Wholphin

A year and a half ago (holy crap) I wrote about the great lost film CHAMELEON STREET finally coming to video.

Since then it had a revival screening at Sundance last January and is now available on Amazon Video On Demand for your computer pleasure.

http://www.amazon.com/Chameleon-Street/dp/B001RQZAQK
Keywords: Chameleon Street Video On Demand

Little known by name but one of the most recognizable short film makers in history, Joe Sedelmaier will be in Los Angeles tomorrow (Tues) night for a show at Cinefamily. Recognizable because his shorts were commercials – Where’s the Beef, FedEx Fast Talking Guy, Alaska Airlines comparing other airlines to communists – that are still hilarious today, packed with more old character actor faces and snappy words than the Maltese Falcon. Along with some of the comms will be three extremely rare short films in the night’s program. Two are from the 1960s, one of which got top prize at a film fest where John Huston and King Vidor were on the jury. The third is OPENMINDS, which Joe started in the early 70s, went off to his commercial career, then returned to finish in 2001. Its incredible, with his weird comedy aspects of the commercial faces and quick style. In four years of programming shorts at Sundance its easily one of my top five favorites. Also screening is a new short doc on Joe’s life and career.

Tuesday, March 24, 8pm, $14
Cinefamily at The Silent Movie Theatre
http://www.cinefamily.org/calendar/events.html#joe

The rules are simple and straightforward. In exchange for an afternoon meal, participating filmmakers make a short film with an identical budget to the total cost of the lunch. A contract is drafted on the back of a napkin with only a handful of stipulations drawn from the lunchtime conversation, such as “Film must: use miniatures,” “have a bunny in it” or “span continents.” Now, fifty shorts later, Lunchfilm originator (and CineVegas programmer) Mike Plante brings the latest batch to our neighborhood. The resulting works are as varied and engaging as such a multifarious collection of contributors would suggest.

Including films by: Tom Barndt, Martha Colburn, Sean Conway, David Fenster and David Nordstrom, Jim Finn, Bobcat Goldthwait, Mike Gibisser, Brent Green, Sam Green, Braden King, George Kuchar, Lee Lynch and Naomi Uman, Nicholas McCarthy, Sarah Soquel Morhaim, Ricardo Rivera, Kelly Sears, Jennifer Shainin and Randy Walker.

SAN FRANCISCO CINEMATHEQUE
Sunday, March 22 at 7:30pm
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
701 Mission Street (corner of Third)
Tickets: 415-978-ARTS

“Truly independent films are made from the gut. It is very easy to help a filmmaker. Buy one lunch today.” – Mike Plante