SEVERE CLEAR (2009)

I had thought documentaries and films depicting the atrocities and casualties of the continually on-going war in Iraq were slowly dissipating…well, who the hell am I kidding? Since the war ain’t going anywhere anytime soon, no matter who is the president of the United States of America, neither shall the countless documentaries and films making social commentaries on the ongoing war against terrorism. Whether one believes in the motives for going to war, supports the military, or completely oppositional against all manners and reasons for war, I still believe that supporting our troops is essential. It takes courage to do what they do, voluntarily by enlisting or enlisting because they really did not have too many other options.

Severe Clear (2009) is a film that was written, edited, and directed by award-winning filmmaker Kristian Fraga. A documentary that was filmed by U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Mike Scotti using a mini-cam while serving his country in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Scotti, a combat veteran from the war in Afghanistan, was sent to Iraq as part of the first wave of soldiers to go there and him, along with other members of 1st Battalion, 4th Marines are the stars of this grim and compelling documentary narrated by Scotti himself. Along with taking camera footage of his time in Iraq, Scotti also kept a journal, much of which was used for narration throughout the film.

Severe Clear stands out from some of the other war documentaries that I have viewed (Gunner Palace (2005)), as well as other documentaries on the war in Iraq which I have not yet viewed (The War Tapes (2006), in the manner it balances the atrocity and carnage that war produces with the thoughts and feelings of a soldier and his ties with family and loved ones, painting a vivid picture showing viewers that there are more “grey” areas in war and many undesirable outcomes to it. At times, the footage is extremely gory and grim (as it should be) and there weren’t scenes that were watered down or censored. Throughout the documentary one gets much more than a glimpse of corpses littered around semi-recent firefights and skirmishes, as well as bodies blown apart from explosions and heavy artillery. To say there are some scenes of extreme graphic footage would be putting it much too lightly- this footage is the real deal.

War is grim and this documentary really captures the frenzy and chaos of an ambush by Republican Guard soldiers or the short and unexpected blasting by a handful of civilian clothed men firing RPGs and AK-47s incessantly at American soldiers. A decent amount of the news footage and commentary from news broadcasts is used to alliterate the points and comments formulated by Lt. Scotti spoken to the audience from his journal, but throwing in press statements by George W. Bush and Colin Powell only illustrates many of the pretenses and reasons that a young man may have been motivated into enlisting in the Marines in the first place. Do good for your country to fight the atrocities of 9/11 and fight the war on terror. Go out and help find the weapons of mass destruction as Rumsfeld, Bush, and Powell continually told Americans in national broadcasts aired worldwide.

Director Fraga did a fine job editing some very intense footage that ranged in tone from light-hearted shots of soldiers just being regular guys killing some time with their buddies at camp to scenes of marines right in the “thick” of things, getting shot at from unseen enemy soldiers, just the flash of their gun the only clue that there is in fact somebody out there in the deserts’ black night.

The soundtrack to the film was original music written by Cliff Martinez (Traffic, Narc) was very moving and fit well with the footage it complemented. For me, the film really did not present any points or voices that I had not heard already, but the film did keep me entertained and interested in seeing what direction it chose to head in at certain given points. Living in a day and age when anyone with a digital camera can record anything they choose, I have seen an abundance of footage concerning the war in Iraq, both professional and amateur. After all, the media is as much part of the war these days as the soldiers fighting in it, going to locations of heated battle and being in as much danger if not more as the soldier are all in the name of “scoop”. The only difference is Severe Clear does not cut the gory shots of a man’s head whose brain tissue has been blown out the back end or the sad story of a father and his daughter being riddled with machine guns for failure to stop at a routine military check point, the young daughter killed in the aftermath.

With maps and the route U.S. Marines took on their march to Baghdad, viewers are shown just how much resistance was thrown at American soldiers via the map graphic on hand throughout the film. Not only are insurgents and Iraqi soldiers trying to kill the Marines, severe sandstorms and a lack of supplies from the military make matters even more unbearable and dangerous. Nothing is watered-down in this film and its portrayal of war. 

