movie of the day

stevie

Intimate Storytelling; Steve James On His Personal Doc "Stevie"


by Patricia Thomson
Shortly after director Steve James finished the award-winning basketball documentary "Hoop Dreams" in 1995, he renewed contact with Stephen Dale Fielding. The filmmaker had once been Stevie's Big Brother, and he was curious how the shy, awkward youth had fared in life. The answer was a troubling one, sending James on a documentary endeavor that lasted more than four years. The result is "Stevie," a powerful portrait of a troubled soul who winds up facing child molestation charges. Winner of the cinematography award at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, the feature-length film opens theatrically in New York and Los Angeles today and will be released nationwide through April and May by Lions Gate Films. In this interview, the director talked about the evolution of "Stevie," his own role as a character in the film, and the challenges of having a personal relationship with his subject.........


an amazing documentry by steven james. when mr james was in college he became a big brother to stevie. years later mr james decided to pay stevie a visit. to say it wasn't pretty, is not even close. as a youngster stevie was abused (allegedly but i believe it) AND unwanted. he spent time in foster homes and finally ended up with his step grandmother. no relation but she took him in. that's where we still find him all of these years later. broken glasses, rotting teeth, dirty clothing, drunk. through the years stevie has been in all sorts of trouble with the law. it appears they were all fairly minor UNTIL something VERY ugly happened while mr james was filming. it certainly isn't a mystery movie, but you should see it for yourself. along with stevie and his step grandmother, stevie's sister, brother in law, aunt, 'friend', fiancee and a few townfolk were in the movie. mr james was in the movie as well. from what i read, that wasn't his plan, it just happened.
i personally have never seen such an effed up life in MY whole life.

it's disturbing yet draws you in