dragonthunderent Review of The Young and the Dead

The Young and the Dead (2000)

An insightful documentary on a unique place run by strange people.

[25 March 2003]

All of the elements are here to what could have been a great film about the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and it's resurrection by Mr. Tyler Cassity. The Young and the Dead is still a good film, but it could have been made better. How? By featuring more of the aura of the resting place of so many legendary silent and Golden Age silver screen stars. It achieves this during a segment on Rudolph Valentino. In particular when eerie music sets in, and slow dissolves reveal a intense, Rasputin-like artist (Jonathan Morrill), painting in a crumbling mausoleum, an oversized portrait of the Sheik. A little more of a historical tour for the viewer, and little less of the banter of a portly pubescent Valentino groupie would have helped. Why wasn't Tom Demille, the cemetery's excellent , knowledgeable, and charismatic tour guide used to take the viewer through this movie? Or at least part of it? We once were given an amazing and thoroughly enjoyable tour of Hollywood Forever by Tom Demille, and it was brilliant. I was hoping he'd be featured in it more than just by chance in the background. The movie would have been much more entertaining and informative with him in it. That's not to say that Mr. Tyler Cassity is hard to look at, he certainly isn't. Mr. Tyler Cassity, without whom there would be no Hollywood Forever Cemetery, brings to this documentary, all of the spirit and good energy that he possesses in life, and as much as can be transcended onto film. There are genuinely funny moments with Tyler, such as reviewing potential voice talents for the cemetery's answering machine. As well there are revealing thoughtful and caring moment's from Mr. Cassity and his dedicated staff. One can imagine that many occur in the business of death. This also could have been revealed to the viewer a little more in-depth. After all, isn't the attraction to find out more about, and honor, our lost idols and fallen heros? Anyhow, this is still a good movie, hats off to anyone who can finish a film. Knowing how much better this could have been made, had a little more resources been used, I can't call it a great film, but it's still a good one.