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The next in our series of writers drawing attention to their favourite comfort films looks back to a funny and touching documentary from 1999

“I was a failure and I get very sad and depressed about it. I really feel like I betrayed myself. Big time. When I was growing up, I had all the potential in the world. Now I’m back to being Mark with a beer in his hand who is thinking about the great American script and the great American movie. This time I cannot fail. I will not fail.”

As far as opening monologues go, you couldn’t have scripted a more perfect introduction to a film that captures one of the purest pursuits of the American Dream ever set to film. But these were not written for a character, but instead straight from the heart of Mark Borchardt in a 1999 documentary. It’s rare that...

Directed by Max Tzannes, “Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project” (2025) is a mockumentary that follows an amateur filmmaker’s journey to make a found-footage horror film about Bigfoot. The genre, by definition, is about blurring the lines between fiction and reality. It allows the audience to enter a world within a world and to scrutinize the nature of everything they see on the screen. Within that narrative, Tzannes introduces found footage horror, another genre known for a similar effect. It relies on our suspension of disbelief and impacts only when we believe in its facade. Whether it’s “The Blair Witch Project” or any of its successors, these films depend on making us believe in their facade — that it is ‘discovered’ footage, not a designed one.

Tzannes utilizes their interconnectedness in his mockumentary that starts on a note eerily similar to Chris Smith’s “American Movie.” Smith’s...

The 1999 Sundance Film Festival breakout documentary American Movie has been released in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format in celebration of its 25th anniversary. After taking home the Grand Jury Documentary Prize during its initial screening at the annual festival, the movie has become a celebrated cult favorite.

Officially available as of today, October 15th, the disc is presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision and includes director and cast commentary and deleted scenes. It also contains a cut of Coven, the short film that was developed by Mark Borchardt, the eccentric subject of the documentary. Order a copy here.

The thoughtful, intense documentary focuses on Borchardt and his obsession with making movies — despite living in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, and operating on zero budget. Filmed over a stretch of two years, the heartfelt and thought-provoking project is a moving portrait of human ambition in the face of difficulties and vices.

Borchardt...

Quick Links American Movie Succeeds as a World-Class Comedy The Existential Malaise of a Midwestern Working-Class Existence Borchardt Is a Cult Hero Who Embodies the Essence of the American Dream

Twenty-five years ago, Chris Smith directed the documentary American Movie, which, over the years, has turned the film's subject, Wisconsin-based auteur Mark Borchardt, into a cult hero. While most documentaries focus on a niche subject matter, American Movie has a near-universal appeal that possesses the ability to entertain almost anyone. American Movie succeeds as a laugh-out-loud hysterical comedy that finds immense humor in both its eccentric cast of characters and the absurdist struggles of trying to produce a low-budget independent film. The movie also offers audiences a somber portrait of Midwestern working-class existential malaise and the desire to break free from this oppressive way of life by pursuing the American Dream. Lastly, American Movie is a beautiful tribute to aspiring...

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm director Jason Woliner has an upcoming Peacock show, Paul T. Goldman, and it's really bizarre. Woliner is known for directing the acclaimed Borat sequel along with episodes of shows like The Last Man on Earth and Parks and Recreation. Still, given the strangeness of Paul T. Goldman, it's particularly notable that Woliner worked with Nathan Fielder on Comedy Central's Nathan For You. Fielder has since gone on to create and star in The Rehearsal for HBO, the hybrid of reality and fiction that became one of the most discussed series of 2022 for the way that it blurred the lines of scripted drama and documentary.

Peacock's new trailer for Paul T. Goldman might just be even more bizarre than The Rehearsal. The series, which debuts on January 1 with three episodes, with the remaining three premiering weekly every Sunday, looks like it tells a familiar story of an...

Director Jason Woliner took over the "Borat" franchise from Larry Charles with the raucously hilarious follow-up "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm," making headlines around the world and sending shockwaves across the web. Since then, it sounds like he's been busy putting the finishing touches on a Peacock original series that follows in the same footsteps of the documentary style comedy that has made millions cringe and crack up at the same time. 

Peacock has just debuted the first trailer for a new series called "Paul T. Goldman." Who is this? Well, as far as we know, it's not a new character from Sacha Baron Cohen, though we wouldn't be surprised if you thought that after getting a glimpse at this peculiar man and the journey he's taken over the past decade. The streaming service describes the new series as "a groundbreaking project that mixes fact and fiction to tell a bizarre and incredible tale,...

