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AWAY 60 min. 16mm. col. sd. 1996 He's down and
out in Toronto until the rescue call comes - it's Francis Ford Coppola
inviting him down for the shoot of Apocalypse Now. Once there Steve
begins a nightmare search for his twin brother and confronts the
terrible secret that drove them apart.
"Showcased through the auspices of the Liaison Of Independent Filmmakers Of Toronto (LIFT), local director Steve Sanguedolce's latest short work AWAY, is built around one of those wonderful "mockumentary" conceits that its screenwriter, fellow filmmaker Mike Hoolboom, specializes in. It's an addictive mixture of fact, fiction and found footage, all whipped--through the twin magics of editing and dramatization--into a heady and hilarious brew that's half spoof, half epic. The movie stars Sanguedolce "himself," as portrayed by independent Canadian film staple Earl Pastko (best known as the devilish Mr. Skin in Bruce McDonald's Highway 61), and chronicles his pursuit of a mythical estranged twin brother through the historic ruin of Francis Ford Coppola's monumental Joseph Conrad adaptation, Apocalypse Now. This "plot twist" allows Sanguedolce to access images from both Coppola's own masterpiece and Hearts of Darkness, George Hickenlooper's documentary on its making--heavily intercut with personal home movies, both accurate and augmented. The original sections, which take place in a single room that stands in equally well for both Toronto and Thailand, co-stars Babs Chula (Valentine's Day) as a sexy female version of Dennis Hopper's drug-crazed Kurtz groupie; they play like some rabid fan's version of 1970s Hollywood Babylon, all sex, drugs and the disembodied off-camera voice of "Marlon Brando," philosophizing about farts and the inherent homo-eroticism of kickboxing. But there's also a long, amazing sequence built around an appearance by Sanguedolce's actual father as a contestant on the Price Is Right--a familial curiosity piece, automatically raised by its inclusion here to the level of cinematic triumph and trauma. It's a masterful effort, and one well worth seeking out--at a mere 60 minutes, one of the most original and amusing Canadian films I've seen all year". - Gemma Files - Eye Magazine "One of the best films of this year's short film program, Sanguedolce's 59 minute movie is an audacious story that takes a unique journey into its own heart of darkness. With a nod to Francis Ford Coppola, Joseph Conrad and The Price is Right host Bob Barker, it's a story that has its own epic quality taking us from a small Sicilian village to the jungles of Thailand. Less sure directors might have lost control of a film with diverse influences such as these but Sanguedolce remains focused on the story of one man's search for a long-lost brother. And if the movie has a geographical and emotional sprawl, it remains touchingly intimate as we follow Steve (Earl Pastko) from his art-department job on Coppola's Apocalypse Now into the hinterlands of Southeast Asia in search of his brother. Intercut with scenes from the movie and Heart of Darkness, the documentary on its making, the film also manages a stop along the way at The Price is Right where Sanguedolce's father appeared as a charming and funny contestant. Part spoof and part saga, this is a film that's not without a unique sense of humor. And it proves Sanguedolce is one of the best young filmmakers in the country. It's a winner". - Marc Horton Edmonton Journal
The story of a man's search for his long lost brother, the film draws from everything from Conrad and Chris Marker to Coppola and The price Is Right for its inspiration. Yet given the diversity of these influences, it remains a sharply focused and emotionally intimate work: a truth that rings with perfect clarity through the din of craziness swirling around it." - Geoff Pevere
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