GREAT READS

Tabloid

a Sundance Selects and Showtime Networks presentation ; Airloom Enterprises and Moxie Pictures present ; a film by Errol Morris ; produced by Julie Bilson Ahlberg Mark Lipson ; directed by Errol Morris.

I picked this movie up on a whim, without really knowing what it was about and without reading the back cover.  Within the first 10 minutes, I was looking it up on the internet to see if it was actually true. Amazingly, this DVD is a 100% true documentary about the infamous "Mormon sex in chains" case. Have I got your attention now?

This sensational case dates back to 1977, involving a young, beautiful former Miss Wyoming, Joyce McKinney, who kidnapped her Mormon boyfriend from his missionary work in England. Depending on whose point of view you come to believe, either he was forcefully chained to a bed in the Cotswolds for three days or enjoying a romantic reunion with his fiancée. This is indeed a hilarious and off-the-wall (but incredibly true) documentary filmed and told through all the characters involved, although the Mormon in question declined to be interviewed. Shucks!

This film is hard to describe - quirky, amusing, and just plain crazy. Tabloid reminded me of Christopher Guest movies such as Best in Show, A Mighty Wind and Waiting for Guffman, but remind yourself: this movie is all true.

Recommended by Allison Holbrook

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