Customer Reviews

Eyes of Tammy Faye

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Tammy Faye is now someone I admire!

I purchased this as a vague curiosity after reading some other reviews. I thought these people have GOT to be wrong. No...it turns out I was.

This is actually a very telling account not only of Tammy Faye, but of televangelism (If you thought Jerry Falwell was evil before...you will see him as Satan Incarnate after viewing this). I will say that I thought of Tammy Faye as master media manipulator...but after seeing this...I honestly don't think so.

One of the things this documentary subtley conveys is that Tammy Faye is more resilliant than she is brilliant. I think it's just her natural tenacity that has kept her going and has drawn media attention like flies. I think she's a person who has a genuine good heart who has just too much naievete for the world of evangellical broadcasting.

Overall, I was amazed how much I had warmed up to her by the end of the film, and honestly gained a whole new respect for her ability to never say die.

Since the PTL Club scandal in the 1980s, Tammy Faye Bakker has become one of the all time greats of the eccentric pop-culture icons. The PTL financial scandal and Jim Bakker's affair with Jessica Hahn have faded from front page news stories and into a tiny dot on the historical map. Tammy Faye, however, still pops up in pop media frequently enough to be more recognizable than ex-hubby Jim, not to mention the almost forgotten Hahn.

"The Eyes of Tammy Faye" delivers a well documented history of Jim and Tammy Faye's rise to fame on the TV Evangelist circuit, their fall from grace, and where the dice landed for Tammy Faye. If this were a film exclusively about the PTL scandal, this docu would come up short; but the main focus here is on Tammy Faye the individual. In doing so, the film makers did an excellent job of presenting the most important aspects of the scandal in a nutshell, and giving us a three-dimensional view of Tammy Faye.

Early on, this documentary shows a genuinely sweet side of Tammy Faye, telling of her unhappy childhood, and how the religion she grew up with was just one big monolithic intimidator, threatening the believers with eternal damnation. Instead of Tammy Faye taking this fear into adulthood, she instead turns it upside down, and preaches Christianity to the TV public with compassion. Particularly moving is a clip from a PTL Club episode where she has an AIDS activist on the show; wherein you would often see TV preachers brag that they will cure AIDS victims of their lifestyle and illness, Tammy Faye brings the activist on the show with compassion. They discuss the battle against AIDS, never bagging on the gay lifestyle.

Another reason to check out this documentary is to catch the disturbing info on Jerry Falwell taking command of The PTL Network. Dislike Falwell and his Moral Majority? You will despise both after seeing this account of his betrayal.

Much of the film is presented with snipets of old Praise The Lord Television footage, narration by Ru Paul, lots of funky hand puppets (an explanation for that comes early on in the film) and through the lips of Tammy Faye herself. While the documentary is sympathetic to Tammy Faye, she shows through her own words that she is still in denial about the misappropriation of funds husband Jim tolled. Tammy Faye is eccentric, strong, unethical and sweet, all rolled up into one. All in all, I went away with a soft spot for Tammy Faye, something I have never before had for a TV evangelist. Whether you come to a similar conclusion or not, I think you will find this an excellent piece of work.

I just watched this film for the first time. I laughed; I cried. It became a part of me.

I had always assumed the "facts" about the fall of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker were true and simple. This film at least raises questions about the consistantly unchristian treatment of the Bakker's by their tele-evangelist cohorts.

For me, any film that further demonstrates that Jerry Falwell will burn in hell is sufficently entertaining to justify the purchase, but this film has much more. Seeing inside Tammy Faye, one discovers that she is a good woman with a good heart, but little if any self esteem. She was way ahead of her time (ahead of where most of her former cohorts are now) on social issues. Her fragile self-esteem was trampled upon again and again. (The clip of Tammy Faye on the PTL Club television set stoned on Ativan and trying to wade in the water, which has been painted on canvas, is precious.) I ALMOST feel bad laughing at it all, but Tammy Faye has herself done what she suggests others do with the lemons dealt her in life: .. yeah, make lemonade.. <eyes roll>

The film's irony is poignant throughout... RuPaul, who wears less makeup than Tammy Faye, provides an even narration of the film. A look at the Bakker's son shows exactly what one would not expect. Jim Bakker's "victim's" comments about the depravation of her innocence are spliced together with tasteless, raunchy scenes from her Playboy video.

Tammy Faye should be admired-- probably not for her fashion and makeup prowess-- but because, in spite of getting knocked down again and again and again, she always gets back up and remains true to herself.

If you are not convinced to buy this film already, then do so for the answer to the question of the ages: What do roaches, Tammy Faye, and Cher have in common?

I have never been so impressed with a documentary film as I was with "The Eyes of Tammy Faye". I have shown this film to many individuals that thought there would be no interest in watching it and have walked away and purchased it. Impeccible job on the level of drama, emotion, and philisophical value. The message from the documentary is very personal and spiritual to me. If you don't think you would be interested, give it a listen because I think, as my friends have, you may walk away with a whole new view on the scope of Tammy Faye and the ideals of love she portrays. Firm faith usually comes from hard falls and Tammy Faye's recovery in this film was fabulous. Very worth while watching. I love this film and watch it over and over for message value. Let's forget about diversity and use this film for a lesson of real love.

