If you know me in real life, you know that for most of my life I’ve been enchanted by anything and everything Tiki, and one of my idols is the legendary creator of the Tiki phenomenon, Donn Beach. His isn’t a household name, but his life story is a fascinating one, and any time I’ve regaled friends or clients with tales about Donn, the response has been enthusiastic, to say the least. Last year, directors Alex Lamb and Max Well released a wonderful documentary about Donn Beach, titled The Donn of Tiki. I watched it once online, and then had the good fortune to see it again on a big screen, with an audience full of Tiki aficionados no less, courtesy of Alex and Max. The film is a delight. Most of it is made up with interviews with people who knew, or were affiliated with, Donn, but as Donn is no longer around, the creators made the clever, and fitting, in my mind, choice to have a puppet, reminiscent of the Rankin/Bass puppets of my childhood, to act out the part of Donn, while actual recordings of interviews with Donn Beach are played. I’m taking today, during the break between the films of 1916 and 1917, to share a conversation I had with Alex and Max. We sat down at Velvet Taco, in Austin, Texas, and spoke for over an hour on topics ranging from our favorite films, our “handshake five” films, our early cinematic experiences, and, of course, Donn Beach. I hope you enjoy listening to the interview. If you are curious about the film, here’s the trailer. You can learn more about the film, and possibly see it if it comes to your town, on this web page. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit allthemovies.substack.com/subscribe
