Sky Diver
Yes, confusing, but so odd that it haunted me to the point that I had to watch it again. There are many things that dont make a lick of sense in this movie. The plot for one thing. (What was the plot again?) A crazy man running full speed around Georgia simply because he's crazy? Any number of movies could be made from that idea, and like this one, few would make any sense. And what about the period that this movie was supposed to represent? It looked like a cross between the 1950s and 1980s. Some cars, and most houses looked like the 50s, while other cars and microwave towers were obviously the late 70s when the movie was made. And what about Brad Dourif, who's acting ability is about average and a joy to watch, except in this moves he only had one facial expression throughout? Teeth gritted, lower jaw out, and a nervousness that makes Barney Fife look calm. Yes, fun to watch, but I'm still trying to figure out why?
LeonLouisRicci
There isn't a likable Character to be found in this Existential, Philosophical, Film about Religion as seen through the Mentally Challenged. These Folks are not only unlikeable, they are for the most part, Retarded.It is a beautifully ugly Movie with these unattractive Participants set in front of even more unattractive Sets and Locations. Things are in decay, not only physically but Spiritually.This is an almost singular Film. It is Categorically undefinable and has never found anything more than a peripheral Cult Audience since released. No wonder. This is like a Sideshow Freak of a Movie. You gawk and gaze at amazement as these splinters of Humanity parade themselves openly in utter disregard of their inadequacies. Old Salt John Huston Directs from a bittersweet, relentlessly cynical, scathingly satirical Author. The Cast, led by an outstanding Brad Dourif, is an A-List of B-Actors, some who have made Careers of playing oddballs. This is not a Film that is easy to like, but you could admire, and is nothing if not evocative and provocative. A truly Underground piece of Subversive Art. It cannot be seen without some of the misanthropy melting your Mind as it inhibits your ability to comprehend what was just experienced.
Kenneth Anderson
When novels are adapted by writers who know the book so well that they are unable to see past their familiarity to judgeif the screenplay stands on its own as a cohesive, compelling story with three acts and understandable character motivations, the result is something like John Huston's "Wise Blood." A movie so academically faithful to its source material that it fails miserably as a motion picture that makes any narrative sense.As a companion piece to Flannery O'Connor's novel, it is a fine visual representation of the characters and events recounted. As a stand alone film, it virtually makes no sense and things happen only because the book says so, not because the film gives them any organic reason to.I defy anyone who hasn't read the book to make any sense out of the character of Enoch Emory. Likewise the origins of the matrimonial feelings of the boarding house landlady. Both parts are well acted, but the writers leave in all the novel's "business" and are hamstrung at finding a way to convey the motivations behind them.The best things about the film are Brad Dourif and Amy Wright. Dourif especially works miracles with a character that is underwritten on the screen but vivid on the page. In fact, most of the cast works extremely hard to bring some humanity to their characters, but they are ill-served by a script that fails to understand the special considerations required of telling a story on film and telling one on the page. The screenwriter obviously held O'Connor in such awe that he was afraid to do any thinking on his own.
EricNorcrossDotCom
It's a great character study - in that, it explores what a person becomes if they are a "true idealist". The idea is that we all give up certain ideals every single day in exchange for making our lives more efficient and effective. Where the main character of this story is a solid, immobile foundation of ideals. We see how it slowly corrodes his life, his social connections and affects the people around him. Think about it this way: if you live in a city where you think the MTA charges too much for bus/train fare, but choose to utilize the service because the other options are too hard to follow through with each and everyday, you've essentially given up an ideal. The main character in this movie wouldn't do that, he would walk to his destination or learn to ride a bicycle or what have you. That is, at least, my understanding of this the lead character in this phenomenal movie.
AD
