“Eccentric” would be one way to describe the brothers George and Mike Kuchar, but “a little bit insane” might be more accurate. With hundreds and hundreds of films under their belts, the Kuchars are some of the most prolific filmmakers working today. But you probably haven’t seen any of their films. With titles like “Sins of the Fleshapods,” “The Craven Sluck,” “Hold Me While I’m Naked,” and “The Devil’s Cleavage,” the Kuchars are not exactly in the Hollywood mainstream. They have, however, struck the fancy of Guy Maddin, John Waters, Wayne Wang, and other underground filmmakers. Exploring a community of weirdos, and focusing on the brothers Kuchar, “It Came From Kuchar” is a fun documentary that shows just how enjoyable filmmaking can be.
“It Came From Kuchar” introduces to a world of filmmaking that many of us are not familiar with. Even those of us with an education in film probably haven’t heard of these guys that make movies with camcorders bought at Circuit City for $200. This documentary informs us of the numerous films we’ve missed out on. How could you have missed the 1987 classic “Cult of the Cubicles”?, you ask. I know. It’s one of the most distressing part of this documentary. Other than “Sins of the Fleshpods” you probably won’t be able to find this one at your local video store. Instead you must be content watching the snippets this movie offers you, unless you still own that old VCR and write George for a copy.
This film is funny, heartfelt, and interesting. Cutting between interviews with the brothers in their strange and vivid apartments, to interviews with filmmakers we actually know about, to film footage from these insane movies, to interviews with students that have come to love these brothers and their work, “It Came From Kuchar” covers its bases and covers them well.
