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15:48

Filmmaker McElwee Documents Family Tobacco Ties

Ross McElwee has made a career out of filming his life. He's made seven feature-length documentaries, including Sherman's March, Time Indefinite, Something to Do with the Wall and Six O'Clock News. His latest film is Bright Leaves about his family's connection to the tobacco industry. His great-grandfather created the brand of tobacco known as Bull Durham. McElwee is a visiting lecturer at Harvard University's Department of Visual and Environmental Studies.

Interview
20:37

'Open Water' Filmmakers Wrangled Budget, Sharks

Filmmakers Chris Kentis and Laura Lau talk about their new film Open Water. The movie is based on the true story of an Australian couple who went scuba diving and then were left stranded by their charter boat. The low-budget film was shot on hand-held digital cameras, without a crew, and with real sharks. In fact the filmmakers placed the two actors in the water along with the sharks, with the help of a shark handler.

27:44

Writer Jerry Stahl on Fatty Arbuckle

His new book, I, Fatty tells the story of vaudeville and early film actor Fatty Arbuckle. In the early 1900s, he was more popular than Charlie Chaplin and became the first screen actor to make $1 million a year. But in 1921, Arbuckle was accused of the rape and murder of a young actress. Many have called the crime, Arbuckle's presumed guilt, the subsequent trial, and his eventual acquittal Hollywood's first celebrity scandal. Stahl is also the author of the best selling memoir Permanent Midnight, which was adapted into a film by the same name.

Interview
32:00

Film Director Adam McKay

McKay directed the new movie Anchorman, starring Will Ferrell, about a news anchor from the 1970s and his wacky adventures when a female anchor joins the staff. McKay was the head writer for Saturday Night Live from 1997 to 2001. During that time, he made a number of short film segments. Anchorman is his first feature-length work. McKay was one of the founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade comedy troupe. He's an alum of the Second City Improv in Chicago and also had many bit parts on SNL.

Interview
42:46

Director and Actor Mario Van Peebles

His new film is Baadasssss! It's the story of the making of 1971 classic Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. In the film, Mario Van Peebles plays his father, director Melvin Van Peebles. Mario got his start directing and starring in the film New Jack City. Other acting credits include the role of Malcolm X in the film Ali, and a role in Ten Thousand Black Men Named George, about the unionization of Pullman train porters.

Interview
22:13

Documentary Interviews Failed Suicide Bombers

Filmmakers Israel Goldvicht and Tom Roberts went inside Israeli prisons to examine the minds of suicide bombers. Their documentary, Suicide Bombers, is part of the PBS series "Wide Angle." They spoke with three failed bombers, one bomb builder and one recruiter. The show premieres Thursday, July 1, on PBS.

21:55

'Godzilla' Returns

Steve Ryfle is a former Los Angeles Times reporter. Fifty years ago Godzilla, Japan's giant radioactive reptile, made his first film appearance. Japanese director Ishiro Honda made the original Godzilla movie in 1954. The film is coming back to theaters in a new uncut version. Ryfle's book about Godzilla is Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of 'The Big G.'

Interview
19:42

Critic John Powers on Cannes

Our critic-at-large, John Powers, just returned from the Cannes Film Festival. He talks with Terry about the films he saw there, including Michael Moore's documentary, Fahrenheit 9/11, which won Festival's highest prize, the Palme d'Or. It was the first documentary to win since 1956.

Interview

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