In a Dream

A son's attempt to understand his father—an eccentric but amazingly productive Philadelphia muralist—is the driving force behind Jeremiah Zagar's compelling documentary In a Dream. Shot over the course of a decade, the film details patriarch Isaiah's split from his wife Julia, after more than 40 years, as well as the descent of their elder son Ezekiel into drug addiction. Much of the film consists of interviews with the grizzled, passionate Isaiah and Julia, often superimposed over footage (including old home movies) of their life together, especially scenes of artist Isaiah creating his huge artworks (from cement, paint, shards of glass, rocks, and empty bottles) or showing them off to astonished passersby. Periodically, Isaiah—looking in his later years like Walter Huston—speaks directly to the camera, revealing episodes from his childhood (such as molestation by an uncle during their fishing trips) that might help to explain his mental breakdown in his 20s before Ezekiel's birth, and subsequent turn to murals as his mode of expression. Punctuated with clever animated segments, the cannily edited In a Dream offers an impressionistic but perceptive portrait of a family whose lives are dominated by a remarkably talented man troubled by personal demons. Highly recommended. [Note: In a Dream is also available with public performance rights for $99.95 for public libraries and $295 for colleges and universities from Cinema Guild, www.cinemaguild.com.] [Note: DVD extras include deleted scenes, an alternate ending, three short films about Isaiah, and a music video. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a fine doc.] (F. Swietek)