A review of “Refuge of Last Resort”, a new documentary of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, by Deanna Gorzynski, 1/19/07.
Hurricane Katrina was an impending storm that held the
promise of historical severity. James
Bills, a New Orleans resident and
cinematographer sought safety for his family in the Parc St. Charles Hotel in Crescent City. He was not planning on doing
anything but riding out the storm. Unintentionally Bills became a witness to
Katrina and was able to document in a raw and honest form the catastrophe
before him.
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Shot with a Sony HDR-FXI, Bills used no lights or tripods
because all he had was the camera, mini-DVD tapes and a rechargeable battery.
Thanks to Bills and the generator powered outlet attached to the emergency
lighting in the stairwell of the Parc St. Charles hotel we become observers to
REAL stories of the horror that was Katrina. Much of that horror, as vividly
seen in this documentary, was not the storm itself, but our government’s
unconscionable lack of response. What becomes clear is that just as egregious
and equally unimaginable is the way our government refused to allow others to
help.
Through the footage, one-on-one interviews and the
filmmakers” own testimony we meet people who will remain in our minds and
hearts long after we turn our TV’s.
There is actual footage of the still much-debated Super Dome
debacle. You feel the oppressive heat and accompanying thirst as you watch
American citizens waiting for nearly a day to get into the Super Dome. You can
almost smell the stench of refuse, urine and dirty diapers that were allowed to
accumulate once these survivors were allowed in. The images of piles of refuse
couldn’t possibly be taken of a rescue effort in the U.S., could they?! Sadly they are.
You will watch in still horror as the filmmakers listen to
reports on the radio of help coming from the military. Water, food and sanitary
necessities are on their way, people were promised. As these hopeful reports
air, those making this film document tank after tank bringing only the omen of
military occupation as though this were war and New Orleans” inhabitants were
the enemy. Personnel vehicles holding tens of soldiers bring not water and
supplies, but men with guns. Clearly the
trucks were there only to keep what their commanders appeared to have assumed
are lawless animals in need of control.
These, countless other interviews and visual testimony show
us the Katrina aftermath no mainstream media ever did. Most of the footage has
never been seen before and the movie contains no stock footage. I am grateful
that despite knowing it was truly life threatening to make this film, Bills
chose to be what he had not intended to be, a witness and recorder of
history. The impact of this film will be
seen in the light of history for years to come.
“Contrary to popular belief, this is not a political
film, it is the story of what my family endured in the wake of Katrina. It
takes no side – it only shows through the camera’s eye what we saw happening in
New Orleans that fateful week in 2005”– James L. Bills, Director
of “Refuge of Last Resort”
There are many events in history that need to be recorded
and regularly discussed so that they will never be forgotten, lest the lessons
learned be lost forever and humanity therefore doomed to repeat it. The horrors
of Hurricane Katrina are included in this dark list.
This documentary should be required watching for generations
to come.
In conclusion, when
you are ready to see what really
happened in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, ready your
couch, pop this DVD in your TV, grab a bowl of popcorn”second thought, forget
the popcorn”this movie will make you sick.
For more information on purchasing this film, a portion
of the proceeds go to Katrina charities visit www.refugeoflastresort.net
Keep an eye out on this website for the interview James
Blair has kindly accepted an invitation to.