Hartley s typically wry, witty and inventive contribution to haut et courts millennium series envisages christ donovan reluctantly sent by dad to. Hal hartley has been at work for a quarter of a century and his films still seem like fresh discoveries. Buy the book of life dvd from amazons movies store. The book of life 1998 hal hartley, martin donovan, p.
A romantic mirage from the ruins of the 1990s american independent movement, which still has fans if no financiers, trust is a treasure, an. Jun 05, 2019 trust, hal hartleys absurdist romance set in 1990 bluecollar long island, starring the soyoung martin donovan and adrienne shelly, blooms in a sparkling new 35mm print, under the auspices of the everambitious chicago film society. In contrast, hal hartleys the book of life 1998, takes a rather different approach, playfully toying with the imagery. Hal hartley is an american filmmaker, writer, director, producer, and composer who has made twelve feature films since 1988. A leader of the 1990s american independent filmmaking movement, writerdirector hal hartley was one of the most distinctive cinematic talents to emerge at the close of the 20th century. When i had opened the fifth seal i saw the souls of those who had. Hartley has created for our viewing pleasure a highly provocative tale complete with a wellconceived script, taut and pointed dialogue and a mesmerizing soundtrack ranging from urban, industrial sounds to bittersweet melancholy.
Jan 12, 2020 the book of life 1998 hal hartley, martin donovan, p. He is best known for his films the unbelievable truth, trust, simple men, amateur and henry fool, which are notable for deadpan humour and offbeat characters quoting philosophical dialogue. It is december 31, 1999 and new years eve takes on new meaning when the devil, jesus christ, and christs assistant magdelina discuss and debate the. Part of a european project on views of the millenium, hartley submits a film that only an american could make. This was hartley s first longer video piece using the rough impressionistic distortion techniques hed developed through the mid 1990s. Indie film pioneer hal hartley on why the dream of the. Hal hartley is the most original and talented independent filmmaker of the last 25. The book of life short film, true fiction pictures, 1998 kimono short film, 2000 no such thing an adaptation of beauty and the beast, metrogoldwynmayerunited artists distributing corp. The book of life 1998 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. The book of life presents an unrelenting kaleidoscope of fastmoving images and hearpounding music that perfectly captures a technodriven. Shot on digital video for a french series celebrating the year 2000, the book of life doesnt have the sort of glossy production values going for it that make movie buffs exclaim thank god lawrence of arabia is finally on dvd. It is very slick, due in part to his use of digital film. Before there was dogma there was the book of life, hal hartley s satirical take on the book of revelations, y2k, and the end of the world as we know it. But writerdirector hal hartley s evergrowing number.
With martin donovan, pj harvey, dave simonds, thomas jay ryan. Hal hartley directed this french comedy about the second coming of christ. Close behind was another indie pioneer, jim sheridan, who made his daniel daylewis. The book of life, an american animated film directed by jorge gutierrez and produced by guillermo del toro, set against the mexican day of the dead holiday.
The book of life hal hartley 1998 set on the eve of the millennium december, 31, 1999, hal hartleys the book of life manages to send up the notion of the apocalypse in hartleys typically offbeat way. His work has been showcased at film festivals such as sundance, cannes, berlin, toronto, rotterdam, melbourne, sydney,and countless others. Hal hartley born november 3, 1959 is an american film director, screenwriter, producer and composer who became a key figure in the american independent film movement of the 1980s and 90s. Henry fool may have reached for a lot more than it could grasp, but independent figurehead hal hartleys followup doesnt even have high ambitions to excuse its failures. Hal hartleys the unbelievable truth was nominated for the grand jury prize at sundance in 1989. Both are shorter films shot on hidefinition videothe look of both films is a. It stars martin donovan as jesus, and pj harvey as mary magdalene. With pop musical the book of life, hartleys first dv film, featuring donovan as the resurrected christ returned to earth via jfk airport on the eve of the new millennium, and pj harvey as his assistant, mary magdalene. A movie i had been searching for, for years because of this awesome quote i heard in a jedi mind tricks intro. Hal hartley celebrity profile check out the latest hal hartley photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. Harvey, dave simonds january 12, 2020 the end of the millenium has taken on a certain significance in modern day prophecies. Watch the book of life, the independent film by hal hartley fandor. Watch the book of life online vimeo on demand on vimeo.
