ME! by Alvin Ecarma

Alvin Ecarma's "ME!" -- an incredible short film wherein Ecarma (director of LETHAL FORCE) channels the ecstasy of GHETTO FREAKS. This is the original version, well loved by all.

MicroCineFest presents John Paizs's CRIME WAVE

What:	Microcinefest Screening Including John Paizs's CRIME WAVE
Where:	The Windup Space, 12 W. North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21201
When:	7pm-9pm, November 20, 2010
How Much:	FREE!
Who:	Everyone!
RSVP on Facebook

For ten years, starting in 1997, MicroCineFest was "thee underground film festival in Baltimore, hon." On November 20, members of the MicroCineFest staff, jury, and alum gather to present a selection of short films culled from the MicroCineFest archive, followed by a festival favorite feature film, John Paizs's CRIME WAVE. Never distributed theatrically, long out-of-print on VHS, and not available on DVD, this is a rare opportunity to see this 1986 Canadian cult film about a quiet man who befriends his landlords' young daughter while attempting to write the script to the greatest colour crime movie ever. It's an unusual comedy about writers block.

If you want to know more about CRIME WAVE, follow these instructions:

• Attend the previous night's (November 19) book signing at Atomic Books
• At the book signing, buy a copy of Mike White's book, Impossibly Funky: A Cashiers du Cinemart Collection
• Read the chapter "Tragically Obscure: John Paizs's (The Big) Crimewave" by Skizz Cyzyk
• Come to the Windup Space on Saturday to see CRIME WAVE for yourself

AND... Stick around after the show for a performance by Michael Holt, The Jennifers, and Mr. Moccasin. More information about that here.

Maryland Film Festival Report

I'm just back from Baltimore and the eleventh annual Maryland Film Festival. I had a blast.

Thanks to Northwest Airline's limited flight schedule, I missed the opening night activities and made it into BWI at 8 AM for the first full day.

Modern Love is Automatic (Zach Clark, 2009)
Melodie Sisk gives a bravura performance as Lorraine Schultz, a nurse who just doesn't quite fit in with the world. She hides behind large sunglasses and a killer pastel wardrobe. After her cheating boyfriend ducks out of her life, Lorraine tries her hand at being a dominatrix; finding a stable of clients for sessions at a local hotel.

Modern Love delights as much for what it is as for what it isn't. Writer/director Zach Clark takes the narrative into some dangerous areas while managing to avoid pitfalls into which other stories have fallen. Just when you think that the film could fall apart or become a trite, generic exercise; Clark and his excellent cast steer things away from the brink. More Info

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While BDSM isn't at the fore of Modern Love is Automatic, it's presence is such that it was recommended to me by someone who knew of my current research on fetishism in film. Likewise, I was joined by Lisa Vandever and Alan Levy of the Cinekink film festival.

That evening included the annual John Waters screening. This year's pick, Les chansons d'amour (AKA Love Songs) was a beautiful French polyamorous musical. There were some titters of laughter during the love song between Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet and Louis Garrel, though this had to be one of the most "mainstream" picks Waters has given us in a while (for better or for worse). I'm definitely glad I managed to finally see this film and see it presented on screen with a full audience.

Things were capped off wonderfully with my final screening of Friday, Craig Baldwin's Mock Up on Mu.

Mock Up on Mu (Craig Baldwin, 2008)
Something of a prequel to 1999's Spectres of the Spectrum, Baldwin explores the sinuous relationships of Marjorie Cameron, L. Ron Hubbard, Jack Parsons, Alesteir Crowley, and the Lockheed Martin company. Setting the story in a fictional future while diving deeply into the past, Baldwin juxtaposes fact and fiction while layering his film with visuals that support his story.

Most remarkable about Mock Up was the way that Baldwin dissected scenes, troweling on segments from other films comprised of the same elements. That is, a scene between two actors in a car blossoms into a dozen similar scenes, cutting between the same shot reverse shot structure, transforming the actors into other players while maintaining a coherent storyline. In this way, Baldwin is salvaging found footage while calling attention to the plastic nature of storytelling. More Info

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The screening of Mock Up was terrific but the Q&A afterwards was mind-blowing. Baldwin was in "mad genius" mode for a full forty-five minutes, explaining Mu, his relationship to the story, the reclamation of found footage, and myriad other topics. His presentation was hypnotic, making me think that Baldwin is the best film professor I never had.

