Tuesday, May 6^th

9:00pm e/p

“Big Ideas for a Small Planet: Fashion”

Environmental consciousness has hit the fashion world in a big way; from T-shirts and jeans to haute couture, style is coming to mean sustainable fabric and earth-friendly manufacturing practices.  In this episode, we’ll meet several men and women who are bringing green to fashion, clothing stores and to the dry cleaners, too.  

9:35pm e/p

Escape from Suburbia - Directed by Gregory Greene.  Will the American lifestyle - epitomized by the single family home and two-car garage - remain tenable as we advance into an age of declining oil supplies and rising prices?  Escape from Suburbia considers the possibilities as it examines the burgeoning grass-roots movement to “power down” from energy-intensive habits.  Mixing the stories of ordinary citizens with expert analysis, the film offers an inspiring look at how people are changing their lives and their communities by pulling up stakes, organizing conferences, and even re-thinking local economies.

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A new DVD series, the MERIDIAN COLLECTION, a compilation of acclaimed, groundbreaking and influential films from around the world. Lionsgate plans to release two high-end DVDs every three months drawing from its own library, which includes more than 2,000 European films from Studio Canal. Through the MERIDIAN COLLECTION, Lionsgate will present significant works of world cinema in elite quality editions of the highest technical standards that celebrate their creative impact.

In the Hollywood Reporter, Anne Parducci, executive VP of marketing at Lionsgate said that with the MERIDIAN COLLECTION, “Lionsgate is specifically targeting fans of art house films. That’s why the extras tend to be focused on the making of the film, with little room for gimmicks, games or frills. We want to be able to capitalize on the fact that there are consumers out there who have an affinity for specific films,” Parducci said. “These are really the definitive presentations of these movies: We’re taking what that film is known for and why it is considered influential and then exploring that further through the special features.”

Here is what the critics have to say about these two films.

THE RED VIOLIN

“Has the kind of sweep and vision that we identify with elegant features from decades ago” -Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Winner of the Academy Award for Best Original Score, The Red Violin stars Samuel L. Jackson as an appraiser tracing the vast, storied history of a priceless violin across numerous countries and generations.  This Meridian Collection DVD features a digitally remastered transfer with new 5.1 Dolby Digital Sound and includes filmmaker commentary and two new featurettes, a musical feature with composer John Corigliano and a documentary on violins and violin auctions.

DIVA

“A celebration of the abundant joys and possibilities of filmmaking.” - Los Angeles Times

Available on DVD in a new digitally mastered transfer approved by director Jean-Jacques Beineix, Diva launched the Cinema du Look movement and drew wide acclaim for its innovative visual style. Originally released in 1981, Diva was re-released theatrically in 12 markets across the country in November 2007 to rave reviews.  The Meridian Collection DVD of this intricate and stylish French thriller also features remastered audio, multiple interviews with the cast and crew, as well as audio commentary with director Jean-Jacques Beineix.

I have asked for giveaway copies of both films. Please stay tuned and come back for the DVDs Giveaways!

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Here are the next episodes for “Big Ideas for a Small Planet.” I hope we see more programs like this one on other cable stations. Sundance Channel is sure setting the path to a more environmentally educational program. Let’s all be green a little bit more tomorrow for our planet’s future.

Tuesday, April 29^th

9:00pm e/p

“Big Ideas for a Small Planet: Food” 

Loss of biodiversity, water depletion, topsoil erosion, carbon emissions: when it comes to conventional farming and industrial food production, the cost goes beyond the supermarket bill.  This episode explores the different ways professionals and ordinary people are trying to nourish us with environmentally friendly food and wine.   

9:35pm e/p

All in This Tea - Directed by Les Blank and Gina Leibrecht.  This documentary immerses viewers in the rich world of Chinese tea while profiling the affable Californian importer who has made it his mission to introduce Americans to the brew’s many pleasures.  David Lee Hoffman founded Silk Road Teas tea after spending much of 1970s living among the nomadic tribes and Buddhist monks of Asia, for whom tea is a way of life.  All In This Tea looks at the history, traditions and intricacies of tea and joins Hoffman on a buying trip to China, where he seeks out small, artisanal growers and tries to persuade Chinese officials to turn away from industrial production in favor of handcrafted, environmentally sustainable tea farming.  This is the most recent film from the award-winning documentarian Blank (Burden of Dreams).

