#7

8/30 - spent 15 hours at the theater today and ended with a viewing of "Chill Factor," a real piece of krud. This week I should be able to also preview "Outside Providence" and "American Beauty".

What's up with the usage of the Who's rock opuses (opusi?) from "Who's Next" in film recently? Spike Lee used both "Baba O'Riely" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" in their entirity to highlight two awesome key scenes in his film "Summer of Sam." Then Dreamwork's uses "Baba" in the trailer for "American Beauty" to great effect. Now, "Outdside Providence" uses the beginning of "Fooled" over the opening sequence. The real wierd thing is all 3 films (okay both films and the trailer) do great justice to these tunes. Spike uses both 5+ minute songs in their entirety. The climax of his film set to "Fooled" as the film erupts into an orgy of violence is one of the most stunning film sequences to see this year. "American Beauty" is the trailer of the year and the use of "Baba" fits perfectly with the images and ideas presented by that trailer. The best part of the trailer is that it makes you desperate to see the film without telling you exactly what the film is about. It simply whets your apetite. "Providence," meanwhile, is one of the fucking funniest movies you can see this year if you are over 29. And it has a great soundtrack jam-packed with 70's classic rock tunes to boot.

Two new movies to look forward to... Paul Thomas Anderson ("Boogie Nights") has a new movie called "Magnolia" coming out in December. The posters and trailers list his name as "p.t. anderson" now. Don't know much about it. It stars Julianne Moore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and William H. Macy, all of "Boogie Nights." It also has Tom Cruise in it. My friend Tim says he heard that Cruise's part was that of a talk show host - or was it informercial host? - and was only supposed to be 5 minutes, but p.t. liked it so much, it is now 45 minutes of the film.... There has been a teaser trailer out for about 2 weeks and now the distributor wants us to pull them as they gear up for the next phase of promotion... Has anyone else even seen the first phase? I just saw the trailer for the first time on Monday!

Barry Levinson has a new film called "Liberty Heights" coming out which looks like it is going to be set in the 50's. It looks ify, but Levinson is so awesome, that my curiousity is peaked. All I've seen is the poster so far.

Rob Reiner has a new movie called "The Story of Us" with Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfiefer - the trailer looks good and uses Mason Williams' "Classical Gas" in a really cool and effecting sequence.

Matthew "Friends" Perry has a new film called "3 to Tango" where everyone thinks he's gay... talk about typecasting...

The trailer for "Happy TX" is funny but barely even alludes ot the fact that it has a somewhat "gay" theme...

Tim Burton's "Sleepy Hollow" looks like a goth masterpiece.

If you're looking for the website for Austin's Alamo Draft House, it's www.drafthouse.com - don't go to www.alamodrafthouse.com cause it's a hardcore porn site! (your already clicking the link to it aren't ya)

