CofÂfee — it’s the fuel of the modÂern world and cerÂtainÂly this site. And, if you believe this video (apparÂentÂly not made by StarÂbucks or the AmerÂiÂcan cofÂfee lobÂby), it’s the greatÂest, safest addicÂtion around. Take it all with a grain of salt … while you drink your mornÂing (or afterÂnoon) cup of joe.
“I made my films with a kind of sleepÂwalkÂing secuÂriÂty,” says Fritz Lang. “I did things which I thought were right. PeriÂod.” Thus begins this fasÂciÂnatÂing interÂview with the great AusÂtriÂan-born direcÂtor.
The interÂview was conÂductÂed by William FriedÂkin, direcÂtor of The French ConÂnecÂtion and The ExorÂcist, in FebÂruÂary of 1975, a litÂtle more than a year before Lang’s death. Lang talks about his earÂly life as a runÂaway. (“Any decent human being should run away from home.”), his entry into theÂatre and film as a young man, his GerÂman masÂterÂpieces MetropÂoÂlis and M, and a chillÂing encounter in 1933 with the Nazi MinÂisÂter of ProÂpaÂganÂda Joseph Goebbels that proÂvoked him to flee GerÂmany the same day.
The stoÂry of Lang’s escape has all the eleÂments of a cinÂeÂmatÂic thriller, but biogÂraÂphers have cast doubt on its veracÂiÂty, citÂing passÂport records which indiÂcate that Lang left GerÂmany some time after the meetÂing with Goebbels, and that he returned on brief trips sevÂerÂal times that year. But the anecÂdote, along with Lang’s reflecÂtions on his life and on the nature of fate, proÂvide a fasÂciÂnatÂing look into the great filmÂmakÂer’s charÂacÂter.
The conÂverÂsaÂtion above, which runs 50 minÂutes, was editÂed down from a much longer set of interÂviews. AccordÂing to the ToriÂno Film FesÂtiÂval webÂsite, FriedÂkin origÂiÂnalÂly intendÂed to use the Lang mateÂrÂiÂal for a docÂuÂmenÂtary on horÂror cinÂeÂma, to be called A Safe DarkÂness, but there is no disÂcusÂsion of the horÂror genre in this verÂsion.
As an extra bonus from our colÂlecÂtion of Free Movies Online, we present the film Lang most wantÂed to be rememÂbered for, M. (See below.) The film was made in 1931, and was the first by Lang to incorÂpoÂrate sound. Peter Lorre makes his screen debut as a man guilty of unspeakÂable crimes. In its introÂducÂtion to the film, the CriÂteÂriÂon ColÂlecÂtion writes: “In his harÂrowÂing masÂterÂwork M, Fritz Lang merges trenÂchant social comÂmenÂtary with chillÂing susÂpense, creÂatÂing a panoraÂma of priÂvate madÂness and pubÂlic hysÂteÂria that to this day remains the blueÂprint for the psyÂchoÂlogÂiÂcal thriller.”
In 1927, The Jazz Singer starÂring Al JolÂson, one of the first great “talkies” to use synÂchroÂnized singing and speech, hit AmerÂiÂcan theÂaters and thrilled audiÂences. KnowÂing that change was afoot, Walt DisÂney spent $4,986 to creÂate his first sound carÂtoon, SteamÂboat Willie (1928). RememÂberÂing the film many years latÂer, DisÂney said:
The effect on our litÂtle audiÂence was nothÂing less than elecÂtric. They respondÂed almost instincÂtiveÂly to this union of sound and motion. I thought they were kidÂding me. So they put me in the audiÂence and ran the action again. It was terÂriÂble, but it was wonÂderÂful! And it was someÂthing new!
These techÂniÂcal innoÂvaÂtions make SteamÂboat Willie rather legÂendary. But the film retains landÂmark staÂtus for anothÂer reaÂson. It marked the first pubÂlic debut of MickÂey Mouse and his girlÂfriend MinÂnie, two of the most recÂogÂnized carÂtoon charÂacÂters worldÂwide. Ub Iwerks, the celÂeÂbratÂed DisÂney aniÂmaÂtor, first brought MickÂey to life, and we have been livÂing with him ever since — although, as you will see, his perÂsonÂalÂiÂty has softÂened over time.
You can see MickÂey starÂring in two othÂer earÂly aniÂmaÂtions: Plane Crazy (1929) where the Mouse imiÂtates AmerÂiÂca’s hero at the time, Charles LindÂbergh. And The GalÂlopin’ GauÂcho, anothÂer 1928 release.
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
Before pixÂels there were silÂver halide crysÂtals, and before memÂoÂry cards, film. LitÂtle yelÂlow boxÂes clutÂtered the lives of phoÂtogÂraÂphers everyÂwhere, and the EastÂman Kodak ComÂpaÂny was virÂtuÂalÂly synÂonyÂmous with phoÂtogÂraÂphy.
