Shorts, 2/18.

By David Hudson on 02/18/2009

"To properly sing [William] Wellman's praises (and they deserve to be sung) requires a shift in focus from the imagined man to an evident work," writes Andrew Tracy at Moving Image Source: "'Gallant Journey,' from 1946, one of the most moving and lyrical of American films, made with a gentle selflessness that stands at quite striking odds with Wellman's colorfully hard-bitten reputation."

Rick Poynor and Adrian Shaughnessy carry on talking movies at Design Observer.

"How did the Mekas brothers end up on the cover of a sci-fi mag?" Mike Everleth has the answer to that one.

"'Pa-ra-da,'" Marco Pontecorvo's moving feature film about homeless children in post-Ceausescu Romania, could be described as Europe's answer to the Indian rags-to-riches blockbuster 'Slumdog Millionaire,'" writes Elisabetta Povoledo in the International Herald Tribune. "Both are gritty urban fairy tales. But Pontecorvo's account of how a French-Algerian street clown, Miloud Oukili, used his circus skills to win over a bunch of gutter kids and create a circus troupe in 1993, which continues to perform today, is a true story that ends on a more starkly realistic note, although it is no less hopeful."

"The 1939 movie 'Stagecoach' created three icons: John Wayne, John Ford, and the 30,000 acres of glory on the Utah-Arizona border known as Monument Valley. It was a pioneering rancher, Harry Goulding, who brought Hollywood to his home, and helped shape America's vision of the West." Buzz Bissinger in Vanity Fair. Also: Elaine May fills out the "Proust Questionnaire."

The Oldest Established Really Important Film Club turns its attention to Volker Schlöndorff's "The Tin Drum."

It's Ken Annakin Day at Coffee coffee and more coffee; and it's Hitchcock Year at Shadowplay.

John McElwee begins writing about Loretta Young, and then segues: "I'm actually sparking up to the Tyrone Power fan base with today's post. Plenty are out there, as witness this site and that, both among the best tributes to any past luminary. One has a particularly lively and informative discussion group I enjoy following, this and other online evidence causing me to wonder if Tyrone Power isn't indeed top man among leading men of the Golden Age."

Evan Louison talks with James Gray about "Two Lovers."

Flickhead issues a call: Get "Slither," 1973, starring James Caan, on DVD: "Like so much product of the time, it defies easy classification. Is it a comedy? Road picture? Crime thriller? Well, yes and no on all counts."

DVD roundups: In the Voice, J Hoberman recommends "Rossellini's History Films" and an "excavated tele-treasure," the "1959 broadcast of the echt Hollywood novel that Hollywood never had the nerve to produce: 'What Makes Sammy Run?'"; Glenn Kenny is "of several minds" regarding the new Blu-ray of "The French Connection"; notes from Joe Bowman; at GreenCine Daily, Aaron Hillis hails "Moving Midway"; the DVD Savant covers four new titles; and the AV Club catches up with this week's releases.

Online census. It's "Contemporary English Language Film Judgement Day" at DC's.

Online viewing tip #1. Apichatpong Weerasethakul's "Phantoms of Nabua," via Todd Brown at Twitch: "I'm not certain how long this will be available online so get moving!"

Online viewing tip #2. Abel Gance's "La Roue," from Flicker Alley, is "a valuable release of an extremely influential and important film," writes Kristin Thompson. And she's Kevin Lee's first guest commentator "since the YouTube fiasco."

Online viewing tip #3. At Cinematical, Peter Martin recommends "A Century of Black Cinema."

Online viewing tip #4. "Steal This Film, the Trial Edition," via Waxy. Earlier: Parts 1 and 2.

Online viewing tip #5. Jason Kottke has Ray and Charles Eames's "A Communications Primer."

Online viewing tip #6. Jason Morehead has "Scintillation" by Xavier Chassaing.

Online viewing tips, round 1. "Director Michel Gondry and singer-songrwiter David Ford have announced the winners of of the first ever Babelgum Music Video Awards," reports Jason Guerrasio for Filmmaker.

Online viewing tips, round 2. Ben Tausig's "Tacky Souvenirs of Pre-Inaugural America" at Triple Canopy.

[Photo: William Wellman on the set of "The High and the Mighty," 1954]

Tags: Abel Gance, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, DVDs, The Tin Drum, William Wellman