WHAT IS IT? premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and won Best Narrative Film at the 2005 Ann Arbor Film Festival. In the same year Mr. Glover was awarded the prestigious Maverick Award from the Method Fest which was presented to him by esteemed film director Werner Herzog. The film also won the Midnight Extreme Award at the Sitges Film Festival Spain 2006. It has played to sold out audiences in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle on this Fall 2006 tour. Now Crispin Glover comes to the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood for a limited engagement of WHAT IS IT? and The Big Slide Show.
WHAT IS IT?, 2005, Volcanic Eruptions Productions, 72 min. Veteran actor Crispin Hellion Glover, who has appeared in over 30 films as an actor, including RIVER'S EDGE, CHARLIE'S ANGELS, THE DOORS, WILLARD, DEAD MAN, BACK TO THE FUTURE, WHAT'S EATING GLIBERT GRAPE, WILD AT HEART, THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT the upcoming BEOWULF, THE WIZARD OF GORE, and EPIC MOVIE brings his debut feature film as a director, WHAT IS IT? to the Egyptian Theatre for an exclusive 3-day Los Angeles engagement. Known for creating many memorable, incredibly quirky characters onscreen as an actor, Glover's first effort as a director will not disappoint fans of his offbeat sensibilities and eccentric taste. Featuring a cast largely comprised of actors with Down Syndrome, the film is not about Down Syndrome. Glover describes 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 an hubristic racist inner psyche." He also explains that the film is his psychological reaction to corporate controls of expression limiting the exploration of taboo.
In addition to writing and directing WHAT IS IT?, Glover also appears in the film as an actor in the role of "Dueling Demi-God Auteur and The young man's inner psyche." Fairuza Balk voices one of the snails. WHAT IS IT? is part one of a trilogy. Parts two, IT IS FINE EVERYTHING IS FINE...! is currently in post-production. On part two, Glover collaborated with Utah writer-actor Steven C. Stewart, who also appears in WHAT IS IT? Stewart passed away from complications from cerebral palsy in 2001.The soundtrack makes use of Wagner and Bartok excerpts to ironic effect, as well as tracks by late Church of Satan high priest Anton LaVey, Charles Manson and a country track by Klassic Klan recording artist Johnny Rebel.
"Scenes with naked women in elephant masks, Shirley Temple, Glover being lowered deus-ex-machina style into a Maxfield Parrish scene -- It's like Fellini on psychedelics -- wildly creative but completely twisted."
-- Jane Ganahl, San Francisco Examiner
"ABSOLUTELY the most uncompromising and original thing I've seen. People try to compare it to the likes of surrealist hero Luis Buñuel and trailblazer Werner Herzog, but I say Glover has transcended even them."
-- Kelly O., The Seattle Stranger Weekly
"It's unlike anything I've ever seen before -- the unrestrained id of an artist at full frenzy, unafraid to mount onscreen what others would judiciously edit out. Glover's film is like that the fever dream of a crazy person." --Dennis Dermody, Paper Magazine
"Crispin Hellion Glover, auteur, is a force to be reckoned with."
-- Laura Kern, New York Times
Preceding the film is an hour-long live dramatic presentation of "Crispin Hellion Glover's Big Slide Show" Part 1 or 2. For "Crispin Hellion Glover's Big Slide Show" Mr. Glover performs a one hour dramatic narration of eight different books he has reworked from old books from the 1800's that have been changed in to different books from what they originally were. They are heavily illustrated with original drawings, reworked images and photographs.
. Following the film screenings Mr. Glover will appear for question & answer session. The evening will end with a signing of his books Rat Catching, Oak Mot, and Concrete Inspection
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