Artist Mark Hogancamp in the 2010 documentary "Marwencol," left, and Steve Carell playing Hogancamp in "Welcome to Marwen."
Because it’s easy to get confused, I’ll create a little primer: Marwencol is an indie documentary made in 2010 about Mark Hogancamp, who harnesses the power of art to heal himself after a savage beating leaves him with a traumatic brain injury and memory loss. Welcome to Marwen is a Hollywood film based on Hogancamp’s story. It’s directed by Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump).
I missed Marwencol during its short run in Madison in 2010 and at the 2011 Wisconsin Film Festival. In a smart programming move, the festival brought it back in December for Tuesday Night Movie Club. Those of us who felt a little unsure about whether we were ready for the Steve Carell version were able to catch the real Hogancamp before the CGI figures took over and the string section swelled.
Hogancamp’s story is undoubtedly compelling, and just the kind of thing young documentarians are hungry for. It’s got pathos, redemption, quirkiness and a fascinating protagonist.
Jeff Malmberg’s Marwencol doesn’t deify Hogancamp. Before Hogancamp was beaten nearly to death by five young people outside a bar in upstate New York, he struggled with alcoholism and homelessness (he hasn’t had a drink since the attack). He was also a cross- dresser, at least when it came to shoes, which may have precipitated the hate crime. But as his friend told him, he wasn’t mean, he was just a drunk. After the incident, he was comatose for nine days and hospitalized for 43 days. His face needed to be rebuilt, and he had only episodic memories of his previous life. He also had a serious case of PTSD. When his state-funded therapy ended, he created his own. He had been an accomplished illustrator (and was fascinated with World War II imagery) before the attack but he could barely write his name afterward. He began creating an entire 1:6 scale World War II village in the backyard of his trailer home. It wasn’t just visual art; he staged elaborate and fantastic scenes using lifelike dolls. He was creating a world where he had the power.
The central figure, Hogie, is a heroic American soldier, surrounded by fierce and gorgeous women (“dames”), who repeatedly rescue him from Nazis. Hogancamp kept building and painting and taking exquisite photographs. He would walk on country roads wearing full World War II regalia and towing a miniature jeep filled with dolls. When a neighbor and magazine editor, David Naugle, finally stopped to ask what he was doing, Hogancamp shared some of his photos. Naugle sent the photos to an art journal, Esopus, which led to an art exhibit in New York City, a book deal, and now a Hollywood movie.
Hogancamp must be on board for all this public attention. But as an audience member, it’s all a little bit squirmy. I find his photographs beautiful, and I am a sucker for any story involving the redeeming power of art. But the whole project seems so personal. He even says in the documentary, “This is the one last thing that I don’t want taken from me. I built Marwencol for me — for my therapy.”
So, where does that leave us with Welcome to Marwen? What happens when the Forrest Gump director takes your story?
I’m happy to report that Welcome to Marwen has a lot going for it. For the most part, it honors Hogancamp’s vision, even if it distorts and exaggerates at times. The biggest asset is Carell, whose heartbreaking portrayal of the lonely, traumatized artist is just what fans of Marwencol would hope for. He’s not trying to do an impression of Hogancamp, but he is convincing. His social skills are just off, in a way that generates a lot of empathy.
In Welcome to Marwen, the fantasy sequences are fully animated in slick CGI. Where Hogancamp’s dolls resemble the people in his life, Welcome to Marwen’s animators have taken the concept several steps further, creating lifelike dolls that look just like the actors. It’s a tad creepy, but I somehow think Hogancamp might approve.
The real-life Hogancamp came out of rehab with no memories of his previous life. When he opened his closet, he found nearly 300 pairs of women’s shoes, mostly stilettos. In a bold move, instead of downplaying this bizarre twist, Welcome to Marwen highlights it: Hogie is wearing a lovely pair of pumps when he is discovered by Nazis. He is repeatedly attacked and shamed for his cross-dressing tendencies. And he recalls being called “queer” before the group attacked him.
The film suffers from some overly obvious writing, and sometimes it seems like elaborate shootout sequences are strategically placed in difficult emotional spots, as narrative short cuts. And the biggest flaw is the ridiculously overwrought score. Why are people still making music like this for movies?
If you can only see one of these films, I’d vote for Marwencol, but Welcome to Marwen still contains the essence of the story — the sweetness of Hogancamp and his determination to heal himself by creating his fantasy world. It’s a tale of resilience in the face of unspeakable trauma. In both movies, Hogancamp needs to go to court to face his attackers and give a statement. It’s unbearably difficult, and Carell does an excellent job of channeling the shame and self-blame that Hogancamp harbors. But he does it, and he perseveres in making art, and his photos are being shown in galleries. And even more important, he’s got a community of people rooting for him, wanting him to succeed.
Mark Hogancamp didn’t deserve what happened to him outside that bar. But he does deserve the success that has come from his self-styled recovery.
