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September 02, 2006
The New Guy Maddin Takes A New Road To Toronto
Guy Maddin, one of the few high-profile, truly boundary-pushing directors in North America these days is going to offer one of the most exclusive experiences at the Toronto Film Festival this year. His new film, Brand Upon The Brain!, will be shown only once during the festival… no press screening… no follow-ups… because this 95 minute black + white opus – “a remembrance in 12 chapters” – will be shown with a live narrator, two on-stage foley artists, a castrato, and an 11 piece live orchestra at the Elgin at 6p on the first Friday.
I don’t recall this kind of film with live orchestra event ever happening before in Toronto.
In any case, you can take a look at how Maddin came to make this film by clicking through here. It's a 9 minute piece, but Maddin is funny and charming and quite the honest narrator.
And here you can take a look at the rather dramatic, beautiful press kit.
This, of course, is the kind of event that is considered to be one of the special reasons to experience a film festival. And of course, it will be ignored by far too many in the media who just want a picture of J-Lo's butt. Sigh....
Posted by poland at September 2, 2006 11:32 PM
Comments
I really enjoyed The Saddest Music in the World.
That is all.
Posted by: KamikazeCamelV2.0 ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 3, 2006 03:15 AM
I was fortunate enough to meet Maddin once about 6 months ago, right before the shoot began and he said he was working on a new film, actually was going to shoot it only days after I was talking within him in LA and I was hoping that it would be The Brand Upon the Brain. Maybe my memory is incorrect, but didn't Maddin want to make this film a long time ago? Maybe it was something else ... you know?
Posted by: Gym at September 3, 2006 04:27 AM
Btw, Maddin thought there was only a 50% chance that Brand upon the Brain will be ready for a Toronto Film Festival Premiere. ;)
Posted by: Gym at September 3, 2006 04:30 AM
Maybe that's why he's doing it with a live orchestra, foley artists, etc. :)
Posted by: EDouglas at September 3, 2006 05:36 AM
Gym -- A few years back Maddin was planning a film about Thomas Edison called "The Brand Upon the Brain." He ended up passing on it (it's now being done as an animated film, with the title "Edison and Neemo") but he liked the title enough that he decided to use it for this otherwise unrelated film.
Posted by: Josh Martin at September 3, 2006 10:57 AM
Actually, he's insisted upon this format, ED.
Guy came to Ebert;s Overlooked fest a couple of years ago., Great guy (no pun intended). I wouldn't be surprised to see him return next April with a more formalized version of this film with orchestra, which at Ebertfest means The Alloy Orchestra.
Posted by: David Poland at September 3, 2006 11:12 AM
It's a great idea, and I hope he'll try to present the movie in other places like Lincoln Center, which has plenty of great venues for such a thing. I might even pay to go see it even though I hated "Saddest Music in the World" with a passion.
Posted by: EDouglas at September 3, 2006 11:52 AM
I think the TIFF has had a silent film with live orchestral accompaniment for a few years. They did Nosferatu a couple of years ago. And The General was supposed to have a live orchestra, but they couldn't book it, apparently...
Posted by: Kambei at September 5, 2006 06:08 AM