'Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County' to air tonight

[Bluebear]

Documentary filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi ("Journeys With George," "Friends of God") returns Monday to her customary venue, HBO, with "Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County." There were whole families living in single motel rooms long before this latest dep/recession gripped the nation and the world, and not only here in Southern California. (CBS News looked in on some Salinas, Calif., motel kids last year, with a return visit just this May.) But the setting of Pelosi's film is particularly trenchant, given the conspicuous overconsumption that has become associated with the locale — the subtitle echoes "The Real Housewives of Orange County" — and the physical proximity of many of these motels to Disneyland, the self-declared Happiest Place on Earth.

The filmmaking is basic. Pelosi knows where to point her camcorder, but she doesn't reach for much else, and as a result, she sometimes doesn't get quite as close to the emotional heart of her subject as she might; there are kinds of truth it takes a little art to express. And when she does get fancy, as with the home-movie video effects she uses to bridge scenes, the effect is corny, inelegant, weirdly amateurish.

Yet, whatever its technical limitations, it's a film worth the making and the watching. If Pelosi's primary talent as a filmmaker is her ability to gain trust and access, that's no small thing, and she does capture the sad ingenuity this life requires — making a stairwell into a jungle gym, a toy store from a dumpster. And she made "Homeless" when, building on past successes, she might easily have looked toward a more glittering or sexy subject. Instead, she turned her attention to a world and a population that, almost by definition, is beneath notice.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-homeless-kids-20100726,0,199019.story

[bobbolink]

1. Thank you so much!

I wish I knew someone who could record!

Instead, she turned her attention to a world and a population that, almost by definition, is beneath notice.

At least SOME get that.....:cry:

[dotymed]

51. I get it Bobbolink

and it is the sad truth. Serfdom is the American way.

[tpsbmam]

2. Sounds fascinating -- thanks! k&r n/t

[G_j]

3. wow

sounds like a great film!
thanks for the heads up.

K&R

[a la izquierda]

4. k & r

[valerief]

5. Makes me think of an Alan Arkin film around 10 years ago. They

were the poor people in Beverly Hills. He wanted to stay in Beverly Hills so his kids could get a good education.

[Onceuponalife]

32. That's "Slums of Beverly Hills" you're thinking of

Good movie, but these OC kids have it a lot harder than that family did. I'm recording this doc right now on my DVR. HBO shows great documentaries every Monday night. Y'all should check it out.

[valerief]

37. That's it! Thanks. nt

[grasswire]

6. thank you for calling this to my attention

I'll be watching, and I'll comment here.

[MountainLaurel]

7. Will check it out

When I was volunteering with a homeless shelter in the DC suburbs, families on the wait list to get in were housed in cheap motels around the area, often for a year or more. But for whatever reason, their vouchers only lasted 30 days, so at the end of every month the family would have to move to a different motel, not necessarily one in the same school district.

[femrap]

8. Choosing Orange County

as the setting is brilliant. I remember going there for a weekend....I had never seen so many rolls royces or bentleys.

It made me sick. I've never understood why one would want to spend so much money on something that gets one from Point A to Point B. Me, at the time, I was driving a beat-up Ford Pinto...and the fancy cars got the fuck out of my way!!! I loved that car.

And there is a Mercedes car out today that looks just like the front of a Pinto...tell that to the owner and watch his/her face drop....Gravity in action is beautiful.

[uncommon]

9. Agreed - the poignancy of the location makes the message that much more

powerful.

I will definitely be watching this.

[RKP5637]

10. k & r !!!

[burnsei sensei]

11. Being able to gain the trust of the homeless

and the impoverished is no small accomplishment.
These are the people who have been betrayed in our society and they are keenly aware of it. It's difficult to trust anyone who has reached any level of stability when whatever there is of it is so fleeting for you and your family.
Read:
Let Us Now Praise Famous Men by James Agee.
He writes much about the walls of distrust and alienation among the classes in the U.S.

[bobbolink]

13. Yes, "Betrayal" is the word! It is all about control. Thank you for the book recommendation!

This is what I am trying to research right now, and am very appreciative for anything you can add.