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I have an extra advance CD of Sinatra at The Movies.  I listening to it right now. If you know Frank and the movies, you’ll love this collection. Add it to your library by winning a copy from Screenhead.  Simply post your name and I will draw the winner Wednesday, April 23rd.

Good luck!

Click to find out more about Sinatra At The Movies and listen to some of the songs.

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I came across this fascinating article at Hollywood Reporter about Laura Ramsey’s preparation for her role as a belly dancer in “Whatever Lola Wants.”

The article called “Actress Ramsey opted method approach” tells of something more than just a way to prepare for a role, but more of what it takes to be a professional in a very competitive and demanding field. 

Ramsey went all the way to Cairo and Casablanca to learn belly dancing and live the life of a belly dancer.  The end result nothing but pure out-of-body experience — all inhibitions gone.

Please take a look at this piece and let me know your thoughts.

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Don’t miss THE GREEN on Sundance Channel,  the first television network in the United States to dedicate a major regularly-scheduled programming destination entirely to the environment.  As it heads into its second season, THE GREEN offers viewers a focused, entertaining source of information and inspiration about the planet we call home – “Prime Time for the Planet.” 

Tuesday, April 15 9:00pm e/p“Big Ideas for a Small Planet: Water”  Water is likely to be a flash point in the 21^st Century, as population growth collides with droughts and dwindling reserves.  This episode introduces three people who are embracing creative solutions to the looming shortage of drinking water – be it desalinating the ocean, catching rainwater or cleaning up our rivers.     

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I have to share with you this wonderful piece in Variety.com about the late Richard Widmark by the great screenwriter William Goldman.  Enjoy it!  I sure did.   Widmark Impression

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I watched Quantum Hoops with my father-in-law, who is a former high school coach and referee of basketball.  He and I enjoy this documentary that is narrated by David Duchovny.   Usually we watch movies about sport teams that won. Or, race horses that overcame unbeatable odds and won.  Yet, Quantum Hoops is about CalTech basketball team that hasn’t won a game in two decades, a 21-year losing streak.  To the casual fan, the team might sound like a bad joke.  There are more valedictorians on the team than players with high school basketball experience.  In fact, the 5 seniors did not play high school basketball, yet all five are major contributors to the team.  They are roundly mocked by opposing fans as “nerds playing basketball” (the few fans that decide its even worth it to show up).  However, this season would mark an amazing turnaround from just two years ago when the team would lose by an average margin of over 60 points per game.  Against remarkable odds and adversity, the players and coaches dedication, discipline, heart, and yes, SKILL would make for one of the most exciting seasons in school history.   The final home game of the year would give the 5 seniors one last shot at that elusive win and an entry into the history books of college athletics.The documentary flows very smooth keeping my father-in-law interested in whether the school will ever have a win.     

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People magazine is available online.  Perusing the gossip and photos is like taking a glance at the magazine while in the grocer queue.  But, you get more time before you have to decide if you want to buy it or not.

The popular magazine offers details about the Oscars, pregnancies, break ups and the latest celebrity spotted eating a hamburger.  “Real valuable” information that you must know today.

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If you are looking for a romantic DVD to watch tonight, here are a few web sites that list the flicks.  Just scroll down the pages and review the stories and see which one fits your romantic mood.

Some flicks are longer than others, so keep that in mind.

My recommendation is a 1995 Cesar Award winning (Best Cinematography and Sound)French film starring Juliette Binoche and Olivier Martinez “Horseman on the Roof.”

About.com

Washington Post Interview with Patrica Hanson,  Film Historian

Moviefone

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Vanity Fair magazine published a nice piece on the next “Indiana Jones” movie. The article includes interviews with Spielberg, Lucas and Ford. The piece has spoilers but they are worth knowing about and offer an idea of where the franchise is taking the story line.

Karen Allen returns as Indiana’s true love with a son, played by former Disney upstart, Shia LaBeouf. This years Oscar nominated actress Cate Blanchett arrives on the scene too.

Check out the February’s cover story; it’s work the look.

