Here is the place for any comments or questions about Marwencol.
There is a website displaying many of Mark Hogancamp's photos here, with a detailed storyline of the ongoing events in the village of Marwencol. The film won a great many awards and so there are also many reviews and articles to be found online.
I have to say that in my opinion Marwencol was like a car accident that I felt really uneasy watching but could not do anything to stop it or look away. There were times when I really sympathized for Mark but there were other times when he just made me feel really uneasy. After being beaten senseless and having to start life over essentially, I'm glad that Mark found a way to express his frustrations through this village and not a way that was destructive to himself or others around him. It's interesting to see how he takes the people he knows from the real world and incorporates them into Marwencol. That being said, his fascination/obsession whatever you want to call his relationship with Colleen made me feel very uncomfortable. It's clear that Mark means no harm but the way he depicts his relationship with Colleen in Marwencol, the way I perceived it is that he wishes there were more. The part in the documentary where he is walking by her house made me uncomfortable. Colleen acknowledges the relationship in Marwencol and at first she seems alright with it but after hearing that Colleen and Marks characters get married in Marwencol she seems uneasy by this. I did enjoy though when Mark's village was photographed and shown as an art show in New York City. If there is one place that is eccentric and appreciative of an art form like Marwencol then that is it. I was saddened though when Mark was talking about the East Village and his perception of it in which everyone is walking around in high heels (men included) and then they show him in the East Village surrounded by average men and women. This moment was counteracted with the moment at the end of the art show when Mark goes and puts his high heels on and for once in the film seems truly happy. Marwencol was a fascinating look into the life of a man trying to cope with a traumatic life event.
ReplyDeleteI found this film to be very interesting for a couple of different reasons. I live in Kingston and I grew up right outside of Kingston, so I recognized a lot of the places that were seen in this film, such as the restaurant where Mark works, the place where Mark shops for his supplies, and the place where Mark was beaten up. I also know somebody who was interviewed in this film, this person used to work with my mom, so because of these familiarities, I was instantly drawn to the film at first.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was watching it, I found it fascinating that Mark spends all of his time and effort building this town and the people that lived there. He called it his own type of therapy which I found interesting. I feel that by building this town and creating these people and personalities, Mark is able to live his life the way he wants to even though it's not "real". Maybe it allows him to feel some sort of control over his life or to have the things that he can't have in his actual life. Maybe the feelings that he gets from doing this are what allows him to function in the most normal way possible.
Although his lifestyle seems unconventional, it works for him and I think it's great that he was able to find something that makes him happy.
I found Marwencol very interesting. I loved Mark's idea of creating an alter ego and embodying it in an action figure. I thought the simple act of creating a miniature town was amazing as well; he created a town with a background history. I think Mark is very creative and handled his stress after the accident pretty well compared to how some might have handled it. And even though his alter ego and the town he lives in are not real, I think it's a nice escape for him. I did however find his interest in cross dressing odd and out of place in the movie. I feel like it just didn't fit into the main storyline of the film.
ReplyDeleteFrom an art history perspective I find it very interesting to see the process of the work this man is producing, however, he did not intend for this to be art. For him this is a coping mechanism, and in my mind brings up the ethical question of why does it seem that no one has tried to get him the further therapy that he obviously needs. The subject of cross dressing is brought up so seldom, even though it seems to be a large part of his personality, that it throws off the continuity of the story. He only briefly mentions that his cross dressing was the reason for the attack, and that is later in the film. It seems that if it is such a big part of his psyche it should be explored more by the filmmakers.
ReplyDeleteI find it strange that a few people felt uncomfortable after watching this film. I was not entirely prepared for the film, so knew very little about it other than the fact that it was shot in Kingston (where I grew up). As I was watching the film, my reactions changed as more of the story was revealed. In the beginning, after learning that Mark had gotten his brains beaten out, I immediately felt compassion for him.
ReplyDeleteI think that what hit me most was that this man, who obviously had mental issues (and understandbly so!) was turned away from therapy because he could not afford it. I was angered at the fact that Medicade was not enough for him, because after having his head bashed in, there was no possibility for him to have a "normal" job with a decent paycheck, so this is where government funded support would have been a good thing, rather than being something that lazy people take advantage of (sorry for the political opinion, but Medicade fraud is also a major issue in the Kingston area).
I found it inspiring that Mark kind of created his own therapy with his town and his figures. At first I viewed him as a sort of childish person who just wanted to build a fantasy world. As the story went on and he revealed more and more of the plot of Marwencol, it brought back the realization that this man was broken and disturbed and really did need help from a professional rather than just being left alone with his self-therapy. On one hand, this was something good, but on the other hand (as proven later on in New York), it really did seem to be harmful to his view of reality.
