Studs Terkel Movies
In many respects and on many levels, the name Studs Terkel and the concept of oral history are fully synonymous. An advocate of a concept he christened "guerrilla journalism," Chicago-based radio host and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Terkel believed that the greatest truths and insights about social and cultural history could be obtained through the rich, fond, detailed recollections of ordinary men and women who lived out various periods. Terkel also felt a direct obligation to preserve these memories and spent his life and work doing exactly that.A Bronx native, born in 1912 as the son of a tailor father and Polish immigrant mother, Terkel endured a fairly miserable childhood, given his father's status as an invalid and his mother's severe emotional problems that led to continual bursts of rage (and deprived her of any warmth). Terkel moved to Chicago with his family at a young age; after earning his undergraduate degree in philosophy and his master's in law from the University of Chicago but failing the bar exam, Terkel went through a succession of jobs, including a post at the Federal Emergency Relief Administration in Chicago and a stint as a treasury bond counter in Washington, then returned to Chicago and began authoring scripts for WGN radio and the Federal Writer's Project. At about this time, he also dropped his birth name, Louis, in favor of Studs -- a tribute to James T. Farrell's Studs Lonigan. Terkel endured a short stint in the military during WWII (capped off with a medical discharge), then subsequently found his greatest passion in radio, as a news writer, commentator, and broadcaster, and enjoyed a succession of assignments in this venue that attained enormous popularity with listeners and made him a Chicago icon. Politics frequently played a role as well, as Terkel seldom shied away from voicing his left-leaning tendencies and often turned up to espouse liberal causes -- though this led to some extreme complications during the McCarthy era.
Terkel arguably achieved his greatest legacy on radio via his contributions to the Chicago station WFMT, where he broadcast a daily hour of news, music, interviews, and commentary for over 45 years; in fact, he played an overwhelmingly significant role in turning that station into the bastion of fine arts that it eventually became. On the side, he also established himself as a highly respected author, with the said emphasis on oral history; titles include Division Street: America (1967), the Pulitzer Prize winner The Good War (1985), The Great Divide: Second Thoughts on the American Dream (1988), and Touch and Go (2007), one of two volumes of memoirs.
Cinematically, Terkel did the majority of his work as a participant/interviewee in documentaries, such as The Weavers: Wasn't that a Time! (1982), Michael Moore's The Big One (1997), and Mahalia Jackson: The Power and the Glory (1997), though he did play a small and memorable dramatic role as Chicago personality Hugh Fullerton in the John Sayles-directed baseball drama Eight Men Out (1988). Terkel died at age 96 in autumn 2008. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 2007
- Add Nice Bombs: A Journey Back to Iraq to QueueAdd Nice Bombs: A Journey Back to Iraq to top of Queue
Usama Alshaibi's documentary Nice Bombs: A Journey Back to Iraq follows the director as he visits his homeland for the first time in nearly a quarter century. He discusses how the country has changed since his childhood, and shows how the members of his family display their ease around the explosions that happen near their home on a regular basis. Their calm reaction to one of these incidents provides the film with its title. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Filmmaker Peter Miller explores the crimes, trial, and execution of notorious 20th-century anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti in a documentary that highlights just how this landmark case came to symbolize the injustice and intolerance experienced by immigrants longing to pursue their dreams in the land of the free. It was 1920 when Italian immigrant anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti were accused of murder in Massachusetts. Seven years later, when the jurors delivered their final verdict in a notoriously prejudiced trial, both men were condemned to death despite massive protests both in the U.S. and abroad. Eight decades later, as America continues to wrestle with issues of civil rights, immigrant liberties, and dissent, the case of Sacco and Vanzetti continues to resonate. In addition to balancing the personal and political aspects of the case as well as looking into the legal climate of the era, Miller's film brings the prison writings of Sacco and Vanzetti to life as never before as Tony Shalhoub and John Turturro read the deeply personal letters written by the pair during their ordeal. Additional music, artwork, poetry, and film clips inspired by the case propel the narrative by highlighting just what a lasting impression the Sacco and Vanzetti case has had on American culture. