Ever tried to catch a Tarpon while tripping on acid?
All That Is Sacred gives you a front-row seat to the madness of Key West in its heyday, where McGuane, Buffett, Harrison and Brautigan partied like rock stars and turned a small island into a legend.
It’s a 34-minute joyride you won’t forget.
I rank it #1 on my list of “Best Documentaries on Key West”
Trailer for “All That Is Sacred”
Watch “All That Is Sacred”
You can watch “All That Is Sacred” for free by clicking the video embed above or here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8bAwKDbPxA
I don’t see any other options to watch it it. But you might check back here to see if any streaming options were added: https://www.justwatch.com/
Ratings:
- My Rating: /100
- IMDB Rating: 8.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: na
Release Date: September 2, 2023
My Review of “All That Is Sacred”
This doc is a wild ride through the sun-soaked madness of Key West in the 60s and 70s.
Directed by Scott Ballew, All That Is Sacred (2023) runs 34 minutes and packs a punch.
It’s about a time when legends like Jimmy Buffett, Tom McGuane, Jim Harrison, and Richard Brautigan descended on Key West.
They weren’t just there to fish—they were there to live, write, and have all the fun they could get.
Key West was a different place back then. Cheap living, diverse people, and a daily routine involving cocaine, marijuana, and acid.
A pile of cocaine on the table every night wasn’t unusual.
They fished for Tarpon by day and partied by night.
Carl Hiaasen asks:
“Who goes Tarpon fishing on acid?”
These guys did.
The doc pulls you into their world with raw, vintage footage. Some of it comes from the 1974 film Tarpon, shot by Christian Odasso and Guy de la Valdene.
The footage shows these guys chasing Tarpon and writing like their lives depended on it. It’s grainy, sun-bleached, and perfect for capturing the vibe.
Tom McGuane was the ringleader. He gathered these literary outlaws together, and their bond became legendary.
Jimmy Buffett wasn’t just about “Margaritaville”; he was about this life. Richard Brautigan, the oddball genius, was there too.
Jim Harrison? He was the poet who made trouble seem poetic.
But this doc isn’t just a nostalgia trip. It’s a requiem for a lost world. Key West today isn’t the Key West of then.
It’s all tourists now. But back then? It was wild, untamed, and unforgettable.
In the end, All That Is Sacred is 34 minutes of pure, uncut Key West madness. You’ll wish you were there.
Quotes & Other Highlights
There were a lot of quotes and one-liners in this doc. Here they are as they relate to the 4 main artists:
Tom McGuane (“The Poolshark of Prose”)
Nickname: “The Poolshark of Prose”
Famous for”Ninety-Two in the Shade,” set in Key West, and “Panama,” a darkly comic exploration of American life.
“How do you know what’s enough until you find out what’s too much?”
Tom McGuane
“Life is improvisation. I read this piece that Tennessee Williams wrote called The Catastrophe of Success, and it turns out that you really want to strive, but you kind of don’t want to get there. If you get there, then it’s an illusion—you didn’t get anywhere. It never changes; it’s always the same struggle. But during that, sometimes you have these hotpots, and it’s very important not to believe them.”
– Tom McGuane
Jim Harrison
Famous for: his novella “Legends of the Fall,” which was adapted into a popular film, and his poetry collection “Returning to Earth.”
“Every place I’ve been, everybody says ya should have been here ten years ago.”
Jim Harrison (as shared by Jimmy Buffett)
Jim Harrison died sitting up (midway through writing a poem).
Jimmy Buffett (Singer Songwriter)
Famous for: the hit song “Margaritaville,” which became a cultural phenomenon, and his successful business empire, including the Margaritaville restaurant and lifestyle brand.
“Key West was a navy town, a gay town, a hippy town and a drug town.”
Jimmy Buffett
One of the reasons he’s so successful…[he’s] just a hard, hard worker”
Tom McGuane (on Jimmy Buffett)
“Looking back at it now I didn’t know it would turn into the country music business going to the beach, ya know, I was just writing what I knew about”.
–Jimmy Buffett
Richard Brautigan
Nickname: “King of the Hippies”
Famous for: his novel “Trout Fishing in America,” a counterculture classic, and “In Watermelon Sugar,” a surreal, poetic novel.
Wrote “Trout Fishing in America (1967), a symbol of the counterculture era.
“Brautigan was so famous that the Beatles flew in just to see him.”
-Tom McGuane
“Richard Brautigan came out to my house and he brought his fishing rods and he gave me this black Japanese urn and he said someone will call you for the urn. And the next year, I guess it was, I get a call for the urn. Richard had just committed suicide and they wanted the urn for his ashes so I mailed it back to them.”
– Tom McGuane
Highlights (according to User Comments)
I love analyzing user comments about a documentary. Since this doc is on YouTube, I asked A.I. to help me analyze the comments.
Here are 5 highlights/themes according to 252 comments:
1. Nostalgia and Emotional Resonance
- Theme: Many users express a deep sense of nostalgia and emotional connection to the film, often recalling personal memories or reflecting on the passage of time.
- Quotes:
- “Like the lives this film celebrates, I didn’t want it to end. Thank you, Yeti.” — @ottogallaher7397
- “Tears in my eyes, a lump in my throat, and fire in my heart to get out there more and live! Thanks!” — @CarlDraper-z6f
- “This is absolute gold! After living in the Keys for 25 years, this brought back so many great memories of a special place and a special time.” — @Vandivervida
2. Appreciation for Filmmaking and Storytelling
- Theme: Users frequently praise the quality of filmmaking, editing, and storytelling, highlighting how well the film captures the essence of its subjects.
- Quotes:
- “What a beautiful little film . . . amazing editing, filming, and story telling . . . simply lovely – thank you Yeti!” — @drew5027
- “This is amazing. I know Florida Bay well. To think they were out there in 1974, with no navigation and sometimes alone, blows me away.” — @garthinflorida5124
- “Hits you in the feels and lets you know there will never be another time like this…especially with artists of this caliber. Amazing stuff.” — @supercub04
3. Connection to Key West and its Culture
- Theme: Several comments reflect a strong connection to Key West, with users reminiscing about its unique culture and lamenting the changes over time.
- Quotes:
- “I was born and raised in Key West 1968. Thank you Yeti, for making this film available. Was too young to appreciate the uniqueness of the place but I treasure the memories I do have of that time.” — @Ruleisbroke
- “The lifestyle of Key West bonds people in a way that cannot be explained. If you’ve ever spent any time there, or anywhere in the lower keys, you know what I am saying is true.” — @garthinflorida5124
- “Thank you for making this. It means more than you know. This film might not mean much to the average person, but to someone who’s called Key West home, it means everything.” — @KayRS1
4. Gratitude for Accessibility and Availability
- Theme: Users express gratitude for making the film freely available, acknowledging the impact of being able to watch it without barriers.
- Quotes:
- “I’ve been dying to see this since I first learned it existed. Thank you so much for making it freely available.” — @Ben-O25
- “Bravo Ballew and Yeti Crew. The world needed to see this.” — @bullofmainst
- “Thank you Yeti for putting this amazing film out there! I’m a big fan of them and have lived the life many years.” — @59zenbear
5. Reflection on the Passage of Time and Loss
- Theme: Users frequently reflect on the passage of time, the inevitable changes, and the loss of people and moments that the film brings to the forefront.
- Quotes:
- “A film like this makes you cherish the good times while you’re still in them. Brilliant.” — @DylanDaye
- “Great movie. R.I.P. to all those we’ve lost.” — @Alex-eo9of
- “So glad this film is now available. Thanks, Yeti.” — @robertstevensoniii2886
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc