Melton Barker was an "itinerant filmmaker." He went from town to town across the US, where he would cast local children in his latest film. It was always the same film, The Kidnapper's Foil. He charged each "actor" a fee to cover production costs. Was it a scam? Not really, since he actually produced the films, which were shown in the local theater. Barker made a living, and the kids got to be in a movie. Sure, some parents may have had unfulfilled hopes of stardom for their children, but the kids mostly just had fun. And Barker kept making this same movie for 40 years! Was the movie made in your hometown? Check out this map to find out. Filmmaker David Friedman would like to see a revival of The Kidnapper's Foil, so he linked to the script in case you want to stage your own community production of the movie. (via Laughing Squid)
The video starts out (apparently) accusing this guy of swindling townspeople all across rural America, by comparing him to the Music Man or the grifter from that Simpsons episode.
ReplyDeleteBut this is just a wholesome bit of fun that brought these small communities together to make a movie with their kids.
I doubt anyone was fooled into believing that it was anything other than what it was at face value.