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October 16, 2008
Ferrara on Ferrara
Over two years have elapsed between marking my initial thoughts on Abel Ferrara's Mary and the film's massively overdue release in New York this Friday at the Anthology Film Archives. Looking back at what I wrote then is a strange thing indeed (there I was, enamored by the Catholicism of Ferrara, a few months before falling sway to the atheism of Denis), and indeed, I don't think I've seen a Ferrara film since those more prolix days.
This past week, in anticipation of Mary, eyes and pens alike have been turning towards him once more, but I think my favorite bit of press thus far is in fact a film. It's a short documentary, directed by Evan Lousion, chronicling a night out on the town with Ferrara. The title of the piece is you are in heaven, you are in hell, and it's currently viewable over at Cinema Echo Chamber. It's a really beautiful portrait of this legendary madman; I especially love how old New York seems to melt back out of the ether in his presence, with all its danger and dirty light flickering in his periphery. Moreso than simply appearing in his element, he seems entirely inherent to it, and it to him. It makes me want to revisit his films once more - and maybe find another copy of Nicole Berenz's book about them, which I lost at sea before I could finish it.
Posted by David Lowery at October 16, 2008 1:22 AM
Comments
That Cinema Echo link ain't working.
Posted by: James M. Johnston at October 16, 2008 10:39 AM
Fixed!
Posted by: David Lowery at October 16, 2008 11:02 AM