Until she was usurped by, er, edgier divas like Paula Abdul, Tiffany was my first encounter with true fandom. There was something about her (her love of mousse and acid-washed denim? Her willingness to play crappy shopping centres?) that inspired intense feelings of attachment. And judging from the new documentary I Think We’re Alone Now, which kicks off the film component of this year’s Over The Top fest on April 30 at the Royal (608 College), my Tiffany worship was nothing compared to that of her superfans, who make even Britney Spears’ stalkerazzi look sane.
On the surface, I Think We’re Alone Now seems to be about folks who put the “nutty” in fanatic. But director Sean Donnelly takes his film beyond its amusing premise, creating a profoundly sad portrait of people who, unable to form social connections in real life, attach deep emotions to their imaginary narratives around celebrities.
As Donnelly explains, he didn’t even discover the Tiffany angle until after he started filming one of the two central characters. Jeff Turner, a 50-year-old man with diagnosed Asperger’s syndrome and a fervent belief that he and Tiffany are BFFs (she’s filed for restraining orders against him), hails from Donnelly’s hometown of Santa Cruz.
“I went to school in New York, and I ran into Jeff on the street when I was home for a visit. He’s a totally weird guy, but I hope that when you see the movie and see Jeff and his upbringing, you become more compassionate and sympathetic,” says Donnelly.
Jeff’s story is intertwined with that of Kelly, a 35-year-old intersex woman from Denver whose apartment is wallpapered with photos of her putative girlfriend Tiffany. The two characters, both of whom struggle with mental health issues, seem to project their fantasized signifiers of a “normal” life (read: friendships, marriage, happiness) onto their pop idol.
Donnelly’s portraits of Kelly and Jeff are sympathetic but unflinching, and some viewers have been turned off by what they see as the film’s exploitative tone.
“We cut out a lot that was too far out, that would’ve made them look way crazier to people who don’t know them,” Donnelly insists, adding that Jeff was pleased with how he was represented in the film. “Most documentaries, even if they’re about people who are marginalized or mentally ill, focus on celebrating them and watching people achieve things. This is about people you don’t want to celebrate. You don’t know how to feel about these people — they don’t make you feel good at the end.”
One person who has yet to comment on ITWAN is Tiffany herself, who still hasn’t seen the film.
“I got Tiffany to sign a release the first time I interviewed her about the movie, but she didn’t know it was gonna be so much about Jeff. When she realized that, she became way less supportive.”
PSST: The lineup for this year’s TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival (June 20-29) was announced on Monday; highlights include soul legend Al Green, funk hero Maceo Parker, R&B singer Lizz Wright, chanteuse Laila Biali and indie-funksters The National Parcs.