Product Details

• Directors: Sarah Kernochan
• Format: NTSC
• Number of tapes: 1
• VHS Release Date: September 1, 2002
• Run Time: 40 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: 1559746610
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #504,077 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Los Angeles Times

"Riveting.."

Product Description

On an afternoon in New York's Central Park, you might come upon a whirling, stamping street musician who's nearly naked except for a gold loincloth. This is Stephen Kaufmann, a.k.a. "Thoth", an iconoclastic performer who presents original one-man operas, singing all parts male and female in an unknown language, accompanied by a violin and an unmatched physical exuberance.

Thoth draws his inspiration from the "Festad", a mythical world of his own creation. As a child of mixed race parentage, young Stephen sought to escape the discrimination and hostility he encountered by retreating into this alternate world, over time developing its geography, its history and legends, even its language. Now he is no longer on the retreat: He brings his fantasy world directly to mystified, intrigued crowds in the park.

As he reveals the details of his eccentric life's journey, Thoth makes known his mission: No less than to help heal the disunity of the world. By turns earnest, funny, poignant and outrageous, Thoth presents himself as the portrait of a modern mythmaker.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thoth in his own little world, September 2, 2005

By 

Craig Vivian (illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thoth (DVD)

An excellent documentary examining an eccentric and talented performer who has transformed himself through his art. Feeling himself to be a stranger in a strange land due to his multi-ethnic background, Thoth has created an ideal fantasy world to counter the racist realities he experienced at the hands of others when he was a child. You have to respect his ability to carry several others along with him during his performances, and even though they have no idea where they have been taken they obviously realize it hints at a better place than the one they currently inhabit.