Ogla-homa (1976) Directed by Bryce Malek (billed as Breis Malecovich); Starring Michael Stokes, Casey Stangl, and Kenneth Kimball. A young man’s first love and his mother have a profound and tragic disagreement of how the potato goes on the stick. Not subtitled. Super8, magnetic sound, color, 5:29.
Ogla-Homa was the first and only foreign film produced by Bryce Malek, as well as the first synchronized sound Super8 film—but which suffered from sound recording problems with the high prairie winds. Shot on the exterior of Lakeside Apartments in Iowa City, Iowa, the film illustrates the inevitable conflict of in-laws and cooking traditions. A young man, Nickolavich (Michael Stokes), reads the beginning of a love letter to his new wife, Ogla (Casey Stangl) before bringing her home to meet his mother (Kenneth Kimball). An argument ensues over meal preparation, and Ogla—upon discovering that the love letter is written not to her but to her mother-in-law—leaves the family. Nickolavich runs after her, calling for her to return home, but is held back by his wise and all-knowing mother.