Severe Clear takes you where the soldiers go and gives one access to the thoughts and feelings of a soldier throughout the whole experience. This is in itself somewhat unique and far more personal than other films covering the topic of war in Iraq and a selling point for me enjoying this film.

To date, this film has not been rated and has been released theatrically in New York City, Los Angeles, San Diego, Dallas, Houston, Salem, Mass., and Saco, Maine. A special preview of the full-length feature is now available for purchase exclusively on www.DeepDiscount.com, with a retail version with special features released later in the year on Dvd and Blu-ray. The film is presented in 16×9 widescreen (1.85:1) and its running time is approximately 93 minutes in length.

May 2, 2010 | Categories: documentary | Leave A Comment »

Ride Around the World (2009)

Ride Around the World is a documentary presented for the IMAX theater that follows the history of the cowboy, which I had actually thought originated in Texas in the United States. Well, as usual, the subject of anything relating to Westerns, horses, and cowboys- I know nothing of. Ride Around the World traces back the history of the cowboy to over 1,000 years ago. As always, something I am completely wrong and misguided on, I want to learn more about.

Director Harry Lynch created a breath-taking film that truly takes advantage of the larger format IMAX film, which really captures some excellent high-quality footage, full of landscapes and lush scenery as well as incredible action-shots as horses galloped across the screen. The documentary is as gorgeous as it is informative. The documentary finds the perfect balance between allowing viewers to learn a great amount of information about the history of the horse, the cowboy, and the traditions that go along with it, but still encompassing some of the most spectacular footage one will ever see. 

What blew my mind was the fact that so much of what I knew about cowboys was really passed on from traditions in Morocco, Mexico, and Spain. I guess I sort of could expect Mexico and Spain as being very much a part of horse culture, but Morocco was a total surprise. I learned how much of the English words and terms connected to cowboys, ranchers, and horses originated from Spanish words.

As well as the fabulous cinematography (Rodney Taylor, Director of Photography) with the insanely beautiful landscapes, the music for the doc was actually pretty cool. It fit in well with the whole tone and vibe of the documentary. The only aspect of the film that was a downer was the fact that it was only 44 minutes long. I really wanted to see and learn more about cowboys and horse-training techniques, both of which I got all my schooling from by watching Spaghetti Westerns and Clint Eastwood flicks.

Along with traveling to Morocco and Spain, viewers travel to Argentina, Chile, British Colombia, and Texas. History, dramatic scenery, and culture are all things that one will encounter in the documentary Ride Around the World. Included on the dvd is a really entertaining “Behind the Scenes” segment that actually is from a show entitled “America’s Horse“, in which the producers of the show present one with extra footage, interviews, and some of the trials and tribulations that the filmmakers had to overcome to make the film.

In addition to the behind the scenes segment, there is a film trivia quiz and some trailers. I took the quiz and did quite well. I paid attention during the film, so I advise that viewers also pay attention so that they can ace the quiz. I can see this dvd, winner of the 2007 “Best Documentary” at the Western Heritage Awards and the 2007 “Gold Medal” at the Park City Film Music Festival, can be used as an useful learning tool in schools or any type of institution for learning, but in a fun way. It is a very entertaining documentary and I feel that anyone, horse-lovers or not, will find that this documentary to be a very unique and interesting view.

April 9, 2010 | Categories: documentary | Leave A Comment »

WILDLIFE COLLECTION (3-disc box set) (2009)

Having just seen the photos and travels of a good friend that just got back from the Amazon, I felt it only fitting to pop in the Smithsonian Networks Wildlife Collection, a box set with three dvds including Pandas in the Wild, The Big Blue, and Wanted: Anaconda with a bonus feature, Footprints on the Water: The Nan Hauser Story. It definitely sparked a fascination and awe inside of me that gave me a somewhat nagging travel itch that I have yet to scratch for some time. I really do need a vacation, possibly somewhere exotic, but maybe not quite as exotic as the regions that Wildlife Collection has taken viewers.

