When the U.S. government declares war on art, a group of guerrilla artists wage a counterattack with the verbose performer Existo at the helm. Attempts are made to undermine Existo's powerful hold on the artistic underground, including a plot that caters to his rampant libido, and his fellow insurgents strive to reawaken him to their cause.
Existo is the brainchild of Nashville's Coke Sams and Bruce Arnston, the creative team behind the Ernest P. Worrell movies; several of the actors from that series appear here, including Ernest himself, the late Jim Varney. However, beyond the talent involved, there is virtually NO connection to be made between EXISTO and, say, ERNEST GOES TO SCHOOL.
Like PEE-WEE'S PLAYHOUSE, the Ernest films can be somewhat disturbing to children who pick up on their vague, low-budget creepiness. In a kids' movie, this quality can undermine the filmmakers' intentions to provide "wholesome" family entertainment; EXISTO is definitely not a children's film, but the weirdness that lay dormant in the Ernest franchise bubbles to the surface here, and bargain-basement slapstick gives way to exceptionally clever dialogue and a fascinating lead performance.
While the film's preoccupation with conservatism's war on art makes it seem dated even for its time--the representation of televangelists as the ultimate money-grubbers had already been taken to its satirical extreme in eighties films like REPO MAN--EXISTO's saving grace lies within the portrayal of its titular character by Bruce Arnston. Arnston's dialogue can only be described as high-mimetic scatology; it grants Shakespearean eloquence to MAD Magazine- style prurience. His brilliant logorrhea is delivered with pseudo-intellectual exaggeration reminiscent of Frank Zappa or "Weird Al" Yankovic, and he is often backed by a soundtrack that recalls the Residents.
The Existo character first appeared on "Hey Vern! It's Ernest", a highly inventive TV series that, like the film EXISTO, is hurting for widespread DVD distribution. Unless that happens, one of the most unusual comic performances of the last decade will only be available through occasional screenings and "official bootlegs" (www.existo.com), so take advantage while you can.