Mike Schank, a musician best known for his appearance in the cult favorite documentary film American Movie, has died. He was 53. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Schank passed away on Thursday, October 13. His close friend, Jackie Bogenberger, revealed that Schank had been battling cancer in recent months. A celebration of life is set to be held on November 12 at the Milwaukee Alano Club, where Schank volunteered for two decades. Schank was close friends with independent filmmaker Mark Borchardt and helped Borchardt make the 1997 short horror film Coven. He later appeared in the 1999 documentary film about the making of Coven, which showed him acting in and assisting with the production, as well as providing music for the movie. The documentary was a critical success, winning the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize for Documentary in 1999. Schank, in particular, received much praise for his part in the feature. The Boston Globe...

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Musician Mike Schank, best known for his good guy role in the award-winning documentary film American Movie, has died. He was 53.

Schank’s close friend Jackie Bogenberger said he had been battling cancer in recent months and died Thursday.

American Movie won best documentary at the Sundance Film Festival and became a cult favorite over the years. The 1999 film chronicled the making of the horror short Coven by independent filmmaker Mark Borchardt, with Schank — Borchardt’s best friend — shown in the film supporting Borchardt’s filmmaking dream through various challenges.

Schank’s deadpan humor and quiet sweetness in Movie — including his honesty about his struggles with alcoholism and gambling addiction — made him a beloved, unforgettable figure. He hilariously provided a bloodcurdling scream for Coven and also composed its music. The 1999’s documentary’s success led to several opportunities, including a role in the...

Mike Schank, a musician who was featured prominently in American Movie, the cult 1999 documentary that won a big prize at the Sundance Film Festival, has died. He was 53.

His close friend, Jackie Bogenberger, told the Associated Press that Schank died October 13 after a months-long battle with cancer. Several big-name actors and filmmaker mourned Schank on social media; read a sampling below.

Director Chris Smith’s American Movie premiered at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Prize — the first of several festival and critics’ awards and nominations it would glean. It centered on aspiring filmmaker Mark Borchardt’s attempts to finance his dream project by completing Coven, the low-budget horror short film he’d abandoned years before. Schank co-starred as his best friend since childhood, a guitarist and recovering substance abuser who was among the most reliable members of Borchardt’s crew.

He also provided a much-lauded scream...

When Mike Schank, the unlikely co-star of the cult favorite documentary American Movie, passed away, memorials flooded their way across social media in his honor. Mark Duplass, Taika Waititi, and Edgar Wright were among the many who offered tributes to Schank, with most lauding him as a shining example of what it means to be a true friend. If you’ve seen American Movie, you probably know: Schank was a pivotal and consistent system of support for filmmaker Mark Borchardt throughout the production of his microbudget horror film Coven. As Duplass tweeted in memoriam, one only needed to watch Schank in American Movie to “learn how to be a good friend”.

Mike Schank, the lovable sidekick to Mark Borchardt’s aspiring filmmaker in the 1999 cult classic documentary American Movie, has died. He was 56.

As reported by the Milwaukee Record–Schank and Borchardt were both good ol’ Wisconsin boys–Mike Schank “passed away early this morning [Thursday] in his mother’s arms.”

Although credited as Friend/Musician in American Movie, Mike Schank was an immediate audience favorite, stealing every scene in the movie with his nonchalant delivery, curious perspectives and hellish scream.

Earlier this year, Mike Schank tweeted on the anniversary of his sobriety:

August 3rd was my 27 years clean and sober birthday

— Mike Schank (@schank_mike) August 7, 2022

In American Movie, Mike Schank cathartically reflected on his past abuse. “When you play the lottery, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose… But it better than using drugs or alcohol – Because when you use drugs and alcohol, especially drugs, you always lose.”

Mark Borchardt tweeted,...

Mike Schank, the unlikely star of the cult 1999 documentary American Movie — about two Wisconsin friends making an ultra-low budget horror film — has died at the age of 56.

Schank’s friend Jackie Bogenberger told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he had been battling a “super rare” form of cancer in recent months. “It spread quickly everywhere throughout his body in a matter of weeks, touching almost everything except his brain,” Bogenberger said. “He did some chemo and radiation. One of the last things Mike said to me was, ‘Hey Jackie, I feel...

Mike Schank, guitarist, actor, friend and beloved subject of the 1999 documentary “American Movie,” died on Thursday morning, according to the Milwaukee Record. He was 56.

The exceedingly gifted screamer was a highlight from the cult classic directed by Chris Smith.

The film followed Wisconsin director Mark Borchardt as he attempted to film his fraught horror movie “Coven.” With a crew made up of friends and family members, just about every part of the production process fell apart, except for Schank, who was always there for his friend. Schank appeared as an extra, assistant, edit bay buddy and epic storyteller.

Schank was also a guitarist and even recorded music for the soundtrack to the documentary. Besides acting in “Coven,” he would also appear in the 2001 film “Storytelling,” the 2014 pic “Hamlet A.D.D.” and cameo as himself on an episode of “Family Guy.”

“American Movie” won the grand jury prize for documentary at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival.

Multi-faceted filmmaker Mark Duplass discusses the movies he wishes more people knew about with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Duck Butter (2018)

The Puffy Chair (2005)

Prince Of Broadway (2008)

Tangerine (2015)

The Florida Project (2017) – Dennis Cozzalio’s review

Red Rocket (2021)

Starlet (2012)

Take Out (2004)

Mack & Rita (Tbd)

Old Joy (2006)

First Cow (2020)

Wendy And Lucy (2008) – Dennis Cozzalio’s favorite movie of 2020

Henry Fool (1997)

Trust (1990)

Amateur (1994)

Medicine For Melancholy (2008)

Shang-Chi (2021)

Your Sister’s Sister (2011)

My Effortless Brilliance (2008)

What the Funny (2008)

Humpday (2009)

True Adolescents (2009)

Man Push Cart (2005)

The White Tiger (2021)

Baghead (2008)

The Do-Deca-Pentathlon (2012)

Language Lessons (2021)

Stevie (2002)

Hoop Dreams (1994)

American Movie (1999)

What Happened Was… (1994) – Ti West’s trailer commentary

Manhunter (1986) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary

My Dinner With Andre (1981)

Creep (2014)

Grown-Ups (1980)

Abigail’s Party (1977)

Nuts In May (1976)

Secrets And Lies (1996) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review

Naked (1993)

Parallel Mothers (2021)

The Freebie (2010)

East Of Eden (1955) – Larry Cohen’s trailer commentary

Strange...

Documentarian Senain Kheshgi takes us through a few of her favorite documentaries.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

American Movie (1999)

Dog Day Afternoon (1975) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary

The French Connection (1971) – Dennis Lehane’s trailer commentary, Mark Pellington’s trailer commentary

Grey Gardens (1975)

Salesman (1969)

Real Life (1979)

Hoop Dreams (1994)

Seven Up! (1964)

Don’t Look Back (1967)

Primary (1960)

The Thin Blue Line (1988)

Reds (1981)

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) – Dennis Cozzalio’s 2020 best-of list

High School (1968)

Hospital (1970)

Titicut Follies (1967)

Harlan County, USA (1976)

Salaam Bombay! (1988)

Mississippi Masala (1991)

India Cabaret (1985)

The 400 Blows (1959) – Robert Weide’s trailer commentary

Bicycle Thieves (1949) – Dennis Cozzalio’s Muriel Awards column

Shoeshine (1946)

Citizen Kane (1941) – John Landis’s trailer commentary

Day For Night (1973) – Neil Labute’s trailer commentary

Sherman’s March (1986)

Capturing The Friedmans (2003)

I Think We’re Alone Now (2008)

The Mole Agent (2020)

The Act of Killing (2012)

Other Notable Items

Walter Hill

Walton Goggins

The Majority

Mark Borchardt

Mike Schank

The...

For his book Cinemaphagy: On the Psychedelic Classical Form of Tobe Hooper, author Scout Tafoya is looking to finally put Hooper in the spotlight he deserved, but eluded the Master of Horror throughout most of his career. And while fans can definitely expect to read about so many of Hooper’s more well-known projects, like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Poltergeist, The Mangler, Invaders From Mars, and one of this writer’s personal favorites—Salem’s Lot—Tafoya also digs into Tobe’s work pre-tcm, his many forays into television, and more.

Daily Dead recently caught up with Tafoya to talk about Cinemaphagy, celebrating one of the genre’s more unsung directors, the challenges he faced with the book along the way, and more.

If you want to learn more about Cinemaphagy: On the Psychedelic Classical Form of Tobe Hooper and/or order your own copy, you can find it on Amazon Here.

To kick off a brand new month, we have a brand new batch of horror and sci-fi titles coming home this week on Blu-ray & DVD. If you missed it earlier this year, you can check out Antebellum this Tuesday when it hits 4K Ultra HD, Blu, and DVD. Rlje Films is getting into the holiday mood early with their release of Christmas Presence, and the entire series of Game of Thrones is getting the 4K treatment as well.

Other releases for November 3rd include Lake Michigan Monster, The Veil, They Reach, Let's Scare Julie, and V for Vendetta in 4K.

Antebellum

Successful author Veronica Henley (Janelle Monáe) finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality that forces her to confront the past, present and future – before it’s too late.