I started off with the first dvd, Pandas in the Wild, where we are taken to China and the Qinling Mountains where a team is tracking the Giant Panda in its natural habitat, which is quite a feat considering they spend most of their time above 8,000 feet where bamboo is plentiful and there are only about an estimated 1,600 left and 300 living in the aforementioned mountains.

I really knew zilch about the Giant Panda but that all has changed after viewing 45 minutes or so of some of the most beautiful cinematography of the mountainous landscape of China as the research team arduously treks through the rugged terrain for ten days before catching a single glimpse of the Giant Panda doing its normal, everyday routine. Viewers are offered a rare shot of a baby Panda caught napping in a tree, female and male Pandas going through their process of mating (they rub their sex organs and juices up against trees to let each other know just how sexy their scent is), and even are offered a showdown of sorts, as two male Pandas battle it out for the right to mate with another female. I, for one, have never ever heard or seen any footage of Pandas fighting and had not heard their battle cries and roars. It was quite an eye-opener for me. Seeing the beautiful and beasts getting into a raging fury to win over a female was quite a site, violent bloody stains left on the nearby trees after the fight certainly kept my eyes glued to the screen, and I was, much to my surprise, glad that I watched the Panda documentary first. I had to laugh when the narrator said that procreation between male and female Pandas only last between 30 seconds and a minute, the females are VERY choosey, when one female Panda finally does choose a male Panda and they mate, all the other male Pandas in the vicinity that were not chosen gather around and watch them go at it. Sounds like the Pandas are pretty perverted. I also learned that Pandas were carnivores and evolved into herbivores.

There is so much more in just those 45 minutes of footage and narration, done by Kirsten Krohn, who had a very gentle and serene voice, that it is definitely worth a watch. Happy with disc 1 of 3, I moved on to the next one.

In The Big Blue, we are taken to Australia in search of the world’s largest animal on the planet, The Blue Whale. Following Dr. Pete Gil as he tracks and studies the whale, we are privy to more breath-taking footage of the ocean and all its creatures as they gather around, traveling to the Bonny Upwelling off of Australia’s east coast. The Bonny Upwelling is a natural phenomena where, in layman’s terms, a bunch of nutrients rise up from the ocean floor like an upside-down waterfall and disperse nutrients, plankton, krill, etc…Basically, a bunch of food that whales like to eat and there normally is tons of it concentrated in one area. The whales travel miles and miles for this seafood buffet and many creatures are dependent upon it happening.

Not only are Blue Whales shown speeding through the sea (they can travel up to speeds of 30 knots and are known as the “greyhounds of the sea”. There is footage of the largest gathering of Australasian Gannets at Lawrence Rocks, fur seals, little penguins, and Southern Blue Fin Tuna. One scene that I probably could have gone without seeing was footage of the Blue Whale defecating into the sea and viewing the scientists collecting the stool samples. I never had seen whale take a dump before and I can’t say that I ever want to see it again. I really enjoyed the vast amount of knowledge entailed within the dvd, but I enjoyed even more the bonus feature on Nan Hauser. Footprints in the Water: The Nan Hauser Story was a wonderful feature that plays itself out as a sort of biographical sketch of Nan Hauser, narrated by Hauser herself, as she tells viewers her dreams, aspirations, goals, and future projects about her love and life’s research of whales. Footage from the Bahamas and the Cook Islands was amazing and Hauser’s very unorthodox style and manner make this the most enjoyable segment of all three discs. One of the quotes from Hauser that really stood out in my mind was this one:

“We all have a calling. Some people follow it and listen and some people don’t. I hope that most people find that calling.”

A very inspirational and take-charge kind of gal, I found myself admiring her for so much determination and energy she devotes into a subject and career that is both deeply meaningful and satisfying to her. Plentiful with footage of the spotted, bottlenosed and spinner dolphins, sperm whales, beaked-whales (which I have never even heard of nor seen), it was very refreshing to meet a scientist who has a fun-loving and easy-going personality and is not your typical nerdy or stuff scientist. There is even some footage where a whale rammed her boat on purpose, resulting in a friendly encounter that lasted 33 days as well as some very rare footage of a Beaked Whale calve suckling its mother. I enjoyed this segment the most out of the three dvds.

