THE BUSKER

A few postings ago, I talked about "tweeners," films that weren't edgy enough for the art houses but aren't big enough for the megaplexes, but are good films nevertheless. Such a film is THE BUSKER, a magnificently shot and nicely acted film by Steve Croke, filmed mostly in Lowell. (Lowell has never looked better) The story, which involves a l3-year old violin prodigy whose father was shot in a racially motivated killing, who takes to the streets with his violin and develops a relationship with a young black girl, could pass for an AfterSchool special in lesser hands, but it is the kind of film that could do well on the festival circuit.

I watched a rough cut screening in my living room/office the other day with the director and two of my helpers. These helpers, Dima and Izzy, were anything but mainstream viewers. Dima, a reclusive genius who dotes on Werner Herzog, Poe and vampire movies, helped me start the Boston Undergound Film Festival, and Izzy, whose taste in films is just right for this year's BUFF, both applauded the film. Whie more bad movies are getting made, too many good films are falling by the wayside. It's like the indie film version of the Bush Administration, with the growing gap between righ and poor, and perhaps good vs. evil.