My week was busy. My friend Tim came down from Houston on Thursday so we could go to John Waters. He got to Austin about 3 and we went to my place and then to Huts Hamburgers for dinner and got our copies of the Austin Chronicle. We got to the Highland 10 theater at 5:45 to see John Waters. We were the only ones there. We sat around on some benches out front and two very Waterian characters soon sat by us. One was a rather large black man who walked with a cane and the other was a skinny older white hick who talked with a drawl. They had an Austin Chronicle and the hick said something like, "They're having a cannibal film festival at the Alamo Draft House. They've gone crazy..." or something like that. Seemed odd to hear these guys talk about movies. Tim and I were finally told where to line up and eventually some other folks came. A girl with a huge beehive was about 4th in line behins us. She was a bit concieted but likable. She gave us a card that said "Miss Xanna Don't" and had answers to commonly asked questions like "Yes, it's real" and "1/2 an hour, 1/2 a can..." Eventually the line got pretty long and they handed out wristbands so we could get in the "after party." A girl who looked and dressed like Mink Stole came with a sign that said something like "John Dahling, We Love You." We heard she did not have tickets and we don't know if she got in. Tim and I also saw an older guy with a white beard walking around and we joked that it was Robert Altman. He is in Dallas filming a movie with Richard Gere so it was feasible. But after much joking and many double-looks, we decided that it probably wasn't Altman. We wondered if Waters would come thru the front and we thought about yelling "scumbag" and "Corrupter of children" if he did. I think John would have liked that but you never know. I had brought an eyebrow pencil and we also thought about drawing in pencil thin moustaches. I think John would have laughed at that and appreciated it, but we were too self-conscious to do it. I saw my film friend John in line and told him I would save him a spot inside. When they let us in, Tim and I were first and we got front fucking row center. We were about 6 feet from the podium. It was great. After about 30 minutes, an agliff guy came out and made announcements and then it looked like they were dimming the lights to show a film but nothing happened. So the agliff guy came back out and said there was supposed to be a film segment but something must be wrong so..."here's John Waters..." Waters came out in his trademark suit and tennis shoes and proceeded to WOW us with hilarious discussions about art, sex, homsexuality, his films, his friends, the actors in his films and just about anything else you can think of. He was hilarious. I have seen him on TV and some of his discussion I had seen before but he still cracked me up. He did a Q&A after as well and Timmy asked a question but I was too in awe to speak really. It doesn't even seem real to me now. You know how it is when you idolize someone and you see them on TV and when you meet them in person, they are different. Not Waters. What you see on TV is just about the real thing. So I was not surprised - just feeling like I'm in some surreal TV show or something. Afterwards, we went to Antones. We had taken 2 books, John's scripts in a collection called "Trash Trio" and a autobiography of William Castle whom John had mentioned in his program. John wrote the introduction for it. At Antones, we saw Harry Knowles sitting at a table near Waters. There was a short line and we stood in it. Timmy went first and got John to sign "Trash Trio" for me. John was having drinks and seemed a little more "girley" and "gayer" than during his speech but he was very cute. Timmy shook his hand and John asked him what was on his t-shirt. It was "Planet of the Apes" and John went... "Oh, girl..." and rolled his eyes, which I thought was cute. I'm sure he thought Timmy was adorable. I came up and handed him Castle's book. "I haven't seen this in a while," John said and instead of entering into any meaningful discussion I said something like... "I thought for a long time to find something unique for you to sign..." or something schoolgirlish like that. I asked him if he had seen "Detroit Rock City" and he said that he wanted to cause "Eddie's in it..." (Eddie Furlong - who was in Waters "Pecker"). I told him he needed to see it cause Eddie gets shirtless and dances. He said "Really!" and I told him there was a part in it that I'm sure is a homage to him (where Furlong pukes). I thanked him and left feeling quite awestruck and happy. It was awesome. Timmy and I stayed for a bit and I spoke with Bruce the agliff photographer who is quite nice. A kick ass band that was sort of R&B/Country came on and were quite good. After a bit, Tim and I headed to the Alamo to see "WADD, The John Holmes Story." There is this weird guy working at the Alamo, who is very nice and cute, but has the weirdest earlobs. He has had a huge circle chunk taken out of the lobes and has a silver "o" ring placed inside so there is an "O" in his earlobes. It is quite unattractive. I wonder if he realizes that if he wants to change back later in life he will need reconstructive surgery. Or am I just old? "WADD" was long but quite interesting and complete. I enjoyed it. The Alamo gave out 14 inch tickets for the show in honor of Holmes' appendage. In addition to Holmes' costars and family, the film also had an interview with "Boogie Nights" director. Paul Thomas Anderson. I ate a pizza while we watched Holmes' swagger behind that huge tool. Tom Savini is coming to the Alamo in person later this year and Tim asked someone there about it but I don't think there is a firm date yet. Tim and I went home and talked till we feel asleep at about 4am.

