The Daily Notebook and the Annual Film Festival

Edinburgh International Film Festival has commenced!

But first, The Forgotten, and a silent clown / special effects genius awaits your discovery (with video) over at The Daily Notebook.

Screening today in Edinburgh, I AM BREATHING, the emotionally devastating — but ultimately life-affirming and often funny — documentary by my friends Morag McKinnon and Emma Davie (6pm, Filmhouse 1). It deals with the slow death of an exact contemporary of mine from Edinburgh College of Art, Neil Platt, who was diagnosed with motor neuron disease. He wrote an amazing blog about his approach to the end, and left this filmic record of his existence partly as a way for his infant son to eventually know him.

Also showing (8.55, Cineworld) another friend’s film, DUMMY JIM by Matt Hulse, which I haven’t yet seen but I’m sure going to. I trust the sensibility. Hope to see some of you there!

What else? Oh yes — limericks of FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN, here and (co-authored) here. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the site!

What I Couldn’t Tell Tag Gallagher

Victor McLaglan in John Ford’s THE INFORMER christens John Ford expert Tag Gallagher.

On a related note, please head over to The Forgotten. Because it’s Thursday.

Inn Trouble

Claude Autant-Lara’s L’AUBERGE ROUGE is unrelated to Jean Epstein’s earlier film of the same name. Now that we’ve got that sorted out, you can head over to The Forgotten and see what the fuss is about. Upon seeing the Autant-Lara, Fiona immediately added it to her favourite films list. We’re also dying to learn anything we can about the anonymous actor cast as the movie’s monkey.

The film is a variant on the Sawney Bean legend, and apparently based on a true case of serial-killing innkeepers in France. The comedy is black, the snowscapes are white, and Fernandel is looking a little off-colour.