Page 12 - aruba-today-20220509

a12 people & arts
Monday 9 May 2022

Scorsese presents a buried gem and a

pitch for cinema's past

says Schoonmaker, speak-
ing recently by phone.
"And here is this movie that
lifts your heart."
Shortly after seeing "I Know
Where I'm Going," Powell
visited Scorsese, who en-
couraged Schoonmaker
to come along to dinner.
They hit it off and by 1984
were married. Powell died
in 1990; Pressburger in 1988.
Ever since, Schoonmaker
and Scorsese's have dedi-
cated themselves — when
they're not making films
Thelma Schoonmaker appears at the 92nd Academy Awards (they're currently finishing
Nominees Luncheon in Los Angeles on Jan. 27, 2020, left, and
Martin Scorsese appears at the 2020 AFI Awards in Los Angeles the edit on "Killers of the
on Jan. 3, 2020. Flower Moon," an expan-
Associated Press sive crime film for Apple
about the 1920s murders
By JAKE COYLE Where I'm Going!' many in Oklahoma's Osage Na-
AP Film Writer times since then — so many tion )— to restoring Powell
NEW YORK (AP) — While times, in fact, that I've al- and Pressburger's movies.
Martin Scorsese and Thelma most lost count — and I'm Scorsese recently signed
Schoonmaker were holed always moved and always on to narrate a documen-
up in an apartment cutting surprised every time, and tary on their films. For years,
"Raging Bull" — an intense I'm held in suspense right Schoonmaker has been
process that would have up to those amazing final combing through Powell's
consumed the thoughts of moments." diaries with the hope of
most filmmakers — Scors- On Monday, Scorsese and publishing them.
ese told his editor to take a the film restoration non- "I inherited that," says
break. He had a movie he profit he founded, the Film Schoonmaker, Scorsese's
needed to show her. Foundation, will launch a celebrated longtime edi-
"He said, 'You have to see new virtual theater, the tor. "Michael, when he
this one,'" recalls Schoon- Film Foundation Restora- died, left a little furnace
maker. tion Screening Room. Ev- burning inside of me. What
Scorsese was by then al- ery month, for one night keeps me going is loving
ready a passionate fan of only, films that have been and trying to get other
the films of Michael Powell restored by the Film Foun- people to love his work."
and Emeric Pressburger, dation will be presented in How much can come
the British filmmaking duo free online screenings ac- from loving an old movie?
known as the Archers. He companied by discussions For Schoonmaker, the an-
considered Technicolor from Scorsese and other swer is almost everything.
films like "The Red Shoes," filmmakers. The screening Scorsese's passion for the
"The Life and Death of room begins, naturally, with Archers' movies inspired
Colonel Blimp" and "A the restoration of "I Know Schoonmaker's own, and
Matter of Life and Death" Where I'm Going!" in turn led to the love of her
to be masterpieces. But Since it was released in the life.
he had held off watching waning days of World War "It was Marty's passion
their 1945 black-and-white II, "I Know Where I'm Going!" for film history that made
Scottish romance, "I Know has played a unique role in this all happen," she says,
Where I'm Going!" fearing it the hearts of moviegoers. chuckling.
might be "a lighter picture." It isn't the most celebrated The Film Foundation, which
Something about that ti- Powell and Pressburger collaborated with the Brit-
tle. And besides, just how film, nor is it regularly listed ish Film Institute on the "I
many masterworks could on all-time lists. Instead, it's Know Where I'm Going" res-
Powell and Pressburger a movie that tends to be toration, has restored more
have made? shared moviegoer to mov- than 925 films, preserving
Yet Scorsese was coaxed iegoer, like a cherished wide swaths of film history
into screening it with his gift or family treasure. It's a and picking up the slack
friend Jay Cocks the night buried gem that anyone of many of today's film stu-
before shooting began on who's ever seen it wants to dios, who have showed
"Raging Bull." tell everyone about. "You less interest in preserving
"I couldn't have been more have to see this one" is how cinema's past than keep-
wrong," Scorsese recalled most conversations about ing pipelines of new "con-
in an email. "It was funny, "I Know Where I'm Going!" tent" flowing. "At this point,
it was exciting, it was truly begin. they're not film companies
mystical and it was deeply "At the end of the war, peo- anymore, but vast media
stirring. I've seen 'I Know ple had suffered so much," conglomerates. q