On DVD: What Would Jesus Buy

Directed by Rob Van Alkemade

Featuring: Reverend Billy (Bill Talen)

The title of this film poses a good question…what would Jesus buy? Would you see him slugging out an old lady on the Friday after Thanksgiving for the last Cabbage Patch doll? Hart Sharp Video will release What Would Jesus Buy on DVD on May 27^th, 2008.

The Movie

Performance artist Bill Talen creates a new guise: Reverend Bill. Reverend Bill is bleach blonde and is the leader of the Church of Stop Shopping. The name of his church says everything about the message Reverend Billy is taking to the masses. Much like Ad Busters’ Buy Nothing Day, the message is simple: mass consumerism is the ruination of mankind and people worship the all mighty dollar bill more than anything else. Rather than to believe in a higher power or pursue more noble goals, today’s population worships at the idol of Wal Mart, Starbucks and Walt Disney.

The documentary follows Reverend Billy and company as they begin their 2005 cross country bus tour. The Reverend puts on a no-holds barred theater show in places like the Mall of America. He warns people about the “Shopocalypse” that the everyday America willingly takes part in every day that they blindly consume and buy.

Of course, it isn’t long at any of these performances before cops and security guards are dispatched to shut old Reverend Billy down. Reverend Billy’s message is delivered with a spoon full of sugar with catchy songs, clever catch phrases and hysterical lyrics that drive home the point that being debt ridden and brand obsessed is no way to live your life.

He makes some good points. Not only are Americans brand obsessed and debt ridden, but consumerism is ruining our surroundings as well. He makes the point that Times Square is no longer charming or unique but merely a “Stonehenge of Logos”. Think about it, Reverend Billy is right.

The director, Rob VanAlkemade, captures the energy of Reverend Billy and his traveling group as they blow into town after town, create a spectacle, spread the gospel of non-consumerism, and get shut down and dash to the next town.

The stripped down style of the documentary suits the subject matter perfectly. Not only does he capture the wild and wooly nature of what Bill Talen and his group do, but he shows life on the other side of the “show”. The struggle of making it from town to town in bio-diesel buses with heaters that only work occasionally is less than glamorous. He also shows Bill at home with his wife Savitri Durkee and how they come up with their ideas and they reveal how they pay for everything and get buy trying to get the word of Reverend Billy out to the masses.

Any documentary fan is going to dig this film. However, if you are one of those Americans that can’t get enough of Prada, Louis Vuitton, or Tommy Hilfiger and will sacrifice anything or anyone to own anything with those logos, never mind the exploitation of workers paid mere pennies to manufacture these items, this film is going to make you squirm uncomfortably in your seat in shame. You are probably going to try to avoid this film. Maybe a close friend or family member will do you a favor and give this to you for Christmas next year instead of those Chanel sunglasses you don’t need.

7.5/10

The DVD we were sent was pre-release and came in an envelope so we can't comment on the quality of the DVD at this point. If we get a retail version we'll let you know!

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The Review

The Film 7/10

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