Saturday began with the Maryland Film Festival's 3-D screening.

Inferno (Roy Ward Baker, 1953)
This strange hybrid of man-against-nature and crime films stars Robert Ryan as Donald Carson, a businessman who's spent his privileged life bullying others, maintaining his position at the top of an empire while crawling to the bottom of a bottle. His hot wife, Geraldine (Rhonda Fleming), has taken a shine to mining expert Joe Duncan (William Lundigan). After Carson breaks his leg in the desert, Joe and Geraldine run off to get help with the intention of covering their tracks and letting the hot sun take care of their mutual problem. Leave it to hard-headed Carson to fight to survive.

Apart from the striking setting and some interesting playing with various planes of vision, Baker doesn't play much with the 3-D in the film. There are only a few "trick" shots to dazzle the audience during the climax. Regardless, Inferno is enjoyable for Ryan's performance and the landscape.

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Stingray Sam (Cory McAbee, 2009)
Cory McAbee met and exceeded the high hopes I had for this new outing. Set in the same universe as his American Astronaut, McAbee plays the titular character, a lounge singer on Mars enlisted by his former partner in crime, Quasar Kid (Billy Nayer Show bandmate Crugie) to save a little girl (Willa Vy McAbee) from the clutches of the first male birth, Fredward (Joshua Taylor). Comprised of six smaller chapters, Stingray Sam is a modern serial with each section being a self-contained unit with a cliffhanger ending... and a snappy song!

Stingray Sam is yet another brilliant effort from McAbee. The only bad thing is that the soundtrack and DVD aren't yet available. I can't wait to see this movie and hear these songs again! In the meantime, the opening track, "Mars", can be heard on the Goodbye California EP. More Info

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Lightning Salad Moving Picture (Kenneth Price, 2008)
I was prepared to give Lightning Salad Moving Picture fifteen minutes and move on if it didn't hold my attention. I stayed through the entire film and loved it. Its anarchic story structure leaves the viewer guessing what strange situations the main characters, the Superkiiids (Cory Howard & Jonathan Guggenheim), will get into next.

The crux of the moving picture has the Superkiiids tasked by "Zemeckis" to make Back to the Future Part 4, lest the project fall into the hands of "Hanks". To say that the Superkiiids don't really make too many inroads with this projects is an understatement. But, they certainly have some wild adventures with Meankiiid, Futurekiiid, Princess, and some other fun folks along the way. Filled with surreal situations and some quotable non sequitur dialog, Lightning Salad Moving Picture was an unexpected delight. More Info

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Teplitz: The Tyranny of Paradox (Sean Guinan, 2008)
This challenging, dreamlike work deals with the nature of dreams and the fluidity of reality. The story follows Paxton Teplitz (David Bendena) as he joins the Whalers, a group of metaphysical explorers who make forays into the Ravenswood "Ocean" -- a pocket of memories into which our dreams escape. Teplitz and his fellow Whalers wear painted faces and dated garb, reminiscent of a Terayama film. In the Ravenswood, Teplitz alls into a trap set by the demon Jeffrey -- casting him into an inane job at a video distribution center.

Slightly uneven in its pacing (the 9-to-5 segment is fun but goes on too long) and with some clunky dialog, the look and sheer audacity of the film make it an interesting experience in experimental narrative. More Info

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Sunday didn't go as planned with breakfast taking longer than it should have. Regardless, I made it to "Tent City" in time for the panel on Film Criticism in the Digital Age. I didn't say much -- probably for the best.

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Immokalee U.S.A. (Georg Koszulinski, 2008)
This powerful documentary explores the lives of migrant workers in Immokalee, Florida, showing some of the subtle (and not-so-subtle) methods employed to perpetuate a modern day system of indentured servitude. While set in Immokalee, the smaller story stands in for a larger whole -- a national issue that doesn't get the attention it deserves. More Info

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Nollywood Babylon (Ben Addelman & Samir Mallal, 2009)
Lost in the shuffle of Poliwod and Not Quite Hollywood, Nollywood Babylon tells the tale of Nigerian cinema. From the colonial days to the present, Addelman and Mallal explore the national cinema's themes and distribution via insightful interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen's 167th film, Bent Arrow. The filmmakers do well to frame Nollywood Babylon with the charismatic Imasuen and to capture the poverty of the country, contrasting it to the elaborate, palatial churches that have taken over as money-making ventures. With the urban blight and money-grubbing churches, it was like looking at Detroit -- though the government of Lagos may be a little less corrupt. More Info

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The day after the fest, Programming Manager Skizz Cyzyk along with Jen Talbert interviewed me for The People Versus George Lucas. The footage looks great -- even with me in it. I tried to capture the sheer mania that often grips me when discussing the foibles of George Lucas and the failure of "The Prequels" (and Return of the Jedi). Hopefully a second or two of it gets into the final film.

