For the longest time, I had been unaware of a great filmmaker. As a child, I had unwittingly seen, and enjoyed, one of his early Disney collaborations: a TV-movies entitled Selma, Lord, Selma. Then, about a year ago, I was re-introduced to Charles Burnett through his seminal feature film Killer of Sheep. The film is one that can be considered a truly American Independent film. Burnett's work has always evoked connections to the Italian neorealists for his open portrayal of characters and documentary-like approach to filmmaking. His use of natural light, naturalistic (many times improvised) dialogue, and location shooting added to this "independent" style of cinema.
In Killer of Sheep, his use of sound is incredible. The music choices, which caused many problems upon the release of the film as the producers could not secure the rights to many of the songs, give life and set mood in a piece that has no real specific narrative direction. The use of diegetic sound also enhances the state of wandering in and out of people's lives.
(Image Courtesy of Creative Commons)
I was excited to receive the news that Charles Burnett would be speaking on the Hopkins campus en route to his speaking engagement at the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. Instead of showing Killer of Sheep (which was shown at the National Gallery along with When It Rains, a short film that Burnett mentioned was one of his favorite works he's done), he screened Nightjohn, another Disney-commissioned made-for-TV movie.
Here is Burnett introducing his film:
Although the film can be very Disney-esque, there are moments of brilliance that allow Burnett's style to shine through. One of these moments comes early on in the film when Sarny's mother is sold. The young Sarny stands motionless as the wagon toting her mother pulls away. The camera is mounted on the
wagon and rattles along, giving a perfect point of view shot. While much of the film follows a sleek, Hollywood style, this raw aesthetic sneaks its way into the film and harkens back to Burnett's earlier work. Burnett also respects the locations in which the characters live. This is another tell-tale of his creative sensibilities.
(Image Courtesy of Creative Commons)
For a film that is pretty predictable – save for its brutal portrayal of slave life in the South - with its
sweetness, moments of horror, and little bits of humor, it is engaging enough to sit through for its 92 minute runtime.
The lengthy Q&A came to a close with Burnett trying to encourage the filmmakers in the audience to go out there and make films – this after an extensive discussion of how independent cinema is in decline and money is scarce. But Burnett’s encouragement comes not from his words, but from his works, leaving a legacy of inspiring films for young filmmakers.
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