'Operation Filmmaker' Airing on PBS Tonight!
Filed under: Documentary, Exhibition
I almost called this a 'Watch This' post, and then a 'Fan Rant', but either way, the general idea is that I'd recommend all of you to tune in or at least record PBS tonight for the broadcast premiere of Nina Davenport's terrific documentary, Operation Filmmaker, in which a young Iraqi film student is invited to work on the set of Liev Schreiber's Everything is Illuminated and how that experience begins to unravel for all involved -- Davenport included (and that's not to mention appearances from Elijah Wood and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as themselves!).It's fascinating in the purest trainwreck sense, and deserves to be paired up with Overnight and shown to all fledgling filmmakers as a guide for what NOT to do when all manner of opportunities are offered to you in the field. Davenport's correlations to the Iraqi conflict as her subject becomes less and less cooperative are still shaky at best, but that doesn't stop this doc from making my Top Twenty of the year.
And nothing against Dear Zachary..., but I'm pretty sure that this doc won't have you in tears by the end. Check your local listings, though: some have said 10 PM EST, others 11 PM.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-30-2008 @ 8:23PM
MCW said...
I haven't seen "Everything is Illuminated" yet, I hope this doesn't spoil it for me.
Thanks for pointing it out though, I'll DVR it. Is this the thing Regal theaters kept showing in the opening previews along with that crappy Glenn Beck Christmas Toothbrush documentary? That's probably why I didn't care at all about this.
Anyway, to those who can't find it, it's listed as "INDEPENDENT LENS", and the description says "Operation Filmmaker". For me, it comes on 10:00pm-11:30pm Eastern.
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12-30-2008 @ 8:24PM
William Goss said...
It shouldn't spoil Illuminated, no, and for having sat through my fair share of Regal pre-show shenanigans with or without Glenn Beck, I can't say that I've seen sign one of Operation Filmmaker near my local cineplex.
12-31-2008 @ 12:36AM
MCW said...
Cool. I may have seen something else along these lines (With a different actor... can't remember who was doing it). It was during the pre-show, yes, when they show "Live at The Met, for Nine nights ONLY!" and all of that other garbage no one would pay for :D I just can't remember what it was.
I hope next time I go to see a movie, I won't have to see a 3 Doors Down schpiel for The National Guard or - god help us - another Glenn Beck special event. Makes you want to get to the movie at 7:00 on the dot rather than being 5 minutes early.
12-31-2008 @ 3:35AM
Adrian said...
I watched this tonight, it was great. I really think the cultural divide is explored well here, especially in Muthana's initial reluctance to do menial tasks like laundry, bringing coffee, etc. Also fascinating to see how The Rock, Elijiah Wood, etc play into the documentary and are so conscious of their contributions.
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12-31-2008 @ 9:05AM
Marcus said...
Will we have another chance to see this?
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12-31-2008 @ 9:06AM
William Goss said...
I'm not entirely sure -- again, check your local listings and all that jazz -- but it is on DVD already for what that's worth.
1-27-2009 @ 6:16PM
MCW said...
Hey William, finally got around to watching the full recording. Man, Muthana sure knows how to blow away the opportunity of a lifetime. Dwayne Johnson pays for your film school, and you somehow still find a way to immediately complain?
I was on the same rollercoaster as Muthana, and I quickly realized I hated him for his stupidity. Thanks for telling me about this documentary being on TV though, I'd like to see more docs like this one, and I never would have known it was coming on.
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