Twin Peaks Recap is a weekly column by Keith Uhlich covering David Lynch and Mark Frost's limited, 18-episode continuation of the Twin Peaks television series.What's an FBI Special Agent to do after being locked away for 25 years in unearthly purgatory? Episodes three and four of Mark Frost and David Lynch's revived Twin Peaks, which aired on Showtime this past Sunday in a two-hour block (aside from September's two-part finale, it's all single, hour-long episodes from hereon out), follow our besuited, Black Lodge-incarcerated hero Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) as he reintegrates into modern terrestrial society. So this is basically Peaks doing Rectify, just with a sterile death row replaced by an infernal hellscape out of Clive Barker. Or David Lynch, really. What's becoming more and more evident as the new Peaks progresses is that the series is, in large part, a repository for Lynch's subconscious, past and present.
- 5/30/2017
- MUBI
Thanks to the streaming media revolution of the past few years, independent filmmakers have the greatest opportunity to deliver their work to the largest audiences ever in cinema history. Filmmakers also have the greatest opportunity to make money directly from their work without giving up a portion to middlemen distributors.
So, why is it that so few, if any, indie filmmakers are able to make a viable income from streaming media services? Yes, Virginia, there still is an “underground.”
The heart of the issue … Well, the real heart is, as always, about money. But, financial concerns lead to the other heart of the issue, which is the same issue that has always plagued underground filmmakers: Crappy discovery mechanisms.
In the streaming world, though, hardly a week goes by without news of one of the major delivery services, i.e. Amazon, iTunes and Netflix, making some sort of exclusive distribution deal with a Hollywood studio.
So, why is it that so few, if any, indie filmmakers are able to make a viable income from streaming media services? Yes, Virginia, there still is an “underground.”
The heart of the issue … Well, the real heart is, as always, about money. But, financial concerns lead to the other heart of the issue, which is the same issue that has always plagued underground filmmakers: Crappy discovery mechanisms.
In the streaming world, though, hardly a week goes by without news of one of the major delivery services, i.e. Amazon, iTunes and Netflix, making some sort of exclusive distribution deal with a Hollywood studio.
- 12/2/2013
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Stardom has never looked so scary to Matt Roloff and his family.
The Roloffs -- stars of the reality TV show "Little People, Big World" -- are the latest celebrity victims of disturbing online threats and harassing phone calls from an unknown stalker.
The family lives on an Oregon farm, and Matt Roloff told The Huffington Post that some of the threats have been very specific. "They've been to the farm. They know it. Is it somebody on our farm? Someone in our own network of people we know, or some random individual? We don't know who's up to it, and it's spooky," Roloff said.
An escalation of the threats against the Roloffs, a family of six with three members with dwarfism, put local law enforcement on notice.
"The threats have got more hateful and more graphic in nature. They do seem to be escalating and becoming more disturbing," Sergeant...
The Roloffs -- stars of the reality TV show "Little People, Big World" -- are the latest celebrity victims of disturbing online threats and harassing phone calls from an unknown stalker.
The family lives on an Oregon farm, and Matt Roloff told The Huffington Post that some of the threats have been very specific. "They've been to the farm. They know it. Is it somebody on our farm? Someone in our own network of people we know, or some random individual? We don't know who's up to it, and it's spooky," Roloff said.
An escalation of the threats against the Roloffs, a family of six with three members with dwarfism, put local law enforcement on notice.
"The threats have got more hateful and more graphic in nature. They do seem to be escalating and becoming more disturbing," Sergeant...
- 6/1/2013
- by David Lohr
- Huffington Post
Reality TV dad Matt Roloff and his family are the victims of increasing and disturbing online threats.
According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, it's not uncommon for public figures like the Roloffs -- stars of the reality TV show "Little People, Big World" –- to receive a certain level of harassment. However, recent Facebook and email messages sent to the family, along with harassing phone calls, are of increasing concern to police.
