12. Pianer oF THE ARTS | Novemser 1995

War of the Worlds

PoA talks to Russ Hexter, creator of Dadetown

They say that truth is stranger
than fiction but the day I saw
Dadetown, a film by American
documentarist Russ Hexter, was
the day before the jury in the O.J.
Simpson trial decided to acquit the
famous suitcase jumper who, less
than a week after the bodies were
found, was video taped being dri-
ven towards the Mexican border
(or his mom’s house), wearing a
fake beard, carrying a suitcase full
of money, holding a gun to his
temple threatening to pull the trig-
ger if anyone stopped him.
America (which, of course,
includes Canada) is nothing if not
a land built on fundamental tenets
of injustice and absurdity. The
most blatant infractions are met
with a societal shrug of, “Oh yeah,
Forrest Gump Best Picture? Why
not?” :

Dadetown is the name of the
town in New York State which
A.P.L., a data imaging conglomer-
ate, chooses as its home base.
Naturally, resistance is met with
the local townspeople who face an
uncertain future owing to the
imminent closure of the metal
bending factory which has tradi-
tionally provided their chief source
of employment. Not many of the
displaced locals stand to earn a
job at A.P.I. however, because their
training only extends as far as rote
manual labour. In fact, the compa-
ny has imported its own specialists
who are moving in, having houses
built, cappuccino shops installed,
or what one wife of an A.P.I. exec-
utive refers to as the “personaliz-
ing” of the town.

Dadetown the film deals with the
extremely topical scenario of cor-
porate homogeneity which we city
slickers take for day to day reality.
But in small town America, there

are certain tried and true functions
which, if interrupted, make a noise
akin to the squeak of a rusty old
wheel before it is eventually
silenced by the new and stronger
grease. Dadetown brilliantly docu-
ments the noise before that
silence.

Interview with Russ Hexter

PoA: Russ Hexter, if that’s your
real name, | would like to commu-
nicate to you the level of infuria-
tion that I felt as I finished watch-
ing your film. Also, I have some
trepidation coming into this inter-
view because your film, like The
Crying Game, has a secret which,
if revealed...well, basically we have
to be sort of tactful about the way
we speak here because, you
know...

Russ Hexter: It’s tough. In a way,
it’s an automatic limitation, not
being able to discuss the twist of
Dadetown even though, in essence,

Dadetown is really a portrait. It’s
really about a film crew that
comes into a small town and gets
much more than it bargains for.
How we decided to tell that story
is, | suppose, the twist. And the
reason we filmed Dadetown the
way we filmed it is that we want-
ed the audience to completely
relate to these characters. I think

when you make a narrative film,
people who watch it know it’s a
story, they know it’s Indecent
Proposal or Fatal Attraction.

PoA: And moreover, when you're
watching a movie, like Silkwood
for example, you can’t stop think-
ing, “Oh, it’s Cher!”

RH: It’s Cher, right. It’s Meryl
Streep. And it also has the tinge of
drama to it. You can tell there are
HMI’s out the window, you can
tell what are the studio shots and
what aren’t. There’s this immediate
veil separating the audience from
what's going on in the movie. And
that’s supposed to be there. That’s

continued on page 17, “Dadetown"

Crying Freeman
dir. Christoph Gans
(USA/Japan/France/Canada 1995)

It’s always hard to tell if you real-
ly like something when you go to
a midnight show. Sometimes |

don’t know if I can trust my
responses, because I don’t know if
it’s the fiim or the event. I enjoyed
Crying Freeman in an action
movie kind of way. I don’t think it
challenged the drama, but it did
justice to a good comic book and
animated series. In a way though,
it cheaped out on the comic a bit
too, and I'll get to that.

