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A winning ‘Winnebago Man’
If someone didn’t like Austin filmmaker Ben Steinbauer’s hilarious and surprisingly poignant doc “Winnebago Man” we have yet to hear from him or her. A capacity house Saturday night at the Alamo South riotously greeted the movie and its improbable, endearingly cantankerous star and former Winnebago pitchman Jack Rebney, who is alternately known as the Winnebago Man and the Angriest Man in the World in the viral, YouTube and tape-trading universe. (Google that stuff. Now. Please.)
Steinbauer’s movie delves deep and sincerely into Rebney’s wounded soul, smartly veering from what so easily could have been a glib and selfish ha-ha look at this crusty coot who made an ass out of himself! piece of pandering pop poop. The filmmaker went the distance, locating Rebney, befriending him and gingerly discovering what makes him tick and tantrum.
Rebney’s appearance at the premiere proved what a good sport he is, how thoughtful and articulate and (seriously) kind he is. He quoted Andre Gide: “The man without anger is no man at all.” He seems to accept and embrace the strange cult adoration that’s enveloped him, and it makes you happy. From online ignominy to legitimate love — it’s a great story peeled back in a sensitively conceived film.
Actor Jeffrey Tambor was in the audience, as was Beastie Boy MCA (Adam Yauch), whose Oscilloscope Films, as well as IFC, are reportedly circling the movie for a deal.
We asked Tambor what he thought of the movie. He gushed, “I LOVED it. It’s more than the sum of its parts. It is all of us.”
More “Winnebago Man” screening times HERE.
Director Ben Steinbauer and his famous subject Jack Rebney meet adoring, autograph-seeking fans after the show. Yes, that’s a Winnebago behind them.
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By markjackson
April 19, 2010 4:40 AM | Link to this
actor jaffrey tambor was in the reportedly circling movie for a deal.mark