Not Coming to a Theater Near You
What do you think she meant when she said “a huge black monster with giant claws”?
What do you think she meant when she said “a huge black monster with giant claws”?
Dadetown hit the festival circuit some time in 1995, before a modest theatrical release in ‘96. Just before this, its director, Russ Hexter, died in his late 20s of a heart condition. The film, to my knowledge, hasn’t screened anywhere or been made available in any format since.
This is a massive shame, as Hexter’s film – which I’ve been searching for for years – is an ingenious documentary, set in the titular New York locale and concerning the conflict between a calm, insular rural community and the corporations that intend to capitalize on its growing population. None of this is as direct as you would think. Instead, an undertone of subversiveness carries most every scene; Dadetown has suspense in both its plotting and in its documenting of the exploitation of small town America, culminating in a truly ingenious revelation. As such, I strongly urge you to relent from reading anything else about this film if you’ve ever a chance to see it.
(But for those compelled to read more, I recommend reading no further than Mike D’Angelo’s rave.)
by Rumsey Taylor | Source: bootleg DVD
20 Apr 2009 6:27 PM | Submit Comment
