Okie Noodling
Okie Noodling
| 10 March 2001 (USA)
Okie Noodling Trailers

For centuries, a unique breed of fishermen has been catching monster catfish with their bare hands in the rivers and lakes of Oklahoma. Today, the tradition of "noodling" still has Okie anglers hooked. This documentary by Bradley Beesley features interviews with hardcore handfishing veterans as well as footage of real noodlers in action. Set against an original musical score by rock band The Flaming Lips, Okie Noodling offers an anecdotal look at a most unusual piece of Midwest American culture.

Reviews
Diagonaldi

Very well executed

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MamaGravity

good back-story, and good acting

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TrueHello

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.

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Sarita Rafferty

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

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MartinHafer

After the documentary OKIE NOODLING debuted, the public's knowledge of fishing for monster catfish by hand has become widespread--even though up until this film practically no one outside of Oklahoma and a few other Southern states had ever heard of this bizarre practice. As a result of OKIE NOODLING, shows like "Dirty Jobs" and other documentaries on the topic have emerged--and people all across America are mesmerized by these odd fishermen! Unlike boring normal fishing, a 'noodler' is a guy who likes swimming and diving in reservoirs for giant catfish with no rod. Instead, the goal is to get the monster fish to bite the noodlers and then the noodler wrestles the fish to the shore or a waiting boat. Pretty macho and crazy stuff, as noodlers are occasionally drowned in the process and I sure as heck would not want to catch a flathead or blue cat this way!! In addition to a very interesting topic, the film excels by creating excitement and interest in this bizarre subculture without mocking these people. Instead, it's like a visit to new friends who take you out for a day's fun. Amazing.

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SAUSAGIAN

I bought this DVD on a hunch...I am a fairly avid fisherman, but had never heard of people wrestling catfish out of holes and wrestling them w/ their bare hands!! It is totally bada$$ to watch. I would HIGHLY(wink, wink)recommend this documentary to all who enjoy the unusual, and strange things that make 'Merica the beautiful country she is. It's nice to see a documentary about the blue collar and truthful side of this country, not to mention how utterly insane it is to watch generations of Oklahoma men(and on woman too!)pull 70 pound catfish out of the water barehanded. PLEASE CHECK THIS OUT.

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CineRobot

My dad used to work with this guy when he worked for the railroad who was missing part of his pinky finger. Both his hands would sometimes be riddled with scabs and scrapes when I'd see him while visiting my father at the depot. He was a noodler. Cuts, scrapes, missing digits and toes (he also had less toe than normal because of his hobby) are all part of what it means to be a noodler. What is noodling? It is the little known art of catching giant sized catfish with nothing but your bare hands and feet while submerging yourself in muddy creeks, rivers and lakes and letting the catfish clamp down on whatever it feels like chomping. It's part fishing, part swimming, part hunting, part wrestling and part crazy to the uninitiated. Okie Noodling is a terrific slice of Americana documentary that flaunts its ruralness with pride. I'm an Okie, born and raised in the eastern part of the state. I've never noodled but have relatives who do and have dined on their catch willingly and with glee at the tastiness of the catfish fried up good and right. I like the fact that Okie Noodling was obviously made by Oklahomans who never condescend or wink smugly to the camera as sometimes happens with Americana based docs. Music by The Flaming Lips too.

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balthzar

As an avid fan of unusual things, this takes the cookie. Beesley is a native and has created some of the best documentaries I have seen in a while. Check out Hill Stomp Holler and his camera work with the Flaming Lips.

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