The music complements the scenes perfectly and the soundtrack makes a great cd too. Hartleys typically wry, witty and inventive contribution to haut et courts millennium series envisages christ donovan reluctantly sent by dad to. In this pioneering critical overview of his work and its culturalhistorical context, mark l. The book of life, a 1998 film directed by hal hartley. Hal hartley is considered one of the most significant contributors to the american independent cinema that flowered in the late 1980s and that now occupies a very important place in the american film landscape. Apr 21, 2014 a movie i had been searching for, for years because of this awesome quote i heard in a jedi mind tricks intro. While a gambler and a waitress talk with satan in a hotel bar, jesus arrives at jfk airport with magdalena. Ornstein, paul albe, don creech, hal hartley, the book of life 1998. Trust, hal hartleys absurdist romance set in 1990 bluecollar long island, starring the soyoung martin donovan and adrienne shelly, blooms in a sparkling new 35mm print, under the auspices of the everambitious chicago film society.
The book of life jesus christ shows up in new york on the last day of the century to begin the end of the world. Sisters of mercy short film by hal hartley starring parker posey. This was hartleys first longer video piece using the rough impressionistic distortion. In this darkly comic retelling of the apocalypse, jesus martin donovan. In the film, jesus returns to earth on the eve of the new millennium planning to bring about the apocalypse, but finds himself surprisingly enamored of humanity. In the film, jesus returns to earth on the eve of the new millennium planning to bring about the apocalypse, but. Made in digital video blown up to 35mm, this film is part of the french. It is december 31, 1999 and new years eve takes on new meaning when the devil, jesus christ, and christs assistant magdelina. Hal hartley is the only american director to contribute to frances collection 2000 seen by series, a group of onehour tv films about the end of the millennium.
Combining the deadpan aesthetic of buster keaton with the lean economy of robert bresson, his films are arch comic explorations of truth, communication, and desire. First in our series exploring different sides of isabelle hupperts career is hal hartleys charming amateur. This was hartleys first longer video piece using the rough impressionistic distortion techniques hed. The cinema of hal hartley columbia university press. Berrettini discusses seven of hartleys feature films, including the unbelievable truth, trust, simple men, amateur, henry fool, fay grim, and the book of life. Imagine that time reached its end and now the world must end. What happens if jesus christ has second thoughts about the apocalypse.
As a companion piece to hal hartleys movie the book of life, this soundtrack is actually a bit of a curiosity at just under 58 minutes. Martin donovan and pj harvey in the book of life 1998 martin donovan in the book of life 1998 pj. The only american entry in frances collection 2000 series of millenniumthemed fare, the book of life is a glib exercise in kooky obscurantism the cinematic equivalent of hearing someone laugh at his own joke. The biggest change is that the original indie film business doesnt exist anymore. Hupperts affecting performance, written specifically for her, evokes the pop art crime films of the french new wave, and is one of her finest contributions to englishlanguage cinema. Independent, individualistic, idiosyncratic, and indefatigable, he defies all known pigeonholes, and this balanced, wideranging collection marks a welcome new stage in the exploration of his work. The book of life by hal hartley, martin donovan, pj harvey. Information and translations of the book of life in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web.
As a companion piece to hal hartley s movie the book of life, this soundtrack is actually a bit of a curiosity at just under 58 minutes. Before there was dogma there was the book of life, hal hartleys satirical take on the book of revelations, y2k, and the end of the world as we know it. The book of life imagines jesus returning to earth in 1999 accompanied by pj. Imagine you are jesus and you are sent to destroy everything because its part of gods plan. Mark l berrettini since the late 1980s, hal hartley has challenged standards of realist narrative cinema with daring narrative constructions, character development, and the creation of an unconventional visual world. Hal hartley has written and directed 12 feature films since his acclaimed 1989 debut, the unbelievable truth. In the book of life, he gives a playful, irreverent and quite. Book of lifegirl from monday by bill sage, martin donovan. The similarities between hal hartleys sophomore film and his debut are. Both the book of life and the girl from monday are presented with dolby digital 2.
One of the most significant contributors to the american independent cinema that developed over the late 1980s and 1990s, hal hartley has throughout his career created films that defy convention and capture the stranger realities of modern american life. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Popularly associated with the american independent filmmaking scene of the early nineties, he went on to write and direct such films as no such thing 2001 for united artists and fay grim 2006 for hd net films. And, as frightening as it was to admit, all deserving of forgiveness. Only an hour long film and you feel like it told you material worth for 10 hours. The film, which is shot on digital video, follow jesus martin donovan as he wanders around manhattan, pondering whether or not he. Theres really a difference from the earlynineties films through the late nineties to now. The end of the millenium has taken on a certain significance in modern day prophecies. Book of life, in the jewish and christian religions, a book in which god records the names of the righteous the book of life sinclair novel, a 1921 novel by upton sinclair the book of life harkness novel, the third of the all souls trilogy by deborah harkness the book of life, a collection of short stories by stuart nadler the book of life.