There’s A New Documentary About Emperor Being Made…and Guess Who’s in it!
Shortly after I first moved to San Francisco I learned about Joshua Abraham Norton aka Emperor Norton I, the Gold Rush era eccentric who, after losing all his money (and subsequently losing his marbles as well), showed back up in San Francisco in full royal regalia and declared himself the “Emperor of the United States and the Protector of Mexico”.
He was San Francisco’s original weirdo and activist, who declared that we should build a bridge to Oakland, advocated for Black civil rights, and issued his own currency…that people actually accepted. Move over Saint Francis, Emperor Norton is our real patron saint.
Because of all this, and so much more, local filmmakers Jesse Chandler and James Buchanan are working on a new documentary called Norton the First: America’s Emperor. Check out the trailer:
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I’m one of the hosts of the documentary too!
Right now the fellas making the movie are in the fundraising stage so they can make the teaser you saw above into a full length documentary.
So if you, or anyone you know, loves the lore of Emperor Norton, and wants to help fund the film you can contact the film makers and/or make a donation, right here.
What makes this film so perfect is that it’s a historical documentary told in the modern day. Emperor Norton is an incredible kaleidoscope through which to see the current versions of San Francisco, California, and the United States.
The spirit of the Emperor himself will also be in the film
What to Expect in the Documentary:
– How the themes of mental health, capitalist boom and bust, an accepting society, progressive politics, fake news and many others will are similar today to Norton’s time.
– I’m just one half of our lead character paring. The other is the spirit of the Emperor himself. No joke.
– Tons of eccentric, oddball, and bizarre characters. Weirdness, gonzo, and spellbinding scenes. The wilder extravagances of human existence. Everything you’d expect from His Imperial Majesty and SF in its pomp.
– NOTE. This documentary is not a joke. It’s a serious project about a figure of genuine importance and relevance. Who just happened to think he was an absolute monarch and wore an absurd hat.
You can follow the in IG right here.
Want to help fund this incredible documentary? Reach out to the filmmakers right here.
Howdy! My name is Katy Atchison and I'm an Associate Editor for Broke-Ass Stuart.
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