The one dvd that I had thought to find the most fascinating I ended up liking the least. I think that was partly due to the manner in which it was filmed and set up. Wanted: Anaconda was made like a movie more than a documentary and was littered with set up shots and dramatization. I just did not go for it whatsoever. It really was generic-looking in how the shots and camerawork was done. There is some cool footage of the Anaconda, but most of the snakes were not very large (in terms of Anacondas) and averaged about 16 feet or so. The segment did have some very high gross-out footage in it though. I will give the feature credit for that. There is some graphic underwater footage of an Anaconda giving birth to baby Anacondas and its bloody, gooey, and grisly. I sort of cringed watching the creature in labor as the bloody umbilical cords and egg membrane oozes all over. If one is not a snake lover, this will probably put them over the edge, or make them never want to watching anything on birth with snakes.

I also like to call this segment the James Bond segment. This group of scientists have more Radio Shack gadgets and toys made to capture footage, photos, and collect data than I have ever seen used by any one group of researchers. We have helicopters, planes, boats, trucks, and submarines used here by the scientists. It was quite hilarious to me to see them using all this gadgets to seek out Anacondas. I guess they were not so thrilled to get so close to such a massive and deadly creature. I really started cracking up when one of the “toys” messes up and they lose it to a mechanical malfunction. I wondered, too, how much money they lost on that invention.

All in all, the box set of raw nature and wildlife was definitely worth my time to watch and something I may pop in again, especially when I get that travel itch. The dvds run approximatley 187 minutes in length with a TV-PG rating and retails for around $29.98. They are presented in letterbox with an aspect ratio of 4×3 with a 1.85 matte and include subtitling for the deaf and hearing impaired. I can’t say that I have ever watched a Smithsonian Networks feature that I did not enjoy on some level. They always have excellent quality dvds and cover a vast array of subject matter. I have always been pleased with their dvds. They have been of the utmost quality and have superb audio and video on each and every one of them. I highly recommend checking out their Wildlife Collection. It is a total winner.

February 22, 2010 | Categories: documentary | Leave A Comment »

The Real Story: Part 2 (2009)

The Real Story: Part 2 is the second part in a series that explores the back stories behind some of Hollywood’s films that are based on fact about real events that occurred in life, in some way or another. The Real Story part 2 gives viewers a hard look into what really happened through facts, testimonies, journalism, and first-hand accounts about what really happened that Hollywood based its films upon.

Our first story talks about Al Capone and his tyranny in Chicago, much of which the film The Untouchables was based upon, but instead the real story is given to viewers which I felt was much more interesting than Hollywood’s rendition of what happened with Al Capone and his arch enemy, Elliot Ness and the “Untouchables“. With insight and and re-enactments from biographers on the subject, the real story on how Al Capone his crew of criminals was taken down. The IRS opens up the Capone Files for this extremely interesting look into what really happened. As Capone biographer, journalist, and best-selling author Jonathan Eig digs further into the Capone files that the IRS possess, some documents opened and explored for the very first time, I was fascinated by hearing a story that I never knew existed nor was aware of before.

The story is told through interviews, archived documents, photographs, testimonies, and dramatic re-enactments that flow along with narration throughout and gives the viewer a very fascinating look at Chicago’s most infamous gangster. As fun to watch as the movie The Untouchables is, certain scenes in the film never took place or happened just the exact way they portrayed them as happening. Frank Wilson’s story on how he was pivotal in taking down Al Capone through income tax evasion.

