Great REDCAT shows coming up

Two great shows are coming on the next two Mondays at REDCAT in downtown LA:



O'ER THE LAND
Deborah Stratman's new feature takes us into the wild wild world of, well, America - exploring battle reinactments, RVs, gun shows (the kind where you can shoot something and it will blow up) and the incredible story of an airman who parachuted from his plane only to get caught in a thunderstorm for 45 minutes. Stratman's tone and camera is controlled yet playful, with beautiful imagery and far more humor than you would expect. What the hell is going on in this country? The freaking wild west never ended.

Also shows with Stratman's "Paranomal Trilogy" of short films. An older Cinemad interview with Deborah is here.

Mon 2.23.09 8:30 pm
http://www.redcat.org/season/0809/fv/stratman.php



BRUCE CONNER'S EXPLOSIVE CINEMA: A TRIBUTE, PART 2
Bruce Conner was one of the first to rework found film footage into new short films, but that's not what makes him one of the greatest. His movies examine politics and celebrity, sex and violence, using images you may recognize but with his notable hand in the mix. Although he was adored by academics and the art world, Conner was not interested in making everyone happy. He made films because he had something to say. Sadly, he passed away last year.

Surveying the filmmaker's work over a 50-year span, the program includes A Movie (1958, 12 min.), Marilyn Times Five (1973, 14 min.), Permian Strata (1969, 4 min.), Mea Culpa (1981, 4 min.), Looking for Mushrooms (1967, 3 min.), Looking for Mushrooms (1996 version, 15 min.), Report (1967, 13 min.), Television Assassination (1995, 14 min.), Take the 5:10 to Dreamland (1977, 5 min.), Valse Triste (1977, 5 min.) and - the caveat - Bruce's last film, the gorgeous Easter Morning (2008, 10 min., DV).

In person: Dennis Hopper, longtime Conner friend and co-conspirator, and guest of honor Jean Conner

Mon 3.02.09 8:30 pm

http://redcat.org/season/0809/fv/conner.php

Bruce Conner's Explosive Cinema: A Tribute, Part 1 is being shown on February 28. See cinema.ucla.edu for program info.

The Cinemad interview with Bruce Conner is available here.

CALIFORNIA COMPANY TOWN TONITE

Tonight at REDCAT in downtown Los Angeles:

The World Premiere of CALIFORNIA COMPANY TOWN, a new documentary by Lee Anne Schmitt. Filmed in beautiful 16mm film, TOWN records the present day landscapes of towns throughout the Gold Rush state established by industrial companies. As the company went, so did the town, experiencing huge booms of prosperity in different economic waves of the country. Although the company always ruled – one town made sure it had only one way in and out. When a union protest tried to form, it was blocked outside the city limits. If an employee quit or was fired, they had to move away. Alas, almost all of these companies in the film have moved away or went under, transforming each would-be city into a ghost town. Schmitt does a wonderful job of capturing each location with investigative and nostalgic ways, yet without too much mystery or pity. The beautiful (and scary) buildings and artifacts left behind in each landscape are lost histories for the audience to piece together, made even more timely with today’s financial waves (I make that analogy knowing it’ll work every year somehow). Schmitt’s controlled style and camerawork is solid and intuitive, with narration letting you learn things about each town that you can not see. By capturing this unseen world within one of the richest states – in the world – we learn about some fascinating American landmarks and feel the need to learn more about our own neighborhoods.

Check it out – its not too late:

$9 [students $7]

REDCAT is located at 631 West 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 - at the corner of 2nd and Hope Streets inside the Walt Disney Concert Hall complex. Parking is available in the Walt Disney Concert Hall parking structure and at adjacent lots.

Tickets are $9 for the general public, $7 for students with valid ID. Tickets may be purchased by calling 213.237.2800 or at www.redcat.org or in person at the REDCAT Box Office on the corner of 2nd and Hope Streets (30 minutes free parking with validation). Box Office Hours: Tue-Sat | noon–6 pm and two hours prior to curtain

For more information, go to www.redcat.org

The film/video program is curated by Steve Anker and Bérénice Reynaud.