Special Features:

The History in Front of Us: Deconstructing Antebellum (2-Part Documentary)

A Hint of Horror: The Clues of Antebellum...

Lake Michigan Monster (2018) will be available on Blu-ray from Arrow Video November 3rd

Lake Michigan Monster Banned In Four Lakes!

All aboard! The combined spirits of H.P. Lovecraft, early Sam Raimi and Mystery Science Theater 3000 inhabit this action-packed tale of nautical derring-do and monster mayhem winner of the Audience Award for Best International Feature at the 2019 Fantasia Film Festival.

On the shores of Lake Michigan, the eccentric Captain Seafield enlists a colourful crew of misfits in a bid to slay the hellish sea monster that prowls the murky depths. But as Seafield s obsession with exacting revenge on the creature that killed his father threatens to consume him, can weapons expert Sean Shaughnessy (Erick West), sonar whiz Nedge Pepsi (Beulah Peters) and former N.A.V.Y. Nautical Athletes and adVenture Yunit officer Dick Flynn (Daniel Long) hold the show together?

Shot in gloriously retro black and white on a shoestring budget,...

Here are many more movies to watch when you’re staying in for a while, featuring recommendations from Steven Canals, Larry Karaszewski, Gareth Reynolds, and Alan Arkush with special guest star Blaire Bercy from the Hollywood Food Coalition.

Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976)

Groundhog Day (1993)

Kung Fu Mama a.k.a. Queen of Fist (1973)

Ali: Fear Eats The Soul (1974)

Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (2019)

In The Mood For Love (2000)

Hunger (2008)

The Sweet Hereafter (1997)

Fargo (1996)

Night of the Lepus (1971)

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Soylent Green (1973)

Silent Running (1972)

Canyon Passage (1946)

McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

The Professionals (1966)

Ride Lonesome (1959)

Carrie (1952)

The Heartbreak Kid (1972)

Hello Down There (1969)

The Brass Bottle (1964)

The Trouble With Angels (1966)

Pollyanna (1960)

Tiger Bay (1959)

The Parent Trap (1961)

Endless Night (1972)

The Family Way (1966)

Take A Girl Like You (1970)

Freddy Got Fingered...

Shriekfest Film Festival to screen the West Coast Premiere of The Field, Starring Veronica Cartwright (Alien, The Birds, Witches of Eastwick), Barry Bostwick (Rocky Horror), Mark Metcalf (Animal House, Seinfeld, Buffy), Mark Borchardt (American Movie), Tim Higgins (Funny or Die-Pass Me a Beer), Kara Mulrooney (Little Red). Directed by Tate Bunker The annual Los Angeles competition will kick off with an opening night gala September 26 bpt.me/4345177 To purchase tickets! In addition to 10 features, …

The post Shriekfest Announces the West Coast Premiere of The Field appeared first on Hnn | Horrornews.net.

What should be a comedy of errors about a hapless filmmaker’s efforts to complete a low, low budget horror film becomes instead a poignant tale about dodging life’s slings and arrows in order to follow your dreams. The film’s main dreamer is the Quixote-like Mark Borchardt, a lanky Milwaukeean determined to produce his movie come hell or high water. He even has his own Sancho Panza in Mike Schank, the rotund friend enlisted to write the film’s score. Director Chris Smith films his two heroes tilting at every windmill that comes their way and revels in their eventual success, unexpected as it is. Smith’s film was successful as well, winning the Grand Prize at Sundance in 1999.

The post American Movie appeared first on Trailers From Hell.

Chicago – In all film festivals, the real hidden talent can often be found in the Short Films Program. This is the beginning for many great filmmakers, and it is up to the film reporters and programmers to unearth these creative jewels. Film Critic and Writer Collin Souter is the Short Films Programmer for the Chicago Critics Film Festival (Ccff), and the fest will be presenting two separate programs on May 13th and 14th, 2017, during the run of the festival, which takes place from May 12th through May 18th at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre (details below).

Collin Souter has been reviewing films for 17 years in and around the scene in Chicago… he has a weekly radio gig on Wgn 720Am for the Nick Digilio show, and a monthly one on Whpk 88.5Fm. He has written for eFilmcritic.com, and has a monthly column at RogerEbert.com called “Short Films in Focus.

For two years back in the late ’90s and early aughts, producer, filmmaker, author and cinephile John Pierson hammered together the lovingly Diy television series, which introduced movie buffs to all manner of filmmakers and their creations over the course of 60-plus episodes. “Split Screen” was IFCtv’s signature series from 1997-2001, boasting such guests as Spike Lee, Richard Linklater, Kevin Smith, Mary Harron, Katherine Dieckmann and many, many more.

