Last week’s trivia question was all about documentary filmmakers — particularly, my favorite, one Errol Morris.
Morris’s work spans several decades and includes most recently the hit profile of Robert McNamara, “The Fog of War.” As a filmmaker, Morris has an unmistakeable style; watch two or three of his documentaries and try to ignore his unique way of manipulating the camera and getting his interview subjects to talk. It’s entrancing.
Although Fog of War was unquestionably brilliant, my favorite Morris film is “Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control.” When I watched it several years ago, I was hit over the head with how brilliant a filmmaker Morris is. I mean, it takes a real genius to make a film about four completely unrelated men — a topiary gardner, a retired lion tamer, a man fascinated by mole rats, and a robotics designer — and make it make sense. I highly recommend it!
Oh yes, and since I promised, here are the movie reviews (minus maybe one or two?) I wrote for my documentary film class in grad school.