Popatopolis

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.

Popatopolois places the audience in the exciting world of film production... well, not the big Hollywood, multi-million dollar productions many dream of, rather the crude, low budget, desperate talent, minimal time, and no hope of stardom or producing a blockbuster. Within this dying world of B-films one man stands apart from the rest, Jim Wynorski's. An obsession for filmmaking and large breasted women catapulted Jim to the top of the B-film world, yet that has done little for the man's personal life.

The concept is simple; Jim is a man who can produce a product for market when all the odds seem to be against him. But, when he is given two days to shoot a feature tension pushes everyone to their limits. The film itself builds a certain fondness for Jim, who comes across as a misunderstood artist, who has made a way for himself but has yet to make it out of the low budget industry. The film is rough and raw, much like Jim. The film will keep you laughing, and keep you questioning the film making tactics of the "legendary" Jim Wynorski.

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.

You wouldn't expect a documentary to have a twist in it, but for my viewing experience, I can truly attest to the film going to a place that I did not expect. Up until about 20 minutes left in the film, I thought I was watching a mockumentary. I truly never for a second believed I was watching a documentary about a real man named Jim Wynorsky. I didn't think Jim couldn't not be a written character, and all his antics, whether just reflections of his personality or his let's say questionable decision making when it comes to filmmaking could represent reality in any true sense. Boy was I wrong. The documentary took on an entirely different reality to me when I looked the film up and discovered that everyone featured was not playing a part, but was a real person going through real experiences on a 3 day movie shoot. With that information in mind, this documentary takes on a whole new meaning and can't be rated high enough as an examination of the state of the "B" movie and the impact one Jim Wynorsky has had on it.

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.