The Corndog Man

I just watched this gem on video and I immediately recognized the source of the story. About seven years ago I heard some crank call tapes that were circulating here in Florida. These calls victimized a southern car salesman and were made by some college students doing "cracker" type accents. The calls started out semi-legit but degenerate into total harassment just like the "Red" or "Tube Bar Bastard" calls. This film is worlds better than the "Red" movie because the director along with two other writers actually synthesize a feature length story(a little cliched- but good) around the premise and create a HILARIOUS movie. Noble Winningham really shines in this film and I give it TEN THUMBS UP, YOU WILL PISS IN YOUR PANTS FROM LAUGHING.(especially if you've heard those tapes)

The first several minutes of this film we do not see anyone's face. It seems that we are not supposed to feel connected with the characters just yet. And we never see the antagonist's face, save for a few sunglasses close-ups. And that works for the film. Ace, the man being harassed, is a sad sack with no friends or family and it's quite depressing. The whole phone-call thing is interesting at first, but the film could have been about 20 minutes shorter. It gets old. Ace seems to be a bigot mostly due to the atmosphere he was brought up in, and peer pressure. Why he is seen as an all-out bigot in 1997 is a mystery to me, and I still don't get the whole black drag-queen thing. The film is worth a look, if you enjoy human storytelling and smalltown locales, which I do. It was well-directed with a lot of nifty camera shots. I will be interested in seeing Andrew Shea's other dir

Alternately Titled: Would You Buy A Boat From This Man?

I was browsing in Blockbuster earlier this year and bought a copy of The Corndog Man. I saw the title and had a flashback to a review I'd read. Part Psychic Movie Reviewer, part compulsive reader of reviews, I knew that this one would be a winner. Plus it was marked down to $6.99 . . . a steal!

I highly recommend this film, which was a winner at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival.

First of all, let me say that the late character actor Noble Willingham has been on my radar for years. An all American type physically: The Marlboro Man meets That Squarejawed Guy Who Does Pain Relief Commercials. He is almost unrecognizable now, and totally believable as Southern racist boat salesman Ace Barker. He is compellingly, depressingly real in this role.

As good old boy Ace Barker plies his trade selling boats at Triple K Marine, the harassing phone calls and stalking begin. Ace becomes quite exasperated as he monitors for sales calls, only to be repeatedly confronted by a seemingly unbalanced young man who claims to be his son.

The Corndog Man takes Southern stereotypes to a new level. ACTING! I hope.

Filmed on location near Charleston SC, it is an atmospheric film with a bluesy soundtrack. Oppressively small-town conspiratorial --- could this be an omen for visitors: simply stay on I-95 and drive.

An unpredictable tale of harassment, revenge, desperation, and old secrets, The Corndog Man reminds us that what goes around, comes around. Watch your back. Watch your front. Watch your future. Watch your past. Change it if possible.

Got 83 minutes, and a desire to see something different? Shock and confuse the movie clerk by asking for this one.

Potentially disturbing . . . not recommended for all tastes!

Aronofsky didn't make this film. However, it may be little more than the dialect that separates this uniquely disturbing bent of storytelling from his. As a third generation piece of poor white trash, I can vouch for the language. Dead on, trust me. And as a native Southerner, I must sadly confirm that in certain rural pockets, this brand of racist garbage still exists. But the ultimate fate, and apparent past, of the protagonist of this film proved strange enough to wreck my sleep for at least three nights. To say that I liked this film would be amiss. A-way-the-hell-miss, in fact. But the storytelling is taut and cerebral. And it's cinematic impact is pretty powerful. Next time you feel like you're going to scream at another Meg Ryan romantic comedy or another Bruce Willis explosion movie, try this one on for size.

This is a true independent film: a low budget, a strong story, no familiar actors, no familiar director and a production company I will probably never hear about again.

The story is about as simple as stories get: one man, employed at a boat shop, starts receiving harassing phone calls from another man who claims to be his son. The calls increase throughout the movie and we piece by piece see the connection between the two men.

This film relies almost entirely on dialogue and vulgar language (with such expressions as "you can kiss a good man's ass"). There is not much for action. The film could be considered a comedy with the humorous exchanges between the two men and the antics that ensue, but underneath it all is a drama and a social commentary on race relations.

This film will make you want to smoke and eat corn dogs. So make sure you purchase corn dogs before watching the movie or you will regret this. I recommend the film, although it's not something you would watch at a party or with a special friend. Invite over that kid who likes "Clerks" and "Slacker"... they'll appreciate this one.