAD HOT BALLROOM is more than just a feel good documentary, it entertains and informs as it allows you to be there with the children to experience and explore the process they are working through. Whether you are a ballroom dancing fan or not this documentary is well worth watching. In addition you might just feel enabled to try some dancing yourself, perhaps while you’re watching the film!

REVIEW BY – J R MARTIN – AUTHOR CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEOS AND MULTIMEDIA — See other documentary reviews by J R Martin at http://www.jrmartinmedia.com/reviews

MAD HOT BALL ROOM . – 2005 – 105 Minutes – Directed by Marilyn Agrelo – Produced Amy Sewell and Marilyn Agrelo – Director of Photography Claudia Rachke-Robinson – Original Music Steven Lutivak and Joseph Baker – Paramount Classics and Just One Productions

TRAILER

Before his television show Jerry Seinfeld did stand-up comedy. He was on the road most months of the year performing around the country. For twenty years he built up his routine, his jokes, timing and rapport with audiences. Seinfeld wanted to go back in 2002 with new material, new jokes that needed to be tested. This meant spending nights at comedy clubs like the Gotham Comedy Club in New York City.

In the film new comics like Orny Adams live a very insecure life as they try to get notoriety and maybe a spot on David Letterman or Jay Leno to get some national coverage. The documentary spends some time contrasting Orny Adams and his struggles for recognition with Jerry who while well known is also struggling to get his act together. They end up with the same agent, George Shapiro who has worked with Jerry Seinfeld previously.

In addition to being a must see documentary for anyone thinking about becoming a comedian, JERRY SEINFELD COMEDIAN is an entertaining, well paced documentary that goes behind the scenes including conversations Jerry has with other comedians including Greg Geraldo, Sherrod Small, Jim Norton, Robert Kline, Jay Leno, Gary Shandling, Bill Cosby and at least dozen others. There are no lower third graphics to identify everyone so it is difficult to be sure who is who unless you have seen them perform.

While it’s not difficult to identify with Jerry and his struggles to get back out there with new material, stage presence and good connection to audiences; his life style in between is more poor little rich boy as he commutes between gigs in his corporate jet. This is not the life of a typical standup comedian working and getting an act together. But Jerry’s success previously does present obstacles for him because audiences expect him to be as funny as he was before as a comedian and on television.  Not every joke works first time out so it takes time to refine material. Like most comedians Jerry is extremely sensitive about audience reactions and if his material is working.

One of the interesting things about this documentary is the that it gives you a glimpse into the personality of the clown, the person who makes jokes on stage but has real human needs off stage. Jerry Seinfeld and maybe a couple dozen comics at any given time live a comfortable, successful life. There are scores of others living hand-to-mouth, trying to be funny.

JERRY SEINFELD COMEDIAN is and excellent documentary, well edited with a fine musical score, entertaining and informative. It is shot in an intimate fashion often in low light situations in clubs and other venue still keeping the lighting feeling natural. There are some good jokes and funny scenes too, which a documentary about a comedian must include by default.

REVIEW BY – J R MARTIN – AUTHOR CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEOS AND MULTIMEDIA — See other documentary reviews by J R Martin at http://www.jrmartinmedia.com/reviews

JERRY SEINFELD COMEDIAN -  2002 – 82 MINUTES – DIRECTED BY CHRISTIAN CHARLES – PRODUCED BY GARY STREINER MIRIMAX FILMS

TRAILER – The trailer for JERRY SEINFELD COMEDIAN was done as a spoof, an anti trailer trailer. Now a classic itself.

BEING ELMO A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY

In addition to being a “A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY” this documentary takes you behind the scenes with a short history of Sesame Street and the creation of puppet characters for the TV program, Muppet movies and other older television shows that featured puppets. Kevin makes his way from a local show in Baltimore to other shows and ultimately New York where he meets Jim Henson and other puppeteer/designers like Kermit Love who appear to mentor Kevin in his early years.  Archival footage is incorporated into the film bringing uniquely candid views behind the scenes at Sesame Street and the Jim Henson Workshop. BEING ELMO A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY also includes interviews with Frank Oz, Rosie O’Donnell, Cheryl Henson, Joan Ganz Cooney and others involved in the world of puppetry. The documentary is narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, who also appears in the film.

