1. Crispin Glover's big talking vaudeville: The Coast http://thecoast.ca/Articles-i-2008-07-24-152398.113118_Crispin_Gl...
1 of 2 7/30/08 10:24 AM
Login | Coast info | Advertise with us |
RSS
This week's cover
EVENTS
CALENDAR
Sure Things
Today's Live Music
Movie Times
On Stage
Galleries/Museums
Today's Events
Music Venues
Add an Event!
CLASSIFIEDS
Place An Ad
BITCH
Submit Your Bitch
MUSIC
Playlist
CD Reviews
Live Music Photos
DINING
Restaurant Search
NEWS
City News
On Patrol
COMMENT
Letters
Savage Love
Upfront
Lowedown
Real Astro
MOVIES
Cinema Palermo
DVD Reviews
Movie Reviews
THE ARTS
Comics
Book Reviews
CITY GUIDES
Hot Summer Guide
2008
Shop Halifax
Food & Drink Guide
Student Guide
Green Guide
BEST OF
Best of Halifax
Best of Food
Best of Music
BLOGS
ARCHIVES
COVERS
TVCOAST
PHOTOS
CONTESTS
ARTS
July 24, 2008
Crispin Glover's big talking vaudeville
Multi-talented eccentric Crispin Glover wants to show you his taboo-filled film--and
then talk to you about it
by Michelle Kay
There's a line in Wayne's World 2:
Kim Basinger's character says to
Dana Carvey's Garth Algar, "I just
want to climb into that big ol' brain
of yours and walk around."
A number of people probably feel
the same way about Crispin Glover.
The oddball
actor/artist/author/director/
musician/producer is one of
Hollywood's kookiest outsiders.
(Remember the lawsuit against
Robert Zemeckis over the Back to
the Future sequels, and his bizarre
appearance on Letterman in 1987?)
We're not talking about a regular
Hollywood guy here.
The eccentric and multi-talented
Glover will be in town next
Tuesday and Wednesday to
promote Crispin Hellion Glover's
Big Slide Show. The show,
sponsored by CKDU, will feature an hour-long performance by Glover---during which
he'll dramatically narrate his art books alongside visuals and drawings---then a screening
of Glover's movie What Is It?, the first in a trilogy of films from Glover's production
company, Volcanic Eruptions.
Glover chooses to screen his films personally, instead of going through the normal
distribution model of using movie theatres, because he wants to emphasize the interactive
element of entertainment. Consider it a throwback to the days of vaudeville. "Multiplexes
have become places for people to get out of the house, but there isn't that thoughtful
element that a lot of people have been looking for," says Glover. "I'm finding that people
like that vaudeville element. They like being part of a discussion and bring up genuine
things that should be discussed." This variety-show approach allows Glover to directly
interact with his audience.
What Is It? has certainly generated its share of discussion. The film, which features
disturbing and grotesque imagery, has received both acclaim and criticism. One critic
described it as "Fellini on psychedelics---wildly creative but completely twisted." Actors
with Down syndrome make up the majority of its cast. This alone might be enough to
turn a few heads, but Glover has his own take on the real objection to (and perhaps the
strength of) using such a cast. "What I should emphasize is the taboo element; [the actors]
are playing characters that do not have Down syndrome. For whatever reason, this can
make people feel uncomfortable."
Glover is careful to be vague when discussing the symbolism in his films, preferring to
leave interpretation up to the viewers themselves. "There are reasons why certain things
are taboo...[things] that make me uncomfortable that seem perfectly normal in other
cultures. Taboos have a time and a geographical barrier...a lot of it is subjective." It is that
subjectivity that provides fodder for the Q&A session afterwards, which, Glover says, is
his favourite part of the show.
Sometimes the questioning is aggressive; other times it's not so heated. The aggression is
not necessarily directed at Glover himself, says the director. He emphasizes that it is
important to offer a forum to discuss elements of the film that some viewers may find
disconcerting. The discussion itself is more important than the film, because it creates a
conversation and forces people to examine why they feel uncomfortable.
But taboo-breaking isn't free. "People will critique [the film] if one gets into taboo
territory," says Glover. "That is the problem with corporate funding." Glover says
anything that is considered taboo or controversial will not get corporate funding or
attention in mainstream media. Because of this, Glover produces his own films, using
ARTS
Fan fiction: Truth be told
Dal's free-lab builds on
real life
Vinyl albums spin new art
ADVERTISEMENTS
search thecoast.ca
![Crispin Glover's big talking vaudeville: The Coast http://thecoast.ca/Articles-i-2008-07-24-152398.113118_Crispin_Gl...
1 of 2 7/30/08 10:24 AM
Login | Coast info | Advertise with us |
RSS
This week's cover
EVENTS
CALENDAR
Sure Things
Today's Live Music
Movie Times
On Stage
Galleries/Museums
Today's Events
Music Venues
Add an Event!
CLASSIFIEDS
Place An Ad
BITCH
Submit Your Bitch
MUSIC
Playlist
CD Reviews
Live Music Photos
DINING
Restaurant Search
NEWS
City News
On Patrol
COMMENT
Letters
Savage Love
Upfront
Lowedown
Real Astro
MOVIES
Cinema Palermo
DVD Reviews
Movie Reviews
THE ARTS
Comics
Book Reviews
CITY GUIDES
Hot Summer Guide
2008
Shop Halifax
Food & Drink Guide
Student Guide
Green Guide
BEST OF
Best of Halifax
Best of Food
Best of Music
BLOGS
ARCHIVES
COVERS
TVCOAST
PHOTOS
CONTESTS
ARTS
July 24, 2008
Crispin Glover's big talking vaudeville
Multi-talented eccentric Crispin Glover wants to show you his taboo-filled film--and
then talk to you about it
by Michelle Kay
There's a line in Wayne's World 2:
Kim Basinger's character says to
Dana Carvey's Garth Algar, "I just
want to climb into that big ol' brain
of yours and walk around."
A number of people probably feel
the same way about Crispin Glover.
The oddball
actor/artist/author/director/
musician/producer is one of
Hollywood's kookiest outsiders.
(Remember the lawsuit against
Robert Zemeckis over the Back to
the Future sequels, and his bizarre
appearance on Letterman in 1987?)
We're not talking about a regular
Hollywood guy here.
The eccentric and multi-talented
Glover will be in town next
Tuesday and Wednesday to
promote Crispin Hellion Glover's
Big Slide Show. The show,
sponsored by CKDU, will feature an hour-long performance by Glover---during which
he'll dramatically narrate his art books alongside visuals and drawings---then a screening
of Glover's movie What Is It?, the first in a trilogy of films from Glover's production
company, Volcanic Eruptions.
Glover chooses to screen his films personally, instead of going through the normal
distribution model of using movie theatres, because he wants to emphasize the interactive
element of entertainment. Consider it a throwback to the days of vaudeville. "Multiplexes
have become places for people to get out of the house, but there isn't that thoughtful
element that a lot of people have been looking for," says Glover. "I'm finding that people
like that vaudeville element. They like being part of a discussion and bring up genuine
things that should be discussed." This variety-show approach allows Glover to directly
interact with his audience.
What Is It? has certainly generated its share of discussion. The film, which features
disturbing and grotesque imagery, has received both acclaim and criticism. One critic
described it as "Fellini on psychedelics---wildly creative but completely twisted." Actors
with Down syndrome make up the majority of its cast. This alone might be enough to
turn a few heads, but Glover has his own take on the real objection to (and perhaps the
strength of) using such a cast. "What I should emphasize is the taboo element; [the actors]
are playing characters that do not have Down syndrome. For whatever reason, this can
make people feel uncomfortable."
Glover is careful to be vague when discussing the symbolism in his films, preferring to
leave interpretation up to the viewers themselves. "There are reasons why certain things
are taboo...[things] that make me uncomfortable that seem perfectly normal in other
cultures. Taboos have a time and a geographical barrier...a lot of it is subjective." It is that
subjectivity that provides fodder for the Q&A session afterwards, which, Glover says, is
his favourite part of the show.
Sometimes the questioning is aggressive; other times it's not so heated. The aggression is
not necessarily directed at Glover himself, says the director. He emphasizes that it is
important to offer a forum to discuss elements of the film that some viewers may find
disconcerting. The discussion itself is more important than the film, because it creates a
conversation and forces people to examine why they feel uncomfortable.
But taboo-breaking isn't free. "People will critique [the film] if one gets into taboo
territory," says Glover. "That is the problem with corporate funding." Glover says
anything that is considered taboo or controversial will not get corporate funding or
attention in mainstream media. Because of this, Glover produces his own films, using
ARTS
Fan fiction: Truth be told
Dal's free-lab builds on
real life
Vinyl albums spin new art
ADVERTISEMENTS
search thecoast.ca](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/28923b0d-dc9c-415c-ba0d-83f00ab2687a-150727172618-lva1-app6892/85/Crispin-Glover-1-320.jpg)
