MOVIE REVIEW : ‘Big Dis’ Puts Bigger Ones to Shame

Gordon Eriksen and John O’Brien’s hilarious yet thoughtful “The Big Dis” would be welcome at any time, but its release amid a year-end glut of loudly trumpeted prestige productions adds a deliciously subversive quality to its pleasures.

Imagine, a little movie shot in black-and-white on 16 millimeter for an incredibly low $8,500 by a couple of recent Harvard cinema graduates showing up the tediousness of “The Sheltering Sky,” the interminability of “Havana,” the crassness of “The Bonfire of the Vanities”--and the self-importance of them all. Since Landmark has booked it into the Nuart for only five days we can only hope a moveover to another theater will be in order.

In attempting to describe “The Big Dis,” “She’s Gotta Have It” and “House Party” immediately come to mind, yet unlike those films its humor is never at the expense of anybody or any group. As a portrait of unself-conscious racial harmony on the screen, “The Big Dis” is nearly unique, a reflection of the spacious, pleasant-looking interracial Long Island community of Hempstead, near where Eriksen (who also plays a supporting role) and others in the film grew up.

When J.D. (James Haig, a sharp, selfless actor who collaborated on the story), a young black soldier, heads home on a weekend pass he has but one thought on his mind: sex. Out of uniform J.D. checks himself out in the mirror and smiles approvingly at his good looks. Yet the entire film unfolds as one exceedingly well-sustained joke because, for one reason or another, he seems unable to score, even with women who are willing.

As easy-going and engaging as J.D. is, he has apparently been made to feel indomitably macho by the military; in any event, he clearly never thought to line up a date in advance. It never occurs to him, either, that finding easy romance would be anything but a snap. Yet, none of “the big dis”the disrespect--of the women he tries to land over two days ever seems to make a dent. It’s the viewer who may have his or her consciousness raised rather than our hero.

“The Big Dis” is too funny, too inspired, too ingenious to give much of it away. It has the raw, grainy look and ragged, spontaneous, occasionally self-conscious feel of a John Cassavetes movie, but it was not improvised on the set. Rather, it was developed from improvisation sessions with the cast. Eriksen, who originated the project, is secure enough to admit to being inspired by Cassavetes, as well as by Charles Burnett, Spike Lee and even by “Purple Rain’s” use of music as narration. Yet “The Big Dis” (Times rated Mature for language and adult situations) reveals clearly that Eriksen and O’Brien are their own men.

It is worth noting that they are the latest filmmakers to emerge from Harvard, which in addition to “House Party’s” Reginald Hudlin has been the alma mater of Mira Nair (the Oscar-nominated “Salaam Bombay!) and Whit Stillman (“Metropolitan”). At a time when UCLA is becoming as industry-oriented as USC has long been, it’s good to know that there’s a place where film students are encouraged to make small films about real people.

‘The Big Dis’

James Haig: J.D.

Allysunn Walker: Allysunn

Gordon Eriksen: Gordon

Heather Johnston: Heather

An Olympian Pictures release. Directors Gordon Eriksen, John O’Brien. Producers Eriksen, Heather Johnston, John O’Brien. Screenplay based upon the improvisation of the cast; story by Eriksen, O’Brien and James Haig. Cinematographer O’Brien. Music Kev Ses & Harry B. Editor Eriksen, O’Brien. Sound Eriksen.

Running time: 1 hour, 24 minutes.

Times-rated Mature (language, adult situations).