Premiering at the 2007 AFI Film Festival, director Michael Addis joined forces with comedian Jamie Kennedy to produce and direct "Heckler," an intriguing documentary that examined why the critical community, or occasional bitter critical hack, oft-times savage art with impunity. In my view, this film still resonates, as ad hominem attacks against artists by hecklers remain rampant with impunity.
While the film never generated much attention – nor positive reviews – subsequent to its premiere at the AFI Film Festival, which I covered, "Heckler" fascinatingly examines the oft-times poisonous relationship between the role of “the critic” versus “the artist,” however loosely defined those words may be. The film featured an array of known personalities, such as Bill Maher, Louie Anderson, Henry Rollins, Rosanne Barr and Lewis Black - all of whom have spent a great deal of their professional careers doing standup comedy and confronting hecklers.
This prescient - albeit light, perhaps trifle - film presaged an age when vociferous personal attacks on social media, like Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr have only worsened by disenchanted and angry wannabees posing as critics. Their insults are merely just that – and not nuanced analysis. Addis and Kennedy seemed to conclude in the film that critics are merely akin to drunken hecklers at swanky comedy clubs - a notion that upon reexamination is indeed a fair point.
"Heckler" does not seek to portray Kennedy as pitted solely against his 'hecklers.' Rather he merely is an example of the nightly travails faced by a comedian –or would be artist- that tries to stem the cruel tide waged by those who are talentless, or do not have courage to take to the stage. It is for this very reason this seemingly slight documentary should be viewed again – or in more likelihood, should be seen for the first time.
"It was never intended as a crusade," director Michael Addis told me. "Jaime and I came up with the idea of the film together, as we wanted to do a stand-up comedy film, but wanted to tell some interesting truths about the life of a comedian. Eventually, we came up with the idea of comparing how a comic deals with hecklers with how comics deal with heckling they can't respond to.” "Heckler" is indeed an exposé of the strained relationship between artist and critic. It is not merely a document of sorry and uncouth patrons rudely interrupting comedians onstage... although there is plenty of that featured in the film.
"Heckler" argues that for a performer – as artist- to truly succeed he must ignore his or her critics; honing one’s craft is paramount. As Bob Dylan once quipped in a 2004 60 Minutes interview: 'the only ones you have to answer to is yourself and to God... Destiny is a feeling you have that you know something about yourself nobody else does. The picture you have in your own mind of what you’re about will come true.” (Needless to say, Dylan is not in the documentary).
"It’s perfectly fine to Not connect to a film or work of art, and say so in print," Addis also told me. "And you may feel that a film just genuinely doesn't work as a piece of art or entertainment. But before you rip into a person or film, you should just consider your motivation."
The genesis of "Heckler" insists for its audience to resist the easy temptation to unleash knee-jerk, and at times, mean-spirited attacks against artists. It merely exhibits jealousy, enmity and personal derision against the performer more than anything else. And as film director Joel Schumacher says in the film: "nobody ever grows up to be a critic."...
While the film never generated much attention – nor positive reviews – subsequent to its premiere at the AFI Film Festival, which I covered, "Heckler" fascinatingly examines the oft-times poisonous relationship between the role of “the critic” versus “the artist,” however loosely defined those words may be. The film featured an array of known personalities, such as Bill Maher, Louie Anderson, Henry Rollins, Rosanne Barr and Lewis Black - all of whom have spent a great deal of their professional careers doing standup comedy and confronting hecklers.
This prescient - albeit light, perhaps trifle - film presaged an age when vociferous personal attacks on social media, like Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr have only worsened by disenchanted and angry wannabees posing as critics. Their insults are merely just that – and not nuanced analysis. Addis and Kennedy seemed to conclude in the film that critics are merely akin to drunken hecklers at swanky comedy clubs - a notion that upon reexamination is indeed a fair point.
"Heckler" does not seek to portray Kennedy as pitted solely against his 'hecklers.' Rather he merely is an example of the nightly travails faced by a comedian –or would be artist- that tries to stem the cruel tide waged by those who are talentless, or do not have courage to take to the stage. It is for this very reason this seemingly slight documentary should be viewed again – or in more likelihood, should be seen for the first time.
