Two docs on Edward Said.

"In America, the left has been on the ropes for decades, so when an individual of [Edward] Said's intelligence and influence is lost, the continent of thought is significantly eroded. Thus, if for no other reason than it will stir memories of a man whose life was dedicated to the pursuit of humanitarian causes, Out of Place: Memories of Edward Said, a documentary by Japan's Sato Makoto, is a welcome arrival on the scene," writes Dan Jardine at the House Next Door.

The doc "is less a picture of Said himself than of the environments that shaped him," notes Ed Halter in the Voice, and Rob Humanick, writing in Slant, agrees. Edward Said: The Last Interview, on the other hand, is "a film with a setup so simple it shouldn't engage as deeply as it does," adds Halter.

Writing in the New York Times, Jeannette Catsoulis finds the second film "[f]ar more satisfying."

Posted by dwhudson at October 14, 2006 2:26 PM