Auteur (I) (2006) User Reviews (18)

Deft, funny Hollywood satire

[Nanki-Poo · 10/10 · 23 December 2006]

I saw "Auteur" last summer at a film festival in Palm Springs and was thoroughly impressed! In telling the story of a video pirate who unwittingly orchestrates his own fall from grace, filmmakers Kevin Abrams and Alex Simon paint a touching, realistic portrait of a self-destructive narcissist, and also a fitting metaphor for the shark-infested waters that are Hollywood.

Beau Clark is a young man to watch in the future, as he effortlessly carries the picture as Eric Pelham, the video pirate in question who actually thinks he's a real filmmaker, and hopes his genius will be recognized by legendary cinematic icon Jack Burton (played by veteran character actor Granville Van Dusen, whom you'll recognize from countless TV and movie roles). Eric winds up screwing over anyone and everyone in his path to realize his goal, albeit unconsciously in most cases, vividly showing how the seductive powers of the motion picture business can cloud the minds of virtually anyone who attempts to enter her hallowed gates.

Supporing cast is terrific, as well. I won't give away any of the plot twists, and there are some Duzies, but suffice to say "Auteur" is a film I won't soon forget, and neither will anyone else who sees it, I'm sure.

Very Well Done

[Oopdeegoo-1 · 10/10 · 31 December 2006]

It's not often that you see a short whose subject easily lends itself to possible expansion into a feature film. Auteur is one of those gems.

Starting with a well-written script from Alex Simon, confident direction by Kevin Abrams and anchored with a strong performance from Beau Clark, Auteur takes its viewers inside the morally ambiguous world of Hollywood film-making. A landscape where the denizens will pimp their mothers if they think it'll get them a greenlight. Aspiring writer/director Eric Pelham finds out the hard way what happens when one is on the receiving end of the conscience-free chicanery in which he traffics. Kudos to the filmmakers. I look forward to their future endeavors.

Return of the Hollywood satire...

[JJGittes73 · 10/10 · 12 July 2007]

It's about time someone does a crackerjack satire on Hollywood and all its BS, and this film delivers in spades! I saw this at a festival in Denver a few months back, and just re-watched the DVD that the filmmaker was nice enough to give me. Not only did I enjoy it every bit as much as the first viewing, I picked up on a lot of great bits I missed the first time out. This is not viewing for for those with low IQs, folks: it's smart stuff! "Auteur" tells the story of one real smarmy, self-important jerk named Eric (Beau Clark, who's an awesome actor that has "star" written all over him), a video pirate who's the best in the biz. He's so good, in fact, that he thinks he's the real deal: an auteur, a dyed-in-the-wool, honest-to-God genius filmmaker up there with Chaplin, Cassavetes, and Spielberg. Eric has a hot girlfriend, but he's bored with her, and obsessed with making his own film. When two shady businessmen, Mitch and Tony, offer him big bucks to videotape top secret screenings of new Hollywood blockbusters, Eric thinks he's found his golden goose. But all isn't as it seems...

Great acting, directing, writing, cinematography, editing, I mean everything about this flick f'in rocks! I found it tough to believe that it was a grad student film from the legendary AFI in Los Angeles. If this is what these guys do as students...

Calling Steven Spielberg! Give these kids a deal! 10 out of 10.

Great film

[terryk-2 · 10/10 · 11 January 2007]

Great little film about a film pirate who gets his just rewards. The script by Alex Simon is particularly sharp with some great twists and turns. The lead filmmaker character is well-drawn and I liked the sort of Chandleresque voice-over. The guys who make his pirate film deals were also noteworthy and fun. I particularly didn't see the last twist coming, but boy, did this character deserve it. I enjoyed the lead filmmaker guy, as well as the actor who plays the movie star. The animation and the titles were outstanding. AFI is putting out some good stuff these days, better than the hackfest at USC Film School to be sure. Definitely one of the better shorts I've seen.

An excellent satirical comedy with Hitchcockian details.

