Gorman Bechard
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Gorman Bechard (born March 15, 1959) is an American
film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, pr ...
,
screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...
and
novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others aspire ...
best known for his independent feature films '' Psychos in Love,'' '' Friends (with benefits),'' and '' You Are Alone''; his four rock documentaries '' Color Me Obsessed: A Film About the Replacements,'' '' What Did You Expect? The Archers of Loaf Live at Cat's Cradle,'' '' Every Everything: The Music, Life & Times of Grant Hart'', and '' Who is Lydia Loveless?''; his animal welfare documentary '' A Dog Named Gucci''; and his debut novel ''The Second Greatest Story Ever Told''.


Early life

Bechard was born in
Waterbury, Connecticut Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut on the Naugatuck River, southwest of Hartford and northeast of New York City. Waterbury is the second-largest city in New Haven County, Connecticut. According to the 2020 US Census, in 20 ...
, to Gorman "Gary" E. Bechard Jr., a bar and restaurant entrepreneur, and Lucille Claire Bechard. Lucille died when Bechard was 10 years old, so he and his sister Deborah were raised by his grandparents, William and Claire Roberts. He also has two half-brothers, Thomas and Sean. Bechard graduated from Holy Cross High School in Waterbury. While in high school, Bechard became interested in writing after reading
Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. In a career spanning over 50 years, he published fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and ...
’s '' Breakfast of Champions'' and
Richard Brautigan Richard Gary Brautigan (January 30, 1935 – c. September 16, 1984) was an American novelist, poet, and short story writer. A prolific writer, he wrote throughout his life and published ten novels, two collections of short stories, and four bo ...
’s ''
In Watermelon Sugar ''In Watermelon Sugar'' is an American postmodern post-apocalyptic novel by Richard Brautigan written in 1964 and published in 1968. Set in the aftermath of a fallen civilization, it focuses on a commune organized around a central gathering ho ...
.'' He attended Western Connecticut State University, where he studied journalism.


Career

Bechard worked as the music critic for the '' Waterbury Republican & American'' newspaper and started a local music fanzine called ''Imagine.'' In 1981, Bechard took a course on director
Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
at the
New School for Social Research The New School for Social Research (NSSR) is a graduate-level educational institution that is one of the divisions of The New School in New York City, United States. The university was founded in 1919 as a home for progressive era thinkers. NSS ...
in New York City, and shortly thereafter found himself studying
16mm film 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, ed ...
production and taking uncredited courses part time there.


Early Films


''Disconnected''

1983, Bechard shot his first feature film, '' Disconnected'', while still studying film in New York City. Made on a budget of $40,000 and filmed in his native Waterbury, it was a creepy take on the horror movement of the time. A restored version of this film was released on BluRay by Vinegar Syndrome on November 24, 2017. His long-lost first documentary, ''Twenty Questions'', was included as an extra on the BluRay release.


''Psychos in Love''

Bechard's next film, 1986's ''Psychos in Love'', was a horror comedy that has been called "the first ''Scream.''" Conceived as a slasher film in the style of
Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...
,
Monty Python Monty Python (also collectively known as the Pythons) were a British comedy troupe who created the sketch comedy television show ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over fou ...
and the
Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute (AFI) ...
, Bechard's film went on to play a midnight run at the famed Bleecker Street Cinema in
Greenwich Village Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...
before being released on video by
Empire Pictures Empire International Pictures (aka Empire Entertainment) was an American small-scale theatrical distribution company. Charles Band formed Empire in 1983, prompted by his dissatisfaction with distributors' handling of films made by his previous b ...
. In HorrorNews.Net, Todd Martin wrote, "It's violent and gory while being sweet and funny at the same time and after everything was said and done I ended up digging it a lot more than I ever thought that I would." A restored version of ''Psychos in Love'' was released on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome on September 26, 2017. In
Letterboxd Letterboxd is an online social networking service co-founded by Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow in 2011. It was launched as a social app focused on sharing opinions about, and love of film, and is maintained by a small team in Auckland, Ne ...
, Mondo Cinema wrote, "This is the best time I've ever had watching a slasher flick." Bechard entered into a four-picture deal with Empire Pictures that was fraught with conflict. Empire went out of business, and Bechard, having had enough, shifted his career to writing novels and scripts.


Novels


''The Second Greatest Story Ever Told''

Bechard's first novel, ''The Second Greatest Story Ever Told'', was published by Citadel Underground in 1991 and was called "a very, very funny book" by the ''Los Angeles Times.'' It tells the tale of God sending his quirky teenaged daughter to save the world. The book has been optioned by Hollywood numerous times, and has had many leading actress attached to play the role including
Winona Ryder Winona Laura Horowitz (born October 29, 1971), professionally known as Winona Ryder, is an American actress. Originally playing quirky roles, she rose to prominence for her more diverse performances in various genres in the 1990s. She has recei ...
, who in the Hot issue of ''Rolling Stone'' magazine proclaimed her next role was playing the female Jesus, to most recently Rooney Mara, who can be seen on the cover of the paperback release of the novel.


