John Nesbit
writes curriculum materials professionally for a computer company
in the Phoenix area, but reviews movies for enjoyment. Writing
technical materials pays the bills, but he would rather be hanging
around the Camelview 5 or Madstone Theaters and writing critiques
of the latest non-mainstream films to arrive in town.
Since Thoreau
is his favorite author, it's no surprise that this product of
the '60s has marched to the beat of a different drummer. John
graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in English
before teaching at an inner-city high school in Detroit for a
year.He then did graduate work at Michigan State University to
teach special education for the emotionally disturbed in Georgia
for 5 years, and moved on to teach English at Tuba City High School
on the Navajo Reservation for over 20 years. During those years
he became locally famous for coaching a 4-time state championship
chess team and became somewhat infamous among the school administration
for challenging its film-rating policy when developing a film
appreciation course.
Without ever
taking formal courses in film study, John's self-taugh knowledge
of film began with countless hours of viewing, reading, and researching
films he used for teaching. Being relatively isolated from cinematic
culture on the reservation, he began buying many videos by Hitchcock,
Truffaut, Fellini, and other classic directors. Since then VHS
and DVDs have multiplied greatly.
Now early-retired
from teaching and avoiding school administrators forever, he spends
a great deal of time watching and reviewing films--foreign and
art-house films being a special interest. He serves as editor-in-chief
at media review site CultureDose.net and is a member of the Online
Film Critics Society. Other passions: traveling around the United
States, hanging at music concerts (especially blues), and following
the Arizona Diamondbacks during baseball season.
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