Late last year, the cult classic found a new home over on streaming service FilmStruck, which began releasing episodes of the series on their Criterion Channel in December, with a tiered rollout planned.

Read More: ‘Split Screen’: 9 Reasons You Should Watch FilmStruck’s Revival of TV’s Best-Ever Series About Indie Film

On Wednesday night in New York City, the series’ reintroduction to the cultural consciousness continued apace, as Pierson and a group of some of his most famous...

Author: Andy Furlong

It is almost inconceivable now to explain to audiences in what is now the age of information, the fervent sense of lore and mythology built around the release of The Blair Witch Project in 1999. With all the talk of fake news as of late, a different sense of uncertainty existed regarding how communication transpired during that period. It was a much more naïve speculative time when it came to cinema, which allowed for questions contemplating whether or not something like The Blair Witch was a work of non-fiction, to remain unanswered. A feat that seems impossible to replicate now with the overload of knowledge readily available at our fingertips. As such a movie that presents itself in the form that Population Zero presents itself in seems to be tailored for a time that no longer exists.

The impact of Population Zero in many ways hinges itself on...

Bon Iver's Justin Vernon narrates the strange new trailer for the upcoming documentary, The Dundee Project, about a UFO festival in the musician's home state of Wisconsin. Mark Borchardt, the independent filmmaker behind the cult horror classic Coven, directed the film.

Per Wisconsin Public Radio, The Dundee Project chronicles UFO Daze, an annual gathering of extraterrestrial aficionados, who meet to discuss UFOs and watch the sky near Dundee, Wisconsin. Borchardt has been a long time attendee and began filming interviews with locals and festival goers in the early 2000s.

It’s been 20 years since the release of Mark Borchardt’s independent horror classic Coven—and 18 years since the release of Chris Smith’s excellent American Movie documentary that chronicled the making of that film—and now Borchardt has finally returned with a trailer for his next movie, a documentary about a UFO festival in a small town in Wisconsin. Titled The Dundee Project, the YouTube description explains that the film will feature interviews with “eccentric locals” as they prepare for an annual celebration that’s “equal parts sky watching and heavy drinking.” Plus, the trailer is narrated by Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, who is probably one of the few Wisconsin artists who is almost as famous as Mark Borchardt is—at least among the cool people who read The A.V. Club.

You can get a little bit more information about The Dundee Project at its ...

Mike Ott’s semi-documentary, about delusional people with dreams of making it big in Hollywood, is beautifully filmed but snickering and uncomfortable

Cory is an aspiring actor who is holding a yard sale to raise the cash he needs to fly to Berlin for an audition. Patrick is 28 and has never kissed a woman, unless you count his mother or grandmother. Neil is a budding screenwriter obsessed with Taco Bell. Carolan lives in her car but has already written her Oscar acceptance speech. And Kevin, who sports a custard-coloured mullet and runs a storage company, is confident about his own star quality. “When I walk into a room of 1,000 people, 999 of them are looking at me,” he says. “The one who isn’t is blind.”

This is the cast of California Dreams, a bittersweet comedy that occupies the grey area between documentary and scripted reality, and comes across like Napoleon Dynamite meets American Movie.

For two years back in the late nineties and early aughts, producer, author and all-around film lover John Pierson hit the road alongside his own group of fellow cinephiles to explore the filmmaking scene in a variety of venues and with a ton of exciting guests.

The venture resulted in his beloved television series “Split Screen,” which introduced movie buffs to all manner of filmmakers and their creations over the course of 60-plus episodes. “Split Screen” was IFCtv’s signature series from 1997-2000, boasting such guests as Spike Lee, Richard Linklater, Kevin Smith, Mary Harron, Katherine Dieckmann and many, many more.

Read More: Watch: ‘Jackie’ Director Pablo Larraín Discusses ‘Movies That Inspire Me’ in New IndieWire Video Series Presented by FilmStruck

While the series has long been available online in bits and pieces, it’s now bound for a brand new internet home, where it will be available in all its wild glory,...

Mark Duplass, indie filmmaker and sitcom all-star (The League, The Mindy Project), knows what it’s like to make movies with someone you love. He writes and directs movies with his older brother, Jay (Cyrus), and he also collaborates with his League co-star and wife, Katie Aselton (Black Rock). So he was familiar with the challenge that faced Melissa McCarthy and her husband, Ben Falcone, who combined to write, direct, produce, and star in Tammy, the road comedy co-starring Susan Sarandon that opens July 2.

