I watched the clip below the other day, and it reminded me how much I loved the early films of director Hal Hartley: The Unbelievable Truth (1989), Trust (1990), and my personal favorite, Simple Men (1992). These films were so distinctively quirky with their deadpan humor;
the stilted, sometimes repetitious dialogue; the philosophical meanderings; the stylized acting. He often worked with the same group of actors in different films, including early work by Martin Donovan, Parker Posey, Edie Falco, Robert Burke, Bill Sage, and Adrienne Shelly. Hartley also often composed great soundtracks to his films using the pseudonym Ned Rifle. Hal Hartley was an early figure in independent film whose movies were truly unique. Unfortunately, I have to say for me his later films lost much of the charm of his early work.
One of my favorite scenes from Simple Men is this little impromptu dance sequence in an empty bar. Slowly the entire cast joins in dancing to the song “Kool Thing” by Sonic Youth. Every time I watch it, I just want to get up and dance with them. I think I need to go dig out my Simple Men DVD and watch it once again.
Musings & Amusings 