This weeks’ documentary is a portrait of the great twentieth century libertarian Gore Vidal. Australian filmmaker Nicholas D. Wrathall, who found Vidal’s enormous intellect and reputation initially overwhelming, wrote and directed Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia. Wrathall learnt the best way to approach the author was with “caution and respect”, and the two bonded over Australian politics as Vidal had personally known former Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Even though he rarely answered questions about his personal life, Vidal was happy to talk to Wrathall about his thoughts on American culture and politics. It makes for fascinating viewing, reminding us how relevant Vidal’s ideas are today. Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia is one of my picks of the week, but first up, Swiss family drama Rosie.
This weeks’ documentary is a portrait of the great twentieth century libertarian Gore Vidal. Australian filmmaker Nicholas D. Wrathall, who found Vidal’s enormous intellect and reputation initially overwhelming, wrote and directed Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia. Wrathall learnt the best way to approach the author was with “caution and respect”, and the two bonded over Australian politics as Vidal had personally known former Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Even though he rarely answered questions about his personal life, Vidal was happy to talk to Wrathall about his thoughts on American culture and politics. It makes for fascinating viewing, reminding us how relevant Vidal’s ideas are today. Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia is one of my picks of the week, but first up, Swiss family drama Rosie.
Monday 13th July … Rosie
Filmmaker Marcel Gisler’s Rosie found acclaim on the 2013 international circuit, and was regarded by the Swiss as one of the year’s best national films. It tells the story of Lorenz Meran (Fabian Krüger) a successful gay author suffering acute writers' block, who has to leave Berlin and return to eastern Switzerland to provide care for his aged mother, Rosie (Sibylle Brunner). The themes aren’t new – what to do with an aging mother who refuses help or go into a home, and adults dealing with the consequences of being brought up by a neglectful mother. However, there’s a charm to Gisler’s film, largely thanks to the sensitive and moving performance by Kruger. Not only is the author dealing with his difficult mother, but also his own mid life crisis, and you can’t help but wish him well.
Saturday 18th July … Third Person
Director Paul Haggis is famous for being the first filmmaker to write two Best Film Oscar winners back-to-back; Million Dollar Baby and Crash. In Third Person, Haggis returns to the ensemble cast and multi-strand story line telling the stories of three couples dealing with the loss of a child. It’s an interesting exploration of basic human emotions such as love, lust, betrayal and forgiveness, some of which ring true more than others. The cast and locations are impressive; Liam Neeson, Mila Kunis, Adrien Brody, Olivia Wilde, James Franco and Kim Basinger feature in these stories that unfold in Rome, Paris and New York. There’s very little connection between each story and its not as cohesive as say Haggis’ Crash, but Third Person is still an interesting, character driven relationship drama.
Thursday 16th July … Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia
Regardless of whether you’re a fan of the late Gore Vidal or not, it’s fascinating viewing watching this biography that portrays the author, commentator and public intellectual from attractive young man to bitter broken down old one. Friends with Vidal’s nephew Burr Steers, writer director Nicholas D. Wrathall had heard many stories about the iconoclast over the years, and after helping the author move out of his Italian home of 30 years in 2005, he was determine to make this documentary. Using a combination of archival footage as well as brand new interviews Vidal granted Wrathall before his death in 2012, Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia is a fascinating and intimate look at the life and work of one of the most brilliant and outspoken figures of the twentieth century. Unfortunately Vidal didn’t see the final product, but his family and close friends have told Wrathall that he would have approved of the finished cut.