Simply A Masterpiece

Great Film overall

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I found this documentary to be rather ho-hum about a location that in the hey-day had so much spectacle, sparkle, vim, vip, and vigor. I was left disappointed as they could have talked about so much more yet they didn't. I am intrigued though as to what has been built on the property now...

I looked forward to the day that this terrific documentary would be released. When it was available on the iTunes store, I immediately rented it. The movie is both a history lesson and a trip down memory lane. I was fortunate to be a guest at Kutsher's, and to work at the resort for a short time. My grandparents, who worked hard to earn a living while living in a small apartment in Brooklyn, would travel by bus to Monticello to spent time as guests at Kutsher's. On a number of occasions, I was fortunate enough to be asked to join them. I can remember the excitement I felt when our taxi pulled up to the main entrance to view the large illuminated Kutsher's sign shinning brightly!This film brings back so many great memories of the resort, and the fun that we had. The footage of the pool area, people sitting around the lake, the nightly shows, the events of each day, and the wonderful food, were just some of the great memories that were brought back to life. I could picture my grandparents taking advantage of all that Kutsher's had to offer. Since both of my grandparents have passed away, I felt a variety of emotions ranging from the shedding of a tear to smiling. The interviews with family members and the staff at Kutsher's provided more of a behind the scenes look at the resort, which was both informative and interesting. The resort was truly a family business.Times do change, and the film talks about the decline of a resort was no longer able to remain open. The tearing down of this historic resort was difficult to watch, however, it was a necessary part of the documentary. Thanks to the film makers for doing some thorough research, and for providing a documentary that anyone who has spent time at Kutsher's will thoroughly enjoy!

This is a well-researched documentary by Ian Rosenberg (the director, not to be confused with Ian Rosenberg jewellery maker) and his wife Caroline, which charts the history of the Jewish Catskills resorts and the current experiences at the last ever resort, Kutsher's. It looks at the Jewish American holiday experience, which changed from having no holiday at all to visiting the luxury hotels in the Catskills that provided everything you could ever need.It provides excellent first-hand information, such as the fact that the dining rooms were semi-Kosher – Matzo Ball soup was actually labelled Consommé Ontos. The film also looks at the repercussions of national and international travel becoming easier, as the Catskills became less popular as a holiday resort destination. The resorts remain popular in the public imagination, though, with the resorts inspiring films such as Dirty Dancing.The documentary includes snippets of information from various characters in Kutsher's history, including Helen Kutsher (one of the original Kutshers), and her son Mark (who is now the Chief Executive Officer of the resort).You can tell that the film has had a lot of love put into it by Ian Rosenberg, with the documentary taking 5 years to make. It is especially poignant, as it was Kutsher's 100th anniversary when filming started in 2007. Unfortunately, its future looks uncertain, but Rosenberg has made a documentary that will keep the memory of the Catskill resorts alive forever.