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What Is It?
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Wikipedia article
'What Is It?' is a 2005 American surrealist film written, edited, co-produced and directed by Crispin Glover and starring Glover, Fairuza Balk, and Steven C. Stewart.
Background
'What Is It?' is the first entry in a planned trilogy directed by Glover, followed by 'It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine.' (2007) and continued with 'It Is Mine'.[http://sensesofcinema.com/2016/american-extreme/crispin-glover-it-trilogy/ Goodbye, McFly: Crispin Glovers It Trilogy and the Cinema of ReactionSenses of Cinema]
Synopsis
The "adventures" of a young man with Down syndrome whose principal interests are snails, salt, a pipe, and how to get home, who is tormented by a hubristic, racist inner psyche.[https://archive.org/details/BrowsHeldHighWhatIsItHD Brows Held High What Is It HD-Internet Archive]
Production
Production of the film started in 1996 as a short film that was to be used as a proof of concept for the as of yet unproduced third film in Glover's 'It' trilogy, 'It Is Mine'. After completing the filming of the initial short, Glover decided to turn it into its own feature film and filmed an additional eight days over two years.
Release
The film premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and played at several other film festivals. Aside from this, it has only been shown at independent theatres, typically accompanied by a question-and-answer session, a one-hour dramatic narration of eight different profusely illustrated books as a slideshow, and a meet-and-greet/book signing with Glover.[https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/concessions/Content?oid=484189 Taboo You: Crispin Glover and What Is It?-Film/TV-The Stranger]
Reception
The film had received a 50% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 6.2/10.
References
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