Film-In-Residence: The Beaver Trilogy

Film-in-Residence is a series of casual matinee film viewings, accompanied by a self-guided tour of the exhibits at the Velaslavasay Panorama.

F-I-R: Beaver Trilogy

The Beaver Trilogy (2000)
By Trent Harris

Saturdays at 4:00pm
July 8, 15, 22, 2023
Tickets $10 General / $5 VPES

Doors Open: 3:30pm

Tour Exhibits/Meet & Greet: 3:30pm - 4:00pm

Film: 4:00pm - 5:30pm

✩✩✩ CELEBRITY GUESTS IN ATTENDANCE AT EACH SCREENING ✩✩✩

The Beaver Trilogy is a series of three short films on the same subject, shot over the course of 6 years: The Beaver Kid (1979), Beaver Kid 2 (1981), The Orkly Kid (1985). The films document and then recreate (with a young Sean Penn) and recreate again (with a young Crispin Glover), the chance encounter between director Trent Harris and performer/impersonator/Union Pacific Railroad worker Groovin’ Gary in Salt Lake City, 1979.

I can’t believe this – this is actual life. (Groovin’ Gary)

Trent meets Groovin’ Gary in the parking lot of Channel 2 Salt Lake City, and captures his myriad impersonations (Oliva Newton-John, Barry Manilow, Sylvester Stallone as Rocky), his red velvet interior ‘64 Chevy, and his elation at the chance to be “on the tube”. Weeks later, Trent’s fascination develops further on a trip to Groovin’ Gary’s hometown of Beaver, Utah, for a community talent show. The original encounter and its recreations, which morph and fragment with each subsequent retelling, form the infamous Beaver Trilogy.

Written and Directed by Trent Harris, who remains the sole distributor of the film and provided the DVD for this screening.

The Beaver Trilogy (2000)

Digital Projection

1 hour 23 minutes