The Mayor of Sunset Strip (2004)
It's hard to imagine a film more
perplexing, delightful and yet sad then "The Mayor
of Sunset Strip." Focusing on Rodney Bingenheimer,
an L.A. fixture since the early to mid 60's, the film
becomes myopic in scope yet profound in theme. Bingenheimer's
life is spread out for us in documentary style footage
as we follow him through moments in his current incarnation.
But we also see interviews with several of Bingenheimer's
friends from childhood, his parents, and, of course,
a plethora of recognizable stars, many of whom are
past their heyday.
Bingenheimer life, like music, can
easily be divided into decades. In the 60's he hung
out a lot with Sonny and Cher and was Davy Jones'
double on "The Monkees." In the 70's he had a glam
rock club called English Disco and ran what seems
to have been very much like the Max's Kansas City
of the west. In the late 70's he got into punk and
new wave and became a huge DJ on L.A.'s infamous KROQ
(K-Rock). In the 90's and presently, he is pretty
much a has- been. As acting mascot for the radio station,
he has pretty much been relegated to a midnight to
3am shift on Sunday evenings.
Jumping about in time and in ideas,
filmmaker George Hickenlooper presents much of Bingenheimer's
life in these chunks. There is a discussion here about
fame and why people are attracted to famous people
but no definitive answer is ever reached. Bingenheimer
has oodles and oodles of rock memorabilia strew about
his urban apartment including numerous autographs
and pictures of celebrities. But when his parents
and others are quizzed as to why Bingenheimer is so
interested in meeting celebrities or why anyone would
be, no one can come up with a solid answer. In many
ways, Bingenheimer is a pop cultural Zelig, a chameleon
who seems to fit wherever he is. In photos from the
60's he looks like Sonny Bono. In the 70's he looks
like David Bowie. In the early 80's, he looks like
Ric Ocasek from The Cars. Today, he looks like Andy
Warhol's little brother.
Bingenheimer knows simply everyone.
A detailed list of some of the celebs you can see
in the film briefly is included in the notes below
this review. But if you like any of the following
people/acts, then you may have a special interest
in this film. Recognizable stars that contribute quite
a bit to the proceedings here include Bowie (who met
Bingenheimer on his first trip to the states in 1971
when he wore a "man-dress"), X, Alice Cooper, Ray
Manzerek, Danny Sugarman (author of "No One Gets Out
of Here Alive"), Cher, Debbie Harry and Blondie, Davy
Jones and the Monkeys, Mackenzie Phillips, Kim Fowley,
Cherrie Curry, Joan Jett, Michael Des Barres, Pamela
Des Barres, Nancy Sinatra, Lance Loud, Gwen Stefani
and No Doubt, Courtney Love, Chris Martin and Cold
Play, Annabelle of Bow Wow Wow and Dramarama.
If you love Warhol, then Bingenheimer
is amazing to watch because he possesses the same
fey, quiet, positive, wishy-washy demeanor that Andy
seems so famous for. And although he is also quite
private, Bingenheimer at least seems interested in
collaborating in his documentation here. Warhol would
have simply looked on with feigned disinterest. Bingenheimer
is, at least, somewhat personable and never seems
pretentious. A word like "unassuming" comes to mind.
There is one scene which belies
Bingenheimer's usual gentle demeanor and that is when
he has a blow up at his friend Chris Carter (of Dramarama),
who also produces here, when the younger man takes
a job at a rival radio station. Carter seems quite
amazed by the explosion and the whole event is quite
shocking in the film. But Hickenlooper is wrong to
include it and should take it out of the film as soon
as possible. While it may be realistic, it belies
the overall tone of the film and sticks out like a
sore thumb. It also seems to be hoping to make Bingenheimer
out to be a phony and a liar and this is not something
that we, as the audience, want to see. While reality
is important, what happens here seems more like a
shocking accident that devalues the film and turns
it into some sort of ridiculous hype. It's as if Hickenlooper
is trying to make a modern day "Spinal Tap."
Hickenlooper also seems bent on
making this film out to be sad and to be a tragedy.
In many ways, he wants us to question Bingenheimer's
life and come to the conclusion that it has been wasted.
While the film is definitely melancholy and the main
character is quite poignant, I didn't find him to
be a tragic figure at all. Rodney Bingenheimer seems
to have survived a horrible childhood, a rotten home
life and a parental figure who left him on the street.
He worked to make a name for himself in L.A. as a
scenester and a music impresario. He has lived on
his own terms and often been at the hub of what have
come to be seen as exceptional moments in pop culture
in the late 20th century. For that he should be celebrated.
This film, it seems, would rather mourn him.
The perfect moment in this film
comes when Bingenheimer travels to London to dump
his beloved mother's ashes in a lake and fulfill her
final wish. The scene is odd - with other passengers
on a tour boat not sure what he is up to - and an
interview on the docks after the event becomes muddied
by several loud people passing by. Film is usually
nothing but a celebration of perfect moments. Here,
we see the reality of the imperfect moment. It is
rare and beautiful in its own way.
Captured on tape, with Bingenheimer's
melancholy figure cutting a whispering image in the
light, it looks an awful lot like life.
Notes:
Other acts and artists who appear
in the film briefly include Mick Jagger, Andy Warhol,
The GTO's, Frank Zappa, Brian Wilson and the Beach
Boys, Sonny Bono, Johnny Marr, Elvis Costello, Kato
Kaelin, Tori Amos, Phil Spector, Keanu, The Mamas
and the Papas, The Smiths, Iggy Pop, Jimi Hendrix,
Green Day, Beck, Corey Feldman, Oasis, Poe, The Ramones,
David Lee Roth, Peewee Herman, Pete Townsend, Isadore
Ivy, Neil Young, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sid Vicious, Johnny
Rotten and the Sex Pistols, and The Beatles among
others.
Songs by X, Blur, They Might be
Giants, Green Day, Byrds, Bowie, Dandy Warhols, Herman's
Hermits, Leon Russell, Monkees, Jerry Lee Lewis, Four
Seasons, Mamas and Papas, Beach Boys, Troggs, Isadore
Ivy, Doors, T Rex, Alice Cooper, Zep, Smiths, No Doubt,
Costello, Ramones, Pistols, Coldplay, Runaways, Joan
Jett, Bow Wow Wow, Dramarama Van Halen, Blondie, Hole,
Oasis, Coldplay, Ronnie Spector, and Godsmack among
others.
The film has been picked up by First
Look features. It sold at the second highest price
ever paid for a documentary, 1.3 million. (Second
only to "Bowling for Columbine.") Set to be released
in March 2004.
Nominated for an Independent Spirit
Award.
Viewed at the Paramount Theater
in Austin at SXSW 2004 in March.