“Clash’s first television work was for the CBS affiliate in Baltimore. He came to Sesame Street after attracting the attention of Muppet™ designer Kermit Love. Clash’s film credits include Jim Henson’s 1986 fantasy film Labyrinth, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I and II, Muppet Treasure Island, Muppets from Space and Elmo in Grouchland.  His television work includes The Great Space Coaster, Captain Kangaroo, Dinosaurs and Muppets Tonight.” – BEING ELMO A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY

BEING ELMO A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY offers a rare look at how the puppets are made and how they are operated when Kevin is seen training French puppeteers for the French version of Sesame Street. It is amazing to see the small things that make the puppets appear human like. The documentary is a must for anyone interested in puppeteering or who has ever wondered what makes them go. This leads to how Kevin brought Elmo’s character into being and how he found a “hook” for the character of Elmo.

BEING ELMO  A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY is a well paced documentary that both entertains and informs giving you insight into the people who create the puppets that they then bring to life.  There does seem to be some gaps in the story as the film moves from Baltimore to New York and other places.  It would have also been interesting to see a bit more of Kevin and others at work or performing. To the extent that the documentary is about Kevin’s journey there seems to be some blank spots in showing his life and career. However, there is enough there to tell the story and at one point his relationship with his daughter is highlighted.

There is a special moment at the end of the documentary when Kevin meets a young boy starting out, as he once did. This seems to tie together the soul of Elmo, created and brought to life by Kevin Clash, Elmo the teacher and the love of learning.

DIRECTED BY CONSTANCE MARKS  an award-winning independent documentary filmmaker and writer director Phillip Shane.  BEING ELMO A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY 2011 – 80 Minutes

BEING ELMO A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY is playing in theaters as of December 2011. It is well worth taking the time to see on the big screen.

J R MARTIN – AUTHOR CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEOS AND MULTIMEDIA — See other documentary reviews by J R Martin at http://www.jrmartinmedia.com/reviews

TRAILER

What emerges from NO DIRECTION HOME – BOB DYLAN is that Bob Dylan’s work reflects back the time period when it was written.  Dylan at times claimed he was not a protest singer and at other times that all his songs were protest songs. Both things are true. Dylan was active in the Civil Rights movement, but also claimed he was not political. He wrote and sung, “The times they are a-changing” metaphorically in all his work. In many respects he was a minstrel.  His writing did not just apply to civil rights; it applied to life styles and relationships, being American, and the culture in general. Dylan is as much a poet and writer as he is a singer and musician. He found his voice after being exposed to the poets and coffee houses in Greenwich Village, NYC and went on from there. In many respects Bob Dylan chronicled or documented injustice and other issues broadcasting them to the public much like a journalist or advocacy documentary filmmaker.

Scorsese skillfully weaves a number of parallel themes including a 2005 interview with Bob Dylan, a large amount of archival material, performances and additional interviews with people who knew Dylan.  The film begins with Dylan growing up in Hibbing, Minnesota. Film footage and audio of artists from Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, to Johnny Ray and others who Dylan was exposed to in those early days are used to establish the world in which Dylan lived.  It’s a fascinating journey from Hibbing through time and places like Greenwich Village in the sixties where Dylan matured as a artist. Everyone is there including Allen Ginsberg, Dave Van Ronk, Liam Clancy, Maria Maudaul and countless others.

