Mister America (2019) and Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Gregg Turkington finds a cardboard box of VHS tapes in an alley on trash day and pulls out Breakfast at Tiffany’s. A film that features iconic Audrey Hepburn costumes, such as the Givenchy little black dress, along with her saying the word “rat” 15 plus times. Tim Heidecker wears an oversize three button tobacco colored suit with pant legs so long they go under his heels. Hepburn has her long cigarette holder, and Tim, too, his TCH vape system. Hepburn and Tim both have legal troubles. Tim’s nemesis, the District Attorney, is commonly referred to as "Rosetti the rat." Tim’s campaign sign reads, We Have a Rat Problem (he places them in the front windows of restaurants).
The camerawork in Breakfast at Tiffany’s includes a few long takes of the couple in their apartments and in the cab, along with an oblique angle of a statue wearing halloween masks. Mister America cameraman Josh (Director Eric Notarnicola) places his still recording camera on the couch to film a magnificent 100 second oblique long take of Tim and Toni. It is a faux long take, though, as it includes 11 jump cuts. Both films were influenced by the French New Wave techniques. On another note: one of my students, A.C., actually recreated Hepburn’s bathtub couch!
Per the commentary, Mister America was shot in 3.5 days, mainly on location, sometimes with a single camera, on a low budget. These traits recall Andy Kaufman’s iconic My Breakfast with Blassie (1981). The latter is one of the best comedy films ever made for any price. The final line of the Mister America DVD commentary requests some Twitter engagement, tweet 6428ACI9 to @TimandI (but I could not find this account).
Getting ready for the “On Cinema” special…
Tim and Eric are currently on the Mandatory Attendance Tour.
Ron 2/9/20
top-my custom Rosetti hat for the Tim and Eric Mandatory Attendance World Tour 2020 (they were spoofing the audience about a contagious disease just a few weeks before Covid hit, my last party night for a while); and bottom my custom shirt for the local Mister America film premiere. And some big love to Eric who wound up doing the class telecon solo (because of ‘absolutely’ nuts circumstances).
Bits and bobs from their Mandatory Attendance show.