Car-Free Klezmer Now Available Online (10/31/08)
Prolefeed Studios is proud to announce the online release of Car-Free Klezmer, available for online streaming and download.Madison-based Klezmer mavens Yid Vicious spent a week supporting Car-Less University, a week-long celebration of World Car-Free Day organized by Enact Wisconsin and the Madison Environmental Group. Thanks to a generous Blink grant from the City of Madison Arts Commission, the seven musicians of Yid Vicious were able to take their music to the city's streets, bike paths, and bus stops, to the surprise, delight, and sometimes bleary-eyed confusion of commuters. Prolefeed Studios was there, documenting every moment.
SEE Seven sleepy musicians roust themselves at horribly early hours to inspire spontaneous bouts of bike path dancing.
HEAR Madison Metro passengers and bicycle commuters describe the ins and outs of their commuting experiences.
LEARN how many tubas fit on a bus-mounted bicycle rack.
GASP as Yid Vicious is stopped by the police for Driving Under the Influence of Klezmer.
Car-Free Klezmer is licensed under a Creative Commons license. This means that you are free to share this video with whomever you wish, download copies, and redistribute in any format you wish. All that we'd ask is that you do not use this for any commercial project, you give full credit to Prolefeed Studios and Brian Standing, and that you distribute it in its entirety, with no editing or "derivative works" permitted. For any other use that doesn't fit these criteria, please contact Brian Standing first.
Stay tuned for information about an upcoming DVD release.
Enjoy, and pass it on! ^ TOP
Vermin Supreme is Back on the Warpath (10/18/08)
Our good friend, rabble rouser and Shakespearean fool, Vermin Supreme, featured prominently in 1997's Subdue the Universe, is at it again. CNN's iReport features King of the Rats, a documentary short by Darren Garnick about Vermin's latest assault on Presidential Politics. Watch as Vermin (looking more and more like a Visigoth Fidel Castro) harasses Rudolph Giuliani, Dennis Kucinich, John Edwards, Barack Obama and John McCain.Here's what Darren has to say about Vermin:
"To say that renegade presidential candidate Vermin Supreme is Nostradamus with a boot on his head would be an understatement. Vermin prophecies revealed in the new 7-minute documentary short, "King of the Rats," include the rotten infidelity of John Edwards ("We have your bus surrounded! Come out with your arms up and your pants down!") and the brilliant pick of Hannah Montana as a running mate -- months before McCain picked the Alaskan Hannah Montana as VP (too many states in that metaphor?). Check out "King of the Rats" as part of CNN iReport's new on-line film festival."
If King of the Rats only whets your appetite for all things Vermin Supreme, more videos documenting "the Friendly Fascist's" career are available here.
Vote Vermin in 2008! ^ TOP
Brian Standing on WPT's Director's Cut (10/16/08)
Wisconsin Public Television's Director's Cut will feature a 30-minute interview with Prolefeed Studios founder Brian Standing.Director's Cut Broadcast Schedule
Main Channel (analog broadcast):
In a wide-ranging conversation, Brian and Director's Cut host Charles Monroe-Kane talk about the state of documentary film-making, the Prolefeed Studios Manifesto, the "karma" of low-budget collaboration, and show clips from Pedalphiles, War Is Sell and Counter Revolution. The show also features the broadcast premiere of Godzilla vs. Mega-Godzilla vs. Megalo-Godzilla, directed by Shea Galen Nunez Standing.Main Channel (analog broadcast):
- Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 10:00 p.m. CST
- Thursday, November 27, 2008 at 9:30 p.m. CST
- Friday, November 28, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. CST
- Saturday, November 29, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. CST
- Sunday, November 30, 2008 at midnight CST
- Monday, December 1, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. CST
For a list of local Wisconsin Public Television stations in your area, visit WPT's website. ^ TOP
Here, Kitty Kitty Now Available on DVD! (08/30/08)
Andy Beversdorf's directorial debut Here, Kitty Kitty is now available on DVD from Prolefeed Studios.
- Anthropologist Jerry Merriman on hunters vs. urbanites
- Cat activist Ted O'Donnell on growing up in rural Vermont
- Ornithologist Stan Temple takes a walk on the prairie
- Cat-trapper Gordon King on "the American Gestapo" and why he's so vehement
- Gun aficionado Mark Hansen on the history of the world through the study of ballistics and the story of the giant spool on his shooting range
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Here, Kitty, Kitty director Andy Beversdorf on Wisconsin Public TV (07/30/08)
Director's Cut, Wisconsin Public Television's new program about Badger State film-makers, recently interviewed Andy Beversdorf, director of "Here, Kitty Kitty." WPT's Charles Monroe-Kane and Andy have a lively discussion about feral cats, the shooting of the documentary and clips from the movie.