"It has really escalated over the last month to two months. The threats have got more hateful and more graphic in nature. They do seem to be escalating and becoming more disturbing," Sergeant Bob Ray told The Huffington Post.
Matt Roloff did not immediately respond to a request for comment from HuffPost on Thursday. Speaking with Katu.com, Roloff and his wife, Amy, said the content of the messages they have received include threats on their lives.
According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, it's not uncommon for public figures like the Roloffs -- stars of the reality TV show "Little People, Big World" –- to receive a certain level of harassment. However, recent Facebook and email messages sent to the family, along with harassing phone calls, are of increasing concern to police.
"It has really escalated over the last month to two months. The threats have got more hateful and more graphic in nature. They do seem to be escalating and becoming more disturbing," Sergeant Bob Ray told The Huffington Post.
Matt Roloff did not immediately respond to a request for comment from HuffPost on Thursday. Speaking with Katu.com, Roloff and his wife, Amy, said the content of the messages they have received include threats on their lives.
- 5/30/2013
- by David Lohr
- Huffington Post
Austin-based actress Heather Kafka shows up in features Pit Stop, The Bounceback, Loves Her Gun, When Angels Sing, and short Black Metal which are all screening at SXSW next month. Let's just say that if you see a film with local ties during the festival, there's about a 75% chance that Kafka will be in it. You might have seen her previously in locally made movies like Lovers of Hate, Saturday Morning Massacre, Slacker 2011 (pictured above) ... and she's the woman trying to buy from the Carl's Jr. kiosk in Idiocracy.
Kafka took some time to talk to us (via email) about working in the friendly Austin film community and taking on roles that her grandma shouldn't see.
Slackerwood: You appear in a number of the films showing at SXSW this year. How did you become involved with these film projects?
Heather Kafka: Sometimes I'm lucky. When I came back...
Kafka took some time to talk to us (via email) about working in the friendly Austin film community and taking on roles that her grandma shouldn't see.
Slackerwood: You appear in a number of the films showing at SXSW this year. How did you become involved with these film projects?
Heather Kafka: Sometimes I'm lucky. When I came back...
- 2/25/2013
- by Elizabeth Stoddard
- Slackerwood
2012 appears to be the year for younger, i.e. under 10 years old, underground fests to blow it wide open and go for broke. This time it’s the 4th annual Oakland Underground Film Festival that is expanding its horizons into a blowout four-day, much more densely packed affair, running on Sept. 27-30 at several different locations.
Expanding on the types of films they screen, this year Oakuff is jammed pack with a wide variety of documentaries, thrillers, a bevy of short films and a special tribute to blaxploitation films hosted by BadAzz MoFo’s David Walker.
The fest opens on the 27th with skateboarding filmmaker Stacy Peralta’s latest, Bones Brigade: An Autobiography, which documents his own involvement with California board culture along with peers like Tony Hawk and Rodney Mullen. Following that will be Ya’Ke Smith’s complex drama about the effects of child molestation.
Other documentaries in...
Expanding on the types of films they screen, this year Oakuff is jammed pack with a wide variety of documentaries, thrillers, a bevy of short films and a special tribute to blaxploitation films hosted by BadAzz MoFo’s David Walker.
The fest opens on the 27th with skateboarding filmmaker Stacy Peralta’s latest, Bones Brigade: An Autobiography, which documents his own involvement with California board culture along with peers like Tony Hawk and Rodney Mullen. Following that will be Ya’Ke Smith’s complex drama about the effects of child molestation.
Other documentaries in...
- 9/25/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
The 6th annual Sydney Underground Film Festival is taking over all three screens of the Factory Theatre for a blow-out four-day event on Sept. 6-9.
Making it’s World Premiere at the fest on the 8th is the highly anticipated President Wolfman, the latest “green movie” by director Mike Davis that he’s cobbled together from public domain footage and feature films and set to an outrageous new soundtrack. The film looks like it promises to be a rollicking good time.