''The Hazmat Diary''

In 1993, long before the widespread availability of broadband internet, he produced a multi-media web novel called
The Hazmat Diary
'' which featured images, video clips, and music programmed in Flash. The site was eventually taken down in 2007, and the story was published in paperback form in 2010.


''Balls''

His next novel ''Balls'' was published by
Penguin Books Penguin Books is a British publishing, publishing house. It was co-founded in 1935 by Allen Lane with his brothers Richard and John, as a line of the publishers The Bodley Head, only becoming a separate company the following year.20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...
but never made into a film.


''Good Neighbors''

Next came ''Good Neighbors'', published by
Carroll & Graf Carroll & Graf Publishers was an American publishing company based in New York City, New York, known for publishing a wide range of fiction and non-fiction by both new and established authors, as well as issuing reprints of previously hard-to ...
in 1998, of which
Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...
said, "In his first mystery, novelist Bechard deftly captures the story's working-class neighborhood setting," adding "Bechard's ear for dark comedy and eye for social nuance are this book's strong suits."


''Ninth Square''

Of ''Ninth Square'' (Forge, 2003)
Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...
said, "the suspense level remains high to the end, as Shute, suspended from the force, attracted to a female cop but entangled with one of the likable and believable hookers he encounters in the escort industry, strives to find all the answers."


''Unwound''

''Unwound'', written under the pseudonym Jonathan Baine, and published by Onyx in 2007.


Recent Narrative Films


''The Kiss''

In 2002, Bechard returned to filmmaking with '' The Kiss'', starring
Terence Stamp Terence Henry Stamp (born 22 July 1938) is an English actor. Stamp is known for his sophisticated villain roles. He was named by ''Empire Magazine'' as one of the 100 Sexiest Film Stars of All Time in 1995. He has received various accolades inc ...
and
Eliza Dushku Eliza Patricia Dushku (; born December 30, 1980) is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Faith in the supernatural drama series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1998–2003) and its spin-off series ''Angel'' (2000–2003). She als ...
. But once again the process made him question whether directing was a career path he wanted to travel.


''You Are Alone''

In 2005, Bechard decided to take one last stab at filmmaking. He would do a micro-budget film where all the control was in his hands. The film, '' You Are Alone'', a dark drama exploring how far some people will go to feel less alone, went on to play numerous film festivals and win many "best-of" awards before being released on DVD. In
Letterboxd Letterboxd is an online social networking service co-founded by Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow in 2011. It was launched as a social app focused on sharing opinions about, and love of film, and is maintained by a small team in Auckland, Ne ...
, Keith Dwyer wrote, "''You Are Alone'' has one of the best scripts that I've ever come across. It's dialogue is so visceral and really grabbed at my insides. It's a conversation that spans an hour and a half, and is an analytical look at how we deal with the parts of ourselves that we are disgusted by or fear to confront. There are flashback sequences that are interspersed within the main conversation sequences to provide context for the characters and they play out just like that of memory with how simply yet effectively they're edited. It's hard to say whether it will pack the same punch for everyone as it did for me, but it's floored me."


''Friends (with benefits)''

Bechard's next independent feature was 2009's '' Friends (With Benefits)''. The film likewise played many film festivals and is being distributed by Cinetic Media. In
Letterboxd Letterboxd is an online social networking service co-founded by Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow in 2011. It was launched as a social app focused on sharing opinions about, and love of film, and is maintained by a small team in Auckland, Ne ...
, Monsieur Flynn wrote, "It's got the heart, the non PG-13 realism in nudity, the soundtrack to give additional value, the real human feel of flawed relationships, friendships and fear of the next step, and it brings funny to the table without the awkward Hollywood-takes. It's just an enjoyable trip into a terrain that never really surprise you, but yet is so heartfelt and true it's easy to get lost in."


''Broken Side of Time''

His last narrative film, 2013's Broken Side of Time, premiered at VisionFest in New York City in June 2013, and won the Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature at CineKink 2014. It was released on DVD and streaming media in May 2014. In Blurt, Danny Phillips wrote, "Watching Dolce's slip into the abyss is somewhat like watching a car stranded on the tracks as a train barrels towards it. You really want to help, to scream 'Get out of the way!' but deep inside we want to see what happens next. ''Broken Side of Time'' is a look at a journey and a destination, a glimpse at what happens when you give all yourself to something and are used, tossed aside in return. Dolce is a train wreck personified and I could not stop watching."


