Swimming to Cambodia

1987 ""

Swimming to Cambodia

7.6 | 1h25m | en | Comedy

Spalding Gray sits behind a desk throughout the entire film and recounts his exploits and chance encounters while playing a minor role in the film 'The Killing Fields'. At the same time, he gives a background to the events occurring in Cambodia at the time the film was set.

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7.6 | 1h25m | en | Comedy | More Info

Released: March. 13,1987 | Released Producted By: The Swimming Company , Country: United States of America Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:

Synopsis

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Cast

Spalding Gray , Sam Waterston

Director

Sandy McLeod

Producted By

The Swimming Company ,

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Trailers & Images

Cast

Spalding Gray

as Self

And Everything Is Going Fine How High Kate & Leopold Drunks Gray's Anatomy Diabolique Beyond Rangoon Bad Company King of the Hill

Sam Waterston

as Additional cast from 'The Killing Fields' (archive footage)

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Reviews

Lee Eisenberg Even if you've seen "The Killing Fields", it's still really good to see "Swimming to Cambodia", as famous monologist (and "Killing Fields" co-star) Spalding Gray explains what all led to the Cambodian genocide. And he manages to make it all humorous! How many people could actually manage to accomplish that?! Seeing how energetic Spalding Gray was when doing these things, it's all the more surprising that he committed suicide three years ago. But he did, and so this documentary is a relic of his unusual wit. And it's certainly one that I recommend. Jonathan Demme directed a really good one here.

smragan It doesn't get much lower-budget than this: A guy sitting at a desk on a stage with a notebook, a pointer, and a map of Cambodia on the wall behind him. And for an hour-and-a-half, he keeps you absolutely mesmerized, by doing little more than talking. The special lighting, cinematography, musical effects, and odd film inserts that Demme's production brings to Gray's monologue (which, like so many of the films I truly love, was performed on a stage before it was brought to the screen) work ever-so-slightly to enhance the performance at certain points, but by and large this is just Spalding Gray, a wonderful story-teller, doing his thing. In terms of bang for your production buck, Swimming to Cambodia has to be right up there with The Blair Witch Project. A great film.

aculprit Jonathan Demme is a genius, and if you doubt it, see this film. Who else could've made a man sitting at a table talking so riveting? Although Spalding is a great storyteller and great to see live, none of the other films of his monologues have ever touched this one, the first.See it and you'll never drink Singha again.

Will-84 This movie is totally amazing, one long, mind-blowing story that is by turns riotously funny and utterly chilling. It will restore your faith in the power of a single human being to transport the audience to a whole new place, time, and mind using just WORDS.