The 37-year-old actor, who plays McCarthy’s romantic interest, Bobby, in the film, gave EW his...

The Sundance Institute’s Next Fest summer film festival hits Los Angeles the weekend of August 7-10, set to be headquartered at the Ace Hotel Theatre, and offering feature and short film screenings, some paired with live music performances.The event was conceived as an extension of the popular Next section from Sundance, which showcases primarily first films from up-and-coming directors, and builds on the Institute’s original Next Weekend event, hosted in 2013. For the festival’s kickoff on August 7, a cult classic film will screen at Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. A similar event for last year’s Next Weekend featured a double-bill screening of Chris Smith’s iconic and hilarious documentary “American Movie” and the horror film it chronicled, Mark Borchardt’s “Coven.”Buzzy films you’ve probably heard of that have premiered in the Next section include “Bellflower,” “Blue Caprice,” “Compliance,” “Sleepwalk With Me,” “Sound of My Voice...

This week on Trailers from Hell, horror director Ti West takes time off his new film "The Sacrament," currently gearing up to open in Us theaters, to discuss Chris Smith's hilarious 1999 documentary "American Movie." What should be a comedy of errors about a hapless filmmaker’s efforts to complete a low, low budget horror film becomes instead a poignant tale about dodging life’s slings and arrows in order to follow your dreams. The film’s main dreamer is the Quixote-like Mark Borchardt, a lanky Milwaukeean determined to produce his movie come hell or high water. He even has his own Sancho Panza in Mike Schank, the rotund friend enlisted to write the film’s score. Director Chris Smith films his two heroes tilting at every windmill that comes their way and revels in their eventual success, unexpected as it is. Smith’s film was successful as well, winning...

What should be a comedy of errors about a hapless filmmaker’s efforts to complete a low, low budget horror film becomes instead a poignant tale about dodging life’s slings and arrows in order to follow your dreams. The film’s main dreamer is the Quixote-like Mark Borchardt, a lanky Milwaukeean determined to produce his movie come hell or high water. He even has his own Sancho Panza in Mike Schank, the rotund friend enlisted to write the film’s score. Director Chris Smith films his two heroes tilting at every windmill that comes their way and revels in their eventual success, unexpected as it is. Smith’s film was successful as well, winning the Grand Prize at Sundance in 1999.

The post American Movie appeared first on Trailers From Hell.

In 1999, filmmaker Chris Smith introduced the world to Mark Borchardt. In 2014, Matthew Bauckman and Jaret Belliveau introduce the world to Elliot "White Lightning" Scott.

Elliot was shot over a two year period just outside Halifax, Nova Scotia where Scott, the Canadian martial arts-star-in-the-making, spends his time working on his low-budget karate epic, Blood Fight. Scott certainly has passion but as with Borchardt before him, he's stuck and things aren't looking up.

Bauckman and Belliveau capture two years of Scott's life on film, his struggles to get his film made and to be accepted as a filmmaker. It's not an uncommon struggle but there's something surreal about this trailer which suggests that Scott doesn't exactly have the best grasp on the realities of the worl [Continued ...]...

American Horror Story has been flooding the Internet with wordless, plotless promos, doing nothing more than reminding us that season three — alias Coven: Mark Borchardt 4eva — will be witchy. And it's totally been working! We can't wait! But now we've got a 30-second glimpse into a little bit of actual show action. There will be a witch school, Jessica Lange will telepathically slam women into walls, and there will be a quote that goes, "When witches don't fight, we burn." Definitely a reference to the Salem witches vs. New Orleans voodoo witches plot Ryan Murphy recently outlined.

A full-blown reunion with Kristen Stewart may not be out of the question just yet, but for the time being R-Patz is still sticking close to his best friends! On August 10, the ‘Twilight’ hunk hit up an industry bash and partied the night away with some of the coolest stars in the biz.

Robert Pattinson may be the dreamy star from Twilight, but he seems to mix it up more and more with the rock ‘n’ roll types of Hollywood, including his apparent new Bff Michelle Rodriguez.

Robert Pattinson’s Sexy Star-Studded Night Out Revealed

Rob and Michelle were spotted at an after party for a screening of the movie It Felt Like Love, an indie flick part of The Sundance Institute’s Next Weekend, a small film festival that rolled through La on August 10.

It Felt Like Love may not have any big names in it, but its after...

We already told you about the awesome Opening Night festivities the organizers of Sundance's Next Weekend festival have in store with tonight's cemetery screening of Chris Smith's hilarious 1999 documentary American Movie, followed by Mark Borchardt's Coven, the film which the documentary explores. Now we're going to take you a bit further in depth into the Next Weekend program, taking a look at each of the films playing as part of the fest. For more information and tickets, check out Sundance's Next Weekend website....