Documentaries


''Color Me Obsessed, a film about The Replacements''

'' Color Me Obsessed'', Bechard's first documentary is about legendary 80s indie rock band the Replacements. Called "the rock version of ''
Rashomon is a 1950 Jidaigeki psychological thriller/ crime film directed and written by Akira Kurosawa, working in close collaboration with cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyō, Masayuki Mori, and Takashi Shimura as v ...
''" by the ''Village Voice'', and one of "the seven best new music documentaries of the year" by ''Rolling Stone'', the film has been playing the film festival and arthouse circuit since its premiere in March 2011. It was released on DVD in November 2012. Though the film "hasn't a single second of their music, zero interviews with surviving band members and only briefly shows a few photos of the band at its ending, ''Color Me Obsessed: A Film About the Replacements'' manages to be one of the best documentaries on any subject I've seen this year."


''What Did You Expect? the Archers of Loaf love at Cat's Cradle''

Bechard's film '' What Did You Expect?'' is a concert documentary capturing Archers of Loaf on their recent reunion tour. The film had its world premiere at the NXNE Festival in Toronto in June 2012, and was released on DVD in November 2012. In 2015, the band released the double album ''Curse of the Loaf'', which is the Brian Paulson-produced concert audio from Bechard's documentary. The deluxe package also featured a copy of the film.


''Every Everything: the music, life & times of Grant Hart''

'' Every Everything: The Music, Life & Times of Grant Hart'' is a documentary on Grant Hart of the legendary 80s indie rock band
Hüsker Dü Hüsker Dü () was an American punk rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, bassist/vocalist Greg Norton, and drummer/vocalist Grant Hart. They first gained notabili ...
, premiered in London at the Raindance Film Festival and in New York City at the CBGB Festival in October 2013, and was the opening-night film of the Sound Unseen Film & Music Festival in Minneapolis/St. Paul in November. In Tiny Mix Tapes, Paul Bower wrote, "Grant Hart is weird because he kind of gets how important he was for rock & roll and at the same time he doesn't understand what all the fuss is about. While it's a cliche to even bring it up, he has a definite Minnesota Nice quality in regard to discussing what he's done with his artistic career and how much what he's done might have influenced the world of modern Western music. Parts of ''Every Everything'' are frustrating, but they're frustrating because the film's subject himself is quintessentially frustrating. Bechard has done that rare thing in documentary filmmaking. He's fully allowed his subject to dictate the tone of the film. As an audience, we’re better off because of it." While in PopShifter, Chelsea Spear said, "Throughout ''Every Everything'', Bechard paints a very human portrait of Grant Hart, who comes off as self-aware and clear-eyed after a series of setbacks and bad decisions. Ultimately, the film could illustrate another truism: 'living well is the best revenge.'" In
Letterboxd Letterboxd is an online social networking service co-founded by Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow in 2011. It was launched as a social app focused on sharing opinions about, and love of film, and is maintained by a small team in Auckland, Ne ...
, Larry Yoshida writes, "This is the film I want to force all those mall punks and "I'm so Alternative" hipsters to watch."


''A Dog Named Gucci''

In 2015 Bechard directed and co-produced with his wife Kristine Bechard the feature '' A Dog Named Gucci'', a documentary about animal abuse and the laws regarding such abuse in the United States, The story of Gucci is set in Mobile, Alabama, where "some local thugs got angry at a 15-year-old runaway girl because she wouldn't do sexual favors for them. So they set her 10-week-old dog on fire. A professor down the street, Doug James, saw the flames and saved the dog, Gucci, by dousing them. Then he took in the dog, nursing him back to health with the help of a veterinarian. The thugs were caught, but the ringleader got a prison sentence of just six months. James was so incensed that he fought to get a state law passed to make such an offense a felony. Six years later, he succeeded." The film had its world premiere at the
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is an annual non-fiction film festival held in Missoula, Montana each February. The event showcases documentary films from around the world. The festival first began in 2003 as a seven-day event. It is now a ten- ...
in February 2015. The film was released on DVD from MVD Entertainment in April 2016. The end-credits song from the film, "One Voice," features the talents of
Norah Jones Norah Jones (born Geethali Norah Jones Shankar; March 30, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. She has won several awards for her music and as of 2012, has sold more than 50 million records worldwide. ''Billboard'' named her the ...
,
Aimee Mann Aimee Elizabeth Mann (born September 8, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter. Over the course of four decades, she has released more than a dozen albums as a solo artist and with other musicians. She is noted for her sardonic and literate lyr ...
,
Susanna Hoffs Susanna Lee Hoffs (born January 17, 1959) is an American singer and guitarist, best known as a co-founder of the pop-rock band The Bangles. Hoffs founded The Bangles (originally called the Bangs) in 1981 with Debbi and Vicki Peterson. They r ...
,
Lydia Loveless Lydia Loveless (born September 4, 1990; as Lydia Ankrom) is an American alternative country singer-songwriter from Columbus, Ohio. Her music combines pop music, classic country, honky tonk, and punk rock. Early life Loveless was born in Cosho ...
,
Neko Case Neko Richelle Case (; born September 8, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and member of the Canadian indie rock group the New Pornographers. Case has a powerful, untrained contralto voice, which has been described by contemporaries and cr ...
, Kathryn Calder, and
Brian May Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and astrophysicist, who achieved worldwide fame as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen. May was a co-founder of Queen with lead singer Freddie Mercury and ...
. The single was released on
Record Store Day Record Store Day is an annual event inaugurated in 2007 and held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". The day brings together fa ...
, April 16, 2016, with the proceeds going to benefit animal charities.