Other highlights of the fest include Guy Maddin‘s latest trippy film noir, Keyhole, about a mobster revisiting his homestead’s old memories; Bob Ray‘s documentary about Austin, Texas’ homegrown Total Badass; Bobcat Goldthwait’s media takedown God Bless America; Michal Kosakowski’s underground murder fantasy documentary hit Zero Killed; Richard Griffin’s funky The Disco Exorcist; and more.
Some of the extra special events of the fest...
Making it’s World Premiere at the fest on the 8th is the highly anticipated President Wolfman, the latest “green movie” by director Mike Davis that he’s cobbled together from public domain footage and feature films and set to an outrageous new soundtrack. The film looks like it promises to be a rollicking good time.
Other highlights of the fest include Guy Maddin‘s latest trippy film noir, Keyhole, about a mobster revisiting his homestead’s old memories; Bob Ray‘s documentary about Austin, Texas’ homegrown Total Badass; Bobcat Goldthwait’s media takedown God Bless America; Michal Kosakowski’s underground murder fantasy documentary hit Zero Killed; Richard Griffin’s funky The Disco Exorcist; and more.
Some of the extra special events of the fest...
- 8/30/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
A few days ago we received an email from Austin filmmaker Bob Ray, best known for shorts such as Hillbilly Doomsday and the documentaries Hell on Wheels and Total Badass.
His message began as follows:
Last week, the criminal defense lawyer who defends Chad Holt in the documentary Total Badass (Adam Reposa, a.k.a. “Bulletproof,” a.k.a. Repo) asked me to help him make a commercial for his law practice here in Austin. As required by law, we submitted it to the State Bar of Texas for approval.
The legal community in Texas is going crazy with it right now and the vid has been bouncing around D.A. and defense attorney’s offices for the last few days hours. Also, not sure of the repercussions (for Adam, Chad, or, most importantly, for me) if the Bar prohibits the commercial from being used or if we’re breaking any laws…...
His message began as follows:
Last week, the criminal defense lawyer who defends Chad Holt in the documentary Total Badass (Adam Reposa, a.k.a. “Bulletproof,” a.k.a. Repo) asked me to help him make a commercial for his law practice here in Austin. As required by law, we submitted it to the State Bar of Texas for approval.
The legal community in Texas is going crazy with it right now and the vid has been bouncing around D.A. and defense attorney’s offices for the last few days hours. Also, not sure of the repercussions (for Adam, Chad, or, most importantly, for me) if the Bar prohibits the commercial from being used or if we’re breaking any laws…...
- 5/29/2012
- by Nick Dawson
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Many members of the local film community converged during SXSW at the Austin Film Society (Afs) ShortCase screening on Saturday, March 10. Seen above are several of the Afs filmmakers in attendance including (clockwise from lower left): Chithra Jeyaram (Mijo), Nicholas Cormier III (Smile), James and Ryan Barlow (Huntered), Bob Ray (Sacked), Allison R. Smith and Justin Corsbie (Hot Dogs & Hand Grenades), Stephen Gamache (Mustachio), Joshua Flanagan (Mustachio), Will Shipley (Mentiroso), Brady Dial (Apogee of Fear proxy for Richard Garriott de Cayeux).
As one of the curators for the SXSW Community Screenings: Afs ShortCase program I was pleased to hear the audience reactions to all the selections. Afterwards, the filmmakers offered their advice during the Q&A session, ranging from the advantages and disadvantages of filming in a remote location to the challenges of animation.
Check out more photos from this special screening:
read more...
As one of the curators for the SXSW Community Screenings: Afs ShortCase program I was pleased to hear the audience reactions to all the selections. Afterwards, the filmmakers offered their advice during the Q&A session, ranging from the advantages and disadvantages of filming in a remote location to the challenges of animation.
