AMERICAN MOVIE

(1999) Director: Chris Smith

DVD
NETFLIX

SUMMARY:

It takes a village to make a movie, but when that village is Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin and not Hollywood, CA, the results are at times bizarre, comical, and very American. With the help of his mother, his 82-year old uncle, and a local cast of hilarious and lovable characters, filmmaker Mark Borchardt fights his way through internal and external roadblocks to achieve his goal--to make his movie, his way.
Mark's vision for his dream film is unlike most in independent filmmaking today. His inspiration comes from films as disparate as Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Seventh Seal, as well as his experiences growing up amidst the grey skies, rusty cars, and ranch houses of Milwaukee's Northwest side.
AMERICAN MOVIE is the story of filmmaker Mark Borchardt, his mission, and his dream. Spanning over two years of intense struggle with his film, his family, financial decline, and spiritual crisis, AMERICAN MOVIE is a portrayal of ambition, obsession, excess, and one man's quest for the American Dream. - americanmovie.com

VIDEO: FULL FEATURE



REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS, CREDITS:

• The New Cult Canon: American Movie (AV Club essay)
• 'The horror of indie filmmaking: Scary movie director and "American Movie" star Mark Borchardt talks about living the examined life.' -Salon.com
• IndieWire interview with director Chris Smith
  
• Mark Borchardt on David Letterman
• Roger Ebert review
• Chris Smith's other documentaries include: The Yes Men (2003) and Home Movie (2001)
• Official site

NOTES:

• Chris Smith attended University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Graduate Film Program in 1995, having just completed his film American Job. Chris met Mark Borchardt while editing American Job, and began filming a documentary about the making of Mark's psychological thriller Coven. Both films played at the Sundance Film Festival, and American Movie won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary. Sony bought the picture for $1 million.
• Theme song from Coven
• Mike Schank's phone number: 414-466-Mike
• "No one has ever, ever paid admission to see an excuse." - Mark Borchardt