American Astronaut (2000)
I can't remember the last time I
saw a really good, new, black and white, avant-garde
film. Well, now I can. I just saw "American Astronaut."
This is clearly the best "weird" movie I've seen since
"The Reflective Skin." This is obviously a film that
anyone who loves black and white Lynch will love.
It's that cool.
The film is a tour-de-force from
Cory McAbee. Not only the star, writer and director
of the film, McAbee's oddball band, The Billy Nayer
Show, also provide the music. You see, "American Astronaut"
is an avant-garde, black and white, independent, low-budget,
science fiction musical. I shit you not. Talk about
creating a new genre.
The most important thing here is
the visuals which are, simply put, stunning. Every
frame of this glorious film is beautifully, lovingly
and perfectly shot. For fans of black and white expressionism,
the film will be considered a masterpiece. The way
McAbee, behind the camera, uses light is simply awesome.
From the casting to the simplest prop, each element
of the composed pictures here is astounding. And the
amazing lighting is much of what makes it so. Your
eyes will pop with joy watching this film.
McAbee combines these visuals with
some of the most unique and creative music to ever
be placed on a film soundtrack. I will not lie, if
I only heard the music here, I would think that, at
best, it was okay. But coupled with the astonishing
visuals of "American Astronaut," the music becomes
engrossing. You know what I mean? These aren't simply
music videos, although there are elements of that
in the film. Rather, McAbee incorporates his songs
into the film to make it a full-fledged musical. The
songs do not exactly fit the story, except that they
do. I think McAbee probably simply utilized songs
that were already part of his repertoire here. But
the way he entangles them in his script and then into
his film is simply amazing. And the music becomes
so integral to the film that, after seeing it, even
if you bought it on DVD or VHS, you would still want
the soundtrack CD. This is music like no other, much
as the film is like no other.
One of my favorite parts of the
film is a music video type segment that incorporates
still images of McAbee and co-star Greg Russell Cook.
Although the images look like behind-the- scenes production
stills of the two in costume yucking it up, the montage
acts as a representation of the two becoming fond
of one and other during a long space journey. (And
don't even get me started on the homoerotic elements
of the film. There's a ton of 'em.)
When it comes to story, which is
secondary, McAbee plays Sam Curtis, a space traveler
who journeys through the cosmos making deliveries
in order to make money. On this excursion, (stay with
me here), he takes a cat to the outer reaches of space
and trades it for a "real live woman" (actually a
music box). He is supposed to trade the "real live
woman" to the owner of a planet full of working men,
miners. This owner uses stories told by "The Boy Who
Actually Saw a Woman's Breasts" as an incentive for
his workers. The boy regales them with the story and
they work harder. Curtis is then to take the boy to
a planet full of women who need a man and trade it
for the body of their last lover, who is the deceased
Johnny R. And since Johnny R's parents are wealthy
and offering a large reward for the return of their
son's body, there's money to be made from all this.
Got it? It doesn't matter. Story is secondary here.
"American Astronaut" has everything
that a true film fanatic can love: Absurdist story,
refreshing comedy, great acting, awesome music, unusual
sequences and a visual style that is devastatingly
gorgeous to look at. What more could you want? If
you are lucky, you will get to see this film on a
large screen. Then you'll go buy the DVD. Then you'll
go buy the soundtrack.
(Of course, first someone would
have to distribute the film. Them some company would
have to put out the DVD. The CD is out there, but
you gotta look for it!)
Note:
This film played at Sundance in
2001.
Viewed at The Hideout Theater in
Austin as part of Cinescape on 12.9.2002. Cinescape
is a weekly screening of unusual or politically active
films put together by a few people here in Austin.
My contact is Kyle Henry, who made "University, Inc."
Kyle's friends, actor Carlos Graza and filmmaker Spencer
parsons, also work on the project. Kyle promoted the
screening of "American Astronaut" several months ago
when he appeared on my cable access show, "Lube TV."
This was the first ever screening of the film in Austin.
It was screened on video rather than 35mm. I assume
a 35mm print exists somewhere.
