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Show - m • ™ DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE ARTS&ENTERTAINMENI Tuesday, J a n u a r y 31, 2006 wrestles stereotypes in promoting film Lonny Danler Chronicle Writer • • * * , * • ! • , lyiost theaters won't screen his movie, most audiences won't watch it, thft',LDS church won't support it—or even comment, for that matter—and most other independent filtrufiakers barely recognize him as an artist. Utah's independent director Richard Dutcher remains outside the proverbial box. His film, "God's Army 2: States of Grace," which was re-released Jan. 20 with little fanfare, is argued by some to be not only Dutcher's best film, but also a film that transcends its director's faith and dares to ask challenging questions. "I'm interested in films that explore rather than teach," Dutcher said. "I'm interested in things that are concerns to me, contemporary issues in Mormon life..,two things I take seriously are cinema and religion, not just Mormonism." Much like the first "God's Army," which was released in 2000, the film demonstrates the hardships of LDS missionaries serving in modern-day Los Angeles. With "States of Grace," Dutcher said, "I wanted to show that, regardless of race or creed or sex or age, all of these characters are extremely flawed and look to Jesus to help them." "States of Grace" is also about a gangster caught between lives, an aspiring actress reduced to pornography and a street preacher who fell from grace and is seeking redemption—a recurring theme in the movie. But it's not only the content of the film or the PG-13 rating that has kept audiences away, Dutcher1 believes most people aren't seeing "States of Grace" because it came on the heels of other bad films. "When I came out with 'God's Army,"' Dutcher said in an interview, "I was so excited, I felt like really, for the first time. Mormon culture and Mormon doctrine was going to be able to express itself and reach a greater audience. Now you almost have to drag the audiences into the theater. Their expectations are really low." "It's not the audience's fault," Dutcher said. "I feel like it's the filmmakers' because they've violated the audience's trust." Dutcher released the first "God's Army" to much critical acclaim and cinematic buzz. The film was the first movie ever to be made by and about Mormons. Independently produced with only a $300,000 budget, "God's Army" made millions and a gold rush of Mormon-theraed films followed suit Now, the loose-knit genre is more than two-dozen films strong. But not all movies are created equal. U film studies student Taylor Hellewell said he prefers Dutcher's work to other Mormon films because "he's not painting the Osmond twins' portrait," Hellewell Hellewell, who was born LDS and served an LDS mission, said he respects Dutcher's work because "he shows the foibles along with the strengths, which I think is a really beautiful thing." But. according to some, "States of Grace" isn't just for LDS audiences. "What Dutcher has put on "States of Grace" aims to satisfy the moral-seeking Christian contingent. So far, however, the film is floundering at the box office. The Brave and The Bold Domino Three-and-a-half out of five Think you have an eclectic taste in music? Compared with the musical preference of math-rockers Tortoise and alt-country/ indie legend Will Oldham, you most definitely do not. Their collaboration effort, a cover album titled The Bold and The Brave, gives us a glimpse of their musical likes—which couldn't be more assorted. The songs that receive renovation by Tortoise and Bonnie "Prince" Billy (Will Oldham) are a disparate and obscure bunch—including some by artists Elton John, Lungfish, Bruce Springsteen, Quix*o*tic and Devo. Yes, that Devo. And what's the result of this eccentric project? Not as good as one might hope. Consider the celebrity of the participants: Tortoise, influential college-radio-beloved instru-rockers who subtly revolutionized American indie music with a unique brand of melting-pot, electronic-tinged instrumental rock, and Will Oldham, a.k.a. Bonnie "Prince" Billie, r- screen," Sharon Swenson, a BYU film theory professor, said, "is a spiritual journey couched in Mormon doctrine but is more universal than that. He's done something really brave." At a free, and overflowing, interfaith post-screening panel at Regency Trolley Square Theaters on Jan. 11, Dutcher said, "It's very difficult as a Mormon filmmaker not to make people think you're trying to convert them. There's nothing in this film that says you have to be LDS." After the interfaith panel, Dutcher said two