Chain Camera

Don't be fooled by the lackluster movie poster, Chain Camera is a very entertaining and eye opening movie. Unlike films like Kids and Gummo amongst others that allege to have the inside scoop on the lives of America's youth, Chain Camera actually does "tell it like it is" so to speak. The film is presented in 6 minute segments devoted to a particular student at the school. As the film progresses each student unfolds emotionally leading to funny and dramatic moments. The director should have made use of digital video cameras as it tends to be very grainy at times but perhaps that would have driven production costs up. Once again coming back to the film itself, you must approach it with an open mind as the students come from VERY diverse backgrounds. Topics such as racism, fellatio, and drugs are comically touched upon so please do not bring children under 13, please its embarrassing.

Aside from that Chain Camera is a fun little sad, funny, and above all interesting documentary that is a must see for anyone living in America today and yes it this is reality unlike Beverly Hills 90210, Dawson Creek, or the other junk on television.

I think this documentary is great. Removing the presence of the filmmaker is what sets this movie apart and allows such honesty to spill out of these kids. Well edited, well paced and entertaining; each story has an arc; while still capturing the essence of the kids. And the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I saw this at Sundance in 2001 and then again on DVD in 2006 and I remember most of it like it was. But I think a sequence was missing involving an Armenian girl who was fighting with her mom. I remember her escaping outside from a fight her mom and crying to the camera. Its a very vivid memory, but perhaps I saw this in another movie?

Finally a REAL "reality" show! One Marshall High School student (in Los Angeles) is given a camera and a week to film their life then pass the camera on to a classmate. The resulting 10 vignettes create a compelling reality documentary. It is 100% human, thus it is often loving and compassionate, sometimes chilling, and sometimes extremely funny. The audience applauded loudly at the end. It makes one realize how phony the current "reality TV show" rage is.

Ten camcorders were passed out among the student body of an East L.A. high school. After recording their "lives", the students passed the cameras on not unlike a chain letter...hence, the title. Of the results, 16 vignettes were edited revealing attitudes, opinions, and behaviors with diversity of ethnicity and subject. This documentary collection of amateur videography offers some poignant moments, some humor, some very frank sex talk, typical prom night, graduation and more. Want to know what's on the minds of kids today? Check it out.

Kirby Dick's "Chain Camera" takes an unusual approach. A number of students in a Los Angeles high school film themselves and their lives during their final year of secondary education (the 1999-2000 school year). Coming from a number of cultural backgrounds, these students talk about a variety of topics that affect them. One might say that the ethnic and cultural heterogeneity among the student body is the supreme representation of the United States.

If the documentary doesn't have a solid focus, then it's because there's a number of different kinds of people here. Every student had something good to say, although some of the remarks probably wouldn't be considered politically correct anymore. I found it to be a good documentary, especially considering that this was the last class to graduate before the contested 2000 election and then the 9/11 attacks.