Energy and How to Get It 1981
Robert Frank's *Energy and How to Get It (1981)* blurs the line between documentary and avant-garde satire, shooting to life in Wendover, Nevada.
Director: Robert Frank
Cast
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Energy and How to Get It (1981) about?
Robert Frank's film begins as a documentary about Robert Golka, a Nevada engineer chasing breakthroughs in ball lightning and fusion energy. It quickly spirals into a mockumentary where fictional characters—including an Energy Czar and a Hollywood hustler—meddle in the story, turning real science into a sidesplitting satire of documentary form.
Who directed Energy and How to Get It?
Energy and How to Get It was directed by Robert Frank, the legendary Swiss-American filmmaker and photographer best known for *Pull My Daisy* and his groundbreaking photo project *The Americans*.
Who stars in Energy and How to Get It?
The film features William S. Burroughs as the surreal Energy Czar, alongside musician Dr. John, Allan Moyle, and Robert Downey Sr. as the Hollywood agent.
Is Energy and How to Get It (1981) worth watching?
At just 28 minutes, *Energy and How to Get It* is a niche gem designed for fans of cult cinema and docu-parody. Its blend of real science and absurdist humor rewards patient viewers, though mainstream audiences may find its tone too oblique. Seek it out if you love offbeat curiosities like *Errol Morris* meets *Monty Python*.
How long is Energy and How to Get It?
Energy and How to Get It runs 28 minutes, a concise runtime packed with offbeat energy.
About Energy and How to Get It (1981) — A quirky documentary spoof on science, power, and showbiz
Robert Frank's *Energy and How to Get It (1981)* blurs the line between documentary and avant-garde satire, shooting to life in Wendover, Nevada. What started as a straightforward profile of Robert Golka—a maverick engineer chasing ball lightning and fusion energy—evolves into a playful, genre-bending romp. Frank punctuates Golka's real experiments with surreal fictional twists: William S. Burroughs glides into frame as the off-kilter Energy Czar, while filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. mugs as a fast-talking Hollywood agent bent on monetizing science. The result is a 28-minute curiosity that dances between deadpan observation and absurdist comedy, all set against the stark, desert backdrop of early-'80s America.
Steeped in offbeat charm and low-fi wit, the film's anarchic tone mirrors the era's distrust of institutional power. Between squibs of madcap energy and bursts of deadpan narration, *Energy and How to Get It* asks whether genius can ever coexist with showmanship. Think *This Is Spinal Tap* meets a PBS science special—if PBS were directed by Samuel Beckett. The cast's eccentric line readings and Frank's slippery visual style make even a short runtime feel like a mini-cult classic in the making.