There’s great admiration that Adam Rifkin feels when he talks about Giuseppe Andrews, the subject of his documentary Giuseppe Makes a Movie. Perhaps it’s the method in which Andrews, a fellow filmmaker, makes his underground films with no money and at a breakneck speed. Or perhaps it’s Andrews’ unwavering love and respect he shows his mostly homeless cast.
Rifkin first met Andrews, then a child actor, when he cast him in his movie Detroit Rock City. It was on the set of that 1999 movie where Andrews first expressed an interest in directing. Rifkin assumed that Andrews wanted to make conventional films–but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Andrews has since rejected most conventional aspects of art making, we well as most conventional aspects of life in general. He’s lived in trailer parks and avoided any filmmaker scenes in Los Angeles. Giuseppe’s world is one revolving around making films for a small but very specific audience, to which he sells directly off his website (http://www.giuseppeandrews.
Adam Rifkin, on the other hand, has made a living writing screenplays for Hollywood (e.g., Mousehunt, The Chase) which has afforded him the opportunity to direct his own indie projects on the side. Giuseppe Makes a Movie is his latest such endeavor. The documentary is funny and as every bit as unpredictable as Giuseppe’s movies are. In fact, the very film Giuseppe is making during Adam’s film is called Garbanzo Gas, and is also available for viewing here. Do yourself a kindness and catch them both.
Filmwax Radio: Adam Rifkin
