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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2012
LIFESTYLE
Scientology-inspired ‘The he film “The Master” kept viewers spellbound at the Venice festival yesterday with Philip Seymour Hoffman playing a charismatic leader loosely based on Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard. Hoffman’s character takes a troubled World War II vet played by a feral Joaquin Phoenix under his wing in this latest work by Oscar-winner Paul Thomas Anderson, director of “Boogie Nights” and “There Will Be Blood.” The film starts with Phoenix as Freddie Quell and his rapid descent into alcoholism and mental illness after the end of the war. He is rescued by Hoffman’s Lancaster Dodd, who vows to treat him as “my guinea pig and protege”. Although there are no explicit references to Scientology in the film, there are strong parallels between that religion and Dodd’s “The Cause”. According to a report by online news site The Daily Beast last month, Anderson freely admits the film is inspired by Hubbard. But Anderson insisted his film was in no way intended as a biography, reportedly saying: “I was naive. I should have known that’s what people would latch onto.” With its portrayal of the repetitive “processing” mental exercises employed by Dodd and his followers in the 1940s and 1950s, the film itself acquires a
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US actor Joaquin Phoenix poses during the photocall of “The Master” during the 69th Venice Film Festival yesterday at Venice Lido. —AFP photos hypnotic quality underscored by Dodd’s passionate pseudo-scientific assertions. The discordant string music by musician and composer Jonny Greenwood-best known as a member
Master’ casts spell at Venice fest of the British rock band Radioheadand the minutely-studied period set details add value to this impressive work. Quell and Dodd could not be more different personalities, even though Dodd is also sometimes quick to anger when his movement is called into question. In one particularly memorable scene they are both taken to a Philadelphia jail where a wildeyed Quell proceeds to trash his cell and throw himself against the bars as Dodd watches calmly from the next cell. But their relationship develops into a powerful bond and Quell becomes a faithful acolyte although he still struggles with his inner demons. Cult leader or not, Dodd is genuinely concerned by Quell’s fate and wants to help him attain “a state of perfect” instead of being “a silly animal”. The film, however, ends with a separation between the two as Dodd’s movement gains in magnitude, leaving audiences guessing as to Quell’s future. “The Master” is being distributed by the Weinstein Company and is scheduled for release later this month in the United States and Canada. —AFP
US actor Philip Seymour Hoffman poses during the photocall of “The Master”.
Movie audiences throng anti-Obama doc ‘2016’ t wasn’t backed by any Hollywood movie studio. Reviews were mostly negative. It premiered in Houston, not Los Angeles or New York. And yet despite the unconventional release of “2016: Obama’s America,” the movie is now among the most successful political documentaries of all time - and it doesn’t show signs of cooling down ahead of the presidential election. The conservative film exploring the roots of President Barack Obama’s political views surprised the film industry when it took in $6.5 million to land at No. 7 at last weekend’s domestic box office ahead of three new releases: the Joseph Gordon-Levitt action flick “Premium Rush,” the Kristen Bell comedy “Hit and Run” and the Ashley Greene horror film “The Apparition.” That makes “2016” the most successful conservative documentary of all time. It’s also the sixth overall highest grossing political documentary behind four Michael Moore movies and former Vice President Al Gore’s environmental film “An Inconvenient Truth.” It all adds up to a remarkable triumph for an indie film that circumvented the liberal waters of Hollywood. The film has continued to do well during the slower weekday period, especially considering that it’s been up against the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. Since last weekend, it earned an additional $6.6 million for a total of $13.1 million, placing No. 3 at the domestic box office on Thursday. This weekend, the film expands from 1091 screens to nearly 1,800. Distributed by Salt Lake Citybased Rocky Mountain Pictures, “2016” is directed by Dinesh D’Souza, a former staffer for President Ronald Reagan who is now president of King’s College in New York and author of several books, including “The Roots of Obama’s Rage,” the basis for “2016” that claims Obama’s beliefs are rooted in the anti-colonialism of his late father, a Kenyan academic who was largely absent from the president’s life. The film premiered July 13 on one screen in Houston and slowly expanded over the past month to 1,091 theaters in such cities as Nashville, Tenn.; Baton Rouge, La; Denver; Phoenix; Wichita, Kan; and Washington, DC MJM Entertainment’s Mark Joseph, who is handling the film’s marketing, attested that “2016” had to be promoted differently than typical Hollywood fare. “You can’t just throw up your star on Thursday night on a talk show,” said Joseph. “That’s not how this works. The traditionalist audience needed to hear about the film much sooner than what Hollywood is used to doing. It’s also important that they heard about it from people that they trust and admire. It’s a different way of engaging the audience.” Joseph and the film’s co-director, John Sullivan, launched a stealthy campaign for the film that attracted the attention and support of rightwing superstars like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. Buzz for the movie simmered over the summer, bubbling up last weekend before the Republican con-
