I fucking LOVE this documentary. It starts out honest enough, and does sort of shine a light on the long lasting effects of southern defeat (and oddly, nuclear paranoia), but the directer was in a bad head space and wound up making the whole doc about his shitty love life. It's maybe my favorite documentary ever.
I saw this movie in the 80s and hated it. I have never seen anybody whine so much about their problems with women without being scary-drunk. He comes off like the thinking man's TFL Bill.
Counterpoint: If I could find the whole documentary on the internet, I might be willing to give it another look.
Oh it's about so much more. It captures a deep-seated obsession with mass death by people throughout the south. From neurotics showing off their bomb shelter supplies to anti-government militiamen to the rapture.
Ten years since this post, and 35 years since I've seen the film, (Jesus, really?) linking male sexual expectations with the Southern Lost Cause seems like potential for genius. I have to see this again