Being a native of Chicago my entire life, I appreciated the beautiful cinematography of key locations and architecture taken through-out the city to bring back viewers back to the ’20s with buildings date back that far in history. Viewers find out that Capone’s downfall was through a hanging-judge, poorly-served lawyers, and the government bending the rules to nail him. It seems that in the end, Capone broke the law to make his fortune and rule the city of Chicago but that in breaking the law it was within that his downfall occurred. We also find that Frank Wilson is one of the unspoken heroes in case that brought Capone down. Elliot Ness was given most of the credit in The Untouchables, but in reality, he was not the only factor in Capone’s incarceration. The filmmakers also go to say how still, to this date, the city of Chicago still has a criminal organization (known as The Outfit) running crime there to this day. The segment on Al Capone runs about 45 min. long.

Our next chapter focuses on the books and stories behind Ian Fleming’s James Bond, the most celebrated and well-known spy ever to grace the screen and be read about in books. James Bond is the most famous secret agent the world has ever known. With interviews by John Pearson, Fleming’s assistant at the Sunday Times, we are told about Fleming’s personal side to life. We find that Fleming was in the military and had been given a position where he was privy to confidential documents and dealt with spies for the British government. Casino Royale was based upon a real-life experience when Fleming tried to take out some German spies. By taking some real-life events and giving them some artistic flair, the character James Bond was further developed through new missions, some that Fleming was sent on and some he had read about in case files. Agent M is based off of Admiral Godfrey, someone who actually existed. Family members of Godfrey give insight into his personality.

The story is truly fascinating, whether one is familiar with the James Bond movies, novels, or even interested in military history- the information and the narrative are extremely compelling and edited flawlessly with an arsenal of photos, stories, real-life accounts and testimonies from family, co-workers, and professional acquaintances. It sounds like Ian Fleming had a fair amount of James Bond’s character possessed within him, even though Fleming was kept behind a desk during World War II because he knew so much confidential and sensitive information that he would be a huge risk if captured when on the front lines of the war. Or maybe agent Patrick Dalzel Job, a distinguished British Naval Intelligence Officer and commando of World War II, that was independent and always found ways to get around bureaucratic government red-tape was responsible for most of James Bond’s character traits. Was Job the basis and inspiration for the action-hero side of James Bond?

After viewing the portion of the dvd on James Bond, I was really intrigued and compelled to run off to my local library or bookstore and pick up some of the Ian Fleming books based on the world’s most famous spy. This segment was so packed full of intriguing information that I really was going to explode due to sensory overload!

The final segment, Indiana Jones: The Real Story, we get to take a look at one of the most successful action/adventure franchises ever. I am a huge fan of the Indiana Jones films, personally. This asks were there real-life characters that inspired this icons origin? George Lucas and Steven Spielberg together on one film, two of the biggest directors and producers in Hollywood- How can the movie not be epic?

This segment goes into some of the real-life individuals that may have been responsible for shaping the character of Indiana Jones-the real men behind Indiana Jones. Being somewhat of a history buff, I found this piece very fascinating. The first adventurer that the documentary focuses on that may have been the basis for the character of Indiana Jones is the naturalist and zoologist Roy Chapman Andrews, a modern-day explorer and quite possibly the biggest inspiration for the character. Chapman, just like Indiana Jones’ character, is gravely fearful of snakes. The piece really focuses on Chapman, how serials and stories, such as Edgar Rice Burrough’s Tarzan, paid tribute and homage to Roy Chapman Andrews in a preface. Andrews, by accident discovered the Flaming Cliffs, along with a skeleton of Protoceratops, as well as a bunch of dinosaur eggs. It was a massive find. With plenty of insight and clips from films inspired by Chapman, as well as fun re-enactments, this segment makes for some very enjoyable viewing.

We do find out though, that the supernatural held no interest for Andrews, as it did so much for Indiana Jones’ character. Otto Rahn, the German medievalist and officer in the S.S. is one factual individual that did exist and was quite possibly the basis for Indy too, although he was never said to have been any influence by Lucas and Spielberg. I found this individual to be extremely fascinating and intriguing. Rahn was extremely blown away by the Occult, much of which was very similar to Indiana Jones’ fascination with the occult. It goes into the involvement the Nazis and Himmler had in regards to finding the Holy Grail. Once Rahn was “asked” to join the S.S., he still continued his research and much of the 1st in the Indiana Jones film, as well as in The Last Crusade, touch upon many of these true subject matters. This segment of the dvd was the most interesting and fascinating to watch. It seemed to me that the segments continued to get better and better as the dvd went on.

