It Came from Kuchar (2008)
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89% of critics liked it
(18 reviews) -
75% of users liked it
(201 ratings)
Twin brothers George Kuchar and Mike Kuchar were the joyous oddballs of the underground film movement of the 1960s, and are among the small handful of artists to emerge from that scene who have remained active into the 21st century. Born and raised in the Bronx, the Kuchar Bbrothers grew up on a… More Twin brothers George Kuchar and Mike Kuchar were the joyous oddballs of the underground film movement of the 1960s, and are among the small handful of artists to emerge from that scene who have remained active into the 21st century. Born and raised in the Bronx, the Kuchar Bbrothers grew up on a cinematic diet of Hollywood kitsch, and all manner of big-screen potboilers informed their homemade 8 mm epics such as I Was a Teenage Rumpot and Hold Me While I'm Naked, which reflected late-show clichés in a funhouse mirror while injecting them with a comic energy infused with compassion and humanity. The films of the Kuchar Brothers influenced a large and surprisingly diverse range of filmmakers, from John Waters and Guy Maddin to Wayne Wang and Atom Egoyan; and George and Mike are not only still making films, they've enjoyed long and rich careers as educators, teaching what they've learned about filmmaking to several generations of eager students. It Came From Kuchar is a documentary directed by one such former student, Jennifer M. Kroot, and includes plentiful clips from the Kuchar Brothers' films along with extensive interviews with the brothers, behind-the-scenes footage of them at work, and testimonials from friends and fans, including Buck Henry, Bill Griffith, Gerard Malanga, V. Vale, and many more. It Came From Kuchar was an official selection at the 2009 New York NewFest and 2009 CineVegas Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Jennifer M. Kroot
- Genres
- Documentary, Television, Comedy
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Apr 9, 2010 Wide
- Studio
- Tigerlily Pictures LLC
Critic Reviews
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Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
A lively little doc that might just do for you what it did for me -- provide a welcome introduction and an amusing education.
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Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
Kroot's film, with assists from interview subjects like John Waters, Buck Henry, Wayne Wang, Guy Maddin and Atom Egoyan, makes a compelling case not so much for the Kuchars' movies, exactly, as for their independent spirit.
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Ty Burr, Boston Globe
The movie makes the case that the best American filmmakers may be the uncelebrated ones who helplessly turn life into art simply as a means to get out of bed every day.
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Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
In any case, the documentary is interesting as a human story. And anyone who loves the Kuchar brothers' films or underground cinema in general will take extra pleasure in it.
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A.O. Scott, New York Times
The portrait that emerges is affectionate and fascinating. The brothers themselves are un-self-consciously talkative, unassumingly odd and frequently very funny.
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