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Independent & Avant-Garde
Filmmakers
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people, A to L
|  | here on page two:
people, M to Z Terrence Malick Page Michael Moore Page Errol Morris Godfrey Reggio John Sayles John Waters on page three: selected films top of page collections on DVD individual films on page four: top of page film festivals & contests reference books how-to books & videos software |
F I L M - M A K E R S { M to Z }
back to people, A to L on Page 1
Kent MacKenzie [1930-80]
IMDb listing
 | "The Exiles" [Pathé/Milestone 1961 & 1970 & 2008]
U.S.C. student Kent MacKenzie took a non-traditional career direction and developed "The Exiles" in collabo-ration with actual residents of the once-elegant neighborhood of Bunker Hill in Downtown Los Angeles. By the late 1950s, the area had become flophouses and seedy mansions, all slated for demolition for replacement by office towers and the Los Angeles Music Center. The brilliant film never received distribution, though Native American writers & activists considered the film as one of the first works of art to portray modern off-reserva-tion life honestly, and teachers in film schools around the world independently re-discovered the lost b&w masterwork. It was not until filmmaker Thom Andersen used a few of MacKenzie's glowing night scenes in the compilation documentary "Los Angeles Plays Itself" [2003], that Hollywood realized the film's worth. Milestone Films acquired the rights from MacKenzie's two daughters, the UCLA Film Archive produced a restored print, and theatrical distribution began in 2008. Bonus features on DVD include Kent Mackenzie shorts "A Skill For Molina" [1960], "Story of A Rodeo Cowboy" [1962], and "Ivan and His Father" [1970]; documentary short "Bunker Hill: A Tale of Urban Renewal" by Greg Kimble; "White Fawn's Devotion" Native American silent short [1910], plus a DVD-ROM with the script, publicity material, Mackenzie's masters thesis, and more. Produced, written & directed by Kent MacKenzie; re-release 'Presented by Sherman Alexie & Charles Burnett'; starring Homer Nish, Yvonne Williams & Tom Reynolds; listed on the National Film Registry (2009) Oscilloscope/Milestone b&w DVD [11/2009] 2 disks for $27.49 full credits from IMDb • official movie site • film entry at Wikipedia |
Magic Lantern's
writer-director Terrence Malick Page
Chris Marker [France; 1921-2012]
IMDb listing • Wikipedia
"Marker is unclassifiable because he is unique . . . The French Cinema has its dramatists and its poets, its technicians,
and its autobiographers, but only has one true essayist: Chris Marker." — film theorist Roy Armes (in 1988)
"The Train Rolls On" Chris Marker docu [France 1973] /tt0067874/
"A Grin Without A Cat" [] by Chris Marker
Maysles Brothers
IMDb listing for Albert Maysles [1926-2015] •
IMDb listing for David Maysles [1931-87]
Maysles Brothers entry on Wikipedia
official Maysles Assocs. website
Maysles Institute non-profit [est. 2005]
 | "Wild Blue Yonder" documentary [indep 2007] Celia Maysles – daughter of David, niece of Arthur, together important pioneers of verité documentary filmmaking – was seven years old when her father died. She uses the techniques of verité documentary filmmaking to explore the past, to find out who her father & uncle were. Co-produced & directed by Celia Maysles video/DVD not available; full credits from IMDb producer's film site {requires Apple Quicktime} |
 | "The Direct Cinema of David and Albert Maysles" [2005] by Jonathan B. Vogels Southern IL Univ 9¼x6 hardcover [7/2005] for $39.15 |
Mekas Brothers
Co-founded Film Culture Magazine in 1955
Adolfas Mekas [1925-2011]
"Hallelujah The Hills" [1963]
"Goldstein" [editor; 1964]
"The Double-Barreled Detective Story" [1965]
Jonas Mekas [b. 1922]
IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
received the 1992 Mel Novikoff Award [est. 1988] from San Francisco Intl. Film Festival [est. 1954]
"Notes On The Circus" [1966] by Jonas Mekas
 | "Conversations With Directors: An Anthology of Interviews From Literature/Film Quarterly" [2008] Edited by Elsie M. Walker & David T. Johnson
interviewees include: Robert Altman, Frank Capra, René Clair, Martha Coolidge, Wes Craven, Terence Davies & Olivia Stewart, Edward Dmytryk, Federico Fellini, William Friedkin, Richard Leacock, Richard Linklater, Baz Luhrmann, Louis Malle, Jonas Mekas, Marcel Ophüls, Alain Robbe-Grillet, Eric Rohmer, Patricia Rozema, John Schlesinger, Jean-Charles Tacchella, Marcela Fernández Violante, Andrej Wajda, Wayne Wang, Billy Wilder, Robert Wise & Franco Zefferelli Scarecrow Press 9x6 pb [3/2008] for $55.00 |
sexploitationist Russ Meyer [1922-2004]
browse Russ Meyer on DVD • IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
official Russ Meyer website
CAM's Russ Meyer fansite
"Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!"
