Winnebago Man

Jack Rebney became an early unwitting YouTube sensation when a 1989 tape of outtakes from an RV Promotional film starring him were leaked on the site. Rebney's angry curse-strewn outbursts delighted millions who mocked his misery.

Director Ben Steinbauer decided to track him down. He had seemingly disappeared. The Winnebago company completely disassociated itself from Rebney. The small crew who shot the 80s video remembered the shoot well, but had no idea where he had gone. Finally, a P. I. gave Steinbauer a clue that lead to a meeting. Rebney had retreated to a remote mountain in northern California and lived alone.

About half an hour in, and the Documentary seemed complete. It lays out the backstory. Rebney is found alive and doing well enough. The end? Instead, Steinbauer inserts himself into his subject's life. Poking. Prodding. Asking him to go public. Address his "fans." It can be a fine line between journalism and intrusion.

After MUCH toing and froing, Steinbauer stages a happy ending of sorts. He convinces Rebney to travel down to San Francisco and attend a screening of his Winnebago Man outtakes for a gathering of his superfans at the Found Footage Film Festival. To be fair, Rebney seems happy to be out in public and meet his 'public'. A hermit getting a day out.

Early in the Doc, a pair of other superfans are interviewed. They tell Steinbauer that there is no reason to trace where Rebney has gone to. Why? They ask. Who wants to see the Wizard behind the curtain? As bemused as Rebney seems to be at the end, one has to wonder whether he would have been just a pleased - if not more so - if he had just been left alone.

Alright, here we go: this is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen, on any subject. It's not only for members of the Cult of Rebney (in case you live under a g--damn rock, I'm talking about Jack Rebney: the Winnebago Man, the Angriest Man in the World, the original viral video star, and the greatest swearer who ever lived).

The film has comedy: Rebney is one of the great crotchety old men of all time.

It has mystery: who is this monumental man, where does he live, what's the deal with his anger, what the f--k is this thing?

It has commentary: most Americans have "room-temperature IQs," the Ford Fiesta (or is it Festiva?) is a great car, and Bush-Cheney-Rumseld-Rove all deserve hot pokers up their a--es.

It also has flies, towels, windshields, seat belts, yelling, doors slamming, s--t hitting the fan, all types of "accoutrama"...and, last but not least, Tony! (If you have no clue what any of this means, go to YouTube and search "winnebago man.")

See this film ASAP, ya g--damn jackass. Or you can put it up your fern, if you want to.

NO MORE!

Jack Rebney is the most famous man you have never heard of - after cursing his way through a Winnebago sales video, Rebney's outrageously funny outtakes became an underground sensation and made him an internet superstar.

I confess that I was not aware of Jack Rebney or the "Winnebago Man" clips from YouTube. Of all the memes out there, this one somehow escaped me. But that in no way lessened my enjoyment of this film, because it was only partially about Rebney and more about Internet infamy, and the lives of those who have been shamed on the Internet. (Though, luckily for Jack, he was more honored than shamed.) I would have liked to know more about "Star Wars Kid", but that could easily spin off to be its own documentary, and possibly a far more fascinating one.

Just came back from an advance screening by the Cinefamily in Los Angeles. Don't take it lightly when I state this is one of the best documentaries in recent years. It's the portrait of a man known to many simply as "The Angriest Man in the World," and it's a story of redemption, humanity, and oddly enough, an examination of comedy - what we're laughing at and how it affects those that become the object of our amusement.

It's best to simply know the premise and little else going in. Jack Rebney was the star of a viral video titled "Winnebago Man" before there even were such things. His profane tirades were passed around from VHS to VHS for years and are now readily available on YouTube. Documentary filmmaker Ben Steinbauer took it upon himself to find Ben, who was essentially living off the grid, and find him he does. What unfolds is at first funny and fascinating and eventually profound. It's easy to dismiss those in the videos you email back and forth each day, but "Winnebago Man" shows that there might be a compelling story there, and it might not be what you think.

Over the course of the film, Jack more than redeems himself, and his journey becomes our own. This isn't a film where we're made to feel bad about our actions or even feel bad for Jack. It merely asks us to think about the things we do and what they mean to those around us. And if something that we disregard as trivial becomes much more to others, was it ever so trivial to begin with? Should we embrace that? This is just one layer in a movie that is alternately hysterical, sad, and ultimately hopeful. Above all it is humane. I'm not sure who's distributing it or when, but I can't imagine someone walking away from the movie without a smile on their face.

That is, of course, unless you're easily offended by profanity.

Highly recommended.

For many years, I've been entertained by the video I know as "The Angriest Man in the World," featuring a frustrated Winnebago salesman melting down during the hot summertime shoot for a promotional film. Originally distributed via VHS swaps and later disseminated on YouTube, the video comprising obscenity-laden out-takes is filled with quotable dialogue and deliriously funny meltdowns. When I had the pleasure of catching this doc about the video and its star during a sneak last night in LA, I expected little more than a quick and pithy revelation of the man behind the mad. However I was thrilled to discover a thoughtful, provocative, and even quite moving study of what it means to become an unintentional celebrity. The narrative surprises of this film are better discovered than discussed, but suffice it to say that Ben Steinbauer's utterly compelling and utterly hilarious doc should shoot to the top of your must- see list if it hits a festival near you. And while the movie provides unadulterated joy for those who have already joined the cult of Jack Rebney -- the Winnebago Man himself -- I'm confident that anyone interested in serious explorations of pop culture will be fascinated.