American Documentary Film Festival 2015/ 3
So there he was, Peter Bogdanovich, conceived in Serbia, born in the US – as he has put it himself – 75 years old, still a great storyteller and imitator of voices, which was proven when he gave us in the audience anecdotes from his film life as a director, a film historian and one who knew them all, the big names: Cary Grant, Jimmie Stewart, Orson Welles, John Ford about whom he has made a film, ”Directed by John Ford” to be presented here at the festival: ”a new, updated version of the original 1971 documentary which was written and directed by Peter Bogdanovich (The Last Picture Show, What’s Up, Doc?, Paper Moon and Mask) and profiles the life and works of the acclaimed director”, as put by the TCM on their site, including interviews with Eastwood, Scorcese and Spielberg.
Why is cinema important, Bogdanovich had asked Jimmie Stewart, who told that he once met someone on a set, who said to him, ”I remember the poem you recited in a film, you were good”. About cinema: ”You are giving people little pieces of time they will never forget”, Stewart said – the film the man remembered was 20 years old.
Bogdanovich, full of humour, he could have gone on for hours, said that for him direction was an extension of acting, himself being an actor in numerous films. To be seen in the film tribute to him, 90 minutes long, by Bill Teck, entitled ”One Day Since Yesterday: Peter Bogdanovich & The Lost American Film”, a documentary that premiered in Venice to have a revised version here in Palm Springs. The film puts a focus on the films of Bogdanovich and on the life of the director, whose love for Dorothy Stratten is in the centre of the story. Stratten who was murdered in 1980 and plays in ”They All Laughed”, a film that flopped with the audience, that Bogdanovich bought back the rights for, and a film that Tarantino praises in the interview he has given for the documentary. Lots of clips from the film with adorable Audrey Hepburn and amazing Ben Gazzara makes you want to watch the film.