original b&w feature film [indep Aug 1965]
DVD •
full credits at IMDb •
movie entry at Wikipedia
Announced 2008: color remake [for 2012? release]
being developed by Quentin Tarantino; latest info at IMDb
Warren Miller (skiing & surfing films)
IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
official Warren Miller website
Surf Shack Page at Spirit of America
![won Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for "Bowling For Columbine" [2002]](images/oscar_sm.gif) | Magic Lantern's Michael Moore Page |
filmmaker-actor Luis Moro
Moro Films website •
IMDb listing
 | "Anne B. Real" [indep U.S. release Oct 2003] Directed by Lisa France; co-written by Luis Moro, Lisa France & Antonio Macia; co-producers Lenny Bier, Josselyne Herman, Luis Moro & Lisa France; co-starring Janice Richardson, Antonio Macia & Luis Moro Universal color DVD [11/2003] for $9.99 full credits from IMDb |
 | "Love & Suicide" [indep. U.S. release May 2006] Directed by Lisa France, written by Lisa France & Luis Moro; co-producers Luis Moro, Demian Lichtenstein & Steven C. Beer; cinematography by Demian Lichtenstein; starring Kamar De Los Reyes, Luis Moro & Daisy McCrackin DVD available from producers full credits at IMDb official movie site |
| | Errol Morris
"Morris's subject is a particular kind of American stupidity – the ability to substitute self-justification for self-knowledge." — critic David Denby browse Errol Morris on DVD • IMDb listing • Wikipedia |
Announced 9/2012: Three companies – History Films, Radium-TWC, and Participant Media – are banding together to bring the next
Errol Morris project to the big screen; Morris is turning his lens toward former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in
"The Unknown Known: The Life and Times of Donald Rumsfeld" • not yet listed at IMDb
"The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait Photography"
[Neon Releasing June 2017]
 | Portrait photographer Dorfman is still making 20-inch-by-24-inch portraits using a large-format Polaroid® camera, even though Polaroid shut down its factory in Netherlands in 2008 • Directed by Errol Morris
DVD/Blu-ray not yet available credits at IMDb • watch 4/2017 official trailer [2:08] at YouTube |
Christopher Münch
IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
Jesus Nebot: official website • IMDb listing
 |
"No Turning Back" [U.S. release June 2003]
Co-directed & co-written by Julia Montejo & Jesus Nebot; starring Jesus Nebot & Chelsea Rendon Universal color DVD [3/2004] for $24.28 full credits from IMDb • official movie website |
Earl Owensby
IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
Kimberly Peirce
IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
"Boys Don't Cry" [1999] Hilary Swank won Oscar
"Stop Loss" [2008]
Polish Brothers – Mark & Michael
Mark's credits at IMDb •
Michael's credits at IMDb •
Wikipedia
Godfrey Reggio
IMDb listing •
official website •
Wikipedia
 | "Koyaanisqatsi" [1983] / "Powaqqatsi" [1988] DVD 2-pack
Co-written & directed by Godfrey Reggio; music by Philip Glass MGM/UA widescreen DVD [9/2002] 2 disks for $22.49 "Naqoyqatsi: Life Is War" [Miramax/Qatsi Oct 2002]
|
more details (synopses, books, posters, music, links) on
Magic Lantern's Godfrey Reggio / 'Qatsi Trilogy' Page
Vanessa Renwick
Oregon Dept. of Kick Ass Film & Video
Lionel Rogosin [1924-2000]
browse DVDs • IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
father of Michael Rogosin
father of Daniel Rogosin
 | "On The Bowery" [indep March 1957; Milestone re-release 2011] Partly-scripted docufilm showing the lives of down-and-out residents of New York City's Bowery neighborhood, over two days' time. Produced, co-written & directed by Lionel Rogosin; starring Gorman Hendricks, Frank Matthews & Ray Salyer; Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature, won BAFTA Award for Best Documentary; listed on the National Film Registry (2008) full credits at IMDb • official movie site • movie entry at Wikipedia |
 | "Come Back, Africa" [indep April 1960; Milestone re-release 2012] Documentary about apartheid in South Africa co-produced, co-written & directed by Lionel Rogosin; digital restoration in 2012; featuring Zacharia Mgabi & singer Miriam Makeba full credits at IMDb • official movie site • movie entry at Wikipedia watch 8/2011 trailer [2:22] at YouTube |
 | "The Films of Lionel Rogosin, Volume I" Box Sets [2014]