Things have realÂly changed. With the recent news that Kodak is teeÂterÂing on the brink of ChapÂter 11 bankÂruptÂcy, many are feelÂing nosÂtalÂgia for those litÂtle yelÂlow boxÂes and the rolls of silÂver gelatin film inside. To indulge this nostalgia–and perÂhaps learn someÂthing new about an old technology–we offer a fasÂciÂnatÂing 1958 docÂuÂmenÂtary from Kodak entiÂtled How Film is Made.
The docÂuÂmenÂtary is in Dutch, but memÂbers of the AnaÂlog PhoÂtogÂraÂphy Users Group launched a project to creÂate EngÂlish subÂtiÂtles. You can read more about the project on Dutch memÂber MarÂco Boeringa’s webÂsite. And you can watch the 18-minute film startÂing above and conÂcludÂing below.
FolÂlow Open CulÂture on FaceÂbook and TwitÂter and share intelÂliÂgent media with your friends. Or betÂter yet, sign up for our daiÂly email and get a daiÂly dose of Open CulÂture in your inbox. And if you want to make sure that our posts defÂiÂniteÂly appear in your FaceÂbook newsÂfeed, just folÂlow these simÂple steps.
Some of the big webÂsites are going black today to protest SOPA, the Stop Online PiraÂcy Act, that has been windÂing its way through ConÂgress. We’re going to hanÂdle things in our own way — by illuÂmiÂnatÂing the matÂter with a litÂtle intelÂliÂgent media.
Backed by the Motion PicÂture AssoÂciÂaÂtion of AmerÂiÂca, SOPA is designed to debilÂiÂtate and effecÂtiveÂly shut down forÂeign-based webÂsites that sell piratÂed movies, music and othÂer goods. That all sounds fine on the face of things. But the legÂisÂlaÂtion, if enactÂed, would carÂry with it a series of unexÂpectÂed conÂseÂquences that could change the interÂnet as we know it. Among othÂer things, the law could be used to shut down AmerÂiÂcan sites that unwitÂtingÂly host or link to illeÂgal conÂtent — and withÂout givÂing the sites due process, a real day in court. Big sites like YouTube and TwitÂter could fall under presÂsure, and so could countÂless small sites. NeedÂless to say, that could have a seriÂous chillÂing effect on the openÂness of the web and free speech.
To give a quick examÂple: It could conÂceivÂably be the case that StanÂford might object to my feaÂturÂing their video above, file a claim, and shut the site down withÂout givÂing me notice and an opporÂtuÂniÂty to remove the mateÂrÂiÂal (as exists under curÂrent law). It’s not likeÂly. But it is posÂsiÂble, and the risk increasÂes with every post we write. If this law passÂes, the amount of mateÂrÂiÂal we could truÂly safeÂly covÂer would become ludiÂcrousÂly small, so much so that it wouldÂn’t be worth runÂning the site and using the web as an eduÂcaÂtionÂal mediÂum.
The ObaÂma adminÂisÂtraÂtion has come out against SOPA and PIPA, sidelinÂing the legÂisÂlaÂtion for now. But you can almost guarÂanÂtee that reviÂsions will be made, and the bills will return soon. So, while othÂer sites go black, we’re going to do what we do best. We’re feaÂturÂing video of an event held in DecemÂber by the StanÂford CenÂter for InterÂnet and SociÂety (SCIS). What’s Wrong with SOPAÂť brings togethÂer a series of informed oppoÂnents to SOPA, includÂing StanÂford law proÂfesÂsors and busiÂness leadÂers withÂin SilÂiÂcon ValÂley. (Find their bios below the jump.) Some of the most inciÂsive comÂments are made by Fred von Lohmann, a Google lawyer, startÂing at the 19:10 mark.
Note: If you’re lookÂing to underÂstand the debate from the perÂspecÂtive of copyÂright holdÂers, then we’d recÂomÂmend you spend time watchÂing, FolÂlow the MonÂey: Who ProfÂits from PiraÂcy?, a video that tracks the theft of one movie, makÂing it a microÂcosm of a largÂer probÂlem.
With the SepÂtemÂber 11, 2001 terÂrorÂist attacks and the emoÂtionÂal whiplash that folÂlowed, the monotheÂisÂtic reliÂgions of the West took a more striÂdentÂly politÂiÂcal turn. It was in this conÂtext that Jonathan Miller, the British theÂatre and opera direcÂtor, felt comÂpelled to creÂate a three-part docÂuÂmenÂtary tracÂing the hisÂtoÂry of reliÂgious skepÂtiÂcism and disÂbeÂlief.
BroadÂcast by the BBC in 2004 under the title, AtheÂism: A Rough HisÂtoÂry of DisÂbeÂlief, the series wasÂn’t broadÂcast by PBS in AmerÂiÂca until 2007, and only after “AtheÂism” had been removed from the title and the word “rough” changed to “brief.”