''Who is Lydia Loveless?''

Bechard has also just completed a documentary on singer-songwriter
Lydia Loveless Lydia Loveless (born September 4, 1990; as Lydia Ankrom) is an American alternative country singer-songwriter from Columbus, Ohio. Her music combines pop music, classic country, honky tonk, and punk rock. Early life Loveless was born in Cosho ...
called '' Who is Lydia Loveless?'', in which he documents the making of Loveless's album '' Real'' (2016), as well as following her on the road and looking into what life is life for a band at her level in the music industry. "I also wanted to look at stuff we normally don't see a lot of. What are the finances for a band like this? Where does the money go? Who gets the money? Is
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active use ...
good? Is Spotify bad? How does piracy affect you? What about the fans? I really wanted to go into all of that for a band that can sell out 200- or 250-seat venues and bars but is still traveling in an old Ford van. A good night is when they have a couple of hotel rooms. No one is rolling in the dough, so to speak. So what is it at that point when you have amazing critical success and acclaim but you're not there yet?" In October 2015, Bechard and his crew filmed a live Lydia Loveless concert at Skully's in her hometown of Columbus for the documentary. The film had its world premiere at the
Columbus International Film & Video Festival The Columbus International Film + Animation Festival is a Columbus, Ohio, United States annual film festival which is designed to encourage and promote the use of film and video in all forms of education and communication. It is the first and ol ...
on April 7, 2016. The documentary was released on DVD and streaming media on November 24, 2017. Modern Vinyl said of the film, "Shot with Loveless and her band while on tour and recording her album ''Real'', the film takes a hard look at what it's like to be a musician in these modern times. It notably addresses the financial aspects of playing rock ‘n’ roll in an age of Spotify and YouTube, and what that means for someone's bottom line. ''Who Is Lydia Loveless?'' is the sort of documentary that gets inside the whys and wherefores of music, while also adding in some rather excellent performance footage, shot both on tour and at a ripping show at Skully's in Columbus, Ohio. It's heartfelt and honest, told in the words of those involved in bringing Loveless’ brutally honest music to life. While label folks and producers speak, there are no discussions with fans or family — this is a film about the music."


''What it Takes: film en douze tableaux''

Bechard also revealed during an iCRVradio interview on May 2, 2017 with Robin Andreoli that he had begun work on a rock documentary about North Carolina alt-country band Sarah Shook and the Disarmers called ''What It Takes: film en douze tableaux''. The film, edited in the style of the
Jean-Luc Godard Jean-Luc Godard ( , ; ; 3 December 193013 September 2022) was a French-Swiss film director, screenwriter, and film critic. He rose to prominence as a pioneer of the French New Wave film movement of the 1960s, alongside such filmmakers as Fran ...
film from which it takes half its name, had its world premiere at
Independent Film Festival Boston The Independent Film Festival Boston is a not for profit film festival in Boston, Massachusetts. History The Independent Film Festival Boston (also known as IFFBoston or IFFB) was created in 2003 by the non-profit organization the Independent ...
in April 2018. The film also played the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...
in August of that same year, and was released on DVD on November 9, 2018. As the music blog If It's Too Loud says, "What makes Gorman Bechard's documentaries truly work for my is that he takes these high falutin' film concepts and uses them for film documentaries. Film documentaries are typically put out by a record company as a way to cash in on an artist and are little more than fluff pieces, or they focus on drama within a band. ''What it Takes: film en douze tableaux'' doesn't do any of that. While Bechard is an obvious fan of his subject, he shows them as is, and doesn't try to show them glossed over or hyped up."