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

I’m pretty sure that four years back when Trevor Groth and John Cooper (Sundance programming tandem who overhauled, switched over and re-defined the Spotlight section) knew just how significant the Next section (“less is greater than”) would become in the American independent-filmmaking sphere. Tomorrow, the Sundance Institute debuts its first ever Next Weekend program in Los Angeles and over the course of one weekend, denizens of La will get to experience a slew of films from the 2013 program, including much talked about titles like Hannah Fidell’s A Teacher (pictured above), Eliza Hittman’s It Felt Like Love and Alexandre Moor’s Blue Caprice. More intriguingly, a pair of titles not included in the original fest lineup, like Madeleine Olnek’s The Foxy Merkins and Chadd Harbold’s How to Be a Man make an appearance in the mini-festival event, which we assume were not ready in time to make the initial selection,...

Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing Chris Smith's iconic 1999 documentary about aspiring filmmaker Mark Borchardt knows the true definition of indie spirit. Through the sheer strength of commitment to his craft, Borchardt (hilariously) proves that if you have a camera, you Can make a movie. It's this spirit that Sundance tries to foster with their Next program and it's with good reason that they chose Smith's American Movie to open their Next Weekend mini-fest taking place in La August 8-11. We'll have a full festival preview next week, but in the meantime, if you've never seen American Movie (or if it's been a while), get your butt down to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery Thursday 8/8 for one of the best indie...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Sundance Institute has announced the program for its first-ever Next Weekend festival, which includes 10 feature films, 10 short films and related programming. The festival runs from Aug. 8-11 at the Sundance Sunset Cinema and additional venues throughout Los Angeles. Tickets ranging from $12-15 are on sale now for Sundance Institute members and will be made available to the public on Thursday. Next Weekend kicks off with an outdoor screening of Chris Smith's cult documentary "American Movie" and Mark Borchardt's "Coven" on Aug. 8 at Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Smith...

Sundance = cold. Usually.

The January indie movie festival held in the snowy mountains of Utah is synonymous with winter, but organizers have decided to heat things up a bit.

The film festival has announce plans for a summertime spin-off, with a program of 10 feature films, 10 short films, and special events to be held in Los Angeles on the weekend of Aug. 8-11.

It’s an extension of Sundance’s Next category, which is a loose title given to low-budget or guerilla-style filmmaking.

“In creating Next Weekend we were looking to shed our parkas and boldly celebrate this ‘other side’ of...

The Sundance Institute announced today the full program for the first-ever Next Weekend film festival. The festival will take place from August 8-11 at Sundance Sunset Cinema and other venues in La. Next Weekend is an extension of the popular Next section at the Sundance Film Festival. The lineup features 10 feature films and 10 short films, as well as additional programming. Next Weekend will kick off with an outdoor screening of Chris Smith’s iconic cult documentary "American Movie" and Mark Borchardt’s horror film "Coven," presented at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Read More: Surveying All 10 Films From Next, Sundance's Best Section The 10 feature films in the festival’s core program include two world premieres as well as eight Los Angeles premieres, six of which first screened at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Eight feature films are narratives and two are documentaries. Ten short films, two panels and the ShortsLab:...

Sundance Institute announced on Monday [8] that the inaugural Los Angeles event set to run from Aug 8-11 will kick off with an outdoor screening of Chris Smith’s documentary American Movie and Mark Borchardt’s horror film Coven.

Both screenings will take place on Aug 8 at Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery with an introduction by Smith.

“American Movie and Coven exemplify what Next is all about – an undying passion to make movies against odds and with unfettered creativity,” said Sundance Film festival director of programming Trevor Groth.

“One of the coolest cinematic venues in Los Angeles, Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery is the ideal location to launch Next Weekend and to bring together all the renegade film lovers to be entertained and inspired by these extraordinary classic independent films.”

“Next Weekend was created to not only celebrate the current generation of filmmakers working with Next sensibilities, but also to reflect on those films that paved...

American Horror Story's third season, subtitled Coven (shout-out to Mark Borchardt and American Movie), has added Angela Bassett and Patti LuPone to the lineup, per a tweet from Ryan Murphy. They'll join previously announced cast members Kathy Bates, Gabourey Sidibe, and Jessica Lange. The new season is being shot on location in New Orleans and several other to-be-revealed haunty locales.

