Deceptively-packaged as a documentary on the life and film career of director and sometime-actor/author/songwriter/movie historian Peter Bogdanovich, this lovely little valentine instead becomes a case for reevaluating a past, neglected work, Bogdanovich's 1981 comedy-romance "They All Laughed". The picture united Bogdanovich with a great team of colorful, eccentric players and terrific ladies, most particularly Dorothy Stratten, who would go on to be the great love of Bogdanovich's life before she was killed by her estranged husband. Apparently receiving no support from the film company upon its completion (though we do see a vintage newspaper ad for the picture surrounded by glowing reviews from the critics), Bogdanovich bought back the rights to "They All Laughed" and attempted to distribute it himself, from theatre to theatre, city by city (something unusual at the time). It nearly cost him everything, but for the sake of art--and his love for the friends who worked on the movie (many of whom are here in present-day interviews)--Bogdanovich kept his work alive, eventually reaching and inspiring film scholars such as a rapturous Quentin Tarantino. Playboy Playmate Stratten's murder and its after-effects are not ignored, though Peter's volatile interactions with Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner are. We also don't get much of Bogdanovich's early days before success, except to say he was second assistant director to Roger Corman on "The Wild Angels" (no mention of "Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women"), so this isn't an in-depth biography. However, what we are privy to is the pure emotion of creating magic on celluloid, along with the intertwined highs and lows of making a film and the proverbial infighting over the creative issues with the powers-that-be. It's also a moving testament to friendship and to loyalty, rare commodities in show business. *** from ****
User Reviews
Review this title5 Reviews
A Good Doc
jaynemanning28 August 2021
Ok it's a good documentary but I have a hard time with the smarminess of Peter Bogdanovich. I knew Dorothy Stratten pretty well. I wasn't thrilled with Paul or Peter. Peter would fall in love with these very young impressionable women then try to mold them into who he wanted. Her entire personality changed... he tried turning her into a middle aged woman. Then with her sister... I just can't with him, he grosses me out.
Stunningly great documentary for movie lovers
Interlepos3 September 2016
Not often do I feel compelled to write a review on IMDb, but after watching this documentary I just felt that it was crucial to spread the word. If you are a movie lover, you will adore this documentary.
As a movie fan, you will know the pleasures of discovering hidden gems amongst older movies. Viewing a documentary that celebrates such a hidden gem (They All Laughed - 1981), is really invigorating, and a good concept. That the film being lauded happens to be a Peter Bogdanovich film, makes it even more interesting, because of his famous career of peaks and valleys. Finding hidden gems in the valley of any director can often be the most interesting part. If a movie is very underrated, you want to scream about it from the rooftops - to recommend it to people. And that is one of the things that makes the creation of this doc so pleasing. It is shining a spotlight on a movie that never got it's proper due.
The documentary is never boring, and always entertaining. The interviews are uncommonly insightful and touching. I especially liked Quentin Tarantino's reflections on movie watching, and on Bogdanovich. I also appreciated Ben Gazzaras' honesty.
Some underrated movies are so good that you just have to make a documentary about them. I applaud the director (Bill Teck) for making a love letter to a movie - that deserves more recognition - and to a legendary director, who also deserves a documentary of this quality about himself. It's terrific.
As a movie fan, you will know the pleasures of discovering hidden gems amongst older movies. Viewing a documentary that celebrates such a hidden gem (They All Laughed - 1981), is really invigorating, and a good concept. That the film being lauded happens to be a Peter Bogdanovich film, makes it even more interesting, because of his famous career of peaks and valleys. Finding hidden gems in the valley of any director can often be the most interesting part. If a movie is very underrated, you want to scream about it from the rooftops - to recommend it to people. And that is one of the things that makes the creation of this doc so pleasing. It is shining a spotlight on a movie that never got it's proper due.
The documentary is never boring, and always entertaining. The interviews are uncommonly insightful and touching. I especially liked Quentin Tarantino's reflections on movie watching, and on Bogdanovich. I also appreciated Ben Gazzaras' honesty.
Some underrated movies are so good that you just have to make a documentary about them. I applaud the director (Bill Teck) for making a love letter to a movie - that deserves more recognition - and to a legendary director, who also deserves a documentary of this quality about himself. It's terrific.
A great movie about love and movies and the love for movies and movies about love
slabihoud28 October 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I guess it is hard to imagine, but this documentary about the tragic circumstances around the filming of "They All Laughed" is a love story in its own right and not merely a report on what happened in 1981. If you have not seen "They All Laughed" don't worry, you will still love this documentary and you will only yearn to see it afterward.
Director Bill Teck went for the big canvas by allowing his film to run almost two hours. But you are grateful for him to do so, because you don't want to miss any of this touching moments that he unveils in many interviews with Peter Bogdanovich and family members and friends and colleagues. Everyone adds a piece of information or shades some color on things already told that you sit there and hold your breath for so much beauty that you discover.
The film does not deal with the particulars of the murder of Dorothy Stratten, he not even mentions the name of the murderer. The theme of this film is the loss of a loved person and the grieve and the memory of love. And by telling you all this in detail you are woven into this beautiful pattern of memories of love and grieve and survival and how an artist like Peter Bogdanovich works all feelings he went through into his following projects to this very day. After so many years he is still in love with Dorothy and you can see it. The film is also a lovely homage about filmmaking and of course about the film "They All Laughed". Thank you for this exceptional documentary!
Director Bill Teck went for the big canvas by allowing his film to run almost two hours. But you are grateful for him to do so, because you don't want to miss any of this touching moments that he unveils in many interviews with Peter Bogdanovich and family members and friends and colleagues. Everyone adds a piece of information or shades some color on things already told that you sit there and hold your breath for so much beauty that you discover.
The film does not deal with the particulars of the murder of Dorothy Stratten, he not even mentions the name of the murderer. The theme of this film is the loss of a loved person and the grieve and the memory of love. And by telling you all this in detail you are woven into this beautiful pattern of memories of love and grieve and survival and how an artist like Peter Bogdanovich works all feelings he went through into his following projects to this very day. After so many years he is still in love with Dorothy and you can see it. The film is also a lovely homage about filmmaking and of course about the film "They All Laughed". Thank you for this exceptional documentary!
Boring
jessewriter22 February 2019
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