Cigar Exclusive: 'Napoleon Dynamite' director on his new film
Caity Cudworth
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Entertainment
11/5/09 - Sci-fi fans are finally getting their due in just-released "Gentleman Broncos," the latest flick from "Napoleon Dynamite" director, Jared Hess. A quirky, lo-fi celebration of the dweeby world of mythical creatures, spandex-clad voyagers and the pasty people who love them, "Broncos" is a weirder than weird trek through the bizarre realm of science fiction - and the equally bizarre realm of rural Utah. It's like an ugly sweater party on the set of "Battle Star Galactica."
"Broncos" tells the tale of a 17-year-old sci-fi writer, Benjamin Purivis, who dreams of publishing his Trapper-Keeper-bound magnum opus, "Yeast Lords." Purvis' epic novel, however, is lifted by his idol, smug science fiction hack, Dr. Robert Chevalier (played winningly by Jermaine Clement of "Flight of the Conchords").
Clement's Chevalier is one of the main bright spots in the film. He's a blue-tooth wearing windbag of a writer, whose droll pomposity, penchant for turtlenecks and knack for painting bizarrely sexual cover art is unparalleled. Chevalier is a desperate new-age anti-hero if there ever was one.
But for all of the oddball antics in Hess' film, Hess himself is surprisingly cool. Rocking a plaid shirt, and watching "30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray" when I arrived, Hess was kind enough to turn off the chirpy Food Network programming and chat about small town life, being open to change ("like Obama!"), and the finer points of python training.
"Broncos" is definitely a dark horse in the world of commercial cinema, and Hess, is well aware of the abject weirdness of it.
"Well the good thing is that we did "Napoleon Dynamite first," which I think would never have gotten made within the studio system," Hess said. "And you know, the success of that opens doors for other things you want to do. This one is so close in tone and comedy to what 'Napoleon' was."
Hess paused, adding, "It's easier for people to understand your work once you've done a film. So it's good, and the success of Napoleon has made it a lot easier."
"Broncos" tells the tale of a 17-year-old sci-fi writer, Benjamin Purivis, who dreams of publishing his Trapper-Keeper-bound magnum opus, "Yeast Lords." Purvis' epic novel, however, is lifted by his idol, smug science fiction hack, Dr. Robert Chevalier (played winningly by Jermaine Clement of "Flight of the Conchords").
Clement's Chevalier is one of the main bright spots in the film. He's a blue-tooth wearing windbag of a writer, whose droll pomposity, penchant for turtlenecks and knack for painting bizarrely sexual cover art is unparalleled. Chevalier is a desperate new-age anti-hero if there ever was one.
But for all of the oddball antics in Hess' film, Hess himself is surprisingly cool. Rocking a plaid shirt, and watching "30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray" when I arrived, Hess was kind enough to turn off the chirpy Food Network programming and chat about small town life, being open to change ("like Obama!"), and the finer points of python training.
"Broncos" is definitely a dark horse in the world of commercial cinema, and Hess, is well aware of the abject weirdness of it.
"Well the good thing is that we did "Napoleon Dynamite first," which I think would never have gotten made within the studio system," Hess said. "And you know, the success of that opens doors for other things you want to do. This one is so close in tone and comedy to what 'Napoleon' was."
Hess paused, adding, "It's easier for people to understand your work once you've done a film. So it's good, and the success of Napoleon has made it a lot easier."
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