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Mark Wexler is a successful photojournalist who has also distinguished himself as a documentary filmmaker, but in many ways he has spent much of his life in the shadow of his more famous father, Haskell Wexler. One of Hollywood's greatest cinematographers, Haskell is also known as a director (he made the acclaimed feature Medium Cool as well as a handful of documentaries) and as a tireless political activist. But while Haskell is widely respected as a major talent, he's also known for being fiercely opinionated and difficult to work with, and Mark makes no secret of the fact that he's had a prickly relationship with his dad. Mark Wexler takes a detailed look at the life and work of Haskell Wexler in Tell Them Who You Are, which examines Haskell's career in the movie business, his relationship with his family (including his three marriages and his frequent lack of respect for Mark), and how he's viewed by his friends and peers. Interview subjects include Jane Fonda, Paul Newman, George Lucas, Michael Douglas, Milos Forman, Ron Howard, Dennis Hopper, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Haskell Wexler, Mark S. Wexler, (more)
- 2001
In the summer of 1968, cinematographer Haskell Wexler went to Chicago to shoot his first directorial effort, a drama about a television news cameraman who finds it difficult to remain objective about the events surrounding him. Wexler intended to use the National Democratic Convention being held in the Windy City as a backdrop, but as clashes between anti-war protesters and the Chicago police force became violent, Wexler and his cast and crew found themselves caught in the middle, and the violent skirmishes and their aftermath at once informed the film's content and became a vital part of its subtext. Look Out Haskell, It's Real! The Making of "Medium Cool" is a documentary that tells the story behind one of the most acclaimed and original American films of the 1960s; director Paul Cronin includes interviews with Wexler and many of the members of his cast and crew, while also featuring outtakes from the film recently discovered in storage at the U.C.L.A. film archive. A "work in progress" version of Look Out Haskell, It's Real!: The Making of "Medium Cool" was screened at the 2001 Edinburgh Film Festival on a double bill with a restored print of Medium Cool itself. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Haskell Wexler, David Sterritt, (more)
- 1997
- Add Mahalia Jackson: The Power and the Glory - The Life and Music of the World's Greatest Gospel Singer to QueueAdd Mahalia Jackson: The Power and the Glory - The Life and Music of the World's Greatest Gospel Singer to top of Queue
Mahalia Jackson was arguably the finest and most important performer in the history of gospel music; her rich and expressive vocal style proved massively influential, and she was the first African-American gospel artist to sell over a million copies of a record (with the superb "Move on up a Little Higher"), bringing sacred music to a wider audience than it had ever known before. Mahalia Jackson: The Power and the Glory is a documentary that examines the life and music of this watershed artist; author Studs Terkel and activist the Reverend Jesse Jackson share their memories of Jackson as a musician and a friend, and a number of rare film clips of Jackson performing are included, including TV appearances with Louis Armstrong and Dinah Shore. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Comedic documentary filmmaker Michael Moore takes his film crew throughout the U.S. for The Big One, a behind-the-scenes video diary of the promotional tour for his book Downsize This! He appears at several chain bookstores throughout the nation, signing autographs and delivering wicked political commentary to audiences. Along the way, he stops at various small-town parking lots and malls, gathering brief interviews with assorted Americans. Some of his interview subjects include an ex-convict who was hired as cheap labor for TWA airlines while in prison and a group of Borders employees who organize a union. Brief celebrity appearances include Garrison Keillor, Studs Terkel, and Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen. In his typical ambushing fashion, Moore makes several cleverly unexpected visits to people in powerful positions. One attempt finds Moore bringing laid-off working mothers to visit a local government official with the intent of cleaning his office to show that they want a job. In Centralia, IL, Moore visits the Leaf candy company, who plans to move their factories to Mexico, resulting in massive layoffs. The camera crew heads into their administrative offices and attempts to meet with the CEO in witty trademark fashion. Other corporate targets include Johnson Controls, Pillsbury, and, finally, Nike, where CEO Phil Knight grants Moore some dialogue. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Moore
- 1997