The new season of American Horror Story has its subtitle, the unveiling of which finally eradicates the need to refer to it as The One About Lady-Power, With All The Ladies except in private, whimsical company. The show’s third outing will be called American Horror Story: Coven, confirming that it will concern witches and that Ryan Murphy has never seen American Movie. Or if he has, he’s not particularly concerned that the people tuning in to see Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates witch it up will confuse the show with Mark Borchardt’s indie-horror opus, especially since no ...

American Horror Story's anthology status warrants a new subtitle every season. We've seen Murder House and Asylum; next up is Coven. Meaning we can expect witches and, if we're lucky, an American Movie/Mark Borchardt reference. Creator Ryan Murphy also revealed at a PaleyFest panel that the show is shooting on location for the first time, heading to New Orleans and a few other cities. "The fun thing is researching what are the really haunted places in America," he said, "and we have a couple doozy locales."...

Danny Trejo has a sorted criminal past. Though he's become an established actor over the years, he has gone back to his prison roots, shanking a sound man and taking the director of his previous film Frankie Latina (Modus Operandi) hostage. Watch this Kickstarter hostage video, where Danny threatens to slit the filmmaker's throat if you, the fans, don't help fund their latest collaborative endeavor Snap Shot. If you're not convinced of the deadly fate awaiting Latina, then continue reading on after the video for more details.

Snap Shot - Kickstarter Video

Danny Trejo reunites with Modus Operandi director Frankie Latina for new indie thriller Snap Shot. The director goes for crowd funding through Kickstarter for Snap Shot and grabs plenty of attention with a clever video promo featuring the Mexican Badass himself, who says "I support independent film."

Through Kickstarter, more than 750,000 people have pledged over 75 million dollars to...

This is an old behind-the-scenes video for a TV pilot on the making of Damon Packard‘s underground film classic Reflections of Evil. It stars Mark Borchardt and Mike Schank, capitalizing on their fame from the hit documentary American Movie. The official description of this video says its been edited down from its original version, which may explain why it focuses more on Borchardt than on Packard. Still, for fans of Packard’s work, or for those who need to be introduced to it, it’s an interesting little peek into his world.

While Bad Lit: The Journal of Underground Film has never formally reviewed Reflections of Evil — which is mighty stupid on our part — we did choose it for one of our Most Outrageous Moments in Underground Film. The way Packard transformed the Universal Studios and Knotts Berry Farm theme parks into “Schindler’s List: The Ride” is a...

Director: Jon Springer.

Writers: Harrison Matthews, and Jon Springer.

Cast: Mark Borchardt, Nadine Gross and Cyndi Kurtz.

DVD Release: Sept 27, 2011.

Cult classics don’t come easy and now that The Hagstone Demon is out on DVD, it is going to deliver its unique stamp in no time at all. The appeal of this noir-style product comes from the lead. Mark Borchardt (Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever) delivers a ridicously hackneyed performance that works for the type of character he plays. Douglas Elmore is hired to take care of a building that is destined to be torn down in a few months.

The few tenants still residing here may also echo his tired and miserable existence. That’s hard to tell, but until he can repair his own life, they appear to be nagging him about one thing or another, like: when is the toilet going to be fixed? For a good part of the movie,...

Here at HeyUGuys, we aim to provide you with an all-encompassing look into the world of film. Whether you’re a fully-fledged cineaste, or just possess a casual interest, there’s something for anyone with our alternative A-z of cinema, which starts today and runs through the week.

If you’ve ever wondered just what it is an Executive Producer does, or maybe you’ve heard the ambient soundscape of Tangerine Dream in an 80’s film favourite without knowing who you were listening to, this is the list for you!

Here are the letters A-e…

American Movie is the title of an award-winning 1999 documentary which follows the exploits of wannabe auteur Mark Borchardt as he attempts to pull together the funds to make his long-cherished feature film, “the great American movie” Northwestern.

Borchardt (with best friend and acid/booze casualty Mark Schank in tow) embarks on the making of a...

A werewolf comedy? Living Arrangements is not the first (Curse Of The Queerwolf comes to mind and of course there were those wacky Teen Wolf movies in the 80′s), but this endearing micro-budget indie from director Sam Thompson is more a subtle satire about hippie culture and vegan lifestyle than a horror comedy. It’s not laugh-out-loud funny and it’s never scary but it’s a very clever film that works on many levels. Bohemian newlyweds Sasha and Billie find a vacant and available new apartment near their favorite coffee shops and thrift stores. Life is good until they realize there’s a hungry werewolf living in the attic. Their attitude about this discovery is matter-of-fact but coping with the uninvited roommate challenges their vegan values and animal rights activism. The beast rejects their meals of tofu and bean sprouts and the flag-waving liberal couple fret when they are...