MovieChat Forums > American Movie (2000) Discussion > Ambition without talent (or money)

Ambition without talent (or money)

posted 18 years ago by tricksofthetrade
10 replies | jump to latest

One of the most interesting films that I have seen this year. A very good documentary on a most unique person. This movie shows what happens when a person has qualities such as of vison and drive to make a movie, but is hampered by a scatter-brained focus on the project ,no foresight and from what I can see little talent (I have not seen 'Coven' thought so I cannot thoughouly judge his artistic abilities).

The most entertaining parts were the interaction between Mark and Mike (the spacey guitarist). Just hearing these two interact would make a most successful reality show.

"This picture of Al Dutcher bothers me."

[–] Newski_the_Hippie 18 years ago

I disagree. He has alot of talent. You don't need to see coven to see that he knows what he doing. It's the money and support he lacks.

I saw this and Coven when I was just a little punk. I liked him then and I liked him now. Now that I have some experience and film, I think that me, and just about every other struggling filmmaker can relate to him.

I've had too many failed film projects, and not nearly enough support (thank god I lost that punk attitude, eh?), and absolutely no money.

You are describing Hal Warren, not Mark Borchardt.

[–] tricksofthetrade 18 years ago

'He knows what he is doing?'- Dude, the guy is a space head! You are confusing his knowledge of film with intelligence, they are not the same.

For example, when I first saw the 'head through the sink cuboard' Coven scene, I knew that this was not going to go well, because Mark is not a very well thought out type of guy. And of course I was right, the door was not properly set to break, Mark f-uc k up! He didn't realise this until AFTER the poor guy's head bounced off the door. THEN Marks hits it with his fist and says, 'You know what this isn't right'. Now a smart guy would have TESTED this door before wasting film on it.

Another scene,where Mark showed his lack of intelligence is the sound markers with his uncle in the car. Now his uncle is obviously declining mentally in his old age and Mark gives him 3 or 4 sentences to read into the boom mic expecting that he will remember it. Mark who knows his uncle, does not recongonize at first that his uncle will have trouble remembering the lines. So he wastes time in 8 to 20 takes before he finally gives his uncle the lines on a pad! Now his uncle is becoming tired and frustrated, and the pad is ON HIS LAP and he is looking at the boom mike! Now smart guy would have simply had large cue cards made and have Mike hold them pointing to the line while Mark held the mic.

There are simple solutions to many of Mark's problems in the film, but he does not seem to be able to figure them out. His main strengths are incredible ambition and drive. His weaknesess are lack of focus, foresight and planning,and on the set his problem solving abilites are very low.

This is essentially film about a ambitious colorful character who is in over his head.

"This picture of Al Dutcher bothers me."

[–] xshimmer 18 years ago

"There are simple solutions many Mark's problems in the film, but he does not seem to be able to figure them out. His main strenghs are incredible ambition and drive. His weaknesess are lack of focus, foresight and planning,and on the set problem solivng abilites."

Well, I completely agree with that. Obviously, like you've both made clear, what needs to be put into perspective was what Mark was able to do in the financial situation he was in. Given that he had substantial money and exposure to the process of filmaking, I think he could really excel. He had talent in a very juvenile sense but it was apparent.

"Satan is clearly trying to confuse us, just like when he put those dinosaur bones in the ground."

[–] tricksofthetrade 18 years ago

Yes, some of the seemingly scatter-brained persons can be the most artisticly creative people. He just might need help with someone to keep him on tract and solve the various problems that arise while filming. Like most people he will grow with experience.

"This picture of Al Dutcher bothers me."

[–] Newski_the_Hippie 18 years ago

Now that, I can buy. After all, he's pretty much on his own. Had he had a few people to help work out some logistics, he could have done better. But he's got everything down, and Coven was a creepy and thought provoking film.

He makes mistakes; Stupid ones. That has nothing to do with the talent, these are things he is prone to looking over. And I think he learns from them.

[–] BobDoughertyJr 18 years ago

While my sentiments largely fall in line with the posters on this thread, I feel like adding my observations.

Number one, in spite of me liking American Movie and finding very charming qualities in all the entities that make up this film, let me clarify: Mark's talent represents a fraction of his assets and no more. He is eccentric, ambitious, wild, and good hearted but hindered in his goals partly by his sub-standard education and lower middle class socio-economic situation, and partly by his penchant for excessive gore which invariably is what his movies are about. An example of a small indi-feature showcasing talent would be Clerks, driven by its dialogue and its mood. Coven is no Clerks.

If George Lucas' recent movies are compromised because they look more like advertisements for CG than well directed stories, then Mark Borchardt's projects are similarly compromised because they are just an excuse to exhibit freaky people in hauntingly surreal circumstances than seem to always cumlinate in gratuitous scenes of killing and gore. Mark's dialogue is so banal; it all sounds like a precursor to badly choreographed fight scenes with equally bad special effects. He strikes me as someone who has a lot of angst and needs to channel it through violence in film; at least he is trying to be productive and creative.

Number two, this movie succeeds because, harsh though it may seem, it is making fun of these small town hicks in West Bumblef---, Wisconsin. It makes fun of them in the dryest of ways, seemingly so that anyone with culture who resides outside of this bubble in the middle of nowhere will get the joke. It is ridiculous that Mark takes his third rate work as seriously as he does and it allows us to mock him while being touched by his earnest intentions. When watching it you get the feeling that the director of American Movie treads lightly where he walks so as not to ridicule these characters in too flagrant a manner. The documentary is designed to make us like these characters and pity them simultaneously.

And like the Blair Witch Project, you can only succeed once with this approach. I was hoping Mark and Mike could follow this hit up with another performance fueled by the same chemistry, but when I saw Britney Baby One More Time I knew they had already played their hand. If you have two hours of your life you want to throw away go ahead and watch that one.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] JaneSchmo 16 years ago

I agree. If he had ANY talent to match his enormous ambition, drive and passion, I'd support Mark and think that his dream was worthwhile. ANY talent.

Ambition without the talent to back it up has no use. They should come in equal amounts or you get a sad mess like this man.

He's got the soul of an artist, without the ability of one and that's a pretty bad combination.

[–] Withard 15 years ago

"I agree. If he had ANY talent to match his enormous ambition, drive and passion, I'd support Mark and think that his dream was worthwhile. ANY talent.

Ambition without the talent to back it up has no use. They should come in equal amounts or you get a sad mess like this man.

He's got the soul of an artist, without the ability of one and that's a pretty bad combination."

Well if that's the case then its amusing that the guy has more talent than yourself.

The comment on the cupboard? Please did you even watch the film? Mark's friend was sorting out the cupboard that didn't break and once he found out how hard it was he tried to sort it out.

He has talent and im glad he is doing well for himself now.

[–] Alex_deFrenzy 15 years ago

Strange that people think that Coven is actually a good film. I found it laughable. I guess there's a couple of nice landscape shots in it. But... gimme a break. Mark seems to want to make movies for himself and starring himself. He is not Woody Allen nor Orson Welles.
That being said, if I had unlimited wealth, I would fund a feature for him. Just to see the result!