Notes from Austin, Volume 2 #17

Including:

This week's calendar

Richard Eckersley's UT film starring Kelly O'Hare

John Christensen and Zaphod of Lube TV

Miss Xanna Dont

The Max

Ween's "White Pepper"

Hobble and Gong Li at Emos

Casino el Camino

The Enigma and Mr. Lifto

The Atomic Cafe

The Austin Chronicle

Huts Hamburgers

The Arbor 7

Cinemaker Co-op

Miss Gentilbelle

The Youth Film and Video Festival at the Austin Children's Museum

Ongoing Sundays - New Wave Night - Atomic Cafe

Mondays - Casino el Camino - Happy Hour all night w/ DJ

Tuesday - Fetish Night - Atomic Cafe

Wednesday - Swing Night - Atomic Cafe

Thursday - Atomic Cafe - Service Industry Night

Saturday - Industrial Night - Atomic Cafe

thru 5/20 - STRANGE BREW - MIDNIGHT- Alamo Draft House

thru 5/21 - The Music Man (with Larry Gatlin) - Palmer Aud.

thru-6/4 - Pride's Crossing - Zach Scott Theater

5/19 - Films Released Nationwide

DINOSAURS (Disney COMPUTER ANIMATION)

ROAD TRIP (BRECKIN MEYER, ANDY DICK, TOM GREENE)

SMALL TIME CROOKS (WOODY ALLEN, TRACEY ULLMAN)

THE BIG KAHUNA (KEVIN SPACEY, DANNY DEVITO)

5/19 - Films Released in Austin

Up at the Villa (Sean Penn) - Arbor 7

Beyond the Clouds (John Malkovich) - Dobie

5/19 - Reckless Kelly - Antones

5/19 - Punchy - The Cavern (Dallas)

5/19 - The Force - Bayou city nights - Pasadena

5/19-5/21 - "42 Up" - MFA - Houston Premier

5/20 - Hobble, Antebellum - Red Eyed Fly

5/20 - Suzanne Vega - One World Theater

5/20 - Nothing Records Party - Atomic Cafe

5/20 - Fuckemos, Fang - Emos

5/20 - Punchy - Flying Saucer (Addison)

5/20 - The Force - Seabrook Beach Club - Houston

5/20 - 10am - tickets go on sale for Pearl Jam at Woodlands, Houston

5/20 - REEL WOMEN WORKSHOP: 1-4 p.m. Austin History Center, Gudalupe between 8th and 9th

5/22 - Don Henley - Erwin Center

5/23 - Punchy - Frank's (Belton)

5/23 - Douglas Sirk Film Series - Paramount - Tarnished Angels

5/23 - VIDEOS Released Nationwide

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

SLEEPY HOLLOW

5/24 - Films Released Nationwide

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2 (TOM CRUISE)

5/24 - The The - Stubbs

5/24-7/30 - Soul Picnic (The music of Laura Nyro) - Scottish Rite Opera House

5/25 Punchy - Wreckroom (Ft. Worth)

5/25-5/27 - TRUE ROMANCE - MIDNIGHT - Alamo Draft House

What can you say about a week that has been a whirlwind?

On Saturday night I went to UT to see Richard Eckersly's short film that he made for his class. I arrived a bit late and missed the first few films that were shown. The place was packed and I had to stand in the back. There were quite a few good films including one by Robert Joe called "Sleep." The girl who had worked with Rich on "Celebrate America with Fish!" was there. Her name is spelled strangely, so I will mess it up, I'm sure. It's Qeanna or something like that. She told me she had done some work on "Sleep" as well.

At the intermission, I saw Rich and we went downstairs for a bit. His film starred our friend Kelly O'Hare, so I was surprised that Kelly wasn't with Rich, but I found out he had stayed in the screening room. Rich's friends, who made the film with him, Matt and Adam were also there as was Rich's friend Paige.