:yourock:

[JuniperLea]

12. My sister and her friends do a random act of kindness each year...

She lives in the OC... and year before last her group gave a bunch of money to a woman and her kids who were living in a motel like this... they had been lined up for an apartment, but the woman couldn't get her deposits in order having just landed a job. My sister and her friends gave the woman the deposit money. She was flabbergasted that strangers not affiliated with the church that was helping her, or any church for that matter, would do this. It all started with a visit paid to a shelter, looking for something they could do.

I'll be watching this...

[Starry Messenger]

14. K & R

I don't have HBO, I hope this comes to the internets later. Read a review last night.

[shanti]

15. thanks for the heads up on this

as i'm from the OC originally. my sons lived with my ex, their dad in a motel in OC many years ago until they found an apt. it's tough being poor in orange county, very tough.

[me b zola]

16. K&R

[tilsammans]

17. K&R!!!

I'm unable to watch it (no cable), but I hope to see it at a later date.

:applause:

[bobbolink]

19. Me, too! The Denver Post did a series on homeless people in motels,

and I think it raised quite a bit of awareness.

[Donnachaidh]

18. kick and Rec!

[amborin]

20. K&R

[NMMNG]

21. This is a problem we could solve

If only we'd put some real effort into it.

[bobbolink]

24. Of course it could be solved! But there is no interest. You didn't notice

Obama or Clinton making any promises about it during the campaign, did you?

You don't notice Obama giving any speeches about it, or proposing any "programs", do you?

Until "progressives" start pushing hard, nothing will happen.

And, yes, it definitely could be solved.

[Bluebear]

26. Be glad no promises were made on the campaign trail.

That would be the kiss of death entirely! ;)

[bobbolink]

27. Yeah, I thought of that. ^_^ The point is, it never seems to cross their minds.

You'd think we don't even exist.

:grr:

[NMMNG]

28. Homeless people don't have great financial resources or political clout

Politicians have no reason to do anything for them. Most of the time they're only doing things to them in order to appease the privileged folk who think homeless people detract from the appearance of their lovely little suburbs and upscale city blocks.

[bobbolink]

38. Thank you. I feel ever so much better now, knowing how damned worthless I am.

So, that excuses you .....how?

We're not worth anything to you, either?

The compassion here is absolutely STUNNING.

I'll say it again... when its YOUR mother on the street, maybe you will see things a bit differently.

[NMMNG]

40. Read again

I was deriding the politicians and their proclivity for only attending to those who they think they can get something from (money, votes, other forms of support). I never said one thing against homeless people and was in fact defending them. Please stop being so darn defensive and lashing out at everyone.

[bobbolink]

42. No thanks. I don't need to reread heartless edicts like that.

When you walk in my shoes, you will understand just how cold and unfeeling you post was.

I don't expect you to understand now what I am saying, so I am done with this. Just keep on hammering at me.... really, we homeless people need more Dems to harrass us.

[NMMNG]

44. Whatever

Every time I'm stupid enough to respond to you I'm reminded why I should know better than to respond to you. :banghead:

[Obamanaut]

48. The poster agrees with you. The message block suggests that

politicians are not motivated to do much if anything for the homeless/poor because that demographic has nothing to offer them in return - no quid pro quo, tit for tat, you scratch my back I'll scratch yours, etc.

If the homeless/poor had means, the politicians would be more amenable to their plight - but since they don't, they aren't.

A 'glass half empty' type person would have missed that in the post, so it doesn't really surprise me.

[awoke_in_2003]

22. K&R...

hopefully this gets some attention. Middle class America does not like to acknowledge these problems, but with the wealth disparity is trending they are not far removed from it. We really need to start redistributing wealth and begin helping these people in need.

[wellstone dem]

23. kr

[Foo Fighter]

25. K & R

I don't have HBO but hopefully they will make it available on the Internet.

[ChiciB1]

29. Saw Part Of This Last Night & NOTED The Comment That It Was Said

that Americans simply don't understand the REALITY of the poor and are basically COMPLETELY uninformed about WHO are really being affected.

Because the Repukes and others of their ILK, these most unfortunate people are essentially being defined as Ronnie Ray-guns once dubbed women "Welfare Queens!" And the deepest CUT of all is that THIS is the message that is resonating more so than the REAL plight of POVERTY in a country that boasts of being GREAT!!

