Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Laud Weiner

Starring David Hyde Pierce
Duration 4:08
Directed and Written by Philip Euling

This mockumentary pokes fun at the stress and chaotic lifestyle of a hollywood manager. It touches on a number of stereotypes - for example, a hollywood manager is ALWAYS too busy to take your calls. Pierce shows what managers are really doing when they say they are too busy. Also, the film touches on the idea that managers are nothing but ass kissers. Pierce pretends to have read a script and labels it shit, but when his associate/client shows interest, his opinion - which was artificial to begin with - changes to meet the other's interest. With such a hectic lifestyle, Pierce only finds time to sleep on set.

Part of it feels really disconcerting, though. For example, Pierce turns down a script marked "consider," but with no money attached, the manager doesn't even read it. Furthermore, he tells others that he did read it, he fought for it, but it just couldn't go to the next level. Its distressing that someone's blood, sweat and tears that went into creating a script gets literally tossed aside.

Like most everything else in this mockumentary, however, its important to remember that each example is exaggerated to make fun of these stereotypes of hollywood's cutthroat business. David Hyde Pierce is a great actor to play this role because it is so similar to his character on Frasier. His humor is more about timing than it is about content and so this role works well.

I also like to think that, as an actor himself with a manager to boot, it must have been fun to switch the roles for a day and mock the trials and tribulations of his manager.

12 comments:

  1. I almost chose this film to write about! Watching this, it was hard to separate David Hyde Pierce from his character on Frasier. He's a great actor but he'll always be the pretentious yet lovable Niles Crane to me.

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  2. I liked this a lot. It had been a while since I have seen a mockumentary. David Hyde Pierce is great in it!

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  3. Reminded me of Swimming with Sharks a bit, with a more comedic touch but same "it's all about me" behind-the-scenes Hollywood bluster.

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  4. I will also start off by saying that I LOVE DHP! I was actually fortunate enough to see him in the musical "Curtains" on Broadway last semester, and he was, as always, amazing in it!
    Likewise, I love the mockumentary style because it places what some people usually take very seriously into silly situations. What I got out of this was a fusion of "The Office" and "Entourage." Even though "Entourage" is in some respects a comedy, it is a show that attempts to demonstrate the behind-the-scenes making of a movie star in a somewhat serious and dramatic platform. What I liked about this short film is that it used the mockumentary style to take the comedy one step further and not take a manager's job seriously.

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  5. though I see what you are saying, Victoria M, since Entourage has a much more risky plotline. Also take into account the main character's position in hollywood and how his manager runs the show, and it seems as the DHP is mocking that lifestyle.

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  6. This is totally a joke on Hollywood. So many people idolize it, and yet, look! It's nothing worth looking after!

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  7. DHP is a comic genius. Nice pick.

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  8. I agree. I wish scripts were taken so lightly, though... It sure would make my job a lot easier!

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  9. Saying "Mockumentary" makes me feel uncomfortable. It's like asking for a "grande latte"... so pompous!

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  10. I understand what you mean about mockumentary, but think about it, how could a medium (short film) that is so undermined in the film industry be pompous at the same time?

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