HBO PRESENTS: 112 WEDDINGS, AN INTIMATE EXPLORATION OF RELATIONSHIPS AND MARRIAGE, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY WHOM YOU KNOW Our Coverage Sponsored by Stribling and Associates
FEATURED IN IMAGE: Heather and Sam Dodge
Photo Credit: Courtesy of HBO
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Is getting married all that it's cracked up to be? We're not going to touch that, however, HBO Documentaries has got another brilliant documentary out in 112 Weddings, which is precisely that. Doug Block, wedding videographer, is curious, which we sincerely applaud. We are absolutely curious, and we are the first to recommend a restaurant, movie, shoe brand, beauty product and many other recommendable items, however we cannot recommend whom to marry!
We will say we think a lot more planning goes into weddings than marriages in many cases, and whether you are married, single, or engaged, listening to these comprehensive, honest social studies captured in this work will elucidate issues that can arise. If there are 50 shades of Grey, there are even more shades of weddings and quite possibly 112~! Doug revisits several of these couples to see if they are still together, and what they think of marriage. He looks at brand new couples as well as couples who have a relationship that's run its course. Their responses are most interesting, and it's clear that he is excellent at what he does and also at the relationship, because these people really opened up to him. In watching this, it's evident that there is a lot of mutual respect between Doug and the couples. It's to your benefit to gain their wisdom!
HBO Documentaries has captured one of their most interesting topics ever, and it's one of the most all-encompassing as well for society.
FEATURED IN IMAGE: Jodi and Michael Smart
Photo Credit: David Gordon/Courtesy of HBO
We liked how this was done in association with the BBC; we are huge advocates of BBC Home Entertainment to be certain.
FEATURED IN IMAGE: Heather Dodge
Photo Credit: Courtesy of HBO
112 Weddings is truly a practice in Cinema Verite: in otherwords, the truth. Doug is not afraid to ask questions like "What did you think marriage was going to be?" and the answer to that is lots of compromise and choices for everyone. Doug asks: "What goes into staying married?" and we like the answer "You have to laugh!" Issues come up, and couples discuss how they get back on track, and it's clear that proper communication is essential.
These are not couples that say life is like a bowl of cherries~! Some of it is for certain, however, there are also couples profiled that have had their share of problems, and in some cases divorce is featured, which we applaud and are not surprised by. HBO always is great in documentaries about capturing all sides of an issue. A lesbian couple is featured as well.
Some of the more fun questions are "How did you meet?" "[Address what you think of] Fate?" and "Does Everyone Have a Soulmate?" What a lovely concept, but is the last one reality?
It's our privilege as the audience to experience the candid nature of these participants: they are so honest, so forthcoming, and so true to their experience. This is testament to how they feel about Doug Block and their belief in sharing what they have learned with others so others might approach marriage with the most heightened sense of reality.
FEATURED IN IMAGE: Heather Dodge
Photo Credit: Courtesy of HBO
Happily ever after is complicated. Turning on your tv to HBO is not. 112 Weddings by HBO Documentaries
is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
FEATURED IN IMAGE: Jodi and Michael Smart
Photo Credit: Courtesy of HBO
For the past two decades, filmmaker Doug Block (HBO’s “51 Birch Street,” “The Kids Grow Up”) has helped support his documentary work by shooting the occasional wedding. Known for his intimate, fly-on-the-wall style, he repeatedly found himself bonding with couples on their big day, never to see them again once the video was completed.
Having long wondered what became of some of these marriages, Block began to track down a few of his favorite couples. Juxtaposing rapturous wedding-day flashbacks with remarkably candid present-day interviews, the documentary 112 WEDDINGS asks what comes after “I do,” exploring timeless themes of love, romance and commitment.
“When you guys were about to get married, what did you think marriage was going to be?” asks Doug Block, posing the question to nine couples. Rachel and Paul, the first, have been married 13 years. “No idea?” Rachel answers uncertainly, as she and Paul begin laughing. Their bodies and voices overlap comfortably as they discuss the ups and downs of marriage while their two young children play nearby. Although their current tiring, child-centric life stands in sharp contrast to the pageantry of their wedding day, they are still happy. “With you, I don’t feel like it’s work,” Rachel declares.
Augie, who married Jenn eight years ago, was relieved when challenges such as moving in together and getting married didn’t harm their relationship. “We got married and everything was just fine,” he recalls. It wasn’t until the birth of their first child, and the ensuing sleep deprivation, that the relationship was truly tested. Augie admits there were times he thought of leaving, prompting an emotional Jenn to confess, “When things are going good, I don’t want to sit and think about when they’re bad.”
Others have also had their relationship rocked by the birth of a child. “It feels like a lifetime ago,” says Olivia, recalling her wedding to Dennis nine years before. Wedding footage shows them dancing in each other’s arms, but that blissful beginning gave way to a harsher reality when their daughter was diagnosed with cancer just before her third birthday. While their different ways of dealing with the illness led to conflicts, Olivia and Dennis stuck together and are grateful they didn’t lose their daughter.
In addition to the nine couples who share stories of post-wedding life, 112 WEDDINGS visits Heather and Sam, a young couple preparing for their big day. They welcome the chance to discuss their upcoming nuptials. “It’s nice to have just a little space to reflect on, you know, what [marriage is] going to be,” says Heather, smiling at her fiancé.
Like Heather and Sam, Janice and Alexander are not yet married, though Block filmed their partnership ceremony 13 years ago. Since then, they have realized they are ready for “a different kind of commitment” after two children and a newfound desire to protect the family they’ve lovingly created.
After catching up with couples old and young, happy and struggling, married and divorced, Block arrives at Heather and Sam’s ceremony to shoot his 112th wedding. Having bonded with so many couples on their big day and returning to hear the realities of “for better or for worse,” Block reveals what he’s come to believe is the most significant moment of a wedding: “The one where two people face the world together as a married couple and walk off bravely into the unknown future.”
112 WEDDINGS is written, produced & directed by Doug Block; produced by Lori Cheatle; edited and co-written by Maeve O’Boyle. For HBO: senior producer, Lisa Heller; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.
FEATURED IN IMAGE: Doug Block (Writer, Producer, Director)
Photo Credit: Bob Krasner/Courtesy of HBO
