American Movie has long been a classic in film buff circles, a titan in the genre of "films about filmmakers". References to the film have woven their way into the social consciousness here and there, from Family Guy cameos to primary subject Mark Borchardt showing up on David Letterman in the 90s several times, but, naturally, those references have dried up as we enter nearly 22 years from the film's release. The film, as of this writing, is entirely out of print. Available for rent or digital purchase on pretty much any digital movie service, but unreleased on Blu-Ray with old DVD copies nearing $60 on used markets. American Movie is quickly becoming a forgotten film outside of certain niche circles, and that is such a shame, because it truly is fantastic.
American Movie is a documentary following Milwaukee filmmaker Mark Borchardt, a man with more passion than a dozen people combined manage to wring out in a lifetime, but with questionable talent or good sense. The film opens with Mark moving into preproduction on his first full length feature film titled Northwestern, a sort of slice-of-life epic about alcoholic dead beats from Milwaukee, a group that Mark has often found himself a part of. As the opening credits roll, however, it becomes apparent that his mounting debt is going to prevent him from entering production, and he must turn to finishing his 30 min short film Coven he started 2 years ago in order to pay his debts and secure funding. His ambition is out of control, but with that comes a life falling apart and obsessiveness over his work. Both of these threads intertwine as the film progresses, touching on his three kids that he doesn't seem to spend a whole lot of time with, his worsening alcoholism, and his constant rewrites up to the 11th hour ("the 12th hour", as he puts it, minutes from having to hand out copies of the script he is still in the process of rewriting).
Mark is an odd hybrid, part Werner Herzog and part Ed Wood, willing to go to great lengths to make what amounts to campy horror films. His productions are unbelievably lean, and with an unbelievable network of people sort of supporting him, support he has garnered through his conviction. Mark is aggressive in selling his films to others he wants to work on them, projecting future success, a distinct vision, and a tireless work ethic that is both insane to see and absolutely necessary for him to get over the obstacles in his way. There's a conscious dichotomy when watching the film, of both feeling inspired by his passion and a growing dread that not only is the stuff he is making not going to help him climb out of the hole he has dug himself into, but that the man is downright delusional. It feels like the film equivalent to The Fall of Western Civilization, Part II. There is inspiration and tragedy in equal measure, as Mark follows what he believes to be the American Dream.
But this dichotomy is partially what makes Mark a compelling character. You don't want him to fail, not when he is so charismatic and in such a troubled spot. Mark's emotional state whips back and forth throughout the film, at one point even breaking aggressively through the fourth wall, asking the documentarian behind the camera if he thinks any of this is possible in a drunken stupor. American Movie, in a lot of ways, bypasses its filmic nature because of its subject. Mark is so compelling that you sort of forget to even look at how the documentary is being edited and made, but there is a skill to that as well. The film seems to jump quickly from one moment to another, in a cinema verite style that matches Mark's own mental state. Moments snap in and out quickly as Mark becomes more manic, and lingers when he is depressed. It is hard not to feel like this film is being projected straight from inside Mark's head.
American Movie is a must for anyone interested in or aspiring towards a career in film. It ranks among classics of the subject like Ed Wood, Day for Night, Hearts of Darkness, and Man with the Movie Camera - it is a bonafide classic. Mark is doing well these days, hosting his own podcast and having had some success with his own documentary in 2018. But the lightning in a bottle that is American Movie will more than likely trump anything he does after. It is something so nearly perfect for anyone who has dabbled in the field, essentially projecting your younger filmmaking self up on the screen in adult form. It is the fear everyone who made films as a kid had, and it is simultaneously a love letter to that fire and how beautifully it burned.
9.5
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