Wednesday, September 27, 2006

The Death of a Father?

Rumors are circulating, here and there, about a purported moral debacle of the so-dubbed "father of Mormon Cinema." Now, before I give any credence to the rumors, it should be noted that Open Hatch dismissed all the hubbub:

Today I called up Main Street Movie Co. and spoke with Dutcher's assistant. I introduced myself and asked if the rumors going around about Dutcher's next film are overblown and ridiculous. She expressed puzzlement and I explained where I'd heard them, and then I out and asked: "Did Dutcher hold a nude audition yesterday?" She replied "Uh, no..." - this was somewhat emphatic, in that tone that says, "Gee, that's really out there" or "Where did you hear that one?" I laughed and said "Okay then", then asked, "Is his next film a 'nudie slasher flick?'" Again she replied no, and seemed very surprised at the idea.

Now, it isn't necessarily my interest to prove or disprove rumors. Even if it's true that (from said rumors),

production on the [nudie slasher flick] starts in about three weeks,

I just don't give much credence to rumors of this make, even when they might tickle my interest membranes. However, it did cause some reflection on my part. I'm ruminating on the character and mystery of the very man. I think it's always been a little difficult to figure out just where Dutcher is headed, let alone unwieldy rumors.

My roommate of yore worked on Dutcher's (is it really upcoming?) Falling at the same time he (my roommate) worked on States of Grace. Apparently the two films were made simultaneously. While I inquired of my roommate, oh so long ago, as to the plot of Falling, he told me he was sworn by contract to secrecy. But he told me that it was not LDS themed and that the content was very, very unsettling to him. He viewed Dutcher as having gone off and sold his soul. I don't remember the specifics, but it gave me the impression, at the time, that this film would be loaded with really bad stuff. However, this is my roommate we are talking about, who, bless his heart, is nigh unto Peter Priesthood. He was sometimes a little naive, I believe. Sometimes worthwhile things are difficult to understand. Anyway, he also told me how awful some of the stuff they had to shoot in States of Grace.was. Major amounts of blood and so forth, apparently. Well, we all know the outcome of that. After it was all said and done, I wasn't displeased with the violence and gore in States of Grace, even though it *was* unsettling. I felt like the film dealt with those difficult issues fairly well, even if aesthetically the movie didn't always hold up for me. It was a sensitive, thoughtful movie.

I do have my reservations about Dutcher. I often wonder, maybe even believe he has an agenda. It may be an almost subconscious endeavor for him. I wonder that he believes he has something to prove. *If* these reports of gore and sex for his next film are true—well, that will be tragic. But, in my opinion, it would *not* signal the death of good things coming from Mormon artists. It would just be really, really tragic. It would only mean that Dutcher's view of "Mormon Cinema" being "dead" becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

There was an interesting Sunstone Symposium panel discussion recently that featured Brian Evenson, Neil LaBute, and Richard Dutcher. According to someone close to me, Evenson, a former BYU teacher, feels that BYU & the Church forced him to choose between religion and his art—and that he essentially chose his writing. The path he followed led to leaving the Church and the dissolution of his marriage.

LaBute has a similar story. LaBute also lost his membership "for his art," so to speak. LaBute has made it clear in the past that he long thought he might have to give up religion for his endeavors. Some have claimed this is less hypocritical of him, but I just see it as weak. I have long been dissatisfied with LaBute and his work.

Which leads to the question of Dutcher. There's an intersting article on the panel discussion over here. Note the first line of that article:

Richard Dutcher said Max Golightly, his professor at BYU, had once told him, "The first, great Mormon writer is going to be excommunicated."

Now, just where is this line of thought headed?! I don't know, and it is not my intent to perpetuate any rumors. But I do think this man is a bit of a mystery, even while I love his films.

Further ruminating found here.

posted by Rhapsidiomite @ 5:31 PM
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