Crispin Glover's What is it?

[RegularKarate]

Yes, it has a trailer.

We've heard the rumors for years, but Crispin's finally releasing it.  The bound to be bizaar "What Is It?" starring a good deal of actors with Down Syndrome.

He was originally going to premier this here at the Alamo Drafthouse, but was unable to complete the print in time and had to reschedule for February.  Now Sundance gets it first at the end of this month, but I'm still psyched about the February screening.

He'll be here at The Alamo Draft House for four showings over one weekend.  He'll also be showing his big slide show.

Crispin Hellion Glover... that is all.

[MacGuffin]

Here some more info...

I heard that Crispin Glover directed a film starring only people with downs syndrome. Has anyone seen this?

From Entertainment Weekly:

Glover says that this bargain he struck with himself to, in his words, be more willing to adapt his ''countercultural tastes'' to the ''pro-cultural film industry'' is partly due to a book that he read: Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends & Influence People. But the real motivation behind his kinder, gentler work ethic is his cinematic labor of love: What Is It?

Glover is both directing and financing What Is It? -- a surrealist hero's-journey that he describes as ''the adventures of a young man whose principle interests are snails, salt, and how to get home.'' He's been toiling on the project for five years. Probably more. ''It's been a long time,'' he sheepishly admits. ''I don't even like to say. It's embarrassing.''

If you've heard about Glover's film, it's probably because of the cast. While Glover makes an appearance, the majority of the cast has Down syndrome. Some people may see this as a provocative act, or an insensitive one. But Glover adamantly denies this. ''The fact that people get disturbed because we use people with Down syndrome, well, that's not very nice,'' he says. ''You look at movies and it's considered bad for a white person to put blackface on because it's not right. But it is okay for a non-mentally retarded person to play somebody who is mentally retarded, and I find that odd.'' It should be noted that What Is It? also features an actor in blackface. Glover continues: ''The film isn't about Down syndrome at all. They're not playing mentally retarded people. It's not about that. The important thing to me is that it's not about making fun of people with Down syndrome.''

David Lynch says he's seen a version of the movie and backs Glover up. ''It's extremely interesting,'' he says. ''I've talked to Crispin about it and I think he's doing it in the right spirit.'' Lynch pauses. ''Look, Crispin has obsessions, and he's just got to play them out.''

In the end, Glover says he envisions What Is It? as the first installment in a trilogy. ''Like Star Wars,'' he says.

Like Star Wars...

I wait for what seems an eternity for Glover to laugh, smile, something, anything, to indicate that this comparison to the Jedi saga is a put-on. Only he doesn't. He just sits there, straight-faced, like the teller of an inside joke to which only Crispin Glover knows the punchline.

[NEON MERCURY]

It's extremely interesting

thats all i need to hear-i am there

and for the poster they shoul have that  lynch quote on it
he's cooler than the annoying larry king and his phantom   of the opera circle jerk

[Sal]

''Look, Crispin has obsessions, and he's just got to play them out.''

That's exactly right.

[lamas]

nah, for the poster they should have that chick with the tig ol bitties on it.  seriously though, i think i'm gonna go have a nightmare now.

[MacGuffin]

What The #@*! Is It?
Answer: Crispin Glover's bizarre film
Source: Entertainment Weekly

"I describe it as being the adventures of a young man whose principal interests are snails, salt, a pipe, and how to get home, as tormented by a hubristic, racist inner psyche." That's Crispin Glover, star of Back To The Future, expanding his aptly titled, nearly-a-decade-in-the-making directorial debut What is it?, which premiered to mass puzzlement at last month's Sundance Film Festival.

How can you see it? Since the movie features graphic sexuality, melted live snails, and a cast with Down's syndrome, Glover knows it is unlikely to find a distributor. "Genuine counterculture will make people uncomfortable," he insists. So he plans to take it on the road, hosting screenings himself. It's the first film in a trilogy, and he's already shot the second movie, called It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine! He's sure it will be "the best movie I ever have anything to do with."

[Gamblour.]

He's sure it will be "the best movie I ever have anything to do with."

Take that Robert Zemeckis, David Lynch, Jim Jarmusch, Oliver Stone, and Gus Van Sant. Take that!

[Stefen]

"Rolling Thunder presents a Crispin Glover Film"

[modage]

He's sure it will be "the best movie I ever have anything to do with."

Take that Robert Zemeckis, David Lynch, Jim Jarmusch, Oliver Stone, and Gus Van Sant. Take that!

take that, McG!

[Pubrick]

where the hellion is trailer now

i found this tho: an essay by glover concerning the subtext of the film written in JB's favorite style.

here is a sample, to encourage ppl to read it:
"Could anal rape of Steven Spielberg be simply the manifestation of a cultural mandate?"

unfortunately, he can't spell "does".

[Satcho9]

that essay is beautiful.

[RegularKarate]

I get to see this Saturday... I'm effin' psyched.

[cowboykurtis]

i wish he would've used some of the imagination that was put into the film for the poster. that poster could be so much more interesting than yet another floating heads photoshop job.

[RegularKarate]

So, I saw this last night.

He first performed his Big Slide Show which was really great.  This was just him basically reading us excerpts from his books... very quickly... with the utmost Crispin Gloverishness.

Then the film started... it's still soaking in.  

I might be able to say it's the strangest movie I've ever seen.  
The problem with that is that might be dismissing it as some cooky flick "that crazy Cripin Glover guy" made and it's more than that.

I have to say that I liked it, but I don't know if I loved it.

It's very unique and very Crispin Glover.  I don't want to give anything away, but if you are the type that gets offended by anything offensive without being able to really think about what you're seeing, then you should probably skip this one.  I'm still not sure how I feel about a certain scene in this film (PM me if you really want it spoiled).

anyway... I hope other people here get to see it.  I'd really like to read some other reactions.

[bonanzataz]

i might just have to go to ann arbor michigan to see it next month. i was back in new york when he screened it at the underground film festival, but i didn't know there was a screening. that makes me angry. you wouldn't like to see me angry...

for anyone too lazy to go to the website...



sweet!