The reason it cheaped out on
the comic is because there was too
much shooting. There were too
many sparks and too much of that
car-door-slamming sound effect of
heavy gunshots, and yakuza guys
firing wildly and getting blown
away. Crying Freeman is about an
elite assassin who is hypnotized
into his profession and then

becomes so good at it, that he’s
kept on. He can’t go back to his
old life so he continues on as best
he can in the new one. He
becomes an incredible assassin and
martial artist, and somewhere the
physical amazingness of this char-
acter is lost in all of the
bore of exploding bullets.
The stunts are not impos-
sible, and we do see a few
of the moves from the
comic.but it’s easy for me
to say that I think it
should have been truer to
the comic. Still, there
were some really nice
touches, particularly near
the end. I can’t really
complain about the lush
production values,
because they were effective over-
all. | had fun, but at midnight
show, it’s always hard to tell.
-Kacey McDougall

Hate

dir. Mathieu Kassovitz
(France, 1995)

The idea of the violence in our
society is a topic that has been
around for a while. Violence in
inner-cities has given rise to a
particular genre of expression that
we see a lot more because there
are a lot of people dying in a war
that has not even been declared.
The White House would have us
beleive it’s the war on drugs, but

I'm not sure if that is the only
problem. The point is that people
are dying every day, and it’s not
an outside force - we're doing it
to ourselves.

Hate is a film that comments
on what goes on in these situa-
tions beautifully. It avoids over-
simplification, while at the same
time creates characters that you
feel you know, but who are uni-
versal, as well. Film is not reality,
it is the creative adaption of reali-
ty. A script is not speech, it is a
strangely poetic way of writing
something that is not human con-
verstaion yet sounds like it.
Amazing movies are something
that walk the line between poetry
and reality, between what we actu-
ally do and say to each other and
what we imagine happens. Hate is
such a film. It is a fable, a story
about a world you may not have
been to, but that story is no less
real and no less powerful or rele-
vant because it’s fictitious. It talks
about the times we live in with
rare eloquence.

-Kacey McDougall

City of Lost Children

Dir. Jean-pierre Jeunet & Marc Caro
(France/Spain/Germany, 1995)

After seeing this film, I thought
and proclaimed to all those around
me that this was going to be one
of the greatest films of all time.’I
am a fan of science fiction and of
late I have been somewhat down
in the dumps, because nothing has
come along to transport me to
another world. Do you know what
I mean? I’m talking about a com-
plete other realm. That is what
fantasy and science fiction are
about: taking what exists and cre-
ating something else. Only with
talent and love can you do this,
and it helps to have a fair bit of
capital, but more than that, you
must also be truly creative - a rare
combination.

Delicatessen had that mystical
quality to it, just as this film, not
quite a sequel, also has it. This
film is as mysterious as
Delicatessen, but it’s bigger. From
the existing fibres of the every-
day Jean-Pierre Jeunet , Marc Caro
and the other amazing people who
worked on this project weave
another reality so rich and beauti-
ful you lose yourself in it. It takes
us completely out of the world in
which we live, only to reflect upon
our world in a way that never
would have been possible other-
wise.

Imagine a flea’s eye view, and
then imagine the flea running full
tilt up the back of somebody’s
neck. These are things that you
marvel about on the bus, or in the
time just before you have to get
up to go to work. This film uses
computer animation in such a way
that it does not become what the
film is about, nor is it the only
thing you look for. The animation
is seamlessly integrated into the
film structure and serves to draw
you deeper into the spell rather
than seduce you with something
gratuitous. The effect serves not
just to amaze, but to drive the plot
and add credibility to a world
being spun from dust and light
right before your eyes. You get the
feeling that the stuff is not there
just to be flashy and sell tickets,
but because somebody dreamed it,
and they cared enough to want
you to be able to see it , too.

One could find fault with the
film but I think it would be the
simple promotion of advocacy for
the devil or academics or both,
Satan and academics having gone
hand in hand from the beginning.
I just think this is the best other-
worldly experience I’ve had for
such a long time. Just when I
thought sci-fi was dead this comes
up and bites me on the ass. I’m
grateful.