''Twenty Questions''

It was also announced that a long-thought-lost first documentary from Bechard called ''Twenty Questions'' would have its world premiere at the New Haven Documentary Film Festival in June 2017. In the 60-minute film originally shot in 1987 and never screened publicly, twenty people, from all walks of life, are each locked alone in a room for the length of one 400-foot roll of 16mm film (11 minutes). They are each given the same set of twenty questions, which they can answer at random...if they're not completely distracted by their surroundings. The film is a featured extra on the Blu-ray release of his first feature Disconnected.


''Pizza, A Love Story''

Directed by Bechard, and co-produced with long-time musical collaborator Dean Falcone and New Haven historian Colin M. Caplan, the love story to New Haven's holy trinity of pizza restaurants, Pepe's, Sally's, and
Modern Modern may refer to: History *Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Philosophy ...
, had its world premiere at IFFBoston in April 2019. It screened at a number of films festivals including the
Greenwich International Film Festival The Greenwich International Film Festival (or GIFF) is a non-profit organization that celebrates the visual arts in Greenwich, CT, with an annual film festival in June and supporting events throughout the year. The Festival, located in downtown Gr ...
, NHdocs: the New Haven Documentary Film Festival,
Sidewalk Film Festival The Sidewalk Film Festival is an annual film festival taking place during the last weekend in August in the Theatre District of Birmingham, Alabama, since 1999. The festival typically screens at seven venues located within downtown Birmingham, fea ...
, the
Woods Hole Film Festival The Woods Hole Film Festival was founded in 1991 by Judith Laster and Kate Davis. Since its foundation, the festival has grown from a one-day invitational event to an eight-day event with films submitted from around the world. The Festival is hel ...
, and the
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival is a documentary film festivals held annually in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The festival began in 1991, with a screening of ten Academy Award-nominated documentaries. Overview The festival screens 100 docum ...
in 2019. The film was released on DVD and pay-per-view on September 29, 2020. In reviewing the film, Deborah Brown of The Swellesley Report called it “An important film of staggering genius that needed to be made.” While in Letterboxd, Michael Viers writes, "What could have very easily been a bunch of people gate-keeping pizza turned into a very weird, funny documentary full of pizza nerds."


''Seniors A Dogumentary''

In May 2017, Bechard also launched a Kickstarter for a new animal documentary, this one called ''Seniors A Dogumentary'', that celebrates the brains, energy & sass of some of the coolest senior dogs on this planet and the people who love them. The film premiered on March 5, 2020, at the Belcourt Theatre in Nashville. The film "is a documentary by Gorman Bechard with three interwoven stories that include Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary, which cares for about 90 senior dogs on-site with about 300 more placed in foster homes" and also highlights the late
Chaser (dog) Chaser (April 28, 2004 – July 23, 2019) was a Border Collie with the largest tested memory of any non-human animal. Chaser worked with Professor John W. Pilley, at his home in Spartanburg, South Carolina, from eight weeks old, until Pilley's d ...
the Border Collie, referred to as the smartest dog in the world, and Jane Sobel Klonsky, whose work has included capturing the bond between elderly dogs and their owners." Released on DVD and pay-per-view on September 29, 2020, the film received rave reviews. Robin in Reeling Reviews writes, "Documentary writer-director-participant Gorman Bechard does just what I expected when I started watching “Seniors.” He takes a subject matter that, on the surface, might turn off potential viewers. A documentary about old dogs and their last days should be a bummer, but not here. Here we have a true life story about love, dignity and the quality of life for our old canine friends." While Pam Powell in The Daily Journal says, "Watching this film will change how you see dogs, and perhaps even your own buddy, thanks to Bechard’s keen perspective bringing this film to life." and adds, "Yes, you’ll need a tissue or two, but be prepared for many more involuntary smiles that go from ear to ear."


''The Matchbox Man''

Directed by Bechard, and his first short film in decades, it tells the story of Charlie Mack, who has one of the world's premiere collection of
Matchbox (brand) Matchbox is a popular toy brand which was introduced by Lesney Products in 1953, and is now owned by Mattel, Inc, which purchased the brand in 1997. The brand was given its name because the original die-cast "Matchbox" toys were sold in boxes ...
cars, over 42,000, on display, in his home. The film was released on DVD and streaming on January 18, 2022.


''Where are you, Jay Bennett?''

