Documentarian Ken Burns himself gave a thumbs-up (probably an old still photo of thumbs, in a slow, upward pan) to this rollicking indie parody of PBS-style historical documentaries—most notably Burns's The Civil War—from filmmaker Wendy Jo Cohen, who used the onscreen pseudonym “Grace A. Burns.” The title battle involves the long-suppressed story of how the Union's all-misfit Rhode Island 13th Brigade, commanded by a drug-addicted homosexual transvestite, saved Washington, D.C., from a Confederate offensive, despite having no artillery and a drummer boy with only one arm (and not really a boy, either). The economical presentation is mostly mock-ups of vintage illustrations, old letters, photographs, and faux 19th-century popular music (composed by “Colin F. Stephens,” and including tunes such as “I Dream of Annie's Biscuits”), interspersed with modern talking-head experts, explaining how fey Jonathan Lang, an androgyne for Lincoln, went to war as part of an obsessive lover's quarrel with his southern boyfriend. Lang was joined in his mission by an elderly Chinese immigrant (“General Li”) fond of basing military strategy on I Ching castings, and a young black techno-nerd raised by his white adoptive mother in utter ignorance of slavery and racism. A fine farce with an LGBT angle, this is recommended. (C. Cassady)
The Battle of Pussy Willow Creek
Passion River, 96 min., not rated, DVD: $24.95 Volume 29, Issue 2
The Battle of Pussy Willow Creek
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