{image1}At the top of "Horns and Halos," a 75-minute documentary about the author and publisher of "Fortunate Son," a controversial bio of George W. Bush, the viewer might think he knows where the film is going. But the 2002 film -- directed by Michael Galinsky and Suki Hawley -- has a few surprises up its sleeve and they are what make the film so watchable.
Arkansas author J. H. Hatfield was hired in 1999 to write a biography of George W. Bush, who at the time seemed like he might be a favorite for the Republican presidental nomination. Hatfield had written quick celebrity bios before and hoped this book would be his ticket to the big time. St. Martin's was so impressed by his work in just eight months that it moved the book up from a midlist paperback to a frontlist hardcover. Upon publication, "Fortunate Son" was quickly on its way to becoming a bestseller. Until, the Bush family mounted an attack and St. Martin's flinched and pulled the book.
At issue were Hatfield's revelations that Bush used cocaine in 1972 and the fact that some of his sources didn't seem to add up. Additionally, a Dallas newspaper reporter discovered that Hatfield was sent to federal prison for taking part in a conspiracy to murder and suddenly, the author's credibility was shattered.
But, tiny New York publisher Soft Skull Press, run out of the basement of a lower east side tenement by janitor by day/punk rock publisher by night Sander Hicks, picked up the book for reprint and it was issued in two editions, each of which brought publicity and further legal woes for the author and the publisher.
At first we think that the filmmakers are firmly in the Soft Skull camp, but little hints suggest that's not the case and in the end viewers aren't sure that Hatfield isn't a bit of a bad risk, credibility wise, and that Hicks isn't just a little publicity-hungry.
Most intriguing is Hicks' passion for the book and ultimately for his star author, despite the latter's almost schizophrenic approach to Hicks, which more than once almost deep-sixes the project.
There are some twists and I won't divulge what they are, but while we feel a bit like outsiders for much of the film, one of those turns draws the viewer in and transforms a seemingly understated, almost pedestrian documentary about a book into a human drama.
"Horns and Halos" screens at UWM Union Theatre, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., on the second floor of the Student Union at 7 p.m., Tues., Sept. 2. Admission is $5, $4 for students and seniors. Call (414) 229-4070 for more information.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
