To the Right

Stephen Bannon's documentary The Undefeated (2011) opened in cinemas across the U.S this weekend taking a rather respectable $75,000. Admittedly I did expect more from the conservative film makers portrait of Sarah Palin, once the darling of the American right now on the verge of major TV stardom or the presidential elections 2012.

Its good to see this film out there and I commend Bannon, who in a recent interview identified the need for the right wing media to catch up with that of the left. Liberal film makers are streets ahead of their conservative counterparts in factual film making and in my opinion it is absolutely essential that the right starts to rectify this situation.

At time of publication the film only scores 1.5 on the IMDb rating and reportedly even less on rottontomatoes.com but I think thats besides the point. A figure such as Palin polarises opinions a point which is made more evident by Nick Broomfield's reported yet secretive upcoming documentary focusing on the same figure. Undoubtably Broomfield's film will receive stronger reviews, thats a fact, a sign of a more experienced film maker with an incredible reputation pitching a film to a more likeminded audience

Broomfield's doc will be no less one sided than Bannon's though, it will represent Palin from the view of a liberal film maker for a liberal audience. Palin and other republicans such as Michele Bachmann have reignited the conservative right of America and I believe that now is time for the right conservative film makers and audience to begin a counter.

Staying Touch

I have watched four films recently that are examples of the importance of good access and building good relationships with contributors. The first films watched was Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996) along with its predecessor). Paradise Lost 2: Revelations (2000) Directors Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky originally made a film about a triple child murder for which three young men were found guilty for. The first Paradise Lost film showed how the court case developed, and the contempt of the law which developed as the three young men were accused of following satan and listening to heavy metal... Four years after the film, Berlinger and Sinofsky return to Arkansas as a lengthy appeals process is underway focusing on all three men but specifically on Damien Echols who was described as the main protagonist and is currently on death row in the US. The second film focuses on many of the same people, such as Echols, his lawyer and one of the murdered boys parents. The case has also developed a large following of action groups and even celebrities who campaign for a retrial in the light of new DNA evidence.

The Second pair of films are about Aileen Wuornos who in 1990 was dubbed as America's first female serial killer after killing eight men in the state of Florida. Director Nick Broomfield's initial film is primarily concerned with Aileen's story, and more importantly the monetary gain sought to be made by her lawyer, her adopted mother and the police. All of whom are shown throughout the film as trying to sell the story illegally to Broomfield and film producers. The first film Aileen Wournos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1994) is then followed by Aileen: Life and Death of Serial Killer (2003) In which Broomfield returns as a witness to an appeal case against Aileen's four death sentences. Throughout the near ten years between films Broomfield remained in occasional contact with Aileen whom he found to be the most genuine person out of all the participants.

All these films exhibit great skill by the film makers in how they deal with participants. The films are in no way "sit on the fence" types, they challenge and clearly develop particular arguments which did raise questions and piss people off, in some cases showing particular individuals very unfavourably. Nevertheless it is credit that even with these individuals access was still granted a second time. I think a key element to this kind of "return" film is the contributors attitude towards the film maker. The relationship between director and participant is key at all times. Occasionally it may seem that bridges have been burned, but time after time, with a good relationship foundation and truthful representation (even if it seems crazy) people will talk again.