stacy peralta Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Do we need another documentary about the 1968 Democratic National Convention? More importantly, after almost 40 years, do we need even one film about that turbulent week in August? The answer to both questions is, yes. The thing is, aside from Medium Cool, which is only part-documentary, I can't think of any docs that actually focus specifically on the convention and the infamous protests/riots that ensued in Chicago at the time (that doesn't mean there are none). And as far as the significance and relevancy of such a film, well, in my opinion it could serve us an inspiration for young people looking to take action in 2008.

Anyway, there is a new film about the DNC, and it is called Chicago 10. The doc, which was directed by Brett Morgen, has just been announced as the opening film for the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. It may seem strange for a nonfiction film to kickoff the fest, but it isn't the first time. In 2004, Stacy Peralta's Riding Giants was the opener.

Chicago 10 reportedly tells the story of the DNC protests thoroughly, including the courtroom trial of the "Chicago 7" a year later, using an innovative style combining animation, archival footage and interviews. The film will also feature music from the period as well as revolutionary music of today, which is likely meant to parallel the current political atmosphere with that of the late 1960s.

The rest of the Sundance line up will be announced after the Thanksgiving weekend.

Based on Variety's massive list of the releases that are planned to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Doors, I'm apparently the only person on earth who had no idea the blessed event was (nearly) upon us. In addition to the CD reissues and boxed sets, there are also two movies in the works that will celebrate the band. The first, an untitled, feature-length documentary that is being co-produced by TV king Dick Wolf and the three surviving Doors, "will include unreleased footage and interviews with the parents and sister of...Jim Morrison." So, basically, it's a straightforward, retrospective look at the band. The second project, however, sounds potentially more interesting.

Skater-turned-director Stacy Peralta (best known in the movie world for directing Dogtown and Z-Boys, and writing Lords of Dogtown) is putting together his own doc about the band. Entitled Six Nights, Six Records, Six Years, Peralta's film is described as "a social history overview as seen through the Doors' lives and music." It's not just us history majors who will dig this, is it? It sounds potentially fascinating to me, and incorporating a broader look at the country during the heyday of the band will hopefully set the movie apart from both Wolf's project and the worshipful docs that dominate the genre.