I also swung by Atomic Books to talk to Benn Ray about the status of the Cashiers du Cinemart book. Seems like all the lights are green for the October release. This means that I should be back in Charm City right around then for a book signing and possible MicroCineFest event! See you then, Baltimore!

What I've Been Up To...

I Am Thwarted

Headed down to Birmingham, MI last night for a screening of I AM LEGEND with some of my pals. Alas, despite being 45 minutes early the line was out the door (and even out the vestibule) for this. While a few of my friends opted to take up some of the free seats that were left over for SWEENEY TODD, I know that I should probably wait and see that one with Andrea. Here's hoping I can see I AM LEGEND on the big screen soon if only to compare it to THE OMEGA MAN -- one of my favorite flicks. Check out this review by Patricio Vamos from way back in Cashiers du Cinemart #6. The Omega Man.

Atlanta

Per my earlier post, there was a MicroCineFest event down in Atlanta, GA this year. Attendees included MCF founders Skizz Cyzyk and Jen Talbert along with a handful of the usual suspects who were often seen loitering on the couch at the back of "The G-Spot" screening room in Baltimore.

In Atlanta I ate more fried food over a period of four days than I probably had in the previous four years. I ate things that I just never considered "fry-able" before including macaroni and cheese! There was shopping at Little Five Points, a trip to the Cyclorama to see the amazing painting/diorama version of the Battle of Atlanta, much eating and imbibing, and the best part of all -- hanging out with friends and just bullshitting for hours on end. Friday night had to be one of my favorites as we had pizza, beer, and a lot of classic MicroCineFest shorts (for an example, see below).

We also got a tour of the Adult Swim studios at the Cartoon Network and a look at some episodes of "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" that are in progress. It was very fun to see how the show is put together and meet some of the voice talent. To say that the offices are eclectic is an understatement.

The MCF screening at the Mid-Town Vortex was a success. It brought out a lot of fine folks and even allowed me to meet CdC contributor Mike Malloy (author of "Cameo or Came-no" in Cashiers du Cinemart #15. There were a lot of laughs, though I think I was laughing the loudest at the screening of WILLIAM SHATNER LENT ME HIS HAIRPIECE. Good stuff!

Don Hertzfeld - Rejected

William Shatner "sings" Rocket Man

William Shatner "sings" Taxi

MicroCineFest Comes to Atlanta!

Hey Georgians! Check out the special MicroCineFest screening this weekend -- Saturday December 8 at 8PM -- at the Vortex Midtown Laughing Skull Lounge! C'mon out and see the attractive waitstaff and even more attractive MicroCineFest crew!

A 90-minute sampling from ten years of award winners, crowd pleasers, and staff favorites.

Festival Director, Skizz Cyzyk, will be there to introduce the program and answer any questions.

All this for just five measly bucks!

The Vortex Bar And Grill 878 Peachtree Street (between 7th & 8th Streets), Atlanta, GA 30309, 404-875-1667

What I've Been Up To

Not that it really matters what I've been up to but, damn it, this is my blog and the whole purpose of a blog is to be a self-indulgent asshole, isn't it?

