‘It’s Happiness’ review
This indie-documentry proves that polka isn’t just for dweebs and old people
By Kelly Mellott
Published: November 29th, 2006 | 3:04pm
When I first heard that indie film It’s Happiness documents the world of Wisconsin’s polka subculture, I thought, “Gee, that’s almost as intriguing as an action/thriller about the local YMCA barbershop quartet. But I’ll tell you what. There are two things in this world that get me every time: Animals and old people. And this film has more grandmas and grandpas than a retirement-home Christmas party.
It’s Happiness, by up-and-coming director Craig DiBiase, has already been in the Ohio Independent Film Festival, the Beloit International Film Festival, and took home the title of Best Documentary at The Bluegrass Independent Film Festival. The film showcases the spunky, feisty characters of polka — almost all of whom are elderly but perhaps just too stubborn to give up on life, youth, and all things polka.
An interesting documentary subject for a film crew without a single member over the age of 30, it is this unique and at many times, hilarious, angle that will draw you in and keep you there until the very end when you’ll undoubtedly sit back in complete disbelief that you just spent the last 90 minutes of your life learning about polka — and loving every oompah of it.
The documentary focuses around Milwaukee’s polka scene, particularly three prominent members: Art Altenburg, the owner and operator of the world’s only concertina bar, Greg Durst, a blind record collector with the largest personal vinyl collection in Wisconsin, and John Pinter, the absent-minded president of Milwaukee’s Polka Boosters Club with the comical inability to remember to shut his van door while driving. The documentary, as well as its subjects, isn’t afraid to acknowledge society’s general view of polka and its supporters — the music is and dance is a joke to outsiders and those who love it are either total nerds or elderly. But at a closer look, Happiness has another message, much simpler yet far less obvious, offering an insightful look at an often ignored but excruciatingly realistic and important part of human existence — the end. Polka is, without doubt, an entire generation, a culture left behind, about to be destroyed by the powerful and possessive reign of rockn roll and, more recently, hip-hop.
But the polka people refuse to sit back with their walkers and retirement plans and instead embrace their place in polka destiny. “I’ve got a lot left to do!” assures one of the silver-haired golden girls of the appropriately dubbed “Rowdy Bunch” as she pours another round of Jager shots into the homemade “shot ski” (a regular snow ski with holes drilled in to hold shot glasses) for the young film crew.
Happiness glances into the future of the Milwaukee Polka Boosters, seemingly about to crumble much like its beloved and slowly dying, blue-collar city. A hopeful glimmer of growing youth interest comes in many forms, from the enthusiastically crowned, pretty Polka Queen (and her racy upper leg–revealing magazine cover) to a 3-year-old drummer named Zac who’s passion is polka rhythm as he plays alongside musicians old enough to be his great-grandfather. It is here, in their youthful involvement that Polka President Pinter — by spreading the dance and song into local elementary schools — will attempt to save polka from a foreboding death as he watches Booster meeting attendance dwindle and Art’s Concertina Bar shut its doors for good after 25 years.
With the exception of music legend (and little-known polka lover) Willie Nelson and Jimmy Stur — who is the gold chain–baring, smooth-talking, lady-loving face of polka — everyone else in Happiness is just as average as the little old lady who lives next door and their stories aren’t anything out of the ordinary. At its very core, that’s what Happiness is trying to show the world, the simple and honest truth. It’s not glamorous, it’s not sexy, but polka has a heart of gold. This documentary isn’t afraid to let that speak for itself through the stories, words, and dance moves of polka’s most dedicated supporters. For them, polka is more than a dance, more than a musical genre. It’s a lifestyle and a culture. It’s their heart and soul. It’s happiness.
To see It’s Happiness for yourself, screenings will start in January in Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Louisville, and throughout Wisconsin. Exact dates and times can be found after December 15 on the film’s website at polkamovie.com
Issue #24
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