Co-Directed by Bechard and Fred Uhter, this music documentary "delves into the life and career of Jay Bennett. The extremely talented musican was a crucial member of
Wilco Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently d ...
during the band’s formative years. Unceremoniously dumped from Wilco by Jeff Tweedy, the studio wizard and guitarist would go on to a solo career before succumbing to an accidental Fentanyl overdose at the age of 45." The film had its world premiere in Chicago in November 2021, then was released on Blu-ray and pay-per-view on April 19, 2022, and as part of a
Record Store Day Record Store Day is an annual event inaugurated in 2007 and held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". The day brings together fa ...
released with vinyl editions of Bennett's last two albums, "Whatever Happened I Apologize" and "Kicking at the Perfumed Air" on April 23, 2022, "the new film does a wonderful job of capturing the quirkiness, inventiveness and brilliance of someone who never met an instrument he couldn’t play. Bennett once described hearing the open spaces of the songs and holes that became his sonic landscape. They were at the core of the remarkable string of Wilco’s albums
Being There ''Being There'' is a 1979 American satire film directed by Hal Ashby. Based on the 1970 novel of the same name by Jerzy Kosiński, it was adapted for the screen by Kosiński and the uncredited Robert C. Jones. The film stars Peter Sellers an ...
,
Summerteeth ''Summerteeth'' (stylized as summerteeth) is the third studio album by the American alternative rock band Wilco (stylized as ''wilco''), released on March 9, 1999, by Reprise Records. The album was heavily influenced lyrically by 20th century li ...
and
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot ''Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'' is the fourth studio album by American rock band Wilco, first released on September 18, 2001. Recording sessions for the album began in late 2000. These sessions, which were documented for the film '' I Am Trying to Break ...
." The film was originally started by Uhter, who asked Bechard to take over the project when it stalled. It takes a hard look at Bennett's years in Wilco, and his treatment in the film
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart ''I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco'' is a 2002 black-and-white documentary film by director/photographer Sam Jones, following the American alt-country rock band Wilco through the creation and distribution of their fourth studio ...
, which many consider to be unfair. "Jay Bennett’s reputation never quite recovered from the battering it took in Sam Jones’ documentary ''I Am Trying To Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco'', about the complex, lengthy gestation of 2002's ''Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'' in often painful detail, portrayed a band slowly pulling itself apart, with chief songwriters Bennett and Jeff Tweedy its twin opposing forces. The implication being that Bennett was a headstrong, intractable figure responsible for most of the discord. He was sacked as soon as the album was done. Filmmakers Gorman Bechard and Fred Uhter seek to redress the balance on ''Where Are You, Jay Bennett?"'' ''The film painted a balanced picture of the relationship between Bennett and Tweedy. "They just happened to be two egos at that point, fueled by a lot of demons. And it just wasn't working anymore," Bechard explained. "They're both incredibly talented. They both had egos. They both, I think, saw maybe different paths for the band. And ultimately it was Jeff's band, so he's going to win that, and rightfully so. There were other issues, whether it be alcohol or drugs. You know, it was a little bit of everything. Personally, I wish they had stayed together because I think they could have literally become the next Lennon and McCartney or the next Jagger/Richards."''


''Old Friends, A Dogumentary''

In May 2021, an Indiegogo campaign was launched for ''Old Friends,A Dogumentary'', a follow up to his work in his documentary ''Seniors A Dogumentary''. The film had its world premiere at the history Franklin Theatre in Franklin, Tennessee on April 27, 2022. The film tells the 10-year history of the Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary, from its humble beginnings as a back-yard rescue to becoming the preeminent senior dog care facility on the planet. The documentary, co produced with Sophia Rokas, marks the first time Bechard has turned over the film editing reigns to someone else, longtime protege Sydni Frisch. The film is schedule for release on DVD and streaming in December 2022.


Documentaries in production

In July 2015, a Seed&Spark campaign was launched for a new documentary, ''Normal Valid Lives'', a film about the Anoka-Hennepin school district bullying case which made national headlines. In the summer of 2019, Bechard and producer, Bill Kraus, launched a Kickstarter campaign for ''FACTORY'', a new feature-length documentary about the many varied and crazy lives of the New Haven Clock Company factory.  Portions of the documentary were previewed in an exhibit at the
New Haven Museum and Historical Society The New Haven Museum and Historical Society (originally known as the New Haven Colony Historical Society) was founded in 1862 in New Haven, Connecticut for the purposes of preserving and presenting the region’s history. The museum has a collectio ...
in February 2020. In May 2022, Bechard launched a Kickstarter campaign for a documentary on the infamous Powder Ridge Rock Festival, titled ''Powder Ridge: sex, drugs, no rock & roll''.


