Fire up the pickup and head down to this backwater town with "one of America's strangest and most brilliant documentary filmmakers" (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times)! Oscar(r)-winning*director Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line) presents a pastiche of fascinating interviews with the weird and wonderful people of Vernon, Florida, in this "amusing portrait" (Variety) of oddball Americana! For the inhabitants of this Southern town, there's no place like home for the rest of us, there's no place like Vernon, Florida! From the passionate turkey-hunter to the peculiar pet collector, each member of this motley crew has a story to tell. And in the masterful hands of Morris, their obsessions and eccentricities reveal the heart and soul of an unabashedly unique slice of the American pie! *2003: Documentary Feature, Fog of War (with Michael Williams)
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Mean Spirited Satire Of Local Yokels Comment: Coming from such an acclaimed film maker as Errol Morris I found this documentary a disappointment. It's true that the stories of such eccentric characters as the turkey hunter and the elderly animal collector can be funny at times. But I found the whole thing rather mean-spirited, as you really aren't laughing with the people but rather laughing at them.
The film's country bumpkins may be a revelation to viewers from big cities. But Vernon, Florida isn't actually all that unique. I live in a small town outside of Nashville and have some equally oddball neighbors. I'm sure many others in rural America can say the same.
Fortunately, Morris found greater maturity in his later docs like "Fog Of War". But this early effort just seems to be the work of an elitist making fun of those he views as less intelligent. Skip it! Customer Rating: Summary: Huge Audio Problem Comment: You have the turn the volume up on your TV extremely high to hear this movie, even then it's difficult to understand what they're saying. Also, at certain times (like when a truck is rushing past) you're treated with a full-blast of sound, shattering yer stinkin' eardrums.
It's a shame, because it's a great movie marred by a technical isse. Customer Rating: Summary: you just have to be there Comment: If you've been to this part of the country, you will get this movie. If you've been anywhere like it, you'll get this movie. If you haven't, you won't. It's almost 30 years old, but this movie is timeless in its depiction of how people really live in 'fly-over country'. Customer Rating: Summary: Funny Comment: This movie cracked us up. I'm from a small town, my husband a large city and we both though it was funny although I think I related better to the Southern flavor. Customer Rating: Summary: An Amazing Slice of Americana Comment: This is just a remarkable film! It's hard to believe these people are for real, but they obviously are! You'd swear half of them are being played by Jonathan Winters, but they are as they appear - "quirky" and "eccentric" just don't cut it as appropriate adjectives to describe the townsfolks of Vernon. It must be seen to be believe!