I went back with them and sat in the studio to watch the second half of the films. I had brought my notebook, because I like to note names and stuff in case I really like a film, and Kelly gave me a hard time about that. Kelly can cut you to the bone with his humor sometimes and it made me self-conscious and hurt my feelings a bit when he mentioned my notebook and the webpage, so I put it away. Which is sad really, because many of the films were quite good. Rich worked on a film with Leslie Sisson a few months back and she had a film in the second half called "Cycle" that I thought was really good. It had some of the most awesome music in it. I thought it might be some well-known artist or something, but it turned out to be a piece by The American Analogue Set. This is an Austin band and I think Leslie is friends with some guy in the band or something. Regardless, I really want to know what the song was and if it's on a CD because it was really beautiful. It reminded me of Nick Cave and Paul Weller at the same time.

The best film of the night was the last one shown called "Charles," I believe. I didn't write it down because I let Kelly make me feel weird. It was an awesome short film. It will play some festivals, guaranteed. It discussed a relationship between a man and his father-in-law that was interesting and sincere and poignant. It the sort of subject that hasn't been covered much in film. It had a great line too. "It all looked broken to me..." which, although it is about the junk the father-in-law fixed also referenced the difference in their values and mindsets and judgments. It was a perfect message about the differences in generations here and how they look at life and relationships. It really was nice.

Rich's film, which he made with Matt and Adam, was called "Love with the Appropriate Dramatic Ending." Rich has often told me to be blunt about his work and I usually like his stuff, but this film was a mess. I can't even really tell you what it is about, or what the story is. Kelly starts the film as a pimp (with horrible, hurried narration), and ends it as a car wreck victim. Kelly looks 14 years old in the film, so it is impossible to believe him as a pimp for a single second. And when he uses a phrase like "Trick Baby," the film begins to dive into the ridiculous. After this, Kelly meets a girl at a bar and then they get into a car crash with one of his whores and then Kelly says something that makes you think he is going to fuck one of the girl's dead bodies, which is totally distasteful and, worse, unbelievable, and then the two girls end up together, dying together as they lay side by side on the concrete. I guess this is supposed to represent how women are far more in tune with one another than with men and how men are only interested in sex. And I don't know what else. There were elements of interest in the film, including this peculiar reference to lesbianism at the film's finish, but the story and dialogue were so convoluted that I couldn't make sense of it. The film did look awesome. The black and white photography was interesting and the editing flowed quite nicely. But the story was borderline absurd. As Kelly, Rich and I are great friends, I know we can be honest with one and other. That's a nice thing.

After the films, I went over to John Christensen's house and hung out with him and some of his friends for a bit. (I wasn't invited to the party at Rich's). Zaphod and Bob were there. John's friend Sara showed up too. We watched some dailies from some stuff they had shot that afternoon, a commercial spoof. It was quite funny. John, as is his wont, ended up eventually covered in condiments, so I'm sure he enjoyed the shoot. Hey, at least he has a motif and reoccurring imagery. As much as I got into film to meet and photograph cute guys, John. I think, got in it to justify his love of mustard. At least we ain't in it for the money!

We had a really nice evening. I had brought over Bowie's "1980 Floor Show," a bootleg Bowie TV special from 1974 that I just bought on line a few weeks back. We watched the whole thing. It was great. It's so cool to have a good friend who loves Bowie as much as I do. This is like a great gift for me. John and I just seem to click on so many levels. We like a lot of the same bands and movies and stuff. It's cool. To watch the vid with friends who appreciated it for the same quirky queerness that I do... this was a wonderful thing, a really new experience for me.

Sara had also brought over the new Ween CD, "White Pepper." Imagine if John Lennon was alive today and put out an album produced by Todd Rundgren, that's "White Pepper." It was really interesting. There's a great song on it called, I believe, "Bananas and Blow." Apparently all of Ween's albums each reference a different drug. "White Pepper," as the title implies, seems to be based around cocaine. Perhaps that should be free-based... Anyway. The CD is really good. I have got to get more into Ween.

