|
Could this be the next Something About Mary? Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose. And the song tells us that nothing don’t mean nothing if we ain’t free. Of course, freedom is relative. And, sometimes, we seek the comfort of companionship and the responsibility that goes along with it. Such is the dilemma of Ted Davis, the self-proclaimed Bachelorman featured in the very funny film of the same name. This is a self-aware film that could be the next “Something About Mary” provided that we all relax and remember that comedies don’t necessarily have to conform to the rules of political correctness.
One day, a new neighbor arrives—a long-legged femme fatale with, apparently, a sexual appetite that rivals his own. The neighbor, Heather (Missi Pyle), spends most of her time broadcasting her sexual escapades so loudly in her bedroom that Ted’s attempts to get busy are disrupted—his partners strangely find the moaning and groaning of the neighbor so off-putting that they become uninterested in sex at all. One wonders if that would be really true. I mean, some folks find such sounds erotic and actually pay for it. But, Ted’s seemingly nympho dates suddenly become prudish once the sounds in the next room materialize. In time, Ted begins to lose his mojo, and, instead of moving, decides to learn more about his neighbor. Prior to Ted’s crush on Heather, “Bachelorman” is awfully funny producing heavy belly-laughs, but Ted’s quest for Heather’s affection almost derails the film. Without a smart combination of entertaining comedic bits involving reality programming Ted invents for an upstart television network (for example, we get croquet-skeet a funny hybridization of two completely different games) and a terrific supporting performance by Carol Locatell as Ted’s mother, the second half of the film would be a complete disaster. It is obvious that the people involved with this film all knew that the conflict between the main characters could not carry it alone and chose to utilize a number of hilarious shorts to fill in the gaps. And this is done well. We get shots of senior women’s hockey (watched by Mom with gusto), a “Kung Fu” type television series lead by comedian Tree, and even an animated Bachelorman together with many other gags all of which help move the film along giving it a feature running time.
While “Bachelorman” is clearly superior to films like “Just Married” or “The Sweetest Thing” it still fails to have the same heart that the Farrelly Brothers manage to weave into their best irreverent work. What we end up with is fun and games involving shallow characters who we could care less about when it is over. And, maybe, that doesn’t matter, maybe, we are not meant to think about the characters as if they might really exist. Maybe, that is the point. It is just that I just always feel that the best comedy arises from those tragic insecurities to which we can relate. Empathy is important, and while we like Ted, we never believe he is much more than his computer generated animated likeness. “Bachelorman” would make one Hell of a cable series pilot and given the fact that I watched a digitally projected print (or version) of the film at the Dahlonega International Film Festival, it just felt like it was headed for Showtime. Anyone who has caught a few episodes of the sometimes insightful but kinda flat “Out of Order” would see “Bachelorman” the series as a fresh and amusing alternative. Of course, it is unlikely that a risk will be taken with “Bachelorman” given the failure of the underrated HBO series “Mind of the Married Man” (I’ve read ton’s of scathing reviews on the Internet and I think all of them are wrong).
You see, parity is difficult achieve—it is okay to have “Sex and the City” but only if you concentrate on it from the female perspective, anything else, is misogynist and sexist, or so I’m told. It is unfortunate that people can’t just relax and enjoy the freedom to laugh. After all, we are nothing without it. Jonathan W. Hickman
Chuck's
Reviews The Friday night party at CIBO was a rousing success, my first real interaction with the machinations of the film world. Sparking up conversation with film-types is easy work, the sort being more than willing to talk about themselves. I identify with this, a glutton for attention myself. While talking with an aspiring filmmaker and his leading lady about their work, the chap produces a camera and mike. Six beers and six crackers in, I am convinced to participate as an "actor" in a short scene with the director’s cohort, reciting some line about being a mortician. After seeing the scene played back on the camera's screen, I soon realize why I chose law as a profession instead of acting. As the saying goes, lawyers are simply people who are too ugly to be actors. Selah. The highlight of Friday evening had to be racking my brain with a fellow festival-goer as to the identity of a party attendee. We knew the person to be an actor from a long-forgotten (by most) sitcom starring Christina Applegate. After much whining and gnashing of teeth, I finally stepped up and asked the fellow the name of the show. "Jesse." Understandably irritated that I failed to fully recognize the societal importance of his previous work, he informs me that he is here for