Rapid Reaction from NYC

Just yesterday I was walking around the sloppy rain filled big apple for the first time in my life. If you haven't ever been, make an effort to before you get old and don't want to travel. But the trip wasn't necessarily for my inner tourist, it was to talk with my Great Uncle Blair for the first time on camera.

He lives in Vauxhall, New Jersey at South Mountain Rehab Center. Basically, it's a nursing home. But Blair is more than capable of taking care of himself, but he recently had a triple by-pass surgery, added on with a knee replacement which has landed him in this place. One might say his HIV has caused his ailments, but he made it known that HIV has only given him a pudgy stomach. Otherwise HIV has done nothing to him.

Before this trip/talk with Blair, both of us had our apprehensions. I was worried he wouldn't open up to me, and that everything I had perceived in this relationship between him and his brother/family were untrue. This trip allowed that apprehension to disappear. We both opened up to each other talking about anything we could in this 4 hour visit. I even had lunch with the rest of the patients at the center. He showed me his now permanent home, introduced me to nurses and patients, and I showed him some of my work as a filmmaker, plus some old home movies. It was a give and receive day. We couldn't catch up on all aspects of life since we haven't seen each other in years, but the plan is to keep visiting, and continuing to share. I would say we both enjoyed this eye opening moment.

Once I dig threw the few hours of footage I shot, I will have more of in depth blog entry. In the meantime, if you haven't, read up on what this film is about, and subscribe or follow the blog. I think it might turn into something special.

Main Characters

Blair Frost

Blair is the identical twin brother of Gordon Frost. Both, who are at age 75, have lived completely different lives. Blair seemed to have lived life trying to find out who he really is. He realized early on that he was homosexual. But the insecurity of how others viewed him, haunted him. Blair later dropped out of college, and became an alcoholic. He was diagnosed with HIV, and he slowly began to isolate himself from everyone else, keeping secrets, and lying to avoid being honest with his family.

Currently he lives in New Jersey, and has erased his dishonest past. He now vows to be honest everyday of his life, including going to Alcoholics Anonymous three times a week. But, since he is so far away from any of his family, and living in a rehabilitation home, he hasn’t been able to see them in years. “Although I may be up here alone, I pray for every single person in the family by name every night.” Blair said.



Gordon Frost

Gordon Frost is a church going family man. He has been living in South Florida for over 20 years along side of all his sons, and family. Gordon is a conservative man, who has a strong passion for his religion. Over the years, his religion seemed to have been a roadblock in the relationship between him and his twin brother Blair.

Today, Gordon may be trying to get back to how he, and his brother used to be, but at the same time they haven’t seen each other in over 5 years.

The Film's Conflict

Conflict

Although it may seem like Gordon, and Blair have accepted their current lives and moved on from their differences, there still seems to be a conflict between them. Some underlying force they both understand, but don’t seem to talk about. Gordon knows he should see his brother more, and Blair knows that he should have been closer and more part of the family. So why don’t they do what they know they should do?

These two men come from an entirely different generation then today. It was generation where men rarely talk about their feelings toward/to other men; a generation where it was not only looked down upon to be gay, but even more dreadful to get HIV. Now as I look at their relationship today, I see a hole there that has now trickled down to the rest of the family; It all starts at the top.

In a time where families are separating, ours still holds together, but without one who devotes his nightly thoughts and prayers for all of us. Yet, we live our lives without taking the time to call him up, or send him a card. At the same time, Blair is part to blame as well. He has lived all over the place. He put himself in a position to be distant. The gap needs to be closed regardless. And if it can’t, maybe a bridge can be built across. This film will bring Gordon, and Blair together alone to talk about what has occurred over the years, and what should change if anything.

But, there is another conflict outside of all this. That is the fact that I, as the director, continue to have doubts that this is whole concept is made up in my head. That I am searching so desperately for a documentary topic, I have slowly perceived things differently then any other. I look at the perspective that Blair is just an Uncle to my Dad, and his three brothers. To the average family Uncles don’t seem to be a significant member, but as I, and the rest of my family’s younger generation, have known all our Uncles so well, it just seems out of place. For once, maybe I bit off too much to handle.

Trailer

Recently, I dug up some more old VHS videos of family trips, and holidays. I found some pretty funny stuff. It's weird to see how different things were back then. Hair especially. After I wrangled up these videos, I decided to film my family how we are today at our Thanksgiving in South Florida.

Of course I took a Ross McElwee approach, and just shot the day as we went along. Nothing spectacular, nothing deeply introspective just another home video. I even decided to film it how my grandfather filmed.

Since then, I have put together a short trailer on what this film will be about. Tell me your thoughts. Is this a film you'd watch based on the trailer? What are your first impressions? Anything you'd like to say.

Close By That Much Teaser Trailer 1 from Corey Frost on Vimeo.

The Idea

Through the grainy image of a television, a timid 67-year-old man with a seemingly frail body stands in front a vacation home waiting to leave. Everything is from old home video footage. A voice narrates from behind the camera.

CAMERA MAN
"Well we had a good time Blair."

BLAIR
"Yep."

Both don’t seem to know what to say.

CAMERA MAN
"It’s always good to see you. Some interesting times."

There is awkward silence. The camera man breaks it up.

CAMERA MAN
"Praise God."

This is an old home video of my Grandfather Gordon, and his identical twin brother Blair. I spent hours looking through home VHS tapes one day trying to develop a documentary idea for my UCF senior film, and found this.

Gordon and Blair are both 75 years old. Blair lives a lonely life up at a rehab home in New Jersey, while Gordon lives a more quiet family oriented life down in South Florida.

I could probably count the amount of times I’ve seen Blair on one hand. But, oddly enough, I’ve probably seen every other single person in my family (still alive today) more than a dozen times every year, which includes my Grandfather. Our family is the closest one I know. So as I struggle with an idea for a class project to shoot, I find it interesting these two identical twin brothers find more time to avoid each other then actually see one another. Well at least it seems that way.

So I ask myself, is there an unsettled issue at hand? How about the fact that Blair has kept secrets half of his life? And why does my family seem to forget about Blair? No one goes up to see him, and the majority of them barely even call. Or why I even want to make a film about all this? Am I just making something out of nothing? Disturbing our family's bond together?

The last few questions I seem to ask myself more then the others. But, there is a story here somewhere. Isn’t there?

**
Grandson makes film about home movies he read too much into?
Two twin brothers duke it out at the age of 75?
**

Okay well maybe not those. But there’s something here. Now I just have to try and find what it is exactly.