Trickle down

November 28, 2009

Date: 2009
Posted by: El3mentaryPenguin
Cast: Siobhan O’Sullivan (Marilyn), Kyle Phillips (Stan), Lorrie McInnis (Marie), Bevin Green (Simone Athens), Taylor Ashcroft (Pamela), Ramon Balderas (Lucius), Lanie Goodrich (Apemantus), Ruben Figueroa (Archie Baldes)
Credits: Colour and Sound Moving Pictures Present. Directed by Josh Hensley, written by Lanie Goodrich and Josh Hensley,
Duration: 1.38, 6.24, and 7.55

This curious effort in three parts looks like a student effort to modernise their study play. It would be difficult to recognise this as an adaptation of Timon of Athens if one had not been prompted beforehand; indeed, it is not too easy to recognise its debt to Shakespeare’s play even if one knows its source of inspiration. Yet, as clumsy as it is (with dialogue drowned out by wind and passing traffic) and with action almost impossible to follow (part one seems incomplete), it is intriguingly earnest and mysteriously oblique. It describes itself as “a story of the rottenness of society. Everything comes down to the dirty dollar”. It is worth watching twice to see how the young filmmakers try to hang on to Shakespeare’s play, even though they fail.

Part 2

Part 3

Links:
YouTube page: Part 1
YouTube page: Part 2
YouTube page: Part 3


Apemantus and Timon

July 29, 2008

Date: 2007
Posted by: peterbruce01
Credits: Filmed by Peter Bruce, for the Balmain Picture Company
Cast: Not named
Duration: 1.47

This is an extract from an Australian ‘grunge’ version of Timon of Athens, information on which is hard to find. As an extract alone, it is startling and fresh. The sequence shows the confrontation between the caustic Apemantus and Timon’ from Act 1 Scene 1 (“Thou art proud, Apemantus.” “Of nothing so much as that I am not like Timon.”), rawly filmed on miniDV in the bright sunshine of Sydney, making the confrontation look like an everyday street brawl. The realism is intriguingly counterpointed by the use of on-screen text relaying the dialogue.

Such immediacy and roughness of technique might prove a little wearing over the course of an entire film/play, but that’s an unfair judgement without having seen the thing. There is also a ‘preview’ of sorts with a range of clips from the full work (entitled Timon of Athens) indicating something original, rough-hewn and exciting.

Date: 2007
Posted by: peterbruce01
Credits: Filmed by Peter Bruce, for the Balmain Picture Company
Cast: Not named
Duration: 1.23

Links
Apemantus and Timon YouTube page
Timon of Athens Preview YouTube page


Timon’s Friendship Adventure

May 11, 2008

Date: 2007
Posted by: MosesHouse
Credits: Directed by Max Littman, writer/executive producer Michael Weinreich, produced by Lisa Shapiro, director of photography Maximilian Schmige, production manager Annie Wilkes, art director Janet Franco, editor Adriana Blancarte, gaffer/grip/camera operator Matthew Ace Palanca, music Edvard Grieg (Gavin Gamboa-piano, Timothy Beutler – drums, Luke Webb – guitar)
Cast: Jason Davids Scott (Timon), Lauren Bruniges (Sherry), Maximilian Schwarzenbach (Samuel), Martha Mintz (Beatrice), Eric Hedlund (Raphael), Merlin Huff (Edgar (Servant no. 1), Nicholas Owen Tapis (Servant no. 2), Miguel Juanreichez (The Gardener)
Duration: 7.12

Bloody modern dress, modern silent film (including intertitles, piano music and black-and-white cinematography), based on Timon of Athens (though in practice it seems to owe rather more to Titus Andronicus). As the film’s website puts it:

Timon’s Friendship Adventure is the story of a jovial, plump, rich man. His main concern is the happiness of those around him – so much so that his generosity soon results in his own bankruptcy. When he asks his friends for loans he discovers that friendship can sometimes be a one-way street.

Made in 2007 and featured at various film festivals. Just a shame about the electric guitar.

Links
YouTube page
Film’s website