What goes on behind the scenes when you’re creating some of the most distinct pieces of cinema in the past 30 years? What drives people to decide to mount a film production without any formal training or, in some cases, good taste? A new series from Vice explores the stories and psychology of the creators of some of film’s most gonzo endeavors. Made by Evan Husney and Zack Carlson, Outsider looks not only at the enduring appeal of these films but at the people behind them. The first episode recently premiered and is all about 1987’s Miami Connection and its driving force, Y.K. Kim.
Outsider tracks the film’s genesis and eventual rediscovery (by Carlson) all while looking at the life and mind of Kim, its star/co-writer/co-director/fight coordinator. Viewers learn what drove Kim to create the Miami Connection, the various struggles he had in making and releasing it, and what he is up to now down in Florida.
Carlson and Husney have eschewed the ”guilty pleasure” term and merely find pleasure in the circumstances that produced such an oddball movie. It’s fascinating to witness the very human story of Kim’s journey from immigrant to Tae Kwon Do master to filmmaker and then later a guru for self-help and martial arts. By being incredibly sincere, awkwardly funny, and genuinely devoted to the subject matter, Outsider is an excellent peek into a world rarely seen, as well as how much heart and drive it takes to make some of cult film’s most outstanding works.