First Look Episode 202: Only the Pizza Man Knows
BYU Broadcasting is showcasing student films from
Episode 202
I was first given the chance to view Only the Pizza Man Knows at the 2007 LDS Film Festival and was so taken by it’s honesty and candor that I highlighted it in my article in the BYU Studies issue Mormons and Film (which I highly recommend perusing if you haven’t yet). Scott Chrisopherson said this project was difficult for him due to its personal nature, and this was truly a very personal venture not only for the film maker but also the whole of his family. I have related the feeling and sense of connection one takes away from the film similar to that of a personal essay. And as Gideon and David addressed earlier, (and as I will do in a future post), Creative Non-fiction is a tailor-made genre for Latter-day Saints. This film helps to show that the same elements are also tailor-made for film. Christopherson was able to come to terms with issues he had with his parents and his own life in a way he said he not been able to previous. It was the medium of film that gave him license to ask question he hadn’t had enough courage to ask before and the strength to honestly look at the answers in a way he hadn’t before either.
Next to the very human story, Christopherson also proves himself as talented film maker. The mixing of styles and lighting, interviews and narratives all give the film a very polished and even melodic feel. The editing was also carefully crafted. This was a film that took guts, time, and skill to create, and it was created well. Thanks, Scott for making it – please make more!
May 11th, 2008 at 11:15 am
I haven’t seen the finished version, unfortunately, but I will say that the portions I saw and re-watched raised issues that are at the heart of the biggest unrest in Utah Valley and Salt Lake Valley, Mormon culture, and Modern America. It’s discussion reveals something deep in the heart of the family, patriarchy, and what troubles modern high priests of the Baby Boom generation. Perhaps I’m exaggerating the vastness of its reach, but not by much.
I highly recommend this short, extremely relevant film, what ever format it may now be in.
May 12th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Thanks for the review, Candy. I saw this film in my Mormon film class last semester, and it was really excellent. I was impressed with the well-rounded portrayal of each of the family members interviewed–his father, mother, and brother. And the personal narrative was introspective without being indulgent or pretentious. I felt like Christopherson genuinely learned more about his parents and himself as a result of making the film–that he went in with some questions and didn’t necessarily find a lot of tidy answers, but that in getting to know his parents better, he began to make some kind of sense of his relationships with them.
Very good work.