East 3rd Street… Los Angeles, California. Pretty sure the last time I saw this area was in the film NIGHT AT THE GOLDEN EAGLE, a film not nearly enough people saw, but because I saw it… I’m now convinced there’s a refrigerator around here with a dead body in it and a dead whore under a mattress within a block of us.
The instant sensation you have being in this area of Los Angeles is… Utopian bliss. Seriously – this is a rotten core of one of the cities in the United States in the most need of help. A major downtown restoration project is in desperate need here. Just restoring the old theaters and businesses isn’t enough. This place really is looking seedy as hell… which atmospherically lends itself greatly to a REPO MAN screening.
I’d also appreciate it if someone connected West 3rd to East 3rd. That only took 30 minutes to figure out! The screening took place in an enormous vacant dirt lot in the middle of downtown Los Angeles. On the way there, we had extras from OMEGA MAN rubbing themselves against our car – and my nephew was heard to say, “I’m scared!” Ahem, nothing to worry about kid, they’re slow moving zombies! Once we got to the lot – the police helicopters and Film helicopters (allegedly shooting for MI:3) were buzzing the area. The nephew was nervous about the area, I sent Father Geek on a photo essay mission to capture what was cool in the area – meanwhile, I’d hold down the fort and watch the munchkin, visit with L.A. friends and take the event all in.
It’s a hot sweaty Los Angeles day and there’s no shade anywhere right now. The various Road Rally teams are beginning to come in. The Generic Team is headed by BNATers and Long Time AICNers – and they came in third. The winner of the Road Rally – which was made up of 40 some odd entrants that had to follow and solve clues all over Los Angeles – won the classic 1964 Chevy Malibu! Now, I wouldn’t open the truck, and while I sat slightly behind the prize car the whole film, I never did see it glow or fly. Dang it!
As we left the car and sat around the area of the car, my nephew decided it was necessary to build dirt castles and rock out to the punk tunes belting out of the Rolling Roadshow’s sound system. Music was definitely not soothing this savage beast, but energizing him as he carved the dirt and any unlucky piece of shit that crossed his shiv’s path!
Meanwhile various Los Angeles geeks are coming over. This one real cool guy was one of the winners of the SHAUN OF THE DEAD contest and got all made up by KNB zombie style for the screening! The editing team behind THE SHIELD came over. Nicky Katt and the always charming Don Murphy. Some super-geniuses from JPL Labs responsible for various mission assignments for everything from the exploration of Jupiter and Titan to Mars and Beyond! Then there was Paul Boyington – who put together that brilliant opening title stop motion sequence to Tim Burton’s ED WOOD! Very cool! Then there was the director of INSIDE and one of the writers of SCRUBS! They were surprisingly cool and dressed like they belonged in a revival of STARLIGHT EXPRESS. Very smooth!
Oh, and then there was the cast and crew to REPO MAN. I’d met Alex Cox in Monument Valley when we happened to be eating at adjoining tables, then again that night as he helped raise the screen with the Rolling Roadshow crew. He’s that cool. He came over to tell me how much he enjoyed my piece on ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST. But also Del Zamora came over and we just shot the shit for a good long time. We chatted about how criminal it was that Alex Cox wasn’t working more often – and then about his time working on ROBOCOP with Paul Verhoeven. Del is one cool as hell fella. Really nice guy! Actually a ton of the REPO MAN folks came up and we got them to sign our groovy as hell glow in the dark REPO MAN poster! Too Cool!
Then came the trailers – I wasn’t taking notes during this screening, but the trailer that caused double loads in every pair of pants… and that magical bit of celluloid is the famous trailer for STUNT ROCK! The greatest trailer forged by God! One day clouds will part and a 35mm print of this film will be set in front of Tim League and I’ll get to see this film as the denizens of Hell and Heaven meant for it to be seen. I hope this doesn’t cockblock the rest of the evening.
Now, I know what you’re thinking… This was yet another friggin fantastic screening that transcended film and became a life-altering event that makes all your lives petty and insignificant by compare.
Ya know, you’d almost be right. I won’t forget this screening for sometime, but mainly for the jackass that parked back and to the right of where I was sitting. This piece of shit talked loudly throughout the film, preferring the booming sound of his own obnoxious voice. He also thought he was hilarious screaming out crap like, “DON’T OPEN THE TRUNK!!!” cuz we all can’t think that for ourselves… right? But this isn’t just about an obnoxious piece of shit motor mouth jackass… No, this waste of skin brought a dog that he’d taken from a shelter just a couple of weeks prior. One of those “unadoptable dogs” that was mean and had a never-ending penchant for BARKING AT THE SLIGHTEST GODDAMN REASON – and the prick brought it to this event!
Now, I get it, this is an outdoor event. Perfect sort of outing to do with one’s “best friend,” but make sure that furred rat can be a peaceful happy silent dog…. But NoooOOoOOooOOoooOOOo!
This guy drove Nicky Katt and I absolutely crazy. Father Geek stayed in the Argo – with the radio tuned into the Alamo’s broadcast and thus had a perfect experience, but I like to see this stuff with nothing between me and the stars above but a couple of police helicopters and a blanket of smog, dammit!
Then after the film itself played, during the Q&A – I didn’t get to hear any of it, due to a group of folks that wanted to come up and chat with me. I met some cool folks, but dang it… I was there to hear the Q&A… That was Tracey Walter up there answering questions dammit, I want to hear what he said!
What do I think of REPO MAN? I love it. It’s one of those films that somehow makes Emilio Estevez super-cool. The look and feel of the film is just dead on perfect. It’s one of those bizarre cheapie films that never fails to entertain. Just the performances of Harry Dean Stanton, Tracey Walter, Sy Richardson, Del Zamora and Dick Rude… well they have me laughing no matter how many times I see this flick.
Then there’s all the layers of just pure geekness… whether it be just the similar looks of characters to real life counterparts, or the funny takes on titles of books like Dianetics – or the goofy UFO and Alien humor. Then there’s just the idea that they make Repo Men seem cool! And that’s just.. unbelievable. And fun. Then there’s Iggy Pop’s theme song which just owns. Not to mention just the very fun soundtrack that is laid in on top of this thing.
REPO MAN is just one of THOSE cult films that continues to get more and more fun. Ultimately – even though there were so many personal distractions – this was a very fun screening… and as long as you weren’t sitting in direct earshot of the jackass and his mutt – you probably had a great great time.
I wish I could fill you in on the Q&A, but like I said – I was completely inundated with folks when this went on. So – if you were at the event and caught the Q&A – share some bits in the talkback below. I’m sure it was absolutely killer.
Right now, I’m in Medford, Oregon – slowly making our way towards Astoria, OR for tonight’s screening of GOONIES with Corey Feldman! Hope to see some of my Seattle friends there tonight. After all it is going to fucking own. And soon, I’ll have the update on how the Amazing screening of BULLITT went in San Francisco! As for me, I’m ready for the Truffle Shuffle and my Baby Ruth bar! Meanwhile – Enjoy Father Geek’s Photo Essay on the 5 block area surrounding our screening of REPO MAN. Pretty damn awesome!
