Q&A with Director D.W. Young and Composer
David Ullmann to follow the screening
(Chatham, NY, May 15, 2024)—On Friday, June 7, the historic Crandell Theatre will screen the acclaimed new documentary Uncropped, about the work of legendary Village Voice photographer and photojournalist James Hamilton. Praised by critics as a rich and absorbing must-see and one of the best documentaries of the year, the film is a visual feast of Hamilton’s indelible images and the eras they represent. Following Friday night’s show, Director D.W. Young and locally-based composer David Ullmann will take the stage for a Crandell Live! Q&A, moderated by Filmmaker and Crandell Board Member Mirissa Neff.
James Hamilton is one of the great chroniclers of the cultural history of America. For over four decades working as a staff photographer at publications such as Harper’s Bazaar, The New York Observer and most notably, The Village Voice, Hamilton captured some of the most remarkable people and stories of the last half century.
A New York legend himself, Hamilton created iconic images of musicians like Charles Mingus, Patti Smith, Lou Reed and Muhammad Ali; took intimate portraits of everyone from Liza Minnelli to Alfred Hitchcock; pivoted to start a parallel career in set photography for George Romero, Noah Baumbach and Wes Anderson; and pursued powerful and controversial assignments across the U.S. and the world. Throughout his career, he has never stopped amassing a stunning chronicle of his beloved New York City in all its grit and glory. Hamilton’s story and vast archive offer a singular window into the heyday of alternative print media and an inside look at the deeply collaborative craft of filmmaking. The film features conversations with Wes Anderson, Joe Conason, Michael Daly, Kathy Dobie, Thulani Davis, Richard Goldstein, Alexandra Jacobs, Mark Jacobson, David Lee, Thurston Moore, Sylvia Plachy, Eva Prinz and Susan Vermazen.
D.W. Young’s previous documentary The Booksellers, a behind-the-scenes look at the rare book world, premiered at the New York Film Festival in 2019. His other features include the award-winning documentary A Hole in a Fence and the narrative The Happy House, and his shorts include Dancing on the Silk Razor, Not Interested, A Favor for Jerry and A Body of Language. His work has screened at festivals around the world including NYFF, SXSW, DOC NYC, Woodstock Film Festival and more.
Born and raised in New York City, guitarist and composer David Ullmann has recorded four albums, including the acclaimed Corduroy in 2014. A graduate of New School Jazz and the NYU Jazz Program, Ullmann teaches music at John Jay College. He is also a resident of Columbia County.
Crandell Board Member Mirissa Neff is a Chatham-based documentary filmmaker, public broadcast producer and reporter. Her debut feature film, This Is National Wake, premiered at Sheffield DocFest and has garnered awards around the world. Her ethos as a filmmaker and journalist is to explore how culture and music illuminate our lives, and can help us surmount our deepest divides. She has worked as a producer and correspondent on numerous public television radio programs, and in early 2023, Neff founded Crandell Kid Flicks, the theater’s popular activity and film series for young children and families. She joined the Crandell Board of Directors in early 2024.
Above, top: Photographer James Hamilton with Salvador Dali