Ron Gilbert

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DUMBSTRUCK is a true family film

By Ron Gilbert

I always enjoyed
ventriloquists as a kid and the skills which they were able to do with their
partners. I refuse to call them dummies because they always seemed smarter then
the humans who made them function but we also know that they are an extension
of their better half.

This film
is an incredible view into their world. It will touch every emotion in your heart,
where you will discover the true feeling of family.

 I was very fortunate to interview director
Mark Goffman while he was on the plane to New York and how this documentary came
about. When his bride’s  mother who is a
shy person was giving a toast at the wedding reception with wife Lindsay(Producer)
over 4 years ago,  she kept her lips
closed and used her hand movement as a puppet speaking and this fascinated everyone
. In particular, the director who inquired about that and she told him as a teacher
she created these personalities, because it was a way of expressing herself to
her students. In addition, she mentioned the annual Vent Haven Convention in
Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky, the Ventriloquism Capital of the World, where she goes
to every year and ventriloquists walk around with their dummies. So Mark took
his film crew there and this wonderful film opens there and introduces us to this
world and follows 5 very different people and how they started out. Kim
Yeager, a former Miss Ohio beauty queen; Dan Horn, a thriving cruise ship
performer whose life is affected by his career; Dylan Burdette, a 13-year-old
with dreams of hitting the professional circuit; Wilma Swartz, a former
security guard who brings her dummies to senior homes and Wal-Marts; and Terry
Fator, who struggled for decades as a small-time performer before winning
America's Got Talent on his way to a $100 million contract to headline the
Mirage Casino in Las Vegas. He started shooting in 2007 and did
this for about for 2½ years and then started the editing
process and realized that they needed more time so that the characters they
were following would complete their journeys.  I asked Mark how he came up with the film’s
title and it came from the reaction of Terry Factor’s contract signing in Las Vegas.

This film
should ring back the resurgence of the art form of ventriloquism.

Mark has
many other credits as a writer/producer for many years on television and in his
documentary directing debut he has hit the ball out of the park.

Truly Indie/Magnolia
Pictures present

DUMBSTRUCK,

Friday, May 27, 2011 showing at an exclusive engagement at Landmark’s
Regent Theatre located at 1045 Broxton Avenue (between Weyburn & Kinross) in Westwood.

SPECIAL GUESTS:
writer/director Mark Goffman, producer Lindsay Goffman will speak at select
opening weekend shows: Fri, 5/27, 7:15pm show; Sat, 5/28, 7:15 pm show; Sun, 5/29, 5:15 pm show. 

Ventriloquist Dan Horn,
featured in the film, joins for appearances on Friday and Saturday, 5/27 and
5/28 at 7:15pm, and
Dan will also make additional appearance on Saturday, 5/28 at 5:15 show.

Program information:

(310) 281-8223 

www.landmarktheatres.com

http://www.dumbstruckthemovie.com/