SXSW: An Eccentric Collector in ‘The Pez Outlaw’

By Abe Friedtanzer

 

I don’t think I ever got into Pez. I may have collected Beanie Babies briefly and bought Pokémon cards for a week, but that was about it for any obsession that wasn’t movies or TV. But what always interested me about Pez – and I suspect this is the case for most people – is that it wasn’t the candy inside but the dispenser that was the attraction. It turns out, perhaps unsurprisingly, that there are people who spend their entire lives tracking down the rarest among them. Far ahead of the competition is Steve Glew, also known as the Pez Outlaw… 

It’s helpful to approach this documentary as a tonal mix of Man on Wire and The Mole Agent. Glew is someone who is naturally curious and motivated to achieve what he wants, which includes seeking out the best dispensers that are hardest to find and traveling to Eastern Europe in search of a secret factory. He proudly claims responsibility for getting limits imposed on the number of box tops that can be returned and doesn’t look at rules as something that should limit him. He certainly does aggrandize himself, which is part of his appeal as a subject for this film.

It turns out that there is a story there, one that comes to light as a result of Glew’s decision to start a blog about his adventures after his career took a downturn. While he fashioned himself as a warrior giving the people the Pez that they wanted, the leadership of the actual company wasn’t amused and took active steps to put him out of business. That puts a bit of a damper on the lightheartedness of this film, but it also serves to make it feel more like a caper, one in which Glew is the truly wacky and immensely watchable protagonist.

The Pez Outlaw is a film about someone completely devoted to a hobby who has never been concerned about what others think he’s not supposed to do. It’s intriguing to learn about which of his activities were not technically illegal and how “Big Pez” went after him. Mostly, this is a profile of a man who loves his craft and is just as eager to talk about it, inviting audiences along for a wild ride and a handful of very odd and entertaining anecdotes. B+

The Pez Outlaw is a world premiere in the Documentary Feature Competition at the SXSW Film Festival.