Director: John Paget
Cast: John Paget, Michael Wallis, Angel Delgadillo
Have I Seen It Before: Nope.
Did I Like It: As a mini-series eventually airing on PBS, this will be a delight. Characters that the uninitiated (like me) were completely unaware of will delight. The history is presented entertainingly.
And in that format it will take you about a week.
I sat there, however, for a version of the film that would suggest that it ran for just over two hours, felt easily like it went north of three, and really felt like I had gotten in my car in Chicago and committed to the crazy idea of making it to the Santa Monica Pier before dawn. The versions shown in the filmmakers’ roadhouse tour is showing a region-focused, trimmed down version of the film. Wile the charm of the subjects still comes through and I’m very much excited by the prospect of seeing this work in its ideal expression. Everything about it, to the interstitials, and long (presumably) drone shots following Paget as he makes his way to every town the Mother Road once touched screams to be on a television screen. I was left with the strange sensation that I wanted the Oklahoma section to be a little less, and the wild characters both east and west to be more substantial.
So, my review, possibly more so for this film has to go back to the first question I ask for these reviews. Have I seen it before? Honestly, I still haven’t quite seen everything it could be at this point. I look forward to doing so. And yet, aside from the unique shared experience that only a thriving, non-corporate movie theater can offer*, you should probably hold off on watching it until the film is really ready to wow you, too.
*You knew I was going to get that in there, didn’t you?