Gerald Wright's Movie Coverage
WE LIVE IN PUBLIC MOVIE REVIEW
Directed by: Ondi Timoner
Running time: 88 minutes
Release date: August 28, 2009
Genre: Documentary
Distributor: Interloper Films & Abramorama Entertainment
MPAA Rating: N/R
We Live in Public is a cinematic examination of Josh Harris, and depicts a lifestyle of a man who thought of himself as being in control, yet finds himself out of control while evolving the cyberspace world.
Filmmaker Ondi Timoner looks into the personal make-up of Josh Harris, founder of Jupiter Interactive aka Pseudo Programs Inc. in 1993. Jupiter Interactive was a market research and analysis firm that was a front-runner in the computer research firms that earned Harris millions of dollars. Pseudo.com programs included a computer animation called "Launder My Head." This was an online animation feature that hosted many TV monitors centered on cartoon like people with TVs for heads displayed in real-time, singing a silly song called "Lauder My Head". They also ventured into Pseudo Online radio.
The novelty of Launder My Head was immense because many haven't even heard of the "World Wide Web". In fact, the only two online services at this time (1993) were Prodigy and CompuServe. Online Services charged by the minute at this point in Cyber history; however, Jupiter Interactive went into business with Prodigy and contracted to open up "chat rooms" and charge by the hour. In these chat rooms, cyber sex and violent interactive games were available for everyone.
While watching this film, I was totally taken in by the archival footage on the history of computers and the foundation of the web. Although I was involved in the crisp pacing of this movie, it slowed down briefly to bring me back to the narcissistic behavioral patterns of the subject, Josh Harris. As a perfectionist, Josh was rewarded with fame and fortune. But when the obsessive need for perfection and control gets in the way of his professional and emotional life, the cost becomes too high.
Enthusiastic pioneers in cyberspace such as Josh Harris formed both friendships and enemies online and in the communications media. Actual footage shows how Josh Harris' ego challenged the heads of CBS, threatening to run them out of business. Harris' diseased mind flagrantly convinced himself to bring about a Big Brother type concept developed beneath the streets in NYC for the "Hip" people (such as the spoken word poet artists) to live separate from everyone. In this dungeon environment, soundproofed from the naked ear of the busy New Yorkers hustling above, he placed more than 100 artists in a human terrarium under the streets of New York City. With a myriad of web cams following and capturing every move the artists made, it was a subculture that abandoned all civilized rules and laws. Wide-spread orgies, drug-taking and violence was the norm under the guidance of Josh Harris. However, the New York City Police Department found out about the cyber Sodom and Gomorrah, and shut it down.
Filmmaker Ondi Timoner's story doesn't end there, but picks up with yet another and another venture of the narcissistic Josh Harris who constantly wanted to be in the public's eye. Understanding the development of this individual is a captivating experience on screen.
This is a well made and very informative film that enlightens the audience about the electronic frontier, cyber-culture and personalities involved, other than Bill Gates.
FILM RATING (B+)
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