So ,

The film of Gummo was trashed, but fans should rejoice in the new DVD release of Gummo. Perhaps now we have a chance to be PURE, as the members in the film strive to be. And to call it a search of PURITY is over simplifying a complex character study of Caricatures. Perhaps they just strive for little moments of happiness, and we as fans of a "trashed" film, search for that piece our selves.

    Gummo,

Was released on the heels of the successful teen exploitation film "KIDS". Expectations were high for the writer of KIDS to come up with an equally viable commercial product. Since the ratings problems of KIDS, it was in his contract to develop an R-rated cut. He did this, with nothing overly sexual or violent, but it was so disturbing in stuck the nails on it's own casket.

    Mr. Korine's early influences were, at least cinematically, the likes of the French New Wave crop of Filmmakers and the German filmmakers Wim Wenders, and Werner Herzog.

Analyze a scene in Gummo of Tumbler and Solomon dazed after sniffing glue, and the look that Tumbler gives Solomon IS FITZCARRALDO. Various elements from Wender's PARIS TEXAS, and Godard's Hail Mary are seamlessly inserted into the plot.

AS for the plot, which coincidently (and the opposite of Kids) is the least important tooth in the gear. The plot flows by the characters in the film making sure never to restrict it, but only to allow them free range.

Chloe Sevigny in supposedly her weakest role to date, shines as a home town girl who's mysterious bleached blonde hair complements her naivety, she wanders through the blackness with in her, and in the end is the same.

Supposedly a gaggle of sideshow freaks are in this film. While there are a Midget, and an Albino, he does not use them as exploitation attractions. Mr. Korine uses them to analyze the psyche of the "NORMAL" characters.

These normal characters are not enlightened people. They are Johnny Six Pack, and Mary Hair net, who in turn are the real freaks. Those that do not EXPERIENCE life, AND ENJOY IT, are doomed to destroy those that do, and this is (at the heart of the film) the ultimate moral. Gummo says "Life is really beautiful.....Without it you'd be dead", and not enough people live with this. A "fuck it, and be happy" mentality is written, and subconsciously underlying in all the work.

"LIFE IS A MYSTERY" Madonna sang in the song "like a prayer" which glistened a beautiful scene between Solomon, and his mother which illustrated that PERHAPS PEOPLE DO THE BEST THAT THEY CAN, and maybe there are no bad people, just bad intentions.

A master work is not usually effective if it is not new, and with GUMMO Harmony Blissfully enters a new realm. The audience will be taken there regardless of whether they want to, and whether or not they know it they will never be the same again.

Dr. M