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A terrific film that premiered at Sundance last year is finally getting a release in select art and indie theaters this week. I happened to see Teeth last November at the Denver International Film Festival last November, and understand why this very funny horror comedy scared away the major distributors. Some of the best gags in this film are at the expense of the male characters, and are gross, graphic and just plain hilarious.The film is about a young woman who has an abnormality. The cause is not explained, but the huge, industrial smoke behind the town gives an indirect clue.What could have been a one joke film about “vagina dentata” is, in the hands of writer-director Mitchell Lichtenstein, a satirical look at teenage peer pressure and sexuality, and finally, female empowerment. Much of the credit for the film should go to Jess Weixler as Dawn, the girl who finds her particular mutation to be troubling and frightening, only to find that what may be her biggest weakness is also her source of strength.  John Hensley, best known as the troubled son on cables’ “Nip/Tuck” portrays the punk “brother”.   The official website lists the cities where Teeth is currently playing. And guys, if you’re brave enough to see this film, just remember, this may not be the film you want to see on a date.

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When you first view Marcia and Lorenzo’s take on movies, you find them funny and entertaining and poignant. Yet you may find it hard to believe that they are former employees of the Hollywood industry — “mover and shakers.”

A wonderful piece in the January 1, 2008 LA Times describes them brilliantly:

“Lorenzo is actually Lorenzo Semple, 84. One of Hollywood’s top screenwriters in the 1970s, he helped write movies for virtually every star of the day, notably Warren Beatty (’The Parallax View’), Robert Redford (’Three Days of the Condor’), Steve McQueen (’Papillon’) and Paul Newman (’The Drowning Pool’). His foil is Marcia Nasatir, 81, a longtime agent, pioneering woman production executive and producer of such films as ‘The Big Chill’ and ‘Hamburger Hill.’”

The duo definitely knows movies and they are funny. But who noticed them? Tony Gilroy, screenwriter (”Bourne” movies) and director (”Michael Clayton’) and Wes Anderson.

Word is getting around because “Ain’t it Cool” also mentions “Reel Geezers” as well.

Now, Screenhead is giving the duo a plug.

You gotta see these two together at YouTube. The Geezers know film and they are hilarious.

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Opening in theatres today is “Dragon Wars,” a new monster movie that has made already made a ton of money overseas. The fantasy-action film is reported to be the biggest budgeted South Korean film of all-time.

For those of you who are interested, here is the trailer I got out of youtube. But before that, here’s the synopsis:

In a small Korean village, five hundred years ago, a girl named Narin was born carrying the coveted Yeouijoo inside her. The Heavens sent the protector Bochun and his protégé Haram, to ensure that when it came time, Narin was peacefully sacrificed to the pre-determined Good Imoogi. Bochun vigorously trained Haram as a knight, to be prepared for the eventual day when Narin would be delivered to the Good Imoogi. The day the Dark Imoogi, Buraki, and his army destroyed Narin’s village looking for the Yeouijoo, Bochun instructed Haram to take her to the Good Imoogi.

Read on »

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In the Shadow of the Moon is a British documentary film about the United States’ manned missions to the moon. It premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival where it won the World Cinema Audience Award.

In the Shadow of the Moon follows the manned missions to the moon made by the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The documentary reviews both the footage and media available to the public at the time of the missions, as well as NASA films and materials which had not been opened in over 30 years; all of which has been remastered in HD. Augmenting the archival audio and video are contemporary interviews with the surviving astronauts who walked on the moon. The former astronauts have the only speaking roles in the movie, although occasional supplementary information will be presented on screen with text.

It is scheduled for a limited release in the United States on September 7, 2007. Here, you can see a video clip from the film itself.

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“Halloween,” Dimension’s latest thriller/horror film, proved to be one of the best with this summer of blockbuster sequels. It grossed an average of over $31 million during the Labor Day weekend. For the first time, the domestic summer box office crossed the $4 billion mark. Through Monday, box office receipts totaled an estimated $4.152 billion, compared with $3.860 billion in 2004 and $3.739 billion last year.

The Box Office success can be attributed to sequels from franchises such as Sony’s “Spider-Man,” Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” and Warner Bros.’ “Harry Potter.” “The Bourne Ultimatum,” “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” and “Ocean’s Thirteen” also did their jobs.

Distributed by MGM and playing in 3,472 locations, the ninth pic in the horror franchise nabbed the biggest opening ever for the holiday and overturned recent talk that horror is no longer a box office draw. Previous record holder for Labor Day was “Transporter 2,” which debuted at $20.1 million in 2005.