the screening of a film he is starring in. The movie, "Bachelor Man", and this actor (David Deluise) have a great deal of “buzz” at the party, so I will probably make a point of seeing it. All tomfoolery aside, I must now make my way back to town. Let the viewing begin! Boys Will Be Boys Bachelorman Although Jonathan will address this film in more detail, I will say that this film definitely has potential for mainstream success. My wife was thoroughly entertained, as was I. While there were some lulls in the laughter (as there are in most films), the movie as a whole is a success. David Deluise, as Bachelorman/Ted Davis, appears at home in front of the lens and confident in his delivery. Rodney Lee Conover, also the writer and producer of the film, performs admirably as his devoted wise-cracking sidekick. With a little luck, we might be seeing this one in theaters soon. EI and Atlanta Entertainment Lawyer Stephen Weizenecker Host Party at the 2003 Dahlonega International Film Festival. by Jonathan W. Hickman DAHLONEGA, GA, June 27, 2003, 9:30 pm - A better than expected turnout made Friday night’s party co-sponsored by einsiders.com, Inc., and Atlanta entertainment attorney Stephen Weizenecker (on the web at: www.wrmflaw.com), a rousing success. Folks came from far (filmmaker Yariv M. Mozer flew in from Tel-Aviv) and near (“Broadway” documentarian Rick McKay, although traveling from New York City was fortunate enough to have family attending from a little town in Georgia). CIBO, the restaurant at which the party took place, made their bar and patio area available to the press, filmmakers, and festival organizers. Beer and wine flowed as discussions spontaneously erupted about everything from “do you feel safe in Tel-Aviv” to “the Matrix Reloaded was a talky mess that never should have been made.” The night belonged to the filmmakers many of whom let their guard down to talk with their fellow artists. I attempted to meet as many attendees as possible and met Rodney Lee Conover who co-wrote and co-stars in the hilarious film entitled “Bachelorman” which has found distribution. The excited comedian, writer, and actor told me that he expected the film to find its way to your local theater. A romantic comedy, “Bachelorman” promises to be the next “Something About Mary.” Conover’s next project may be a thriller he is scripting. (TRANSLATION: "I was accosted in the parking lot by Rodney Lee Conover, who co-wrote and co-stars in the hilarious film entitled 'Bachelorman' which has found distribution. The drunken comedian, writer, and actor told me that he expected the film to play on every theatre screen, television station, and pay service simultaneously, and then pass the Bible in popularity by the end of the year...") Cousin Slappy's Shit Show By Rodney Lee Conover
Usually, this is the part of the movie where the audience goes, "Go back, go back you fuckin idiots!" But not us. We went. We went to Cousin Slappy's Shit Show. Have you ever seen the movie "Macon County Line?" Going to Dahlonega, Georgia is kinda like that film. Me and my friend David DeLuise (you may know him from such films as "BachelorMan") were in town to attend the Dahlonega International Film Festival (DIFF) and as usual, we befriended the locals, encouraging them to attend our screenings and vote for us as the best feature. It turns out not only did we win the Audience Award for Best Feature, the aforementioned DeLuise also won for Best Actor. We got a lithograph of monkeys. I kid you not. But all the kudos, awards, fine dining at The Huddle House and free fly swatters at The Econolodge could not prepare us for "Cousin Slappy's Shit Show." After passing the bug zapper once and turning around, we came upon a giant house in the middle of the woods. There were four-wheelers and old K-cars and people standing around smoking weed. They were happy to see us and that made me kind of nervous in a Texas Chainsaw Massacre kind of way. I was immediately informed that it was "cool" because the guys that cooked the amphetamines across the "crick" got busted, and the ATF "hardly ever comes around anymore." I was also told by an actual ATF guy that if you saw a bush moving, not to shoot it, because it was probably them. I have to say at this point that out of the 100-150 people, there were quite a lot of women at this party. I say this because the first thing I notice was a tall, naked guy on the roof. People acted like it was perfectly normal. "Who is that guy?" I asked. A bunch of them looked up and one guy said with his lungs full of mary jane; "That the Jackal." The Jackal was hopping around the roof naked making really weird hand and arm gestures. "What's he doing?" I asked. Without missing a beat, another guy said, "foraging". Blasting on the stereo was "I Don't wanna Lose Your Love, Toni---ight. I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love Toni-ight." There were outdoor showers, bottles in unatural places and The Jackal played Kansas' "Dust In The Wind" with his ass. Things got worse before they got better. If I would have had a cam corder, we would have won Best Documentary. 
|
It was simple: From your
hotel (The Econolodge) drive till you pass the high school, take a left
at the Tire Store and when you see a giant bug zapper, go right.