Mitchell rocks every `Inch' of movie musical
By BILL FUSZ
Scene Movie Critic
Any movie in which the main character writes a thesis on rock 'n' roll and German philosophical sensibilities entitled "You Kant Always Get What You Want" is a must-see. Likewise for a movie that has a child telling his mom, "Jesus said the darned-est things."
Based upon the cult off-Broadway musical, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" is a humorous, bittersweet examination of the life of a transvestite rock star (John Cameron Mitchell, the film's writer, director and star) and her band, The Angry Inch. The story opens at the beginning of their world tour, which is premiering behind the salad bar at a Chili's clone restaurant called Bilgewater's.
The audience soon learns that the reason for the strange venue is a musical grudge: A former flame of Hedwig's has stolen one of her songs and recorded them for a major studio under the name Tommy Gnosis. Now a major rock star along the lines of Marilyn Manson, Gnosis has also begun a world tour, one that plays at major stadiums, while Hedwig toils along in the shadows. The hope is that her lawyer will be able to build up the tabloid press necessary to demonstrate that, in fact, the songs are Hedwig's and she deserves royalties for them.
In between musical numbers, the story of Hedwig's life is told. Via flashback, the audience learns that she was originally Hansel, a child growing up in West Berlin during the Cold War. He comes to America after having a love affair with an American master sergeant who tells him the only way to get to America is to get married, and in order to do that, Hansel will have to "leave something behind."
Following the resulting botched sex change operation (hence the "Angry Inch"), Hedwig is ditched in a trailer park in Kansas by the G.I. and left to her own devices in a strange land. She makes it by babysitting and starting a rock band with some of the Army wives, who she says were a "mean bass section."
As the story continues, the viewer learns more about the complicated life and loves of Hedwig than would be proper to give away in this review. But what can be described is the work and performance of Mitchell, which can only be called a tour de force.
By writing, directing and starring in "Hedwig," Mitchell has taken on an incredible amount of responsibility for a story that clearly means a great deal to him. The fact that he manages to carry off all three functions with such a great amount of passion, energy and humor is a near-miracle.
The main virtue Mitchell has accomplished is originality and freshness. He is able to use rock 'n' roll in unexpected ways with unexpected characters. For example, it is doubtful that anyone anywhere has ever written a power ballad based on Plato's "Symposium," much less one that people would care to hear again and again. Mitchell accomplishes this, and even more importantly, is able to link it organically into the plot rather than leave it as a sideshow.
In this way, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" is much like the other great movie musical of the year, "Moulin Rouge." Both are undoubtedly films and not simply musicals placed on screen. This has to do with the manner in which the directors of each utilized special effects and animation in new and exciting ways impossible for Broadway to duplicate.
But the best thing about each film is the earnestness of the characters. Rather than simply using a transvestite rock star as a gag, Mitchell uses her to tell a story and make us care about the character. Nothing could be more important in the making of a good movie.
In a nutshell: Inventive and character-driven — seek this one out.
--Four and a half shamrocks (out of five)
Contact Bill Fusz at wfusz@nd.edu.
All Scene Stories for Thursday, October 11, 2001