There are several parallel themes running in NO DIRECTION HOME – BOB DYLAN. The documentary is not entirely edited in a chronological format. There is a non-linear approach to time. The film moves more by ideas than time.  All themes are skillfully edited in an ongoing montage that moves between the past and present. One theme that appears early in the film is the ongoing angst, seen in performance scenes between Dylan and his followers.  Footage from Dylan’s tours of England typify this as some fans react negatively to his evolution from folk music and acoustic guitar to electric with a backup band. One tour was originally documented in a direct cinema style documentary titled “Don’t Look Back” by D.A. Pennebaker in 1965.  As NO DIRECTION HOME continues Dylan is seen dealing with the fan reaction in different ways, from what may be feigned indifference to an angry performance?

NO DIRECTION HOME – BOB DYLAN – 2005 – 207 MIN. Apple presents A MARTIN SCORSESE Picture – Directed by Martin Scorsese – A Production of SPITFIRE PICTURES

Another theme is Dylan and Joan Baez who for a time performed together and were friends.  In an interview for the documentary Joan narrates meeting Dylan and talks about their relationship. Scorsese comes back to her a number of times throughout the film. In addition to Joan Baez there are many other interviews with people who knew Dylan in various ways. Parts of these interviews are also used throughout the film. These interviews are broken up and used through out the film as time passes.  What emerges is not only insight into Bob Dylan’s career but also a history of one aspect of the music industry over the years.  NO DIRECTION HOME includes a string of performances by Bob Dylan and other artists using archival footage that includes Woodie Guthrie, Pete Seger, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, The Clancy Brothers and many others.

NO DIRECTION HOME – BOB DYLAN ends around 1966 after Dylan recovers from a motorcycle accident. He doesn’t do another tour for eight years. The documentary never lags.  It would have been great to look at Bob Dylan’s career since 1966, he is alive has a career and is still recording music.  Maybe Martin Scorsese will do a sequel.  NO DIRECTION HOME – BOB DYLAN is a well-made, entertaining and insightful documentary film. It explores issues and events that shaped a man’s life and how he helped in many ways to shape a country’s awareness.

Other documentaries by Martin Scorsese are THE LAST WALTZ – THE LAST PERFORMANCE OF THE BAND AND SHINE A LIGHT – THE ROLLING STONES.

REVIEW BY – J R MARTIN – AUTHOR CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEOS AND MULTIMEDIA — See other documentary reviews by J R Martin at http://www.jrmartinmedia.com/reviews

TRAILER NO DIRECTION HOME – BOB DYLAN

ZEITGEIST

The second part of ZEITGEIST explores what can only be called a conspiracy theory regarding how the destruction of the World Trade Center Towers was accomplished beyond being hit by two large jets carrying a full load of aircraft fuel. The premise is that the aircraft striking the towers and exploding were not enough to cause the buildings implode in the fashion they did. The film claims that there must have been explosives planted within the building to cause the buildings to collapse the way they did. No evidence to support this theory is presented except for a couple accounts of individuals hearing secondary explosions.  The film also disputes the number of hijackers involved. It claims that there is no evidence of a plane hitting the Pentagon on the same day. It also disputes facts about the crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.  The reason for all this according to the film was to start wars in the Middle East among other things.

The final scene, or part three, of  ZEITGEIST attack the institution of the Federal Reserve Bank which the film relates to other world banks and the idea of a group of individuals who through wealth and power have controlled the world since Christianity became a world religion. The World Wars, Viet Nam and the current crop of wars were all arranged to the benefit of the Military Industrial Complex of various corporations and countries.

ZEITGEIST presents a great deal of information that is often based on speculation rather than hard facts.  It does bring to light a striking number of facts and ideas that tie the dogma and history of Jesus Christ and Christianity to obvious similarities with earlier religions and creation stories.  The film makes the case that Judaic/Christian bibles do include stories that appear to be plagiarized from Egyptian and other religions. The 911 section is difficult to accept without more concrete facts and evidence. The conclusion segment does make a strong case regarding the manipulation of world events for profit.

