American Movie (1999)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Chris Smith

Release Date:

13 April 2000 (Australia)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

A hapless amateur filmmaker struggles to produce his latest horror film, "Coven."

Plot Keywords:

Gambling | Friend | Beard | Filmmaking | Football

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Mark Borchardt	...	Filmmaker
Tom Schimmels	...	Actor in 'Coven'
Monica Borchardt	...	Mark's Mom
Alex Borchardt	...	Mark's Brother
Chris Borchardt	...	Mark's Brother
Ken Keen	...	Friend / Associate Producer
Mike Schank	...	Friend / Musician
Matt Weisman	...	Casting director
Bill Borchardt	...	Mark's Uncle / Executive Producer (as Uncle Bill)
Cliff Borchardt	...	Mark's Dad
Tom Beach	...	Production manager
Joan Petrie	...	Mark's Girlfriend / Associate Producer
Robert Richard Jorge	...	Actor
Dean Allen	...	Props / Special effects
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tommy Dallace	...	The Movie Star
Miriam Frost	...	Actor in 'Coven'

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some drug content.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:14A | UK:15 | USA:R | Spain:13 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, USA

Company:

Bluemark Productions

Trivia:

The movie theater featured in the end of the film is the Times Cinema in the Washington Heights neighborhood on Milwaukee's west side. It specializes in obscure and independent films and is Milwaukee's sole surviving independent movie theater.

Quotes:

Friend/Musician: [pointing to a makeshift crucifix] This is definitely a sign of voodoo.
Mark Borchardt: Why is it a sign of voodoo?
Friend/Musician: It's an unnatural cross, Mark!
Mark Borchardt: What, you think when Jesus was hanging there, he thought it was natural?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fubar (2002)

Soundtrack:

Mr. Bojangles

My all-time favourite film.

Looking for proof that real life is more entertaining than fiction? You just found it. This superb documentary about an aspiring feature filmmaker (Mark Bortchart) who refuses to admit defeat is the funniest film I have ever seen -- probably because it's also one of the most tragic. Oddly enough, the more I watch the film the more inspired I become.