Film Fridays

I’ve been counting the days till Film Friday this week. “Why?” you ask. I have two words for you: Chris Marker.

Last month, the AV Center received the amazing Criterion Collection re-release of Marker’s avant garde classic “La Jetée” (DVD 3012) the inspiration for Terry Gilliam’s film “Twelve Monkeys.”

Born 1921 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, Marker spent his early years studying Philosophy with Jean-Paul Sartre. During the World War II he collaborated with the Résistance and later became an interpreter for the US Army. After the war he worked as a writer, photographer, filmmaker, and editor. Knowing a bit about Marker truly helps you understand his films.

In “La Jetée,” for example, after Paris is destroyed in a third world war, survivors retreat underground where scientists conduct strange time-travel experiments in an effort to escape the embattled present in order “to summon the past and future to the aid of the present.” The film is almost entirely composed of black and white stills and there is no dialog, only voice over narration. Haunting in story and form, it is certainly well worth the 28 minutes you devote to watching it.

Look after the jump for more new additions to the AV Center’s collection. And happy viewing!

DVD 3002, Charlie Chan, vol. 1
DVD 3003, Charlie Chan, vol. 2
DVD 3004, Warner Oland is Charlie Chan, vol. 3
DVD 3005, The Double Day
DVD 3006, Ponette
DVD 3007, Girls Can’t Swim
DVD 3008, La Tigre e la Neve (The Tiger and the Snow)
DVD 3009, Les Poupées Russes (Russian Dolls)
DVD 3010, One Dollar
DVD 3011, Bullitt
DVD 3012, La Jetée ; Sans Soleil
DVD 3013, The Films of Marjorie Keller
DVD 3014, Simple Justice
DVD 3015, Prisoner of Honor
DVD 3016, Renaissance Paris 2054
DVD 3017, The 8th Habit : From Effectiveness to Greatness
DVD 3018, El Laberinto del Fauno
DVD 3019, Le Petit Lieutenant
DVD 3020, David Lynch’s Inland Empire
DVD 3021, Nobi Fires on the Plain
DVD 3022, House of Games
DVD 3023, Les Enfants Terribles
DVD 3024, Ivanovo Detstvo (Ivan’s Childhood)
DVD 3025, La Double Vie de Veronique (The double life of Veronique)
DVD 3026, Amore e Rabbia (Love and Anger)
DVD 3027, La Voie Lactée (The Milky Way)
DVD 3028, Fukushsuru Wa Ware Ni Ari (Vengeance is mine)
DVD 3029, Cría Cuervos
DVD 3030, La Frontera
DVD 3031, Julio Comienza en Julio
DVD 3032, In the White Man’s Image
DVD 3033, Ji Oi Mak Sun Yen (Innocent)
DVD 3034, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
DVD 3035, Situational Leadership II: Matching Leadership Style to the Situation
DVD 3036, Private Fears in Public Places
DVD 3037, La Demoiselle D’honneur (The Bridesmaid)
DVD 3038, Les Temps qui Changent (Changing Times)
DVD 3039, Avenue Montaigne
DVD 3040, La Moustache
DVD 3041, Biruma no Tategoto (The Burmese Harp)
DVD 3042, De l’autre Côté
DVD 3043, Le Mépris (Contempt)
DVD 3044, Indigènes Days of Glory
DVD 3045, Tito
DVD 3046, Everest, Beyond the Limit
DVD 3047, La Gloire de Mon Père
DVD 3048, Clean
DVD 3049, Dirty Little Secrets
DVD 3050, L’effrontée