Sherman's March

I do not really know what it is about McElwee that makes people want to see his films. He is very educated and is kind of charismatic, but that does not seem like enough for people to want to see his films. I thought the film became very repetitive, based on the fact that he just keeps becoming enamored with various women. One thing that may contribute to the interest of viewers, which I can only guess at, is that his life is a little more interesting than others. During the time he makes Sherman’s March, he follows all sorts of people and gets to learn about all different types of study. A few examples include following an actress and her journey to land a part in a movie, following an interior designer who also teaches him a little about Christianity, and he also learns about linguistics from a PhD student. I do not think that just anyone could make a personal documentary about their insights and exploits. Ross McElwee has a high level degree in filmmaking, so it is not like he is just a random person off the street, like Thierry was in Exit through the Gift Shop. I agree that there is something about McElwee, like his charisma or insight, that make his films interesting. McElwee is just very carefree in the film, but not so much that he is just sitting around doing nothing, which I think is what makes people like him. He takes the audience on a pretty interesting journey, even if he is just a “normal guy”.