San Sebastian retrospective: ''American Way of Death: American Film Noir 1990-2010''
The retrospective dedicated to American film noir will open at the 59th edition of the Festival with TEXAS KILLING FIELDS, a film to compete in the Official Selection at Venice Festival. This gripping thriller proves that the genre is fighting trim: set in the Texas bayous, the tale tracks two detectives pitted against mysterious unsolved murders all occurring in a haunting stretch of bayous and coastal plain. The cast headlines Sam Worthington, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jessica Chastain, Annabeth Gish and Sheryl Lee.
The director of the movie, Ami Canaan Mann, is the daughter of Michael Mann. She worked as a screenwriter and director on series such as NYPD Blue, Robbery Homicide Division and Friday Night Lights. She made her feature directorial debut with Morning (2001), winner of awards at the Rhode Island and Houston festivals.
The cycle "American Way of Death: American film noir 1990-2010" includes 40 emblematic titles to have come out of the genre in the last twenty years; from popular Hollywood productions to independent movie proposals. Here we can find oeuvres by moviemakers like David Fincher, Clint Eastwood, Joel Coen, Michael Mann, Quentin Tarantino, John Dahl, Abel Ferrara and Jonathan Demme, among many others. The cycle will be presented by two luxury guests: filmmakers Walter Hill and James Gray, both authors of films featured in the retrospective.
Walter Hill (Long Beach, 1942) is one of the great action helmers of American film, author of cult movies like Hard Times (1975), Driver (1978), The Warriors (1979), The Long Raiders (1980) and Southern Comfort (1982), entrant in San Sebastian Festival's Official Selection. He also participated in the TV series, Deadwood. The cycle will also include the screening of his film Last Man Standing (1996), starring Bruce Willis and Christopher Walken.
James Gray (New York, 1969) debuted in film with Little Odessa (1994). This work, winner of awards at the Venice and Deauville festivals, can also be found in the cycle. Gray went on to film another two major contributions to the genre, The Yards (1999) and We Own the Night (2007). His last work was Two Lovers (2008).
The cycle comes with a book, coordinated by Roberto Cueto and Antonio Santamarina, including articles by Ricardo Aldarondo, Quim Casas, Jordi Costa, Desirée de Fez, Jara Fernández, Chris Fujiwara, Novotny Lawrence, Jesús Palacios, Alain Silver and James Ursini.
It is jointly organised with the Basque Film Library, has the collaboration of the Government of Valencia Film Library, and is sponsored by TCM.
CONFIRMED FILMS IN THE CYCLE FOR THE TIME BEING
GOODFELLAS (1990), Martin Scorsese
KING OF NEW YORK (1990), Abel Ferrara
MILLER'S CROSSING (1990), Joel Coen
WILD AT HEART (1990), David Lynch
HOMICIDE (1991), David Mamet
THE INDIAN RUNNER (1991), Sean Penn
NEW JACK CITY (1991), Mario Van Peebles
THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991), Jonathan Demme
BASIC INSTINCT (1992), Paul Verhoeven
ONE FALSE MOVE (1992), Carl Franklin
RESERVOIR DOGS (1992), Quentin Tarantino
MENACE II SOCIETY (1993), Albert and Allen Hughes
RED ROCK WEST (1993), John Dahl
SUTURE (1993), Scott McGehee and David Siegel
LITTLE ODESSA (1994), James Gray
HEAT (1995), Michael Mann
NEW JERSEY DRIVE (1995), Nick Gomez
SE7EN (1995), David Fincher
STRANGE DAYS (1995), Kathryn Bigelow
UNDERNEATH (1995), Steven Soderbergh
FARGO (1996), Joel Coen
HARD EIGHT (1996), Paul Thomas Anderson
LAST MAN STANDING (1996), Walter Hill
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL (1997), Curtis Hanson
GHOST DOG: THE WAY OF THE SAMURAI (1999), Jim Jarmusch
SUMMER OF SAM (1999), Spike Lee
MEMENTO (2000), Christopher Nolan
PANIC (2000), Henry Bromell
TRAINING DAY (2001), Antoine Fuqua
MYSTIC RIVER (2003), Clint Eastwood
COLLATERAL (2004), Michael Mann
KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005), Shane Black
SIN CITY (2005), Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez
BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD (2007), Sidney Lumet
ZODIAC (2007), David Fincher
PRIDE AND GLORY (2008), Gavin O'Connor
THE AMERICAN (2010), Anton Corbijn
TEXAS KILLING FIELDS (2011), Ami Canaan Mann
11.08.2011 | SanSebastian's blog
Cat. : Abel Ferrara Alain Silver Albert Hughes Allen Hughes Ami Canaan Mann Annabeth Gish Antoine Fuqua Anton Corbijn Antonio Santamarina Author Basque Film Library Bruce Willis Carl Franklin Chloe Grace Moretz Chris Fujiwara Christopher Nolan Christopher Walken Cinema of the United States Clint Eastwood Coen brothers Curtis Hanson David Fincher David Lynch David Mamet David Siegel Deadwood Deauville Director driver Entertainment Entertainment Film Film genres Film noir Film theory Frank Miller Gavin O'Connor Hard Times Henry Bromell Houston Human Interest Human Interest James Gray James Ursini Jara Fernández Jeffrey Dean Morgan Jessica Chastain Jesús Palacios Jim Jarmusch Joel Coen John Dahl Jonathan Demme Jordi Costa Kathryn Bigelow King L.A. Long Beach Major Mario Van Peebles Martin Scorsese Michael Mann MOVE Movie Release NEW JACK CITY New Jersey New York New York Nick Gomez Novotny Lawrence Odessa Paul Thomas Anderson Paul Verhoeven Person Career Person Location Quentin Tarantino Quentin Tarantino Rhode Island Ricardo Aldarondo Robert Rodriguez Roberto Cueto runner Sam Worthington Scott McGehee screenwriter and director Sean Penn Shane Black Sheryl Lee Sidney Lumet Spike Lee Steven Soderbergh Texas Thriller Valencia Valencia Film Library Venice Venice Festival Walter Hill FESTIVALS