Music Videos

In July 2016, two Bechard-directed music videos had their premiere in ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' magazine. The first was "Heal Me" from the album ''Sidelong'' by North Carolina musicians Sarah Shook and the Disarmers. A few days later, "Longer," from the fourth
Lydia Loveless Lydia Loveless (born September 4, 1990; as Lydia Ankrom) is an American alternative country singer-songwriter from Columbus, Ohio. Her music combines pop music, classic country, honky tonk, and punk rock. Early life Loveless was born in Cosho ...
album, ''Real'', was released. It is also the first official Loveless music video. And on August 19, the second Bechard-directed music video from ''Real'' was released for the song "Clumps." Noisey, the music division of ''
Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character t ...
'' magazine, called it "simple and gorgeous." In May 2017, another two Bechard-directed music videos were released back-to-back. The first, which was premiered by Diffuser.fm, was for "(I Just Died) Like an Aviator" for Matthew Ryan, which featured a group of teenaged girls lip-syncing and rocking out to the song. The video starred Chloe Barczak as the singer, Carina Begley as the guitar player, Chloe Lang as the bass player, and Erica Gonsiewski as the drummer. Realizing that having real teenagers behind the scenes as well as in front of the camera could only help the authenticity, Bechard brought on interns 17-year-old Charlotte Beatty and 15-year-old Isabella Germano to co-produce the video. American Songwriter Magazine wrote: "a coltish, all-girl band plays the parts of Ryan and co., rocking out in the confines of a dingy basement, and the result is oddly effective. The song takes on an added poignancy as a charismatic teenaged singer mouths lines like "I'm pouring a drink/ And smoking a smoke/ Our guts are born in that fiery trench/ Between hurt and hope" in the raspy, cigarette drawl of a middle-aged man." The other music video for "Nothin' Feels Right But Doin' Wrong" by Sarah Shook and the Disarmers was premiered by Fader, for the Bloodshot Records re-release of the band's debut album, "Sidelong.". 2018 brought two new Bechard-directed music videos to the world: "The Bottle Never Lets Me Down" from Sarah Shook and the Disarmers was premiered by
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
, for the Bloodshot Records release of the band's second album, "Years,", and
American Songwriter ''American Songwriter'' is a bimonthly magazine covering songwriting. Established in 1984, it features interviews, songwriting tips, news, reviews and lyric contest. The magazine is based in Nashville, Tennessee. History The ''American Songwri ...
premiered the video for the acoustic version of "I Just Died Like An Aviator" from
Matthew Ryan (musician) Matthew Ryan (born November 7, 1971) is an American musician, singer and songwriter, born in Chester, Pennsylvania and inspired by such artists as U2, The Replacements, and Leonard Cohen. He logged several years in a series of bands before s ...
.


NHdocs: the New Haven Documentary Film Festival

In 2014, Bechard co-founded NHdocs: the New Haven Documentary Film Festival (NHdocs), which he co-directs with Yale Film and Media Studies professor Charles Musser. The festival expanded from one day screening four films in 2014 to three days and over 20 films in 2015. In 2016, the festival expanded to 11 days, showing over 40 films, including Bechard's '' Who is Lydia Loveless?'' followed by a solo acoustic performance from
Lydia Loveless Lydia Loveless (born September 4, 1990; as Lydia Ankrom) is an American alternative country singer-songwriter from Columbus, Ohio. Her music combines pop music, classic country, honky tonk, and punk rock. Early life Loveless was born in Cosho ...
. The 2017 version of the festival featured over 80 films and a tribute to the legendary D.A. Pennebaker. In 2018 the festival featured tributes to Amy Berg (documentary filmmaker),
Su Friedrich Su Friedrich (born December 12, 1954) is an American avant-garde film director, producer, writer, and cinematographer. Early life Su Friedrich was born in 1954 in New Haven, Connecticut. Her mother was German and came to the US with Friedric ...
, and HBO's Sheila Nevins. While in 2019, the sixth edition featured over 100 films, including the completed ''Pizza, A Love Story'', and a weekend long tribute to documentarian
Michael Moore Michael Francis Moore (born April 23, 1954) is an American filmmaker, author and left-wing activist. His works frequently address the topics of globalization and capitalism. Moore won the 2002 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for ' ...
, with Moore in attendance being interviewed about his work by friends Peter Davis, DA Pennebaker, and
Chris Hegedus Chris Hegedus (born April 23, 1952) is an American documentary filmmaker. She and her husband, filmmaker D. A. Pennebaker, founded the company Pennebaker Hegedus Films. Hegedus was nominated for an Academy Award for ''The War Room'', a behind-t ...
. The festival screened seven of his most famous films including ''
Roger & Me ''Roger & Me'' is a 1989 American documentary film written, produced, directed by, and starring Michael Moore, in his directorial debut. Moore portrays the regional economic impact of General Motors CEO Roger Smith's action of closing several a ...
,
Bowling for Columbine ''Bowling for Columbine'' is a 2002 documentary film written, produced, directed, and narrated by Michael Moore. The film explores what Moore suggests are the primary causes for the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 and other acts of gun ...
, Where to Invade Next,
Fahrenheit 9/11 ''Fahrenheit 9/11'' is a 2004 American documentary film directed, written by, and starring filmmaker, director, political commentator and activist Michael Moore. The film takes a liberal, critical look at the presidency of George W. Bush, th ...
'' and ''
Fahrenheit 11/9 ''Fahrenheit 11/9'' is a 2018 American documentary by filmmaker Michael Moore about the 2016 United States presidential election and presidency of Donald Trump up to the time of the film's release. The film is a follow-up to Moore's '' Fahre ...
''. In 2020, the festival moved to August due to COVID-19, but still screened over 120 films online and in-person, and also included a student competition, a quarantine film challenge, workshops, Q&As, and a tribute to
Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his c ...
. In its second Covid-ravaged year, and for its 8th edition, in 2021 NHdocs screened over 120 films online and in-person, and once again included a student competition, online workshops, Q&As, a screening of the film "From the Left Hand" with a performance by its subject Norman Malone, and a tribute to feminist filmmaker
Beth B Scott B and Beth B (also known as Scott and Beth B, Beth and Scott B or The Bs after B Movies) were among the best-known New York No Wave underground film makers of the late 1970s and early 1980s. They went on to form an independent film p ...
with a live performance by
Lydia Lunch Lydia Lunch (born Lydia Anne Koch; June 2, 1959)Martin Charles Strong. ''The Great Indie Discography''. 2003, page 85 is an American singer, poet, writer, actress and self-empowerment speaker. Her career began during the 1970s New York City no ...
.


