Stupidity in the Highest Form

Indie Wire: Wasn't it considered an instant classic?

Al Maysles: It's funny that you say that because when we finished making the film, we brought the film with a projector to Grey Gardens, and afterwards Edie paused for a moment and then turned towards me, and in a very loud voice she shouted, "The Maysles have created a classic!" So that's one up on you, right? She already said that.

iW: That's an early review, indeed.

Al: It's funny you know, if you read the original New York Times review... the guy was totally out to lunch. He ended up by saying he thought it was a terrible exploitation of two people who were so crazy that they couldn't understand that they were being exploited. And he said, "Why are they showing all this flabby flesh?" A little problem with age. But actually, even more disturbing than that, was that Edie read it and wrote an answer to it, and they refused to publish it because the editor told me, "You can't publish this. She's schizophrenic."

iW: Wow. They missed the boat on that one.

Al: Stupidity in the highest form.

Read the whole interview here. Photo credit of Liberty Post header Maysles Films.