Creating Rem Lezar

Creating Rem Lezar
Tagline: "Every child has a Rem Lezar."
Directed by	Scott Zakarin
Produced by	Scott Zakarin Phil Meyerowitz Robert Hecht Mark Mulé Richard E. Brooks Barbara Dazzo Michael Stone Charles Zakarin
Written by	Scott Zakarin
Starring	Jack Mulcahy Jonathan Goch Courtney Kernaghan
Music by	Mark Mulé
Cinematography	Richard E. Brooks
Distributed by	Valley Studios
Release date(s)	1989
Country	United States
Language	English

Creating Rem Lezar is a children's musical film starring Jack Mulcahy, Jonathan Goch and Courtney Kernaghan. Released by Valley Studios in 1989 as a direct-to-video release.

The film was written, directed, produced and choreographed by Scott Zakarin, who has a starring role as "Vorock" the fear-mongering face and is also credited for co-writing the musical numbers' lyrics.

Though the film remains in obscurity, it appears to be gaining following as a viral video. Primarily from scenes which make emphasis on the poor production values and lack of political correctness of the film, along with the continuous use of stereotypical clichés for its release time period ( late 1980s ).

The film was selected for inclusion in the fourth installment of the Found Footage Festival.

Plot

Zack is sent to the principal's office for daydreaming about his imaginary friend named Rem Lezar. After a discussion about his classroom behavior, he storms out upset. At the same time, Ashlee is having similar problems at home with her mother. Later in art class, Zack and Ashlee notice there is a similarity between their projects ( a sculpture and a drawing, both depicting Rem Lezar ). This event sparks a debate between them into the suspicion that Rem Lezar might be a real person and not imaginary.

The two decide to obtain a male mannequin, find an empty storage room next to the school and inside they dress it up as Rem Lezar. The mannequin comes to life while the kids fall asleep next to it, revealing to be Rem Lezar himself. He informs the kids he can live but one single day unless they find the "Quixotic Medallion", which has the power to keep him alive. The fear-mongering face, Vorock, tells them it is hidden at the height of imagination. The three begin a search for the medallion.

After bumping into some locals who take part with them in some musical numbers, they search locations with no luck. While they search in a nearby forest, the kids are split from each other unnoticed in a trick from Vorock. When they become aware of each other's absence, Zack falls into a lake which Rem Lezar rescues him from and they reunite with Ashlee. Vorock once again taints the kids but this time they follow Rem Lezar's advice into trying to become Vorock's friend. Vorock confused leaves them alone. The quest of the medallion is aborted and the kids suddenly wake up in the empty storage room next to the school where they dressed up the mannequin as Rem Lezar, revealing the film took place in a dream sequence. A Police officer finds them and takes them to their respective homes both of them sporting a "Quixiotic Medallion" on their chest. They go to sleep while taking place in one last musical number with Rem Lezar.

Viral resurgence

In January 2007, the musical number "Day and Night" from the middle portion of the film was featured in ebaumsworld with the label "It's out of sight!", which showcased a choreography involving the lead characters accompanied by a doo-wop quartet, a hip hop MC and a violinist. Attention was given to the stereotypical clichés for its release time period ( late 1980s ).

Three months later the film was uploaded in its entirety to youtube.

In April 2009, ebaumsworld featured another clip from the film, containing a scene where Zack and Ashley fall asleep next to a mannequin which transforms into Rem Lezar. The clip was labeled "Creepy 80's video".

Through time, select scenes pointing out the film's poor production values and lack of political correctness have been uploaded to other video sharing sites. Comments by users seem to focus on the relationship between the lead characters which make frequent double-entendres insinuating pedophilia. Examples of these include the opening musical number, where Rem Lezar sings the lyrics "Part of the joy that I get from this boy is his innocent laugh and style", and the kids being in company of Rem Lezar before they go to sleep in their bedrooms while he sings to them, in which one of those scenes Rem Lezar says the line of dialog "When the lights are off, isn't it just like closing your eyes?".

External links

• Creating Rem Lezar at the Internet Movie Database
• Creating Rem Lezar Myspace page
• Rem Lezar's Facebook page