Check out more photos from this special screening:
read more...
- 3/26/2012
- by Debbie Cerda
- Slackerwood
This year's SXSW Community Screening: Austin Film Society ShortCase will be held Saturday, March 10 at 11 am in the Canon Screening Room (aka Rollins) at the Long Center, and will feature short films by Central Texas filmmakers ranging from Richard Garriott to Bob Ray.
I was pleased to be invited to curate the ShortCase -- I've said for years that I'd love to help host a short-film festival. The response from Afs filmmakers was overwhelming, with over 100 short films submitted in a two-week timeframe. I cried, laughed, and screamed -- and even hit the Rewind button a few times to savor certain scenes. Afs Interim Artist Services Manager Austin Culp, intern Reid Connell and I worked together to select the 10 best films to fill the 90-minute screening time. It was a daunting task with so much wonderful content representing the talent of Afs filmmakers, but we somehow agreed on the final slate.
I was pleased to be invited to curate the ShortCase -- I've said for years that I'd love to help host a short-film festival. The response from Afs filmmakers was overwhelming, with over 100 short films submitted in a two-week timeframe. I cried, laughed, and screamed -- and even hit the Rewind button a few times to savor certain scenes. Afs Interim Artist Services Manager Austin Culp, intern Reid Connell and I worked together to select the 10 best films to fill the 90-minute screening time. It was a daunting task with so much wonderful content representing the talent of Afs filmmakers, but we somehow agreed on the final slate.
- 3/2/2012
- by Debbie Cerda
- Slackerwood
For their 4th annual edition, the Minneapolis Underground Film Festival is pulling out all the stops, spotlighting great local and international filmmaking talent over the course of three days, Dec. 2-4, on two screens at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design (McAd).
The fest opens with an ambitious Minneapolis-based move: Tyler Jensen’s 30 Films 30 Days. Working with hundreds of local participants, Jensen and his team completed a short film a day over the course of one month and this feature compiles all of them into one package. Plus, also screening on the same night is the groovy grindhouse horror flick The Disco Exorcist by Richard Griffin.
Over the course of the next two full days and nights, two of the best highlights of this year’s Muff include Usama Alshaibi‘s masterful mix of sex and religion Profane, Stuart Simpson‘s retro-sleazetastic monster flick El Monstro Del Mar!, neither of which are to be missed!
The fest opens with an ambitious Minneapolis-based move: Tyler Jensen’s 30 Films 30 Days. Working with hundreds of local participants, Jensen and his team completed a short film a day over the course of one month and this feature compiles all of them into one package. Plus, also screening on the same night is the groovy grindhouse horror flick The Disco Exorcist by Richard Griffin.
Over the course of the next two full days and nights, two of the best highlights of this year’s Muff include Usama Alshaibi‘s masterful mix of sex and religion Profane, Stuart Simpson‘s retro-sleazetastic monster flick El Monstro Del Mar!, neither of which are to be missed!
- 11/4/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
As most of you probably know, there are a bunch of people hanging around Wall Street these days. Making signs, waving them, voting to see what they do next. It’s a growing movement that’s recently been joined by Anonymous threatening to remove the New York Stock Exchange from the internet on October 10th. Normally in a situation like this, the whole world would watch as it plays out before hearing that some studio has optioned the rights to tell the story fictionally, but in this case, independent documentary filmmakers are banding together to make sure that the event is showed in its purest form. A Kickstarter campaign was started for 99% – The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film by Audrey Ewell and Aaron Aites (the filmmaking team beyond the Black Metal doc Until the Light Takes Us). Other filmmakers involved include Tyler Brodie (executive producer for Another Earth and Pi), Michael Galinsky (Battle for Brooklyn), Ava DuVernay (publicist...