ZEITGEIST – 2007 – 118 MIN. WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY PETER JOSEPH

ZEITGEIST uses graphics, stock footage, and archival materials along with voice over third party narration through out most of the film. There are a few interviews. The overall production value is minimal but well edited. The film is interesting to watch and it provides a lot to think about. In many ways this film might be classified as an “Attackumentary.”  It doesn’t present any alternative views to what it claims to be true. Perhaps because it assumes everyone has heard the “establishment” version of history and events. It seems that many groups and individuals would dispute some of the information presented.

In many respects ZEITGEIST borders on a propaganda format in that it takes many ideas or coincidences out of context to construct scenarios that present new or fabricated realities.  ZEITGEIST treads a fine line between reality and extreme subjectivity. But it is worth watching and thinking about carefully.

J R MARTIN – AUTHOR CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEOS AND MULTIMEDIA — See other documentary reviews by J R Martin at http://www.jrmartinmedia.com/reviews

TRAILER ZEITGEIST

GODDESS REMEMBERED then looks at 10,000 BC to 1,500 BC. During that period there is evidence of Goddess worship presented. Before Greek culture established male warrior dominance, when the Goddess religions of the Minoans on Malta and Crete flourished.  An abundance of artifacts are presented depicting unique Goddess worship, religion and culture. The documentary then traces the ways in which the Greeks turned the traditional worship of Goddesses into the worship of male Gods.

GODDESS REMEMBERED makes a strong case for the existence of early Goddess worship during prehistory and up to recent times in Europe and other places in the world. These practices appear to be more in sync with nature and Mother Earth than subsequent male dominated religions like Christianity.

Part 2 of WOMEN AND SPIRITUALITY – THE BURNING TIMES begins with the Celtic times when the notion of the Earth Goddess encountered the Romans. Initially in places like Bath, England the Romans appear to have respected the local traditions and religious believes. The healing waters from the hot springs were thought to be a gift of the Earth Goddess.

THE BURNING TIMES looks at the period when Christianity, threatened by Pagan Goddess Worship and “Wise Women” began a systematic campaign against women they branded “witches.”  The documentary presents ample evidence that over a 300 year period there was a women’s Holocaust when millions of women were killed.  The “Witch Craze” associated women’s traditional roles as healers, oracles, and nurtures with evil doings and the devil.

Using graphic art from this period and interviews with historians the documentary establishes the impact of the “Witch Craze” on the status of women every since those days. There was no room in the Christianity of that period for powerful women. All manner of things were blamed on women including plagues and failure of crops. A strong case is made for the notion that female sexuality is evil. Violence and sex are linked. Female spirituality is branded as witchcraft and connected with the devil.

Part 3 of WOMEN AND SPIRITUALITY – FULL CIRCLE looks at where Goddess Worship is today.  Part three begins with story of the Great Egg, Mother Earth, which cracked open and gave birth to many children creating the Rainbow Family that spread around the planet.  The documentary interviews women who call themselves witches, women scholars, and others who have revived the notion of Goddess Worship and Goddess religions. Rural or pagan rituals, that may date back to prehistory are part of the new God Worship tradition as seen in this part of the documentary.

FULL CIRCLE explores the present day idea of creative spirituality and the divinity in every person male or female. It also looks at the Goddess in nature and Mother Earth as a way of saving the planet from destruction.

WOMEN AND SPIRITUALITY – THE GODDESS TRILOGY is a well-made documentary series that presents a point-of-view in a straightforward fashion. It obviously advocates the notion of female spirituality. It presents historical information that leaves little doubt that Goddess Worship and religion centered around female divinity have been suppressed over the ages. This educational documentary sheds light on the status of women in society today as a result of history. It offers a view of women that needs to be understood in the world today.

Like many strong advocacy documentary efforts there is a tendency to present facts without a great deal of substantiation beyond generalizations.  Assumptions based on these ideas become somewhat vague in places. Speculation of prehistoric cultures and their religious practices appears to be based on beautifully carved statuettes of women that embody the traditional attitude of prehistoric people toward women. This is an interpretation of what may have been. To the credit of the documentary as a whole evidence is presented that indicates that prehistoric people did respect and worship female spirituality.

