A young artist living in new york, tries to make a living sketching passersby on the street. The childs father has been killed in a robbery, so lane begins a long, lonely search for the kids next of kin. With charles lane, nicole alysia, tom alpern, edwin anthony. Sidewalk stories 1989 cast and crew in this almost entirely silent film, a homeless artist charles lane is forced to play surrogate parent when the father of a young girl nicole alysia is. Sidewalk stories 1989 charles lane cast and crew allmovie. Sidewalk stories proves one thing off the bat, that lane is a very good director that didnt get his fair shake, but if the film has a huge flaw is that lane the actor isnt as strong enough to carry out the kind of performance this film he has designed needs. The film was shot in black and white and tells the story of a young african american man raising a small child after her father is murdered. Apr 19, 2019 sidewalk stories debuted at cannes, where it reportedly received a standing ovation, before promptly fading into prolonged, unfair obscurityit was unavailable on home video in the us until 20. Driving miss daisy won the academy award for best picture.
Sidewalk stories has continued to be screened in theaters throughout europe since its 1989 release. A black and white silent film thats an homage, and somewhat mutated. But for some reason, the movie never got a release on video at least in north america right after its theatrical release. For charles lane, the film boosted a career that had been. Trust fidati trust, regia di hal hartleyfilm muto wikipedia. Touchstone proposed a twopicture arrangement, beginning with the featurelength film true identity.
A movie featured at roger eberts film festival, ebertfest originally known as the overlooked film festival. Director charles lane reflects on sidewalk stories and. The sound of applause greets lanes new silent movie. To see lane enjoying tender scenes with his child is to see a void in silent movies retroactively filled, a racial context consciously and unconsciously omitted from the classic era, and film history in general. Sidewalk stories 1989 produced by rhinoceros productions and distributed by island pictures, sidewalk stories 1989 starred charles lane who also directed, produced, wrote, and edited the film is an homage to charles chaplins the kid 1921, although not, according to lane, a remake. R by hal hinson washington post staff writer november 22, 1989 charles lanes sidewalk stories is a silent comedy set in the world of the homeless. Charles lane reminds us that story telling through film can still be original. Arguably sidewalk stories most profound revisionist success is that it asks audiences to. It is a blackandwhite silent movie, set amongst the poverty and homelessness of greenwich village. He survives on his meager means and has found refuge in an abandoned building. Top comments sidewalk stories does not have any comments yet. Nearly silent comedy filmed in black and white follows a street artist charles lane, who rescues a baby after her father was murdered. Fortunately, its not the only modern film to take an artistic risk and go the silent route. Preservation resource center prc has been preserving, restoring, and revitalizing new orleans historic architecture and neighborhoods since 1974.
Watching this movie photographed in new york city in 1989, i found. Sidewalk film center and cinema is an organization in birmingham, al that encourages and promotes film. Africanamerican mime artist charles lane directed and starred in this ultralowbudget film. Sidewalk stories is a 1989 american lowbudget, nearly silent movie directed by and starring charles lane. It is one of two films in cinema history that is truly silent the other film is f. Find movie and film cast and crew information for sidewalk stories 1989 charles lane on allmovie. Sidewalk hosts the annual sidewalk film festival, are soontobe owners of the sidewalk cinema, and sponsors yearround programming directed towards those who make and appreciate film.
In addition to a general lack of industrial support for black independent filmmakers, perhaps the films unflinching, alltooreal depiction of a. Both witty and tender, charles lanes gorgeous black and white comedy pays tribute to the silent film era, with a score composed by marc marder. If you think that the clowning and sentimentality of a chaplinesque movie are unsuited to the time and place then perhaps you dont know your chaplin. Sidewalk stories is a 1989 independent film written, directed by, and starring charles lane. The very real deprivation thats evident in this film s graffiticovered settings mr. He reluctantly takes the girl and looks after her in his makeshift home while trying to find her mother. Lanes silent film first was introduced at the cannes film festival where it received the. Ultimately he ends up in a horse drawn chase of the murderers. Lane settled with island pictures on a three film deal that included the distribution of sidewalk stories. Sidewalk stories 1989 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Restored version charles lane is a director that i had never heard of before.
A homeless artist lane lives in an abandoned building and sketches sidewalk portraits to earn money. Sep 12, 2014 sidewalk stories 1989 sidewalk stories takes place in and around washington square, which in 1989 was a tough neighbourhood going through a tough time. The acting is so expressive, you swear you can hear the dialogue. Sidewalk stories follows the success of a place in time, mr. Its a charming chaplinesque story of a homeless street artist who adopts a child. Lane plays a chaplinesque homeless individual with a talent for sidewalk chalk art, who finds himself caring for an abandoned baby. The times sidewalk stories weaves a spell as powerful as it is entertaining.
The artist then sets off to find the mother, but has to first learn how to care for the child. The instant success of sidewalk stories led to contract offers from both island and touchstone pictures. He wrote, directed and starred in 1989 s sidewalk stories, a blackandwhite feature about a homeless street artist who becomes the guardian of a small girl after her father is murdered. Director of sidewalk stories to discuss his silent film at. Tr lets get this part right up front sidewalk stories, the first feature by charles laneis a flatout brilliant piece of work. Nov 03, 1989 the very real deprivation thats evident in this film s graffiticovered settings mr.
A rare contemporary silent film, shot in beautiful blackandwhite in downtown new york, sidewalk stories updates chaplins the kid, the tale of a tramp whose life is transformed after he begins to take care of an orphaned toddler, to a modern context. Jan 02, 2014 charles lane, his daughter nicole alysia, and sandye wilson on the set of sidewalk stories, 1989. Thanks to being programmed at ebertfest, february being black history month, and the dvd being. Released by antilles in 1989 7 9212 containing music from sidewalk stories 1989. Sidewalk stories, the silent comedy by charles lane fandor.
And when it finally got released on dvd a couple of years ago, all the video stores were gone. Twenty years before the artist, sidewalk stories portrays the. A young artist living in new york, on the fringes of the financial district and its rushing crowds, tries to make a living. An ambitious but sadly misguided attempt to make a contemporary silent comedy which opts for simplistic plotting, sentimentality and mime as it tells. Lane shot sidewalk stories quickly, in real new york locations, in harshly cold weather is a far cry. Without theatrical distribution the film vanished until its 2014 restoration by the cineteca di bologna at limmagine ritrovata. Sidewalk stories 1989 in this almost entirely silent film, a homeless artist charles lane is forced to play surrogate parent when the father of a young girl nicole alysia is murdered. Throughout its history, prc has acted as an advocacy agent on a local, regional, and national scale, spreading the word about the citys rich architectural heritage and the economic importance of preserving this heritage. Overview of sidewalk stories, 1989, directed by charles lane, with nicole alysia, darnell williams, trula hoosier, at turner classic movies. Click through the gallery for 15 of the best modern films with barely any dialogue. The film was shot in black and white and tells the. Lanes sidewalk stories is a unique homage to chaplin, with a social message dealing with the stereotype of the homeless. Lane uses the character of the tramp for comedy but also as a literal representation of a homeless man without being overly sentimental or heavy handed.
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