Having only received part 2 of this very informative and fascinating series presented by Smithsonian Networks and Infinity Entertainment, I look forward to more scholastically intriguing and thought provoking entertainment from the these guys!

The dvd is presented in letterbox with an aspect ration of 4×3, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound or 2.0 stereo. Special Features include subtitling for the deaf and hearing impaired and sneak peaks of other titles in the Smithsonian DVD library. The dvd runs over almost 2 1/2 hours long and is well worth a watch!

December 11, 2009 | Categories: documentary | Leave A Comment »

Cocaine Cowboys 2:Hustlin’ With The Godmother (2008)

Cocaine Cowboys 2: Hustlin’ With The Godmother is the true story of Charles Cosby, a self-made drug dealer from the streets of Oakland, California and his rise to the top of the cocaine sales and distribution market through his relationship with Colombian drug baroness Griselda Blanco. Cocaine Cowboys 2 picks up where Cocaine Cowboys left off, turning the focus exclusively from Griselda Blanco and her claim to fame for supplying the greater part of Miami, FL with most of their cocaine to Blanco’s newest boy toy and his role and part in her life chronicling Cosby’s rise to power.

Although his last name is Cosby, “The Cosby Show” this is not! Director Billy Corben has molded a documentary that is full of energy, style, and pizazz-there are no slow or dull portions within this film. Through photos, letters, interviews with Cosby and law enforcement officials, as well as dramatization and re-creating key events, Cocaine Cowboys 2 does a damn good job of showing the viewer just how hectic and dangerous a drug dealer rising to the top’s lifestyle truly is.

I think that the fact that Charles Cosby has a certain charismatic quality and demeanor to him makes for great viewing. Cosby has an almost showman-like quality to him and one can’t help but almost grow to like the guy by the time the documentary has finished and run its course. The real-life Griselda Blanco, notorious for being the baddest bitch of them all, the Black Widow, has key portions of her life story told to us by Charles Cosby as he relates hours of phone conversations he had with her while she was locked up in prison for drugs and murder (her name is attached to over 250 murders).

The inspiration and idea for the Brian DePalma film Scarface, starring Al Pacino, apparently was inspired by the true-life events in Miami during the 1980’s in which Blanco, a.k.a. the Godmother, was the basis of. Director Corben does a great job of keeping the narrative of the film flowing smoothly, as well as editing together key photos and interviews to give a greater overall sense of what Charles Cosby really was and now is all about. Cosby was one who was very fortunate to have gotten out of the game of cocaine and drug distribution and one of the only romances that Blanco had that is not buried six feet under. Cosby lived to tell his story and luckily for us, director/producer Corben and cinematographer/co-producer David Cypkin decided to share with viewers a story that they felt was worth telling.

I, personally, feel that too many films glamorize the life-style that drug users seem to have at certain points in their lives and it’s nice to see a former drug dealer tell audiences that he is lucky to be alive today and now has a family that he loves and cares for. One question that I think still went unanswered is, “What the hell is his job now?” Hell, maybe he is still living off the millions of dollars he made in his heyday. I am sure he stashed some cash away for a rainy day and I guess that the really smart ones are able to know when its time to get going and leave the scene before a competitor decides to start his or he rise to the top and knock the king of the hill off onto their ass.

The documentary goes into the backgrounds of both Cosby and Blanco, as well as the climate and culture of the West Coast and Oakland during the ‘90’s. One really gets a sense of the just how big the cocaine market was, and still is to present day, through news footage, press clippings, and verbal testimony by friends, associates, and family. I really enjoyed watching a how-to segment on how cocaine is turned into crack cocaine via a very detailed and descriptive step-by-step tutorial. Co-producer David Cypkin states in the audio commentary that having a portion that shows one how to make cocaine into crack cocaine may have been irresponsible and I just may have to agree with that. Hopefully after seeing how much murder, bloodshed, and loss was associated with the deadly drug, no one will want to mess with the manufacturing of it.

