Peter Bogdanovich, an American film director, actor, screenwriter, writer, film critic and producer, was born in the summer of 1939 into a family of immigrants who fled from Europe to Kingston, New York, fearing a Nazi threat. Peter began his creative film career in the film industry as an actor in the 1950s, after which, while working in the cinema department of the Museum of Modern Art of New York, he wrote critical articles about films and scripts. After 18 years, he decided to try on the incarnation of the director, moved to Los Angeles. In 1968, Bogdanovich delivered two films at once - âJourney to the Planet of Prehistoric Womenâ and âTargetsâ.
Journey to the Prehistoric Amazons
The piquancy of the history of the origin of this painting lies in the fact that the basis for it was a carelessly mounted Soviet film âPlanet of the Stormsâ of 1961 crowned with laurels. It was previously used by Roger Corman, redone in "Journey to the Prehistoric Planet." And Peter Bogdanovich, having shoveled the film material, populated the creation of Corman by the Amazons. As a result, the names of Soviet artists were cut from the credits, they were re-sounded by American actors. The original shots of Planet of the Storms turned out to be something like a chronicle. In addition, the director took some special effects from another Soviet film, âThe Sky Is Calling." Nevertheless, the picture of Bogdanovich at the IMDb: 2.5 rating was called the "Public Domain of the United States."
According to the plot, the spaceship, heading for Venus, crashes. A new expedition is sent to the rescue of the crew. Members of the safely landed crew discover John, a humanoid robot who was part of the first group. Astronauts are faced with a variety of prehistoric creatures: giant insects, dinosaurs. In addition, it turns out that Venus is densely populated by sexy beauties in revealing bikinis.
"Targets"
When the now famous director Peter Bogdanovich was just starting his difficult and thorny journey in Hollywood, he was patronized by the âKing of Category B cinemaâ Roger Corman. With his participation, Peterâs full-fledged directorial debut was released - the film "Targets", which is, in fact, a low-budget second-rate product, but seasoned with a good spicy sauce. A paradoxical fact may be that in the late 60s. the movie was considered quite awesome. The âTargetâ turned out to be a real horror, the highlight of which was the scene of the massacre, two monsters intersected in it: an unknown monster in the flesh of Billy and Byron, embodying the monsters on the screen.
Peter Bogdanovich, whose films will later become classics of the genre, shocked the audience of the 60s, which had not yet been saturated with films about rampaging maniacs. The painting was favorably received by critics and became a springboard for Bogdanovich in a big movie.
Breakthrough
A real breakthrough in the directorâs career should be considered a youth retro drama with existential half-tones âThe Last Picture Showâ, released in 1971. The film received worldwide recognition after it was nominated for an Oscar in 8 categories, and won two of them. The film was called a furor of style, a celebration of respect for the old, black and white cinema, longing for irrevocably sentimental illusions, sensitive impulses, romantic desires. The title of the film âThe Last Cinema Showâ seems to encrypt the joy of meeting your favorite films (the movie contains elements of Vincente Minnelliâs melodrama âThe Father of the Brideâ, Allan Duonâs action movie âSands of Ivo Jimaâ, Howard Hawksâs adventure film âThe Red Riverâ) and the end of the film industry era, which is being replaced by TV.
Unrivaled Creator
Although 32-year-old Bogdanovich was nominated for an Oscar (Best Director), he did not receive the award, although the film was brilliantly and masterly delivered. It is impossible not to admire the amazing, in the style of old films, work of cameraman Robert Certificate. According to the assessment of world film critics, Kinoseance remained unsurpassed, the best in the uneven creative heritage of the director. He ideally fit into the initial cohort of sadly truthful and rebellious films shot in the period of 60-70s. The film was highly appreciated by the audience, the original budget of the film after being released was exceeded by 20 times. Many watchers recognized their own fates, worrying problems, in the skillfully stylized retro narrative of the youth of the 50s.
Fourth game movie
For the ex-film critic Bogdanovich, the beginning of the 70s was a time of global triumph. Retro-dramatic âThe Last Picture Showâ and an eccentric comedic tape âWhat's the matter, professor?â were highly praised by both the audience and film critics. In his fourth feature film, the director went further and mixed the tones of bitter nostalgia with an element of comedy in the best Hollywood traditions of the 30s. When shooting The Paper Moon, Peter Bogdanovich was guided by Frank Kapraâs social comedies, but made an explicit emphasis on the authenticity and accuracy of the brutal environment surrounding the main characters. In the spirit of the creations âTobacco Roadâ and âBunches of Wrathâ by John Ford, about which the director wrote a book and created a documentary picture.
The âPaper Moonâ in every way confirmed for the cinema community the directorâs commitment to the old black and white cinema. Bogdanovich undoubtedly managed to capture the spirit of the era, its illusion and hope on the screen. The skillful recreation of the style of ancient times - composition of frames, lighting method, imitation of the image faded from time - brought the film âPaper Moonâ a huge success at the box office.
Further career
After the director continued his creative career in different directions, he acted in films, resumed writing critical articles and books, directed about 30 more films. The most famous, in addition to those listed, are âMaskâ, âCrazy Scaffoldsâ.