To that end, here's a list of what I've been up to and what's coming up:

• Getting the Word Out -- I finally got in the boxes of Cashiers du Cinemart. I've been going through and making sure that everyone that should have gotten an issue has gotten one (or will soon). More than getting the issues physically out the door, I'm trying like mad to get a buzz going. I went through all applicable Yahoo Groups and Google Groups today and posted about it. I'm trying my best, too, to crack the "noir world" of writers who may enjoy the pieces I did on David Goodis and James Ellroy as well as the "geek chic" who may like the screeds on Superman and The Fantastic Four.
• Subtitling -- I need to sit down and complete a few subtitling projects for films such as RUE BARBARE, DESERTED REEF, HIGH SCHOOL BIG PANIC, and more. I think I'm waiting for "bowling season" to start so I can sit down and work on these while Andrea is out, allowing me to forgo the headphones and pegging the volume.
• Spanish Class -- My class at Schoolcraft College has finished up. I will be taking the follow-up in the winter. In the meantime, I continue to listen to Pimsleur's "Speak and Read Essential Spanish" every day on my way to and from work. I'm getting the itch to go back to Mexico soon to practice. If not that, at least I need to get over to Carlos' Restaurant in Westland.
• A Wedding! -- I'm off to Chicago next weekend for a Bachelor event (not sure if I can call it a party as I'm not sure if there are any scantily clad ladies involved) for my long-time pal (and college roommate) Jeff Dunlap. Hoping to carpool with my other college roommate, Jonathan Higgins. The wedding is a few weeks away in Milburg, Michigan.
• Toronto International Film Festival -- Between the Bachelor even and wedding, I'm driving over to TIFF for a week's worth of film. I'm excited to get my hands on the Press/Industry schedule to start planning out what flicks I'll be able to see and review right here on the blog while I'm there.
• Dale Carnegie Management Course -- I managed to talk my boss into footing the bill for a Dale Carnegie course that I've been wanting to take for a while. At my last job, I wasn't deigned worthy enough to merit a Carnegie course. Running about four hours once a week for seven weeks. Sounds like it should be pretty intense but I definitely need it. Anything to make me a better manager!
• "MCF" Event -- Some of the judges from MicroCineFest have been talking about getting together someplace to bullshit and watch movies on a comfortable couch. It'll be our own private MCF. As we're talking November, I just hope it's someplace warm.
• Noircon -- I've been in touch with Lou Boxer of Goodiscon (see Janurary's entries) and he's asked me to come down to Philly for Noircon to moderate a panel on Nick Kazan and Howard Rodman's versions of "The Professional Man" (similar to the piece I wrote on Goodis in Cashiers du Cinemart #15). I'm pretty honored and look forward to that as a birthday present to myself in 2008 (the event starts at day after I turn 36).
• Other Shite -- As I mentioned, I'm hoping for a Mexico trip soon. Vegas would be nice, too. I'm also hoping I can talk my way into judging at the Slamdance Film Festival again. <fingers crossed>

So, that's about all I've been up to outside of my day job. Not much, I know.

The Collegians Are Go

This is one of my favorite short films. Never seems to get old, despite it being rescued from obscurity in the sixties. A Zombie JFK is paired with Mummy LBJ in a rock and roll battle royale. Zombies are bad, and they eat people.

Mondo Ford

Now that Gerald Ford has passed on (RIP) the secrets will start to come out.

Where Do You Go When The Record Is Over?

It looks like Skizz was serious. 2006 saw the final MicroCineFest. Ten years, man... ten years! I can't believe that I was a kid of 25 when the festival started -- I've changed jobs (and even wives) in the years since. Things in my life got pretty crazy but I always had the festival to look forward to. And, no, I'm not being dramatic.

Going down to Baltimore for MicroCineFest was going to a family reunion. Actually, it was far better. You always have relatives that you could give a shit about or actively avoid. But, the folks in Baltimore and the out-of-town filmmakers were almost always good eggs. They welcomed me to the group with open arms and made me feel like I belonged to a true community. Call it "The Cult of MicroCineFest."

Along with making some great friends and meeting some other terrific folks, my eyes were opened to some truly spectacular films. From TAKE A TRIP WITH JEFF from the first festival all the way up to COX & COMBES' WASHINGTON with the final fest, I caught hundreds, if not thousands, of amazing films and videos -- some that are uncomfortably close to my heart.



So what now? Many theories were floated over breakfast and beers in Baltimore last weekend. Do we go the Tyler Durden route and start setting up franchises in Atlanta, Brewster, and Detroit? Do we all pick a weekend and rent some cottages on Lake Michigan, armed with a box of video tapes? Or do we do the unthinkable and let ProjectorHead perish?

I've never set up a screening in Detroit but maybe it's time that I learned how. Bringing some culture to the Motor City might be a good thing. I can almost picture a Best of MicroCineFest taking place in some seedy cinema dive. Ahhhh....

Any volunteers?