Award-winning American filmmaker Robert L. Drew, a pioneer of the cinema vérité documentary style, died on Wednesday in Sharon, Connecticut at the age of 90, his family said.
Drew, who made more than 100 films on social issues, politics and the arts during a career that spanned more than five decades, died peacefully surrounded by children and friends.
"He had been declining for some time and it was not completely unexpected," his son, Thatcher Drew, said.
Drew, a former correspondent and editor at Life Magazine and a fighter pilot during World War Two, helped to develop cinema vérité, a direct type of observational or fly on the wall filming to capture reality.
He also founded the documentary film company Drew Associates in the early 1960s. Many of his films were shown on television and screened at international film festivals.
"He believed in the pure form of cinema vérité. It was a strict code that allowed no directing of subjects, no set up shots and no on-camera narrator or correspondent," his son explained.
Along with his innovative directing techniques, Drew also developed lightweight cameras. His film "Primary," which followed John F. Kenney and Hubert Humphrey during the 1960 Wisconsin presidential primary, was the first in which a sync-sound motion picture camera was used.
His most well-know films include "The Chair," about a criminal who finds redemption, and "Faces of November," a short about Kennedy's funeral following his assassination in 1963, which won a prize at the Venice Film Festival.
Drew also won an Emmy in 1969 for the ballet documentary "Man Who Dances." His last film, 2005's "From Two Men and a War," in which he recounted his war experiences and friendship with war correspondent Ernie Pyle, was shown at the Tribeca Film Festival.
"He was deeply involved in every aspect of his craft and was obsessed with it till the end," his son said.
Two of Drew's films are in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry.
Drew is survived by three children and three grandchildren. His wife, Anne, a partner in their filmmaking, died in 2012.
Source: REUTERS.
On 22th August 2014 Dutch FilmWorks releases 1: Life on the Limit.
Set in the golden era of Grand Prix Racing '1' tells the story of a generation of charismatic drivers who raced on the edge, risking their lives during Formula 1's deadliest period, and the men who stood up and changed the sport forever.
Director: Paul Crowder
Stars: Niki Lauda, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Mario Andretti, Jenson Button, Jackie Stewart, Sebastian Vettel, Damon Hill, Nigel Mansell en Bernie Ecclestone. Voice-over: Michael Fassbender.
DUTCH VERSION
Op 22 augustus 2014 verschijnt op Dutch FilmWorks 1: Life on the Limit:de spectaculaire documentaire over de autosport die miljoenen fans al decennia in hun greep houdt. Van het prille begin van de Formule 1 toen roekeloze coureurs in overhemd instapten en hun vriendinnen de stopwatch hanteerden, tot de introductie van brandbestendige pakken en miljoenencontracten. Met o.a. Niki Lauda, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Mario Andretti, Jenson Button, Jackie Stewart, Sebastian Vettel, Damon Hill, Nigel Mansell en Bernie Ecclestone. Voice-over: Michael Fassbender.
Here is the newest clip : „Die Jenseitsflugmaschine", taken from the Eden Weint Im Grab album "Geysterstunde II"
Japan / 2012 / 129 Mins / In Japanese with English subtitles / Colour
Starring: Hideaki Ito (Sukiyaki Western Django, The Princess Blade, Umizaru), Shota Sometani (Himizu, Tokyo Tribe, Sadako 3D), Fumi Nikaido (Himizu, Au Revoir L’Ete, My Man) and Takayuki Yamada (13 Assassins, Gantz, Crows Zero)
Synopsis
Hideaki ITO stars as the teacher from Hell, in Takashi MIIKE's outrageous, blood-splattered, high school horror.
Cool and charismatic English teacher Seiji Hasumi (ITO) is popular with students and teachers alike. He inspires trust and respect from his class, greeting many with an affectionate, if irritating, ruffle of the hair. But his actions soon take a turn, revealing something dark behind that charming smile. Students become suspicious when friends slowly start to disappear, but little do they know that absolute jaw-dropping carnage is just around the corner.
Adapted from Yusuke KISHI’s horror novel, Aku no Kyōten, a commentary on tough high school life and dark student–teacher relationships, with plenty of black humour, absurd violence, and a splash of Cronenbergian fantasy added for good measure.
Director, Takashi Miike Biography
Born on August 24, 1960. After studying under Shohei Imamura and a number of other directors, he made his debut in 1991 and has directed many productions of various genres since then. His innovative ideas and edgy direction are highly praised in and out of the country, and he has enthusiastic fans all over the world. In 1997, along with John Woo, he ranked as the tenth most promising film directors chosen by “Time” magazine in the U.S. In 2000, “Audition” won the International Film Critics Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. In 2003, “Gokudo kyofu dai-gekijo: Gozu” was shown during the Directors’ Fortnight of the Cannes International Film Festival and received accolades from critics. In 2006, “Big Bang Love, Juvenile A” was shown in the Berlin International Film Festival. In 2010, “13 Assassins” was in the competition section of the Venice International Film Festival, and in 2011, “Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai” was in the competition section of the Cannes International Film Festival. Miike is one of the most promising directors of our time.
Densely layered, complex and atmospheric, Subconscious Landscapes sees Velvet Acid Christ pushing the boundaries further than ever. The act’s 16th studio album, the new record calls on influences in the ranges of Juno Reactor, Massive Attack, and Delerium. This album can be considered a natural progression from the hypnotic grooves of past VAC songs such as “Slut”. “Dilauded”, & “Ghost in the Circuit”.
Subconscious Landscapes seems to flow between two halves of an album, with the first four songs being highlighted by guest vocals from Sabine Theroni of Psykkle on “Barbed Wire Garden” and “Taste the Sin”, as well as Malgorzata Wacht on vocals for “Grey”. The second half, entitled “Mauvais” on side B of the vinyl version, takes a decidedly darker turn of sound. The new album also marks the first EVER vinyl release for Velvet Acid Christ.
