Reviews

There are two kinds of notoriety: fame and infamy. When we think of infamy, most of us think of some serial killer turd or a promiscuous deviant. However, there are times when people, just like you and me, reach the heights of infamy through non-violent, sanitary ingenuity. Exhibits A and B: Cullen Blaine and Budd Lewis. These geniuses recognized that the infamous are perceived as being "cooler" than the mere famous (John Dillenger vs. Tom Hanks? I think not.). With that in mind, Cullen and Budd (note: Not Bud. Not Buddy. Budd. Unique! Genius!), set about to create a film so hilariously bad, their legacy would be ensured for all eternity. In other words, this abomination was all intentional. There are signs of it throughout the film. The "Shoe Boogie is a Jerk" doodle, the exploding of tree stumps just so no dynamite would go to waste, all the different gas-station scenes, and, of course, the dubbing of the main character's voice. Priceless! This is one of my favorite movies to watch. It delivers . . . C . . . O . . ..D!

One can go into this film from several different angles, and be rewarded at every turn. You like history? Bound For Glory's depiction of Depression Era life is both accurate and eye-opening. You like music? The perspective gained on one of our nation's greatest songwriters is delightful in a way every man can appreciate. You like against-the-odds stories of rugged individualism? Hope you're hungry. The pace may be criticized as slow, but works in emphasizing the dreariness and despair needed to understand the motivations and emotions that lead to Woody Guthrie's greatness. The deliberate storytelling also reminds one of the manner in which Kurosawa might weave a fable. Which reminds me, David Carradine's performance is inspired. Great film any way you look at it.