How could you not love this documentary? This is a greatly humorous, entertaining, sad-but-ultimately-encouraging love letter to ultra-amateur filmmaking, filled with colorful characters that seem so fully realized and quirky that you start to think, "Is this actually a scripted MOCKumentary?" Mark Borchardt, the Wisconsin wannabe director that is the main subject, is a guy I found really fascinating - very flawed, to be sure, but many likable aspects about him and ultimately someone to root for, the guy just has a presence to him. His best buddy, the seemingly perpetually stoned-out Mike Schank, and Mark's uncle Bill, provide a lot of laughs along the way. But I don't think the doc ever crosses the line into making fun of or exploiting these guys and their The Room-like, troubled attempt at making an ultra-low budget horror film. It also helps that I'm always interested in films - documentary or otherwise - that depict this aspect of America and time period (i.e. average working-class joes in the suburbs; taking place in the 1990s; people seen by most of society as "losers" trying to beat the odds by striving for an unlikely dream). This will surely be the rare doc that I can re-watch many times over.
It's interesting - certainly a raw, gritty, grainy style to it that I like.
This should be shown to everyone that plans to be a film student. Get an independent view on what it looks like to be a leach on your friends and family - all in the name of your delusions of grandeur of making "the next great american picture".
For about 10 to 15 seconds, man, I just stared at somebody's shit, man. And to be totally honest with you, man, it was a really, really profound moment, 'cause I was thinking "I'm thirty years old, and in about 10 seconds I gotta start cleaning up somebody's shit, man."
This movie is incredibly entertaining, while at the same time being incredibly sad at many times. Anyone interested in filmmaking should definitely watch this.
American Movie (subtitled The Making of Northwestern) is a documentary that could well pass itself off as a mockumentary. It follows aspiring filmmaker Mark Borchardt's attempts to make a serious film by first completing a low-budget horror short he's been hammering at for years, and presents a cast of comically sad "characters" who help Mark in his doomed endeavors. It's Ed Wood in the 1990s' northwestern United States. Not to say what Mark makes is bad, but the whole enterprise is fraught with problems, most of them due to inexperience and lack of resources. But the one resource he has plenty of is people who, often grumbling all the way, are ready to support his dream. They're just a little clueless, that's all. According to IMDB, appearing in this documentary helped Mark's career, but it didn't help it TOO much. Some interesting personalities to discover here.
I also went into this film thinking it was a comedy, but that was pretty much a letdown. On the other hand, it's a beautiful honest film about determination and life, with a strange atmosphere throughout.
Oh my God... While I was watching it I thought it's just a comedy, mockumentary like This Is Spinal Tap or something like that. But it's all real?!? God, I feel sorry for that guy. But that's what happens, man...
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GruesomeTwosome
How could you not love this documentary? This is a greatly humorous, entertaining, sad-but-ultimately-encouraging love letter to ultra-amateur filmmaking, filled with colorful characters that seem so fully realized and quirky that you start to think, "Is this actually a scripted MOCKumentary?" Mark Borchardt, the Wisconsin wannabe director that is the main subject, is a guy I found really fascinating - very flawed, to be sure, but many likable aspects about him and ultimately someone to root for, the guy just has a presence to him. His best buddy, the seemingly perpetually stoned-out Mike Schank, and Mark's uncle Bill, provide a lot of laughs along the way. But I don't think the doc ever crosses the line into making fun of or exploiting these guys and their The Room-like, troubled attempt at making an ultra-low budget horror film. It also helps that I'm always interested in films - documentary or otherwise - that depict this aspect of America and time period (i.e. average working-class joes in the suburbs; taking place in the 1990s; people seen by most of society as "losers" trying to beat the odds by striving for an unlikely dream). This will surely be the rare doc that I can re-watch many times over.dantheman89
It's interesting - certainly a raw, gritty, grainy style to it that I like.This should be shown to everyone that plans to be a film student. Get an independent view on what it looks like to be a leach on your friends and family - all in the name of your delusions of grandeur of making "the next great american picture".
johannez1
For about 10 to 15 seconds, man, I just stared at somebody's shit, man. And to be totally honest with you, man, it was a really, really profound moment, 'cause I was thinking "I'm thirty years old, and in about 10 seconds I gotta start cleaning up somebody's shit, man."This movie is incredibly entertaining, while at the same time being incredibly sad at many times. Anyone interested in filmmaking should definitely watch this.
Siskoid
American Movie (subtitled The Making of Northwestern) is a documentary that could well pass itself off as a mockumentary. It follows aspiring filmmaker Mark Borchardt's attempts to make a serious film by first completing a low-budget horror short he's been hammering at for years, and presents a cast of comically sad "characters" who help Mark in his doomed endeavors. It's Ed Wood in the 1990s' northwestern United States. Not to say what Mark makes is bad, but the whole enterprise is fraught with problems, most of them due to inexperience and lack of resources. But the one resource he has plenty of is people who, often grumbling all the way, are ready to support his dream. They're just a little clueless, that's all. According to IMDB, appearing in this documentary helped Mark's career, but it didn't help it TOO much. Some interesting personalities to discover here.unterwasser
AV Club New Cult Canon Article: http://www.avclub.com/article/the-new-cult-canon-iamerican-moviei-2442Eddyspeeder
I also went into this film thinking it was a comedy, but that was pretty much a letdown. On the other hand, it's a beautiful honest film about determination and life, with a strange atmosphere throughout.nadanesca
A brilliant piece of film!jktomas
Oh my God... While I was watching it I thought it's just a comedy, mockumentary like This Is Spinal Tap or something like that. But it's all real?!? God, I feel sorry for that guy. But that's what happens, man...bodoni
It's alright, it's okay, there's something to live for... Jesus told me so!FrankHowley
best documentary ever.