When Mark went to New York, it was almost as if it were due to peer pressure. He kept saying that he was nervous to have his town on display because he had built it just for himself and that he hadn't meant it to be shared with anybody. He had created it to overcome this problem within himself and that was all. I am grateful that he did share his work and allowed the documentary to be made because it was so interesting, but at the same time, the people who provided him with the means to display his work in New York were only interested in it because it was so well done. If he had made this town out of clay and the figures were made out of toothpicks, nobody would have cared, but maybe they would have realized just how damaged he actually was. I feel that because his "art" was so detailed and perfect, people seemed to think he had a better grip on reality than he actually did.
Finding out that Mark had been a cross-dresser and that that was the reason the five guys had beat him up was a surprise, but not that much of one. At one point in the interview, some time before going to New York, Mark was shown lying in the middling of his town in the sun (I assume he was tanning) and his toenails were painted a hot pink color. It seems as if the filmmakers used that shot to sort of plant the seed so that finding out that Mark did actually wear high heels, etc was not that great. Going along with this, I felt bad that he was not comfortable enough with his chosen sexuality to wear heels when he wanted to. I think that not being able to remember anything from his life before Marwencol made it hard for him because he just sort of fell into the socially accepted (or expected) male role and never even thought twice about it because nobody ever told him about what he had been like before.
All in all, I think the documentary was extremely powerful and I've actually told a bunch of people to see it. I think that it just brings all of your emotions into play whether you like it or not, and I think that is what makes it so good. The town itself was fantastic in every sense of the word, and I only wish that Mark had a little more help and support so that maybe he wouldn't HAVE to take out his bottled up anger on his dolls.
This movie displays the complexities of the human mind. It's amazing how this man created his own town with dolls and junk to cope with the attack. Although the movie is in a way ominous, its also very endearing and charming. His passion is so obvious. He explained how before the attack he was a closeted cross dresser, which is why he was attacked. At the end of his art show, he finally puts on his "big girl shoes" and, in a way, finally accepts who he is. Good for that man. Not many of us have the courage to do something like that. I give the movie 5 stars. I will definitely recommend this documentary to friends and family. As far as documentaries go, this is a must see!
ReplyDeleteIt is very rare when an individual is able to redefine themselves after literally forgetting who they were in the first place. I found this documentary to be riveting and the tale of his alter ego to be just as mesmerizing. I found it a little unsetteling that this man lived vicariously through his town and his alter ego yet i found it to be a necessity that kept him thriving and surviving in a relatively unfamiliar world. From an artistic perspective the attention to detail that was paid to Marks craft was gentle and unbiased. It was amazing to see how he had associated every charecter in his town to a person he knew. I was amazed that his dexterity and stability was beginning to return to his hand. Even after all the trauma he experienced.
ReplyDeleteI thought this film was very interesting. I felt that Mark Hogancamp's obsession was unusual but I didn't feel uncomfortable watching it or anything. In my opinion Mark was just going back to the mindset of a child after his accident. When I was a young kid I used to play with action figures and pretend I was one of them. The interesting thing about mark is that his mind hasn't fallen back to that of a child. He is just playing with dolls as a way to comfort him. Because he has the mind of an adult his imaginary world is far more realistic and mature. When I played with toys as a young kid I didn't use a tenth of the detail that mark uses when he's acting out his story. I think that is the part that makes people feel uncomfortable, Mark makes the people look so real that its strange.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting part of this film to me was that Mark can separate both of his worlds in some ways. When he is being interviewed it seems like he has a pretty strong grasp on reality. However when he talks about his imaginary world he talks as if these events actually happened. This confuses me because I just have no idea what goes on in his mind or if he even knows.
I loved Marwencol. I thought it paid homage to Mike for the dedication to taking back his mind and his life as well as his creativity and art (although mike would argue it is not work it is therapy)It is clear that before the attack Mike was a very creative person, seen by the drawings he had in his journal. It is amazing to see that even though Mike lost his memory his creative abilities were able to manifest in a new form.
ReplyDeleteI also thought the filmmaker did a great job of slowly diving into all the aspects of Mike and his world since to some people some of Mike's thoughts and actions would be controversial. I believe the film portrayed Mike the way he believed he was where he put a cover of being alright on for others as a form of protection but on the inside he still has a lot of healing and disabilities. When friends or the filmmaker gets to know Mike well this is apparent. His creativity seems to hid the fact that he has a hard time separating himself from the real world and his fantasy world. I think Mike's friend described it best at the end of the film where he states something like, "This is Mike's War"
I can't imagine being beaten senseless to the point that I literally have no recollection of any important thingin my life. The fact that Mike found a sort of therapy that even worked for him at all is incredibly amazing. I found the intricacy and the accuracy of the town to be the theme that kept striking me. I couldn't believe the amount of detail and care that went into making these people, places, and accessories in Marwencol. I think it really speaks to Mike's abilities to still thrive in a way. His hands may be shaky, and he may be a little socially uneasy, but he has such a stroke of genius in his work that I have never seen before. Not to mention, this is not work for him. It is a great passion of his that helps him cope with everyday life. I thought the filmmaker did a great job of portraying Mike without making his fascination with Marwencol seem like a gross and sick obsession. I suppose I can see why the film would make people uneasy, but I don't think there was ever a point where I was really put off by what Mike was saying or doing, because the circumstances that brought him to this path were never forgotten.
