More documentary promotional web sites need the treatment that Errol Morris’ The Fog of War got. Of course, more documentaries need to see the big screen more often and audiences need to accept that documentaries often rival the dreck of fictional films that are slung at us below the belt. Anyhow, The Chopping Block deserves praise for their web design.

It goes without saying that you’ll enjoy Morris’ The Fog of War. Good design even extends into his documentary. While good design does not replace good story telling, documentary would be stuck in much of the state it continues to be without him as a guiding light for up and coming filmmakers.

The New Yorker has a late review. And NPR’s Terry Gross interviews Morris about his style of documentary filmmaking and provides further context of The Fog of War. The Apple Quicktime trailer here.

The New York Post reports on Morgan Spurlock’s new documentary, Super Size Me, that recounts the 30 days Spurlock’s body went on an all fast-food diet.

Within a few days of beginning his drive-through diet, Spurlock, 33, was vomiting out the window of his car, and doctors who examined him were shocked at how rapidly Spurlock’s entire body deteriorated.

“It was really crazy - my body basically fell apart over the course of 30 days,” Spurlock told The Post.

His liver became toxic, his cholesterol shot up from a low 165 to 230, his libido flagged and he suffered headaches and depression.

This man dedicated his body and health to make the story happen, bravo! Not that we recommend you, in any way, put your health in danger to break into documentary filmmaking – there are already enough Discovery-channel shooters out there imperiling themselves with alligators, grizzly bears, and what-not.

Wired reports on Jonathan Caoette’s documentary, Tarnation, that premiers at Sundance this week. The total cost for the film: $218.31. The film was made from a collection of VHS home movies, photos, audio tapes, and super-8 film and edited on his boyfriend’s Apple iMac using Apple’s free editing software, iMovie.

“People told me, ‘Why don’t you throw iMovie away and graduate to Final Cut Pro?’ But iMovie is so easy,” Caouette said. “I didn’t know any editors, didn’t know anyone in the film industry. Everything that has happened with this film has been an explosion, and happened so quickly.”

Nina Hassin’s Dancing Chicken’s of Ventura Fabian is part of Documentary Educational Resources Fiscal Sponsor Project. Below is an update on the project from Nina Hassin

The Visiting Mexicans Artists Program was a resounding success. Oaxacan woodcarvers Ventura and Norberto Fabian and project director Nina Hasin visited 18 sites in the Boston area from Oct. 23-Nov. 14, 2003. They included residencies of six days at the Cambridge Public Schools, four days at the Chelsea Public Schools, two at the Boston Children’s Museum, and three days at Buckingham, Browne & Nichols. We also gave presentations at Governor Dummer Academy, Culture for Kids at Club Passim. The Fabian carvings were exhibited at Nomad Gallery and the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center as part of their annual Day of the Dead Celebration.
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Congratulations again goes to John Marshall and his film A Kalahari Family. Recently it was accepted into the 12th Annual Pan African Film Festival. The film festival takes place at the Magic Johnson Theatre in Los Angeles from February 5-16. More information about the festival and screening dates here.