Mule Skinner Blues
by Stephen Earnhart
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Beanie Andrew, Don Arrup, Emily Brannon, Holly Cavanaugh, Raymond DagleyDirector: Stephen Earnhart
Cinematographer: Victoria Ford
Producer: Victoria Ford
Producer: Stephen Earnhart
Editor: Ellen Goldwasser
Producer: Gavin O'Connor
Producer: Greg O'Connor
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Running Time: 93 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-08-26
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sundance Channel Home Entertainment
Movie Reviews of Mule Skinner Blues
Movie Review: an engaging, sensitive and underrated documentary
Summary: 5 Stars
Mule Skinner Blues is a fine documentary that sensitively tells the story of a group of amateur artists and actors in a trailer park near Jacksonville, Florida; they want to make their own horror movie. After having some contact with director Stephen Earnhart who was originally in that area to film a music video, resident Beanie Andrew persisted in sending countless unsolicited videotapes to Earnhart and Earnhart eventually decided to return to Florida and work them to make their own horror film complete with costumes that they could dig up from the storage area of one of the residents, Annabelle Lea-Usher, a script that Beanie and especially his friend Larry slaved over and enough camera time using what few "sets" they had to make it all work out. In addition, Mule Skinner Blues has a fine musical score and the pace of the story moves along so well that you shouldn't feel bored watching this documentary.
These people, despite the fact that they are only amateurs and really not the most talented people, impressed me greatly as they worked so hard to turn their dream of making a horror film into a reality. It was practically a labor of love! We meet the people who worked the most on the film and we get to know them fairly well over the course of the film: There's Larry Parrot who writes the majority of the script after getting most of his ideas from Beanie Andrew, who is in seventh heaven that they are finally going to make their own horror film with the aid of someone who knows about filmmaking; and Beanie himself is quite a character who wants to live his life to the fullest. Indeed, it's great to see Beanie pushing so hard to get the movie done and even act in it as well. There are others who are very interesting: I liked Miss Jeannie, who sings with the aid of schnapps to overcome her smoker's cough; and musicians Steve Walker and Ricky Lix are fascinating to know as well. Of course, all of these people have so much to say about their lives both past and present; and when the filmmakers come back three years later to add what they thought would be a brief ending to the documentary they see how several people's lives have changed quite a bit! Some of the change will surely surprise you; and you will love to see the premiere of their movie.
It could seem as if I've given it all away but I assure you that I haven't. There is a great deal more for you to watch, enjoy and discover about these people as you watch this film! The human element to the film is touching, to say the least.
The DVD comes with a few bonus extras; I especially enjoyed a music video of Miss Jeannie's own song "DUI Blues" that features her with a dancing cop (Stephen C. Rhatigan) to shake things up a bit and make it very well done.
I highly recommend this underrated documentary for anyone interested in the themes of realizing your own dreams despite the odds; and people who enjoy somewhat campy biographical documentaries that also deal with social and political issues will not be disappointed.
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