Wednesday, March 3, 2010

We Live in Public DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: DVD Revisits the Rise and Fall of Dot.com Millionaire

Josh Harris arrived in New York City in 1984 with only $900 in his pocket and a hunch that the World Wide Web was about to explode. Part visionary, part businessman. Josh not only saw the potential of the internet, but figured out how to cash in on it during the ensuing boom years.
First, he made $80 million as the founder oof Jupiter Networks, a start-up which, among other things, catered to a clientele interested in sex chat rooms. Unfortunately, the money burned a hole in Josh’s pocket, as he continued
to launch venture after venture, each more outrageous than the last, such as Pseudo.com, the first internet-based television network.
A shameless showman spouting the slogan “Do what you want. No restrictions,” Josh quickly became known as “the Andy Warhol of web TV.” His next big project Quietly Live in Public, featured an underground society populated by a hundred pod people living collectively without any privacy. Their every waking (and sleeping) moment was broadcast live to the outside world.
Josh’s subsequent treat for the virtual voyeur involved just him and his girlfriend, Tanya Corrin. They outfitted their bunker with 32 video cameras equipped with night vision lenses and with 72 highly-sensitive microphones for a self-explanatory TV show called “We Live in Public.” But Tanya tired of feeling like a porn star and moved out after six months of overexposure.
By the time the dot.com bust finally arrived in 2000, Josh had lost not only Tanya but his sanity and most of his money. All of the above is vividly recounted in We Live in Public, a cautionary documentary about the dire prospects of a culture where people feel most validated by a television camera.
The internet indicted as a mind control tool subtly turning humanity into exhibitionistic automatons.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 90 minutes
Studio: IndiePix Films
DVD Extras: “The Making of” documentary, commentary by Josh Harris, Behind the Scenes at the Sundance Film Festival, and more.

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