- 10/4/2011
- by Cole Abaius
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Directors: Bob Ray, Spencer Parsons, Rusty Kelley, Berndt Mader, Amy Grappell, Karen Skloss, Duane Graves, Justin Meeks, Paul Gordon, Johnny Stranger, David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, Jay Duplass, John Bryant, Sam Wainwright Douglas, Ben Steinbauer, Elisabeth Sikes, Mike Dolan, Geoff Marslett, Bradley Beesley, Bob Byington, Clay Liford, Carlyn Hudson, Miguel Alvarez, Scott Meyers, Pj Raval, Chris Eska Writers: Bob Ray, Spencer Parsons, Rusty Kelley, Berndt Mader, Amy Grappell, Karen Skloss, Duane Graves, Justin Meeks, Paul Gordon, Johnny Stranger, David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, Jay Duplass, John Bryant, Sam Wainwright Douglas, Ben Steinbauer, Elisabeth Sikes, Mike Dolan, Geoff Marslett, Bradley Beesley, Bob Byington, Clay Liford, Carlyn Hudson, Miguel Alvarez, Scott Meyers, Pj Raval, Chris Eska Starring: Bob Ray, Chris Doubek, Maggie Lea, Hilah Johnson, Robert Lambert, Leslie Naugle, John Wesley Coleman, Kelli Bland, Justin Meeks, Jonny Mars, Ashley Spillers, Jen Tracy Duplass, Jay Duplass, Chris Trew, Sam Wainwright Douglas, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Luke Savisky,...
- 9/4/2011
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
In celebration of Slacker's 20th anniversary, local filmmakers are re-creating scenes from the Richard Linklater movie for Slacker 2011, a fundraising project benefitting the Texas Filmmakers Production Fund. The trailer is now available. As we await the August 31 premiere, we're chatting with some of the filmmakers participating in one or more of the short films that will comprise the project.
Today's interview is with Bob Ray, director of Total Badass and Hell on Wheels. He notes that he repurposed people involved with those documentaries (and other of his past projects) for his Slacker 2011 scene: "Chad Holt [the subject of Total Badass] plays the Grocery Grabber in the Slacker 2011 opening scene and played a weed dealer in my first film, Rock Opera... Total Badass's Adam Reposa is in the Slacker scene. Sarah Kihls (aka Miss Conduct) was in Hell on Wheels and Michael Dalmon, of CrashToons's Platypus Rex and Apesh!T fame,...
Today's interview is with Bob Ray, director of Total Badass and Hell on Wheels. He notes that he repurposed people involved with those documentaries (and other of his past projects) for his Slacker 2011 scene: "Chad Holt [the subject of Total Badass] plays the Grocery Grabber in the Slacker 2011 opening scene and played a weed dealer in my first film, Rock Opera... Total Badass's Adam Reposa is in the Slacker scene. Sarah Kihls (aka Miss Conduct) was in Hell on Wheels and Michael Dalmon, of CrashToons's Platypus Rex and Apesh!T fame,...
- 8/1/2011
- by Elizabeth Stoddard
- Slackerwood
The 18th annual Chicago Underground Film Festival is ready to have another monumental year at the Gene Siskel Film Center on June 2-9, featuring a killer lineup with new films from some true underground legends.
First, Usama Alshaibi will screen his latest, most visually stunning and conceptually innovative feature Profane, about a spiritually confused Muslim sex worker trying to recapture her lost jinn — a demon of smokeless fire — on streets of the Windy City.
Then, documentary filmmakers Jeff Krulik and John Heyn return to their hard rockin’ roots with Heavy Metal Picnic, which relives one of the most notorious ’80s weekend parties in the history of Maryland and the world — the Full Moon Jamboree, which if you can remember it means you weren’t there. Plus, Hmp will be screened with Heyn and Krulik’s underground classic Heavy Metal Parking Lot.
Also in the documentary vein, are Marie Losier‘s...
First, Usama Alshaibi will screen his latest, most visually stunning and conceptually innovative feature Profane, about a spiritually confused Muslim sex worker trying to recapture her lost jinn — a demon of smokeless fire — on streets of the Windy City.
