Forgotten Silver

An extended in-joke, this 1995 mockumentary purports to examine the brilliant career of New Zealand filmmaker Colin MacKenzie who, toiling in utter obscurity Down Under, single-handedly beat the acknowledged pioneers to such cinematic landmarks as the tracking shot, the close-up, color photography, the portable motion-picture camera, synchronized sound and feature-length filmmaking. Narrated by Kiwi filmmaker Peter Jackson (who codirected with compatriot Costa Botes), the film explores the Job-like run of bad luck that dogged MacKenzie's career from the time he was just a farm lad making his own film from flax leaves and egg whites: His first sound feature, an acti...