Millions consider Bob Clark’s yuletide favorite “A Christmas Story” like another member of the family.
Denver-based filmmaker Deren Abram felt that way about Clark himself.
The two worked together on a variety of film projects before Clark’s automobile-related death in 2007.
“Once you’re in Bob’s family he fully embraced you,” Abram says.
Now, Abram is remembering Clark, both the man and the filmmaker, with his new documentary “ClarkWORLD: The Story of a Storyteller.”
The film, coming out on DVD Nov. 3 and cable VOD Nov. 29, recalls the career of the director responsible for “A Christmas Story,” “Porky’s” and “Black Christmas.”
Few directors can match that kind of range.
The documentary features Jon Voight, Kim Cattrall, Mary Steenburgen, Denise Richards and, of course, Ralphie a.k.a. Peter Billingsley recalling their days on Clark’s movie sets.
Abram first met Clark while working as a production designer for one of the director’s projects. But Abram longed to produce and direct his own films, something Clark was more than eager to support.
They were knee deep in a joint project when the 67-year-old Clark and his 22-year-old son, Ariel, were killed in a car crash.
The accident left Abram stunned.
“I couldn’t focus on anything. I had to put my soul into something,” he says.
The executor of Clark’s estate suggested a film tribute to the late director, and Abram figured it was an appropriate way to say goodbye to an old friend.
“The funding didn’t happen, but we went ahead anyway,” he says of the low-budget labor of love.
Tomorrow: Abram tells why most of the “Porky’s” cast refused to appear in “ClarkWORLD” and how Clark’s approached shaped the way he looks at making movies.
(Photo: Top Left: Director Deren Abram. Bottom right: Bob Clark accepts the Genie Award for “Murder by Decree.”)
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I'm an award-winning journalist and film critic with more than a decade of experience in newspapers, magazines and the Web. I'm a member of both the Washington, DC Area Film Critics Association and the Denver Film Critics Society.
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Bob Clark also did Rhinestone– the turd with Sly Stallone and Dolly Parton– and one of the worst movies ever written, directed, acted, scored, etc…. But since he did “A Christmas Story” he gets forgiven for the rest.
Very true, Keith.
Clark was very self-deprecating about his failures … he had a funny comment about Rhinestone that I’ll include in part 2 of this interview.