Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator

If you ever wanted to feel like a ghost wandering through 1933 Hollywood, this ten-minute reel is your ticket. It is absolutely not a movie in any real sense, so if you want a plot, go watch Oliver Twist instead.
But if you like seeing dead celebrities awkwardly wave at cameras while trying to look natural, you will love this. 🎞️
It is basically a vintage TikTok compilation but with way more polo shirts.
The whole thing feels like somebody’s uncle found a camera and got invited to a fancy picnic where everyone happened to be famous.
There is this one bit where a star—I think it was some guy who looked like he belonged in Bardelys the Magnificent—just stares at the lens for three seconds too long. It is so weird and real.
He looks like he forgot why he was standing there. 😳
The sound quality is pretty terrible too, which actually makes it better. It has that crackly, warm hiss that makes you feel like you are hiding in a dusty attic.
I kept waiting for something to actually happen, but nope. Just more people smiling at charity events and pretending they enjoy being looked at.
You can tell some of these actors were totally over it. One lady in a massive hat gives the camera this look that could freeze water.
It is funny how we think of these old stars as statues, but here they are just... squinting in the sun.
I actually found myself rewinding a part where a dog runs across the screen. The dog did not know it was in a movie, which made it the best actor in the whole ten minutes. 🐕
Anyway, do not pay money for this unless you are a total history nerd. It is a weird little time capsule that ends before you even get your popcorn ready.
—

Editorial
Deciphering the legacy of transgressive cult cinema.
Community
Log in to comment.