Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A beautifully told life that anyone can learn from, March 20, 2005
Tarnation is one of the most moving pieces of art that I have seen in a very long time. When I viewed it, I think everyone in my immediate viscinity had tears in their eyes, if not all over their faces. While Johnathan Caouette is gay, the movie is about much more than that, in the same way that any straight persons life is about much more than just being straight. It is an intense journey which combines audio and visual stimulation in such a way that makes you realize that it is very real...in that same way that a song from 1995 brings you right back to where you were at that moment. It's like a documentary. Like a journal. It is this realness in the film that makes me realize that the subject is more real than any of us would like to acknowledge. Tarnation claws at a number of topics that everyone faces in their real lives because it is a documentation of a real life. Many people find it cathartic in a very literal sense of the word. It helps relieve anxiety and tension by bringing repressed feelings and fears to conciousness. Watch it and you'll see what I mean. It's well worth it.
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22 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Candid, Moving, Incredibly Cheap, but Difficult to Watch., June 6, 2005
"Tarnation" is an unusual sort of documentary. On the face of it, the film tells the story of 31-year-old filmmaker Jonathan Caouette's lifelong relationship with his Texan family, in particular his difficult but loving bond with his mentally ill mother Renée LeBlanc. But, as "Tarnation" unfolds, it seems the film is a painful attempt to pay tribute to Renée, whose mind was destroyed by hundreds of electroshock treatments, without having much of Renée to get ahold of. "Tarnation" tries to paint a loving portrait of a person who must be reconstructed from the remnants of a shattered personality. It's disturbing and powerful. At the same time, "Tarnation" is a self-portrait of Jonathan Caouette that follows his emotionally tumultuous life from his childhood, through his youth, and finally to a more satisfying life in New York City, his character somehow bound with that of his troubled mother all along.
"Tarnation" is unique in its form as well as its content. The film was famously made for only $218 and edited on Jonathan Caouette's iMac. Caouette uses photographs, old home movies, audio recordings, old television and movie clips, and a few staged reenactments to tell his story. Emulating the style of underground film that its creator has loved since his teens, "Tarnation" makes extensive use of distorted film footage and quick cutting. This doesn't make for easy viewing. The film's grating style will unfortunately limit "Tarnation"'s audience. I found the Hi-8 video manipulated to look like old Super-8 particularly unwatchable. But "Tarnation" is a no-holds-barred self-examination and loving tribute to a woman who could have been. It's fascinating and moving, and sometimes its ugliness suits the subject.
The DVD (Wellspring 2005 release): Bonus features include a U.S. theatrical trailer, a French theatrical trailer, additional scenes, a gallery of 15 movie posters, and an audio commentary. "1983/1984 Rushes" are 5 additional or extended scenes. "Unreleased Tracks" (1 minute) are 2 sequences of clips set to music that were not included in the movie. In the audio commentary, filmmaker Jonathan Caouette talks about his decisions in putting the film together, including editing and music choices. He also elaborates on some of the events in the film, providing some more details of his experiences. Subtitles for the film are available in French.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Thwarted in expectation, January 15, 2006
I was looking forward to this movie as so many reviewers raved about it.
At the beginning I thought the execution of the material was original and fresh, but as the movie progressed I started to feel that the focus became lobsided and a bit self centered. Some moments even came across as slightly pretentious. The style also could alienate some viewers. This is not your run-of-the-mill documentary and I would recommend it to people with a vested interested in movies (given the creative way the movie was made), rather than people interested in the subjectmatter.
While I was emotionally involved in a documentary like "My Flesh and Blood", this one left me cold. Rather rent than buy.
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