“I’m rather relucÂtant to call myself an atheÂist,” Miller says at the outÂset. “It’s only in the light of such curÂrent conÂtroÂverÂsies with regard to belief that I’ve found myself willÂing to explicÂitÂly articÂuÂlate my disÂbeÂlief.”
Miller goes on to guide the viewÂer through the hisÂtoric evoÂluÂtion of reliÂgious doubt, from the skepÂtiÂcism of Greek and Roman philosoÂphers to the Deism of EnlightÂenÂment intelÂlecÂtuÂals and the emerÂgence of explicÂit atheÂism in the writÂings of the 18th cenÂtuÂry French arisÂtoÂcrat Paul-HenÂri Thiry, the Baron d’HolÂbach, who wrote in his SysÂtème de la Nature:
If we go back to the beginÂning we shall find that ignoÂrance and fear creÂatÂed the gods; that fanÂcy, enthuÂsiÂasm, or deceit adorned or disÂfigÂured them; that weakÂness worÂships them; that creduliÂty preÂserves them; and that cusÂtom, respect and tyranÂny supÂport them in order to make the blindÂness of men serve its own interÂests.
Miller also talks with a numÂber of well-known conÂtemÂpoÂrary atheÂists, includÂing playÂwright Arthur Miller, physiÂcist Steven WeinÂberg and philosoÂpher ColÂin McGinn. Episode One: ShadÂows of Doubt appears above, in its entireÂty, with the othÂer two episodes: “Noughts and CrossÂes” and “The Final Hour.”
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
EdiÂtor’s note: The text below disÂcussÂes the endÂing of the film. We recÂomÂmend that you watch “The Monk and the Fish” before readÂing.
In this charmÂing and visuÂalÂly eleÂgant film from 1994, the Dutch-born aniÂmaÂtor Michael Dudok de Wit tells the stoÂry of a sinÂgle-mindÂed monk and a very eluÂsive fish. While the setÂting and symÂbols are ChrisÂtÂian, the stoÂry proÂgresÂsion is essenÂtialÂly BudÂdhist.
“The Monk and the Fish is not a stoÂry about the soluÂtion of a conÂflict,” Dudok de Wit explained to Sarah MoliÂnoff in a 2009 interÂview for the OxonÂian Review. “It’s more about the rise above the conÂflict, the rise above dualÂiÂty.” The monk doesÂn’t catch the fish; he and the fish are unitÂed. Dudok de Wit took his inspiÂraÂtion from the Ten Ox HerdÂing PicÂtures, a series of Zen poems and images from 12th CenÂtuÂry ChiÂna, which illusÂtrate the jourÂney to enlightÂenÂment through the stoÂry of an oxherd’s strugÂgle with a wayÂward bull. He said:
The genÂeÂsis of the film was the endÂing. It was that sequence I wantÂed to creÂate, where there is a serene union between the monk and the fish. The endÂing by itself would be flat, too abstract, to pull the audiÂence in, so I clearÂly needÂed to have a build-up, to estabÂlish and feel empaÂthy with the charÂacÂter. In conÂtrast to the endÂing, in the beginÂning the monk is obsessed, obsessed, obsessed, but in the endÂing he arrives at a resÂoÂluÂtion. In a quiÂet way, not with a big act.
The LonÂdon-based artist hand-paintÂed each frame in ink and waterÂcolÂor. Like the stoÂry, the visuÂal style was inspired by the Far East. “The JapanÂese in parÂticÂuÂlar, and also the ChiÂnese and KoreÂans,” said Dudok de Wit, “have a way of using negÂaÂtive space, of not fillÂing the picÂture, which is very typÂiÂcal of the Far East and very untypÂiÂcal of the West. We can be inspired by it, but it’s proÂfoundÂly in their culture–in their genes maybe, and not so much in ours. It’s not just about the brush line, it’s also the space around the line that is inspirÂing.”
For the music, Dudok de Wit chose a clasÂsic from the WestÂern canon, La Folia, a traÂdiÂtionÂal theme that was often adaptÂed or quotÂed by comÂposers like Bach, VivalÂdi, CorelÂli, HanÂdel and Liszt. The filmÂmakÂer selectÂed a few of his favorite variations–mainly from CorelÂli and Vivaldi–and asked comÂposÂer Serge BesÂset to lisÂten to them and creÂate a new verÂsion to fit the film.
The Monk and the Fish took six months to creÂate, and was nomÂiÂnatÂed for Best Short AniÂmatÂed Film at both the AcadÂeÂmy Awards and the British AcadÂeÂmy Film Awards. You will find it listÂed in our colÂlecÂtion of 450 Free Movies Online, along with anothÂer movÂing short by Dudock de Wit, Father and DaughÂter. They appear in the AniÂmaÂtion SecÂtion.
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