[sportsfan448 · 10/10 · 6 June 2006]

An excellent satirical comedy with Hitchcockian details. A first rate screen play, fine acting and smooth direction.It sends up Hollywood foibles brilliantly and with a marvelously tongue-in-cheek quality.This film could easily be expanded into a full length feature. The dialogue is witty and the plot twists are unpredictable, thus holding the viewer's attention.The FBI agents who doubled as phony producers were particularly hilarious; and the leading actor's deadpan delivery was exactly right for the character. What's more this film should be reasonably inexpensive to expand and therefore of interest to some major producers.

Good stuff

[John_Truby · 10/10 · 11 December 2006]

Maybe the smartest student film I've ever seen, not to mention one of the best short films in recent memory. The script, dialogue and story were especially good: a nice blend of laughs, character, pathos and socially-relevant satire, as well.

The acting, cinematography, editing, direction is all top-drawer, as well. Of special note is Beau Clark as protagonist Eric Pelham. The entire movie really rides on Mr. Clark's shoulders, and he does an admirable job of pulling it off with an effortless charisma that usually indicates a star-in-the-making. Also of note are Jonathan Coogan and Jack Rubinoff as the forever-bantering Mitch and Tony, and the great Granville Van Dusen as smarmy star Jack Burton.

I see that AUTEUR has already won some awards and hope it will be a big hit on the festival circuit, as well, as it certainly deserves it!

Really Well Done!

[actnutty · 10/10 · 10 June 2006]

I attended the premier for "Auteur" at AFI recently and was captivated by this film. Excellent acting by all and I loved how Beau Clark, who plays Eric Pelham, interacted with the viewers - made me feel like I was right there. Sonny Van Dusen did an awesome job portraying the slimy character Jack Burton - great casting for that role for sure, and the two detectives, Mitch and Tony, played by Jonathan Coogan and Jack Rubinoff, were perfect playing off each other. And of course, Lee Schall and Victoria Profeta were awesome in their roles - loved the ending with them. Hats off to director Kevin Abrams for such a great job and to Alex Simon for a very witty script that hits close to home. Would love to see more of it!

Autuer-- AFI film

[Ariel-14-2 · 10/10 · 6 June 2006]

Wow--I couldn't believe a short was this well-produced and performed. I have actually KNOWN these characters, people who are just like them, in my time in the industry. There are no heroes and villains, just flawed souls trying to make their ambitions come true in a 'hightened reality' of course. Great cast. Yes, I think it should be a feature, too. Give us more like this--plain stories about things that people really do to each other without commenting on the characters or their motives or telling us what we should think. The director and crew was great and the production style entertaining. I am guessing they didn't have a lot of money to work with, but it looks expensive and artistic.

fun,fun,fun

[jrocoogan · 10/10 · 6 June 2006]

I love the way this movie makes fun of itself. It's a fun ride that ends to soon. The way you used animation to move the story forward is imaginative and smart. You show how a smart film maker with little money and a great cast and crew can create a wonderful piece of art. I don't want to give anything away, but I can say you made bold choices, and broke some rules, proving there are no rules. Alex Simon has written a fun script with a message as well. Bravo! Kevin Abrams does a great job with a talented cast. I would loved to have seen more of Mitch & Tony. They could have their own movie. Thanks and good luck on your next film.

AUTEUR is a skilled, humorous treatment of piracy.

[PirateJenny78 · 10/10 · 11 June 2006]

When one hears the term "a student film," the image that usually pops up is a rough but heartfelt cinemagraphic statement. In June 2006, no one left the AFI premier of AUTEUR with that informal definition in tact.

AUTEUR is a clever, humorous treatment of a serious subject--the piracy of artistic creations. Not only is the script tight and literate, the direction is both subtle and "slick." The editing of the film was so skilled that it was obvious that the writer, director, and editor worked as a respectful team. The film moved at an excellent clip and yet the audience did not feel overwhelmed or cheated by the pace of the story. The cast interpreted each character honestly and with subtlety.

This was an excellent film in every way! I hope the creative team plans to submit it to many film festivals. The response is bound to be as positive as it was that June evening at AFI.

Simon is a smart as a whip writer

[mzwechsler · 10/10 · 3 October 2007]

I will admit I'm a tough audience when it comes to satires about film-making, so when I saw this at a fest in Denver, I was a convert. Just when you think that material has been wrung dry, along comes a creative force so strong, energetic, and original that the genre is redefined and your disposition overturned.

