King of the Hamptons (2010)
A MIDLIFE CRISIS captured on film.
I made King of the Hamptons between 2008-2009, with it being accepted into the Hamptons International Film Festival in 2010. The film was my first ever, and I came up with the idea after surviving the 9/11 terror attacks.
In the film are interviews and scenes with me and countless celebrities including Christie Brinkley, Billy Joel, Alec Baldwin, and Chevy Chase. However, the crux of the documentary is about my journey with an older local gentleman, Dan Rattiner.
Although not a star, Dan’s popularity throughout the east end of Long Island was unmatched and thus why I nicknamed him the King of the Hamptons. His local fame was due to his small-town, satire-driven weekend newspaper called Dan’s Papers. The ad-ridden rag highlighted the true and untrue happenings of the rich and famous who use the Hamptons as a playground of sorts.
Although appearing like he had the world on a string, behind the scenes Dan was losing his newspaper due to financial woes, and at the same time battling to find love after a handful of brutal divorces. Tack on a few other issues like a strained relationship with his mentally ill son, and it is fair to say Dan was a complete mess. Meanwhile, I was looking to start a new career in film to escape the mental horrors of September 11. I too was a bit unbalanced.
Somehow, a film that was supposed to be about the dreamy Hamptons lifestyle became a story of two strangers coming together to help each other find better paths to travel. It is the most fun I’ve had working with a camera, and it somehow launched my career into the news media.
The movie poster was captured at the Long Island Railroad in Massapequa, NY.
