Love God (1997 film)

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Love God
Love God 1997 film poster.png
Directed byFrank Grow
Written byFrank Grow
Produced byFrank Grow
StarringWill Keenan
Shannon Burkett
Kymberli Ghee
Kerri Kenney
Michael Laurence
Dale Soules
Yukio Yamamoto
Vin Knight
Christine Holt
CinematographyTerry Stacey
Edited byDavey Frankel
Running time
82 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Love God is a 1997 American surreal comedy-drama film directed by Frank Grow. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and is known for its experimental visual style and unconventional narrative. The film stars a schizophrenic protagonist with a compulsive reading disorder, navigating life after his release from a mental institution, only to be haunted by Hindu gods. [1]

Contents

Plot

The story follows the protagonist's attempts to reintegrate into society after a stint in a mental institution. However, his efforts are complicated by hallucinations of Hindu deities and the onset of a bizarre series of events involving mutated worms and their effect on human biology.

Cast

Production

Frank Grow wrote and directed Love God, which utilized a blend of live-action and special effects to achieve its distinctive surreal aesthetic. [2] The film was independently produced and gained attention for its experimental approach. [3]

Release and reception

Festivals

Love God was selected to screen at the following film festivals:

Critical response

Critical response to Love God was mixed. Fred Camper of The Chicago Reader described the film as a "wildly inventive" piece of work, while Anita Gates of The New York Times noted its eccentric humor and unusual use of special effects. [3] [2] Godfrey Cheshire of Variety acknowledged its visual ambition, although the narrative received criticism for its abstract nature. [4] Steven Puchalski of Shock Cinema highlighted the film's niche appeal. [5]

While not a commercial success, Love God has gained a cult following for its unique storytelling and visual style. [6] It remains a notable entry in the canon of 1990s independent cinema and recognized as an early live-action film shot entirely on digital and transferred to film. [1] [7] [8]

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References

  1. 1 2 Totaro, Donato (July 1997). "Love God". Offscreen. Vol. 1, no. 4. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  2. 1 2 Gates, Anita (December 3, 1999). "`Love God': The Worm Turns, Turning People Into Odd Blobs". The New York Times . Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Camper, Fred (October 26, 1997). "Love God". The Chicago Reader . Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  4. Cheshire, Godfrey (February 15, 1997). "Love God". Variety . Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  5. Puchalski, Steven (1997). "Love God (1997)". Shock Cinema. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  6. "Love God". The Bedlam Files. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  7. Williams, David Alexander. "Love God". Spectacle . Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  8. Smith, Gavin (July–August 1997). "Straight to Film". Film Comment . Retrieved January 5, 2025.