Though I loved everything about the acting and direction, I was particularly impressed by the screen writing of Alex Simon. Instead of falling back on the genre's conventions, Simon goes balls to the wall painting an unlikeable character whom we enjoy watching trip and fall on land mines as he struggles to make his piece-De-resistance. Simon doesn't get all misty on us with making this about the difficulty of swimming with sharks. Instead he makes a compelling story about artistic hubris and arrogance and the price that "Auteurs" pay for their reckless abandon of morals and dignity.

I simply loved watching every frame of this film and can't wait to hear more about what's brewing in Mr. Simon's upcoming work.

Smart, funny comedy

[JohnTruby · 10/10 · 12 December 2006]

I borrowed this on DVD from a mutual friend the other day, and just found myself re-watching it over and over. "Auteur" tells the story of Eric Pelham, a professional video pirate (he cam-cords big movies from the back rows of theaters on opening day, then sells the pirated DVDs) who thinks he's hot stuff, and has aspirations of being a real film director. He's even got a script, "through the looking glass" that he wants movie star Jack Burton (nice in-joke reference to Kurt Russell's part in "Big Trouble in Little China") to star in it, and gets him the script.

Even though he's got a gorgeous girlfriend, and a best bud named Lenny, Eric just isn't going to be happy until he makes his own movie...

If I tell you more, it will spoil this very clever movie which, believe it or not, was made by a bunch of grad students from AFI! I'm sure they will all go onto bigger things, as will the actors in this film, especially the guy who played Eric, the lead.

10/10. See it if you have a chance!

Funny, witty and wise

[Alwood · 10/10 · 5 June 2006]

I saw AUTEUR at a recent American Film Institute showcase and was blown away! This is one of the best Hollywood satires ever made! It ranks up there with masterpieces like THE PLAYER. Kudos to Kevin Abrams, Alex Simon, Jeff Siljenberg and Stephanie Hernstadt for a job well-done.

Beau Clark is nothing short of brilliant as Eric Pelham. He is a face to watch, as are the rest of the supporting cast: Victoria Profeta, Jack Rubinoff, Jonathan Coogan, Lee Schall, and veteran character actor Granville (Sonny) Van Dusen as Jack Burton, the cheesy movie star to end all cheesy movie stars! Do yourself a favor and seek this film out. It runs just under 30 min., but I kept wishing it were longer. Make a feature version, kids!

Sublime

[leemarvinwalkson · 10/10 · 18 December 2006]

I saw this film at a festival in Kosovo that I attended. It was one of a handful of grad thesis films shown by AFI fellows who attended. "Auteur" has a very '60s flavor to it, with its protagonist, like Michael Caine's "Alfie" speaking directly to the camera in asides, taking us into his confidence. Beau Clark, who played Eric Pelham, carried the entire film and was in every scene, doing the leading man bit effortlessly. I think we'll see more of him in the future.

"Auteur" is about a very topical subject matter: video piracy, but done in the guise of a contemporary satire about Hollywood and show biz. The satire is very barbed, very funny and at times downright vicious. This was obviously written by someone who has been around "the biz" and has seen its ugly side more than once. The writing was particularly effective: smart and very lean in its execution. Not one word was wasted.

Technical aspects were top-drawer as well: excellent direction, editing and cinematography. Film looked terrific. Think the director said it was shot on HD, but it could easily have been 35mm. When I spoke with Kevin, the director, he mentioned that "Auteur" had been entered in a number of other festivals and they were waiting to hear back from them. If you are in the "festival world" and happen to see "Auteur" playing in the fest you are attending, do yourself a favor and see this very funny, very touching, very smart comedy. Like "American Graffitti," I think the cast and crew of "Auteur" will go onto bigger things.

10/10 "Someone has to pay."--Lee Marvin in "Point Blank."

Entertaining, Witty, & Original...

[adima69 · 8 July 2006]

I have always been a skeptic when it comes to student films that walk the fine line between dark comedy and social satire. "Auteur" is truly a breath of fresh air in a time when just about anyone who can press a record button decides that they have the right or privilege to become a filmmaker.

