Existo

Read on, and consider the vehemence with which others have attacked EXISTO -- why, I wonder, are they so infuriated at this movie? They could have turned it off or walked out any time.

First off, for those nay-sayers already posting reviews here on IMDb, the initial concentration of Tennessee-based reviews isn't reflective of filmmakers stacking the deck -- this film has been without a distributor and has only been seen at film fests and regionally, like, in Tennessee. I've seen it thanks initially to a friend who was born down south and now lives up here in the Godless north, and since worked to book it at a local film festival here in VT back in the spring.

EXISTO exist-os in two versions: Coke Sams's original cut, which opens with Gailard Sartain's hilarious song "Do Me," and a later (2004?) film festival slight re-edit with a whole new beginning, which provides a succinct backstory for Existo as a character and political context for the film proper, stating it as a W. Bush-era satire, though the film itself (shot in '98) predates Bush's presidency. Thus, it's pretty clear Sams, Bruce Arnston (a musical genius and satirist extraordinaire) and crew could clearly see where this country was headed before the '90s were out, and EXISTO is as timely as ever -- hence, its production was prescient more than reactionary in terms of its dystopian theocracy setting. How times change: America has become Nashville.

The Nashville-based talent was indeed behind the entire ERNEST phenomenon, and in fact Existo (Arnston) was a fixture on the old Coke Sams/John Cherry produced/directed HEY VERN, IT'S ERNEST! TV series, in a less activist fetal form -- a maladroit stage illusionist, Existo the Magician (note Jackie Welch, terrific here as Maxine, was also a regular on the show, as were Sartain and others). Arnston also contributed clever musical spots to that program, as he did for at least one of the ERNEST films, and he and Welch worked again with Sams after EXISTO touring with a country-western musical comedy duo Bill & Coo, which hopefully will reach fruition in a form more folks can see.

The semi-claustrophobic nature of the film is due to its being set in the underground nightclub scene Existo and Maxine return to in the opening. It's essentially a theater film, and that primary-set aspect (which again seems to be fueling some reviewers here) is apropos; as in films as diverse as THE BLUE ANGEL, CABARET, CAFE FLESH and TOPSY-TURVY, the core set IS the stage Existo performs on. Thus, apart from some key set pieces (in the posh renovated restaurant supplanting a former underground performance space, the estate Existo and Penelope retreat to, and some exteriors), it all centers around the club, a conceit some obviously chafe at though it's not reflective of low-budget paucity of imagination, it's integral to the concept and characters itself. If that's a negative for you, too bad. Theater films are, by their nature, often prescribed in their settings; this is not per se indicative of cheapness.

Having spent time working theater in my college years, I can attest to the accuracy with which the film captures that insular universe, which is part of its appeal -- clearly, the filmmakers are also extrapolating from their own close-knit theatrical/video troupe. Again, despite the strong negative reviews here, there is a fine story at work -- the plot kicks in after the setup of the characters and world they live in. Every musical number (and this is a musical, as much as ROCKY HORROR, THE WICKER MAN, FORBIDDEN ZONE, etc.) is brilliantly executed, advancing characters and narrative with deft skill while being in and of themselves outstanding: brilliant, audacious, hilarious, akin to Trey Parker's abilities (though Arnston is, to my ear, by far the better musician and sharper talent; I've since snapped up the CD and love spinning it while working). To my mind, Arnston is an unsung musical genius, his entire body of work embracing (with seeming effortlessness) all idioms, genres and target audiences at one time or another, his wit quick and range astonishing. He's at the center of EXISTO, and it's his film.

Seen today, EXISTO is still a pointed, funny and pretty savage snapshot of the "Land of the Free" since the Reagan Administration, "Contract With (read:On) America" anti-NEA ReBiblican era of politics kicked into full swing. Though the film's antic flamboyance deliberately undercuts any sense of mortal danger, Existo and his band of guerrilla performance artists are fighting for their lives against crushing political repression, making the film a curious companion to V FOR VENDETTA; in fact, in some ways EXISTO is closer to aspects of the original Alan Moore/David Lloyd graphic novel (created in the 1980s, reflecting Moore & Lloyd's anxiety over Thatcher's reign), retaining and expanding the music hall/cabaret element of the original V that the film adaptation ditched. Existo and his cronies, though, are less lethal compatriots, aiming to blow minds instead of Parliament.

The venom leveled against this film by some of the IMDb reviewers is indicative of the reactions EXISTO elicits: viewers either love it or hate it. I've seen this at every showing; like a Guy Maddin film or offbeat musical oddities like FORBIDDEN ZONE or CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL, EXISTO brooks no safe middle ground. Walkouts happen, but those who are caught in the film's glow find it intoxicating, and are cheering by the finale. Those of us who love it want to see EXISTO reach a much wider audience, and it hasn't lost its bite over the years. If anything, the teeth sink deeper, as the reality of US politics and society are closer to the fictional future EXISTO posited over seven years ago.

The impatience of some viewers to any non-traditional form of cinematic satire shouldn't keep those receptive to this gem away. Give it a shot -- it's a great film!

When the U.S. government declares war on art, a group of guerrilla artists wage a counterattack with the verbose performer Existo at the helm. Attempts are made to undermine Existo's powerful hold on the artistic underground, including a plot that caters to his rampant libido, and his fellow insurgents strive to reawaken him to their cause.

