Tag Archives: Documentary
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Finding the Yin and Yang in Scary Stories Documentary

18 Apr

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Everything fans wanted to know about Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell‘s collaborative work gets beautifully and excellently explored in Cody Meirick’s documentary Scary Stories. Both talents share equal credit in this exploration of the three-book series, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

Not only were Schwart’z family interviewed, but also a variety of talents (from uber fans to fellow authors) profess their love for this team. There’s plenty of talkie moments to narrate the life of these creators, and in what I particularly enjoyed is in how enduring these works are still today. Every generation has a series of books they adored. Whether that’s with Conan the Barbarian, EC’s Tales from the Crypt, The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, The Vampire Lestat, Goosebumps and etc., the culture that’s grown is explored in Meirick’s work.

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Invisible Essence: The Little Prince Continues to Inspire with Further Screenings

10 Apr

Image result for invisible Essence: The Little Prince netflixBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Existentialism is a big word. But for 76 years, for a readership barely old enough to read, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince has conveyed the importance of asking who we are, what connects us to others, and how we should live. I saw this work not too long ago, during the 2019 Victoria Film Festival, and quite enjoyed it (see review here) and it continues to inspire, getting a theatrical screening in Vancouver, BC, on April 19th.

Charles Officer’s acclaimed documentary Invisible Essence: The Little Prince looks beyond what the story of a stranded aviator who encounters an elegant alien child in the Sahara means. This documentary explores the global legacy of The Little Prince 75 years after its publication. It weaves the author Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s extraordinary biography with fascinating discussions from key sections of the book, exploring the many ways life and art can reflect upon one another in curious ways. And in telling the author’s own story of a child who suffered the loss of a father and beloved brother, and who found “himself” as an aviator for the French air-mail company Aeropostale, flying alone over no man’s lands.

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All those ‘Invisible Essences’ which defines The Little Prince

5 Feb

Image result for invisible Essence: The Little Prince netflixBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Also available on Netflix and Discovery Channel Canada

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry‘s most recognized work is a timeless tale and to learn about the man and meaning of this tale is nicely explored in the documentary simply titled Invisible Essence: The Little Prince. This work can be found to view online, but for me, I had to see it during the 2019 Victoria Film Festival, to enjoy seeing the artwork come to life on the big screen. With the dream-like watercolour images splashed on that canvas and ink dots denoting a lost innocence, I was captivated by the details of not only the illustrations but also in how this author would come to write this seminal tale.

Not only does this film explores new reactions to this story but also it gets anecdotal by those who knew this creator’s life. The balancing of these two narratives made for a lengthy examination and the payoff, in the end, is simply in understanding both the author and his story more.

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The Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki is coming to Home Video!

24 Jan

People unable to see the documentary Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki will get their chance to purchase the Blu-ray + DVD combo pack on April 30, 2019.  GKIDS and Shout! Factory are making this work available for the masses. The film offers a new look at the rarely-interviewed filmmaker as he faces the challenges of working with unfamiliar CGI technology to create a new short film, Boro the Caterpillar.

This release contains two different versions: a 70-minute version in Japanese with English subtitles, and an alternate cut, a 48-minute broadcast version with English narration, which includes footage not included in the 70-minute version.

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