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A short while back, I reported on the proposed remake of Johnny To’s 2004 film, Breaking News. I finally got to see the original on DVD. In some ways the film can be viewed as a contemporary companion to Ace in the Hole which Screenhead compadre Eion wrote about below. For those who just want to check out a good action film, Breaking News kicks serious booty.

Johnny To begins his film with a seven minute shot of a robbery gone wrong. The camera glides back and forth, up and around between the various characters, through the streets, into buildings and back out again. In the story, a television crew films the cops versus robbers by pure chance, with the news showing the cops bungling in getting the bad guys. After it is revealed that Hong Kong residence do not feel safe, Police Commissioner Rebecca Fong comes up with the idea of creating the capture of the robbers as a media event for camera. In the meantime, chance events conspire to keep Fong’s plan from working as the robbers run into a gang of hired killers, and the two gangs hide out in the apartment of a hapless cab driver with two young kids. Meanwhile, Police Inspector Cheung has his own agenda of getting the robbers with his group of plainclothes cops.

Clocking in at a breakneck ninety minutes, this is an action film without much padding. Breaking News is both an examination of a media obsessed culture which sometimes seems to be chasing itself. Additionally, there are scenes which are a very funny examination of Chinese family life. Johnny To has proven himself to be one of the best action directors around. The influence of Sam Peckinpah has certainly permeated his recent films, especially in the way shoot outs are staged. One of To’s recent films, Exiled, is scheduled to open in the US on August 31. I was able to catch this terrific movie a couple of months ago at a film festival. If you can’t see any on Johnny To’s films in a theater, this is one director you want to start seeing on DVD.

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Some day in the near future, someone will write about how audiences at the turn of this present century have been bombarded with a variety of films and television shows that are in essence staged, and even fictionalized reality. One of the more recent examples of this genre is the film Jimmywork, newly released on DVD from the idiosyncratic Canadian company, Atopia. Shot in grainy black and white, the film looks and feels like a documentary . . . until one takes a closer look at some of the events “documented” by filmmaker Simon Sauve.

The film centers on Jimmy Weber, a down on his luck former salesman, living in Montreal. Facing his fiftieth birthday, Jimmy decides that his next career move will be to make commercials. He decides that he is going to film commercials for the rodeo in St. Tite, a major rodeo in rural Quebec, for play on U.S. television. Jimmy goes to the small town with the name that rhymes with “it”. The rodeo organzers pass on Jimmy’s offer to make commercials. While in St. Tite, Jimmy discovers the storage facility where beer, about 12,000 cases, is held for the rodeo patrons. He comes up with the nutty scheme to ‘kidnap” the beer and hold is ransom, or sell it cheap to a friend.

The title refers to any of the scams that Jimmy Weber may be involved with. Whether Jimmy Weber, the real one or the one we see playing himself, has learned anything from his many misadventures is up for debate. The film has a happy ending of sorts. This is the kind of film worth checking out if you want to see something truly different, made with small amount of money and a large amount of imagination. For those who might want to know a little more about the film, Jimmywork has an official website.

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One of the more interesting films about World War II, Hell to Eternity recently received an overdue DVD release. This 1960 film is about War hero Guy Gabaldon, a young Marine from East Los Angeles, whose ability to speak Japanese made it possible to persuade almost one thousand Japanese soldiers to surrender at Saipan. The real Guy Gabaldon was a technical advisor on the film which he loved so much he even named one of his sons Jeffrey Hunter Gabaldon after the actor who portrays him.

An orphan at age twelve, Gabaldon was unofficially adopted by a Japanese-American family where he learned to speak Japanese. Gabaldon enlisted in the Marines in order to use his language skills on behalf of the U.S. war effort. For his heroism, Gabaldon was awarded the Navy Cross. The battle scenes were filmed on location in Okinawa.

What makes this film different is that it still remains one of the few to discuss the experience of Japanese-Americans assigned to internment camps during World War II. Racism in America is addressed without being the sole focus of the film. One of the continuing themes of Hell to Eternity is the concept of being “All-American”, which examined in such a way that the viewer may not always notice that stereotypes are being challenged or upended.

