By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2.25
Director: Kevin Willmott
Starring: EvamariiJohnson | Larry J. Peterson | Rupert Pate
Country: united_states
Year: 2005
Running time: 89
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0389828/
Michael says: “Sigh. Mockumentaries that are also satires are very difficult to pull off. Over the years, Christopher Guest has mastered the art, but with CSA: THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, director Kevin Willmott tries to have his cake (satiric mockumentary) and eat it too (deliver a serious message). In this one-note joke of a film, Willmott presents a British ‘documentary’ in the style of Ken Burns, where the Confederacy won the Civil War. Featuring reenactments, still photos, and interviews with ‘experts,’ CSA depicts the history of the United States from Civil War times to present day. Slavery is big business, Abraham Lincoln was captured while trying to flee along the Underground Railroad to Canada, and the Confederate States of America have taken control of Central and South America. Commercials are interspersed throughout selling ridiculously offensive products, such as slave trackers, and other products using images and language long discarded. Surprise! At the end of the film Willmott reveals that the products were all actual offerings as recent as 40 – 50 years ago. While the commercials were the most interesting pieces in the film, the actual documentary is a bit of a drag, with a lot of obvious choices, and 15 minutes worth of clever material stretched over 90 minutes. 2 cats.”
Chris says: “Mildly amusing mockumentary that presupposes an alternate American history where the South won the civil war. Much of the film is a remarkable, painstaking facsimile of the Ken Burns school of television documentaries; unfortunately, the intervening faux commercials for satirical targets such as SSN (the Slave Shopping Network) and products like Darky Toothpaste often fall flat, their obviousness surfacing with a resounding thud. Still, the ‘real’ history coda is enlightening, and the whole thing is at least watchable, and a little more coherent than producer Spike Lee’s similarly themed (and inconsistent) feature BAMBOOZLED. 2.5 cats”
Shannon says: “I saw this at the Denver International Film Festival a couple of years ago, and thought it was an interesting concept for a mockumentary. I’m glad to see it finally got distribution. Evidently all of the faux commercials are based on actual historical products.”