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As far as these eyes could see, no other film at Sundance Film Festival 2007 was as sexually charged as Crispin Hellion Glover and David Brothers' It Is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE. Based on a screenplay by Steven C. Stewart, the film commences with Paul Baker (Stewart) incapacitated on the floor after falling down. Waiting for help, this, yet another incident whereupon Paul is helpless, summons outrageous thoughts of sexual conquest in his mind. In Paul's imaginary world, he seduces gorgeous women. Once conquered, Paul lures these women one last time. (Shortly after filming, Stewart, who suffered from cerebral palsy, died. He left his proceeds from the film to one of the female actors in the film whom he fell in love with on the set.) Following Glover's What Is It?, which premiered at the Sundance Festival in 2005, this is the second installment in a trilogy he has been working on. Like its predecessor, It Is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE. contains ribald humor, ample flesh, graphic sex scenes, blessed women and contextual interplay harking back to Georges Bataille's Erotism. As he was throughout the Sundance Film Festival -- while most of us were covered jeans, thermals, sweaters and jackets -- an impeccably suited and groomed Glover sat down with Eros Zine after the film's second Sundance public screening to talk about his two films.
Eros Zine: How has Sundance changed for you over the years? Crispin Hellion Glover: The first time I was here was in 2005 and I premiered What is It? That film was my psychological reaction to the corporate control that's happened in the last 25-30 years wherein anything that can possibly make an audience member uncomfortable is necessarily excised. I tended to feel What is It? would not be accepted.. With It is fine. EVERYTHING IS FINE! I did feel it was more likely they would accept the film. Both times I was not looking to sell the film. I knew that I would tour with the movie, which is what I do. I have a slide show and eight different books that I narrate in an hour in what's become a dramatic presentation. I tour around the country. It's done very well. I will continue to tour with What is It? for years to come. Eros Zine: You said the first film was a reaction to corporate dominance. What is this film reaction to? Crispin Hellion Glover: Steven C. Stewart definitely had a particular experience by being in a nursing home for ten years, when he didn't want to be, after his mother died. This film definitely came to him after he finally did get out of the nursing home. I would say it has a reaction to that on some levels, amongst many other things. Some of those other things are a bit mysterious. Eros Zine: What do you think you have in common with Paul Baker? Crispin Hellion Glover: [Laughs]. Paul Baker is the fantasy character Steven C. Stewart wrote for himself, and that's what's interesting about the film, is that there is a documentation of his fantasy. It's interesting you ask that question. It would indicate that maybe you had something in common with Paul Baker?
Eros Zine: I was wondering what your connection was. Crispin Hellion Glover: Well, I'm curious. Do you have a connection? Eros Zine: I have not discovered one yet. Crispin Hellion Glover: How did the film strike you? Eros Zine: I am still thinking about it. I do not have an immediate reaction to it. Crispin Hellion Glover: Well, I'm curious. I haven't seen and talked to a lot of people about it. What might your immediate reaction be?
Crispin Hellion Glover: Right. Well, it's definitely a movie that deals with thought. There's no question about it. That is something, that if it can be accomplished, then I feel like something good has been accomplished. Eros Zine: It seems you are working out the erotism between sex and death in both of these films. Is that something you are concerned with? Crispin Hellion Glover: Again, I didn't write the film. This is something that David and I found that existed. Truly, the sexuality that's in the screenplay, and the death element, I have nothing to do with how that was written. Eros Zine: What kinds of ideas do you think he is trying to work out? Crispin Hellion Glover: That again is what's fascinating. What kinds of ideas do you think he's trying to work out? I'm equally as curious as you are. I don't know. Do you have an idea? Eros Zine: I have some ideas about these ideas he is trying to work out between sex and death and how sex and death are ways we do not feel alone. There is a togetherness we feel, although with sex we are at one point very close to a person; on the other hand, if we realize how close we are, it reminds us of our own individuality. Then you have desire from birth to death except for the point before you realize you are an individual subject (Jacques Lacan calls the transformation, the "Mirror Stage") and you lose that connection (George Bataille refers to it as "discontinuity") that is the same phenomenon when one dies. You are no longer aware that you are an individual in the world. Crispin Hellion Glover: Hmm. That is what I like about the film. There are things that people will get from it that are not necessary things that I'll be thinking. If Steven C. Stewart was here right now, and you're asking these questions, I only can surmise - I don't know, but I would tend toward thinking he would say, "I don't know." He wasn't an unintelligent person but he had this relatively simple approach to these things.
But these are genuine questions. By taking those very elements out of the corporately funded and distributed films it is making it so audiences can't have these educational processes. My general reaction I'm getting with the film, and I like this reaction - well, it depends, some people like it right away or a lot of people like it right away. A lot of people, they don't necessarily like it right away. They'll think, "This had disturbing elements." Then they to go home and think about it. Then I'll hear, "Yes, this is something. I thought about it and I like that it compelled me to think." On some levels, that tended to be the best answer or experience. It does mean that something's actually happened.
Eros Zine: Why do you think he was obsessed with long hair? Crispin Hellion Glover: Again, I don't know. If Steve Stewart was here -- in fact, I heard this question asked of him. I heard him say, "I don't know. I just like long hair." [laughs]. That again is part of what is really interesting about it. A Freudian analyst could certainly come in and look at the film and say, "This happened to him at this age. And this is what happened..." They may very well be correct. But there are probably a lot of things that still would be left a mystery. Eros Zine: Lastly, what do you think about these interviews where you sit and talk about your work? Do you think it serves the work or do you think the work should speak for itself? Crispin Hellion Glover: My experience, particularly with What is It? was that I had a press screening here at Sundance, which I wanted to attend because there are people who get very upset about things in it. But the film is meant to have people ask questions, which I think is a healthy thing. I've been attacked, especially from that first screening wherein people feel that it's not being put into a context. I totally believe in letting a film be completely on its own; but these last 25 or 30 years the corporately funded and distributed films have gotten to the point of such lack of questioning that it has affected the general populace and it's difficult when people don't see it in a context reacting to those particularities of corporately funded and distributed film that excises anything that could possibly make audiences discomforted. When they understand that this is a thought out reaction -- this is not just something with random thoughts -- I'm talking What is It? in particular -- is very important for me to go and contextualize it. I can feel when I go and do the questions and answers after that film, the audience starts to understand that I'm not just some crazy weirdo that's trying to have a ridiculous thing for audiences to not know what the hell is going on.
What is It? is definitely a pointed reaction to something that is damaging to the culture. Steven C. Stewart's film is a completely different thing. This is a man who had a very specific experience and this was his reaction to that. I don't know that I need to contextualize this film, but I do know that the way I'm distributing it, I need to go and tour with the film. Readers can find out more about It is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE. at Crispin Glover's website.
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