Che and the Gerbil involves a day in the life of a would be terrorist. He’s lost his pet gerbil to a swimming accident and is distraught. Starring a cast of unknowns, Che updates the tired old themes of upheaval, crime not paying, and love on the rocks, all with a ‘90s sensibility.
The Donald presents the whole affair using a style that’s as far from a MTV quick-cut as can be. He lovingly lingers on scenes of gerbils dancing across a hot griddle, or a cat struggling against undertow. In one scene the main character is sitting in a sauna machine, holding court over his sycophants. He slowly smokes cigarette after cigarette, blowing concentric circles of smoke. It’s a long, drawn-out scene that in the hands of a lesser director would meander aimlessly. But The Donald has the actors surrounding Che devour raw fish and banana pancakes, heightening the atmosphere to a frenzied level. While this is going on Che pours forth his twisted view of the American political scene.
"We tried to go for the jugular with that scene," says The Donald. "It creeps up on you and then holds you in place. There’s something comical about the way people eat while watching someone sitting in a sauna spouting off about nothing in particular."
The Donald’s vision for films, while not traditional, borrows aspects from the classics Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Wizard of Gore.
"The use of gerbils has roots going back to Greek tragedy and high school biology," says the Donald before he rushes off to another location.
--Clams Casino
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