Review The Philosopher Kings documentary custodial staff

  Jouse works hard for family. Photo/website.

 Name of film: The Philosopher Kings

Director: Patrick Shen Director/Producer

Cast: Custodial staff from several top universities

Type of film: Documentary

website: www.philosopherkingsmovie.com

Screenings: August 26th th, 2009 at Cornell University @ Barley Hall 3PM, Ithaca NY. September 14, 2009 at Duke University @ Reynolds Theatre 7PM, Durham, NC.

Festivals showings: Silverdocs.

Awards Won: Official selection, Silverdocs. Back by popular demand choice. One of only 7 films picked to encore out of 122 films.

Synopsis: (From website)

In his quest to explore how we should best live, Socrates would often ask his fellow citizens, "What is the good life?" In America, more than fifteen hundred years later, a third of the population is clinically depressed, the suicide rate is at an all-time high, and kids are shooting their classmates. Moreover, it seems that much of the current destruction and misdirection in the world is being caused by our best-educated and most "qualified" citizens. Who do we turn to for guidance during these trying times? What is the answer to Socrates' age-old question "what is the good life?" and is anyone even asking anymore?

From the producers of the multiple-award winning Flight from Death comes The Philosopher Kings, a documentary film about the kind of wisdom that gets you through the day - the wisdom that comes from surviving hard times, lost loves, shattered dreams, and bad choices. To shed light on this matter, The Philosopher Kings goes deep into some of our nation's most prestigious universities to seek wisdom from the people who see it all and have been through it all - the custodial staff. Set against the backdrop of young people yearning for knowledge to carry them through their lives, the film explores the wisdom that only living life can bring.

Review:

During the course of this film we are introduced to several people who work as "custodial staff members". They are the ones who clean, the bathrooms, floors, walls, trash cans, etc.. The work places of these custodians are some of America's top universities. Duke, UC Berkeley, Princeton, Cornish College of the Arts, Cornell, and Cal Tech,

When looking at the above list of universities, the title "philosopher" could apply to many professors or even students. However, some of the wisest people on campus prove to be the staff that most people take for granted, or don't even see at all.

The Philosopher Kings takes a close look at several custodians and what they show you are several intelligent people with lives, loves and tragedies like anyone else. They show us the survivors of poverty and war; death of family members; and loss of health. What they don't show is the "poor me" mentality that many times takes over lives of people who have suffered any of these losses.

The custodians that  are followed around during their daily lives in this film are normal people. They all have a degree in the "School of Hard Knocks", many of us do. Where the philosophy comes in is what they say and do about their lives.

Meet the Custodians:

Josue Lajeunesse (Princeton University), "I'm a poor man but I'm proud of myself".  In the U.S. from Haiti his philosophy is hard won. Taking care of family by working almost around the clock takes it's toll, however there are no complaints here. He does what he has to. Josue is a man who handles things head on. I admire him and wish their were more men like him. During the course of this film, Josue goes back to Haiti to visit family and friends. He becomes upset and overwhelmed. Their is so much to be done and so little money and people to do it.

Corby Baker (Cornish College of the Arts), "Life should be about doing what you love even if it's very difficult to do that. That's the only thing that makes live worth living". Corby works at the art college because he wants to be an artist. He took the job over a job that paid more, but had no benefits. During this film Corby works on an art  project, sometimes fighting with it actually. He lives for his art, also enjoying seeing the art of students as he does his job as custodian of the school. He is young and hopeful, as young people should be. Corby is likable, a hard worker at his job and at his art. His philosophy about "doing what you love", is spot on.

Luis Cardenas (California Institute of Technology) "I have always said, that if you are afraid to die, you don't deserve to live." Hit by a drunk driver one morning on his way to work, Luis was left with only one arm. This doesn't stop him from working, or from being a father and a husband. He has a bit of trouble with relining trash cans, but no problem with his priorities. He loves his family. In Luis' life, love is everything. 

Jim Evener (Cornell University), "If you're miserable everyday , you're doing something wrong".  Jim is a Vietnam Vet who was shot in the back and somehow crawled through the jungle for three days before being found and rescued. Jim was told "he would never walk again", but he does. He has been through divorce, in addition to his trauma from Vietnam. His attitude toward life is to live it. His philosophy is one of the best to me. It is uncomplicated; simple, yet how many people do you know who are miserable in their life, job, relationship? If the saying, "whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger" is true, Jim is a very strong man indeed.

Melinda Augustus (University of Florida). "My mom was the glue that held everything together and when that glue dissolved, everything fell apart".  Our one "Queen" of philosophy,  Melinda's mother was in labor with her "15th" child, when a double dose of anesthesia was accidentally administered. This put her into a coma that lasted for 11 years. Years that her mother spent at home. Part of Melinda's responsibility  is to clean the museum in the collage. It contains butterflies, dinosaur bones, all kinds of neat stuff. As Melinda cleans, she learns.

She doesn't need a Ph.D. to tell you life can be hard. Of all the philosopher's I felt she was the one who, while still a strong person, is struggling.

Oscar Dantzler (Duke University). "If you can't keep the house of God clean, you can't keep no house clean". Oscar is the custodian for the chapel at Duke. You can tell by the way he works in the chapel, it's a labor of love. He is especially proud of the way he can line up chairs. Something most people would hurry through and forget about, he does with relish.  An "icon" around the university, he is loved by many students and has great affection for them. He calls them "his babies". He tries to help them through their years at Duke. He is kind of like the grandfather we all wish we had.

Michael Seals (U.C. Berkeley). "The sun is shinning, I'm having a great day, I'm alive". After great upheaval in his life cost him his marriage, and the loss of his family for many years. Michael's greatest moment was when his estranged son told him "I'm glad you're my father". Michael's attitude is outstanding and I would love to be his friend.

Gary Napieracz (Cornell University). I have a family, I have a job, I have people I work with that care about me. I don't think you need anymore". Gary is a friend of Jim's; who has worked at Cornell for over twenty years. Gary also went to Vietnam, where he learned it is important to support those around you and allow them to support you. It can sometimes be hard to allow someone to support you. It requires faith; something that can be hard to come by. Gary has a lot of it.

 Documentaries are made to teach the viewer something. What I learned (actually was reminded of, being the daughter of a "cleaning lady",) is that no one should be invisible. No matter what a person's function in life, they are important. Everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and taken seriously. We all have philosophies we live our lives by. If you don't ,the ones above are a good start to finding one.