Short Cuts

Monday, April 28 is the fourth Monday of the month, so that means it's time for the regular Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers (AIVF) meeting. The topic for this month's gathering, which is open to the public, is "Small Gauge: Super-8 and 16mm." The speakers include such knowledgeable sorts as Bill Daniel (filmmaker, photographer, experimental documentary film evangelist, and brother of local cinematographer Lee Daniel); Luke Savisky (film artiste noted for his visual accompaniments to music performances for music groups such as Poi Dog Pondering, Sixteen Deluxe, and Ed Hall); and Kris DeForest (representative of the Cinemakers Co-op, which is dedicated to the art of Super-8 filmmaking and promotes film screenings such as the recent "Reel of Fortune"). These monthly AIVF salons have been happening locally for a couple of years now and are said by the national office to be among the most successful gatherings in the country. The group is always seeking more participants, program ideas, and fresh blood, especially now since some of its longtime members and original organizers have begun to scatter from the Austin city limits. This Monday's meeting is scheduled for 8pm at the Electric Lounge (301 Bowie). For more info about this meeting or future events call 322-9707 or 469-1799... After reacquiring the rights to its award-winning CD-ROM title The Cartoon History of the Universe since its publisher Putnam New Media folded, the local multimedia developer Human Code has upgraded its award-winning CD-ROM adventure, added some new features (online games and chat capabilities), and has begun selling the new hybrid over the Web. You can sample two of the games and make purchases at their website: http://www.humancode.com... One of my favorite recent website discoveries is Harry Knowles' locally produced Ain't It Cool News (http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com). The dedicated work of an ardent movie fan and collector, the site is a hotbed of insider gossip about upcoming movies, especially many of the big special effects, sci-fi, disaster, monster, comic book, and fantasy adventures beckoning on the summer film horizon. Knowles' cadre of industry moles is ever-growing and it's been fun to watch this site develop over time as it has grown in international popularity. Granted, much of the info is unfounded hearsay and wishful speculation, but it's all conducted with the true heart of a dedicated and knowledgeable fan. Knowles' daily coverage of last summer's Quentin Tarantino tour of Austin is unequaled in its detail, and the site's recent April Fool's Day hoax caused many a delightful double-take... Impressively, three projects by Austinites will be screening at the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival over the next couple of weeks: The Box by Janice Inskeep, The Haircut by Viet Nguyen, and Worthy Mothers by Jessica Anne Bega. We wish them the best of luck... The Austin Film Society's Cinema Fist series screens Sam Fuller's startling 1959 film Verboten!, Tue., April 29, 7pm, Union Theatre. In Fuller's American-occupied post-war Germany, love and hate battle it out for their places in our hearts. Rarely has a titular exclamation point been more deserved.