While Jeffrey Hunter was too old to portray Gabaldon, he is able to project intensity and inner torment as a person uncertain about going to war, going through personal trauma that maked him temporarily a killing machine. There is a Star Trek connection in that Hunter, who starred in the pilot for the series, shares the screen with George Takei, Star Trek’s Sulu. Fans of classic television may also enjoy seeing TV’s original “Fugitive”, with David Janssen as a Marine Sargeant. My biggest disappointment with this Warner Brothers DVD is that no one thought to have the real Guy Gabaldon provide a commentary track or interview. While much of Hell to Eternity takes place during World War II, not all of it is on the battle field. While there are elements to fault, this still remains a moving, and at times heart-breaking film.

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I have to admit that I have only seen one film by Japanese filmmaker Shinya Tsukamoto, shown discussing his films at the left. After seeing the newly released DVD, Basic Tsukamoto, I plan on seeing as many of his films as I can. This documentary is a look at the developing career of this internationally acclaimed filmmaker who writes, directs and photographs many of his films. One of Tsukamoto’s films, A Snake in June has been shown at midnight on cable television, while other films get midnight showings at movie theaters.

While Tsukamoto started making movies as a teenager in Tokyo, his first professional work was directing television commercials. Quitting that in his mid-Twenties, Tsukamoto made the experimental film Tetsuo - the Iron Man which unexpectedly one the grand prize at the Rome Film Festival in 1989. The documentary includes clips of Tsukamoto’s first, amateur films, as well as clips of his professional work both behind and in front of the camera up through A Snake in June. Among the films Tsukamoto acted in was Takashi Miike’s Ichi the Killer.

The DVD includes a critical essay about Tsukamoto’s films, as well as trailers for all of his features including this year’s Nightmare Detective. Tsukamoto talks about the some of his influences and themes. For those familiar with Shinya Tsukamoto, Basic Tsukamoto will help in deepening one’s understanding of this cult filmmaker. For those who might like a career overview, and a glimpse of several films, this DVD from Pathfinder Home Entertainment will make an excellent introduction.

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I may have been a tad bit critical of the new release of ‘Reno 911: Miami’, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get a kick out of what some would term as sophomoric comedy at its finest. Today’s hidden gem choice, ‘Grandma’s Boy’, was slammed by critics in its initial release. I had a feeling that the film was going to be a hidden gem just from the trailer I had seen and the movie poster. I took my chances and literally dragged 3 friends, all of whom begged not to go, to the film by promising to pay their way because I believed the movie was a can’t miss.

‘Grandma’s Boy’ delivered on all levels. The film was filled with laughs, albeit they were a bit tasteless at times. Allen Covert, Peter Dante, Jonathan Loughran, and Kevin Nealon, Doris Roberts, Rob Schneider, Linda Cardellini, Shirley Jones, and more deliver in the ensemble cast.

The film’s main star, Allen Covert (who bares a striking resemblance to Mel Gibson in the film), plays Alex. Alex is a middle-aged video game tester who is by far the oldest person working in the industry. After getting evicted from his house because of his boneheaded roomate, Alex needs to find a new place to live. He tries a couple places but it doesn’t work out and is forced to move in with his Grandma (Doris Roberts) and her two roomates. This affects his job due as they make him do all the tasks around the house, and he is having trouble functioning properly as a game tester. Amid this plot is heavy marijuana use and other risque behavior.

The film only grossed a little more than $6,000,000 upon its initial release, as Rotton Tomatoes had a 2% ranking for a time (it has since “improved” to 18%). If you are a fan of films like ‘Animal House’ and aren’t easily offended I urge you to rent this comic masterpiece.

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Although critically acclaimed and probably known to many readers of this site, many people probably have never seen the excellent film ‘The Gods Must Be Crazy’. One of the best low budget movies of all time, the film takes a look at two different cultures and shows how a simple bottle of Coca-Cola can change the lives of so many people.

I revisited this movie (I watch it about every 5 years) and was still pleased with it after seeing it originally (gulp) 20 years ago on that primitive thing we called a VHS machine. Fans of the film , who may have not have seen it in sometime, will want to catch the 2003 DVD Bonus feature “Journey to Nyae Nyae”.

The film that was made for about 5 Million Dollars in 1981 and grossed over $100 Million dollars worldwide (a staggering amount for a film in those days) should be revisited for its excellent story-telling and direction. The franchise was kind of ruined by some lackluster sequels, so if you have seen those and not the original please view the one that really stands the test of time.

