I've been a longtime fan of Bright Sun Films' Abandoned series on YouTube. Had expected this to be a notch up from those short form productions. Seriously, Jake and BSF do a great job with those videos and was excited that they took a shot at something bigger.
But this was bad. Really bad.
Highly repetitive, constantly revisiting the single statement of how horrible it was to just let the site deteriorate for 15 years. Agreed, but do we just have to hear that obvious statement over and over again? Random (beautiful) drone flyovers interspersed with interviews with very little story or structure.
A few of those interviewed were interesting, having had a significant role with the park when open, or actively pursuing its redevelopment. But there were far too many people interviewed who really had no deep connection to the park and provided little insight into the park's history or demise. Mostly banal comments, rarely insightful. The movie even veered off to being a sub-par Katrina documentary at times when it looked like they ran out of content on the park itself.
Was almost nice to have a musical score (the score was well done) but the mixing was poor and Jake's narration was almost buried at several points. His YouTube videos are much more tightly edited and mixed than this.
Jake is usually a GREAT storyteller with a well planned script, but this "movie" went nowhere, and provided FAR less information and a less engaging story than any of his 20 minute YouTube videos.
Was initially excited to support Jake with this purchase, but this wouldn't have been worth a free YouTube viewing. Very disappointed in this expensive purchase.
But this was bad. Really bad.
Highly repetitive, constantly revisiting the single statement of how horrible it was to just let the site deteriorate for 15 years. Agreed, but do we just have to hear that obvious statement over and over again? Random (beautiful) drone flyovers interspersed with interviews with very little story or structure.
A few of those interviewed were interesting, having had a significant role with the park when open, or actively pursuing its redevelopment. But there were far too many people interviewed who really had no deep connection to the park and provided little insight into the park's history or demise. Mostly banal comments, rarely insightful. The movie even veered off to being a sub-par Katrina documentary at times when it looked like they ran out of content on the park itself.
Was almost nice to have a musical score (the score was well done) but the mixing was poor and Jake's narration was almost buried at several points. His YouTube videos are much more tightly edited and mixed than this.
Jake is usually a GREAT storyteller with a well planned script, but this "movie" went nowhere, and provided FAR less information and a less engaging story than any of his 20 minute YouTube videos.
Was initially excited to support Jake with this purchase, but this wouldn't have been worth a free YouTube viewing. Very disappointed in this expensive purchase.