Winnebago Man
With the advent of YouTube, Jack Rebney became an Internet sensation. His fame arose out of an industrial sales film which he made in 1988 for Winnebago. The film shoot did not go well, and with each flubbed line and technical glitch Jack let loose with a string of vulgarities and profanities. The film crew found Jack's outbursts to be so amusing that they kept the cameras rolling, and afterwards they edited Jack's outtakes together, transferred them to videotape, and made copies to share with their friends. Within a few years, Jack Rebney was known to millions as the "angriest man in the world," but seemingly nobody actually knew him. Winnebago Man is a fascinating, funny and heartfelt documentary which succeeds at getting to the essence of a most unusual and remarkable man.
Studio: Kino
Years: 2010
Rated: Not Rated
Program Length: 85 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.85 anamorphic widescreen
Languages: English Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: None
The Program
I don't want any more bullshit anytime during the day, from anyone. That includes me. - Jack Rebney
Five years ago I spent a weekend in Austin, Texas visiting my brother's family. On Saturday my niece and nephews invited me to accompany them to see the Found Footage Festival at the Alamo Drafthouse. The Found Footage Festival was the brainchild of three friends from Wisconsin and Minnesota who had been collecting obscure videotapes of home movies, industrial training films, public access TV shows, etc. They assembled the funniest and most outrageous footage and began screening it - mostly to college students - around the country. At the show which I attended, most of the material was indeed hilarious, including a 1983 travelogue called "Carnival in Rio" hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger. But the funniest and most memorable segment was the part featuring Jack Rebney, who was introduced as "the world's angriest RV salesman." At the conclusion of the show I felt compelled to buy the DVD and show it to everyone I know.
Producer/Director Ben Steinbauer, who teaches film at the University of Texas, had a similar reaction. He was keenly aware of people such as Ghyslain Raza, the so-called "Star Wars Kid," who was so humiliated by a video of him which was posted online that he dropped out of school and underwent psychiatric care. Steinbauer wanted to find out if a similar fate had befallen Jack Rebney. Was Jack even aware of his fame? The problem was that nobody knew anything about Jack. Winnebago fired him after becoming aware of his profane tirades, and the company refuses to talk about him. Steinbauer tracks down the members of the film crew, but while they shed some light on the circumstances of the film's production they are of no help in locating Jack.
We learn that the sales film was made in the woods near Forest City, Iowa under trying conditions, including high temperatures and humidity, not to mention occasional assaults by aggressive flies. Steinbauer eventually hires a private investigator, who is only able to develop a list of P.O. Box addresses which Jack has used. Steinbauer sends out letters to those addresses, and he has nearly given up when one day he finds a message from Jack Rebney on his answering machine. Jack had no idea that anyone would be interested in talking to him, but he is willing to meet with the director.
It turns out that Jack, who by now is in his late seventies, is working as a caretaker at a fishing lake in Northern California. He lives alone in a small cabin with his dog, his books, a TV set and a computer, and that is how he likes it. Steinbauer is surprised (and a bit disappointed) to find that Jack is agreeable, polite, soft-spoken, and untroubled by the reputation that he has gotten from the outtakes. He even has nice things to say about Winnebago Industries. The filmmaker is happy to find that Jack is doing well, but it seems that there is not enough material to turn into a compelling documentary. However, that all changes a short while later, when Jack calls to say that it has all been an act. It seems that he really is an angry man, and he has some things that he wants to get off his chest.
Steinbauer returns to northern California and embarks upon a concerted effort to get inside the real Jack Rebney. He consistently finds his efforts thwarted. Jack wants to talk about Dick Cheney and Wal-Mart, but he does not want to talk about himself. It becomes apparent that Jack is extremely intelligent, well-read and articulate, but he is convinced that he has nothing to say which would be of interest to the people (whom he presumes to be dullards) who have made him an Internet sensation. In lesser hands, Winnebago Man could easily have become yet another exercise in humiliation, but this documentary rises far above that. Although Jack's physical condition begins to deteriorate as glaucoma starts to rob him of his vision, Jack manages to maintain his dignity and he demonstrates time and again that he is still capable of spewing profane epithets. There is much to laugh about in Winnebago Man, but viewers of the documentary gradually come to realize that they are now laughing with Jack Rebney, not at him. There actually is something liberating about his cursing and swearing in the face of adversity, and ultimately it is difficult not to be impressed by a man who unabashedly wears both his opinions and his feelings on his sleeve.
The Video
Technical specs for this film are hard to come by, but it appears that it was shot digitally in high definition. The Kino transfer is very nice, with excellent detail and clarity. Of course, there is a considerable amount of footage from other sources, some of which is significantly degraded, but it all comes together well. The film appears to be properly framed at 1.85:1, although some of the footage taken from the Internet is properly displayed at 4:3. There is nothing here which qualifies as eye-popping. The area where Jack lives in northern California is quite spectacular, but most of what is shown is the woods around his cabin. Colors and flesh tones are accurate and the overall effect is pleasing.
The Audio
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio is up to the task and does a nice job with the limited source material. The audio's focus is on narration and conversation, and every word is clear and understandable. The musical soundtrack is limited, but it benefits from some effective stereo separation. There is little for the surround channels to do, and there are no subtitles.
The Supplements
There are just a few extras on this DVD.
The filmmakers managed to obtain a copy of Jack's completed 25-minute sales video which was sent out to Winnebago dealers to promote the company's 1989 line of recreational vehicles. It is a straightforward, professional-looking effort which gives no hint that hilarious outtakes exist.
A 16-minute featurette about the film's New York premiere is very entertaining. The film was introduced to the audience by Michael Moore and Jeff Garlin, and afterwards the audience members had the opportunity to meet Jack and pose for photos with him.
The film's amusing theatrical trailer also is included.
The Packaging
The single disc is stored in a standard DVD keep case. Included is a brochure of Kino Blu-ray and DVD titles.
The Final Analysis
If you have never heard of Jack Rebney, go to YouTube and type in his name. If, like most people, you find Jack's meltdown to be hilarious, you will definitely want to see this excellent and entertaining documentary. Those who are offended by strong language should consider themselves warned.
Equipment used for this review:
Toshiba HD-XA-2 DVD player
Panasonic Viera TC-P46G15 Plasma display, calibrated to THX specifications by Gregg Loewen
Yamaha HTR-5890 THX Surround Receiver
BIC Acoustech speakers
Interconnects: Monster Cable
Release Date: November 2, 2010
