Less about Groovin' Gary (who seems like a lovely human being) and more about Harris's guilt for putting someone so unguarded out there for people to see. It's a movie that has affection for real weirdos, yes, but it worries about them too: the second two segments feel like attempts to apologize for the existence of the first, and the third, a conscious refinement of the flaws of the second as atonement, which it hardly functions as- especially in immediate conversation with parts 1 and 3, it feels more like a twisting of the knife, even if it is a slightly self-critical one. I don't know why I had it in my head that this was a fun time, it's…

Groovin' Gary is one of those subjects like Mark Borchardt or Timothy Treadwell who can't be presented to an audience without risk of seeming exploitative or mocking. Their passions burn absurdly bright, and one can choose to either see that as beautiful and tragic or hilarious and foolish. Or maybe all of the above. I don't know if any of the three shorts that comprise THE BEAVER TRILOGY would work on their own, but together they create such a compelling echo of the central subject and the filmmakers' relationship with this subject. The middle segment still stands out as the weakest (and most troubling) take, but it's a great stepping stone to the final segment and the contrast, especially in…

A fascinating experiment in film making.

It all starts with a short bit that Harris filmed for Salt Lake City news in 1979. You know, one of those light "human-interest" bits that always used to get tacked on to the end of the news report. Harris bumps into one of the local denizens of Beaver, Utah - his name is Groovin' Gary, he's super excited about being on TV, and he treats Harris to some of his impersonations and invites him to his upcoming performance at the High School, which turns out to be a drag-show based on Olivia Newton-John. It's pretty cute stuff - Gary is a pretty adorable guy - there's plenty of quirky local flavour - and…

Rewatching this really made some things click. It's a remarkably well-done document that bridges various formats, performance styles, trends of storytelling, and capture medium really well, while telling an emotional and thought-provoking story in three unique ways.

The Beaver Kid: It remains one of the greatest things ever put to film and I'm sure a huge inspiration to diy filmmakers and underground artists alike. It's a compelling story that tells itself by just documenting a stranger. Even without any of the dramatic stuff added in the other two retellings, it is super emotional, strange, and poetic. It lets your mind fill in the blanks, choosing whether to laugh at the funny stuff, or find the substance underneath. Sometimes a little…

Does a documentarian have a responsibility for his subject before, during, and after filming? This question seems to eat at as Trent Harris as he remakes his own documentary about Olivia Newton John impersonator, "Groovin' Gary." The first remake, starring Sean Penn as Gary, focuses more on his (possible?) gender confusion and adds staged, invented scenes to flesh out Gary's inner conflict about performing as Olivia. The second remake, now featuring Crispin Glover as Gary, fleshes out the story even more to include his entire sleepy, conservative town and its disdain toward the Olivia act. Each new film in the trilogy adds more speculation and depth and to the original documentary subject until the line between fact and fiction blurs.…

Trent Harris’ series of shorts is a completely unique viewing experience and ultimately quite affecting. As someone who has been a performer, I can recall many of my younger public appearances occurring before I had developed any sort of professional talent. One will approach the stage with a passionate desire to express themselves despite the individuals surrounding them mocking their efforts. They realize their limitations but are often devastated by the criticism and scorn they receive. Groovin’ Gary had the additional misfortune of residing in a small town whose occupants were unaccepting of his eccentricities. The first short is a documentary depicting Harris happening upon Gary who invites him to document a talent show he is staging, the centerpiece of…