American Nudist (2011)

Director:

Clinton H. Wallace

Writers:

Tony T.L. Young
Clinton H. Wallace

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A young woman invites a filmmaker to follow her through the modern world of nudism. |

Cast

Tony T.L. Young	...	Taylor Kong
Magda Marcella	...	Jennifer
Alicia Arden	...	Angela
Martin William Harris	...	Taylor - European Alter Ego 1
Bogdan Szumilas	...	European Alter Ego 2
Arielle Brachfeld
Andrea Harrison	...	The Angel
Tiffany Bowyer
Leigh Davis
Edwin A. Santos	...	The Boss
Marta Zolynska	...	Death
Clinton H. Wallace	...	Wilson
Barry O'Rourke	...	Mader
Tomi Ilic	...	Thakar
Josie Goldberg	...	Herself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sandy Colindres
Nicole D'Angelo	...	Therese
Russ Emanuel	...	Tony Young
Erelee Fowlks	...	Yoga Student
Iyad Hajjaj	...	Mr. Sarkin
Precious Hilton	...	Carlotta
Lu Johnson	...	Eric Deerdale (segment "Kelly Deerdale, Naturist")
Shana Brooks Kallen	...	Photographer (segment "Kelly Deerdale, Naturist")
Megan Renee Kim	...	Stephanie (as Megan Cordero)
Wendy McColm	...	Desiree Deerdale (segment "Kelly Deerdale, Naturist")
Michael Soulema	...	Micky (segment "Micky's Summer Resort")
Cinammon Springs	...	Yoga Student
Simmin Yu	...	Aymi Ah-Chang
Meryl Bush	...	Swimmer (uncredited)

Directed by
Clinton H. Wallace

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Clinton H. Wallace
Tony T.L. Young

Produced by
Violet Eldemire	....	executive producer
Andrea Harrison	....	co-producer
Precious Hilton	....	executive producer
Tomi Ilic	....	co-executive producer
Barry O'Rourke	....	co-producer
Rebecca Solomon	....	executive producer
Bogdan Szumilas	....	associate producer
Clinton H. Wallace	....	executive producer
Clinton H. Wallace	....	producer
Tony T.L. Young	....	producer

Cinematography by
Spike Hasegawa

Film Editing by
B.N. Lindstrom

Casting by
Roger Eldemire
Enos Solomon

Production Design by
Barry O'Rourke

Art Direction by
Barry O'Rourke

Production Management
Warren Hong	....	production manager

Visual Effects by
Owen Korb	....	visual effects artist

Camera and Electrical Department
Barry O'Rourke	....	gaffer
Ramzi Abed	....	additional photography (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jenny Leeser	....	wardrobe supervisor

Transportation Department
Roger Paddy	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Toriano Black	....	production assistant
Alicia Brockwell	....	unit publicist
Eva Di Shanni	....	publicity consultant
Texas Forbes	....	production assistant
Rachel Hill	....	unit publicist
Alexia Wallace	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• CineRidge Entertainment
• Photomundo International

Distributors

• CineRidge Entertainment (2011) (worldwide) (all media)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

CineRidge Entertainment

Interesting Juxtaposion

I got roped in by a nudist friend to watch this. Luckily, American Nudist is a definitely an art house film. I thought it was interesting they used nudism as the backdrop to tell their point (which, to me, was to be true to yourself). I guess Hollywood is running out of more "conventional" ideas lol! Anyway, once you get past the avant-garde, non-linear story line, it's actually quite an interesting look at someone slowly losing their sanity over their inability to combine what they feel is true and with what society tells them is true.

It's really an age-old story - the brilliant but troubled artist who tries to marry his vision with that old the world - and the resulting self-sabotaging behavior, neurosis, insecurities, and escapism that follows. Taylor Kong is a screenwriter who wants to write a groundbreaking film. However, he has a nudist past - something that is still a controversial topic in the United States. He wants to write a film that would bring American nudism to the forefront - to show it to mainstream American audiences as he knew it - an organic, intuitive, and innocent way of life. However, he gets caught up in Hollywood's over-sexualized and demonized version of nudism, and has to fight to maintain his vision and his sanity in a world that won't accept that being different does not mean being wrong. Which, I actually find very interesting, since you'd think that Hollywood (of all places!) would be all over a script on nudism! But I guess it's also a commentary on hypocrisy in society - I mean sex and being naked is pretty common in Hollywood, but when someone comes out and tries to be completely open about it, that's somehow not OK. This of course applies to other things that society at large can be hypocritical about. Luckily for Taylor, his one flicker of hope - his one connection between his world (that of nudism), and the outside conventional world - is Jennifer, and aspiring non-nudist actress who is open-minded enough to give Taylor and nudism a chance. Though they have their differences, they slowly see at the most fundamental level, we are all the same. This is ultimately a story of how trying to conform one's own true self to the demands of society is psychologically toxic and is the cause of mental instability.