Hustlin’ With Charles Cosby: The Making of Cocaine Cowboys 2 was a really interesting segment included in the extras. It ran just over 15 minutes long and showed some really cool scenes with friends of the neighborhood, as well as how the theme song to the film came to be made. The audio commentary with director Billy Corben and co-producer David Cypkin goes into even farther depth about more facts and aspects of the whole drug war with the cartels and their casualties. Having seen both Cocaine Cowboys and Cocaine Cowboys 2, I think these filmmakers easily have enough material and information to make several more documentaries chronicling everything. There is a trailer for the film, as well as Madman Propaganda, consisting of trailers.

Before you rush out to BUY Cocaine Cowboys 2: Hustlin’ With The Godmother, make sure you get your hands on Cocaine Cowboys. I can’t recommend enough this film and its original. I would have never known any of this part of the seedy drug culture in the United States and it really gives insight into films involving drugs and gangs, such as Scarface, Boyz N the Hood, and Colors which all focus on drugs and the fallout that associating with them can cause.

November 24, 2009 | Categories: documentary | Leave A Comment »

In Search of Santa Claus (2009)

I always have had a place in my movie-viewing tastes for the documentary and non-fiction film-making. Whether it be the countless hours I have poured over on the History Channel on outlaw motorcycle gangs or street gangs, the occult and macabre, or history’s most brutal wars and genocides- the documentary can be as dark and grisly as any past or present horror film.

So, with the holidays right around the corner, and Christmas films soon to start flooding the television and cable networks with that fat bastard in a red and white suit, black boots, and a gnarly white beard- I thought it would be key to review a documentary that goes into the history of Santa Claus- how did this iconic and cultural heavyweight come to be? What is Santa Claus’s origin? Where did he come from?

The Smithsonian Networks‘ In Search of Santa Claus takes a very in-depth look at the origins into who Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, and Santa Claus really is. Santa Claus and the image and of him has had different names and had different roles, the documentary going into depth sharing the history of the fourth century miracle worker Bishop Nicholas of Myra in modern day Turkey, the sixth century Abbot Nicholas of Zion, or the pop-culture icon we in the U.S.A. know him as in commercials, most famously the modern-day image of Santa from Civil War-era cartoonist Thomas Nast whose artwork was used to calm the soldiers during the holidays and Coca-Cola ad execs who have since adopted the image 50 years later.

Those that know me can attest to the fact that I am not a huge fan of the holidays, but this documentary peeked my interest around every corner, most specifically upon hearing that St. Nick declared war against the Pagan religions that had made sacrifices to the Greek and Roman Gods for years and prayed to Apollo, Demeter, and Zeus. Bishop Nicholas declared war on these Pagan Gods in the town of Myra and destroyed their temple.

The 47-minute documentary is filled with beautiful cinematography, crisp edits, and a pace that moves along and is not too lengthy or cause the viewer to lose interest. If anything, the film peeks the interest of the viewer with enough historical fact and geographical shots of key cities, towns and topography to give the viewer a sense and feeling of where exactly in history the Santa and his origins developed.

Presented in a letter-boxed format with a 4×3 aspect ratio and 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and 2.0 Stereo, the disc’s presentation on screen is flawless in both sound and picture. As for any extras, there really are none, minus the trailers for upcoming and previous Smithsonian Networks HD programs and subtitling for the deaf and hearing impaired. With a suggested retail price of $9.95, I think it would be money well spent if the history of Santa Claus is something one is interested in.

November 17, 2009 | Categories: documentary | Leave A Comment »

HBO acquires rights to Obama doc

The Hollywood Reporter reports that
HBO has closed a seven-figure deal for U.S. rights to an untitled Barack Obama documentary from producer Edward Norton.

November 7, 2008 | Categories: documentary | Leave A Comment »