Montrose Pictures

Billy Corgan

2011-08-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

We interviewed Billy Corgan last week in Highland Park at Art Shay's wife's bookstore. Billy was great, linking the Chicago that is no longer with us, the people that he grew up with, and the importance and emotional impact of Algren's work. We also interviewed Art and his wonderful wife, Florence, on their remembrances of Algren! Here's Billy, Art Shay and Michael Caplan in front of the bookstore. Stay tuned for some video clips!

Kickstarter campaign starts

2011-06-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

Algren's Collages and the 13 Chapters

2011-04-12T10:03:00.000-07:00

One of the most stunning discoveries we have found in the Algren archive at the OSU Library are the multiple collages that Algren created on his own. They all deal with his interests, from boxing to women (of course), to bar culture. They incorporate photos from magazines, and often text from his own writing. The attached collage is about strippers, and it brings together his writing and his real life, which were always one and the same.

The approach that we are taking to the Algren documentary incorporates Algren's collages, using them as chapter headings for his life. His life was his writing, and vice versa. He visualized his subjects, literally, even as he wrote the words that created the beautiful/ugly worlds that he inhabited. Enjoy this first teaser. More will be coming in the months to come.

Work in Progress

2011-04-11T13:29:00.000-07:00

I still can't believe I got to interview all of these guys, but that's what the love of Nelson Algren will do for you. Check out our latest Work in Progress.

Algren, algren and algren

2011-03-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

It's been too long since we've posted, and so much has happened that I don't even know where to start. Summer of 2010 was remarkable, with interviews of William Friedkin and Philip Kaufman, both good friends of Nelson Algren, and several fans of his, including acclaimed musician Wayne Kramer and novelist Barry Gifford. We also spent three days at the Algren archive in Ohio, finding letters, photos and collages that have never seen the light of day...but they will now, in the Algren documentary. We have spent hundreds of hours going through the photos from the archives, as well as the multiple audio interviews of Algren by Studs Terkel at the Chicago History Museum.

We now have access to hundreds of photos of Algren by Art Shay, many of which have never been seen and from which we are looking to create remarkable animation sequences. We also interviewed Kat Tatlock and Annick Smith, the daughters of photographer Stephen Deutsch, for their memories of Algren, and whose father's photographs will bring an additional level of insight into the complex life of Chicago's Dostoevsky.

Our producer, Gail Sonnenfeld has been infatigable, setting up all of our interviews and travels, and recently bringing in noted transmedia specialist, Gunter Sonnenfeld (yes, he's her brother) to help us expand the reach of this story above and beyond the film world.

We are heading to Ohio this weekend for more research, including getting access to audio tapes and self-recorded vinyl records that have never been heard. This summer promises a treasure trove of interview subjects and, with any luck, we can began the long edit by the Fall.

More to come, soon, I promise.

Los Angeles

2010-05-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

Great interviews in Los Angeles for the Algren film. Photos to come soon.

NY, NY

2010-01-23T15:58:00.000-08:00

We got some great interviews in NY, with Jan Herman and Bruce Jay Friedman (see photo of Bruce above). Salman Rushdie was suddenly unavailable, but we have hopes for March. March will be when we return to NY for a trip to Albany and Sag Harbor, to get interviews with some old friends of Algren. Meanwhile, John Sayles has committed to the project, as has Patti Smith, as has Wayne Kramer of the MC5. The project is gaining steam--very exciting!!

NYC trip is next week!

2010-01-06T14:16:00.000-08:00

We are leaving for NY next week to shoot interviews and things are looking good. Salman Rushdie, Bruce Jay Friedman (acclaimed writer and screenwriter and friend of Algren), and Jan Herman, writer and friend of Algren. We are also seeing Dan Simon, from Seven Stories Press, who publishes most of Algren's work. Russell Banks had to push his interview back to March, when we will go back and also interview John Sayles--very exciting!

Planning the NY trip

2009-12-15T17:08:00.000-08:00

Very excited to be planning the trip to NYC in January to shoot more interviews for Algren. Salman Rushdie is confirmed, and Russell Banks, Barry Gifford, Don DeLillo, and Willem Dafoe are possibilities, as is E. L. Doctorow. Stay tuned.

2009-11-10T19:04:00.001-08:00

I love going to Metropolis Coffee on Granville for tea, before I pick up Max from Hebrew School. I ran into Sean Masterson, wonderful magician, and Sasha Hamon, the wonderful writer, with his wife, Teri Boyd, and children. Great place to recharge and read.

Christie Hefner

2009-10-30T09:12:00.001-07:00

I met with Christie Hefner last night before her presentation at Columbia and we will be discussing the Algren film in greater detail in a few weeks, but she was very enthusiastic. Between Salman Rushdie two weeks ago and now this, the film is making mighty strides!