WOMEN AND SPIRTUALITY – THE GODDESS TRILOGY offers an important body of information that cannot be ignored. It makes a convincing case for female spirituality and the actual role of women in religion, life and possibly saving Mother Earth, our home, from destruction.

J R MARTIN – AUTHOR CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEOS AND MULTIMEDIA — See other documentary reviews by J R Martin at http://www.jrmartinmedia.com/reviews

TRAILER WOMEN AND SPIRTUALITY – THE GODDESS TRILOGY

In the tunnels life looks like scenes from an apocalyptic movie where what’s left of humanity lives underground in a rat-infested jungle of debris. The tunnels stretch for two miles, from 72nd street to 123rd street and Riverside Park to under Penn Station. The underground area at one time housed Railway infrastructure and maintenance. Before the tunnels, as far back as the late nineteenth century, there was a garbage dump nearby where homeless and poor people looked for food in the area by the Hudson.

Marc Singer who directed the film, apparently ended up living in the tunnels with the homeless people as he filmed. Some of the residents acted as crew for him. Singer struggled financially after two years of filming and had trouble getting the film edited since he himself went broke and homeless.

Underground a number of residents are introduced. Tommy, Tito, Ralph, Dee, Greg, Henry, Ronnie and others.  All have a story about how they got there and how they live. Many are long-term residents who have built small makeshift homes out of plywood and other materials they have scavenged and dragged through the tunnels.  They earn money by selling found objects pulled from trash on the streets and back alleys of Manhattan, and by collecting recyclables. They find food in the garbage cans of restaurants, cook on makeshift stoves and steal electricity from somewhere in the dark maze. Many of the residents have pets. Tommy has several dogs that he takes care of.  There are others with dogs and cats. Many residents try to take care of their homes, making them livable and secure from robbery; while fighting off rats and disposing of garbage and waste.  But beyond the small huts and shacks there is refuse and rats everywhere as seen in the film.

Dark Days – 2000 – 84 Minutes – Black & White  Directed by Marc Singer, Editor Melissa Neidich, music by D J Shadow – Wide Angle Pictures present a Picture Fan Production in association with the Sundance Channel. Awards -  Sundance Film Festival.

Either in interviews or by observing conversations between residents, the story of how each person got to this point is told in a casual and unassuming fashion. Interestingly the residents don’t assign blame, except on themselves, for having made mistakes that got them where they are. The film is shot in black and white.  There are some lights being used but not much is seen beyond the throw of the illumination. The lack of extensive lighting gives the feel of what it must be like living in this place where light is always minimal or not there at all. When the trains come through they are like shapes with a single headlight and loud horn.  Audio is adequate and there is a good sound track by D J Shadow. Director Marc Singer manages to graphically capture the reality of what living in the tunnels is like. For example one man tries to shower under a dripping cold water pipe while another uses a bucket of water.

Some of the residents are crack heads who use whatever resources they have to buy crack. But many are just homeless, down on their luck or finally kicking the drug habit that got them there.  Toward the end of the film Amtrak gives the residents 30 days to leave or they will forcibly evict them. Mike Harris from the Coalition for the Homeless gets involved and manages to negotiate federal housing for many of the residents.

A few of the residents are seen moving into their apartments.  They are happy to be out of the tunnels and vow to never be homeless again. The DVD includes and update to the documentary.  Most of the homeless residents in the film who got moved to housing start new lives and have some success working once given the opportunity.

DARK DAYS shows, as one resident states, that humans can adapt to any situation no matter how desperate and degrading it may be. It also reveals a subculture of homeless people who live unseen, whether underground in tunnels, or on vacant lots in plain site.

J R MARTIN – AUTHOR CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEOS AND MULTIMEDIA — See other documentary reviews by J R Martin at http://www.jrmartinmedia.com/reviews

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