Sunday, June 13, 2010

Showing at a DVD player near you...

Hal Hartley has been making feature films for over 20 years. The furrow he has continued to plough is similar to that of the Coen Brothers and John Sayles - with success strikingly contradictory to theirs. Hartley often concentrates his film-making energies on short films, even music videos - witness his continuing relationship with Microcinema International, who distribute and promote his latest releases. Hartley is an enigma. His films have very much a populist agenda - good storylines, great acting performances and wonderful, wonderful music - often written and performed by himself and artists such as Yo La Tengo and Sonic Youth, yet they attract only a very small, dedicated audience. Artificial Eye have recently issued a box-set; containing three of his most memorable films: Trust, Henry Fool and The Girl from Monday - if incisive social commentary and pitted black comedy is for you, then so is Hal Hartley...

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