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The fact that the outtakes included in 24 Hours on Craigslist occupy an entire disc of their own and last more than twice as long as the main program is an indication that director Michael Ferris Gibson had an embarrassment of riches to choose from when editing this 2004 documentary. Viewers should applaud his restraint in limiting the film to 83 minutes. Were it much longer, chances are that it would become tedious; as it is, it's an entertaining if not exactly riveting piece of work. Craiglist.org, of course, is one of the most popular sites on the web, a cyberspace classifieds with listings in every imaginable category, and after founder Craig Newmark randomly picked a single day in '03, Ferris and his crew spent that day roaming around San Francisco (home of Craigslist's main office) and checking out some of the many folks who placed and answered the ads posted there. Needless to say, strangeness abounds. The titles of the listings tell much of the story: "Indian virgin seeks willing woman." "Flogging for flowers" (don't even ask). "Seeking gay sperm donor." "Will marry gay guy for money." Problem is, given the limitations of shooting within one 24-hour period, there's not much Ferris can do other than interview the people involved. Although we do see a few actual activities (the antics of a "flash mob" assembling in a hotel lobby and a city park; some moments from a "staring contest"), what we mostly get are talking heads. What's more, notwithstanding the presence of a few real characters like the Ethel Merman impersonator looking for heavy metal musicians to back him in performance, there's nothing here as fascinating as, say, the guy who tried to sell his soul on Ebay a few years back. Bonus features include about 80 minutes' worth of featurettes (a "making of," an interview with Newmark, etc.) in addition to the aforementioned outtakes. --Sam Graham

Review

"A fun and free-form celebration of the site's communal spirit and only-in-San Francisco ethos" -- San Francisco Chronicle

"Fun and titillating...mesmerizing...this film is poignant" -- Wired News

"It's an absolute blast...24 Hours on Craigslist is the ultimate people zoo." -- Film Threat

"Loads of fun, especially if you use the site yourself" -- New York Post