Clint Eastwood: Out Of The Shadows [2000] [DVD]

I have recently regained my interest in Clint after re-watching Unforgiven again. It really is such a perfect film. So I got a copy of OUT OF THE SHADOWS to learn more about him (as I found most of the biography books way too dry). The doco is well paced and informative. It covers most of his films in alot of detail. Its first half is dedicated to him as an actor and the second half's focus is on his directing. I enjoed this half the most, a new director like myself could learn alot from old Clint. He is a very gentle and quiet director, who lets his actors find their character without stepping in too much. He is very matter of fact and down to the point and he just loves films. Like when he was being directed by Segio Leone and Don Siegel, unlike most actors, he never left the set because there was way too much to learn from watching these great directors work.

This DVD is great not only as a source of information on such an inspiring man, but also as a wealth of tips on how to direct.

I only deduct one star because there is not enough interviews with the mystery man himself and because I wanted to see way more of him actually working on his films (instead of finished famous scenes from his films).

This man deserves way more acknowledgement from the Oscars. They should definantly give him an honarary life time acheivement award real soon. Because whether he's acting or directing, nobody in film, can say so much with so little words.

You know who you are. Maybe (like me) you recall him from his early days on television. I was a kid then but I remember how handsome he was, so rugged, so mysterious.
What I've always found fascinating about Eastwood is how people didn't foresee the fact that this man had staying power, that he could be more than a stereotype (although I think he allowed himself to be stereotyped for awhile and made big bucks doing so; not the dumbest move around).
Watch this documentary, though, and try to think beyond the comments of the reviewers. They have worthwhile points but take them as a starting point for reflecting on Eastwood's career and about when he veered from Westerns and Dirty Harry type roles to even more daring movies. He has continued to evolve from actor to director and...what takes my breath away and serves as inspiration for me...is how, at his age, he is able to stay on top of the game, with the chops to direct Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby. I think he's surprised even himself but that, of course, is just a wild guess.
Anyway, this documentary is a must for Eastwood fans and will provide new facts as well, even for those who think they know it all, as well as a divergence of opinions (feel free to disagree with any or all of them). After watching this, do your own research or just go back and go through his films from the early years onward. While you are at it, get a track of Sergio Leone music (just trust me on that one; see below):

The Sergio Leone Anthology (A Fistful Of Dollars / For A Few Dollars More / The Good, The Bad And The Ugly / Duck, You Sucker)

Letters from Iwo Jima (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Flags of Our Fathers (Widescreen Edition)

Million Dollar Baby (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Mystic River (Widescreen Edition)

As always the product came in good condition,good quick delivery and has a good length of footage for the money too!