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vention kicked off Tuesday. “Timing is everything,” said Greg Mueller, a conservative strategist whose public relations firm is promoting “The Hope and The Change,” a film about voters who formerly supported Obama that debuted Tuesday at the Republican convention and is now available on DVD. “Timing is everything in politics. It’s even more important in political documentaries.” “Fahrenheit 9/11,” director Michael Moore’s assault on President George W Bush, opened at No. 1 with $23.9 million in June 2004, averaging $27,558 in 868 theaters. It went on to become the top grossing documentary ever released with $119.1 million domestically, a world away from “2016’s” haul so far. While the release of “2016” just before the Republican convention and its portrait of a gloomy future if Obama is re-elected might make the film feel like an hour-and-a-halflong political ad, the “2016” filmmakers said they only received funding from private investors, not the Republican party, and the movie’s proceeds aren’t headed to
This undated publicity photo released by Rocky Mountain Pictures shows a poster for the documentary film, ‘2016: Obama’s America.’ —AP Mitt Romney’s presidential bid. “We wanted none of their involvement,” said Gerald Molen, the film’s Montana-based producer who previously worked on such mainstream Hollywood movies like “Days of Thunder” and “Jurassic Park,” and who won an Oscar for “Schindler’s List” in 1993. “It wouldn’t have made sense to do that.” He added that the film’s estimated $2.5 million budget only came from about two dozen donors supporting D’Souza. Hollywood has long been inspired by the political process, and such an affinity usually burns brighter during election season when audiences are attuned to politics, whether it’s through recent fictional fare like the USA miniseries “Political Animals” and the Will Ferrell comedy “The Campaign” or Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11,” which came out before the 2004 election. Alex Ben Block, a senior editor at The Hollywood Reporter doesn’t think that “2016” will usher in a new era for right-wing films, but he believes the unexpected success of the conservative film might encour-
age likeminded filmmakers to carve out a similar path in landscape that was previously dominated by more liberal filmmakers like Moore. Ultimately, Block said moviegoers will vote at the box office with their dollars. “‘2016’ has succeeded, but it’s going to be very hard to duplicate,” said Block. “These things are driven by politics and passion. They’re driven by people who are trying to be noticed and make their point. It’s a powerful combination when you have a documentary that can be both commercial and have a point of view.” Although “2016” has obviously found fans, most critics haven’t been kind to the film. Newsday’s Rafer Guzman called it an “attempt at character assassination.” The Arizona Republic’s Bill Goodykoontz deemed it “an exercise in preaching to the choir.” The Los Angeles Times’ Betsy Sharkey lambasted “2016” for being a “sluggish film” whose “outrage falls flat.” “I think ‘2016’ has a nice gimmick because it purports to show what the future will look like right there in the title,” said film critic Ben Mankiewicz, who dismissed the film as an actual documentary and is unsure what its unexpected success means for the film industry. “I think it is another reminder of how many people in this country find Obama so shockingly unlikesome that they are seemingly ready to believe the most nonsensical theories about him.” Many of the assertions D’Souza makes in the film to support his point that Obama’s presidency is an expression of his father’s third-world political beliefs don’t hold up, including that Obama removed a bust of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill from the Oval Office because Churchill represented British colonialism and that Obama has “done nothing” to impede Iran’s nuclear ambitions. And there are other instances where the film takes liberties with the facts. “I don’t necessarily agree with everything that’s in the movie,” said Arthur Hobbs, a retired engineer who caught a Monday matinee of the film in Los Angeles with his wife after reading about it online. “But I do think that we really don’t know everything about Obama, even after he’s been in office for four years. I think that’s why we needed to see this movie.” Molen said he expected the bad reviews. The filmmakers, who plan to expand the film to even more cities in the coming weeks and keep it in theaters until early October, aren’t fazed by any negative reaction. They just hope now that conservative audiences have found “2016,” perhaps left-leaning moviegoers will be curious enough to buy a ticket. “My wish is that people see the film and make an informed decision,” said Molen. “I would love people to see the film and come out of it saying, ‘I need to know more. I need to find out more about this country and what we’re designing for our kids, grandkids and great grandkids.’ I just want this film to spark an interest in people to find out more.” —AP
‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’ to usher in 4th Doha Tribeca Film Festival QATAR: Following its critical acclaim at the 69th Venice Film Festival, Mira Nair’s ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist,’ a Doha Film Institute (DFI) financed film, will mark its MENA premiere, to usher in the fourth edition of the Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF). Based on the best-selling novel of the same title, translated into 25 languages, The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a riveting international political thriller that follows the story of a young Pakistani man, chasing corporate success on Wall Street, who ultimately finds himself embroiled in a conflict between his American Dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduring call of his family’s homeland. ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’ stars a triumphant cast including Riz Ahmed (Four Lions, Black Gold); Academy Award nominee Kate Hudson (Almost Famous, Nine); Golden Globe winner Kiefer Sutherland (24); Liev Schreiber (Salt, Wolverine); National Film Awards India winner Shabana Azmi (Godmother, Fire); and BAFTA Award nominee Om Puri (East is East, Arohan), among others. The Reluctant Fundamentalist had its world premiere at the ongoing 69 Venice International Film Festival. Adapted by Bill Wheeler, with the Screen Story by Mohsin Hamid, and Ami Boghani and produced by Lydia Dean Pilcher, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, the latest Doha Film Institute’s international financed film, is a Mirabai Films and Cine Mosaic production. Mira Nair said: “We are thrilled with the honour of The Reluctant Fundamentalist opening the Doha Tribeca Film Festival - made all the sweeter after the 5-year odyssey it has been making this film. A lovely sendoff for a tale that couldn’t be more timely for the world we live in today. It is rare to be able to make a global film that is both political and personal. DFI provided instrumental support from
