HAVE YOU SEEN THIS FILM?: Barry Caillier’s Daredreamer!

Every Memorial Day and Labor Day The Silent Movie Theater in Los Angeles holds what they call “The Five Minutes Game.” The proprietors of the theater present the first five minutes of a series of generally obscure films – usually unavailable on DVD – and the audience votes for which film they wish to see screened in its entirety afterwards. The premise is sound, since the first few minutes of every film are always designed to compel the audience to watch more.

This Memorial Day was my first time attending, but will not be the last. Although we ended up watching Dragon Hunt, an unconscionably watchable Canadian martial arts action sequel (and a laugh riot to boot), I would particularly like to thank The Silent Movie Theater for introducing me to Daredreamer, a 1990 high school musical from writer/director Barry Caillier (who also directed the unbelievably titled In Search of the Wow Wow Wibble Woggle Wazzie Woodle Woo), and which I will stop at nothing to track down on home video. I would also like to thank ‘edmondant’ for posting these bizarrely entertaining clips on YouTube for all of us to enjoy.

If you’ve seen Daredreamer, particularly around the time it was first released, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. This has to be somebody’s favorite movie, and has to have influenced a young child on the verge of adolescence. I would very much like to hear about that person, what they remember about watching Daredreamer, and whatever happened to their own dreams (if, of course, they dare).

That first five minutes, which made me fall in love for the first time:

And more, just incredibly joyous, possibly very bad and altogether adorable songs and scenes from what is destined to be my new personal obsession. I have no idea if these are in chronological order or not, and I’m pretty sure I don’t care:

Have you seen this film?

William Bibbiani

William Bibbiani is a highly opinionated film, TV and videogame critic living in Los Angeles, California. In addition to his work at the “California Literary Review” William also contributes articles and criticism to “Geekscape” and “Ranker” and has won multiple awards for co-hosting the weekly Geekscape podcast and for his series of Safe-For-Work satirical pornographic film critiques, “Geekscape After Dark.” He also writes screenplays and, when coerced with sweet, sweet nothings, occasionally acts in such internet series as “Bus Pirates” and “Heads Up with Nar Williams.” A graduate of the UCLA School of Film, Television and Digital Media, William sometimes regrets not pursuing a career in what he refers to as “lawyering” so that he could afford luxuries like food and shoes.

William can be found on both the Xbox Live and Playstation Network as GuyGardner2814, and on Twitter as – surprisingly – WilliamBibbiani.

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