Popatopolis

I have a love-hate relationship with Jim Wynorski. On one hand, I respect how he's been stretching minuscule budgets for more than three decades now. Low-budget directors definitely suffer from the disappearence of video stores, so the fact that he's still around says a lot about his perseverance. On the other hand, a lot of his movies are just a chore to sit through. For every 'classic' like "Chopping Mall", there are five Wynorski movies that are more like say, "Raptor". That's not exactly a great ratio.

This documentary follows Wynorski during the making of "The Witches Of Breastwick" (the title is the best part, trust me). Credit where credit is due: Wynorski is brutally honest here. He clearly doesn't care he's being filmed and is not holding back on the verbal abuse (I hope...). He wants to get shooting done in just three days, mostly by being unbearable towards his cast and crew. His crew, by the way, is just two guys. Hey, there's camera and sound, what else do you really need?

There are a lot of great funny moments in "Popatopolis". The best scene is the one where bona fide porn star Stormy Daniels (famous for different reasons now) does her very first soft-core scene. She's clearly not used to just pretending to have sex, so it's pretty much the least convincing sex scene since the pool scene from "Showgirls". I also love the scenes with Wynorski's mother, who has strict instructions never to watch any of her son's movies. She knows her boy is making a good living, and that's all she needs and wants to know. Her cameo in one of the Wynorski movies is just about the cutest thing ever.

There's also a bit of drama here and there, particularly around Julie K. Smith. Smith is a classically trained actress (she mentions this repeatedly), but got stuck doing T&A movies a long time ago. At some point Wynorski has her do about twenty takes because she keeps saying 'tow truck service' instead of just 'tow truck'. You'd think a guy that wants to finish a movie in three days wouldn't give a damn about such a detail, but Wynorski's mind works in mysterious ways. You see Smith get more irritated with every new take, while wondering why she still bothers to sign up for this. You really do feel for her.

"Popatopolis" is a brutally raw documentary that basically makes you a fly on the wall. It definitely provides an insight to Wynorski's career and how much he has to work to keep his show on the road. It's highly recommended for fans of B-movies.

Jim Wynorski is a character in himself. This documentary is more than a notorious B-Movie director attempting to film a movie in three days, its about the director behind it all. Jim is funny, angry, talented, and some might say a bit crazy. His famous catch phrase, "Hate It!" is a definite theme throughout the film. Watching this short-tempered director bark orders at his crew of two, and D-list actors is often uncomfortable but also entertaining. You learn about Jim's past from his adorable mother who says,"He was always a loner." and "He's a director..right?". I found this documentary absolutely hilarious and interesting. The film maker in me really needed to know HOW was this man going to make a feature, even a B-movie, in THREE DAYS?! And with a two man crew?! The concept seemed so absurd to me, and probably most people. But to see how resourceful he is was a learning experience. The documentary will definitely make you laugh and is a must see for anyone who is into the now dying genre of B-Movies. Popatopolis is also perfect if you are a aspiring or even successful film maker.

Popatopolis (2009)

*** (out of 4)

I think it's fair to say that director Jim Wynorski will never win an Oscar but he's become known for being one of the better people out there making low-budget "B" and "C" movies. Some of his films include CHOPPING MALL, BIG BAD MAMA II, SORORITY HOUSE MASSACRE II and DINOSAUR ISLAND. This documentary follows Wynorski as he tries to film THE WITCHES OF BREASTWYCK in just three days. I've always been a fan of Wynorski so that helped add to my enjoyment of this film but I think that even if you've never heard of him you can still be entertained by this thing. We've all heard stories about Roger Corman and others making movies in a few days so it was fascinating watching this documentary as it shows someone trying to do this. We get a lot of time with the director as he's having to deal with certain issues that come up and this ranges from actresses forgetting their lines to a porn star doing her first "normal" movie and not knowing how far to go in a simulated sex scene. There's even a funny moment where the director and his actress argue about wearing panties during a sex scene. We get interviews with Wynorski, Corman, Julie Smith, Monique Parent, Julie Strain, Stormy Daniels and Antonia Dorian among others. I think fans of the director are obviously going to enjoy this look at his career but others should also find themselves entertained just by watching someone try to do a hundred different shots in one day.

Jim Wynorski is a uniquely expressive human being in every way possible. As a reigning b- movie director he's gifted, easily irritated, your best friend at times, and a bit crazy. For Wynorski's sake, who wouldn't be a bit crazy after trying to repeatedly make movies with three days or less? But somehow, someway he does the impossible.

Popatopolis lets you take a front row journey of the production for, "The Witches of Breastwick" and just how Wynorski directs the incredible task of creating a film in three days with a three-man crew and a selection D-list talent. Through the movie you will find yourself laughing and learning from his infamous line, "I hate it, I hate it" to his views on life, "Here is a lesson for all you stupid, stupid chicks out in Hollywood… and there's plenty of ya." Prior to Popatopolis, I had minimal understanding of the b-movie world and have gained an appreciation for the art form. It's a great insight on the b-movie genre and anyone who admires the work of production and filmmaking.

My first viewing of 'Popatopolis' was mildly entertaining as it was supposed to be. A light exploration of those sometimes likable T&A flicks & a well known b-movie director. This documentary traces Jim Wynorski's career, actresses within his films and isn't a bad watch for fans of this genre. It's "talking heads" format and a little too much industry back patting I could have done with less though.

Thru clips & interviews you get a quick picture of his start before boobs took over his movies. Back when he wasn't exclusively pumping out softcore romps and also working with a bit more money, imagination. This leads to the loose narrative at the heart of this doc as we follow along as Jim shoots his T&A flick 'Witches of Breastwick' in three days. Thankfully filmmaker Clay Westervelt shows this mock "challenge" to ultimately be a maneuver to make a flick with the least amount of effort, cost in all regards.

Most interesting pieces come courtesy of facts. Technology changed everything. Better cheaper cameras. The internet and more accessible porn. Much smaller b-movie market. Acting "talent" gone and budgets disappear. Sex even more important to sell. A paycheck is a paycheck. 'Popatopolis' hits all these notes and it's edited to be an easy watch.