Cool Hunting

By Michael Talbott

Every self-respecting cinephile has most certainly seen the haunting 1962 "La Jetée," Chris Marker's new-wave meets sci-fi classic of post-apocalyptic Paris time travel, but few outside film students and obsessive arthouse attendees have had opportunity to catch any of his roughly 40 documentaries. Self-described as the “Best-Known Author of Unknown Movies,” the unavailability of Marker's work has been a tragic gap in dire need of filling.

With the launch of their new DVD line, Icarus Films looks eager to correct the situation via inaugural releases of four Marker discs showcasing his unique brand of essay film.

"The Sixth Face of the Pentagon," a first-hand account of the 1967 march on the Department of Defense building, is packaged with The Embassy, a fictional short depicting a group of political subversives seeking asylum following a military coup.

"The Last Bolshevik" documents Soviet filmmaker Aleksandr Medvedkin and is part of a two-disc set that also includes Medvedkin's 1934 silent film "Happiness."

Though the official street date for these DVDs isn't until 2 September, Icarus Films has allowed the Wexner Center for the Arts exclusive pre-release sales of these titles via their Chris Marker Online Store.