BEAUTY DAY (Jay Cheel, Canada). 90 minutes. Rating: NNNN
Years before YouTube or the Jackass phenomenon, Ralph Zavadil began videotaping his shaggy-haired alter ego, Cap’n Video’s, silly and stupid antics – snorting raw eggs, tobogganing off a roof – for a Niagara region cable access show. He soon became a local cult figure and, after he broke his neck jumping from a ladder into a pool, a momentary international celebrity.
Jay Cheel checks in with him nearly two decades later, trying to find out what motivated him and how his shot at fame in the U.S. fell through.
Zavadil, still athletic and charismatic, isn’t the most introspective person, but his philosophy of having fun while you can is infectious. Cheel expertly interweaves archival footage, finding surprising emotional beats that add texture and complexity to the man.
