The Auteur (2008)

A sweet comedy about the world's greatest living porn director.

Director:

James Westby

Writer:

James Westby

Stars:

Melik Malkasian, Denise Chanterelle DuBois, Loren Hoskins

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Melik Malkasian	...	Arturo Domingo
Denise Chanterelle DuBois	...	Margaret le Plage
Loren Hoskins	...	Manny Davis
John Breen	...	Frank E. Normo
Andrew Harris	...	Ram Dick
Amanda Jackie Warren	...	Porn Actress
Leslie Taylor	...	Emily Leonard-Ritz
Viva Las Vegas	...	Dyke Club 'The Narrator' / Easy Niece / Ho in 'Broadway Danny's Hos'
Malice 666	...	Dyke Club 'I'm You - Bitch!' Woman
Sahara	...	Voluptuous Woman
Cora Benesh	...	Porn Chick
Cara Seymour	...	Doris
Katherine Flynn	...	Fiona Hanegan
Victor Morris	...	Joseph
Jacob Pander	...	Documentary Narrator

Storyline

THE AUTEUR follows formerly renowned porn director Arturo Domingo (Five Easy Nieces, Requiem for a Wet Dream) through a bizarre weekend as he receives a lifetime achievement award at a film festival in Portland, OR. Encountering crazed fans, former collaborators, bitter enemies, and free-loving hippies, Arturo attempts to put the pieces of his broken career and personal life back together.

---

Plot Keywords:

bong | bonfire | adultery | m 16 | masturbation | 

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Details

Official Sites:

The Auteur

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

25 April 2008 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Portland, Oregon, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tigard Film Society

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

James Westby:  one of the interviewees in the opening of the film.

---

Connections

Spoofs Broadway Danny Rose (1984)

---

Soundtracks

"Cephalopod"
Written and Performed by Ridenpaa
Courtesy of The Music Library

User Reviews

Very Funny - Westby's Best Film Yet

Caught this at the Cinema 21 in Portland, Oregon last week - and was knocked over by how funny it was.

James Westby continues to improve as filmmaker - delivering his most polished, unrepentant comedy yet. Melik Malkasian kicks in a strong performance as the veteran Spanish porn director Domingo - who parlays a retrospective of his classic films into a half-pickled, ego roller-coaster involving his estranged wife (Cara Seymour in a choice role) and his favorite male porn actor (John Breen).

Full of shameless pot-smoking, nudity and sex - Westby manages to push the trash envelope while keeping the script tight and intelligent. This one is full of choice zingers and great (sometimes uncomfortable) laughs. The audience I watched this with was howling all throughout - something I haven't seen in years. The vibe was a cross between John Waters and Judd Aptaow - shameless and sharp. At the same time, the film has a certain dramatic sweetness - as you watch Domingo struggle to recover his mojo, you start to root for him, despite his personal shortcomings.

Easily one of the funniest indie films in recent memory - and hopefully a harbinger of things to come from this team.