DOODLES - 11/14/11

Here I am with a quick recap of what's been going on recently in the world of The Nocturnal Third, as well as in my cultural world, in general.

-We've gotten several good, in-depth reviews that I'm really happy with. Having my own film reviewed by writers has completely changed my perspective on film criticism. It's so much less important for a person to like our film than it is for them engage in discussion with it. So much of modern film criticism is entirely preference-based, boiled down to a thumbs up or a thumbs down. I'll take a thumbs down with a smile on my face if the viewer came to the film on its terms, ready to engage with it.

-My wife and I are going back through all the Harry Potter films, from the very beginning, and I'm shocked to see how much Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone is when you're aware of the entire narrative trajectory. I haven't read the Rowling books, and don't plan to, but I'm very much a fan of the films. I'm most excited to re-watch Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix, as I watched that 2007 film in the theater, with diminished interest and enthusiasm for the series.

-I think I'm bowing out of Breaking Bad. N3rd composer Jesse Ewing very acutely brought up that the show is a bit of a soul-sucker, and in my opinion, a character-based medium like television needs to be very responsible with how much self-destruction it portrays. This relates greatly to a piece I'm thinking of writing for Film Nerds about the theology of total depravity, and how it relates to film. In an effort to prove to myself that I'm not a complete wimp, I've returned to the classic Raging Bull, and I think my point stands. Watching a character ravage himself and those around him is an allowance in cinema, which is rooted in artistic distance, time limit, and specific perspective.

-Taking a cue from Lee Fanning, who is currently outlining Wonder Mill Feature Number 3, I've re-visited the 1950's Serling Twilight Zone. Those things are just plain fantastic. They play in the same ballpark as the original Star Trek, as well as Universal horror movies or classical Hollywood studio films in general. Similar to those projects, The Twilight Zone zooms into the very germ of a genre idea, finds the drama in that germ, and then plays out that drama on a specific, small scale, with humble resources and great performances. I can't recommend The Twilight Zone highly enough.

-I think that's about it for now. We're currently planning out which cities we want to take The Nocturnal Third too, as well as thinking about a permanent online home for both it and A Genesis Found. We'll have more updates in the coming weeks!

Thanks for reading!

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third
Producer, A Genesis Found