"It was never intended as a crusade," director Michael Addis told me. "Jaime and I came up with the idea of the film together, as we wanted to do a stand-up comedy film, but wanted to tell some interesting truths about the life of a comedian. Eventually, we came up with the idea of comparing how a comic deals with hecklers with how comics deal with heckling they can't respond to.” "Heckler" is indeed an exposé of the strained relationship between artist and critic. It is not merely a document of sorry and uncouth patrons rudely interrupting comedians onstage... although there is plenty of that featured in the film.
"Heckler" argues that for a performer – as artist- to truly succeed he must ignore his or her critics; honing one’s craft is paramount. As Bob Dylan once quipped in a 2004 60 Minutes interview: 'the only ones you have to answer to is yourself and to God... Destiny is a feeling you have that you know something about yourself nobody else does. The picture you have in your own mind of what you’re about will come true.” (Needless to say, Dylan is not in the documentary).
"It’s perfectly fine to Not connect to a film or work of art, and say so in print," Addis also told me. "And you may feel that a film just genuinely doesn't work as a piece of art or entertainment. But before you rip into a person or film, you should just consider your motivation."
The genesis of "Heckler" insists for its audience to resist the easy temptation to unleash knee-jerk, and at times, mean-spirited attacks against artists. It merely exhibits jealousy, enmity and personal derision against the performer more than anything else. And as film director Joel Schumacher says in the film: "nobody ever grows up to be a critic."...
- 5/5/2015
- by Jared Feldschreiber
- Sydney's Buzz
Jeff Sneider is a 2006 graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. An aspiring screenwriter, he holds a Bfa in Dramatic Writing. He started his career writing film reviews on Ain't It Cool News, and continues to contribute reviews to the Colorado Springs Independent. Jeff spent two years as a writer/editor for Variety, and has also written for Hollywood Life, the MTV Movies Blog, Thompson on Hollywood and Examiner.com. In September 2006, Jeff was knocked out by director Uwe Boll in a boxing match/publicity stunt that has since become a footnote in pop culture history. He has appeared in Michael Addis' documentary “Heckler” and on HBO's “Entourage,” and is proud to have briefly worked as a production assistant on “The Departed.” He enjoys playing basketball and volleyball and his favorite movie is “Pulp Fiction.” Jeff maintains a personal awards season blog, TheInSneider (www.theinsneider.blogspot.
- 5/20/2010
- by Josh Dickey
- The Wrap
By Aaron Hillis
Within all the symposiums, panels and debates trying to decipher what arts criticism is and will ultimately become in the Internet age, those artists and entertainers who are skewered by critics' ink are rarely discussed. Comedian-actor Jamie Kennedy ("Scream") has experienced the vitriol of opinionated haters for decidedly non-masterpieces like "Son of the Mask" and "Malibu's Most Wanted," but it has to be worse when it happens in the middle of a stand-up performance. Produced by Kennedy and directed by Michael Addis, "Heckler" is a deeply personal and often funny doc about the relationship between performers and their critics, right down to heated confrontations between Kennedy and his online eviscerators. The film features a surprising gamut of talking heads: comedians like Patton Oswalt and Kathy Griffin make sense, as do directors like George Lucas and Uwe Boll, but who would've suspected to hear from Christopher Hitchens, Larry Flynt...
Within all the symposiums, panels and debates trying to decipher what arts criticism is and will ultimately become in the Internet age, those artists and entertainers who are skewered by critics' ink are rarely discussed. Comedian-actor Jamie Kennedy ("Scream") has experienced the vitriol of opinionated haters for decidedly non-masterpieces like "Son of the Mask" and "Malibu's Most Wanted," but it has to be worse when it happens in the middle of a stand-up performance. Produced by Kennedy and directed by Michael Addis, "Heckler" is a deeply personal and often funny doc about the relationship between performers and their critics, right down to heated confrontations between Kennedy and his online eviscerators. The film features a surprising gamut of talking heads: comedians like Patton Oswalt and Kathy Griffin make sense, as do directors like George Lucas and Uwe Boll, but who would've suspected to hear from Christopher Hitchens, Larry Flynt...
