Starz Denver Film Festival: A Double Dose Of Docs Is A Good Time Warp

This is the fourth in a series of stories from the 2008 Starz Denver Film Festival. Both reviewed documentaries were shown November 14-15, 2008, at the Starz Film Center.For anyone old enough to remember when, and anyone else adventurous enough to travel back in time, the weekend screenings of Count Basie: Then As Now, Count’s The King and Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story filled the double-feature bill for doc lovers.Opening Credits

Count Basie: Then As Now, Count’s The King: 71 minutes; directed by Gary Keys; interview subjects included Ira Gitler, Frank Foster, George Lewis, Benny Powell, Frank “Magic” Wess, Joe Wilder.Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story: 86 minutes; produced and directed by Jeffrey Schwarz; interview subjects included John Badham, Diane Baker, Terry Castle, Roger Corman, Joe Dante, Darryl Hickman, John Landis, Leonard Maltin, Marcel Marceau, John Waters.Both films offer glimpses of two dynamic forces and master showmen from the 20th century by combining archival footage, classic photos, and interviews with those who knew them, loved them or were influenced by them. They’re fast-placed, quick-hitting blasts into the past lasting less than 90 minutes each, leaving you wanting more to explore on this nostalgia trip. That’s where most of the similarities end. Playing In The BandBasie, the piano-playing jazz legend who went on to become the swing king of the Big Band Era, is remembered by five cool scat-cat musicians (Foster, Lewis, Powell, Wess, and Wilder), who once played for the orchestra leader, and a jazz historian (Gitler) during a roundtable discussion at Elaine’s in New York. Music is the centerpiece here, with numerous numbers sharing the spotlight, from “Jumpin’ At The Woodside” in 1937 to “One O’Clock Jump” in 1951 to “April In Paris,” in 1974. The latter is part of a hilarious bit in Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles, where the band appears in the middle of Western nowhere and the Count “gives some skin” to the new sheriff in town, played by Cleavon Little.How Basie blended into the popular culture of the day is underscored throughout Keys’ film. He’s seen onstage with legendary singers Billie Holiday (“God Bless the Child”) and Billy Eckstine (“Stormy Monday”) and his music is featured in Jerry Lewis vehicles of the early '60s such as Cinderfella (“Cute”) and The Errand Boy (“Blues in Hoss’ Flat”), with the slapstick comedian conducting pantomimes to the Count’s tunes. Living A Scream Dream

Article Author: Michael Bialas

A newspaper editor and former college football player, Michael Bialas makes sports his business but exploring and reviewing music, movies, TV and other forms of pop culture are among the games he enjoys playing now.
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