“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive.” -James Baldwin One cliché… Read more »
Entries by Jesse Pasternack
What I Learned From David Lynch Movies
I think every artist can learn something from David Lynch. He is a touchstone for many surrealists, but even more conventional writers and painters can learn something from his combination of visuals and sound. I’ve spent the last year making an odyssey into the majority of his filmography, and I’d highly recommend that you do… Read more »
Vertigo As Fairy Tale Noir
Idiosyncratic films have an interesting relationship with genre. The fact that they are so unique separates them from more formulaic movies. But more often than not idiosyncratic films bear traces of generic structures that make them palatable to audiences. Idiosyncratic films have the potential to create their own genres, but more often than not they… Read more »
A Place for Student Film
There are few things more nerve wracking and awe-inspiring for a filmmaker than seeing their work in a theater with a crowd for the first time. More often than not you sit there with a knot in your chest, worrying about whether that scene was well lit or that actor’s flub was noticeable. But when… Read more »
Amadeus and the Binary of Genius
There is a lot to like about the movie adaptation and the recent National Theatre Live production of Peter Shaffer’s play Amadeus. There is the the sumptuous production design, the fantastic acting from both casts, and of course the beautiful music. But one of my favorite things about Amadeus is its articulation of a cultural… Read more »
Cape Fear and Parody
Cape Fear is notable for many different reasons. It was Martin Scorsese’s first remake. It is one of Scorsese’s most financially successful films, which arguably paved the way for him to make higher budget movies such as Casino and The Aviator. This movie received nominations for two Academy Awards® – Best Actor (Robert De Niro… Read more »