Existo is the brainchild of Nashville's Coke Sams and Bruce Arnston, the creative team behind the Ernest P. Worrell movies; several of the actors from that series appear here, including Ernest himself, the late Jim Varney. However, beyond the talent involved, there is virtually NO connection to be made between EXISTO and, say, ERNEST GOES TO SCHOOL.

Like PEE-WEE'S PLAYHOUSE, the Ernest films can be somewhat disturbing to children who pick up on their vague, low-budget creepiness. In a kids' movie, this quality can undermine the filmmakers' intentions to provide "wholesome" family entertainment; EXISTO is definitely not a children's film, but the weirdness that lay dormant in the Ernest franchise bubbles to the surface here, and bargain-basement slapstick gives way to exceptionally clever dialogue and a fascinating lead performance.

While the film's preoccupation with conservatism's war on art makes it seem dated even for its time--the representation of televangelists as the ultimate money-grubbers had already been taken to its satirical extreme in eighties films like REPO MAN--EXISTO's saving grace lies within the portrayal of its titular character by Bruce Arnston. Arnston's dialogue can only be described as high-mimetic scatology; it grants Shakespearean eloquence to MAD Magazine- style prurience. His brilliant logorrhea is delivered with pseudo-intellectual exaggeration reminiscent of Frank Zappa or "Weird Al" Yankovic, and he is often backed by a soundtrack that recalls the Residents.

The Existo character first appeared on "Hey Vern! It's Ernest", a highly inventive TV series that, like the film EXISTO, is hurting for widespread DVD distribution. Unless that happens, one of the most unusual comic performances of the last decade will only be available through occasional screenings and "official bootlegs" (www.existo.com), so take advantage while you can.

A made-for-midnite movie if I ever saw one, EXISTO is the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" for the new millennium.

Set on the eve of Armageddon, after the Religious Righteous & corporate mega-mergers have turned most people's brains into salsa, EXISTO tells of a world where art is outlawed. And the greatest outlaw of ‘em all is the title character.

Both sides get jabbed – the rebels fret that they don't have time to adequately art direct an assassination and the priggish televised voice of oppression bemoans that the impending Apocalypse will pre-empt any chance he's got to wallow in his stock market windfall.

Some of the political messages are written ham-handedly. But all in all, it's a silly little movie that has a couple of really great performances – Jenny Littleton's `White Bred Poodle & a Junk Yard Dog' production number needs to have somebody pour a bucket of water on it. And Bruce Arniston as Existo, well he co-authored the screenplay & is credited with all the songs. He should be proud for a long time.

Saturdays at midnite, anyway.

Incorrectly described as a "Rocky Horror Picture Show" for the next millennium, this rampage of images and near-Shakespearean wordplay is a dagger through the heart that makes "Rocky Horror" look like a pin prick. This is an amazing example of what truly creative people can do (for an astoundingly small amount of money) when freed of the confines of the Hollywood machine. "Existo" skewers both the bizarr-o radical left and the oh-so-self-righteous right by presenting both as their all too accurate extremes. It's filled with musical numbers that simply will not leave your head and will have you annoying your local record store until a soundtrack is released. And I can't wait to see Bruce Arnston's face on t-shirts! Pray to all the gods you've heard of that someone will pick up this monuMENTAL work for wider distribution!

First off, I'd just like to make it clear that I did not find this movie terrible for any political reason. I am neither left or nor right, and I am totally indifferent to politics.

Now, with that out of the way. This film is utterly awful. Aiming to be a low budget, cult classic that pokes fun at right-wing conservativeness, "Existo" crashes and burns with its trite political humor that completely fails at even garnering the slightest of smirks. Coke Sams (who, by the by, directed the Ernest films, which are some of the worst films of all time), is trying way too hard, and ends up with a "beat you over the head" style of attempted satire that completely misses the point of cult fandom.

The genius of cult classics is that the directors didn't know they were making a cult classic. They just wanted to make a quirky, original film and weren't sure if anyone would like it. But Coke Sams is actually trying to intentionally make a cult classic here. He's aware of himself too much, and that makes his work extremely pretentious. It's like someone dumped the entire Criterion Collection, every episode of Inside the Actor's Studio, some of Michael Moore's 5th grade liberal poems that he scribbled on the back of his notebook, and a gallon of feces into a melting vat, mixed up the putrid contents, and then, through some undoubtedly illegal process, converted the product into a film of monumentally horrible proportions.

The film opens with a voice-over that tells of a dystopian, ultra-conservative future. Yeah, really subtle. Existo, the main character of film, played by Bruce Arnston, is a member of a secret rebel movement poised to overthrow the right-wing government. Arnston does all sorts of Zaney things that you'd see on one of those live-action children's shows on PBS, like delivering all of his lines, both in dialog and song, in the fashion of a bad Jim Carrey imitation, and while this may amuse the everloving crap out a group of 8 year olds, it does naught for someone with an attention span wide enough to realize that there's about ten billion better ways they could be wasting their time, like setting all their cherished possessions on fire or phialing down grandma's bunions.

No doubt through some kind of agreement between Sams and Jim Varney via their Ernest-built relationship, Varney makes his very last appearance in this film as an old man caked in Cream of Wheat. It's very sad to think that this was the last "professional" thing Varney did before he died, and I can't help but to think that Varney's death is somehow related to this film.

I'll close by saying, don't be fooled by the positive user comments for this film. This film was made in Nashville, and you'll note that almost all of the positive user comments are from anonymous users from Tennessee, most likely friends of Sams or even members of the crew who produced this abomination, perhaps even Sams himself.