Movie Review: Roseville Pottery Historical Marker

Let's face it; there are plenty of places where you can go to read a review of the latest movie in theaters. GMLH is meant to be an informative resource to the public, so rather than just adding to the noise with another tired old review of the same movie that everyone else is talking about, today you are treated to a unique review of a film that has been given far less public attention. "Roseville Pottery Historical Marker" is an independently filmed documentary distributed by youtube.



The plot can be tricky to follow, with lots of twists and turns; this is like the LOST of historical-marker documentaries, so let's begin with a review of some key points.

1. The marker commemorates the former site of the Roseville Pottery Company, but the location is in Zanesville, not nearby Roseville, just south on state route 93.
2. Notable attendees include the Mayor of Zanesville (the honorable Howard Zelling), and representatives from the Iowa Art Pottery Association (IAPA), the American Art Pottery Assocaition (AAPA), and the Pottery Lovers (PL). Also notably present, is the very disruptive wind, tire and engine noise from passing traffic.
   
3. Zanesville and Roseville are cities in Ohio, not Iowa. The Iowa Art Pottery Association is just visiting, on some sort of recurring pilgrimage.
4. You're not seeing Roseville, you're not seeing Iowa, and you're not going to get to see any pottery factories. The actual factory here had been razed "a number of years ago", according to IAPA President Ted Priester, who long ago discovered the crumbled remains of the loading dock, which also no longer exist. Priester emphasizes that the Roseville Pottery Works is completely gone; "nothing exists now".

With this background, sit back and thoroughly appreciate the video. Things begin with Ted Priester, who recounts the joyful series of events that led to the discovery of the former site of the pottery works. Ted next graciously introduces the mayor, who issues a rousing pep talk, themed around pottery and Zanesville. "Enjoy Zanesville! We're a town on the move!"

This transition, from Priester to the mayor, has an elegant air of respectful ceremony, but at the same time is contrasted by unrelenting and intensely disruptive road noise from traffic, including an 18 wheeler and a tow truck. The viewer does not know what to make of this: do we celebrate the roadside marker, or mourn the scornful indifference the world shows to it from the very moment of its dedication?

In the next act, the film is infused with an emotional charge, and takes on greater depth. This charge is supplied by Arnie Small, President of the AAPA. "The American Art Pottery Association is just what it is: it's an association of people who just have a passion or a love for art pottery", begins Small.

He goes on to deliver a moving testimonial about what the Roseville Pottery Company means to him and all who call themselves lovers of pottery. He implores pottery enthusiasts to minimize the commercial aspect of pottery; "(I)t's not all about just selling pottery! It's about teaching my son, and the future generation, what the history is of, um, Roseville Pottery".

We are then brought to the final act, in which we hear from the whimsically rural Joe Tunnell. He is president of the Pottery Lovers, who reunite annually in Zanesville. Says Tunnell, with a delivery style reminiscent of Jim Nabors, "For me, and I think I speak for most pottery lovers, I've been coming myself to Zanesville for 18 years. Every year in July, I've been here. You know, I said the first year I came, that I will every single year for the rest of my life, I will be in Zanesville, unless I'm not able to come."

After going from the fist-pounding adrenaline highs of the mayor's speech, to the soul searching and challenging words of Arnie Small, the film brings the viewer softly back to the refreshingly easy subject of the pottery-loving everyman, using a warm touch of comedy. Masterfully done.

Arnie Small sums up this film himself during his memorable speech, by saying "When I heard about this at first, I didn't quite understand the significance of it, and I, um, I think now I understand a little bit more the history of it".

In saying this, Small represents the audience, who come to this film questioning the significance of Roseville Pottery, or the entire genre of art pottery for that matter. The success of this film will be measured by how well it can bring the viewer to think that they understand, a little bit more, pottery and what it means to their own lives.