Cinema Verite

We watched Cinema Verite  which literally means “Truthful Cinema” on HBO on Demand the other night after I read about it on one of my favorite blogs Cinema Style. If you are looking for something new and different to watch it’s well worth it to check this movie out.   In a nutshell, it’s based on a show called “An American Family” that was aired on PBS back in 1973 and is widely credited with being the “First Reality Show”.  It had never been done before but the cameras followed the Loud family from Santa Barbara, California.  It was supposed to be a glimpse into the life of the average American family but as the cameras roll, the viewer starts to see this family unravel.  It was ground breaking stuff.  One son was openly and proudly gay, the husband is unfaithful and out of touch, and the wife decides to use her moment in the spotlight to ask her husband for a divorce.  All of it captured by the cameras.  It was fascinating to watch and has made me now want to go dig up the original PBS series that the movie is based on.

 

Tim Robbins and Diane Lane play the parents and James Gandolfini, (completely unlike his Sopranos character) plays Craig Gilbert, the filmmaker with the then-unusual idea of recording someone's private life.  It’s fun to watch for the 1970’s fashions, style and decor alone.    As always, I am a little late to the party since this started airing back in April.  Did any of you see it already and what did you think?