- 9/9/2008
- by Aaron Hillis
- ifc.com
New York -- As the Tribeca Film Festival unveiled lineups for its Midnight, Restored/Rediscovered and new Encounters sections Tuesday, co-founder Jane Rosenthal explained the downsizing of her star-filled slate.
"Everyone told us there was so much to choose from last year, so hopefully this raises the bar for pictures and allows us to be a bit more selective," said Rosenthal, recovering from a flu that left her virtually unable to talk Monday. "Our curatorial program is a stronger program for it."
Organizers on Monday had announced the elimination of two NY/NY sections and plans to screen 159 features this year, down from 174 in 2006 (Hr 3/13).
Rosenthal added that the number of screening venues, which increased and expanded uptown last year, will increase and allow for more screenings of each film. The AMC Loews Kips Bay 15, AMC Loews 72nd Street 1 and Clearview Chelsea West will be added.
She seemed most enthusiastic about DJ Spooky's "Rebirth of a Nation," a "remix" of D.W. Griffith's 1915 epic "The Birth of a Nation" that deconstructs the controversial film. In an equally unusual event, film archivist Paolo Cherchi Usai will screen historical films to the "Passio of Arvo Part" music at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and Trinity Church.
The new Encounters program -- developed by festival executive director Peter Scarlet, managing director and programmer Nancy Schafer and senior programmer David Kwok -- will "focus on people stretching themselves, either the subjects or the filmmakers," Rosenthal said. The 23-film slate will include world premieres from actors-turned-producers Rosario Dawson ("Descent") and Benicio Del Toro ("Lovesickness") and actors-turned-directors Mary Stuart Masterson ("The Cake Eaters"), James Franco ("Good Time Max") and Diego Luna ("Chavez").
Other features in the new section are "The Air I Breathe," featuring five actors (Forest Whitaker, Brendan Fraser, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Andy Garcia and Kevin Bacon) as characters in life-altering situations; Italy's Ellis Island-themed Oscar entry "Golden Door" (Nuovomondo); and "Suburban Girl," Marc Klein's adaptation of the best-selling novel "The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing."
Martin Scorsese and Scarlet have curated Restored/Rediscovered, preserving and presenting rare films. Cinda Firestone's prison riot docu "Attica," Grigori Chukrai's post-Stalin-era Russian love story "The Forty-First" (Sorok Fervyi) and actor Gerard Blain's 1973 French directorial effort "The Pelican" (Le Pelican) made this year's cut.
The 11-film Midnight program follows the offbeat, more commercial taste of similar late-night fest sections. Films include Michael Addis' fame docu "Hecklers," featuring Jamie Kennedy; Jim Hickey's gross-out comedy "Dirty Sanchez," featuring the eponymous U.K. comedy troupe; and John Erick Dowdle's serial killer thriller "The Poughkeepsie Tapes."
The entire 2007 Tribeca slate encompasses 244 films, including 75 world, 32 North American and 18 domestic premieres. Some 4,550 films were submitted to the fest, including 2,250 features.
"Everyone told us there was so much to choose from last year, so hopefully this raises the bar for pictures and allows us to be a bit more selective," said Rosenthal, recovering from a flu that left her virtually unable to talk Monday. "Our curatorial program is a stronger program for it."
Organizers on Monday had announced the elimination of two NY/NY sections and plans to screen 159 features this year, down from 174 in 2006 (Hr 3/13).
Rosenthal added that the number of screening venues, which increased and expanded uptown last year, will increase and allow for more screenings of each film. The AMC Loews Kips Bay 15, AMC Loews 72nd Street 1 and Clearview Chelsea West will be added.
She seemed most enthusiastic about DJ Spooky's "Rebirth of a Nation," a "remix" of D.W. Griffith's 1915 epic "The Birth of a Nation" that deconstructs the controversial film. In an equally unusual event, film archivist Paolo Cherchi Usai will screen historical films to the "Passio of Arvo Part" music at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and Trinity Church.