The first 15 Minutes of the film from youtube after the break:
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Acclaimed for Children of Men, filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron has made the news with his new $100 Million deal at Universal, in conjunction with fellow Mexicans Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel) and Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth. Cuaron was a little discussed director until Y Tu Mama Tambien seemed to burst out of nowhere in 2001. One person who was paying attention to Cuaron’s earlier films was the then struggling writer in England who had seen Cuaron’s version of A Little Princess. Their path’s would cross almost nine years later when Cuaron directed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Until very recently though, unless you had seen the film at the Toronto Film Festival in 1991, or in Mexico, Cuaron’s first feature film was unavailable until just a few months ago. Thanks to Criterion, film fans can now see Solo Con Tu Pareja as well as one of Cuaron’s early short films on DVD.

The title translates as “Single with your pair”. Inspired by Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Cuaron’s film is about an advertising executive whose active libido gets the best of him. Tomas Tomas is the kind of guy who has no problem sneaking out with a newly married bride during the wedding party. One of his conquests, a nurse, discovers that Tomas was with another woman on the same night he was with her. As an act of revenge, she falsifies Tomas’ AIDs test, stating that he is positive. In the meantime, Tomas decides that the stewardess next door who has spied on by chance, is the love of his life.

Co-written with brother Carlos Cuaron, the film is a satire that touches on the cliches of Mexican identity, turning the idea of machismo upside down. In one of the DVD supplements, Alfonso Cuaron discusses being inspired by the comedies of Ernst Lubitsch and Blake Edwards. Curiously, the one filmmaker not mentioned is Billy Wilder, the director who bridges Lubitsch and Edwards. Some of the pratfalls and sight gags, such as Tomas being caught outside of his apartment naked, may remind viewers of Edwards’ films with Peter Sellers. But much of Solo Con Tu Pareja resembles a reworking of Billy Wilder’s The Apartment particularly with the scenes of attempted suicide on New Year’s Eve. The parallel to Wilder could not be clearer, where Wilder had his characters sticking their heads into an oven, Cuaron uses a microwave. As in some of Wilder’s films, the funniest bits in Solo Con Tu Pareja are too tasteless to describe.

The DVD includes Alfonso Cuaron’s 1983 short film, Quartet for the End of Time, and a short film made in 2000, Wedding Night, written and directed by Carlos Cuaron. Brief and funny, Carlos Cuaron’s short film bodes well for his own future as a director.

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Being a big fan of WIlliam H Macy I was suprised when my girlfriend brought home a film a few months back that starred the actor. I was delighted when the movie didn’t turn out to be a bust (I honestly wasn’t expecting much). Written by acclaimed writer David Mamet who’s work includes The Verdict (1982) and Wag the Dog (1997) the movie probably didn’t go over too well stateside due to its harsh language and violence.

Be forewarned that the film does go downhill about 75% of the way in. The momentum that leads up to the ending kind of spoils the rest of the film but, in my opinion, the film is worth a look and you won’t be sorry that you have seen it. Co Stars include Julia Stiles, Joe Mantegna, with cameos by George Wendt, Mena Suvari, and Denise Richards.

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Looking for some laughs? Serial Mom will deliver those for you. The film stars a mom (Kathleen Turner plays Beverly Sutphin) who is rigid 1950’s type of mom, but has a very dark side. If you wear white shoes after Labor Day, steal her parking spot at a grocery store, or do any other social faux pas you may incur her wrath.

Sutphin looks like a mom that is modelled after Mary Poppins or Beverly Cleaver, but she has a secret admiration for Ted Bundy and Charles Manson. To her family and friends she looks like the nice mom, but when her bad side shows, she goes on killing rampages with a variety of different “weapons”, including a leg of lamb.

Don’t be fooled by the opening statement, “”This film is a true story. The screenplay is based on court testimony. Sworn Declarations. And hundreds of interviews conducted by the film-makers. Some of the innocent characters’ names have been changed in the interest of a larger truth. / No one involved in the crimes received any form of financial compensation,” as non of these antics (thankfully) really happened.

The film bombed at the Box Office (only 8 Million dollars earned on a 13 Million dollar budget) but did gain a sort of cult following its video release. The video is a good social commentary as it shows how the media frenzy can glorify this type of behavior and make stars out of some of the weirdest people out there. If you like zany comedies and enjoy a little violence on the screen, this is a must see. Cast includes a young Ricki Lake, Sam Waterson and Traci Lords.

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