Hola all. Massawyrm here.
This is the very thing the Alamo Drafthouse was built for and Austin audiences live to watch: a feature length, stop motion, Vietnam War spoof made entirely with 12” action figures and made over the course of 8 ½ years in an Austin garage. And it is playing tonight, Alamo South Lamar at 10PM. I wrote about this film 8 months ago and I’m so happy to see that it is still around. Live in Austin? Have you seen it yet? No? Then do so now! While you have the chance. Cult cinema at its best – deranged, damaged genius.
Here’s what I wrote at the beginning of the year:
VIVA THE ‘NAM is a feature length, 100 minute stop motion film shot on 16mm about Holmes, a not-too-bright recruit who is drafted and sent to the hellpit that is Viet-fucking-nam. There he slowly loses his mind and becomes a crazed, bloodthirsty idiot always in the wrong place at the wrong time. What works about this film is that it isn’t simply a series of riffs on Vietnam war films – don’t get me wrong, there IS plenty of that – but it has an honest to god narrative driving the film from frame one. Holmes is an unwitting Lt. Dan, cursed to die in war as every generation before him has. He wants no part of his legacy, but the US Military has different ideas.
From that point on we watch as he slowly loses his mind, wandering through scene after offensive scene lambasting the US military, Vietnam War films, hippie freaks and the era itself. Filled with dozens of recognizable characters (and actors), including people you would never imagine had an action figure (one friend was prompted to ask “Wait, is that Ron Livingston”), this runs the gamut of subtle and sublime on up to the blatantly ridiculous. Much as you’d expect from something like this, it is something of a mixed bag. There are a few rough patches where the film slows down a bit, but invariably it always picks back up with another uproarious scene of absurdity. And the ending is so clusterfuck insane and side-splittingly funny, that it makes you forgive any flaws that arise.
Come out and support this wonderful little passion project and plan to stick around for the Q&A as the filmmakers will be in attendance. Hope to see you there!
Until next time friends,
Massawyrm
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