1/04/2007

Documentary Film Of The Day - Sherman's March...

I haven't done one of these for a long time and I know they don't generate a big response, but I really love documentaries and like to promote good ones when I can. The actual title for this film is Sherman's March: A Mediation to the Possibility of Romantic Love in the South During an Era of Nuclear Weapons Proliferation. Kinda cool, huh? It was made by one of my favorite documentary filmmakers, Ross McElwee. I'd actually recommend his entire catalog of films, but I'll focus on this one - the first of his I saw. Ross has a unique style. He films all of his own shit, including conversations he's having with others. It's surprising how much honesty he can elicit this way. His films are introspective and personal. He also does some narration in a very soothing, subtle southern drawl. This movie began as a project to retrace the steps of General Sherman during the Civil War (or the War of Northern Aggression, for my southern readers). It becomes something much different. He sort of changes the scope of the project midstream (or perhaps it was his intent all along?) and focuses on his series of troubled female relationships and the pressure he feels from his proper southern family to find a wife and settle down. If you have Netflix, try this one out and see what you think. If nothing else, it's different than the films you normally see.

7 comments:

Jenny Jenny Flannery said...

Sounds wounderful. I'll have to add it to my Netflix queue this May when the pact is up and when Netflix is so desparate to have me back that they will pay me to watch movies.

Anonymous said...

this IS a tremendous film, though sometimes it's hard to watch because of the honesty he puts into it. I mean, there he is with this cute linguist chick who he TOTALLY digs, and there she is sunbathing nude on a pier, and it's obvious that she don't give a rat's ass for the dude.

gawd, I hate when that happens.

Dale said...

I love good documentaries, musical or otherwise so thanks for the recommend.

Megan said...

There is a special place in hell for William Tecumseh Sherman. Of course, that really wasn't the point, was it? The film does sound interesting. . .

Geo said...

Catchy title.

Johnny Yen said...

I'd wanted to see that one since it came out 20 years ago and finally Netflixed it a few months ago. I enjoyed it, but it was painful to watch this guy-- he seemed completely oblivious to how incompatible the women he is dating or pursuing are.

gennifer6 said...

I was going to "shame on you" for tempting Doc and Flannery as such, but they seem to be handling it pretty well...