Meet the Makers: Josh Becker

I normally attach a mini-bio of the filmmaker here, but I had trouble finding anything. So, I’ll fill in the empty space with a couple of YouTube trailers. Why? Well, you’ll find that Becker’s early films are extremely difficult to come by. If you’re lucky, you may stumble upon an old VHS rental copy, but only his newer films are available on DVD. His popularity amongst fans grew exponentially with his involvement as a director on the popular shows Jack of All Trades and Xena: Warrior Princess. His two newest directorial productions have been TV movies … one being the Sci-Fi Channel original movie Alien Apocalypse (2005), which has the honor of being the highest rated Sci-Fi Channel movie to date. The other is Stan Lee’s Harpies (2007). However, Josh Becker’s true genius [if I may say so] is found in his earlier films …

Stryker’s War (1985) — Also known as Thou Shall Not Kill … Except, the movie follows Jack Stryker, a Vietnam War vet who returns home to live a peaceful life with his girlfriend. Unfortunately, Jack finds his girlfriend is missing and her grandfather has been brutally murdered by an evil cult led by Sam Raimi, whose followers believe him to be Jesus. As the cult reigns out of control, violently sacrificing the locals, Stryker decides he must do something. He gathers his army buddies from the war and with a stash of weapons wages battle against the cult. Some will find the production quality reminiscent of the 70’s but those who watch intently will see the beginnings of a talented, yet under-appreciated filmmaker at work on his first feature film.

Lunatics: A Love Story (1991) — Another film of Becker’s which is somewhat difficult to get, however I do find a few VHS copies are regularly available on eBay. This romantic comedy is not what you’d typically think of seeing in theaters today, but plenty of imagination and creativity, further emphasizing the talent possessed by Becker. Ted Raimi plays Hank Stone, an odd reclusive poet that’s locked himself in his apartment for six months. Hank suffers from an array of phobias and lives in the worst neighborhood. He ends up meeting Nancy (Deborah Foreman) by accident after she is mistakenly invited to Hank’s place through a telephone glitch. The film is rough in its production, but showcases Becker as a man who could do so much more if given the budget. [By the way, Bruce Campbell also stars in this film.]

Running Time (1997) — Definitely my favorite film from Josh Becker, but not for the most obvious reasons. There’s no question that its technically superior to his first two films, but I like it because of what its accomplished. Running Time is the first film since Hitchcock’s Rope to tell an entire feature-length story in one single take.* This movie stars Bruce Campbell as Carl, an ex-con who’s spent ten years in jail panning the perfect heist. Once he’s released, he meets up with a high school buddy (Jeremy Roberts) and a hooker as a gift and they put together a team to make their big score. With everything in place, they have 20 minutes to pull off the job. Carl falls for the hooker, but as the job falls apart he may only get the girl. Its a must-see for any movie geek and Hallelujah … its available on DVD!

[*Technically speaking, its a first all its own. When Hitchcock made Rope, he was limited to the technology of film at that time. No company made reels of stock negative long enough to shoot an entire film back then, so Hitchcock had to use multiple reels equaling feature length. He got around this by strategically planning his camera movements so that when he reached the end of the reel he would, for example, move in very close to an actor’s dark suit. This would then allow him to move out from some equally dark object at the beginning of the next reel to mask his cuts. Becker, on the other hand, had the advantage of digital video, allowing him to truly make the first feature film in one single take.]

If I Had a Hammer (1999) — I end this edition of Meet the Makers with Josh Becker’s least-known, but arguably best film. That’s right … this one isn’t even available on VHS because it has never found a means of distribution. So, how did I see it? The same way you can … on YouTube. Unfortunately, the film is split into 16 parts as an entire feature film won’t fit in a single YouTube post. The film, shot on 35mm and starring a cast of unknowns, follows two main characters and tells a story about the end of the folk music movement. The film is entirely character-driven and offers some truly great scenes unlike anything you see in most movies today. As an indie film, it still surprises audiences as music and performances play a major part in its structure. Not everyone is likely to have the patience for this film, but for those who do … its worth it. You may have to work for this one, but I found the payoff made the work a good investment. [If you’re up for the work, search on YouTube for “if i had a hammer becker” and all 16 parts will pop up at the top of your search results. Enjoy …]