Most stories begin "One upon a time..." But this story begins, "You ain't gonna believe this shit." Thus begins the film "Who the $#%& is Jackson Pollack?" and the unique, compelling and utterly fascinating story of Teri Horton. A 71 year old firecracker, Horton is also a former truck driver, a dumpster diver, a grandmother, and the owner of a painting that she bought for five dollars at a thrift store that may very well be an original Jackson Pollack piece.

This documentary, by filmmaker Harry Moses, begins as a pretty straight- forward recounting of how Horton acquired the piece and how she began to realize that it might be worth something. But this film is more than just a does-she-or-doesn't-she-own-a-Pollack, has-she-or-hasn't-she-hit-the-jackpot kind of film. Moses explores this quite adeptly in the film but he also gives us tremendous insight into the art world and exactly how it operates. You will be astounded at just how jaw-droppingly unbelievable this story is. Moses interviews a ton of people in the art world including convicted felon and former art dealer Tod Volpe, convicted forger and now legitimate artist John Myatt, and a former bigwig at the Museum of Modern Art who actually bought forgeries while he was in that position. Some of these people think the Pollack Horton has is real and others do not. The reasons for their opinions and their attitudes towards Horton make compelling and fascinating viewing.

Moses also spends much time discussing Horton's life and the woman is so unique and interesting that even if she hadn't found what may or may not be a Jackson Pollack painting in a thrift store, she would be worthy of a documentary. And it would be a great story. Horton has a grown son with a wife and children that she did not get reacquainted with until just a few years ago, she has a son who wants to be a country and western singer (who sings a great song about Teri's story in the film), and she has a daughter who died a few years ago. These pieces of Horton's life combined with the "big" story she is involved with now, make her one of the most captivating people living in the world today. Truly, when Barbara Walters does her 2006's "10 Most Fascinating People" special, Horton should be at the top of the list.

And then there is the man, Pollack, himself. His work is called "Energy made visible" by one of the art mavens in the film and that is perhaps the most perfect description of it to ever be uttered. Pollack's paintings, his life, and his demise have all been covered in other documentaries and narrative films. This film only gives us the information we need to understand what is happening to Horton. Most of us, unlike the former trucker, are pretty familiar with his oeuvre and do not need much of a primer here. But even for the initiated, there are interesting things about the author here, including photos and film footage of the man as well as a trip inside his studio and discussions with a couple of people who knew him well.

Moses is a master storyteller and a perfect filmmaker and he creates a documentary as worthy of praise as its subject. This just might be one of the most interesting films you can see all year. If you're a lover of art, artists and quirky characters, this film will WOW you but even for the casual viewer, "Who the $#%& is Jackson Pollack?" will be an enthralling spectacle.

Notes:

Moses scripts, produces, interviews, directs and even acts in the film.

Moses met Horton through Volpe when the art dealer pitched a six part series to him on "corruption in art."

From what I can find on the internet, Moses was a TV actor and director through much of the 70's and 80's whose last film was a TV movie called "Assault at West Point" in 1994. For the past ten years or so, he has been a minister, which makes the explicative deleted in the title, which is actually uttered without censorship in the film, kinda interesting.

Viewed at the Paramount theater during SXSW in March of 2006 with the filmmaker in attendance. Notes on this screening are on the Day 7 page.

Report Card

Content: A+

Completeness: A

Cinematography/Lighting: A+

Special Effects/Make Up: A+

Music: A+

Final Grade: A+