David Holzman's Diary

1967

Action / Comedy / Drama

3
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 77% · 11 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 77% · 500 ratings
IMDb Rating 6.5/10 10 1999 2K

experimental film mockumentary fake documentary found footage pseudo-documentary

Plot summary

A young filmmaker decides to make a movie about his day-to-day activities in an attempt to understand himself and get his life back in order. A precursor to reality television and vlogs.

Director

Jim McBride Photo
Jim McBride

Top cast

L.M. Kit Carson Photo
L.M. Kit Carson as David Holzman
Eileen Dietz Photo
Eileen Dietz as Penny Wohl
Robert Lesser Photo
Robert Lesser as Max, Penny's agent
Mike Levine Photo
Mike Levine as Sandra's Boy Friend
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
671.83 MB
1280*952
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 13 min
Seeds ...
1.22 GB
1440*1072
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 13 min
Seeds 3

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by rwint 7 / 10

Talky, but Unusual and Worth a Look

Mock cinema vertite about a young filmmakers consternation at finding 'truth' and putting it on film. Insightfully examines how we define reality, how our perceptions can cloud it, and whether it is really possible to show it on film. Probably to talky for most, but still quite thought provoking. Filled with some really offbeat ideas and camerawork. Among them: filming the faces of people at a bus stop while we hear excerpts from the McCarthy hearings. Also photographing a entire night of tv viewing each minute and then playing them back frame by frame. A very low budget movie, made by some very young filmmakers, with a very original point of view.
Reviewed by Maniac_In_Black 7 / 10

Finding truth through the lens

The only truth he seems to find in the end, is that his life is quite meaningless and empty.. The film wraps up with the death of a relative he didn't know and his apartment being robbed. That's the real truth, that's reality. If you thought "nothing happens" or it was "boring", that's kind of the point. This is his life day after day. The question is, would you rather watch it or live it?
Reviewed by David-240 5 / 10

What's all the fuss about?

I don't know why this rather dull piece of cinema verite is so famous. Perhaps you had to be there - in the sixties I mean.A man films his own life for a week or so and in the process loses his girlfriend. There are some effective moments - like when he films an endless row of elderly people sitting on park benches, and when he films, in fast motion, what he watched on television one evening.But the long, self-indulgent, angst-ridden diatribes at the camera bored me to tears.It is quite convincing though - so it is surprising to learn that it was scripted and acted. A curiosity piece that is mercifully short.
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