The 50 Year Argument
The 50 Year Argument | |
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Running time | 97 mins. |
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Language | English |
The 50 Year Argument is a documentary film by
The film uses a combination of archival footage, quotes from the Review and contemporary interviews to give a view of the coverage of the journal over its half-century of publication, focusing on how its writers and editors have approached the larger issues of the day. Reviews of the film have been mostly warm.[2][3][4]
Description
The 97-minute film is a "hop-scotching journey through the NYRB's history".[5] Scorsese and Tedeschi "delve into the journal's eventful fifty-year history, from its emergence during the writer strikes and Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s through to the Arab Spring uprisings in Egypt, Libya and Syria. ... [They] aim to offer not just an overview of the Review's half-century history, but also seek to highlight some of the newsworthy events that the magazine has covered in-depth since its conception. ... [I]t's the monumental clashes of intellect that really capture the imagination."[6] They "present a fascinating account of a publication that defies the modern culture of news reporting"[7] but "avoid probing its political character beyond saluting a broad interest in human rights ... a few dissenting voices among the cheerleaders might have added a little necessary grit."[3] The film's title "is a reference to how the ... publication has so frequently exposed stories less reported and made challenges to the mainstream during its time."[8]
"Anchored by the old-world charm" of the editor of the
Silvers said of the Review as a documentary subject: "The book review sounds like it might be quiet, but it can be extremely intense and revelatory. It can have a lot of power – or that's what you hope for."[10]
Production and release
To help celebrate and memorialize the 50th anniversary of the 1963 debut of The New York Review of Books, Silvers approached Scorsese, who is known as an avid reader of the Review, with the idea to make a documentary about the paper. Scorsese said, "I have learned so much over the years from The New York Review of Books – it's given me so much that I jumped at the chance to make this film ... a film about the adventure of thought, and, as
The documentary screened as a work in progress at the
Reception
Press reviews at the early screenings were generally favorable, noting that the filmmakers captured the two key factors of the magazine's half century: its long-form reviews of the great books of the time, and its independent take on political and historical events.[2][3][4][7] Some reviewers felt that Scorsese and Tedeschi were noticeably well disposed to the Review. The Hollywood Reporter called the film "a warm, engaging, celebratory love letter from one New York institution to another" but commented on "the irony of a film that champions serious criticism without containing any serious criticism itself."[3] The English newspaper The Guardian concurred, observing that Scorsese and Tedeschi "are here to celebrate the magazine, not challenge it. It's testament to their skill, as much as the NYRB's commitment to good stories, thoroughly told, that you find yourself rooting for the staff."[7] Variety, though concurring that the film "comes mainly to lionize", remarked that it successfully encapsulates the paper's origins and first years, its modern day-to-day operations under Silvers, and a detailed examination of the Review's most important articles and contributors.[4] The Times said, "Scorsese's nose for mafia-style feuds works well in this study of the literati who inhabit the Review's august and book-tsunamied offices in New York's Village."[2]
An
References
- ^ "The 50 Year Argument (2014)". BFI. Archived from the original on August 13, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
- ^ a b c Muir, Kate. "Shining a light on a near extinct breed – At the Sheffield Doc/Fest, cinema is falling in love with the literary documentary", The Times, June 9, 2014
- ^ a b c d e f g Dalton, Stephen. "The 50 Year Argument: Sheffield Review", The Hollywood Reporter, June 7, 2014
- ^ a b c Foundas, Scott. "Film Review: The 50-Year Argument", Variety, July 1, 2014
- ^ a b Thrift, Matt. "Sheffield Doc/Fest 2014: The New York Review of Books: A 50 Year Argument" Archived June 25, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Little White Lies, June 7, 2014
- ^ Green, Daniel. "Sheffield Doc/Fest 2014: The 50 Year Argument review", Cine Vue, June 9, 2014
- ^ a b c d Barnes, Henry. "Sheffield Doc/Fest 2014 review: The 50 Year Argument – Scorsese's love letter to old media", The Guardian, June 7, 2014
- ^ Morris, Brogan. "The New York Review of Books: A 50 Year Argument Review", WeGotThisCovered.com, June 14, 2014
- ^ Wilner, Norman. "Review: The 50-Year Argument", NOW, January 21, 2015
- ^ Cooke, Rachel. "Robert Silvers interview: 'Someone told me Martin Scorsese might be interested in making a film about us. And he was'", The Observer, The Guardian, 7 June 2014
- ^ Sebastian, Pradeep. "Fifty, Going Strong", The Hindu, September 6, 2014
- ^ Odegard, Dave. "Exposing the New York Review of Books: Q&A with HBO Doc Director", Word and Film, September 29, 2014
- ^ "Martin Scorsese premiere for Sheffield Doc/Fest", BBC, May 8, 2014; Roddy, Michael. "Scorsese says NY Review film meant as guide to young" Archived February 26, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Chicago Tribune, February 15, 2014; and Han, Angie. "Martin Scorsese Has a New York Review of Books Doc Premiering in Berlin", Slashfilm.com, January 28, 2014
- ^ Brady, M. Michael. "The 50 Year Argument premiere in Scandinavia", The Foreigner, June 12, 2014
- ^ "Masters: The 50 Year Argument", Jerusalem Film Festival, accessed September 12, 2014
- ^ Feinberg, Scott. "Telluride: The 50 Year Argument Continues In the Rockies", The Hollywood Reporter, September 2, 2014
- ^ Vognar, Chris. "Chris Vognar unpacks highlights of the Toronto International Film Festival, including Wild and Whiplash", Dallas Morning News, September 12, 2014
- ^ Volmers, Eric. "Around the world with the Calgary International Film Festival: Full lineup announced", The Calgary Herald, September 2, 2014
- ^ The 50 Year Argument, Film Society of Lincoln Center, accessed September 9, 2014
- ^ Thompson, Anne. "HBO Dates Scorsese Doc on New York Review of Books, The 50 Year Argument", IndieWire.com, August 11, 2014
- ^ Blair, Gavin J. "Tokyo Film Festival to Feature Special Screenings of The Expendables 3 and Martin Scorsese Doc", The Hollywood Reporter, September 19, 2014
- ^ Knelman, Martin. "Scorsese takes a break from the Mean Streets in The 50 Year Argument", Toronto Star, January 20, 2015
- ^ Thompson, Anne. "Watch: How Martin Scorsese Juggles Projects Like The 50 Year Argument", Indiewire, September 23, 2014
- ^ Abolafia, Michael. "NYFF: Review of The 50 Year Argument", Brooklyn Magazine, September 29, 2014
- ^ Stuever, Hank. "The 50 Year Argument: A celebration of words that mattered — and still do", The Washington Post, September 28, 2014
- ^ "50-Year Argument explores history of New York Review of Books", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 28, 2014
External links
- The 50 Year Argument at IMDb