GIZMO (1977) – An entertaining documentary about some of the oddest inventions you could possibly imagine. Some never made it anywhere close to actually working, while others worked but proved so hopelessly impractical that you’ll howl with laughter at the wasted effort.
You’ll see failed aircraft and land vehicles as well as in-home contraptions powered by moving animals like the joke appliances on The Flintstones.
Make sure you watch the longer 77 minute version of this Howard Smith work so that you get all the fun.
MARJOE (1972) – And speaking of Howard Smith, here’s his earlier documentary about THE Marjoe Gortner during his often-forgotten early life as a child evangelist on up. It should go without saying that with my blatant distaste for religion (including Islam) I enjoyed this cynical look at the phoniness, flim-flammery and “mondo” atmosphere of the traveling evangelist shows of the time period.
Marjoe was one spooky but charismatic kid in those years before he matured into a cult star in oddball movies like Star Crash. For obvious reasons this documentary can’t examine the later Marjoe-inspired child evangelist character Jimmy Joe Jeeter on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. (Who can forget his death scene?)
Nor could this documentary address Gortner’s channeling of his younger evangelist character as the tongue-in-cheek con-man/ spiritualist on the prime time soap opera Falcon Crest.
Anyway, Marjoe is a must-see because of the way it captures the creepy insincerity AND the poignant gullibility of the people on both sides of the Preacher Circuit.
FOR MY TAKES ON MORE RECENT FILMS LIKE THE LAST JEDI, SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY AND OCEAN’S EIGHT CLICK HERE
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I didn’t realize both these films were made by the same person – I’ll have to take a look at Howard Smith’s filmography soon and see what else he’s done!
Hello! I guess by now you’ve seen how slim his body of work is. Thanks for dropping by, though. Always good to hear from you!
Hello! I’ve been a lurker here off and on for years, so I’m saying hi now. I have a rather odd question that isn’t related to this post, but I couldn’t find another way to contact you. Sorry in advance for that.
A few years back I remember you wrote about a movie that I wanted to see, but I completely forgot the name of it or who it was made by. I was wondering if you might remember it. I could be hazy on the details, but I’m pretty sure it was a Japanese film and centered around a wealthy guy who hired a group of dominatrixes, and there was a side plot that broke the forth wall. I’m sorry if this sounds crazy; that movie just popped into my head the other day and it’s been bugging me since. 😛
Hello and thanks for commenting! That movie is R100 and my review can be found here:
Marjoe was creepy looking!
Thanks for commenting!
Marjoe really was scary as a kid.
I agree.
I would watch the invention one but not the other one.
I understand.