Then, documentary filmmakers Jeff Krulik and John Heyn return to their hard rockin’ roots with Heavy Metal Picnic, which relives one of the most notorious ’80s weekend parties in the history of Maryland and the world — the Full Moon Jamboree, which if you can remember it means you weren’t there. Plus, Hmp will be screened with Heyn and Krulik’s underground classic Heavy Metal Parking Lot.
Also in the documentary vein, are Marie Losier‘s...
- 5/13/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Without Richard Linklater's slice of life film [1] Slacker, the independent film boom of the 1990s might not have happened. Unlike almost anything American audiences had seen before, it inspired a generation of filmmakers to go out and make their own movies. Kevin Smith often credits seeing the film at the Angelika Film Center in New York as his inspiration to make Clerks, the film's success gave Linklater the ability to make Dazed and Confused and so much more. First released in 1991, Slacker celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and the Austin Film Society and the Alamo Drafthouse are teaming up for a remake. In typical Austin and Drafthouse style, though, isn't a by the book remake. There aren't any big special effects or A-list actors. Instead, 23 Austin filmmakers will reshoot scenes using the same dialogue and locations from the original film and string them together as a meta-homage. Read...
- 5/3/2011
- by Germain Lussier
- Slash Film
Richard Linklater made a splash back in 1991 with his independent low budget film Slacker. The film was unique in its structure and seemingly plotless film, following a single day in the life of an ensemble of mostly twenty-something youths in Austin, Texas. The film followed various characters and scenes, never staying with one character or conversation for more than a few minutes before picking up someone else in the scene and following them. A similar idea was also explored at around the same time in a film called Twenty Bucks, that well followed a 20 dollar bill around for a day.
Now two decades later, the Austin Film Society and The Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas are teaming up with 23 Austin filmmakers to remake Richard Linklater’s critically acclaimed movie to celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary. According to the Austin Film Society [via The Playlist] “Each scene will be recreated, using the original dialogue and...
Now two decades later, the Austin Film Society and The Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas are teaming up with 23 Austin filmmakers to remake Richard Linklater’s critically acclaimed movie to celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary. According to the Austin Film Society [via The Playlist] “Each scene will be recreated, using the original dialogue and...
- 5/3/2011
- by Kyle Reese
- SoundOnSight
The Austin Film Society and The Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas are excited to announce that 23 of the most celebrated Austin filmmakers will remake vignettes from Afs Founder & Artistic Director Richard Linklater’s seminal film Slacker. This homage project was conceived by The Alamo Drafthouse team to celebrate Slacker’s 20th anniversary year by bringing the film community together to honor one of Texas’ best homegrown films. Afs came aboard with a stellar group of filmmakers and a Kickstarter-like campaign to raise an additional $60,000 toward the 2011 Texas Filmmakers Production Fund (accepting applications until June 1).
Each scene will be recreated, using the original dialogue and locations (whenever possible), and individual scenes will then be compiled to create the remake, presenting the city’s changing face while showcasing some of its most exciting talent.
Participating Filmmakers & Teams: Miguel Alvarez, Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, Afs Film Club, Bradley Beesley, John Bryant, Bob Byington, Mike Dolan, Sam Wainwright Douglas,...
Each scene will be recreated, using the original dialogue and locations (whenever possible), and individual scenes will then be compiled to create the remake, presenting the city’s changing face while showcasing some of its most exciting talent.
Participating Filmmakers & Teams: Miguel Alvarez, Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, Afs Film Club, Bradley Beesley, John Bryant, Bob Byington, Mike Dolan, Sam Wainwright Douglas,...