the beginning, their unstirring faith in this timely story made it happen against all odds.” His Excellency Issa Bin Mohammed Al-Mohannadi, DTFF Vice Chair, said: “As a Festival committed to promoting cultural understanding and appreciation through cinema, we are excited to open with Mira’s latest creative work that will connect with our audi-
Mira Nair on her educational initiative, ‘Maisha Film Lab,’ which was established to foster East African, South Asian, and Arab filmmaking. In 2011, six Qatari students were selected to represent Qatar in two screenwriting and filmmaking workshops. The Festival, scheduled to be held from November 17 to 24, 2012, will also shine the spotlight on Algeria to
Keifer Sutherland and Riz Ahmed in ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’. ences, is topically relevant and complements our mandate to support meaningful cinema. “Films are a medium to bring together diverse views to promote the spirit of dialogue and discussion. DTFF provides a platform to support the development of a grassroots film culture in Qatar and will contribute to shaping a vibrant film industry in the region.” Renowned filmmaker, Mira Nair has over 25 films to her credit, winning her numerous laurels in the global film circuit including Monsoon Wedding, Salaam Bombay, The Namesake, Amelia, Vanity Fair, and Mississippi Masala, among others. DFI has been collaborating with
celebrate its 50 years of independence. DTFF 2012 will pay tribute to the country’s rich, cinematic history and its contribution to the evolving MENA film landscape, through a compelling showcase of classic and new-age Algerian films. The 2012 edition of the Festival has been expanded to eight days to provide Festival audiences a more comprehensive and enriching cultural experience with new screening venues in Doha. Indoor and outdoor screenings will also take place at Katara Cultural Village and Museum of Islamic Arts (MIA).
Documentary pays tribute to Jackson’s genius ichael Jackson is bathed in light, his arms outstretched and head back, as if crucified, at the end of Spike Lee’s documentary “Bad 25” - a fitting image for the late pop legend who to some extent basked in fame, but was also clearly tormented by it. Lee calls the documentary “a love letter” to Jackson. It made its Venice debut on Friday, the 25th anniversary of the blockbuster album’s release. “I think it’s amazing that here we are in Venice for the world premiere of “Bad25” on the exact date 25 years ago the album was released,” Lee told a group of journalists ahead of the premiere. Lee was commissioned by Sony and Epic records to make a documentary for the anniversary, gathering interviews with collaborators on the album: dancers, choreographers, song writers, short film directors, back-up singers, sound technicians and friends. “‘Bad’ has been overlooked because it is the album that immediately came after Thriller, which is the best selling album of all time,” Lee said. “Also ‘Bad’ was when Michael really started to flex his muscles creatively. He wrote nine of the 11 songs.” The collage of recollections lifts the lid off mysteries like who was
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Director Spike Lee with his Glory to the Filmmaker Award, presented by festival director Alberto Barbera, right, during the 69th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Friday. —AP
Annie, as in ‘Annie are you OK’ in “Smooth Criminal” (Annie is the name of all CPR dummies) and why Jackson sings “Shamon” on the “Bad” title track (a tribute to blues singer Mavis Staples.) Jackson, we learn, also never used the term “music videos.” They were short films, and Martin Scorsese comments on “Bad,” which he directed. Shot in Harlem and a Brooklyn subway station in New York City, it marked Wesley Snipes’ film debut and was designed to give Jackson street cred. Lee said he was drawn to the project because of its focus on the music, and away from the media frenzy that surrounded him, the perceived eccentricities and misconceptions. “Let’s focus on his genius. Let’s focus on his music. Forget the other stuff,” Lee said. The documentary argues strongly for Jackson’s genius, highlighting his achievements as a singer, songwriter, producer, performer, dancer and fashion trendsetter. And it documents his attention to detail and hard work. Lee discovers a sketch Jackson made of the costume for “Smooth Criminal,” including the armband and a handwritten note to himself: “Study the Greats to become great.” His vocal coach talked about Jackson’s range of more than 3 1/2 octaves, and dancers about how he worked into the night to come up with fresh moves for videos starting with “Bad.”“For me there were no discoveries, it reaffirmed what I thought I knew. He worked hard. Michael busted his ass,” Lee said. “Bad25,” shown out of competition in Venice, will be released in February, along with another hour of behind-the-scenes footage. The documentary’s final image is taken from film of his famous July 16, 1998 concert at Wembley Stadium in England of the “Bad Tour.” Jackson finishes singing “Man in the Mirror” - a song that has become posthumously Jackson’s unofficial anthem - and throws back his arms and head in a final flourish. “I am not going to say Michael was Jesus Christ,” Lee told a news conference at the festival. “But if you look at the performance, he was somewhere else. That was one of the greatest performances, ever, ever, ever. He is not of this world.” —AP