Part Three of Father Geek's Cool Film Experiences...
18. Seeing the 1st ever press screening of A BOY AND HIS DOG at the Dobie Theater here in Austin in 1975. Director L.Q. Jones, an ex-UT yell leader, and Don Johnson were there as we sat in the large bean-bag chairs scattered around the floor. This was Harry's 1st screening with a Director and star attending. His Mother and I sat with him in the back of the small, pot smoke laced viewing room. Some of the editing splices were so fresh that the film snapped several times and Jones & Johnson, a great comedy team by the way, would get up and do Cheech & Chong type routines till they could start up the feature again.
17. The all night exploitation orgy of film at the start of 1998 with Tarantino, Mike Judge, and Richard Linkletter. The AICN gang at 1st and 2nd row center endured 7 obscure features like POLICE WOMAN, GIRL FROM THE CHAIN GANG, BUCKTOWN, GHETTO FREAKS, and others in the confines of the Dobie's claustrophobic Egyptian viewing room. We had smuggled tons of food and drink into the screening room, each of us bringing different treats to share with the faithful.
Tom Joad reading of the near holy film pilgrimage on "The Page" drove down from his Oklahoma haunts to worship in this temple of wretched excess with us, he saw the pulsating light of the reflected truth and moved down permanently a short time later. Harry covered the spectacle live from the theater via his laptop and an arrant phone line. There was free donuts and coffee for all the survivors the next morning! While Judge and Linkletter didn't hold up till dawn, I am proud to say that the entire AICN crew weathered the storm with the ever alert Quentin.
16. Standing in the wrap-around-the-block line to see the regional premiere of GOLDFINGER at San Antonio's cinema castle The Majestic Theatre in 1964. A local Ford dealer, it may have been Red McCombs, had a dupe of the "Bond" Mustang parked at the curb out front. We entered the line around the corner and down the alley near the old "non-whites" ticket booth and the stairwell to the 3rd floor, second (colored) balcony.
The massive line really caught me off guard, I hadn't seen either of the 1st two Bonds at that time. After this I became a total babbling Bond fanatic, watching them all over & over & over &.....This was my 1st date with Maribeth who would become the love of my life for the next 3 1/2 years. It was also my 1st experience with a cinema line of more than just a handful of people.
This movie, the 3rd in the bond series is probably the most popular, I know it is my favorite. What else could you ask for; a great scoundrel, "killer" villainous assistants in Oddjob and Pussy Galore, lots of babes (some even live through it), award winning sound, a great score, a fantastic Shirley Bassey title song, and Bond himself Sean at his height. It made a true believer out of me!
15. Viewing the surprisingly good BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL with it's equally surprising Director/writer/editor, the charming Doris Wishman, the "Female Russ Meyer", at the Alamo July 16, 1998. We were of course sitting 2nd row center. Our crew from AICN fell in love with Doris, all decked out in poke-a-dots, as well as Satan's Cheerleaders who danced up a storm to the live progressive rock-a-billy sounds of The Flame Trick Subs before the flicks started. Doris signed a "Bad Girl" poster to Harry's sister Dannie. Asked, "Do bad girls really go to Hell?" She snapped back, "No, I don't think so!"
Doris also showed us a 2nd, much lesser flick of her's, DOUBLE AGENT 73, starring Chesty Morgan. Did I just use the word "lesser" in describing this one? What an ill choice of words. Doris told us that as her career progressed the theaters that booked her films kept demanding bigger and bigger breasts, ala Russ Meyer. Chesty was her overblown answer for them. This freakshow left images in my head that unfortunately I will never be able to shake.
Part Two of An Exploration of the Greatest Film Experiences Known In Father Geek’s Life Span!!!
Part Four of An Exploration of the Greatest Film Experiences Known In Father Geek’s Life Span!!!
Home | News | Coaxial News | Reviews | Forums | Collectibles | Harry's World | Links | Pot Luck | Search | Contact
This site is © 1999 by Harry Jay Knowles