Ok, so I didn't think I would be the person to say, this movie is worth watching, and you will come away with a different perspective. Its amazing but it can happen, I always thought had the impression of her that wasn't so kind, honestly it was down right mean. I can say that after watching this, my impression of Tammy Faye is every different.
Yes, she loves to wear crazy wigs, and uses more mascara in a month than I will use in my lifetime. What I found surprising was that she and her ex husband created so much of the current televangalism movement that we have. The 700 club, and the TBN, were projects that they helped to create. Yes, they did run into some financial problems, was it over ambition on their part? Most likely.
Some good points were brought out about the scandal was that they didn't intentionally deceive, and secondly that was a heck of a lot of work to do for so little financial gain on their part. One thing that rings clear through the movie is that she is definately filled with love for people, and harbors no ill feelings towards her ex husband.
I walked away from this movie with empathy for her, she has been truly villified, and she continues onward. I definately recommend this movie to others. Growing up in the 1980's these stories were definately part of my culture, and its wonderful to go back and see the behind the story version.

I keep telling folks to watch this film. Their eyes roll. They get this, "Isn't he pitiful?" look on their faces. They try to humor me. Obviously I need help.

But, see, the thing is I never really liked Tammy Faye or Jimmie B or the whole Jesus as sales tool schlock-fest. I watched the film because I thought it would be a hoot. RuPaul narrates it, after all.

Imagine my surprise when I wound up with a new respect for Tammy Faye. She is a survivor, if nothing else. Sure she makes spaghetti sauce with ketchup. But she was one of the first, and certainly the most high profile, Christians to express concern for the victims of AIDS. I loved her dismantling of the rabid Jerry Falwell. And no matter what awful stuff happens to her and hers, she retains a life-force, a hope that is downright inspiring.

See this film.

In "The Eyes of Tammy Faye", documentarians Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato explore the life and tribulations of televangelism's biggest star of the 1980s, the "first lady of religious broadcasting", Tammy Faye Bakker. Narrator RuPaul Charles takes us back to Tammy Faye's Minnesota childhood as the eldest of 8 children in a fundamentalist Assemblies of God household, through her marriage to Jim Bakker and their many successes, to her life in near isolation in Palm Desert, California, 12 years after scandal and financial troubles brought a dramatic end to Jim and Tammy Faye's broadcasting empire and their marriage. (This film was made in 1999. Tammy Faye now lives in North Carolina and suffers from lung cancer.) Through clips of the Bakkers' television shows and interviews with Tammy Faye, Jim Bakker, their children, Tammy Faye's 2nd husband and Heritage USA contractor Roe Messner, law professor James A. Albert, and "Charlotte Observer" journalist Charles Shepard, among others, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" presents an intriguing portrait of Tammy Faye's personality and values, as well as some insight into the PTL organization that the scandal-mongering media didn't often provide back when everything came tumbling down.

"The Eyes of Tammy Faye" is sympathetic to Tammy Faye -and her maquillage- which is a nice respite from the often cruel and disproportionate attacks she has undergone in the press. The filmmakers present Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker as more ingenuous than ruthless or greedy -a view shared even by their critics. Their ingenuousness and simple, optimistic nature was a large part of their appeal. And it was a large part of their undoing. Jim Bakker didn't have the sophistication to competently manage PTL's finances, which became increasingly apparent as he tried to construct and maintain the ambitious "Heritage USA" Christian resort in Fort Mill, SC. "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" comes down hard on the Machiavellian tactics of the far more fanatic Jerry Falwell. Non-Christian observers (of which I am one) tend to lump televangelists in the same category, but the contrast between the ruthless ambition and fire-and-brimstone sermons of Falwell or Pat Robertson and the naive over-the-top enthusiasm and inclusiveness of the Bakkers is stark. "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" provides a valuable second look at Tammy Faye for those of us who only knew the scandal. No, she's not clever or tasteful, but she isn't what the secular press or Jerry Falwell made her out to be either. Subtitles are available in English and Spanish on the Trimark/Lions Gate 2003 DVD.

Tammy Faye Baker, who took up more than her fifteen minutes of fame throughout the excesses of her then-husband Jim's PTL digressions, always struck me as pathetic and possibly manipulative; her mascara-stained eyes seemed to become water-works like an actress who is able to cry on cue. This affectionate, albeit skewed-in-her-favor documentary paints a portrait of the woman that surprised and charmed me. With a campy sensibility, and obvious gay humor, this film exposes facts about Tammy's human fraility, her early embrace of homosexuals (particularly the scourge of AIDS in its earliest days), her naivete and ignorance of much of the politics of her husband's empire, and her "simple country girl" heart. Her present-day tears created a true hush in the packed house, and stirred more than a few hearts. Tammy Faye may be seeking the limelight because that it is a place where she feels at home -- but in the final moments of this riveting, entertaining and engagingly fresh documentary, I believe her testaments of faith and her renewed sense of priorities as never before. All great documentaries should illuminate their subjects in ways that inform, entertain, and challenge -- even with its heart on its sleeve, this one does precisely that, and provides key glimpses into the telegenic power and real talent that propelled a nation of Bible-thumpers to love Tammy Faye in the first place.