I recall seeing people standing in lines in Ohio many years ago AND rarely was it mentioned or focused on. Because I'm able to have access to alternative news, it was reported so many years ago. This has been ongoing for so many years under the radar and I wonder if it will EVER be seen as the disaster it has become. When people are "grateful" for a hand out even as they work and try to find things to sell because the simply can't make ends meet.

The woman who got a check for $5,000.00 to keep her pantry going was ecstatic and I kept thinking... $5,000.00, what a pittance when we THROW BILLIONS away on WARS we will NEVER win! BILLIONS, and she was on cloud nine with a paltry $5,000.00!

America, my country right or wrong! How far we have fallen!

[Iwillnevergiveup]

30. Orange County is definitely not all wealthy

and ironically, it's pretty shabby and depressing around Disneyland. Anaheim can be rough. It will be interesting to see how far toward the ocean Ms. Pelosi travels to document her findings. Homelessness is a huge problem throughout the state....the ground beneath many overpasses is often inhabited by groups of people. Very, very sad and inexcusable.

K&R

[Greyhound]

31. K&R

I'll torrent it to watch later.
:kick: & R & :thumbsup:

[era veteran]

33. K & R

`

[laughingliberal]

34. K & R nt

[dajoki]

35. "And she made "Homeless" when, building on past successes,

she might easily have looked toward a more glittering or sexy subject. Instead, she turned her attention to a world and a population that, almost by definition, is beneath notice."

Sad, that is right on the nose.

K&R

[Odin2005]

36. K&R

[upi402]

39. Thank you, wish I could afford HBO

I used to own rental properties, and now the documentary's subject is looking like a possibility.


As the worm turns...
We need a National Recovery Act II immediately - like a 'man to the moon' initiative but for alternative energy.

[bobbolink]

41. We need a Manhattan Project to eradicate homelessness.

It wouldn't be near that hard, or as hard as alternative energy.

But, there isn't the interest or concern.

[BeHereNow]

43. Thanks Bluebear- I was going to post about this film too.

I only saw the last half, but I know these kids well.
Not these kids specifically, but the growing population
of them in this country. It is a national epidemic and disgrace.

I worked in the local school district for five years- recently lost my
job due to the state budget cuts. I think most people would be shocked
if they knew the numbers of children in this country living in this
condition, and worse- many of them live in cars with parents and siblings.
Hunger is a constant distraction, as is safety.

We kept a stash of instant oatmeal and granola bars, among other snacks
to feed many of the kids in our class room. How is a kid supposed to concentrate
with a growling tummy?

I am infuriated with the amount of money flowing out of this country
to fund the mighty military industrial/congressional complex while these kids suffer.

Their parents will never escape the cycle of poverty- the game is rigged against them.
Meanwhile, all we hear about is Lindsay Lohan or some other banal story.

I am proud of Pelosi for keeping her camera focused on things that matter.
I wish more people could see this documentary- because chances are, they come into
contact with these children in their own communities, whether they know it or not.

BHN

[bobbolink]

47. Excellent post, BHN. Unfortunately, this thread has been up for a while,,

so I doubt many people saw what you have written.

Would you please write an OP about the second half that you saw and your personal experiences?

As you know, this is not a sexy topic, and it needs to be pushed.

Thank you for what you have shared! :yourock:

ps....there are 2,400 homeless school children in the rather small county where I live. That is shameful, and since so many progressives can quote a lot of facts off the top of their heads, I think this is one researchable fact that we should all know and quote often! It is something most of the citizenry has NO idea about.

[BeHereNow]

50. Will do, when I have more time to post.

Thanks for your encouragement to keep the issue
in the awareness of our community.
BHN

[Obamanaut]

49. 44 % of the members of congress are millionaires, according to a

news report last November - while only 1 % of the rest of America are in that category.

We read of members of congress not declaring all of their income to avoid being taxed on it, or buying a $7 million boat, or a $ 2 million wedding, or becoming a member of the president's cabinet despite not paying their income tax.

Part of the problem is in DC, another part of it is that we reelect them multiple times.

[Cetacea]

45. Kick

Thanks for posting.

[Hannah Bell]

46. kick (too late to rec)