It’s not exactÂly the same as watchÂing a film on the silÂver screen. But you get what you pay for. Below, we have Frank Capra’s 1939 clasÂsic, Mr. Smith Goes to WashÂingÂton, starÂring JimÂmy StewÂart and Claude Rains. For those who cling to the hope that democÂraÂcies can rid themÂselves of corÂrupÂtion and speÂcial interÂests, this film is for you, and it also appears in our colÂlecÂtion of free online movies.
Get a highÂer qualÂiÂty copy of Capra’s clasÂsic on DVD here.
In 2006, docÂuÂmenÂtary filmÂmakÂer Jehane NouÂjaim (ConÂtrol Room) made a wish at the TED conÂferÂence (see below) — for world peace. For NouÂjaim, peace starts with culÂturÂal exchange, with getÂting to know one anothÂer. And since we all can’t travÂel, anothÂer way to achieve this is through film and its abilÂiÂty to “take you into new worlds” and “across borÂders.”
Two years latÂer, NouÂjaim’s wish may come true, and the uniÂfyÂing powÂer of film will be put to the test. May 10 marks Pangea Day, a day when peoÂple from around the world (from MumÂbai and Cairo to Kigali, Rio and LA) will come togethÂer and watch the same films made by varÂiÂous interÂnaÂtionÂal filmÂmakÂers. “Watch parÂties” will be held worldÂwide, and the event will be broadÂcast via webÂcast and mobile phone. Below, we’ve also postÂed a movie trailÂer introÂducÂing the conÂcept of Pangea Day. For more inforÂmaÂtion, click here. (Thanks Natasha for the heads up.)
On the AmerÂiÂcan home front, the Iraq war has entered its apaÂthetÂic phase. The war conÂtinÂues to grind on, but the misÂsion gets far less news ink than before, and the debate over the war’s merÂits and tacÂtics rarely gets hashed back through. That’s perÂhaps because many have decidÂed to menÂtalÂly park the issue until a new adminÂisÂtraÂtion takes over next year. Or because declinÂing home prices and risÂing food and gas costs have elbowed the Iraq issue aside. UndeÂterred, Phil DonÂahue and Ellen Spiro have co-directÂed a new docÂuÂmenÂtary called Body of War. Being released in US theÂaters this month, the docÂuÂmenÂtary (feaÂturÂing music arranged by Eddie VedÂder) tracks the daiÂly life of Tomas Young, a solÂdier shot and parÂaÂlyzed durÂing his first week of fightÂing in Iraq, and it gives you a rare glimpse into the difÂfiÂcult road that Young and othÂers have had to travÂel. All of this makes tanÂgiÂble someÂthing that the corÂpoÂraÂtized media hasÂn’t covÂered much — the real human costs of this war. To date, 4,361 AmerÂiÂcan solÂdiers have died in Iraq; over 30,000 have been injured in hosÂtile action; and suiÂcides of returnÂing vets have reportÂedÂly risen to alarmÂing rates. Below, we have postÂed the trailÂer for the film. In addiÂtion, I’d point you to this recent podÂcast by Bill MoyÂers (iTunes — Feed — Web Site), which introÂduces you to Tomas Young, Phil DonoÂhue, Ellen Spiro and the film they made.
The folks at Apple have rolled out an intriguÂing new podÂcast that takes you inside the world of moviemakÂing. The Set to Screen Series (get it on iTunes here) folÂlows Baz Luhrmann, the Oscar-nomÂiÂnatÂed direcÂtor (Moulin Rouge! and William Shakespeare’s Romeo+Juliet) as he works on a new film. And every three weeks, from now through OctoÂber, a new video podÂcast will be released that shows you how films get made. On-set still phoÂtogÂraÂphy, cosÂtume design, cinÂeÂmatogÂraÂphy, scorÂing — it all gets covÂered here. And yes, of course, this podÂcast is all in video. You can get more info on this project here.
One of the things they promised us in the heyÂday of the 1990s InterÂnet boom was the end of teleÂviÂsion and a brave new world of high qualÂiÂty video online, on demand. Well, we’re still waitÂing. Youtube is great for short clips, but not designed for the techÂniÂcal (or legal) chalÂlenge of servÂing up whole TV shows or movies.
HowÂevÂer, things are getÂting betÂter. You can pay for reaÂsonÂably good enterÂtainÂment, and you can even watch some things for free on netÂwork webÂsites (not to menÂtion the many uniÂverÂsiÂties and othÂer groups putting video online). But nobody has come quite as close to the origÂiÂnal promise as Hulu.com. This promisÂing new site seems to strike a decent balÂance between comÂmerÂcials and conÂtent. They have entire seaÂsons of sevÂerÂal decent teleÂviÂsion shows and a small library of movies–all availÂable for free. So is Hulu the future of HolÂlyÂwood online? Check it out and let us know what you think.
Released in 1922, the GerÂman ExpresÂsionÂist film, NosÂferÂatu: A SymÂphoÂny of HorÂror, offers a chillÂing adapÂtion of Bram StokÂer’s DracÂuÂla (get free audioÂbook of StokÂer’s work here). The film was made by F. W. MurÂnau and stars Max Schreck. Watch it below, or find it in our colÂlecÂtion of Free Movies Online.
David Lynch fans, here you go. Below (and added to our YouTube playlist), we have Lynch’s anti-litÂterÂing pubÂlic serÂvice announceÂment that has a fairÂly high creepiÂness facÂtor. He’s actuÂalÂly not new to the world of comÂmerÂcials. This site colÂlects Lynch’s preÂviÂous comÂmerÂcial work, startÂing with his 1988 series of Calvin Klein ObsesÂsion ads that played on the work of F. Scott FitzgerÂald, Ernest HemÂingÂway, and D.H. Lawrence. And, while we’re at it, let’s not forÂget Lynch’s recent anti-iPhone spot, which is usuÂalÂly good for a laugh.
Some of you may know GreenCine as a highÂbrow video-rental comÂpaÂny, one that serves as an alterÂnaÂtive to NetÂflix and BlockÂbuster. But the best thing about Greencine is its blog, mainÂtained by David HudÂson and updatÂed sevÂerÂal times a day. A thoughÂful and unpreÂtenÂtious colÂlecÂtion of reviews, interÂviews, fesÂtiÂvals and othÂer worthÂwhile online film disÂcusÂsions, refreshÂingÂly free of snark or invaÂsive opinÂionÂatÂing. Think of it as a very, very smart aggreÂgaÂtor. This parÂticÂuÂlar cineaste makes it her homeÂpage.
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