-Kacey McDougall
12 Pruner or ie Aes | Novoumin 1995,

War of the Worlds

PoA talks to Russ Hexter, creator of Dadetown

‘They say that truth i stranger
than fiction but the day 1 saw
Dadetown, a film by American
ocumentarist Russ Hexter, was
the day before the jury in the 01.
‘Simpson trial decided to acquit the
famous suitcase jumper who, less
than a week after the bodies we
found, was video taped being dri-
vven towards the Mexican border
(or his mom's house), wearing a
fake beard, carrying a suitcase full
fof money, holding a gun to his
temple threatening to pull the tig-
ager if anyone stopped him.
“America (which, of course,
includes Canada) is nothing if not
land built on fundamental tenets
of injustice and absurdity. The
most blatant infractions are met
witha societal shrug of, Oh yeah,
Forrest Gump Best Picture? Why
Dadetown is the name of the
town in New York State which
APL a data imaging conglomer-
chooses as its home base.
Naturally resistance is met with
the local townspeople who face an
‘uncertain future owing to the
{imminent closure of the metal
bending Factory which has tradi-
tionally provided their chief source
‘of employment. Not many of the
displaced locals stand to earn a
job at APL. however, because their
‘raining only extends as far as rote
‘manual labour. In Fat, the com
ry has imported its own spec
who are moving in, having houses
built, cappuccino shops installed,
‘or what one wife of an APL exec
tive refers to asthe “personaliz~
ing” ofthe town
Dadetown the film deals with the
‘extremely topical scenario of cor~
porate homogeneity which we ci
slickers take for day to day realt
‘But in small town America, there

terwiew

im

are certain tried and true functions
which, ifinterupted, make a noise
akin to the squeak of a rusty old
Wheel before its eventually
silenced by the new and stronger
sgrease. Dadetown brilliantly docu-
‘ments the noise before that

silence.

Interview with Russ Hexter

oA: Russ Hexter, if that's your
real name, would like to commi-
nicate to you the level of infuria-
tion that I felt a I finished watch-
ing your film. Also,

‘trepidation coming into this inter=
view because your film, like The
Crying Game, has a secret which,
if revealed..wel, basically we have
tobe sort of tactful about the way
wwe speak here because, you

know.

Russ Hexter: It’ tough. In a way,
it's an automatic imitation, not
being able to discuss the twist of
Dadetown even though, in essence,

Dadetown is really a portrait. I's
really about a film crew that
comes into a small town and gets
‘much more than it bargains for.
How we decided to tll that story
is, I suppose, the twist. And the
son we filmed Dadetown the
way we filmed it is that we want-
ed the audience to completely
relate to these characters. I think

when you make a narrative film,
people who watch it know it's a
story, they know it's Indecent
Proposal or Fatal Attraction.

PoA: And moreover, when you're
watching a movie, lke Silkvood
for example, you can't stop think
ing, “Oh, it's Cher!”

RHE: It’s Cher, ight. Its Meryl
Streep. And it also has the tinge of
drama to it. You can tell there are
HMI's out the window, you can
tell what are the studio shots and
what aren't. There's this immediate
veil separating the audience from
what's going on in the movie. And
that’s supposed to be there. That's
comin nye 17, "Doetonn®

Crying Freeman
dit Christoph Gans
{USAJapanfrance/Canada 1995)

les always hard to tell if you real~
ly like something when you go to
‘a midnight show. Sometimes |

don't know if I can trast my
responses, because I don't know if
it the flim or the event. I enjoyed
(Crying Freeman in an action
movie kind of way I don't think
challenged the drama, but it did
Justice to.a good comic book and
animated series. In a way though,
it eheaped out on the comica bit
too, and Fl get to that,

‘The reason it cheaped out on
the comic is because there was 100
‘much shooting. There were too
‘many sparks and too much of that
car-door-slamming sound effect of
heavy gunshots, and yakuza guys
firing wildly and getting blown
away. Crying Freeman is about an
lite assassin who is hypnotized
Into his profession and then