former LDS lesbian women came up to him and said they loved his movie. David Rowe, ordained in the Conservative Baptist Church, author of I Love Mormons and also on the panel, said, "(Dutcher) takes it further than I expected. The film transcends into that terrain of pluralism," referring to Dutcher's multi-religious perspective in the film. But all the positive feedback hasn't yet changed the fact that hardly anybody is seeing the filmAccording to LDSFilm.com, the first "God's Army" grossed $2,628,829 in theaters alone and probably more than doubled that in DVD and VHS sales. Meanwhile, "States of Grace" only picked up $59,711 ' during the film's one-week Thanksgiving holiday release last November, according to BoxOfficeMojo. com. But Christopher Pratte, the public relations coordinator for Dutcher's Main Street Movie Co., said that the figure was closer to double that estimate. "I don't want to go spend eight bucks on a bad movie any more than anyone else," Dutcher said. "What's tough is to distinguish myself from the (other filmmakers). The sad realization was that others don't make that distinction." l.danler@ chromcle.utah.edu LETTER FROM A CONCERNED FAN The Brave, The Bold and The Pretty Good Tortoise & Bonnie "Prince" Billy Richard Dutcher's Is a struggling director. Roxanne, turn off the red Calendar Tuesday Jan. 31 legendary alt-country indie rocker whose material is as timeless as it is literate. With this combination, one could safely expect brilliance. But like the Kubrick/Spielberg movie "A.I." proved, collaborations between geniuses don't always result in the anticipated perfection. The Brave and The Bold is not a poor album by any means; it's an exceptionally entertaining rock record, full of compelling grooves, jam sessions and heartfelt howls. But the record rarely rises above the sum of its parts. Many of the tracks wander awkwardly between the two talents, in need of an aggressive touch or direction. There are some highlights, however; the album opener, "Cravo E Canela," is a hot spot, the remake of Elton John's "Daniel" hits its target, and Lungfish's "Love is Love" is brushed with an appealing electronic hue. Despite its somewhat wasted potential, The Brave and The Bold is a superior album made by extraordinary musicians—and at the very least, picking it up may make your collection more eclectic. Marshal Hogan DearCalendar-with-the-qolden-hair, As I was reading The Chronicle last week-an amazing occurrence, given that I cannot read, though my phallus peruses "Barely Legal" for the articles-! was shocked deep down to my testosterone core with the gynosympathetic tone of your writing. I always figured you were some breed of superman-a Calendar of true endowment, in all senses of the term; the type that would never, ever, ever participate in a Food Lore Workshop, at the Community Writing Center (210 E. 4 0 0 South), from 6 - 8 p.m., because real men leave the kitchen work to the kitchen gender. Oh, but Calendar, imagine how disappointed I was to see your feminine sidel To entertain the notion that your hands are not rough and tumble, but Crate & Barrel! To think that my male role model might potentially have not man-boobs, but real boobs! As I read your feminist tirades, I felt my thumb shrink markedly. I would say "you know how that feels," but alas, I no longer believe you do. If you have any fingers, sir-other than the variety you undoubtedly use to play Jacks with your dolls-you will man up and prove my considerations fallacious. Sincerely, Boy, at Salt Lake Acting Company Upstairs Theatre (168 W. 5 0 0 North), at 7:30 p.m. Student tickets are $13. Performances continue through Feb. 26. Call (801) 3 6 3 - 7 5 2 2 for more information. Dear Boy, Calendar will not humor such engendered talk. We will not divulge our sex. We will say this much: What has four nipples, defining bulges and curves that could throw a Formula One racecar driver? Calendar, of course, you ninny. Please, Boy, do us all a favor and shove that high-and-mighty stick you deify right up that dark hole where you found your head this morning. Once buried deep, please proceed to blow it out yo' ass. Who knows, maybe you'll catch the ear of the U Wind Ensemble Pops Concert, at Libby Gardner Hall (on Presidents' Circle), 7:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased through the Kingsbury Hall Ticket Office at (801) 581-7100 or at the Gardner Hall ticket office one hour prior to the concert. Please refrain from wasting our valuable time in the future. If we want conversation with an insecure archetype, we'll call Jerry Falwell. With intimidating girth, Cal "The Life Force" Endar |
