Demon Lover Diary
by Joel DeMott (1975, 90 min., 16mm, color)

This landmark cinema-verite film is about the fantasies, egos and ludicrous circumstances that go into the making of any feature film. And when that film is a no-budget schlock horror movie being shot in the backwaters of Michigan, things get a little bizarre. But DeMott is a filmmaker with the vision and talent of a very good novelist. Her intimate camera misses little and her flawless editing transcends what could have been an easy, ironic jab at the hapless Midwestern filmmakers. Instead, DeMott's complex tone, keen observation and humor lifts Demon Lover Diary above the fray of ordinary behind the scenes documentaries. It's about more than just low-budget moviemaking; it's a funny, angry, loving, and contemplative movie about people struggling and failing to make their dreams a reality. A classic.