Milestone widescreen color Blu-ray set [2/2012] 2 disks for $22.96 Milestone widescreen color DVD set [2/2012] 2 disks for $19.96 contains Disc One: "On The Bowery" docufilm [1957] by Lionel Rogosin; "Martin Scorsese Intro"; "The Street of Forgotten Men" silent feature film [Famous Players-Lasky 1925]; "Bowery Men's Shelter" 10-minute short [1972]; "The Perfect Team: The Making of On The Bowery" 47-minute docufilm [2009] by Rogosin’s son Michael; "A Walk Through The Bowery" [2009]; 2010 "On the Bowery" theatrical trailer; Disc Two: 70-minute "Good Times, Wonderful Times" [1966] by Lionel Rogosin - 'one of the great antiwar films of the VietNam Era'; "Out" [1957] about refugees fleeing to Austria in the aftermath of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956; "Man's Peril: The Making of Good Times, Wonderful Times" [2008] by Michael Rogosin |
 | "The Films of Lionel Rogosin, Volume II" Box Sets [2014]
Milestone b&w Blu-ray set [2/2014] 2 disks for $34.99 Milestone b&w DVD set [2/2014] 2 disks for $29.99 contains Disc One: "Come Back, Africa" 86-minute feature documentary [South Africa 1959, restored 2000] with subtitles; 2-minute "A Martin Scorsese Introduction" [2000]; "An American In Sophiatown: The Making of Come Back, Africa" 64-minute feature documentary [2007] directed by Michael Rogosin & Lloyd Ross; 19-minute radio interview "Lionel Rogosin Talks About Come Back, Africa" [1978]; "Come Back, Africa" theatrical trailer [2:00]; Disc Two: 63-minute "Black Roots" [USA 1970] with subtitles; 27-minute "Bitter Sweet Stories: A Documentary On The Making of Black Roots" [?] directed by Michael Rogosin; 74-minute "Have You Seen Drum Recently?" [1989] directed by Jürgen Schadeberg, starring Miriam Makeba |
sexploitationist Joseph W. Sarno [1921-2010]
browse DVDs • IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
"Inga" [Sweden 1971] /tt0067508/ & /B00005Y71B/
"Young Playthings" [1972] /tt0069527/
"Confessions of A Young American Housewife" [1974] /tt0069914/
"a mini-masterpiece" per critic Richard Corliss
http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Sarno-Girl-Meets-Trilogy/dp/B00080ETWM/
John Sayles
"When I was really young I didn’t know that there was such a thing as a screenwriter. I wrote stories." — John Sayles
browse John Sayles on DVD • browse books •
IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
performance artist & experimental filmmaker
Jack Smith [1932-89]
"Make perfect art and you will be admired. Make imperfect art and you will be loved." — Jack Smith [1932-89]
IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
"Flaming Creatures" featurette [1963] /tt0054880/
"Normal Love" feature film [1963] /tt0057365/
"Silent Shadows: 56 Ludlow Street, 1962-64" audio CD in 2 volumes [1999]
http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Shadows-Cinemaroc-Island-1962-1964/dp/B00000G4T2/
"Jack Smith and The Destruction of Atlantis" docufilm [2006] /tt0795406/
"Wait For Me At The Bottom of The Pool: The Writings of Jack Smith" [9/2008] /1852424281/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FKTDL4C/
Spring 2018 article “This Is Just What I Expected!: Restoring The Films of Jack Smith” by Jerry Tartaglia
Kevin Smith
browse Kevin Smith on DVD •
IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
production company View Askew website
Pete Smith
Mark Street
production company website •
IMDb listing
eco-activist filmmaker Joshua Tickell • lives near Ojai, California
official website •
IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
 | "From The Fryer To The Fuel Tank: The Complete Guide To Using Vegetable Oil As An Alternative Fuel" [1998?] by Joshua Tickell Tickell Energy Consultants 3rd edition pb [12/2000] for $24.95 |
 | "Biodiesel America: How To Achieve Energy Security, Free America From Middle-East Oil Dependence & Make Money Growing Fuel" [2005] by Joshua Tickell Tickell Energy Consultants pb [7/2005] for $34.95 |
"Fields of Fuel" documentary feature [festival circuit 2008]