The new Encounters program -- developed by festival executive director Peter Scarlet, managing director and programmer Nancy Schafer and senior programmer David Kwok -- will "focus on people stretching themselves, either the subjects or the filmmakers," Rosenthal said. The 23-film slate will include world premieres from actors-turned-producers Rosario Dawson ("Descent") and Benicio Del Toro ("Lovesickness") and actors-turned-directors Mary Stuart Masterson ("The Cake Eaters"), James Franco ("Good Time Max") and Diego Luna ("Chavez").
Other features in the new section are "The Air I Breathe," featuring five actors (Forest Whitaker, Brendan Fraser, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Andy Garcia and Kevin Bacon) as characters in life-altering situations; Italy's Ellis Island-themed Oscar entry "Golden Door" (Nuovomondo); and "Suburban Girl," Marc Klein's adaptation of the best-selling novel "The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing."
Martin Scorsese and Scarlet have curated Restored/Rediscovered, preserving and presenting rare films. Cinda Firestone's prison riot docu "Attica," Grigori Chukrai's post-Stalin-era Russian love story "The Forty-First" (Sorok Fervyi) and actor Gerard Blain's 1973 French directorial effort "The Pelican" (Le Pelican) made this year's cut.
The 11-film Midnight program follows the offbeat, more commercial taste of similar late-night fest sections. Films include Michael Addis' fame docu "Hecklers," featuring Jamie Kennedy; Jim Hickey's gross-out comedy "Dirty Sanchez," featuring the eponymous U.K. comedy troupe; and John Erick Dowdle's serial killer thriller "The Poughkeepsie Tapes."
The entire 2007 Tribeca slate encompasses 244 films, including 75 world, 32 North American and 18 domestic premieres. Some 4,550 films were submitted to the fest, including 2,250 features.
- 8/18/2008
- by By Gregg Goldstein
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- Actor-producer Mario Lopez is launching a Los Angeles-based film production unit, Checkmate Entertainment, with partner Lou E. Perez, founder and CEO of Checkmate Staffing, the nation's largest fully Latino-owned employer. The partners are planning a fall launch for the film entity, which will be funded with $100 million in equity and will have a goal of producing two films annually in the $10 million-$20 million range. Leading the Checkmate slate is the comedy spec script The Car Thief, by Michael Addis. Car Thief is described by Checkmate as "a Hollywood twist on the '80s comedy 'Trading Places.' " In Car Thief, a thief carjacks a film executive, stealing a prized screenplay as well as the victim's identity. Car Thief was brought to Checkmate by Roberts/David Films partners Mark Roberts and Lorena David, who will produce. Founded in 1991 in Southern California, Perez's staffing business employs 63,000 and has offices in 12 states and four countries. The company's annual revenue exceeds $300 million. "My success has come from giving people what they want," Perez said. "I'm just moving my philosophy into a different arena."...
- 10/17/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Officially kicking off the second annual Method Fest -- an international independent film festival showcasing "breakout" acting performances -- Michael Addis' "Poor White Trash" is like a string of Jeff Foxworthy's "You might be a redneck if ..". jokes, without the funny parts at the end.
With its bargain-basement lineup of crass, cartoony characters, there's scant evidence of any kind of method to be found in this lamebrained caper, other than a general tendency to go full-
throttle over the top.
And while the cast, which includes Sean Young, William Devane and Tim Kazurinsky, appears to be having a blast, it's a mood that will unlikely be shared by the hapless viewer.
Set in a quaint southern Illinois town, the uninspired satire concerns the plight of Mike Bronco (Tony Denman), whose dreams of leaving his trailer park home behind for a college degree are dashed when a prank orchestrated by his goofball buddy Lenny (Jacob Tierney) ends up leaving both of them with a criminal record.
Determined to clear her son's name, Mike's mom, Linda (Young), whose husband just abandoned her to chase a pro wrestling career, helps set up a legal/college fund through illegal means, like robbing the local fast food joint.
Ultimately, their case is taken by the oily Ron Lake (Devane), a shady ex-con-turned-lawyer with his own agenda who also happens to be Lenny's grandfather. He also happens to be married to the much younger Sandy (Jaime Pressly), who still has a thing for former beau Brian (Jason London), son of the local sheriff and a former high school bully who, in turn, is having a thing with Linda.
