My Rainy Day Video List

Apparently, we are in for a true El Nino winter, which means really wet. The latest weather forecasts are calling for rainy weather all the way through spring. This means kids stuck inside their rooms at lunch, watching a video to keep them quiet.

I say, why stop there? If I could, I’d turn rainy days into spur of the moment film appreciation classes. Doesn’t have anything to do with P.E., but it would be fun.

Film is an art form. I studied Film in college. Back then, I wanted to make movies for a living. I made some short films in college, and still dabble in video now. Every time it rains and I see students stuck inside watching videos they’ve already seen, I think about films I’d like to show students. What follows is my rainy day video list.

Most of the films on the list are older ones that you probably haven’t heard of, let alone watched. Together they demonstrate the full power of the film medium and the many ways film can combine the use of images, words, sound and music to tell a story. All of them would generate lively discussion.

Some of the films on the list were chosen because their stories are unusual looks at certain periods of American history.

Others were chosen because they are based on unusual true stories.

One is a documentary which demonstrates film’s unique ability, through words and images, to tell an important but technical story in a way that is easy to understand and that hits with an emotional impact that books cannot.

Lastly, some were chosen because they are fine examples of film art, memorable not so much for the simple stories they tell, but for the way they tell them. These films are beautiful in their concept and execution, yet entertaining as well.

There were many films I wanted to put on this list, but I tried to keep it to 10. I didn’t quite make it, but the 11th film comes with an *.

Here’s the list:

10. Fly Away Home

The fact based story of a Canadian artist who uses his own ultralight aircraft to teach geese how to migrate. While the birds in this film are Canada Geese, the artist later used the ultralight to teach ancestral migration routes to human raised Whooping Cranes which had lost the migration instinct. Parts of the movie are kind of hokey, but the main actors are really good and the cinematography, especially the flying scenes, is beautiful

9. Jeremiah Johnson

The story of a mountain man in the American West during the 1840’s, this film is a good depiction of what it takes to survive alone in the wilderness and how, sometimes, a spur of the moment decision can have life long consequences.

8.  The World’s Fastest Indian 

The fact based story of Burt Munro, an eccentric old man (he made his own engine parts from gas pipes that he’d buried in order to “age”) who, at the age of 60, tried set a land speed record on a 45 year old motorcycle.

7.  Rabbit Proof Fence

Using untrained actors and shot on location along sections of the actual rabbit proof fence, this is a fact based story of two young Australian aborigines who are taken from their families to be trained as domestic servants. They escape from their school and try to walk back home – 1500 miles away.

6.  Searching for Bobby Fischer

A story about remaining true to oneself, this too, is a fact based film. This one’s about Josh Waitzkin, a young boy who discovers that he is a gifted chess player. His dad sends him to a famous chess tutor who believes that in order to be a champion one has to be ruthless and cruel.

5.  Little Big Man

A skewed and often funny story of the opening of the American West told through the eyes of Jack Crabb, the “sole white survivor of the Battle of Little Big Horn.” During the course of his long life, Crabb, 106 years old at the beginning of the film, was an eyewitness to several significant events that took place during the western expansion, including Custer’s Last Stand. This was one of the first films to portray Native Americans as socialized, intelligent humans instead of bloodthirsty savages. Stars Dustin Hoffman and features an unforgettable Chief Dan George.

4.  Any Film by Hayao Miyazaki

In an age where almost every animated film is made on a computer, Miyazaki films are still painted, frame by frame, by hand. The attention to detail in these films is amazing (check out the way smoke moves). The artwork is wonderful and all the stories have environmental themes. His most famous films are “My Neighbor Tortoro” and “Spirited Away”, but all of his films, including little known titles like “Nausicaa, Valley of the Wind” and “Castle in the Sky” are worth watching.

3.  Food, Inc.

This is a documentary that I think everyone should see. It’s about the American agricultural system and how much of the food we eat is produced, not with our health and nutrition in mind, but to earn the companies that produce it the most money. Companies strive to produce food as quickly and efficiently as possible with little regard to possible dangers. The consequences of these practices are sad, and very scary. Sounds boring, but the film is really powerful and very moving. If I had to show one film, it would be this one, for it contains a lot of talking points about nutrition, which is related to P.E..

2.  The Black Stallion

The film Wall – E was widely praised for its beautiful opening sequence which told us all about Wall – E’s world without a single word of dialogue. But, long before Wall – E, there was this film, the story of a boy and his horse. It is a true artistic masterpiece. This movie tells its story with images, sound and music and very little dialogue. Beautifully shot, with fantastic sound editing, it contains a 45 minute section in which there is no talking at all. Fantastic.

1.  The Duellists

This was the first film directed by Ridley Scott, who is one of my favorite filmmakers. After this film he went on to direct, among other films, Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma and Louise, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down and American Gangster. Scott’s films are always visually interesting and the cinematography in this film, particularly in its choice of settings and use of light, is exceptional. It’s the story of an ongoing feud between two officers in Napoleon’s army and a study in the ideas of honor, duty and obligation.

* Klunkerz

The second film I’d show you would be this one because it’s a documentary that is centered right here in Marin County. It’s about the invention of the mountain bike. It is a great story that not only takes place in Marin, but features a main character, Joe Breeze, who graduated from Park School. The film contains lots of actual footage from the 70’s and 80’s. It’s pretty amazing stuff. Unfortunately, also contains several scenes which may be inappropriate for kids. If I can figure out a way to skip those scenes, I’ll show it.