Later in the evening, John and Bob and I spent quite a bit of time discussing sexuality and stuff. Let's face it, it's all still pretty confusing and unfathomable no matter how long you live. To have friends to talk with about all of this is, again, a real blessing. Bob's a cool guy too. He's definitely got his own personality and stuff but hanging out with he and John is really fun for me. They have known each other forever, so I occasionally feel like "the new guy," but that's cool too. They have a lot of history.

Sunday I hung out at my house and called my mom for Mother's Day. I watched the Fox cartoons and stuff. Parker Posey did a guest voice as the nanny on the Simpson's, something they should have promoted more.

Monday night was the best night I have had in Austin yet. I picked up Miss Xanna Don't and her gal pal Ann and we went out to Casino el Camino's. John and Zaphod said that they might come out and, surprise, they did. That was cool.

On the way to the bar, we passed the Alamo Drafthouse and Ann told me that "Spy Kids" had been shooting around there in the past few days. This is the new Robert Rodriguez film. She also told me that Sandra Bullock's "Miss Congeniality" is filming here in town now as well. These films had kinda moved to the back of my mind and I had forgotten about them. It will be interesting to see what more I can find out about them.

We hung out at the bar and drank and chatted and stuff. It's pretty cool to be out with Xanna because she knows everyone - and I mean everyone - in town. She introduced me to Lowell, the guy who is now running the Atomic Cafe. I want to get a DJ gig there. Lowell told me they are doing a retro new wave night on Sundays, exactly the kind of thing I want to do, so I'm really going to have to check that out.

She also introduced me to The Enigma. now, I have seen him on TV, in an "X Files" that ran a few years back, but I didn't know he was from Austin. Have you ever seen the "X Files" where the "circus geeks" are featured? Enigma is the bald guy with several tattoos, some of which look like puzzle pieces. His part on "X Files" was really awesome. I was just surprised and shocked to see him, but Xanna called him over and he came and said hello. What a real pleasure to meet him. When I mentioned the Jim Rose Sideshow to Xanna, she told me that one of the guys who works at Casinos was "Mr. Lifto" in that. I was kinda surprised. It's been a while since I heard about Jim Rose, but here I have meet a guy who was part of the show. That was awesome. This guy is always really nice at the bar too. The staff at Casino's is really cool.

Xanna also introduced me to a wonderful cute and sweet girl named Brandi who plays in a band here in town. God help me, I had had a few beers by this time, so I can't remember the name of it. I'll have to ask Xanna. We were watching "Idle Hands" on the TV monitors. Devon Sawa is so cute and he spends the first 10 minutes of the film in boxers, so that was cool for me. A really cute lesbian girl also hung out near us. She was so cute and boyish that I almost would have had to think twice about it given the chance. How come all the cute boys I see at bars always turn out to be lesbians. Damn. Well, except for Wiley Wiggins.

(Okay - Brandi's band is Woozy Helmet. They are playing Wednesday night but I'm not sure where. Xanna also tells me Brandi puts out a fanzine called "99 Pounds of Punk.")

Anyway, about this time my friend Max showed up. I had invited him out but I never thought he would show. Max was wearing a black knit top and he looked incredibly hot! Damn hot! (I think at one point in my drunken revelry I kissed him on the cheek but hopefully it's all in my mind). Anyway, Xanna had been invited over to Emos to see a band called Width or Gruel or... Gurth... that was it. We went over and they had cancelled. John and Zaphod decided to take off, so X, Ann, Max and I decided to go ahead and go into Emos.

A band called Gong Li were playing. They were very loud and very angry. At one point I swear they sang a song called "My Daddy Fucks Me," but I could be wrong. They also did a tune called "Werner Fassbinder," which was loud and, well, unintelligible. Wouldn't that be a great name for a speed metal band? Werner Fassbinder.

