Since 1989, various New York artists gathered annually to entertain guests during a Holiday Party in the East Village with a performance of A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens, a favorite of Fessenden’s right up there with FRANKENSTEIN.
During the Covid shutdown Beck Underwood, Jack and Larry Fessenden made a video facsimile of the show to get us through the pandemic though nothing quite captures the unhinged chaos of the actual performance, which continues again to the present day.
Revolving around an intrusion-turned-trippy nightmare of blackmail, lies, and delusion on the night of a newlyweds honeymoon – 2023’s feature film from Chris Skotchdopole, “Crumb Catcher,” is an intoxicatingcomedythriller that cannot be missed. It is an incredibly impressive feature film debut from Skotchdopole who also wrote, produced, and edited the film. This debut presents him as a jack-of-all-trades filmmaker with a film that itself slips between genres. Fluctuating between moments of comedy, drama, and on-your-toes suspense, “Crumb Catcher” has something to offer for fans of any genre of film. It is particularly notable for fans of directors such as the Safdie Brothers, and of stories about normal peoples’ descent into madness
The film begins at the wedding of Shane and Leah, a couple with the intricate power dynamic that comes fromhaving met through work; Leah works at the publishing house that represents Shane and is publishing his autobiography. Despite some nerves, which might normally arise during such a major event, the wedding passes uneventfully. The next morning, the couple is leaving the venue when they are stopped by a seemingly innocent albeit annoying waiter, John. After rambling on about their older car, he apologizes for a mix-up regarding the cake-topper and gifts the mildly irritated couple a bottle of champagne. They assure him it wasn’t an issue in the first place and are finally able to escape the entanglement of his conversation and begin driving to their honeymoon destination, unaware that their lives are about to unravel in ways they could never guess.
En route to their destination, Shane receives a text from an unknown person named “Rose” saying they need to speak about last night. He ignores this and says nothing to Leah. Once the couple arrive at the lavish vacation home they’ll be staying at for their honeymoon in the beautiful, secluded mountains, a gift from one of Leah’s high-ups, they settle in and all seems well: too well. Especially considering Shane’s supposed unresolved rendezvous with a “Rose.” Out of nowhere, as internal tension is arising between the couple, a force that could make or break them and that they could have never imagined knocks at their door; the aloof waiter, John. He has shown up wanting to pitch to the newlyweds the creation that he believes will sweep the nation: the Crumb Catcher. What unfolds after the door is opened changes everyone involved forever.
The remainder of “Crumb Catcher” is pleasantly twisty, and while the titular invention and its eventual reveal is front and center, the film is heavily reliant on its alluring performances and the interactions of the characters to bring the unease and have you on the edge of your seat. It delivers the thrills and drama in more of a character study: they are peeling the story back in layers and the audience gets to watch it all unfold. The actors are well-cast, and their performances are truly the anchor of “Crumb Catcher.”
Available on Youtube, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime among other streaming options, “Crumb Catcher” is not a film to miss. Skotchdopole has put forth a fantastic feature debut and is definitely a director to keep on the radar. Its blend of genres offers an enjoyable experience to a range of viewers, even those diving into film for the first time. Grab some friends, grab some snacks, and throw on “Crumb Catcher:” you won’t regret it. Oh, and just make sure to sweep up after yourselves…
Glass Eye Pix is the fierce independent NYC-based production outfit headed by award-winning art-horror auteur Larry Fessenden with the mission of supporting individual voices in the arts. Read more...
