:: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 ::

I don't think I can honestly call myself a "movie buff" after seeing the documentary "Cinemania", one of the gems I picked up through Netflix. Jack, Eric, Bill, Roberta, and Harvey are the true "movie buffs" or "cinemaniacs". Not satisfied with "real life", this group of eclectic cinefiles forsake human relationships, family, work, etc. for the hectic life of a true cinemaniac. The documentary follows these people, who harbor a need to see at least three to five movies a day, in theaters, and not on video. Thier tastes are eclectic. They like foreign films and classic b&w's but they see them in art theaters in New York City. I don't even think there could be this subculture in L.A. We don't have enough theaters showing classics on a regular basis, besides Landmark theaters, the Bing, and the Egyptian. New Yorkers have quite a pallete to choose from, and this is a film I couldn't take my eyes off of. Roberta, the only female, is an outspoken individual, who gets impressively peeved if anyone "misunderstands" or "disagrees" with her tastes. Harvey collects film soundtracks on vinyl, but doesn't have a turntable on which to play them. Jack is the "main narrator" and seems to be the most "sane" (that's the best way to put it.) But all these guys are pretty weird. Harvey, for example, knows the running time of every film he sees, and gets upset at the projectionist when the film runs over or under. Don't even think of digital video with these folks. I was awestruck at this document of a subculture I guess I knew existed, but didn't really know about. I recommend it highly for anyone who considers themselves a movie buff.

:: Michael Nyiri 5:00 PM Leave a Comment on this Post ::
...