The Evil Cameraman is the first short by Richard Kern that has ever disappointed me. There's enough here to warrant a longer effort by Kern (think thirty minutes or so), but it never even takes off after eleven minutes. It concerns the titular character (Kern himself), who is known for kidnapping models and tying him up in his basement in addition to making them perform tasks as part of their job that they don't want to do.
Right off the bat, this short lacks the kind of wit Kern's work usually bears. Rather than infusing some kind of idea, attractive aesthetic, interesting juxtaposition, or a sense of style, Kern conjures up a disjointed narrative for a short that really should begin after the four minute mark and continue from there. The ending of the brief project even puzzles, as the entire thing seems to have been edited out of order.
Kern is much more capable than what The Evil Cameraman settles for; it's the first disappointment in a collection of mostly superb shorts.
Starring: Richard Kern, Jap Anne, Ice Queen, Little Linda, and Jacqui O. Directed by: Richard Kern.