I had to get up Friday at 8am to go to a press screening at my work. I got to watch "American Beauty" and it is a rock show. This is the next "film to see." It is the best film I have seen since "Happiness." Look for a review soon! I locked my keys in the office but luckily another manager came in right as the film ended and let me back in. Tim came around 1 and watched "Outside Providence" and "In Too Deep." At 6pm, we went home and my mom called saying they might come on Saturday. I took about a 10 minute nap while T watched my experimental video "1 in 13" in which he stars. He seems to like it but I don't think he really wants me to show it around since he was 16 when we shot it and it's a little strange in places. We went back to the Alamo around 8 for the premier of an Austin film called "Rock Opera." It was very crowded and hanging around in the Alamo's hot lobby waiting for showtime with about 200 people was like a being at a really crowded beer party. There was a weird little grubby guy that everyone coming out was hugging and I thought... man this little freak is popular. Turns out he's the main actor in "Rock Opera," Jerry Don Clark, and he is very good! A band called "Voltage" took the stage when we got seated and proceeded to rock our asses off. The are like the best garage band who loves AC\DC (though they do originals) that you've ever seen. I fucking loved them and want to see them live again soon. Their drummer, Keith is a rock GOD! He drums like a mutherfucking maniac... He even puked during the set he was rocking so fucking hard! It was one of the most wild rock shows I have ever seen. I think they even pumped in the smell of marijuana to make the film, which is about Austin guys in rock bands scoring pot, seem more realistic. We had dinner while we watched the film. Tim had a pizza and I had a hamburger, which was really good! As we left to go to the after party at Ruta Maya Coffe House, we saw John the guy I know from watching agliff films, waiting to get into "WADD." At Ruda Maya's, it took a long time for us to get a drink and for Bob Ray to show up. He didn't do a Q&A and instead some squirelly guy in the film got up and did the most horrible stand up act I have ever seen. Tim talked to Bob and asked how much "Rock Opera" cost and he said, "well, I like to say between 4 thousand and 4 million." Ray seems nice but a little full of himself. I guess it is his hour. After a bit a really weird and cool band from the film, the Fuckemos (pronounced "Fuck Emo's") played. They were weird but great. I liked them quite a bit. The lead singer plays trombone and occasionally flips it up in the air trying to catch it. He also slows down his voice using a machine of some sort and his vocals are quite odd. Everytime the band would end a song, seemingly in the middle of his singing, he would say, "Sorry." They ended a lot of songs this way. It was awesome. Tim and I got home and talked til about 4am again.

Saturday morning, Tim left around 11am and my mom called at noon and woke me up. They drove up to Austin. I got up at 3pm and they arrived about 4:15, right when my friend Steve called. They brought up what is left of my vynil LP collection. My parents and I went to dinner at Threadgills and then went to get them a motel. We finally went to 6th street and walked up and down it twice. My parents aren't really drinkers. We did go into Casino El Camino and have a drink. It was lovely out and a nice breeze was blowing so it was quite nice to simply walk around and see the sights with them. We went to the TCBY and got yougurt then they took me home.

Sunday my parents came and got me at noon and we went to the LBJ museum which is on the UT campus on Red River. It's a very interesting place. What makes it unique is that there are a lot of recorded documents you can listen to in LBJ and Lady Birds own voice, so they are your tour guides thru much of the place. I enjoyed the visit. My parents dropped me off around 4 so I could get ready for work and they could drive back to Houston.

Famous, or somewhat famous people I have met or seen 
in person(concerts, plays, etc... dont count). 
For a list of radio personalitiesI have met 
(mainly Houson), buy me a drink sometime. 
I got high with 97 Rock DJ Moby once!


Ozzy Osbourne (at KLOL) - my best story
Gary Moore (at KLOL)
Book of Love (at 96.5)
One of the guys who played Dr. Who (at Shamrock Hotel, 
Dr. Whoconvention)
Emmylou Harris (at her tour bus behind Rockefellers)
Dagaberto Gilb (at KLOL)
John Cullum (at KLOL)
Rudy Tomjonovich (at KTRH)
Alvin Van Black (at the 59 Diner)
The Knack (at their tour bus after some KRBE event)
Chuck George (at Tinseltown)
Nickolas Perry (Dobie)
Jim Fall (Dobie)
Richard Linklater (Alamo)
Adam Goldberg (Alamo)
Wiley Wiggins (outide Alamo)
John Waters (Highland 10 Cinema, Antones)
Bob Ray (Alamo Draft House, Ruta Maya w/ Jerry Don 
Clark and Chad Holt)