Consider it a mini-trend in this column thus far for the new year. We kicked off ’09 covering a project outside the spotmaking world that is near and dear to director/editor Larry Bridges of Red Car–a series of video conversations with leading authors as part of the National Endowment of the Arts’ Big Read initiative (SHOOT, 1/30).
This time around we explore a project that director Danny Levinson of Moxie Pictures describes as being “close to my heart”–Uneven Fairways, a documentary that he wrote and directed, and which recently debuted on The Golf Channel with repeat airings scheduled. Pete McDaniel (who is author of the book Uneven Lies) was a co-writer of the documentary which tells the story of African-American golfers who were not allowed to compete in PGA tournaments so they went off on their own and formed the United Golfers Association with competitions on mostly tattered municipal courses. Sponsorships were non-existent, there was little or no prize money yet these players, mostly men but some women as well, golfed for the love of the game.
In many respects there are parallels to baseball’s now legendary Negro Leagues, particularly in terms of many of the players having the talent to compete at the highest professional level but not permitted to do so because of their skin color.
Levinson interviews many of the forgotten African-American pioneers of the game, as well as today’s greatest star, Tiger Woods, who credits his very career to the players who proceeded him by decades, including Charlie Sifford, James Black, Pete Brown, Charles Owens and untold others.
Woods observed that if not for them, his father would likely have not had access to the game, meaning that Tiger in turn would never have gravitated towards golf.
Uneven Fairways not only interviews these unsung sports heroes but captures stories of others who helped to break the color barrier on the links, including California Attorney General Stanley Mosk who played with Sifford at the Hillcrest Country Club. Mosk saw Sifford’s talent and said that if the golfer played that well at an upcoming PGA tourney at the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles, he’d have a chance to win.
Sifford informed Mosk that the PGA has a Caucasian-only rule which prohibited him from competing. Mosk contacted the PGA and said if they continued to enforce that rule, they would have to move the tournament out of the state. At first the PGA planned to do just that but the public attention brought the NAACP and others into the fray. Sifford got to compete in the California tournament and holds the distinction of being the first African-American to receive a Tour Card. He became known as the “Jackie Robinson of golf.”
Moxie Pictures produced Uneven Fairways, which was executive produced by The Golf Channel.
From a business standpoint, said Levinson, the project also represents a bit of a breakthrough as commercial production houses look to diversify. Moxie and The Golf Channel are sharing revenue, partnering on distribution and can feel gratified about shining the spotlight on an important, otherwise overlooked part of civil rights history.
“Se7en” Turns 30, Gets A Special Restoration From David Fincher For Its Re-Release
For David Fincher, seeing “Se7en” in 4K was an experience he can only describe as harrowing. That or a high school reunion.
“There are definitely moments that you go, ‘What was I thinking?’ Or ‘Why did I let this person have that hairdo’?” Fincher said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
He’s OK with the film being a product of its time in most respects. But some things just could not stand in high-definition resolution.
“It was a little decrepit, to be honest,” said Fincher. “We needed to resuscitate it. There are things you can see in 4K HDR that you cannot see on a film print.”
Ever the perfectionist, he and a team got to work on a new restoration of the film for its 30th anniversary re-release. This weekend the restored “Se7en” will play on IMAX screens for the first time in the U.S. and Canada, and on Jan. 7, the 4K UHD home video version will be available as well.
The dark crime thriller written by Andrew Kevin Walker and starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman as a pair of detectives looking for a serial killer was somewhat of a career-reviver for Fincher, whose directorial debut “Alien 3” had not gone well. “Se7en” was not a sure thing: It was made for only $34 million (and only got that when Fincher managed to persuade studio execs to give up $3 million more). But it went on to earn more than $327 million, not accounting for inflation, and continues to influence the genre.
Fincher has over the years overseen several restorations of the film (including one for laser disc) but decided this needed to be the last. It’s why he insisted on an 8K scan that they could derive the 4K from. He wanted to ensure that it wouldn’t have to be repeated when screens get more... Read More