I saw this wonderful little film at the Crested Butte Reel Fest in Colorado, where a friend had another film in competition. While theirs was well-received, this one wound up winning (I think) the big prize at the festival, and deservedly so! "Auteur" had a very "60s" feel to it, reminding me of the films of my youth like "The Knack," "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush, "Catch Us If You Can," and the Beatles films directed by Richard Lester: very hip,energetic satires of that era, which had a decidedly generous helping of bitters to go along with their sweetness. "Auteur" follows suit. The film's portrait of a narcissistic video pirate who will stop at nothing to gain success in "the biz" was at times hilarious, sad, and finally cathartic. Not to mention stylish and inventive, to boot, with its mix of live action, animation, and the lead actor pulling a Richard III and addressing the audience directly, as in "Alfie," another favorite from "my era." : ) This is actually quite a complex work for a short film, many layers. Beau Clark, who played the lead, is a fine young actor who has "star" written all over him. The two gentlemen who played the sleazy producers were memorable as well (Jack Rubinoff and Jonathan Coogan). Actually, performances across the board were tops, as was Kevin Abrams' work behind the camera and Alex Simon's very witty, knowing script. All of these young people are faces to watch.
I'd love to know how to get a copy on DVD, if one is ever released. So, if the filmmakers are reading this, you can contact me via my user name, and I'll happily pay whatever you're asking to add this gem to my collection. Kudos to you all!
I'd love to know how to get a copy on DVD, if one is ever released. So, if the filmmakers are reading this, you can contact me via my user name, and I'll happily pay whatever you're asking to add this gem to my collection. Kudos to you all!