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Tag Archive: Documentary

Winnebago Man Review

Written on July 15, 2010 by Marc Eastman in Movies

For me, the most interesting documentaries involve some sort of accident of fate. When the end result of a documentary, whatever it’s about, is pretty much what the filmmaker envisioned at the start, I’m not interested. You may end up with something great, and certainly something worth the time, but it’s never as brilliant an adventure, or (for me) as entertaining in terms of the world of filmcraft.

Winnebago Man doesn’t quite have the scope of accident that something like Capturing the Friedmans brings forward, but there is a certain twist that turns things into an entirely different film. That twist adds the oddity that probably kept director Ben Steinbauer interested enough to bother with a complete film.

The focus is on Jack Rebney, in case you don’t know him as Winnebago Man (or The Angriest Man on Earth), one of the earliest viral video legends. Even before the internet offered a medium for sharing such things, Rebney was being passed around via VHS tape, even popping up such places as The Show With No Name which featured YouTube hits before there was any such thing as YouTube.

Tags: Ben Steinbauer, Documentary, Documentary film, Jack Rebney, Movie Review, Movies, Viral video, Winnebago Man

New York Street Games Movie Review

Written on June 11, 2010 by Marc Eastman in Newsish

Every generation in the history of mankind has talked about the good old days, so it isn’t surprising to find one more example of reminiscing about days gone by and the way things have changed. Most generations probably have some version of pointing out that things really are different in their case, but there might be a pretty good argument this time around.

New York Street Games, a feature documentary by Matthew Levy, takes a look at the games that used to be an undeniably integral part of life in New York City. Showcasing interviews with Hector Elizondo, Regis Philbin, Ray Romano, Whoopi Goldberg, Keith David, Joe Pantoliano, and many more, the film describes the games themselves, but also the life they were a part of. Things may evolve before your eyes as not that much more than a fond memory of a “Spaldeen,” but this generation may actually have something to say about what’s different, because there really is no other generation in which children suddenly lost all interest in being outside.

Tags: Documentary, Joe Pantoliano, Movie Review, Movies, New York City, New York Street Games, Ray Romano, Regis Philbin, Whoopi Goldberg

A Prairie Home Companion’s Garrison Keillor Gets Documentary Treatment In The Man On The Radio In The Red Shoes

Written on August 31, 2009 by Marc Eastman in Movies

If you’re a fan of Garrison Keillor and A Prairie Home Companion, there’s a good chance you’re already familiar with the documentary The Man on the Radio in the Red Shoes. It’s just the nature of Keillor fans to find out what’s going on. The touring dates sell out practically before anyone knows they’re on sale.

If you happen not to be aware, and have any interest in Garrison Keillor at all, you simple must check out this wonderful documentary. More than a year of filming put together by Peabody, DGA and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Rosen, showcases the brilliantly indescribable man who brought radio variety back to a world that had no idea it was interested.

Originally airing on PBS’ American Masters, the DVD is available with more than an hour of extras, and they are decidedly worthy additions.

Tags: Documentary, Garrison Keillor, Movies, Prairie Home Companion, Radio, Red Shoes

Capturing The Friedmans – Movie Review

Written on July 24, 2009 by Marc Eastman in Movies

The genesis of Andrew Jarecki’s Capturing the Friedmans has already become an established industry anecdote. Jarecki, who from what I understand has only his status as co-founder of MovieFone connecting him to the industry, set out, for reasons I cannot imagine, to make a documentary about party clowns in New York City. David Friedman had somehow managed to become, according to someone I suppose, the number one party clown in New York. What that means I can’t really guess. It’s probably not surprising that during the course of Jarecki’s interviews with David Friedman, something turned out to be more interesting than a documentary about party clowns. That, however, is the only thing that isn’t surprising about David Friedman’s life.

Capturing the Friedmans is a look at a bizarre family, and the even more bizarre circumstances which led to the father and one son going to jail for child molestation. Before we judge prematurely, the true brilliance of Capturing the Friedmans is in its development of the way varying perspectives skew our dealings with the world, and our memory.

Tags: Andrew Jarecki, capturing the friedmans, Documentary, Movie Review, Movies

Crips And Bloods: Made In America – DVD Review

Written on May 19, 2009 by Marc Eastman in Movies

At a certain point in Stacy Peralta’s latest effort, Crips and Bloods: Made in America, one of our interview subjects comments (roughly) that one of the chief devices of oppression is to turn the oppressed into the tools of their own oppression. It was at this point, historically-moving documentary aside, that the film became interesting for me.

Sure, the whole thing is a worthy effort just based on the account of a strange and tragic set of circumstances, but I mean interesting in the sense of a well-crafted, meaningful film. The story itself, starting from the 50s (and before to a degree) and following the events that made south L.A. what it is today, was going to be interesting on some level regardless of the filmcraft. But, it wasn’t necessarily going to be a gripping and powerful film.

Tags: crips and bloods made in america, Documentary, Movie Review, Movies, South Los Angeles, Stacy Peralta