Mini-Review: "Shake the Devil Off"
Published March 1, 2008
There have already been plenty of documentaries made about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The definitive film on the subject is likely Spike Lee's four-part requiem for New Orleans, "When the Levees Broke."
But it's also likely that no other film on post-Katrina New Orleans captures the story of one community's struggle to rebuild like Peter Entell's "Shake the Devil Off," which chronicles the fight for the parishioners of the St. Augustine Church in the storm-ravaged Treme neighborhood to keep their church and their sagely pastor--Father Jerome LeDoux--when the archdiocese of New Orleans threatens to close its doors.
The film, while very much about the struggle of St. Augustine Parish to reclaim their church, is also simultaneously an ode to the culture of New Orleans, and in particular Father LeDoux's willingness to let the rich faith and heritage traditions to intermingle. LeDoux's compassion and love for the city is evident, as he blesses Mardi Gras Indians with holy water, keeps koi fish in the pond outside the church, brings in jazz and gospel musicians (St. Augustine Parish is considered the birthplace of jazz music in Treme) allows people with nowhere else to go in the wake of the storm into his congregation.
It is clear from the beginning that this is a film with heart. It is compassionate and engaging, combining evident truths and agendas without imposition or diverting from the truth. There is a clear effort to make the perspective of the archdiocese known, but they opt not to participate. Entell's story about community and reclaiming what is taken from that community--whether through natural disaster, government negligence or unfeeling bureaucracy--is quick to outrage and inspire.
The film's soundtrack, which features performances from Glen Andrews and The Lazy Six, the Marsalis Brothers and other figures from within the church, is also landmark in bringing the still-vibrant culture of the city to the ears of those who may not yet understand its impact. There is a sense of both hope and desperation that the film and the soundtrack share, a look into the richness and the culture of a city ravaged, the duality of what the richness that is left and what has been lost in the waters.