Animator extraordinaire Bert Klein emailed to let me know about a live action documentary about his father, David Klein- the inventor of the Jelly Belly jelly beans. It looks like an interesting bitter-sweet tale of success and ruin. They have a site dedicated to the film. An excerpt from the site explains the story...
Candyman tells the amazing true story of David Klein, an eccentric candy inventor from LA, who in 1976 had a once in a lifetime epiphany and came up with the concept of Jelly Belly jellybeans. These colourful beans came in numerous shockingly realistic flavours and were a radical new product. They became a pop culture phenomenon and revolutionised the candy industry. It didn't hurt that no less a personage than Ronald Reagen, president of the USA, proclaimed Jelly Bellies as his favorite sweets. David's eccentric personality and peculiar sense of business led him to give up the business just as it was about to explode. He has struggled with bitter regrets ever since. Jelly Belly has grown into a billion dollar enterprise, and the company has deliberately erased him from its history. There is no room for a flaky genius like this in the modern corporate world. The movie is all about both sides of the American dream. It tells how Klein lost his beans, but kept his soul.Here's the trailer....
It will be playing in Slamdance (the truly indy film fest that runs on the other side of town from Sundance) in 2010. I'm eager to see it when I get the chance.