This episode of Director's Cut will air on both WPT's digital and analog broadcasts, across the Wisconsin Public Television Network (see below for schedule):
- Monday, 8/4/08 9:00 A.M. CDT - The Wisconsin Channel (digital broadcast);
- Thursday, 8/14/08 7:30 P.M. CDT - Main Channel (analog broadcast), and;
- Sunday, 8/31/08 6:00 P.M. CDT - Main Channel (analog broadcast).
Wild Turkeys by Shea Standing (04/11/08)
Shea Standing, director of 2004's Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla vs. MegaloGodzilla, returns to Prolefeed Studios with a 6-minute radio documentary on wild turkeys at the University of Wisconsin Arboretum. Wild Turkeys originally aired on WORT's (89.9FM, Madison WI) In Our Backyard on 4/9/08.Play Wild Turkeys now:
You can also download an MP3 file of Shea's report in 128kbps or 56kbps.
For more information about wild turkeys, including online audio recording of turkey gobbles, visit the Macaulay Library at the Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology.
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Prolefeed Studios blogroll: Phoenix Cinema (03/25/08)
Phoenix Cinema says right up front (right under the quote from Rainer Werner Fassbinder) that:"Phoenix Cinema is not meant to be a comprehensive site, so don’t expect to find reviews of the latest releases. Instead, you will find archived reviews of films, and I hope the categories feature proves useful to you. The categories reflect my tastes and interests, so my favourite directors, actors, actresses are listed here."
The primary author and film reviewer, who goes by the name "Tribe," indeed has iconoclastic and eclectic tastes. Films reviewed here include many that are new to me, and categories range from "Barbara Stanwyck" to "Documentary" to "militarism" to "Mae West," and, of course, "Fassbinder." There's also a category for "Favourite Film Lists," featuring suggestions from the likes of John Waters, Pedro Almodovar, Peter Greenaway and Cineaste. And -- although I quail at the thought of sitting next to (even if only electronically) such luminaries -- there is also a list from me of my favorite documentaries. Tribe did me the honor of asking me for a list of my favorite ten documentaries. I couldn't limit my choices to just ten, so I sent 12 instead, along with comments on each film.
While you're at the Phoenix Cinema site, be sure to check out the nice review for Here Kitty, Kitty, too. Thanks to Tribe and the other contributors to Phoenix Cinema for the opportunity to be part of such a fine resource. ^ TOP
Pip Starr, Rest In Peace (03/18/08)
Prolefeed Studios only belatedly learned of the January 22, 2008 death of Melbourne, Australia filmmaker Pip Starr.
More information about Pip and his untimely passing is available at Sydney's Indymedia website. Our deepest condolences to Pip's friends, colleagues and family. Pip left behind a powerful legacy of inspirational work.
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Archipelago's "A Thing of Wonder" on DVD (03/12/08)
Our friends at Archipelago Media recently announced the DVD release of "A Thing of Wonder," a fascinating look at octagenarian magician and philosopher Jerry Andrus.
While you're cruising around the Archipelago site, be sure to check out their other fine offerings, including "The Beautiful and the Fine," which was featured at the 4/23/04 Electric Eye Cinema.
Congratulations to Archipelago Media for their fine work.
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Press Galore for Here, Kitty Kitty (02/28/08)
Holy cats! The media response for tonight's premiere of "Here, Kitty Kitty" has been overwhelming!
Here's a quick rundown:
- Kristian Knutsen of the Isthmus Daily Page interviewed director Andy Beversdorf and videographer/editor Brian Standing at length on 2/26/08. (See Here, Kitty Kitty Claws into Cat Killing in Wisconsin for the entire interview.) Meanwhile, the paper edition of the Isthmus called Here, Kitty Kitty "...impressive... nuanced and well-researched."
- 92.1FM The Mic's Lee Rayburn interviewed Beversdorf and Standing about "Here, Kitty Kitty" on his Wednesday morning show on 2/27/08. (Go here for a downloadable or streaming podcast.)
- Madison's collaborative blog, Dane101, today features another interview with director Andy Beversdorf, penned by Katjusa Cisar. (See ScreenTest: "Here Kitty, Kitty" Director Discusses Shooting Cats 2/28/08)
- WORT 89.9FM's Tony Castaneda also interviewed Andy Beversdorf on this morning's 8 'O' Clock Buzz. (Go here for a streaming audio version, and here for a downloadable mp3 file of Tony's show.)
UPDATE: 3/14/08
And the accolades are still rolling in. Tribe from Phoenix Cinema just posted a very favorable review of Here, Kitty Kitty, calling it "...lively and thought-provoking... all fascinating stuff."
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