danshamptons.com
arts & entertainment
March 29, 2013 Page 43
Student Films Impress at Guild Hall By marion wolberg-weiss
It’s hard to believe that the Annual Student Film Project is in its 10th year. Sponsored by Guild Hall, the competition is part of the Student Art Exhibit, which has been around for a whole lot longer. While film once played an important role in art programs throughout the United States (especially animation) during the 1960s, such a phenomenon was short lived. That’s why we are especially fortunate that it’s still flourishing here in both public and private schools alike.
The cinematography was particularly noteworthy: the lighting, editing and composition contributing to the elegant effect. This year’s entries continue the tradition of creative and ambitious content, along with technological expertise. Yes, some of the films could use cutting and perhaps a bit of clarity, but such observations seem irrelevant when the filmmakers are eight-year-olds. In fact, we can’t even criticize the shaky cameras. You’d be surprised how many Hollywood movies today use hand-held (shaky) cameras as an intentional aesthetic tool. No matter if our third graders don’t use this particular technique on purpose. A shaky camera is a shaky camera. The effect is often the same.
Speaking of techniques, all the images were clear; music, dialogue and sound effects were appropriate and distinct as well. In a nutshell, these were not home movies: what a great tribute to the students and staff. While all the films deserve special attention, some need additional commentary. In the Grade 2-4 category, consider A Happy Ending by Clio Halweil and Shayla Lopez. It was the most “artful” project, featuring an animated image of a beach scene with figures moving about; the setting itself appeared to be created from tissue paper. Other animated films were equally enjoyable, one called Baseball by Kimberly Bermeo and Charley Burge, and another titled Crayon by Noah Topliff where crayons were arranged in diverse patterns. Live action films were plentiful, too, with Jani Gruen, “Remember.” students from the Springs School interviewing Tony and Bella’s Adventure by Riko Kawahara pupils and staff about varied subjects. Each of these movies covered such subjects as What Do You showed as much hard work and intention, but as an Like About Your Parents? and What’s the Best Thing animated film, it was cheerful and lighthearted. It That Happened to You? The topics were especially would have made a good lesson for young children creative and thought-provoking, motivating the learning the alphabet. Finally, Time by Brian Pucci participants to be serious. Such films could also represented the only conceptual movie, juxtaposing various black and white images dealing with stimulate classroom discussions. The six works from Grades 9-12 were obviously kinds of time, including accelerated motion. The more complicated and longer. A few had a plot while cinematography was particularly noteworthy: the others were documentaries or animated. Jani Gruen’s lighting, editing and composition contributing to the non-fiction film, Remember, was an especially moving elegant effect. tribute to the plight of the Jews in World War II. It A screening of these and other films in the Student featured archival footage and what appeared to be live interviews with Holocaust survivors. We may Film Competition will be held at East Hampton’s have seen some of the archival images before, but Guild Hall, 158 Main Street, on April 14 at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free. Guildhall.org Gruen’s diligence and passion were outstanding.
Bolero: First of a New Thriller Series By Joan baum
It’s not easy to end a murder mystery in a way that satisfies expectations—which usually means, as Aristotle said long ago about tragedy, resolving the plot in a way that’s both surprising but inevitable. Endings in thrillers are hard to pull off because if a plot engages with complex irony, it must of necessity conclude in a way that convincingly and satisfactorily solves the crime. That’s not easy to do—even pros have trouble, and readers may well cry out when they get to the resolution—Oh no! not fair, contrived, deus ex machina.
The dancer intrigues Nick—she resembles his former love. Of course he will try to help her and redeem himself for Julia’s murder. It’s to Joanie McDonell’s credit in Bolero, the first in what will be a noir series starring good-looking, smart ass, forty-something P.I. Nick Sayler, that she comes close to the Aristotelian standard. Bolero is an exciting read with cliffhanger chapters and a convincing male narrative voice—tough, sexy, hip (Dashiell Hammett seems an obvious influence). The author moves easily in many worlds—barges, boxing, police investigations, high finance, skateboarding, upscale Connecticut and Manhattan digs and most
of all ballet. And yes, the title, “Bolero” is a reference to Ravel’s sensual orchestral composition composed for a ballet, though, oddly, it has only peripheral significance in the book. Nick Saylor has had a hard life. An abandoned orphan, he grew up under the strict noses of nuns but still drifted into drugs, gambling and crime. He recovered, and except for an undiminished affection for Jameson and disturbing memories of his former love, Julia, who died when she took a bullet intended for him, he does well as a private investigator. When he receives a call from a doctor at Bellevue about an almost-dead victim of a sadistic crime, he reluctantly rises to the occasion. His card was found on her, and the doctor who treated her knows no one else to call. She has severe amnesia, though it’s obvious to Nick that she was a ballet dancer. She was badly beaten, with the number 44 carved onto her back, and then she was dumped in an alley on the West Side. A compassionate cabbie saw her and, after chasing away some kids robbing what was left, he dropped her, barely alive, at the hospital. Shortly after Nick gets there, the doctor is murdered, and the police find out that other women dancers have been “44-ed.” It’s obvious that a cunning, fast-moving psychotic is on the loose. The dancer intrigues Nick—she resembles his former love. Of course, he will try to help her and
redeem himself for Julia’s murder. Besides, he can do what the police can’t. Without a badge or gun (well, not officially, but don’t tell), a P.I. is not so intimidating, and, for sure, not hindered by police protocols. Nick’s blessed with a couple of smart, wealthy, loyal longtime friends who live with him on his barge, Dumb Luck (he won it in a card game), and he’s blessed with memories of hard-won encouragement from the likes of Sister A who told him angels would always protect him. So he rushes in where angels fear to tread. When he sees the dancer at Bellevue he decides on the spot to spirit her away to evade the police and the killer who is still out there. Her name, it is discovered, is Hadley and her best friend fills him in on her background. There would be a love affair now except that Nick has a thing going for a lovely black lady named Rue, who is… out of town. McDonell, the author’s note indicates, once lived on a barge though she now lives in Amagansett and has obviously been studying the noir fiction genre. She’s well informed, and Bolero is indeed a suspenseful book, but the ending disappoints. Threads are left hanging, McGuffins abound. Although the book’s last line may justify—“What the f***. Why should anything make sense? They were crazy”—readers may well feel a bit had because everything up to then has been well done.