Film

Director, writer, and actor John Sayles is one of Hollywood's most prominent independent filmmakers. Sayles began his career writing B-movies for producer Roger Corman. His latest movie is "The Brother from Another Planet," about a black extraterrestrial who lands in Harlem.

Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown joins the show to share backstage Hollywood stories, discuss the use of the Steadicam, and his new invention Skycam.

The playwright's works include "The Zoo Story," "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?," and the Pulitzer Prize winning "Delicate Balance" and "Seascape."

A collection of Roger Ebert's essays is called A Kiss is Just A Kiss. He co-hosts the television show At the Movies with fellow critic and professional rival Gene Siskel.

After years of making low-budget exploitation movies, John Waters has received major studio backing for his latest film, Polyester. His newfound, mainstream success includes the Mayor of Baltimore naming February 7th John Waters Day and the release of a documentary about him, Divine Waters. His most recent endeavor has been teaching prisoners about channeling their violent tendencies into art.

John Sayles has written, directed, and acted in several independent movies. His films run the gamut from horror to science fiction to serious takes on social issues.

Cinematographer Garrett Brown returns to Fresh Air to talk about his newest invention, the Skycam. He tells host Terry Gross about how his innovations changed movie directors' techniques and expectations while on set.

New York Times music critic John Rockwell wrote a book about Frank Sinatra's life in music and movies. He and Fresh Air host Terry Gross listen back to some of the singer's early recordings.

The writer has a new book called Take 22, which features interviews with notable filmmakers. She says her critical approach has become more populist in recent years. She has also grown more interested in learning about a director's intent, which she takes into consideration when gauging a film's success or failure.

Michael Ochs maintains an exhaustive collection of photographs and records documenting the history of rock music. His brother was political folk singer, Phil Ochs.

A new collection of Roger Ebert's writing, titled A Kiss is Just A Kiss, has just been published. His television program, co-hosted by fellow critic and professional rival Gene Siskel, is now syndicated on commercial stations.

Richard Schickel has been the film critic for Time magazine since 1973. He is also the author of several books, and has written and produced several documentaries about film for television. His new biography is "D. W. Griffith: An American Life." Schickel joins the show to discuss Griffith, film and film criticism, and journalism.

Actor, director, and choreographer Maurice Hines comes from the famous tap-dancing family. He is the founder of the company Ballet Tap U. S. A. Hines appears in the film "Cotton Club." Hines joins the show to discuss working as a child with his father and brother, Gregory, touring Europe, learning ballet at the age of 30, the difference between "up-in-the-air," and "close-to-the-floor" tap dance, break-dancing, and the great dancers of film.

Emile De Antonio is regarded as one of the most important political filmmakers of the American Left. His films include "Point of Order," about the McCarthy hearings; "Rush to Judgement," about the Warren Report; "In the Year of the Pig," about the history of Vietnam, and "Underground," where he interviewed members of the Weather Underground. One of De Antonio's biggest influences is John Cage.

STEVE RASH is the director of the film "The Buddy Holly Story," a bio-pic of the early rock legend starring Gary Busey. Rash is also the director of "Under the Rainbow," a story of the "Munchkin" auditions for the film "The Wizard of Oz." Rash joins the show to discuss Holly's music and life, share records and rare recordings, and share stories about the making of the film.

Godfrey Reggio is an experimental filmmaker whose work makes uses of montage and sound. His first film, a documentary, "Koyaanisqatsi," derives its title from the Hopi word meaning "unbalanced life." The film manipulates images of cityscapes, and Reggio describes it as showing "the beauty of the beast." The film's music is composed by Philip Glass. Reggio intends the documentary to produce a mind-opening experience for the viewer through the fusion of music and image--to be inspiration, not entertainment.

Scott B and his wife Beth B started a low-budget film company called B Movies. Their latest film -- their first shot on 16mm -- is New Wave detective movie starring punk icon Lydia Lunch.

Before beginning production, Young spends weeks living the life of his movies' characters to more authentically capture their experiences. His films often center on the injustices committed against marginalized people.

Ray Fielding is a film scholar and cinematographer who developed the special effects for the director's recent movies. Fielding shares his experiences working on One from the Heart and Apocalypse Now.

Myrlie Evers' book about her late husband, the civil rights activist Medgar Evers, was recently adapted into a movie for public television. She talks about her upbringing in the South, her relationship with Evers, and her own work to advance African American civil rights.