Filmmaker Stanley Schtinter is challenging conventional historical narratives with his new documentary, Last Movies, which premiered at the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival (CPH:DOX). The film delves into the often-unrecorded final cinematic experiences of public figures and celebrities, proposing an alternative timeline for the 20th century, the era defined by cinema. Narrated by Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons, the documentary builds upon Schtinter’s book of the same title, offering a unique and thought-provoking exploration of celebrity, death, and the arbitrary nature of historical record.
The Unconventional Premise of Last Movies
Schtinter’s Last Movies ventures into an unusual and darkly humorous territory, asking what film history might look like if charted by the last movies watched by notable individuals before their deaths. This seemingly simple concept is stretched to a point of absurdity, yet yields entertaining and profound results. Examples range from rock icons like Elvis Presley and Kurt Cobain to literary giants and political figures, whose final film encounters are used as unexpected anchors in a revised cultural timeline. The CPH:DOX website itself described the film as providing "a darkly humorous, alternative timeline," noting that "the humor is pitch black and the level of detail completely overwhelming." The documentary frames these instances not as mere trivia, but as significant, albeit random, points in a grander narrative, ultimately serving as "a tribute to chance."
Schtinter’s Genesis: A Question of Final Frames
The inspiration for this distinctive project was triggered by a specific historical event: the 1986 assassination of former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, who was shot after leaving a cinema in Stockholm. While intense interest has historically focused on the unsolved nature of his murder, Schtinter found himself asking a different, equally compelling question: What film did Palme watch that night? This pivotal query led him to recall the well-known story of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis, who reportedly watched Werner Herzog’s Stroszek on its U.K. television premiere the night he died. These isolated incidents coalesced into a broader vision for Schtinter: to "remap" the 20th century, the definitive century of cinema, through the lens of individuals’ final film experiences. This remapping spans from the early days of cinema, exemplified by Franz Kafka watching Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid, to more contemporary figures such as Jean-Luc Godard, who reportedly viewed his own film, Phony Wars, shortly before his passing. Schtinter established a clear criterion for inclusion in his project: subjects must have "given themselves to the camera" during their lifetime, consenting to be filmed.
Researching the Cinematic Afterlife
To uncover these elusive "last movies," Schtinter embarked on extensive research, primarily through traditional methods. His investigations involved countless hours in libraries, poring over books and historical newspapers, studying the lives of hundreds of celebrities and public figures. In some instances, as with Jean-Luc Godard, the research extended to direct contact with individuals who were present during the subjects’ final moments and could corroborate viewing details. Schtinter acknowledges that Last Movies "parasitizes the predatory relationship the dominant screen culture encourages people to have with its stars." The intense scrutiny often afforded to the last days and hours of public figures frequently meant that details of their final activities, including what they watched, were recorded or witnessed, providing crucial data for his project.
Challenging the Historical Narrative
The film’s very premise serves as a critique of established historical methodologies, offering a profoundly different lens on history itself. Schtinter argues that introducing such an unconventional organizing principle can illuminate inherent biases and omissions within traditional historical narratives. He challenges the notion that "the word is authority" and that the mere "repetition of an account of an event is all that is required to produce truth." Schtinter asserts that even eyewitness accounts are prone to ambiguity, and that "the camera lies," underscoring the absence of absolute truth. As a "storyteller," however, he feels an "impulse, if not a responsibility, to attempt to move closer to what the truth might be."
Critique of Traditional History
Schtinter’s approach aligns with the perspective of historian Peter Linebaugh, who advocates for shedding a "satanic light" on history. This concept, far from religious connotations, implies a necessary and rigorous questioning of any power wielded by one person or institution over another. Schtinter finds this particularly relevant in the current global climate, given "the widespread failure of governments and their aggressive tactics to keep control." Linebaugh’s call to rewrite history "from below" resonates deeply with Schtinter’s project, suggesting that authentic truth is found "on the street, or in the fields, not in the palace." By focusing on the seemingly trivial yet deeply personal act of watching a film, Last Movies aims to uncover a more human, less institutionally filtered version of history.
