| Motel
Produced in 1989, Motel is a documentary
about three mom & pop run motels in the South
Western United States. The movie is directed by
Christian Blackwood, who was the cinematographer
on the film Thelonious Monk: Straight, No
Chaser, as well as director of documentaries
on Roger Corman, John Huston & the Sundance
Grand Prize winning film Private Conversations:
On the Set of `Death of a Salesman’.
With Motel Blackwood seems to have a
knack for capturing real life as it is, without
any filter or ego, and that is what makes the
movie so special. The stark, open setting and
the easy going honesty of the subjects give the
film a very personal feel even though it never
really seems to be taking any kind of objective
view of anyone or anything featured on screen.
In many ways it feels like a Frederick Wiseman
film, the biggest difference being that in Wiseman’s
world social institutions are usually the subjects
of interest and in this film we are spending time
in a capitalistic environment. A highly recommended,
little seen gem that captures America in a very
pure way!
video source
quality rating: B |