Browsing through Rotten Tomatoes one uneventful evening, I was jolted momentarily when I stumbled upon this movie. "An 88 percent approval rating?", I pinched. "Were Jim and Tammy Bakker perhaps judged too quickly during the collapse of their massive empire? Is it possible that Tammy Faye actually has some cognitive activity working upstairs after all?"

Nah.

I soon realized that the quality of this flick lay in the production of the documentary itself, not the human product involved. Barbato and company paint a cute and somewhat naive televangelist caught up in a host of scandals, none of which she ever saw coming. True to its title, the movie is based on Tammy Faye's side of the story from beginning to end with little or no options for other possibilities.

There is a fundamental problem with Tammy Faye and those of her ilk. The woman reveals no knowledge or even a faint curiosity of the ancient ancestors, culture, or documents of her own proclaimed faith. Scripture is something to exploit as needed, not research as necessary. She's not a minister but a celebrity. The Bakkers never revealed anything otherwise. That whole crowd, commonly known as "televangelists," practice a kind of top-40 version of Christianity. It's as plastic as their imaginations, and their TV circus performances are an embarrassment to humankind.

Tammy Faye certainly has nice qualities about her as a person and is clearly quite likeable in her own way. The movie delivers that trait well. But many people throughout the world possess wonderful qualities without ever getting a crack at the big screen. The movie impressively unfolds the horrors and tragedies Tammy endured during her career, and certainly no one deserves such torment. But there are many good people who have been through much worse. Hollywood has not brought them to the cinema so that we might share in their grief as well. No one even knows who they are. They are in fact you and me, and others we all know in our personal lives.

So what exactly is it that makes Tammy Faye worthy of the special attention? The movie is silent on this point. It's quite a privilege to casually rake in millions for singing rudimentary ditties and shedding superficial tears. Ministers? How realistic is it to identify the Bakkers as some sort of link between human consciousness and sacred deity? The movie focuses too much on the trees and forgets the forest.

The documentary highlights some of the details of the PTL exploitation by Jerry Falwell. But anyone familiar with this man will find no surprises here. Anytime this guy enters a scene, nearly anyone else looks better by default. According to the report, the Bakkers were blackmailed into turning the empire over to Falwell's rat pack because he got word of Jim's sideline fling with what's-her-name. This is some crowd we have here. In his predictable manner, Falwell inserted a dagger into the Bakkers' empty skulls and thanked God for the opportunity. Isn't he the suave one? Falwell never fails to leave the kind of sick feeling one gets from a dead-baby joke. I soon realized that this flick has no protagonist.

One important point in favor of the movie is noteworthy. The Bakkers' ministry was active during the outbreak of the HIV virus. With the exception of Billy Graham, most conservative televangelists responded with bitter judgments of condemnation toward the gay community. Some are well known today for the massive hatred they drilled into the minds of their congregations. Tammy Faye was one of the very few to insist on reaching out to AIDS victims with genuine compassion. She stressed that believers needed to embrace and love the gay community rather than condemn them. But more to the point, Tammy Faye practiced this sermon. She visited AIDS victims and spent valuable time with them. For this reason many in the gay community have grown to respect Tammy Faye. This is perhaps the one quality that makes her different from others of her ilk, and it is a quality worthy of both recognition and respect.

The movie is well made. It succeeded in gripping my emotion, but not with any earth-shattering revelations of the woman. Tammy Faye simply is what she is. The movie suggests that Tammy Faye deserves another chance at fame. This viewer does not agree that she does. Nonetheless, The Eyes of Tammy Faye is just possibly her best achievement in the entertainment industry to date. Believe it or not, there's a real woman underneath all that makeup.

I am not sure which I purchased first.. the poster or the movie...but I have owned both for a long time it seems. LOVE both. I, like so many others had a pre concieved notion of what Tammy was about...painted by the main stream media. (no pun intended) I, like so many others here, got it for kicks and giggles... but came out on the other side with a new found respect and admiration for a woman that just as well could have totally cratered to the sticks and stones life threw at her. It is an interesting film and I am not sure if anyone has commented on how hard these people worked. That much relentless pressure to perform for your public takes a toll. I had no opinion other than negative for both Tammy and Jim, but I think they probably did a lot of folks a lot of good along the way. I too, am not surprised at Falwell's behavior...He has no shame. I have had several friends that seemed to have the same hair and makeup gene Tammy got...but both of those women taught me important life lessons that I will never forget and will always be grateful for. Love and compassion come in all manner of costume and cosmetic preferences. I am so very sorry that this dear woman is having to struggle with cancer now. I hope her faith keeps her secure and if anyone ever deserved a halo, it is Miss Tammy.

Thanks for the great film.