Hit Factory

Hands on a Hardbody


Listen Later

We stayed up for three consecutive days without sleep and kept at least one hand on a microphone at all times in order to test our mettle and discuss S.R. Bindler's 1997 "gawkumentary" Hands on a Hardbody, a story of 23 contenstants in Longview, Texas squaring off in a competition of stamina to win a Nissan hardbody truck. Over the course of three days, Bindler and his crew record the ecstasy of victory, the agony of defeat, and the enormity of - as one particularly philosophical contestant puts it - "the human drama thing."

We begin with a discussion of commodity fetishism (in the Marxian sense) and how the film explores the mystification of value surrounding the titular hardbody truck and what it means within the lives of all the contestants. Then, we dig into the film's many "characters", how they fulfill or transcend archetype, and how they beguile us with the profundity of their small-town wisdom. Finally, we discuss the feat of Bindler and Co's filmmaking as well as its limits, and how the strain the competition's longevity begins to bleed into the acuity and perceptiveness of the movie itself.

Watch Hands on a Hardbody on YouTube.

Rent or Purchase Hands on a Hardbody

Read Ethan Warren on Hands on a Hardbody at Bright Wall/Dark Room.

The Roxie theater in San Francisco is still seeking funds to help buy their building! Be sure to listen to our recent conversation with producer and Roxie board member Henry S. Rosenthal and visit the Roxie website to donate today!

Get access to all of our premium episodes and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.
.

.
.
.
Our theme song is "Mirror" by Chris Fish

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Hit FactoryBy Hit Factory

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

69 ratings


More shows like Hit Factory

View all
The Best Show with Tom Scharpling by Forever Dog

The Best Show with Tom Scharpling

2,484 Listeners

Blank Check with Griffin & David by Blank Check Productions

Blank Check with Griffin & David

5,965 Listeners

The Important Cinema Club by Justin Decloux and Will Sloan

The Important Cinema Club

463 Listeners

Chapo Trap House by Chapo Trap House

Chapo Trap House

8,806 Listeners

Michael and Us by Luke Savage and Will Sloan

Michael and Us

599 Listeners

Trillbilly Worker's Party by Trillbilly Worker's Party

Trillbilly Worker's Party

1,901 Listeners

TRASHFUTURE by TRASHFUTURE

TRASHFUTURE

565 Listeners

The Movies That Made Me by SpectreVision Radio

The Movies That Made Me

544 Listeners

TrueAnon by TrueAnon

TrueAnon

3,228 Listeners

Seeking Derangements by Seeking Derangements

Seeking Derangements

458 Listeners

Jokermen by Jokermen

Jokermen

377 Listeners

American Prestige by Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison

American Prestige

900 Listeners

Quorators by Alex Ptak, Jeremy Kaplowitz, and Clare O'Kane

Quorators

169 Listeners

Kill The Computer by mail@westernkabuki.com

Kill The Computer

348 Listeners

Guys: With Bryan Quinby by Bryan

Guys: With Bryan Quinby

795 Listeners