GIBTOWN

February 24, 2001

Cinequest San Jose Film Festival

A short documentary about Gibsontown, Florida. A place where carnival people go when they're not on the road. They all converge in a huge mobile home park. Your view of carnys will cause you to either love or hate the story. The characters are too good to be true. The 2-1/2 foot woman married to the 8 foot 5 inch guy. The midget that eats fire. The illusionist. Not any bigger than the sum of its parts. I'd have liked to hear about carnys on the lam from the law and hiding out or the way the midway games rips people off. But it was so rosy as to make the workers seem too perfect. I swear I've seen the same material produced in a more compelling way.