Displaying items by tag: RJ Cutler

MARTHA

US, 2024, 115 minutes, Colour.

Martha Stewart.

Directed by RJ Cutler.

In the later decades of the 20^th century, most Americans knew the name, Martha Stewart. She had become a significant “influencer”. Not so well-known outside the United States, but influential with her range of magazines and her company, the focus on “Living” and how best this could be done in the US context are American women and home keepers, especially in the changing feminist perspectives of the 20^th century.

For non-Americans, there was a general awareness of Martha Stewart and her high profile. So, it was something of a shock when in 2004 she was in court, sentenced to prison and serving her sentence.

This documentary, well written and directed by RJ Cutler (many documentaries, especially an insightful portrait of comedian and actor, John Belushi), offers us a portrait and study of Martha Stewart. Because of her high-profile, there is a great deal of newsreel footage over the decades, and especially her television presence and her shows. No lack of photo material. No lack of people able to comment.

But, the major advantage is a long interview with Martha Stewart herself (the later 70s) which forms the core of the documentary, Martha Stewart in her own words, and the audience able to look at her, listen to her, note her reactions, note the body language, hear the intonations. She herself made some objections about the documentary itself and what was included and what was excluded. (Not favourable to her final aged image very happy with the first half of the film.)

There is the expected material about her childhood, comfortable in New Jersey, intelligent and smart, modelling, commercials, in the mid and late teens, her being an enterprising young woman, her marriage, studies, pregnancy and child, but her being strong-willed and determined.

For audiences who want more background to Martha Stewart, the Wikipedia article is quite extensive and detailed.

With Martha Stewart herself giving the commentary as well as all the media that can be drawn on, the audience sees her career as a stockbroker on Wall Street, her moving into the catering business, being a shrewd businesswoman, many saying she was very difficult to work with, developing all kinds of advice for American women and their households, cooking to gardening, her move into writing, the link with the Time company, books and range of magazines. By 2000 her company, Omniliving, went public, Martha Stewart the billionaire.

For those familiar with the charges of insider trading, this documentary spends a lot of time with explanations of Martha Stewart’s friendships and connections, developments of drugs and medication, deals, collapses, her decisions about selling stock, the charges. And, there is a great deal about the trial itself, her reaction, her presence, sentence.

While she was imprisoned for five months,, finding it difficult, she nonetheless survived and made the most of it. And, in the coming years, sometimes retiring from public view, she recovered, emerged, the documentary spending a lot of time on her role at a Roast for Justin Bieber, her taking over, her humour, her relating to the younger generation, the connection with Snoop Dog at the Roast and then teaming with him for a television show, showing that in her 70s, she was not prepared to look back and that you connect with the younger generation!

So, RJ Cutler presents this portrait of Martha Stewart, very much in her own words, very much in the images of her, the American dream of success, her fall but, nevertheless, recovery.

(A very good insight is provided by film reviewer, Owen Gleibman Variety: marketing the Martha personality: the self-empowered WASP goddess, direct and imperious, with an eerily serene grin of beatific power. She was a woman who glowed, who peered at the world through an upscale glaze. Those familiar with Carl Jung and personality types, and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Martha Stewart could be a powerful example of the Type, ENTJ, the type shared, it is suggested, by Margaret Thatcher, Pope John Paul II, D Roosevelt, Steve Jobs…)

BELUSHI

US, 2020, 108 minutes, Colour.

Directed by R.J.Cutler.

John Belushi, actor, comedian, singer, died at the age of 33. He made quite an impression during his short life.

This documentary was highly praised as a portrait of the actor. The director was able to get the permission of Belushi’s wife, Judy, initially reluctant, a great deal of documentation, as well as having access to video material, film material, television programs and interviews. The film uses the device of the audience seeing the literal writing of the letters to Judy.

The film moves backwards and within Belushi’s life and career, highlighting his family background, migrants from Albania, his early talent in performance, comments made by members of his family including his actor brother, Jim Belushi.

In the United States, Belushi became very well-known by his participation in the initial years of Saturday Night Live – with scenes of his work with Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, and, especially Dan Aykroyd. And, at the same time, the various opportunities he took for improvisation and comedy, and singing with a band. This is very much the case during the 1970s and into the 1980s.

Will Belushi appeared in small roles in a number of films, he made an impact in an Animal House. His stage show with Dan Aykroyd, The Blues Brothers led into his most famous film – with some excerpts including with Aretha Franklin, Carrie Fisher with some comments. Interestingly, British director, Michael Apted comments on his performance in a very different role in Continental Divide. His final film, Neighbours, was not a success.

And, interspersed throughout the documentary are comments about his personality, his way of life, his exuberance, his relationship with Judy, with the rest of his family, the pressure of being in the limelight, his moods, leading into alcohol and especially drug addiction.

And, the film shows how he lived in the final years of his life, sometimes alone, with others, depression, drugs, leading to the overdose.

For audiences interested in American comedy in the second half of the 1970s, on television, in film, on stage, this is a strong memoir.

In 1989, actor Michael Chiklis appeared as John Belushi in the film Wired.