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Deep Dive: Beaver Trilogy (2000)

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Beaver Trilogy
The Beaver Trilogy is a documentary film directed by Trent Harris that combines three vignettes filmed in 1979, 1981, and 1984. The first segment, The Beaver Kid, features Richard LaVon Griffiths, known as 'Groovin' Gary', who performs celebrity impressions and stages a talent show in Beaver, Utah. This segment captures Griffiths' unique persona and his obsession with Olivia Newton-John, showcasing his performance as 'Olivia Newton-Dawn'. The second part, The Beaver Kid 2, stars Sean Penn as 'Groovin' Larry' Huff, presenting a dramatic interpretation of the original documentary. It includes scenes from the first segment and was produced on a budget of $100. The trilogy concludes with The Orkly Kid, where Crispin Glover takes on a similar role, this time as 'Olivia Neutron Bomb'. This final act is longer, shot in color, and features new characters and plot twists, marking a shift in production quality and narrative style.

Why Watch

  • •Meet Groovin' Gary in Beaver, Utah.
  • •See Sean Penn's early dramatic role.
  • •Find out about Olivia Newton-John's influence.

Did You Know

•The first segment was filmed in 1979, and the last in 1984.
•Sean Penn starred in The Beaver Kid 2, which had a budget of $100.
•Richard Griffiths died on February 2, 2009, at age 50.

Perfect For

Cult film enthusiastsSean Penn fansDocumentary lovers