- 4/28/2011
- by Daniel Metz
- OriginalAlamo.com
How do you do it? If the mainstream industry and the mainstream festivals are not responding to your work, does it mean there's no audience or community for you work? Hell, No! You just have to bring it to where they are. It might be hard. It might be grueling. And it will be brutal, but it can be done. Filmmaker Bob Ray guest posts today to show us all how it is done. He has hit the road couch surfing and community building. The kindness of strangers can be key but nothing is more so than being true to…...
- 4/15/2011
- Hope for Film
Here's the latest Austin movie-related news for your enjoyment.
The Texas Film Hall of Fame has announced even more special guests and award nominees for the March 10 event. John Hawkes, nominated for an Oscar for his supporting role in Winter's Bone, will receive the Rising Star Award. The Austin band Spoon will receive the Soundtrack Award, presented to them by local filmmaker Jeff Nichols. And journalist Liz Smith will be presenting Renee Zellweger with her award. I suspect we haven't heard the last talent announcement from them yet, so stay tuned.Over at Ynn (formerly known as News 8 Austin), Victor Diaz profiles the Austin-shot film Lovers of Hate (my review) and its filmmakers, who are preparing for the upcoming Independent Spirit Award ceremony. The movie is up for the John Cassavetes Award, for indie films with a budget of less than $500K.Last year, Austin filmmaker Bob Ray took a...
The Texas Film Hall of Fame has announced even more special guests and award nominees for the March 10 event. John Hawkes, nominated for an Oscar for his supporting role in Winter's Bone, will receive the Rising Star Award. The Austin band Spoon will receive the Soundtrack Award, presented to them by local filmmaker Jeff Nichols. And journalist Liz Smith will be presenting Renee Zellweger with her award. I suspect we haven't heard the last talent announcement from them yet, so stay tuned.Over at Ynn (formerly known as News 8 Austin), Victor Diaz profiles the Austin-shot film Lovers of Hate (my review) and its filmmakers, who are preparing for the upcoming Independent Spirit Award ceremony. The movie is up for the John Cassavetes Award, for indie films with a budget of less than $500K.Last year, Austin filmmaker Bob Ray took a...
- 2/23/2011
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
One of the big news items out of the Sundance Film Festival this year was Kevin Smith thumbing his nose at the indie film industry that made his career and going on an alleged self-financed screening tour with his latest movie. But, really, you don’t have to be a millionaire filmmaker poor mouthing how an industry has shafted you to go on tour with your own film. You can actually be poor and do the same thing!
Of course, you won’t be filling up theaters with 2,000 or more seats, but there are tons of little movie theaters and microcinemas out there eager to support struggling, truly independent filmmakers. Finding these places takes a little leg work and doing all your own booking and promotion is a mighty task, but it can be a good, rewarding opportunity to get your film seen and to meet directly with your own fans and supporters.
Of course, you won’t be filling up theaters with 2,000 or more seats, but there are tons of little movie theaters and microcinemas out there eager to support struggling, truly independent filmmakers. Finding these places takes a little leg work and doing all your own booking and promotion is a mighty task, but it can be a good, rewarding opportunity to get your film seen and to meet directly with your own fans and supporters.
- 2/7/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
The prestigious Art in America magazine profiles and interviews Bad Lit favorite Brent Green. Filmmaker and curator Cecilia Araneda has a new website that’s very spiffy looking. If you need a zen moment, go stare at the wonder of filmmaker and artist Daniel Barrow’s snowglobe. Michael Varrati has a great new filmmaker to know: David DeCoteau, the king of beefcake horror. I was completely unfamiliar with his work until I read this! Rhizome goes through the career of pioneering video artist Nam June Paik in conjunction with a retrospective of his work running at the Tate in London. Plus, some staff changes at the media arts website. I think the Underground Film Guild is a project of Tla Video, but I can’t say for sure. (Hey guys, update your About page from the automatic WordPress-install text.) But, if you want to read/watch about exploitation films, this...