 | America is addicted to petroleum and it is time for an intervention. Eco-evangelist filmmaker Josh Ticknell, a man with a plan and a Veggie Van, tells the story of biodiesel – made from vegetable oil, it is non-toxic, has low carbon dioxide emissions, and can ultimately replace all liquid fuels used in the United States. Tickell takes on big oil, big government, and big soy to find solutions in places few people have looked • Co-produced by Rebecca Harrell Tickell; directed by Joshua Tickell; written by Johnny O'Hara; featuring attorney William Baggett, Roger Ballentine, Richard Branson, Dr. Colin Campbell, Larry David, Laurie Lennard David, Cong. Eliot Engel [D-NY], Dr. Hermann Frassen, Larry Hagman, Woody Harrelson, Ken Hern, activist Jim Hightower, Oliver Houck, Cong. Jay Inslee [D-WA], Jack Johnson, David Kittelson, Sen. Blanche Lincoln [D-AR], Dr. Gal Luft, Bill Mack, Robert McCormick, John McElroy, Robert McFar-lane, Dr. William Moomaw, Willie Nelson, Michael Noble, Julia Roberts, Florence Robinson, Chris Sanders, Dr. Bill Shepard, singer Smudo, Swedish Minister Lena Sommestadt, James Woolsey, Neil Young & attorney Beth Zilbert
DVD/Blu-ray not available • Amazon Instant Video [2008] rental $2.99, purchase $9.99 full credits at IMDb |
"Fuel" documentary feature [Greenlight Sept 2009]
 | The 11-year personal journey of filmmaker & eco-evangelist Josh Tickell, focusing on inspiring viewers, by looking into our future and offering hope via a wide-range of renewable energy & bio-fuel solutions • Directed by Joshua Tickell; written by Johnny O'Hara; featuring Joshua Tickell, Sen. Barbara Boxer, Richard Branson, Larry Hagman, Woody Harrelson, Robert Kennedy Jr., Willie Nelson, Julia Roberts & Neil Young
Cinema Libre Studio widescreen color Blu-ray [1/2011] for $18.93 Cinema Libre Studio widescreen color DVD [6/2010] for $16.93 full credits at IMDb • official movie site • watch official trailer [2:04] at YouTube |
"Freedom: An Adventure To Uncover A Shocking Solution To America's Oil Addiction"
TV documentary [Canada Aug 2011]
 | Film focuses on alcohol fuel; was broadcast on the SuperChannel in Canada • Co-produced & co-directed by Rebecca Harrell Tickell; co-directed by Joshua Tickell; written by Johnny O'Hara; featuring Ed Begley Jr., Tracy Mork, Jason Mraz, Michelle Rodriguez & Amy Smart
Green Planet Prodns color DVD [undated] out of prodn/used credits at IMDb • watch official trailer [1:40] at YouTube |
"The Big Fix" documentary feature [LionsGate VOD release June 2012]
 | "The truth is deep beneath the surface" • This 89-minute Gulf megaspill documentary was acquired by video-on-demand distribution company GoDigital, with LionsGate handling the same-day cable release • Co-produced, co-directed & co-hosted by Joshua Tickell & Rebecca Harrell Tickell; written by Johnny O'Hara; featuring Peter Fonda (co-producer), Amy Smart, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Jeff Goodell, Chris Hedges, David Korten, Nomi Prins, Sen. Bernie Sanders
Green Planet Prodns color DVD [6/2012] for $17.10 full credits at IMDb • official movie site • movie entry at Wikipedia watch official trailer [2:15] at YouTube |
"Pump: The Movie" documentary feature [Submarine Deluxe Sept 2014]
 | Documentary from the director of 'Fuel' and 'The Big Fix' that offers real alternatives to fossil fuels • Co-produced & directed by Joshua Tickell & Rebecca Harrell Tickell; written by Johnny O'Hara; featuring Dr. Greg Anderson, Edwin Black, John Brackett, Todd Brad-shaw, Daniel Ceasar, Alex Conger, Luiz 'Lula' da Silva, John Paul DeJoria (co-producer), Michael Dunne, Rogelio Goldfarb, Peter Goldmark, L. Hendricks, Andy Hernandez, David Hoffpay, John Hofmeister, Roland Hwang, Dr. Martin Jacques, Amy Meyers Jaffee, Marcos Jank, D.E. Johnson, Kevin Kidwell, Anne Korin, Zhang Ling, Luiz Paz Lins, Amory Lovins, Wladmin Martins, Chen Meng, Elon Musk {of Tesla Motors}, Cheryl & Phil Near, Dr. Raymond Pierrehumbert, Marc J. Rauch, author Jeremy Rifkin, Tom Rolfstad, Zhang Shenhua, Tina Soares, K.C. Tran, Theophilus Walker, Faye & John & Suzy Zhang & Dr. Robert Zubrin
DVD/Blu-ray not yet available full credits at IMDb • official movie site • movie entry at Wikipedia watch official trailer [2:14] at YouTube |
"Good Fortune: The Official Biography of John Paul DeJoria" [in production, release 2016?] 
subject is co-founder of Paul Mitchell Systems hair products and of Patrón Tequila • latest info at IMDb
Billy B. Van [1878-1950] of New Hampshire
Born as William Webster Vandergrift; solid vaudeville career, then tried movies, including the Equity Motion Picture Co. in Georges Mills, NH (circa 1920),
and rumored involvement in the creation of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [1924]. He appeared in 11 productions on Broadway and five films (4 silent).
