Vernon, Florida

I first saw VERNON Florida about 10 years ago, while living in a small town in the mountains of Western North Carolina, and it hit really close to home. The film at first almost seems condescending - quirky small-town Southerners are an unfortunately easy target for artistes, and stereotypes are so, so tiresome. But Morris has real affection for his subjects - they never seem undignified, and basic human emotions (like the turkey hunter's rampaging enthusiasm, and his eloquent descriptions of his emotional reaction while on a hunt) do really shine through here. And in small towns, a certain home-grown individuality CAN fluorish, and this film underscores that in great fashion, and for all of the quirk seen here, Morris (or his subjects) really also get close to some sort of swamp-bred Zen, graceful and succinct. Morris' style and pacing reminds me a little of Herzog, or maybe Ozu, where a still and unmoving camera perfectly captures the dignity and charm of his subjects, while preserving all of their quirks. Overall, this very accomplished documentary is surprising and well worth a look.

Vernon, Florida is far and away the most creative documentary i have ever seen. Errol Morris manages to let the people do the talking and doesn't get involved at all, so what you see is what you get, no silly people asking questions or prying for details. where else can you see a preacher do a 10 minute sermon on the word "therefore"? only one place, Vernon,FL. This film is getting more and more difficult to find, if anyone out there knows how I can obtain a copy of this classic, please write me at craiggae@excite.com

I'm from Marianna, Florida, which is about 20 minutes from Vernon. Take that for what it's worth, but this film reminds me of both why I left and why I sometimes long to return.

Errol Morris finds some of the most beautiful freaks ever committed to film. Any fan of the documentary film medium is doing themselves a disservice by not viewing this film a number of times.

I regard "Vernon, Florida" as up there with what is in my opinion Errol's best work -- "Gates of Heaven", "The Thin Blue Line," and "A Brief History of Time."

"'I like the idea of making films about ostensibly nothing,' Morris told The New Yorker's Mark Singer. 'That's what all my movies are about. That and the idea that we're in a position of certainty, truth, infallible knowledge, when actually we're just a bunch of apes running around.'"

That's what I enjoy about Errol's films -- grabbing hold of just about any bit of chaos in the universe, and being able to find and appreciating the beauty and wonder that it holds.

I was fortunate when it came to viewing Vernon, Florida. It's a very small world in Hollywood and outside of that circle it seems you're lucky to know anybody. In documentary film-making I'd imagine that world shrinks even further with the film maker's and assistants spread out few and far between. While studying film production in West Palm, Florida I was lucky enough to have a teach who was a former student of Errol Morris. My opinion must have been in favor of thumbs up for Vernon - simply because our class was given more insight. An average viewer might shrug and scoff "Vernon" for being just an hour or so worth of candid interviews with crazy local yocals who have such a distorted view of reality their opinions just seem ludicrous. With a small introduction by Morris himself and highlights of Vernon by our teacher Mike -- the experience was more nostalgic, like watching embarrassing home movies of people you know. There's more behind "Vernon" then I think people realize, And much more explicitness to the likings of Snake the turkey hunter and others. The real crime here is that almost no one will ever know about it. The subtext sort of hangs in limbo because there's no narration and only so much we can learn about these people that they're not willing to reveal on their own. Still, this is the early work of a master docu film maker. It's the earliest example of how Morris' favorite angle for the depiction of society is through the wormhole everyone seems to hide the dark side. Something he explained with almost shocking tenacity in Mr. Death - perhaps his best work. Vernon, Florida is a freakfest, a splash of cold water that reality doesn't look the way you think it does. It's flat and unblinkingly straightforward and best of all... like it's characters, it doesn't seem to care in making much of a point, which ironically is the point itself.

I think it is so funny that the small town from which I grew up has its very own DVD. The funny thing is the people are really like that in Vernon. I know Snake and Henry and they are some of the best people you will ever meet. The thing that was very amusing is they only showed talked with people who are kind of "out there" so to speak. But I think the movie is great. It reminds me of all the great times that I had in that town.You cherish times and places in life and Vernon is truly a place thats one of a kind. My parents still live there and own a Farm Supply Store in which they bring in a lot of customers from surrounding areas. Thanks to the producer and his team for making the movie.