Superbly written by Alex Simon, this film could not have come at a more relevant time in the turbulent history of the film industry. Films about film-making are nothing new, but what makes this one special is that it succeeds at every level, outlining a somewhat complex premise and resolution with relative ease and fun.

I should have been confused, but instead I was engaged. Great job!

Fun and clever as hell

[Deryn-4 · 10/10 · 30 March 2009]

Everyone has summarized the plot and I don't want to give more away. I just want to say it is clever, clever, clever and fun. The writing is sure, professional, complicated, witty and drives the film along. This writer should be working - a lot. With the great direction and cast this is a film to see. To think these guys were students at the time is mind boggling. They must have got all the big talent at AFI that year in one bunch. The way the writer makes us care about a character, who needs a lesson in life and gets it in spades, is a lesson to all writers. The cast and the director fulfill the promise of the script and more. See it. Imitate it. Enjoy it.

Very funny, smart and accurate look at Hollywood

[Francophile539 · 10/10 · 19 November 2007]

I saw this wonderful little film at the Crested Butte Reel Fest in Colorado, where a friend had another film in competition. While theirs was well-received, this one wound up winning (I think) the big prize at the festival, and deservedly so! "Auteur" had a very "60s" feel to it, reminding me of the films of my youth like "The Knack," "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush, "Catch Us If You Can," and the Beatles films directed by Richard Lester: very hip,energetic satires of that era, which had a decidedly generous helping of bitters to go along with their sweetness. "Auteur" follows suit. The film's portrait of a narcissistic video pirate who will stop at nothing to gain success in "the biz" was at times hilarious, sad, and finally cathartic. Not to mention stylish and inventive, to boot, with its mix of live action, animation, and the lead actor pulling a Richard III and addressing the audience directly, as in "Alfie," another favorite from "my era." : ) This is actually quite a complex work for a short film, many layers. Beau Clark, who played the lead, is a fine young actor who has "star" written all over him. The two gentlemen who played the sleazy producers were memorable as well (Jack Rubinoff and Jonathan Coogan). Actually, performances across the board were tops, as was Kevin Abrams' work behind the camera and Alex Simon's very witty, knowing script. All of these young people are faces to watch.

I'd love to know how to get a copy on DVD, if one is ever released. So, if the filmmakers are reading this, you can contact me via my user name, and I'll happily pay whatever you're asking to add this gem to my collection. Kudos to you all!

Zen and the art of video piracy

[JoeTurnerAKACondor · 10/10 · 4 January 2008]

Saw this gem at The Crested Butte Reel Fest in Colorado a few months back, and loved it. The filmmaker was kind enough to send me a DVD copy, which I just watched again over the holidays. I noticed so many new things: little moments, nuances, sparks of genius, that I had to write a comment (my first on this site, btw).

"Auteur" tells the story of a self-absorbed video pirate who thinks he's a genius filmmaker. He is actually regarded as the best in his field, and because of this, is recruited by a couple mafioso types to work for them exclusively. Eric, the pirate, hopes to make enough money from these bozos to finance his own independent feature (all future Sundance applicants, take note).

Beau Clark, who plays the lead, is an amazing young actor, commanding every scene he's in with the charisma and confidence of an actor decades his senior (I assume he's in his 20s). Also standing out were Jonathan Coogan and Jack Rubinoff as the two "hoods," and Granville Van Dusen as legendary actor Jack Burton, the kind of Hollywood scumbag that would make Griffin Mill's skin crawl.

The real stars of this winner, however are the filmmakers: Kevin Abrams (director), Alex Simon (writer/producer), Jeffery Siljenberg (DP) and Stephanie Hernstadt (editor), all of whom were grad students at AFI when they made this, their thesis project! I saw films (and continue to see films) made by "professionals" that can't hold a candle to the brains, wit and heart that this little masterpiece has.

I have no idea if "Auteur" is available for purchase on Amazon.com or the like, but I advise all serious cinema buffs to seek it out, sooner rather than later. The young people who made it are faces to watch.

Joe Turner AKA Condor