As a serial entrepreneur, he was also a dairy farmer, pine soap maker, CBS Radio star, and motivational speaker.
official site •
Broadway credits [1903-28] •
IMDb listing [1920-33] •
Wikipedia
"Where Are Your Husbands?" silent short [Reelcraft Pictures Aug 1920]
print recently identified at Library of Congress (opening 30 seconds missing) •
bare credits at IMDb • 
"The Beauty Shop" [1922] /tt0012927/
70-minute film based on a 1914 Broadway musical; also starring boxer Jim Corbett
"Snap Out of It" memoir? [self-publd 1933] by Billy B. Van
http://www.amazon.com/Snap-out-Billy-B-Van/dp/B0008BKPEC/
"Billy B. Van: Newport’s Sunshine Peddler - A History of Van’s life In Newport" [2016] by Jayna Huot Hooper
http://www.vnews.com/Newport-and-Sunapee-Historical-Societies-present-a-program-on-native-son-Billy-B-Van-1878-1950-3933453
Melvin Van Peebles
IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
 |
"Baadassssss!" aka "How To Get The Man's Foot Outta Your Ass" [Sony May 2004] Mario's documentary/homage to his father's historic 1971 film that was key in birthing Independent Black Cinema. Co-written & directed by and starring Mario Van Peebles (based on the book, below) Sony widescreen color DVD [9/2004] for $17.99 Sony color VHS [1/2005] out of prodn/used B.B.E. soundtrack CD [6/2004] out of prodn/used full credits at IMDb official movie site {requires Flash} movie entry at Wikipedia |
 | "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song: A Guerilla Filmmaking Manifesto" [2004] by Melvin Van Peebles Thunder's Mouth Press mass pb [8/2004] for $11.86 |
 | "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song" [indep April 1971] Written, co-produced, directed & edited by and starring Melvin Van Peebles, with Simon Chuckster, Hubert Scales, John Dullaghan & young Mario Van Peebles Xenon color DVD [1/2003] for $17.99 Xenon color VHS [2/2002] out of prodn/used Stax soundtrack CD [11/99] 2 disks / out of prodn/rare 11"x17" white poster from Amazon for $9.99 full credits at IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia screenplay, diaries & soundtrack CD Interlink pb [9/96] out of print/used |
Melvin's son actor-director Mario Van Peebles
browse Mario Van Peebles on DVD • IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
John Waters
browse John Waters on DVD •
IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
co-owner of Atomic Books [], 3620 Falls Road in Baltimore, Maryland
"Pink Flamingos" [1972]
"Female Trouble" [1974]
"Hairspray" [1988]
"Hairspray: The Musical" [2007]
Frederick Wiseman
DVDs of Frederick Wiseman {sloppy results} at Amazon • official website • IMDb listing •
Wikipedia
 | "Crazy Horse" [France Oct 2011, Zipporah Films USA Jan 2012] 134-minute documentary by American filmmaker Frederick Wiseman about the history & venue & nude dancers of the Le Crazy Horse de Paris revue in Paris, France. Co-produced & directed by Frederick Wiseman DVD/Blu-ray not yet available full credits at IMDb • distributor's official movie page |
musician & filmmaker Neil Young
Neil Young Page at Spirit of America Bookstore
browse music •
official website •
entry at Wikipedia
Movies Section on the Neil Young Page • Neil Young's credits at IMDb
| | Jessica Yu
IMDb listing • Wikipedia |
when your outfit cost more than your film."
 | "Last Call At The Oasis" [Participant Media / A.T.O. 2011] Illuminates the vital role that water plays in our lives, exposing the defects in the current system and depicting communities already struggling with its ill-effects. Co-produced, written & directed by Jessica Yu; featuring Jay Famiglietti, Peter H. Gleick, Tyrone Hayes, Alex Prud’homme, Robert Glennon & eco-activist Erin Brockovich-Ellis DVD/Blu-ray not yet available full credits at IMDb • official movie site • official trailer {Quicktime} |
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