Mark Borchardt’s Favorite Movies - The TMG Interview

[@Prousto]

Mark Borchardt reminds me of Harvey Pekar, in the sense that he’s also a working class eccentric who became a real artist through determination, genuine intelligence and obsessive vision.

[@TheMovieGuys]

Outstanding comment!

[@tacodroid]

It’s a shame they never met.

[@bradmalinowski]

American Movie and American Splendor, two of my absolute favorites. I actually saw the theater version of American Splendor at a small Hollywood theater in the early '90's. Excellent stuff. I just rented American Movie last night on Amazon Prime. I was so happy to see it again. "Mike Shank, are you happy?" "Yes Mark". "How happy are you?" "Very happy Mark." Love it.

[@nolagospeltracts8264]

Except Harvey actually completed several comics.

[@penguintitz]

Brilliant comparison! 🎉🎉🎉

[@retorique]

The first thing that came to my mind after watching American Movie was Stroszek. Not surprised at all that they are set in the same US state and that it is one of Mike's favorites.

[@Lunchladydoyle]

I love that Mark loves Cassavetes. Opening Night is in my top 5 favorite films. John Cassavetes made incredibly intimate films with perfect acting, no holds barred dialogue and killer emotional twists and turns. A true punk.

[@mclare71]

BEST INTERVIEW EVER!!!!

[@sregvars6697]

wow man Mark 100% has the gift of gab, to an extreme. Dude can talk. Great interview

[@GuyOnTwoWheels]

I wish Mark had a regular show.

[@bradford_shaun_murray]

or even a weather channel 1:10

[@brainatoms7259]

Dang Stroszek is one of my favorite films. Glad we have that in common!

[@TimCollinsATL]

Mark really knows his stuff. A true fan of cinema.

[@sthubbins4038]

Man, I really want to kick back and watch some great films with him. I'd be his much lesser Mark Schank. This guy has inspired so many currently huge directors, like Taika Waititi and Edgar Wright. The depth of his love for cinema is infectious, and so inspiring.

[@tonyarmada85]

just watched american movie cause its been one of my movie jail films…holy shit i’ve been missing out…and i’m loving that mark is still going and is so smart and articulate…rip mike

[@TheMovieGuys]

It's never too late! We all have our Movie Jails. Welcome to the club on this one!

[@MicahBuzanANIMATION]

Mark is way more articulate and intelligent than he appears in American Movie. This man is no dummy.

[@TheMovieGuys]

Right?! Thanks for watching.

[@nucleararmedhog]

There were definitely moments in the movie where the depths of his knowledge shined through. & I don't think he was inarticulate.. striving for the right words & doing some malapropisms, yes, but he never struck me as that.

[@jasonhebedead1710]

He's older and wiser as well though.

[@fabbrunette]

@@jasonhebedead1710 And I don't think he drinks as much

[@genericusername337]

I actually thought one of the most interesting things about him during the movie was that he had a very articulate and creative way of speaking.

[@Kenedamick]

"I don't use the internet" hahahah

[@adampeters4542]

It makes me proud to be from Wisconsin because of him!

[@fruitypeebils]

i like the way his beard wiggles when he talks

[@zamiadams4343]

Mark is absolutely brilliant!

[@TheMovieGuys]

He definitely has supplied me with a list of movies to watch. Still gaining ground on it - I'll get to all of 'em eventually!

[@YesOkayButWhy]

A man with a beautiful mind. I'm sure he'd hate to read that I wrote that. He does sometimes come across as dismissive of others' opinions, but it's impossible to take it to heart because he's a great guy and he obviously has his own way, which is hard not to respect. To be fair, you can tell he's not quite comfortable with interviews, not to be confused with disinterest or disrespect. God bless MB. He has lots to say and lots to learn from.

[@TheMovieGuys]

Thanks for watching! He never made me feel like he was uncomfortable or dismissive, but I can see where that might be inferred with his no-nonsense chatter style. He's just a hardcore movie LOVER and I'll talk to anyone like that! This was a blast and now our video with the most hits, thanks again for checking it out - P

[@ianrobinson4200]

Really fascinating guy,thanks for the interview!

[@freeecountryy]

This guy is an American legend! Love Mark.

