My friend Christian, who works as an intern on the morning show at KLBJ radio, sent me a text message this morning saying he wanted to go to the Dobie and see "Around the Bend" at 7pm because the writer/director Jordan Roberts had been on the show that morning and he was interested in seeing his film. I had planned on going to that film and staying for the documentary about avant-garde punk opera star Klaus Nomi ("The Nomi Song") directly afterward but was pretty tired.

I had thought about blowing off "Around the Bend," since it would be playing here in town later, but since Christian was going to go, I went home after work, took a disco nap, and got up and went to the Dobie.

While I was at work, by the way, I called a dentist and made an appointment to have my wisdom teeth removed on Wednesday. I knew I would have to miss films Wednesday night but there wasn't really anything that I felt was a "must see" on that night. I was pretty sure I would be healed by Thursday and could go to "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers" on closing night. I fixed it so I could have a sick day at work and felt quite relieved about it all.

I thought the showing of "Around the Bend" might be a sell- out since there was no show at the Paramount on Monday night (I think Bill Maher was appearing live there) and "Bend" would be the most mainstream film showing at AFF. It was a pretty full crowd but not a sell-out. I thought the film started at 7, so I got there at 6:45 only to find it didn't start until 7:15. I didn't see Christian anywhere. I did see Jason, the Dobie projectionist, and we talked a bit. Jason's a super guy and I enjoy talking to him. I also saw some odd college-aged guys with a camera doing some shooting and assumed they were from some movie review show on UT television and were there to interview Roberts. (They were and they did. I almost knocked over their camera when I opened a door into the hallway as I was making my way to the bathroom between shows).

I sat close to the front, called Christian and got his voicemail and assumed he was on his way and would find me. (He never showed and I called later and left a nasty voicemail. He called the next night and apologized. I know he's a busy guy buy I hate when people say they are going to do something and then don't show).

I eavesdroped on other people's conversations, as is my wont, and heard a guy talking about seeing some films at the Imax (where AFF screened some pieces this year) and how it looked kind of weird because, of course, they weren't Imax films and the screen was curved causing the picture to distort somewhat. (Why would you do this?) Some woman was talking about seeing "Saw" at the Paramount the night before and how no one from the film showed up as they were supposed to. (She called it a "C+ Realization"). She described herself to the other person as "an aspiring screenwriter." Their conversation began, as the often do at the Dobie Egyptian- themed theater, about the odd layout of that particular screening room. It has two banks of chairs neither of which face the screen head on but are both at an off askew to the screen. There is also an odd off-kilter walkway down the center of the theater with a gigantic pole right in the middle.

As I said, Christian never showed although I looked back and saw a guy whom I thought was him. (It wasn't). I was pretty pissed because if Christian hadn't called, I would have been home sleeping. Anyway, it was 7:15 and Phil Scanlon introduced Roberts and after a brief into by the writer/director the film started.

The audience for the film that was near me just got more and more annoying as the time passed. An older couple to my right whispered now and again and midway through the film he got a case of sinusitis so bad that he was snorting like a cokehead every three or four minutes. It was disgusting. It was all I could do not to tell him to go to the fucking emergency room. And, of course, right when the lights went down, some annoying clod came and sat right next to me. The fat guy's curse!

After the film, I ran into J.H. who was actually with a female companion. I've never seen him with a girl before. He introduced her as Liz and said they worked together. He almost seemed kind of embarrassed about it. We talked about films and J.H. didn't think too much of the "Around the Bend" either. He seemed to really like "Channel Z." J.H. also said he wasn't going to the closing night "Peter Sellers" biopic because it would be on HBO in December. (I don't get HBO, so I planned on going). We talked in the lobby for a bit and then they went off, with him hobbling a bit due to a soccer injury. (Why are boys in casts so cute?) I wasn't sure what they were going to see. I went back to the theater and there were lots of cool punk rock looking people there for the Klaus Nomi thing.

I went to the bathroom and when I came back I saw Courtney Davis and gave her a big hug. I wish I got to hang out with her some more. She told me she was working on some short films and introduced me to her boyfriend. The volunteer lady who had introduced some of the films at the Dobie during the week walked to the front of the theater and I took my seat ready to experience that magic of a Klaus Nomi documentary.

lodger@aff2004