‘becomes so good at it, that he's
kept on. He can't go back to his
‘ld life so he continues on as best
hhe can in the new one. He
becomes an incredible asassin and
martial artist, and somewhere the
physical amazingness of this char-

acter is lost in all of the
bore of exploding bullets.
‘The stunts are not impos-
sible, and we do see a few
Of the moves from the
comic but it's easy for me
to say that I think it
should have been truer to
the comic Sil, there
ere some really nice
touches, particularly
the end, can't relly
complain about the lush
production values,
because they were effective over-
all, Uhad fun, but at midnight
show, it's always hard to tell
~Kacey MeDougall

Hate
dir. Mathiew Kassovite
(France, 1995)

‘The idea of the violence in our
society isa topic that has been
around for a while. Violence in
inner-cities has given rise to a
particular genre of expression that
we seea lot more because there
are a lot of people dying in a war
that has not even been declared
‘The White House would have us
beleive it’s the war on drugs, but

‘Tm not sure if that isthe only
problem. The point is that people
are dying every day, and its not
‘an outside force - we're doing
to ourselves,

Hate isa film that comments
‘on what goes on in these situa
tions beautifully. It avoids over-
simplification, while at the same
time ereates characters that you
feel you know, but who are uni-
versal, as wel. Film isnot reality,
itis the creative adaption of reali-
ty. A script is not speech, itis a
strangely poetic way of writing
something that fs not human con-
verstaion yet sounds lke it.
Amazing movies are something
‘that walk the line between poetry
and reality, between what we actu-
ally do and say to each other and
what we imagine happens. Hate is
such a film, Teis a fable, a story
about a world you may not have
‘been to, but that story is no less
real and no less powerful or rele=
vant because it's fictitious It talks
about the times we live in with
rare eloquence.

Kacey McDougall

Di Jean-pierre Jeunet & Mare Caro
(FrancelSpain/Germany, 1995)

After seeing this film, I thought
and proclaimed to all those around
me that this was going to be one
of the greatest films ofall time.
am a fan of science fiction and of
Tate Ihave been somewhat down
in the dumps, because nothing has
come along to transport me to
another world. Do you know what
{ mean? I'm talking about a com-
plete other realm. That is what
fantasy and science fiction are
about: taking what exists and ere-
ating something ese. Only with
talent and love can you do this,
and it helps to have a far bit of
‘capital, but more than that, you
must also be truly creative ~ a rare
‘combination.

Delicatessen had that mystical
quality to ft, Just as this film, not
quite a sequel, also has it. This
film is as mysterious as
Delicatessen, but it's bigger. From
the existing fibres ofthe every-
day Jean-Pierre Jeunet , Mare Caro
and the other amazing people who
worked on this project weave
another realty 5o rich and beauti-
ful you lose yourself in it. It takes
us completely out of the world in
which we live, only to reflect upon
our world in a way that never
would have been possible other-

Imagine a fleas eye view, and
then imagine the flea running fall
tilt up the back of somebody's
neck. These ae things that you
‘marvel about on the bus, oF in the
time just before you have to get
up to go to work. This film uses
computer animation in such a way
that it does not become what the
film is about, nor is it the only
thing you look for. The animation
is seamlessly integrated into the
film structure and serves to draw
‘you deeper into the spell rather
‘than seduce you with something
‘gratuitous. The effect serves not
Just to amaze, but to drive the plot
‘and add credibility to a world
being spun from dust and light
right before your eyes. You get the
feeling that the stuff isnot there
Just tobe flashy and sell tickets,
tout because somebody dreamed it,
and they cared enough to want
‘you to be able to see it too.

‘One could find fault with the
film but I think it would be the
simple promotion of advocacy for
the devil or academics or both,
Satan and academics having gone
hhand in hand from the beginning.
| just think this is the best other-
worldly experience I've had for
such a Tong time. Just when 1
thought sci-fi was dead this comes
up and bites me on the ass. 'm
arateful
“Kacey McDougall