"Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don't bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said, "It's not where you take things from - it's where you take them to." Director Jim Jarmusch


Director Ana Lily Amirpour has been compared to Jim Jarmusch. She may not be particularly happy about that fact as she is not an ardent fan of his work. I included the above quote, however, for two reasons. One, I think Jarmusch is absolutely right in what he says and it is excellent advice for any creative person. Two, Amirpour's work does contain a variety of influences, which are included in Jarmusch's list of inspirations.

Amirpour, whose family is Iranian, was born in Europe and raised in America. She studied art and painting, was in a band, and then attended film school at the University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA). She considers music an integral part of her screenplays; an idea that is reflected in her first feature, "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night". Amirpour has stated that limitations encourage creativity, which is a helpful point-of-view when you are working with low budgets. Amirpour's next feature, "The Bad Batch", will have a larger budget and recognizable stars, including Keanu Reeves and Jim Carrey. Due sometime in 2016, it is a love story set against the backdrop of a Texas wasteland inhabited by cannibals.

Regarding the world of classic film, Kirk Douglas turned 99 on December 9th. He celebrated, in part, by donating 15 million dollars to the Motion Picture & Television Fund. The money is for building a new facility called the Kirk Douglas Care Pavilion, which will provide care for people from the entertainment industry who suffer from Alzheimer's Disease. Douglas and his wife have donated a total of 40 million dollars to the Motion Picture & Television Fund, which provides health care and housing to those in need.


Here's the latest article from the Drama Movies site at BellaOnline.com.

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night Film Review
A horror/western/love story that features a female vampire and is set in Iran? You've never seen anything quite like Ana Lily Amirpour's genre-bending debut feature film.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art172726.asp

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