David Bordwell, the noted film scholar, teacher, author and researcher known for sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm of cinema with movie lovers everywhere, has died. He was 76.
Bordwell died Thursday after a long illness, the University of Wisconsin-Madison announced. He taught at the school from 1973 until his retirement in 2004 and was its Jacques Ledoux Professor Emeritus of Film Studies at the time of his death.
For more than two decades, Bordwell supplied commentaries, visual and written essays and interviews for films in the Criterion Collection and was seen and heard on 50 insightful episodes of Observations on Film Art on the Criterion Channel.
In a statement, Criterion called him “a great, longtime friend and a tireless champion of cinema who spent decades imparting his wisdom and passion onto film lovers around the world.”
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Bordwell wrote his essential textbooks Film Art: An Introduction,...
Bordwell died Thursday after a long illness, the University of Wisconsin-Madison announced. He taught at the school from 1973 until his retirement in 2004 and was its Jacques Ledoux Professor Emeritus of Film Studies at the time of his death.
For more than two decades, Bordwell supplied commentaries, visual and written essays and interviews for films in the Criterion Collection and was seen and heard on 50 insightful episodes of Observations on Film Art on the Criterion Channel.
In a statement, Criterion called him “a great, longtime friend and a tireless champion of cinema who spent decades imparting his wisdom and passion onto film lovers around the world.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Criterion Collection (@criterioncollection)
Bordwell wrote his essential textbooks Film Art: An Introduction,...
- 3/2/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Remembering David Bordwell: A Film Scholar Who Did More Than Anyone to Advance Academic Film Studies
He simply may have watched more movies than anyone else alive. That’s the kind of legendary detail that followed film scholar David Bordwell, dead at 76 after a long struggle with a degenerative lung disease.
Was that true? Impossible to determine, and Bordwell’s cinephilia was never about bragging or the accumulation of knowledge to score points — but instead, to share with others and enrich our collective understanding of cinema. If you studied film on any level in academia, you almost certainly have heard his name.
For several generations of film students, you read Bordwell’s “Film Art: An Introduction” in your fall freshman Film 101 class. That was me in 2004, and I believe that book was already on its seventh edition by that point — it had first been published in 1979. If you went deeper into your studies, you’d undoubtedly encounter his “Film History” textbook as well. Both of these...
Was that true? Impossible to determine, and Bordwell’s cinephilia was never about bragging or the accumulation of knowledge to score points — but instead, to share with others and enrich our collective understanding of cinema. If you studied film on any level in academia, you almost certainly have heard his name.
For several generations of film students, you read Bordwell’s “Film Art: An Introduction” in your fall freshman Film 101 class. That was me in 2004, and I believe that book was already on its seventh edition by that point — it had first been published in 1979. If you went deeper into your studies, you’d undoubtedly encounter his “Film History” textbook as well. Both of these...
- 3/1/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
The globally acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa had a long a fruitful career, but like many artists, it got off to a rocky start. The Japanese government was aligned with the Axis powers in the 1940s and was strongly opposed to Western influences in media. They put extreme censors in place and directors had to gain their approval at each stage of the filmmaking process. For the first several years of his career, Kurosawa had to fight these censors at every turn to get his films made.
Kurosawa's debut film, "Sanshiro Sugata," was not the first original script he submitted to the Japanese...
The post Akira Kurosawa's Early Career Was A Constant Struggle With The Censors appeared first on /Film.
Kurosawa's debut film, "Sanshiro Sugata," was not the first original script he submitted to the Japanese...
The post Akira Kurosawa's Early Career Was A Constant Struggle With The Censors appeared first on /Film.
- 7/31/2022
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
From April 10 to April 25 2020 Japan Society will present its new series which follows the topic of sports within the landscape of Japanese cinema.
“Like cinema, sports have been integral to the development of modern Japan since the late 19th century when the country opened its borders to the West. Intersecting these two major cultural forces is the multifaceted and ubiquitous sports film, a fluid genre that offers fascinating insight into issues related to Japanese national identity, gender roles and the clash between tradition and modernity. Organized in anticipation of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, this series celebrates the Japanese sports film in its myriad iterations—covering a wide range of athletic disciplines and filmmaking styles, from wartime Japan to the present—including classics, documentaries, anime and commercial crowd-pleasers.”
Screenings:
“Sumo Do, Sumo Don’t” by Masayuki Suo
“Sanshiro Sugata” by Akira Kurosawa
“I Will Buy You” by Masaki Kobayashi
“The Sword...
“Like cinema, sports have been integral to the development of modern Japan since the late 19th century when the country opened its borders to the West. Intersecting these two major cultural forces is the multifaceted and ubiquitous sports film, a fluid genre that offers fascinating insight into issues related to Japanese national identity, gender roles and the clash between tradition and modernity. Organized in anticipation of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, this series celebrates the Japanese sports film in its myriad iterations—covering a wide range of athletic disciplines and filmmaking styles, from wartime Japan to the present—including classics, documentaries, anime and commercial crowd-pleasers.”