Let the gunshots and car chases begin!
There's very little that's clever or amusing about director-screenwriter Addis' feature debut and his garden variety assortment of Jerry Springer rejects. The characterizations, meanwhile, run from the blandly forgettable to the cringingly hammy. Only London manages to pull off a self-mocking performance that shows any spark of originality.
Give Young credit for going seriously trashy, sporting some severely unflattering wigs and a nasty thrift shop wardrobe (compiled by costume designer Luellen Harper Thomas) that leaves her old "No Way Out" sexpot image literally in the dust.
Still, one suspects this isn't exactly the Method that Mr. Stanislavski originally had in mind.
POOR WHITE TRASH
Kingsize Entertainment
Director: Michael Addis
Screenwriters: Michael Addis, Tony Urban
Producers: Mark Roberts, Lorena David
Executive producer: Michael Lawrence
Director of photography: Peter Kowalski
Production designer: Clare Brown
Editor: Tom McArdle
Costume designer: Luellen Harper Thomas
Color/stereo
Cast:
Linda Bronco: Sean Young
Ron Lake: William Devane
Brian Ross: Jason London
Mike Bronco: Tony Denman
Lenny Lake: Jacob Tierney
Sandy Lake: Jaime Pressly
Judge Pike: M. Emmet Walsh
Carlton Rasmeth: Tim Kazurinsky
Running time -- 85 minutes
No MPAA rating...
With its bargain-basement lineup of crass, cartoony characters, there's scant evidence of any kind of method to be found in this lamebrained caper, other than a general tendency to go full-
throttle over the top.
And while the cast, which includes Sean Young, William Devane and Tim Kazurinsky, appears to be having a blast, it's a mood that will unlikely be shared by the hapless viewer.
Set in a quaint southern Illinois town, the uninspired satire concerns the plight of Mike Bronco (Tony Denman), whose dreams of leaving his trailer park home behind for a college degree are dashed when a prank orchestrated by his goofball buddy Lenny (Jacob Tierney) ends up leaving both of them with a criminal record.
Determined to clear her son's name, Mike's mom, Linda (Young), whose husband just abandoned her to chase a pro wrestling career, helps set up a legal/college fund through illegal means, like robbing the local fast food joint.
Ultimately, their case is taken by the oily Ron Lake (Devane), a shady ex-con-turned-lawyer with his own agenda who also happens to be Lenny's grandfather. He also happens to be married to the much younger Sandy (Jaime Pressly), who still has a thing for former beau Brian (Jason London), son of the local sheriff and a former high school bully who, in turn, is having a thing with Linda.
Let the gunshots and car chases begin!
There's very little that's clever or amusing about director-screenwriter Addis' feature debut and his garden variety assortment of Jerry Springer rejects. The characterizations, meanwhile, run from the blandly forgettable to the cringingly hammy. Only London manages to pull off a self-mocking performance that shows any spark of originality.
Give Young credit for going seriously trashy, sporting some severely unflattering wigs and a nasty thrift shop wardrobe (compiled by costume designer Luellen Harper Thomas) that leaves her old "No Way Out" sexpot image literally in the dust.
Still, one suspects this isn't exactly the Method that Mr. Stanislavski originally had in mind.
POOR WHITE TRASH
Kingsize Entertainment
Director: Michael Addis
Screenwriters: Michael Addis, Tony Urban
Producers: Mark Roberts, Lorena David
Executive producer: Michael Lawrence
Director of photography: Peter Kowalski
Production designer: Clare Brown
Editor: Tom McArdle
Costume designer: Luellen Harper Thomas
Color/stereo
Cast:
Linda Bronco: Sean Young
Ron Lake: William Devane
Brian Ross: Jason London
Mike Bronco: Tony Denman
Lenny Lake: Jacob Tierney
Sandy Lake: Jaime Pressly
Judge Pike: M. Emmet Walsh
Carlton Rasmeth: Tim Kazurinsky
Running time -- 85 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 6/16/2000
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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