It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books
Encyclopedia
It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books is the first feature film
by Richard Linklater
, filmed on Super 8
and edited at a public-access television
cable TV station, with Linklater starring and handling all production duties.
The film is 85 minutes long and features little dialogue. In its minimal and non-traditional plot, the main character travels about the country meeting with various acquaintances when not taking part in various mundane, day-to-day activities. There is no real rising action or climax, and Linklater's character does not change substantially throughout the course of the film.
The film never enjoyed a widespread release. It is available on DVD only as a bonus feature on Slacker
from The Criterion Collection
.
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
by Richard Linklater
Richard Linklater
-Early life:Linklater was born in Houston, Texas. He studied at Sam Houston State University and left midway through his stint in college to work on an off-shore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. While working on the rig he read a lot of literature, but on land he developed a love of film through...
, filmed on Super 8
Super 8 mm film
Super 8 mm film is a motion picture film format released in 1965 by Eastman Kodak as an improvement of the older "Double" or "Regular" 8 mm home movie format....
and edited at a public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV station, with Linklater starring and handling all production duties.
The film is 85 minutes long and features little dialogue. In its minimal and non-traditional plot, the main character travels about the country meeting with various acquaintances when not taking part in various mundane, day-to-day activities. There is no real rising action or climax, and Linklater's character does not change substantially throughout the course of the film.
The film never enjoyed a widespread release. It is available on DVD only as a bonus feature on Slacker
Slacker (film)
Slacker is an American independent film written and directed by Richard Linklater, who also appears in the film. Slacker was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize - Dramatic at the Sundance Film Festival in 1991.-Plot summary:...
from The Criterion Collection
The Criterion Collection
The Criterion Collection is a video-distribution company selling "important classic and contemporary films" to film aficionados. The Criterion series is noted for helping to standardize the letterbox format for home video, bonus features, and special editions...
.