#Eugene Donlan

[garadinervi]

«Rampike», Vol. 15, No. 2, Special Issue: 'Urban Spaces', Edited by Karl Jirgens, Windsor, 2007 [UWindsor Institutional Repository, University of Windsor, Windsor. room 3o2 books, Ottawa]

Contributions by Carol Stetser, Joyce Brabner, Harvey Pekar, Fernando Aguiar, Emma Beltran, Eugene McNamara, Norman Lock, Stuart Ross, Andre Narbonne, Paul Hargreaves, Susan Holbrook, Stuart Ross, Christian Burgaud, John Donlan, Valts Kleins, Tanis MacDonald, Jacqui Smyth, Richard Douglas-Chin, Carla Hartsfield, Reed Altemus, Lesley Belleau, Vittore Baroni, John Barlow, Phlip Arima, Donato Mancini, Natalee Caple, Paul Hegedus, Kim Goldberg, Karen Herzog, Marshall Hryciuk, Omaha Rising, Will Reid, Mark Dunn, B. Z. Niditch, Paul Hargreaves, Clemente Padín, Nelson Ball, Kemeny Babineau, Anne F. Walker

Cover Art by Valts Kleins

[nixonsmoviereviews]

"Best in Show"- One of the great underrated comedies.

Director Christopher Guest has spent the past twenty years of his career working on an ever-growing list of comedic "mockumentary" features on varying topics. Farcical and amusing misadventures presented as "real life" documentaries, starring some of the best minds in comedy working today. This is somewhat appropriate, as the film that arguably made him a star was the fantastic "This is Spinal Tap", which he co-starred in, in addition to co-writing. From the amusing and quirky "Waiting for Guffman", to the surprisingly heartfelt "A Might Wind", Guest's films have been consistently hilarious and have maintained a frankly shocking degree of freshness through the years. While individual tastes vary between fans, and while everyone has their own personal favorite Guest film, I know I'm certainly in no minority to feel that the greatest achievement of his career is the incredible and frankly brilliant 2000 release "Best in Show." A film I feel is amongst the most underrated and under-appreciated comedies of all time. Sure, it does have a fan- base, but even still... it's a film that is so unique and so special, that it deserves a far greater audience and far more recognition that it currently receives from its moderate but very dedicated cult audience. It's time again for the annual Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show, a prestigious dog-breed competition held in Philedelphia. The "documentary" follows a varied and very peculiar collection of contestants as they prepare to depart for their show with their beloved canines. Among them are Gerry and Cookie Fleck (Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara), a friendly and seemingly average middle- class couple who hope their terrier has what it takes; Harlan Pepper (director Guest), a southern man with a pronounced drawl who raises bloodhounds and has some interesting aspirations; Meg and Hamilton Swan (Parker Posey, Michael Hitchcock)- the most stereotypical upper-class yuppie- hipsters you could ever imagine; camp gay couple Scott Donlan and Stefan Vanderhoof (John Michael Higgins, Michael McKean) and their Shih Tzu and Sherri Ann (Jennifer Coolidge), a wealthy trophy-wife and two- time winner of the competition. A film made heavily through improvisational comedy and a clever, high-concept hook, "Best in Show" is such a wild success thanks to the incredible cast of performers assembled, and the delightfully bizarre characters they cultivate. From the pretentious Swan duo losing their minds over a squeaky toy by the name of "Busy Bee", to the delightful interactions between Donlan and Stefan, and certainly to the pure and very relatable giggles the average-seeming Flecks bring about... everyone is at the top of their game creatively, supplying some of the best subtle (and not-so-subtle at times) humor I've ever seen. Director Guest skillfully pulls out non-stop moments of charm and laughs from the amazing cast, and puts together one heck of a show. Though the film's appeal may be lost on those looking for a more general joke-a-minute-riot, "Best in Show" encapsulates many of the best instances of clever comedy to emerge in recent memory. It's a film more about delivering smirks and chuckles than out-loud belly- laughs, where quirky characters and oddly personal stakes take center stage and the plot often takes an overt back seat. The great fun of the film is seeing people who feel like they could very well exist, even if they are exaggerated for comedy, in a situation that's just odd enough that the average person would find it fascinating. It's about people first and foremost... it's about the men and women behind the dogs. And how the show is more about them than the canines on display. "Best in Show" is in my mind one of the greatest comedies of all time. It's clever. It's entertaining. It's enthralling and charming. And it easily earns a perfect 10 out of 10. Sit! Stay! And prepare to laugh!