Film Montage from "Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession" (2004)

[paintedturtle]

Dude i friggin love you! I've been waiting so long for someone to upload this! your fuckin awesome and i wish you a long and happy life

[lucap75]

The magic and nostalgic ending of a moving and beautiful documentary.

The end of a brave and unique experience.

I will never be grateful enough to those who made the documentary and the channel itself.

[lovemylogics]

Was Z-Channel carried by LA cable or was it a broadcast over-the-air subscription service like "ONTV" and "SelecTV" - or was it sent via Microwave antenna?

[fmac904]

Does any one know the source of the clip that is shown in the doc just before the Women on the Bus clip. I've got the dvd, but that clip doesn't seem to be listed among the 52 clips listed. thanks

[hanshotfirst1138]

The Important Thing Is To Love is STILL hard to find.

[CarlOlav]

The best movie is right there; at 00:54

[theglamorousoutcasts]

thank you for posting this...i've been looking for this version of the song everywhere! this is more convenient than watching & rewinding the segment on my recorded copy

[ucantinjaaninja]

someone needs to name every film! by the second

[edgayer]

Your wish is my command. The list is at the bottom of the video description box. Click "more info" there.

Actually, I had always intended to do that once I had a complete list, but two clips remain unidentified and as time went by I eventually neglected to post what I had.

[ucantinjaaninja]

you are a prince!

[hanshotfirst1138]

Did you ever figure out what they were?

[marneedear]

THANK YOU!

[Hackerzero2k]

I love this scene1 Thanks!

[bluntsafety]

I have not heard this Bill Atherton version from the Gatsby soundtrack in 30 years. Thank you!

[wayofthecass]

Hey can you tell me the name of the film shown in the clip at 00:44 with the little girl dancing on the hill in the sunset and the clip directly after that which has some great camera work and I presume is French.

Also the one with the guy with the shades at 01:43. Thats such a cool shot.

Thanks.

[edgayer]

My pleasure.

0:44 "Black Orpheus"(1959, Camus) - three kids and a guitar

0:49 "La Strada"(1954, Fellini) - Giulietta Masina

1:40 "8½" (1963, Fellini) - Claudia Cardinale & Marcello Mastroianni

[edgayer]

There's two clips in this montage that I have not been able to identify. If you know which film either of the following clips are from, please send me a message or post a comment. Thanks.

0:26 - two children with green umbrella

2:05 - nude woman in sand

[wayofthecass]

As for the documentary....I enjoyed it. It has been on Sky movies in the UK a lot over the past 3-4 months. I'll be honest and say as I live in the UK I had never heard of the Z Channel before I saw it. It was important in reviving and restructuring underrated greats like "Heaven's Gate" and "Once upon A Time in America". Jerry Harvey was ultimately a cruel self loathing alcoholic though. I felt that came across strongly.

It was directed by Xan Cassavetes daughter of the late great John.

[edgayer]

Thanks for the two replies which add valuable information. I suspect that most people hadn't heard of the Z Channel unless they lived in the LA area or were connected to the cable TV industry. And yes, Jerry was not a nice guy. He loved movies more than people, and that's shown with the really curt answers he gives to interviewers in the doc. I should probably find a more accurate term for him than "mad genius" since that carries the "weird but likable" connotation.

[wayofthecass]

For me this is the finest rendition of this song. And yes it is somewhat bizarre that it was sung by Atherton who went on to star in such films as "Ghostbusters" and as you pointed out "Die Hard". Indeed it was a few years before he even became a film actor. For anyone who is interested the Atherton version is from "The Great Gatsby"(1974) which starred  Robert Redford.