Awards

On November 12, 2015, Bechard was awarded the ASPCA Media Excellence
Award An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An awar ...
for his work on the film '' A Dog Named Gucci'' and for "focusing on animal
welfare Welfare, or commonly social welfare, is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifical ...
and inspiring others to join the fight against animal cruelty."


Personal life

Bechard has been married to Kristine M Covello since 1992. They live in Connecticut with their two dogs, Springsteen and Dylan.


Filmography


Films

* 1983: ''Disconnected'' * 1987: ''
Galactic Gigolo ''Galactic Gigolo'' (also known as ''Club Earth'') is a 1987 American science fiction comedy film directed by Gorman Bechard Gorman Bechard (born March 15, 1959) is an American film director, screenwriter and novelist best known for his indep ...
'' * 1987: '' Psychos in Love'' * 1989: ''Cemetery High'' * 2002: '' The Kiss'' * 2005: '' You Are Alone'' * 2009: '' Friends (with benefits)'' * 2011: '' Color Me Obsessed'' * 2012: '' What Did You Expect?'' * 2013: '' Broken Side of Time'' * 2013: '' Every Everything: The Music, Life & Times of Grant Hart'' * 2015: '' A Dog Named Gucci'' * 2016: '' Who Is Lydia Loveless?'' * 2017: Twenty Questions * 2018
What it Takes: film en douze tableaux
* 2019
Pizza A Love Story
* 2020
Seniors A Dogumentary
* 2021
The Matchbox Man
* 2021
Where are you, Jay Bennett?
* 2022
Old Friends, A Dogumentary


Short films and music videos

In addition to his feature work, Bechard has made a number of short films and music videos, many of which are available on YouTube. * 1982: ''Bartholemew, the Strangler'' * 1985: ''The Only Take'' * 2000:
The Pretty Girl
' * 2001:
Flight 89
' * 2003:
Objects in the Mirror are Further than they Appear
' * 2003:
In Her Eyes
' * 2004:
This Used To Be My Beautiful Home
' * 2005:
Black Dogs Can't Jump
' * 2005:
Cars & History
' * 2012:
All Hail the Kings of Trash
' * 2014:
Broken Side of Time
' * 2014:
Boxers
' * 2016
Heal Me
* 2016
Longer
* 2016
Clumps
* 2016
European
* 2017
(I Just Died) Like an Aviator
* 2017
Nothin' Feels Right But Doin' Wrong
*2018
The Bottle Never Lets Me Down
*2018
Aviator (unadorned)


Works and publications

* Bechard, Gorman.
The Second Greatest Story Ever Told: A Novel.
' New York, N.Y.: Carol Pub. Group, 1991. * Bechard, Gorman.
Balls.
' New York, N.Y., U.S.A.: Plume, 1995. * Bechard, Gorman.
Good Neighbors.
' New York: Carrol & Graf Publishers, 1998. * Bechard, Gorman.
Ninth Square.
' New York: Forge, 2002. * writing as Baine, Jonathan
Unwound
New York : Onyx, 2007. * Bechard, Gorman
Hazmat Diary
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2010.


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bechard, Gorman 1959 births 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American male writers Living people Writers from Waterbury, Connecticut American male novelists American male screenwriters 21st-century American novelists Western Connecticut State University alumni Film festival founders Film festival directors American filmmakers Documentary film editors American documentary film directors 21st-century American male writers Film directors from Connecticut Screenwriters from Connecticut