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Home > Movies > Interviews > 2006

Mormon Rebel
Director Richard Dutcher used to embrace the label "Mormon filmmaker," but no longer. He says most Mormon movies aren't much good, and besides, his films are too edgy for the LDS community.
by Mark Moring | posted 11/14/2006

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I read a quote from someone who likes your films because you don't just do "movies about the Osmond twins." What's he mean by that?

Dutcher: I think most Mormon films are expressions of "the Mormon aesthetic," and have very little to do with anything at the heart of Mormonism. I mean they're really not about doctrine or history; there's really no thought put into it. It's just simply a trifle, a piece of entertainment, something that won't offend.

The Mormon community, by and large, judges their films based on what's not in them—if there's no nudity, no violence, and no harsh language, then it must be a good film. I try to point out the lack of logic to that, where we should be judging film based on what IS in it—good acting, story, craft, some thought, some theme. But I think most of the cinematic expressions coming out of the Mormon community are just, "Let's not offend. Let's do something the preacher won't get mad about," rather than telling the stories that have to be told, and exploring the territory that has to be explored.

Page 2: 'I don't know if I'm brave or stupid.'

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Davey

Posted: June 11, 2009 1:29 AM


New interview with Dutcher, in which he discusses "Falling" in detail (in addition to his other five films--"God's Army," "Brigham City," "States of Grace," "Girl Crazy," and "Evil Angel"), and also talks about his two films he'll be shooting later this year: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-9888-Salt-Lake-City-Film-Events -Examiner~y2009m6d10-Falling-My-interview-with-Richard-Dutcher

Suni	Posted: May 18, 2009 4:19 PM


I think this guy is looking through one way glasses. No religion wants to see a film made about one of it's missionaries turning off 'the good path'. I think that would hold true no matter what religion. Most people know what happens in reality, but we don't go to movies for reality. Successful, happy endings are always in style. Sounds like sour grapes to me.

Lynn	Posted: April 20, 2009 12:46 AM

Interesting to hear this mans thoughts on what he calls Mormon cinima. He sounds a bit jaded. Because the movies he is referring too have all been ment to be simply commical. Comparing his movies to them make no sense. I loved God's Army, thought it was a little un realistic at parts, but so have other movies been. THat is the nature of a movie. The other so called Momon movies, are not even something you could compare, it would be like compareing West Side Story, to Bart Simpson. One tells of a real story, and one is simply based on a "type" of family made simply to make you laugh. So he shouldn't be so critical. Most people, even those of us who are "in the mormon community" and aparently have no "reverance" for film making, get that there is a differance, maybe he should look at that too. Sad to see him so angry like. Hope his movie does well.

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