I was getting pretty loaded and we were really having a great time. Ann and Max struck up a conversation and really seemed to be getting along wonderfully. I don't remember a whole lot of what happened after this.

A band called Hobble came up last and they, simply put, rocked. The lead singer, a cute little guy who looked about 12, but was probably 20 or so, screamed his way through their entire set. Now, his screaming wasn't annoying. On the contrary, even though I could not tell you the name of one song nor recite one line of the lyrics, the vocals are awesome. This guy has so much energy and stamina. I really thought, after 10 minutes or so, okay, this kid is going to crash any second. But nope... he kept going and going and going. He jumps and jerked and screamed and thrashed for 45 minutes, at least. He sang on the stage, on tabletops, from the pit... It was awesome. I loved this band. The musicianship was also quite awesome. The band was really tight and played perfectly. But it was the front man who made their set so magical. I really liked this band.

After their set, Max talked me into going and meeting the singer. It was obvious I thought he was cute. What gay guy wouldn't like a young sweaty guy in a Bad News Bears shirt? He even got shirtless during his set. C'mon, I'm only human... But, seriously, the singer's name was Oriah and he was very nice. Max and I talked with him for a few minutes and then went back to hang with X and Anne. Later, he came over by the bar and I talked to him some more. I swear, I can't tell you one thing that was discussed. I was shitfaced. I did find out some upcoming dates for the band, so I'll try and find my notes on that. (Saturday 5/20 at Red Eyed Fly. The band is taking June off.)

After last call and lights up at Emos, we headed out and, lo and behold, met up with John and Zaphod and Brandi right outside the bar at the corner. All of us stood out there and talked for almost an hour. Again, Oriah and one of the guys in the band came by and we talked to them some more. I know I talked to O for at least 10 minutes but I have no idea what about.

All in all, it was an awesome night. I got to hang out with some of the folks who are my best friends here in Austin; I heard an exciting new band; I talked to cute guys and cute lesbians. I got to see Devon Sawa in his boxers. And some people say there is no God.

Also cool was a column about 3 or 4 weeks ago about "The Honeymooners." This was in the "Letters from 3AM" column I believe. It was a great piece. If it doesn't win some sort of prize, there is no justice.

Mondays 4:30-6 Tuesdays 3:30-5:30 Wednesdays 6-7:30 Thursdays 5-7 Fridays 4:30-6:30

Brakhage is known as one of the most prolific and innovative filmmakers of American experimental film and is still at work today as a professor of film at the University of Colorado-Boulder. His filmography of over one hundred films includes such avant-garde classics as Dog Star Man, Mothlight, and The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes.

Arthur Winsten of the New York Post said of "Window Water Baby Moving": "Here [Brakhage] unleashes the full power of his technique... The result is a picture so forthright, so full of primitive wonder and love, so far beyond civilization in its acceptance that it becomes an experience like few in the history of movies."

The Austin Cinemaker Co-op holds open meetings the last Sunday of each month. These monthly meetings are a forum for filmmakers to screen new works and works-in-progress on VHS, Super 8, or 16mm and for open dialogue about film techniques and film production. Last month, Cinemaker began its series of screenings of significant and rarely seen short films from the history of cinema as part of these meetings.

For more information, please call Cinemaker at (512) 236-8877 or email cinemkr@texas.net.

The Youth Film and Video Festival is a yearly festival co-sponsored by the Austin Children's Museum and the Austin Film Festival. This year, Reel Women, CinemaKids Festival, and the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival are collaborating to help provide resources and free workshops to youth interested in filmmaking. At the Kick-Off party, we hope to recognize the importance of their commitment to the Festival and Austin youth.

The Museum is located on the corner of Second and Colorado, parking is located at meters or at our lot on 3rd and Lavaca.

For more information, please contact Tasha Ponczek, Festival Coordinator at 472-2499 X274, or email at ponczekt@austinkids.org.

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