Two young women travel across the country in an old Saab armed with Hi-8 cameras, experience as Hollywood production assistants and a strong desire to capture the true character and spirit of the American people. Their journey leads Kristin Hahn and Shainee Gabel to interview a wide variety of people ranging from cultural and generational icons such as journalist Hunter S. Thompson to author Studs Terkel to actor/filmmaker Robert Redford to politicians Christine Ferrari and George McGovern to ordinary citizens, including a young gas station attendant, an aging waitress to local historians. As they progress, the woman discover that despite many modern problems, the optimistic American spirit is still alive. Other celebrities interviewed include U.S. Poet Laureate Rita Dove, independent filmmaker John Waters, country singer Willie Nelson, rap artist Chuck D.., rock singer Michael Stipe, and Native American activist and spokesperson Winona LaDuke. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Redford, Michael Stipe, (more)
- 1992
Harry Bridges is profiled in this historic video covering his years as first president of the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union as well as his socialist ties through the use of fill footage and interviews. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1990
Ken Burns' epic series begins with the causes of the Civil War in 1861 and ends with the war's aftermath in 1865. A combination of photographs, interviews, and narration create a sweeping historical documentary. Commentary and anecdotes by historian Shelby Foote add another level of authority to the film while providing the viewer insight into distant events and personalities. While Burns covers the major battles and personalities, he also emphasizes the plight of African-Americans and the common soldier. Each of the nine segments concentrates on a particular part of the war, allowing the viewer to isolate episodes of interest. For instance, episode five, The Universe of Battle, follows General Robert E. Lee into Pennsylvania for the devastating battle of Gettysburg. Social events are also given coverage. Each episode opens with a list of events simultaneously taking place around the world, while a more detailed treatment is provided for domestic affairs. Accounts of the draft riots in the North and famine in the South help to place the war within a larger social context. At the end of the nine episodes, Burns' ambitious series has offered a complete account of the causes of the war, the personalities of the generals and politicians who directed it, and the domestic and foreign events that shaped the war's outcome. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Movie Guide
Writer/director John Sayles' dramatization of the most infamous episode in professional sports -- the fix of the 1919 World Series -- is considered by many to be among his best films and arguably the best baseball movie ever made. This adaptation of Eliot Asinof's definitive study of the scandal shows how athletes of another era were a different breed from the well-paid stars of later years. The Chicago White Sox owner, Charlie Comiskey (Clifton James), is portrayed as a skinflint with little inclination to reward his team for their spectacular season. When a gambling syndicate led by Arnold Rothstein (Michael Lerner) gets wind of the players' discontent, it offers a select group of stars -- including pitcher Eddie Cicotte (Sayles regular David Strathairn), infielder Buck Weaver (John Cusack), and outfielder "Shoeless" Joe Jackson (D. B. Sweeney) -- more money to play badly than they would have earned to try to win the Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Sayles cast the story with actors who look and perform like real jocks, and added a colorful supporting cast that includes Studs Terkel as reporter Hugh Fullerton and Sayles himself as Ring Lardner. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Cusack, Clifton James, (more)
- 1984
This excellent documentary fills a gap in American history. It illustrates the role of thousands of Americans who left the safety of the United States at the end of the 1930s to fight against fascism in Spain. About 40,000 foreign volunteers from 50 countries were in the International Brigade, and the American Abraham Lincoln Brigade was a small part of that larger corps. The story of the American involvement is told with historical footage, newsreels, still photos, and other media, as well as interviews with survivors from the fighting. The soldiers who returned after the 1939 defeat of the Spanish Loyalists by Francisco Franco were blacklisted and unjustly accused of being Communists (there were many Communists in the International Brigade, and American Communists were among the leading opponents of fascism at the time). Many of the soldiers suffered for daring to fight for American ideals against a rising fascist army supported by Mussolini and Hitler. Interviews with a few of these soldiers reveal that some feel the Spanish Civil War bought time for the Western nations to prepare for World War II, others feel that the defeat of democracy in Spain was symptomatic of a repeating historical truth: the forces of greed and power regularly defeat humanistic aspirations and ideals. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Jane Fonda stars in this made-for-TV movie, which uses the backdrop of World War II and urbanization to tell the story of one woman's fight to keep her family together. Gertie Nevels (Fonda), the wife of a Kentucky sharecropper, wants nothing more than to one day own her own farm. Thriftily hiding her savings from husband Clovis (Levon Helm), she prepares to make her dream come true -- until Clovis summons her to come join him in Detroit, where he's gone to work in a factory to help with the war effort. Arriving with her children in tow, Gertie finds Clovis all settled into a tenement-like block house and living the life of a union man. Soon, though, the downside of urban life -- from monstrous neighbors and repressive schools to the pitfalls of the industrial landscape itself -- threaten Gertie's family both individually and as a whole. Despite Clovis' freewheeling way with money and his propensity to blame her for the family's problems, Gertie continues to save money. A lifelong whittler, she begins selling hand-crafted wooden dolls, and when the union goes on strike, Gertie finds herself supporting the family. Adapted from Harriet Arnow's novel by Hume Cronyn and Susan Cooper, who would go on to collaborate on the similarly themed Foxfire in 1987, The Dollmaker was directed by feature and TV veteran Daniel Petrie. It debuted on ABC on May 13, 1984, and earned Fonda an Emmy for her work. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
"I love to shoot film" is the sanguine motto of TV lensman John Cassellis (Robert Forster) in Haskell Wexler's 1969 Medium Cool, a semi-documentary investigation of image-making and politics. With his soundman, Gus (Peter Bonerz), John films such events as gruesome car wrecks with frosty detachment, considering himself a mere recorder of circumstances, his only responsibility to get his film in on time. Even his girlfriend, Ruth (Marianna Hill), cannot understand or penetrate John's complacency. Encounters with signs of the late '60s times, however, raise John's consciousness about the implications of his job, as he films a verbal attack by black militants on the media's racism, gets fired after he objects to having that footage turned over to the FBI, and meets Vietnam War widow Eileen (Verna Bloom). John witnesses the violence of the state firsthand as he and Eileen search for her son amidst the real-life demonstrations and riots at the 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention. Even though he realizes the political power of pointing a camera at anything, John finally cannot extricate himself or his loved ones from a culture obsessed with recording any sensational, gory incident. Scripted (from a novel by Jack Couffer), directed, and shot by Oscar-winning cinematographer and political activist Wexler, Medium Cool systematically questions the ideological power of images by combining documentary techniques such as "talking heads" and cinéma vérité with staged scenes between the actors. By the time Wexler and his crew start filming Forster and Bloom among the actual events at the convention, all barriers between fiction and fact are broken down, as Wexler's assistant can be heard warning, "Watch out, Haskell, it's real," when tear gas is thrown. The footage of cops clubbing people in the crowd is real, but Wexler's presence also turns it into part of a fictional story, revealing filmed "reality" to be as artificially constructed as any other fiction, subject to the interpretation of whoever holds the camera and, perhaps, to larger institutions of power.
Funding Medium Cool partly out of his own resources, Wexler had free reign during production, but when the execs at Paramount saw the result, they were not pleased. Despite the timely subject matter, Paramount delayed and then curtailed the film's release, tempering its impact on critics and audiences. Regardless of that record, Medium Cool stands as a vital late-'60s film for its incisive narrative and formal dissection of the visual politics of "truth," and its awareness of how coolly seductive televised violence might be as entertainment, especially in a historical moment marked by incendiary images of political assassinations, the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and counterculture protests. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
Funding Medium Cool partly out of his own resources, Wexler had free reign during production, but when the execs at Paramount saw the result, they were not pleased. Despite the timely subject matter, Paramount delayed and then curtailed the film's release, tempering its impact on critics and audiences. Regardless of that record, Medium Cool stands as a vital late-'60s film for its incisive narrative and formal dissection of the visual politics of "truth," and its awareness of how coolly seductive televised violence might be as entertainment, especially in a historical moment marked by incendiary images of political assassinations, the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and counterculture protests. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Forster, Verna Bloom, (more)
