djwester Reviews

With Love from Truman (1966)

Fantastic Introduction to the Maysles's theories of film-making

[8/10 · 16 February 2005]

This short documentary on the author Truman Capote is a rare find. Anyone reading will most likely have trouble finding it, unless there's an independent video store near them. (For those in the Los Angeles area, there's a copy at Cinefile in Santa Monica.) Besides being a compelling look at a bizarrely self-absorbed and idiosyncratic author, it is also a effective reflection of the Maysles influential film-making style and theories. Truman Capote sums up his "In Cold Blood", a novel about of non-fictional murder case, as being "fictional non-fiction." In this style, he tells a non-fiction story using all the techniques of classical literature and poetry. The Maysles famous films, Grey Gardens, Salesman, and Gimme Shelter, all capture documentary material in a dynamic, cinematic manner. Gimme Shelter is a great example of this, turning the simple concert film into a look at individual's politics, stardom, influence, and murder. Their use of sound/image juxtaposing goes far beyond normal journalism, even in television's "A visit with Truman Capote", with its effective scenes in which Capote reads excerpts from his novel as images montage of people effected by the case, the landscape in which this all took place, and even the interiors of Capote's living spaces. This is a great little half-hour for a bored afternoon. Enjoy.