Screenings:
“Sumo Do, Sumo Don’t” by Masayuki Suo
“Sanshiro Sugata” by Akira Kurosawa
“I Will Buy You” by Masaki Kobayashi
“The Sword...
- 2/14/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
There remains one group we’ve yet to hear from when it comes to the best films of 2019: the directors who made them. IndieWire has reached out to a number of our favorite filmmakers to share their lists and thoughts on what made this year great.
As is advisable with creative people, we gave the directors a great deal of freedom in how they reflected on the year in moving images. What follows is everything ranging from traditional top 10 lists to favorite moments and performances, with lists that span TV, podcasts, and much more.
This is the fourth year IndieWire has done this survey, and what was exciting about this particular group is how many are international, and the wide range of films they celebrated. If you are bored with every end-of-the-year list looking the same, you are in for a treat, as some of the best filmmakers highlight...
As is advisable with creative people, we gave the directors a great deal of freedom in how they reflected on the year in moving images. What follows is everything ranging from traditional top 10 lists to favorite moments and performances, with lists that span TV, podcasts, and much more.
This is the fourth year IndieWire has done this survey, and what was exciting about this particular group is how many are international, and the wide range of films they celebrated. If you are bored with every end-of-the-year list looking the same, you are in for a treat, as some of the best filmmakers highlight...
- 12/30/2019
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
In the vast filmography of Johnnie To, “Throw Down” is one of the films that definitely stands out, both for its style, but also for its significance, since To considers it one of his most personal works, particularly due to the tribute elements to “Sanshiro Sugata” and Akira Kurosawa it offers, and also for kickstarting his collaboration with Louis Koo, which would benefit both notably in the next years.
The script revolves mainly around Sze-to Bo, a nightclub owner who was a judo expert but for reasons unknown decided to give up the sport some years before, instead becoming a bitter alcoholic, a thief and a gambler with a huge dept to the mafia. Tony is a current judo champion and a very eager fighter, who wants to challenge Sze-to to a fight, thus barging into his life in the most violent fashion. Mona is a girl...
The script revolves mainly around Sze-to Bo, a nightclub owner who was a judo expert but for reasons unknown decided to give up the sport some years before, instead becoming a bitter alcoholic, a thief and a gambler with a huge dept to the mafia. Tony is a current judo champion and a very eager fighter, who wants to challenge Sze-to to a fight, thus barging into his life in the most violent fashion. Mona is a girl...
- 4/5/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Carl Rinsch may not be directing the "Alien" prequel. But he's got a pretty good alternative.
The commercials director, who had been loosely attached to the reboot of the sci-fi franchise, has landed the gig to helm "47 Ronin," the samurai pic that's set up at Universal with producer Scott Stuber.
"Ronin" centers on a group of 18th century samurai who set out to avenge the death of their master. Keanu Reves' name has surfaced in connection with a starring role. Chris Morgan, who counts "Fast & Furious" and "Wanted" among his writing credits, penned the screenplay.
The CAA-repped Rinsch is the commercials wunderkind who made his name directing spots, many with futuristic themes, for the likes of Mercedes and Heineken.
He had originally been reported as attached to "Alien," but reports later broke that Fox preferred Ridley Scott direct it himself (he had been on board only to produce). While there...
The commercials director, who had been loosely attached to the reboot of the sci-fi franchise, has landed the gig to helm "47 Ronin," the samurai pic that's set up at Universal with producer Scott Stuber.
"Ronin" centers on a group of 18th century samurai who set out to avenge the death of their master. Keanu Reves' name has surfaced in connection with a starring role. Chris Morgan, who counts "Fast & Furious" and "Wanted" among his writing credits, penned the screenplay.
The CAA-repped Rinsch is the commercials wunderkind who made his name directing spots, many with futuristic themes, for the likes of Mercedes and Heineken.
He had originally been reported as attached to "Alien," but reports later broke that Fox preferred Ridley Scott direct it himself (he had been on board only to produce). While there...
- 11/17/2009
- by By Steven Zeitchik
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After Kadokawa already released a series of Akira Kurosawa’s films (Rashomon, Madadayo, Ran and The Quiet Duel) in a Blu-ray Disc Collection back in February, Toho Studio also decided to honour Japan’s probably most famous director with another collection bearing his name. The Akira Kurosawa: The Masterworks Blu-ray Disc Collection contains Seven Samurai, Kagemusha, Sanshiro Sugata, Sanjuro, Men Who Tread On The Tiger’s Tail, Sanshiro Sugata Part II and The Bad Sleep Well which are also available as single releases on October 23, 2009. Unfortunately Toho also decided to follow Kadokawa’s example and will not include English subtitles.
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- 6/19/2009
- by Ulrik
- Affenheimtheater
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