September, 2024 Doc of the Month: Shut Up Little Man! (2011)
Now that it’s September, it’s time to get educated about viral media. Typically when we think about content that becomes wildly popular overnight, our minds go straight to video. Maybe you like a classic such as Charlie Bit My Finger, Winnebago Man, or David After Dentist. Perhaps you’re into the more recent stuff like We Did It Joe, Hey Look At Us, or basically any OK Go music video. But in the late 1980s, friends Eddie and Mitchell moved into a crappy San Francisco apartment next to the loudest and grumpiest old men. The neighbors’ arguments were so ridiculous that Eddie and Mitchell did what by 2024 standards would be considered pretty standard, but to record audio of the squabbling oddballs next door in the 80s was not common practice. But what else are you supposed to do when they say things to each other like “Shut up, little man!”
Shut Up Little Man! (2011)
Directed by Matthew Bate • 1h 30m
The film opens with the definition of Audio Verité, which is as they say, “A term used to describe real-life recordings made surreptitiously. Found sounds and phone pranks.”
I grew up listening to The Jerky Boys, which toes the line of audio verité since the recordings are planned, at least on the end of the caller. In the case of this film, the two (and occasionally three) men being recorded did not consent to the situation. Beyond that, their names were associated with the recordings. Shut Up Little Man! explores the complexity of Eddie and Mitchell’s cassette recordings and embraces the bizarre nature of our curiosity of being a fly on the wall.
WATCH THE TRAILER
How to watch Shut Up Little Man!
Shut Up Little Man! is available to stream with the following subscriptions:
Rent or buy on these platforms and more:
Amazon - $3.99 to rent, $14.99 to buy at the time of this posting
It is currently available on the following free streaming platforms:
Hoopla - free with library card
Kanopy - free with library card
Tubi - free with ads
Plex - free with ads
Pluto - free with ads
Freevee - free with ads
Things to think about while watching the film
What viral media content do you remember seeing first?
In what ways do you think Eddie and Mitchell were unethical?
In what ways would you say they were acting with good intentions?
What’s a time when you had an unusual neighbor?
What would you have done if you lived next to Ray and Peter?
How to engage
Either leave a comment here with your thoughts on the film, using the above prompts for inspiration. Using the Substack app? Check out the Notes & Chat section. Be sure to read what other people are saying and continue the conversation!