Long Gone

Best freight train/hobo culture film since Wild Boys of the Road orBeggars of Life. But the real deal not Hollywood at all. An over looked and underrated master work. Seven years in the making.

There have been many documentaries made about this subject, the subject of train- riding and train-hopping in modern day America - and they are all equally nauseating, over-dramatic, and puke-inducing to watch. That's why this one struck me so hard. AS somebody who's been living this way for the past four years, and hadn't stayed in one place for longer than two months in three years, this documentary came off reeking of honesty and a lack of cheesy romanticism, and as a result, in the end - beauty. No romanticizing here. I picked up almost nothing on the bullshit radar when I saw this movie. It is a straight- forward, honest look at a way that a few people (thank god) still choose to live their lives, and it offers no delusions about the many pitfalls and downsides to this lifestyle and culture - heroin addiction, poverty, death - as well as some of the positive sides - freedom, (relative) lack of want, solitude, grace (depending on who you ask) and the ability to experience some intriguingly beautiful scenery firsthand, raw, and in the flesh rather than from the window of a car on the god damned junk-and-fast-food-littered highway.

This is by far the most worth-while documentary of it's kind made, and if you've watched Emperor of the North and now want to see a modern-day explanation of why and how this type of subculture still exists, and you can only watch one - this is the one. Not only is it honest and not melodramatic, but it's put together with some real tact and skill, so that even though it's a documentary, it plays out like a story. I'd recommend this to all.

Forget Boxcar Willy, this is the real thing. This movie is well made, and like the other review has said, it bears strong similarities to Dark Days, both are non glamorous, honest portrayals of people on the fringe of our society, as New York Slim puts it "the unwanted, the lost souls". Both movies dig into the lives of people you and I would normally never talk to revealing some truly interesting characters with heart wrenching personal stories. They cluster together and form whatever bonds they can in the unforgiving lands they travel. Some are decent people (New York Slim verges on the saintly) while others fit the stereotype, shiftless, people using, alcoholics/drug addicts. The main difference between the two movies is that Dark Days has a wonderful uplifting ending, whereas Long Gone is far less a fairy tale. There are some magical moments in the movie, such as the almost unbelievable love affair between the grizzly old, toothless dogman Tony and the remarkably beautiful and angelic 18 year girl (I forget her name, or it's not mentioned). I will never again complain about mismatched romantic pairings in movies after seeing this, if someone were to script that I would walk out of the theatre.

But I digress. Some of this movie upset me, there are times when you feel yelling that these people for some questionable personal decisions they are making, for instance letting an alcoholic kill himself or having a relationship with a drug using asshole, but I guess these people accept each other for who they are, not judging them or trying to change them like the rest of us would. That is probably the most common message throughout this film, pure acceptance without judgement. Of course, this is not a perfect philosophy as many of these people learn with very hard life lessons and could have been avoided. So is it better to accept self destructive people for who they are or try to help them? This movie offers no answers, but the question is presented in subtle ways without narration. The conclusion I draw is that this kind of lifestyle is not for the faint of heart.

This is a sad movie and a bit of a downer (although for the ultimate downer, try "Black Tar Heroin: The Dark End of the Street", which is the most depressing documentary on drug use I have ever seen) but it's real, and raw and at times there are glimpses of beauty (with Tom Waits suitably howling in the background in the more touching moments of the film) and will surprise you and challenge your pre conceived notions of what society labels as "bums". There are real people underneath, maybe a little messed up, but they should not all be painted with the same brush. In fact, many of these people have more character than the lying scumbag producer from 20/20 who completely lied to the faces of the train riders and did exactly what they were pleading with him not to do, smear them. What this movie and other movies like Dark Days reveal is that life is more complex than we allow ourselves to believe, even though it's easier to deal with it if we make assumptions, but it's not reality, it is artificial realty we create to justify our own coldness and heartlessness.

This documentary has a healthy balance of the romance and reality of riding the rails. A balance of gorgeously rich film and gritty digital mediums, of old and new riders. While I've found many great books on the subject, written by those who've spent years on the rails it's been difficult finding much in the way of film. I appreciate being able to observe and hear each individual tell their own stories in their own words. This documentary will keep anyone entertained and is an absolute must own for anyone interested in railroading and subcultures.

It's absurd that this film is unavailable for purchase, it was most definitely my favorite documentary of the decade, and soon to be a nearly impossible to find cult classic. I caught it during it's brief stint of showings at the Lemmley in Hollywood with some old train riding chums. I had seen a couple other docs on freight riding, but nothing really compares to the harsh yet honest portrayal of the characters in Long Gone. I remember leaving the theater feeling scared, and almost traumatized by the series of events that had been documented for over 7 years (if I remember correctly.) This film is nothing less than mesmerizing: beautiful scenery, splendid music (Tom Waits original soundtrack), and a reality that can only be sought by whoever dares to put themselves in the mix of this underground lifestyle. Tramp or train fan, even if you simply enjoy the documentation of rare events, this is a must see. Who knows why this film never found distribution, even a bald headed business man in a three piece suit would admire the truth and dedication it took to make such a brilliant record of events. I suppose many romantic endeavors can be seen as depressing, or somber, but that is just the reality of human existence. This film brilliantly captures the essence of freedom, and if you ever get the chance to see it, don't pass up the opportunity. Great things are hard to come by, and the film Long Gone is a true diamond.