One of the more bizarre documentaries to screen at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, was "A Gray State." Perhaps its oddest quality is that it's about an unfinished film that was being made by someone who ended up dead before he could complete his project.
In January of 2015, David Crowley, his wife, and his daughter were found dead in their Minnesota home. At the time of his death, Crowley was working on his film "Gray State," a dystopian view of the near-future that reflected the political beliefs of Crowley. He was an Iraq veteran who had become disillusioned with the direction he felt America was taking. In today's political climate he would be considered a member of the alt-right.
In 2010, Crowley began work on his film project and he soon developed a strong online following and they were excited about the trailer that they had help fund. He was becoming famous among those that had similar issues with the political system. He was a Tea Party darling.
When he and his family were found dead, it was pretty clear that Crowley's paranoia had reached a fever pitch, and that his mind had become consumed with whatever triggered his mental issues. The conclusion was reached that he had killed his family and then committed suicide.
This conclusion was rejected by his followers who saw his death as the government silencing him because he was getting too close to the truth. To them, everything is a conspiracy, so it was a very short leap to the evil government had executed Crowley and his family.
"A Gray State," directed by Erik Nelson, with Werner Herzog as Executive Producer, examines Crowley's life by immersing in the loads of film and photos left behind by Crowley. There are over 13,000 photographs, hundreds of hours of home video, and behind-the-scenes footage, in addition to the parts of the film that had already been completed.
What Nelson learns through all of these materials is that Crowley was under tremendous pressure to produce something for the people who supported his views. That pressure chipped away at him and at his marriage. At some point, Crowley cracked.
"A Gray State" is extremely unnerving to watch for two reasons. You are watching a man and his family disintegrate right in front of you. Equally terrifying is how easily people can be manipulated into believing anything, no matter how absurd. Considering the political climate in today's America and in many other parts of the world, it's the manipulation that is the truly chilling part.
| Movie title | A Gray State |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2017 |
| MPAA Rating | NR |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | Watching a man descend into total paranoia is almost as scary as those around him willing to believe anything. |