ReplyDeleteMarwencol provides a very interesting insight into the life of an Ulster County local. The documentary walks you through the details of this man's life but does so with a conscious progression of exposition. My response to the film was very positive. I was happy to see that shoes brought the subject (Mike) an opportunity to relieve stress. Whereas his previous outlet was at the bottom of a bottle, shoes present no inward harm to the individual. The reaction that others may have to this however, may not be as well-received. His use of dolls speaks to the idea that every individual must socialize, even it is within or between themselves. Being with yourself for an extended period of time may bring forth insanity but Mike seems to have a grip. Despite the damage that the initial fight may have had on his character, body, or outlook, I see a lot of progression towards health for someone that had none before.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures alone from marwencol were enough to make me like this film. The attention to detail alone in hogancamp's photography and on the dolls themselves was so interesting to see. But even beyond this whole story world that mark had created we were able to learn about the man behind these pictures. Connecting mark's story and comparing it to his story in his world for his dolls was something I found myself doing trying to ask myself what reasons were behind some of his character choices.
ReplyDeleteOne aspect of the movie that disturbed me a little is when he involves real life people in his doll-world, but thinks of their doll as a separate person than the actual person they are based off of. Like for example when mark's doll marries the doll of the girl he’s had a crush on, he tells the real life person that her doll is getting married to him and it was weird to se her react to that news.
The end of the movie was a little gratifying to see people from all over be able to see marks work and admire this man’s new life passion that he really has hidden from the world
^^^^^ above post by mike crocker
DeleteIt's pretty easy to see why Marwencol would win so many awards. The film itself I believe was interesting, and creative in many aspects. Mark Hogenkamp experience some life-changing events. It's terrible to know how he was beaten senseless and unable to remember important details of his life before the crime. On the micro level, I think it's important to explore topics like this because it's a type of situation that brings light to issues at home. As for the movie itself, I did not find it at all disturbing, I think the director did a good thing of instilling some pity for Mark in the beginning. I thought that the amount of attention that Mark paid to his dolls was unbelievable. The dolls and the detail is Mark's form of therapy, since he cannot afford proper attention. I feel a little bad for Mark near the end of the film, when he is in his gallery in downtown NYC. His expectations for the City were not met at all and you can see the disappointment in his eyes. It's good to know that his art is being put out there, I don't see it as exploitative necessarily. With this money, if he sells any of his artwork, maybe he can pay for a better form of care... I don't remember if this was discussed in class or not. This was by far one of my favorite documentaries, because of the location, Mark himself, the pictures, the general idea and the soundtrack were all lovely and well produced.
ReplyDeleteMarwencol was an interesting experience. It was like a work of fiction within a documentary. I couldn't help but feel bad for Mark. He was dealt a pretty crappy hand. Yes he's lucky to be a live but he now lacks the ability to interact normally with other people and as a result his only real company are his dolls. He seems to live through the imaginary adventures he creates for his dolls. The alternate reality he has created for himself, seems to be what keeps him going. He has a sever lacking of interactions with real people so this is what he has to work with.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very interesting film to watch because you got to see how a man dealt with his own trauma. There is no possible way for me to relate to a man who has been beaten to the point where he doesn't have any memory of his past. It was interesting to watch how Mark was able to deal with his trauma by using art. Watching him create the completely different world after his accident was fascinating because it is not something you see happen after a tragedy. He created a world where he was able to create an alter ego. For me it was interesting to see him create a WWII era town because I wouldn’t expect someone to create their own world in that time period. It was also interesting to see how he used people that he knew in real life in his imaginary town. I didn’t think it was creepy, but I did think it was quite strange when he created a relationship with one of the characters that was based off a woman he had a crush on. The film grabbed your attention even more when they explained that Mark was a cross dresser. That was something that I did not expect to happen because he did not dress like a woman all the time. It was sad to learn that this was the reason he was beaten up and how he lost almost all of his memory. I truly enjoyed watching this film because you see how art was able to help this man and how he was able to cope with what had happened to him. I liked the pictures that he took and I was happy to see him interact with people at the art gallery even though it was out of his comfort zone.
ReplyDeleteI thought Marwencol was one of the most interesting movies we watched this semester. I wouldn't say it was my favorite, but behind tarnation, i think its strength is beautifully shown throughout the film. The way that Mark deals with his own mental issues and uses his figurine town as a therapy is really astonishing. You really get a sense of intimacy when he is doing and talking about his town; Marwencol is literally Mark's whole life. I'm sure if for some reason someone took that away from him, he would crumble. But the most insanely mindblowing section of this film came toward the end when he started making his regular dolls have their own dolls, and have them take pictures and walk around with their own truck on a stick..it puts me at a loss for words. This film was great, from the aesthetics down to the heart-wrenching story of this man that found beauty out of such a heinous assault.
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