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In Movies & TV Blogs
I kissed Mike Schank from "American Movie"
Mike Schank from "American Movie" chills out at home.  
By Molly Snyder Edler RSS Feed Twitter Feed
OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer

E-mail author | Author bio
More articles by Molly Snyder Edler

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 Jan. 21, 2009 at 10:12 a.m.
Tags: american movie, mark borchardt, mike schank, sarah price, chris smith, sundance film festival, oriental theatre, milwaukee film

It's true. I kissed him. About eight years ago, while auditioning for a new Mark Borchardt film, we interacted in a scene together and I planted one square on his mouth. It was short and sweet, but all the same, the experience instantly topped my mental list of local, surreal experiences.

I'm using this smooch confession as a lede, and a cheap lede at that, to segue into the fact that "American Movie" is 10 years old, and an anniversary screening is set for Thursday, Jan. 22, at Landmark's Oriental Theatre, 2230 N. Farwell Ave. The film airs at 7 p.m.

According to Milwaukee Film, the documentary's main subjects, Mark Borchardt and the aforementioned Schank, will be in the audience. Both Borchardt and Schank are from Menomonee Falls.

Co-director Chris Smith will attend the anniversary release, but the other director, Sarah Price, is at the Sundance Film Festival for a movie she helped shoot, "The Yes Men Fix The World."

Originally, "American Movie" premiered Jan. 22, 1999, at the Sundance Film Festival. It earned that year's Grand Jury award, secured a distribution deal from Sony Pictures Classics and went on to receive prizes and accolades around the world.

Following the success of the film, Borchardt and Schank became repeat guests on "Letterman," hung out at the Playboy Mansion with Roger Ebert and attracted national media to Milwaukee for interviews.

"American Movie" tells the story of Borchardt's dream to make a movie called "Coven" and his obsessive quest for the American dream. Price believes that, a decade later, the film remains relevant.

"Humor aside, it's a story about an inspiring individual on a mission to fulfill his dream in the face of adversity," says Price. "I don't know about you, but I can always use a good dose of that."

Price co-produced a documentary music film, "Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love," that is currently showing in Europe. The film will screen in American theaters this summer.

Tickets for the 10th anniversary showing of "American Movie" cost $10 each and are available at the Oriental box office or on the night of the show, subject to availability.



More Information ...
Oriental Theatre
2230 North Farwell Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 276-8711

3 comments about this article.
Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by jahoggo on April 7, 2009 at 2:02 a.m. (report)

Mark Borchardt didn't dream of making "Coven" in 'American Movie.' He dreamed of making "Northwestern." In order to get enough money to make "Northwestern," he had to finish "Coven" and sell copies of it to "the buying audience." Of course, in the end Uncle Bill leaves Mark 50 thousand dollars to make "Northwestern." That's quite a story. You're article doesn't retell the story accurately and is poorly done.

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Posted by dukefame on Jan. 22, 2009 at 8:12 a.m. (report)

did he have any leftover humus in his moustache?

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Posted by alba on Jan. 21, 2009 at 3:25 p.m. (report)

My favorite memory of American Movie was watching a special screening at the Rosebud Cinema Drafthouse with a Q&A session with the actors and directors afterwords. Borchardt got so drunk during the movie that he couldn't answer any questions and Schank was either stoned or brain-fried and didn't say a word.

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