"SOURCES" FOR I'M NOT THERE: DON'T LOOK BACK

After I finally saw I'm Not There, one of my first thoughts had to do with the cinematic "sources" for the movie. Why hadn't the Film Forum or some other NYC repertory house put together a complementary program of movies referenced by the director, Todd Haynes?

Soon after that, I saw the Film Forum's new schedule and noticed that at least two of the movies would be screened over the coming months.

Starting today and running for at least one week is the D.A. Pennebaker documentary Don't Look Back, which has been called essential for a full understanding of I'm Not There.

Coming to the Film Forum on April 18 and 19 (as part of a hit-filled United Artists 90th Anniversary retrospective) is another source: A Hard Day's Night, which Haynes mashes up with 8-1/2 in one of the cleverest sequences in I'm Not There.

Other movies that, I think, are related to I'm Not There (your own suggestions are welcome):

Casino Royale
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
Renaldo and Clara
Stardust Memories

There's more on the subject here.

Here's a scene from Don't Look Back:



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MILLION DOLLAR MOVIE. Following up on last week's 4:30 Movie post (I still haven't figured out last week's Casino Royale problem), here's the theme (and video) for the Million Dollar Movie. Of course, the music is from Max Steiner's score for Gone With the Wind.

Getting back to the Million Dollar Movie intro: Does anyone recognize the atrium in the montage?



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THEME FROM THE 4:30 MOVIE. Somehow I got it into my "brain" that the theme from the old 4:30 Movie was from Casino Royale. Yet last night, when Ginny sang some of the notes, I recognized the tune...and it wasn't from Casino Royale!



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And here's Burt Bacharach's theme from (the original) Casino Royale. Does anyone recognize any part of it (especially the descending string line) as the theme for a television movie show?



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DEPARTMENT OF BRILLIANT IDEAS DEPARTMENT. Through offline discussions, some of you might be familiar with one of my pet ideas: a Web-based program that can identify tunes.

Well, I've learned from NY1 that a company called midomi claims to have created such a marvel. If you try it, let me know how much you like the actualization of the idea which was mine. (This could've been handy when I was obsessed with "You'd Better Love Me" and "People Make the World Go Round.")

In related news, I still haven't been paid for suggesting that Casino Royale should be remade.

Want to try out midomi? Try these tunes....

Here's Shirley Bassey singing "You'd Better Love Me" from the neglected musical High Spirits.



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And here's a Freddie Hubbard cover of "People Make the World Go Round."



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Photo: David Marc Fischer