[@MaxellAdGuy]

Interesting to hear Marks influences. Also notice how he keeps straightening your Audio equipment. OCD would explain why he’s obsessed with small details, like framing shots and film stock. It comforts him.

[@DeanH92]

Clearly you have no idea what OCD is lol

[@kipkapper3014]

american movie is pure gold, masterpiece.

[@BoJangles42]

Mark is a legend. Love seeing him in this.

[@beavishighonvoltcola5287]

I love this dude!!!

[@WeCantBeSeen]

man this interview is awesome

[@hscmnbk]

I was kind of surprised to see how many old films he was into.

[@TheMovieGuys]

Right?! Deep cuts!

[@kuwabatakesanjuro1453]

I want to have a beer with this dude, man.

[@liammcooper]

Welles' Shakespeare films + Stroszek, very nice. Opening Night a good touch

[@karlalden2076]

Love to see a man defend his city, the Midwest always gets seen as some sort of cultural wasteland as if we haven't contributed massively to music and film their entire industrial lives

[@TheMovieGuys]

Great takeaway!

[@nolagospeltracts8264]

Did Mark ever complete another film since Coven?

[@TheMovieGuys]

According to IMDB, yes! But I haven't seen them. www.imdb.com/name/nm0096013/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

[@hendrikblauw2604]

O.C.D lovely guy.

[@mrJohnDesiderio]

Has great taste in movies

[@shiretsu]

I feel like a cat watching that beard swing, man. I just wanna swat at it

[@TheMovieGuys]

HA! Absolutely.

[@shawn9566]

As determined and intelligent as Mark seems, I wonder why he hasn't really done much of his own work. Since Coven, i believe all he's done as far as behind the camera work is The Dundee Project. He's largely known for somebody else's film. I'm not trying to put him down. Does he not really have the passion for making films anymore? There aren't the kind of restraints like before to make your own film. Just wondering what others thoughts were.

[@TheMovieGuys]

I hope he reads this and gets inspired. I gotta believe there are a bunch of us who'd like to see something new from Mark. He pointed out recently on his X feed that there's a COVEN poster in TERRIFIER 3, so...he has fans!

[@AbrasiousProductions]

I can't watch anything by Polanski for obvious reasons.

[@Davesky19]

Mark evolved from an Everyman that people could relate to to a bit of a film snob.

[@genericusername337]

I think he always had strong opinions on films that the documentary just didn't go into

[@playlist9980]

He was always a film nerd

[@simonperry8569]

Tried to find out what Borchardt’s been up to since he did American Movie. In all of the vids I found he's defensive and vague about what he's doing now and how he earns a living day-to-day. Bottom line is he hasn't delivered one major film project, aside from a short doco about an alien convention, as a director since Coven in 1997. Disappointed he hasn't kicked on from the publicity of American Movie and become a respected independent movie maker. What happened? Checked out his twitter and it's just all plastered with him offering to do paid video messages for people's birthdays etc like Cameo. A true capitalist to the end. PS - He was quite rude and condescending to the interviewer throughout. Interviewer brought up Donald Pleasence and Mark was dismissive and just threw it back in his face.

[@opaljk4835]

Well, he said that he was writing plays that he’s got funding for, so that’s something. He’s gotta put food on the table.

[@simonperry8569]

@@opaljk4835 My gut feeling is he has a partner who had a regular, decent-paying job, allowing him to do piecemeal projects here and there.

[@joeegan9062]

Interviewer also pronounces "Coven" wrong, yet with no irony. The world has really changed for the worse since the 90s.

[@joeegan9062]

That being said, Mark really knows his shit.

[@brianm2881]

No, 'cause then it would sound like, 'oven', man. In seriousness, though, the mispronunciation of the name, whether deliberate or not, gives the film a bit more oddball charm.

[@TheMovieGuys]

I went with it for the benefit of the interview and getting the most from Mark. I wouldn't tell Tarantino he misspelled "Inglourious Basterds" either...!

[@brianm2881]

@@TheMovieGuys There's nothing really to go with, anyway. Guy's well aware that "Coe-ven" is not the conventional pronunciation. Probably tired of talking about it.

[@freeecountryy]

You kinda suck, man.

[@Blas4ublasphemy]

00:57 unless we're talking flame broiled!