Long Live Xander the Great

A man recollects growing up with his unconventional father.

This short film was created by putting together home movie footage that was found by visiting charity shops and swap meets and the result was a twenty-five-minute-long film that is presented as a documentary with narration.

The main subject here is a man named Alexander, who is also known as ''Xander the Great'' by his friends and his son is the narrator, who recalls his childhood with his father. Although the story is fictional, the events are presented in a way that feels as if they are true and taking place during the sixties, the time the film's events are set. The narrator talks about Xander, what life was like with him and significant events. According to him, his dad was a good parent, yet he had his negative aspects and he goes on to describe how Xander grew up on a farm and met his mother while at university and married her because she was wealthy. Xander also had a passion for motorcycles and that is explored extensively and other family members are introduced, including Uncle Billy, who the narrator was fond of. Once all the positive family experiences have been covered, the film takes a dark turn by moving into illegal activities that Xander was involved in.

As mentioned, this film consists of footage that was discovered by chance and it was all creatively put together in a way that accommodates the voice-over and can tell a story. Xander himself is seen often throughout and he could be categorised as the protagonist. Other recurring characters include his wife and his brother Billy. Xander's children are also present, including a boy who is supposed to be the narrator. There is footage of these people engaging in a variety of activities ans also lots and lots of footage of people riding motorcycles, whether for fun or racing. The footage appears old and damaged and the addition of Rob Amato's cinematography make it look decades old.

Going to the audio now, commendations go to Jordan Jacobo for the narration that he provides and describes the events in a way that is interesting to listen to. The soundtrack contains multiple songs, including a bit of rock and some guitar and piano melodies.

This short tells an intriguing story about a family man who loved motorcycles, lived a wild life and harboured a dark secret. The fact that it is made out of random footage is quite impressive , considering that it was all edited in a way that creates a narrative thanks to the contribution of effective voice-over. It is a rare piece of work that tells an intriguing story about family, crime and motorcycles