Review of Cropsey (2010) by Allen R — 24 Jul 2011
It might be a spoiler to give this away up front, but the most intriguing aspect of the low-fi CROPSEY is that it provides no answers to any of the questions it raises. Whether delving into the realm of urban legend, or the need of our society to put a face on the "boogeyman" so we can sleep better at night, the filmmakers refuse to take a side.
They seem more concerned with finding their story rather than presenting one, which contradicts current documentary trends where everything is politicized. Generally, I don't care for docs where the filmmakers are on screen personalities, it's almost as if they're marketing themselves and their agenda, but that's never the case here as Zeman and Brancaccio come across as two very average people looking for their own story to tell.
They have crafted a film that works on multiple levels and is as much an exploration of urban myth in popular society as it is an exploration into the role of documentary cinema. Whether Rand actually perpetrated the crimes is inconsequential, but by not taking any definite side and leaving their film open-ended, Z&B have played a part in adding an additional layer to the very urban legend that haunted them as children.
This review of Cropsey (2010) was written by Allen R on 24 Jul 2011.
Cropsey has generally received positive reviews.
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