The Artistry of Stanley Schtinter: Beyond the Book
Beyond directing, Stanley Schtinter held multiple key roles in the production of Last Movies, serving as producer, cinematographer, and editor. This comprehensive involvement ensured a singular artistic vision for the documentary. The film’s development involved a fascinating interplay with his original book. While the book was a "process of reduction" in writing, the film allowed for an entirely different creative approach. Schtinter describes the most exciting aspect of filmmaking as observing "how an almost randomly selected scene from an unrelated film could replace in a parallel, perhaps indirect, and altogether more illuminating way what I had labored over the minutiae of in writing the book." He felt the film "seemed to make itself," echoing William Butler Yeats’s observation that "the living can assist the imagination of the dead." Currently, only about half of the book’s content is covered in the film, leading Schtinter to consider a potential sequel, tentatively titled Last Movies: RESURRECTION.
Pop Culture, Chance, and Artistic Integrity
Last Movies offers viewers a unique "pop culture-ish walk through history," replete with intriguing anecdotes and recurring motifs, such as references to JFK, the Star Trek franchise, and the Nike brand. The film even touches upon Donald Trump’s attempt to acquire the famous upright piano from Casablanca. Schtinter insists that the presence of these iconic names and elements is not a reflection of his pre-existing interests or biases, but rather a product of "chance." He emphasizes that he applies "no value judgment…to their person or their life’s work," striving for an objective lens. This stance underscores his broader critique of contemporary culture, explicitly stating that "the pig’s trough of the culture in the present time is not the location of my activity," signaling a clear separation from mainstream, often commercialized, pop culture trends. His original intent for the project was to arrange film screenings "headlined with the person who watched the film just before they died," such as "Kurt Cobain headlining Jane Campion’s The Piano," a concept designed to "rewilding the imagination" by encouraging viewers to contemplate what those who "see no more last saw."
A Staunch Defense of the Cinematic Experience
Despite his "status-quo challenging" artistic approach, Schtinter reveals himself as a fervent traditionalist when it comes to the medium of film itself. He views the act of watching a film in a cinema as an unparalleled experience, stating, "nothing comes close to watching a film in a cinema." This sentiment extends to other forms of media, with Schtinter asserting that "vinyl is still the highest fidelity format for music" and that "words must be printed." He clarifies that this isn’t nostalgia or fetishism, but a recognition of "when and how it is done best." Schtinter strongly resists what he calls the "all-destructive progress myth of the neoliberal dystopia that tries to reduce the breadth and scope of life," suggesting that digital advancements, while convenient, often diminish the richness of artistic engagement. His personal philosophy extends to his online presence; he considers having a website "shameful" and prefers his "unwork" to exist in shared physical spaces, promoting "the chance encounter" and directing attention away from the internet.
Reflections on Finality and Future Endeavors
When prompted to consider his own "last movie," Schtinter’s response reinforces the central theme of chance in his work. He notes that unless one chooses to end their life, the final film they watch will always be a surprise, a detail they will never truly know themselves. He muses about beloved films like The Darling Buds of May and Cutter’s Way, alongside preferred foods, drinks, and moments of simple pleasure, all serving as reminders that "chance intervenes as it always has and always will." Looking ahead, Schtinter contemplates diverse future projects, including a film adaptation of the often-omitted "difficult second part" of Wuthering Heights and a "big idea for Persia." Yet, he concludes with a poignant observation on the contemporary world, questioning "where the camera is to go when a genocide has been live-streamed; when everything is and has been shot," reflecting on the profound impact of pervasive visual documentation in an increasingly complex global landscape.
Last Movies stands as a testament to Schtinter’s unique vision, compelling audiences to reconsider their understanding of history, celebrity, and the enduring power of the cinematic experience through an unconventional and deeply human lens.
