Milwaukee's Daily Magazine Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009
Today
Hi: 66
Lo: 50
Mon
Hi: 60
Lo: 45
Tue
Hi: 56
Lo: 39
Section Sponsor
Article Tools
Print this Article
Make text larger
Related Twitter Posts


    Follow us on Twitter ...
    In Movies & TV Blogs
    Home movies and tape tell a painful tale
    "Must Read After My Death" is this family's story.  
    By Bobby Tanzilo RSS Feed Twitter Feed
    Managing Editor

    E-mail author | Author bio
    More articles by Bobby Tanzilo

    What is a blog?  For us it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. Published Feb. 18, 2009 at 11:41 a.m.
    Tags: must read after my death, morgan dews, capturing the friedmans

    For all their ambition, sometimes films that take an unusual approach to storytelling don't work terribly well. Morgan Dews' family memoir, "Must Read After My Death," which draws heavily on tapes and films his grandmother left behind is an exception.

    When Dews' grandmother Aliis died in 2001, she left behind a trove of Super 8 home movies and audio tapes that recounted her life and her family's story. These tell the story of Dews' family.

    Initially, we get the sense theirs is everyone's story: a family celebrating birthdays and parties and the ups and downs of life together.

    But as the film unfolds, without an external narrator, we realize that Allis -- who endured her husband's drinking and philandering -- and her family knew a lot about pain. One of her sons was wrongly committed to a mental institution, for example.

    Many viewers will immediately think of "Capturing the Friedmans," and there are similarities, but that film felt like it chronicled a really different family. Here, we get the sense that if Dews' family is not our family, it is likely our neighbor's.

    For the filmmaker, the movie wasn't optional. Once he heard the tapes and saw the films, he was drawn in.

    "When I heard them I was pretty shocked. It was the first time I ever heard my grandfather Charley's voice, In fact, Allis had adamantly refused to talk about him," he's said.

    "When I listened to the tapes, they clearly revealed that my grandparents had had an open marriage from the time they got married in '46. I asked my mother about it, and she sort of looked at me blankly and said, 'I thought you knew...'."

    He also thought the story had lessons for others.

    "My feeling was that the issues my film deals with -- marriage, infidelity, alcoholism, raising children, psychiatry and psychoactive prescription drugs and women's roles in society -- are still extremely contemporary."

    "Must Read After My Death" opens digitally everywhere on Friday.

    The public can access the film at giganticdigital.com beginning Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. The film opens theatrically in New York on Friday, too. An unlimited viewing ticket is $2.99 and is valid for three days.

    Post a comment / write a review.

    Recent blogs/briefs by Bobby Tanzilo
    What is a blog?  For OMC, it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. Blue in the Face returns to celebrate Shank birthday
    Tuesday
    In 2006, Peter Jest convinced the band to do a reunion gig at Shank Hall. Now, the band ...

    What is a blog?  For OMC, it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. Classic Stones disc can still get yer ya-ya's out
    Monday
    The 40th anniversary box set of "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!: The Rolling Stones in Concert" ...

    What is a blog?  For OMC, it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. Happy to be of assistance, Mitchell International
    Oct. 28, 2009
    Milwaukee County annouced today that September was the busiest month ever at Mitchell ...

    What is a blog?  For OMC, it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. Rapid review: Palermo Villa
    Oct. 27, 2009
    Although it has changed a bit over the years -- especially notable was the addition of ...

    Open Table salutes Il Mito and Ristorante Bartolotta
    Oct. 26, 2009
    Tosa takes the cake. Well, at least two Italian restaurants in Wauwatosa are the only ...

    OnMilwaukee.com is part of the In Click Network. Other In Click sites include: 30RockReport.com | Behind The Scenes at OnMilwaukee.com | BetterRecipes.org | Bimmer Digest | Brain Brawn & Body | BrewCityBeats.com | Brewcitybigscreen.com | britneysnation.com | BritPop Rocks | Brooklynbanter.com | CactusLeagueReport.com | Caffeinateddigest.com | Culinary Piedmont | Cycling Chainring | Daily Lost Update | Daily Milwaukee News | Daily Spa | DannyGokeyMilwaukee.com | Dogs Blogs | EarthFueled.com | Edible Wisconsin | FanaticPhotog.com | Gadget Deals and Steals | GolfLinksWisconsin.com | H1N1 Alerts | H1N1 Blog | H1N1 Prevention | H1N1 Reporter | H1N1 Tracker | HogEnthusiast.com | Informed Runner | iPhone Daily Report | Man United Nation | Milwaukee Brewers Nation | Milwaukee Bucks Blog | Milwaukee Dad | Minnesota Wild Nation | MomMilwaukee.com | My Super Stocks | MyGayMilwaukee.com | MyHangoverHelper | News on Draught | NY Mets Nation | OnAtlantaGA.com | OnAustinTX.com | OnBaltimoreMD.com | OnBirminghamAL.com | OnBostonMass.com | OnBuffaloNY.com | OnCharlotteNC.com | OnCincinnati.com | OnClevelandOH.com | OnColumbusOH.com | OnDallas.com | OnDCmetro.com | OnDenverCO.com | OnDetroitMI.com | OnDoorCounty.org | OnFortLauderdale.com | OnGreenBay.com | OnHartford.com | OnIndianapolisIN.com | OnKansasCityMO.com | OnLakeCountry.com | OnLosAngelesCA.com | OnLouisvilleKY.com | OnMadison.com | OnMemphisTN.com | OnMiamiFLA.com | OnMilwaukee.com Cars | OnMilwaukee.com Metro Headlines | OnNashvilleTN.com | OnNewOrleansLA.com | OnNYCny.com | OnOrlandoFL.com | OnPalmSprings.com | OnPhiladelphia.com | OnPhoenixAZ.com | OnPittsburgh.com | OnPortlandOR.com | OnProvidence.com | OnRichmondVA.com | OnSacramento.com | OnSaltLakeCity.com | OnSanAntonioTX.com | OnSanDiegoCA.com | OnSanFran.com | OnSanJose.com | OnSeattleWA.com | OnSinCity.com | OnStLouis.com | OnStPetersburg.com | OnTampaBay.com | OnTucsonAZ.com | OnTwinCities.com | OnWichita.com | OnWindyCity.com | Packers Posts | Porsche 911 Fans | PriusFans.com | Roller Derby Network | SnuggieFans.com | SummerfestRocks.com | Swine Flu China | Swine Flu Reporter | The 24 Reporter | The Barack Obama Fan Club | The Brilliant Manager | The Comic Book Reporter | The In Click | The Office Fan Blog | TheHDTVReporter.com | TheNetbookBlog.com | TheNewParentBlog.com | Trueguitarheroes.com | Vintage Mets | VW Busses | WaukeshaWeekly.com | Weekly Media News | Wisconsincustomhomenews.com | WisWomen.com | Woodworker Digest