- 1/9/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
A few months ago, we had filmmaker Bob Ray to the Alamo to present his newest film, Total Badass. It was fantastic having this Austin-based director premiere his new work, the film about Austin’s most depraved citizen, Chad Holt. This documentary takes what is possibly the sleaziest subject to ever come out of Austin and it creates something both hilarious and touching. Holt is showed in all of his glory – is that the right word? – and while Ray doesn’t hold back, he also doesn’t judge. The underground is brought to full view and we can laugh and cringe until it goes back down.
And now, we’re excited to bring the film back to the Alamo for an encore presentation. If you accidentally missed seeing the film a few months ago, now you can make it up to yourself and your loved ones by coming to the Village this Sunday at 10pm.
And now, we’re excited to bring the film back to the Alamo for an encore presentation. If you accidentally missed seeing the film a few months ago, now you can make it up to yourself and your loved ones by coming to the Village this Sunday at 10pm.
- 12/15/2010
- by Daniel Metz
- OriginalAlamo.com
Austin-based filmmaker Bob Ray is bringing a little bit of Texas — and a couple of his films — on the road with him for a raucous summer blast across the American west, and parts of Canada. Look for the Down & Dirty Austin Film Tour that’s being co-sponsored by SXSW, the Alamo Drafthouse and the Austin Film Society, when it slams into your town.
The tour is mostly in support of Ray’s recently-completed third feature-length film, Total Badass, which he will be screening, but also look to see his other films Hell on Wheels, Rock Opera and his CrashToons animated series. Total Badass is about a Texas raconteur who struggles to survive his last six months of felony probation and a major financial crisis amongst his estranged family.
Total Badass also happens to be a documentary and its “star,” Chad Holt will make a few special appearances with Ray for...
The tour is mostly in support of Ray’s recently-completed third feature-length film, Total Badass, which he will be screening, but also look to see his other films Hell on Wheels, Rock Opera and his CrashToons animated series. Total Badass is about a Texas raconteur who struggles to survive his last six months of felony probation and a major financial crisis amongst his estranged family.
Total Badass also happens to be a documentary and its “star,” Chad Holt will make a few special appearances with Ray for...
- 7/8/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 9:30pm - 11:30pm Location: Alamo Drafthouse -- Ritz More info: Visit external web page.
Local filmmaker Bob Ray is premiering his latest film, Total Badass, on Wednesday night at Alamo Ritz. Ray, whom you might remember from his previous films Hell on Wheels (the rollerderby doc that played SXSW 2007) and Rock Opera, recently finished work on this feature-length documentary about Chad Holt, who is also scheduled to attend the screening.
I think I should let Ray describe the film in his own words (from his Facebook event page for the premiere):
"Total Badass blazes the true Texas tale of a hilarious, crazy-ass writer/publisher/singer/weed-dealer/sex addict/Guinea pig enthusiast/dad/pirate radio host/raconteur and general man-about-town as he rides out the last six months of felony probation and subsequently must change his ways when a financial crisis befalls his estranged family.
Local filmmaker Bob Ray is premiering his latest film, Total Badass, on Wednesday night at Alamo Ritz. Ray, whom you might remember from his previous films Hell on Wheels (the rollerderby doc that played SXSW 2007) and Rock Opera, recently finished work on this feature-length documentary about Chad Holt, who is also scheduled to attend the screening.
I think I should let Ray describe the film in his own words (from his Facebook event page for the premiere):
"Total Badass blazes the true Texas tale of a hilarious, crazy-ass writer/publisher/singer/weed-dealer/sex addict/Guinea pig enthusiast/dad/pirate radio host/raconteur and general man-about-town as he rides out the last six months of felony probation and subsequently must change his ways when a financial crisis befalls his estranged family.
- 5/17/2010
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
Each year the SXSW Film Festival and Conference supports the Austin film community by hosting special screenings by local film-related nonprofit organizations. As part of the Austin Media Arts Committee (Amac) series, Austin Film Society, Austin School of Film and Reel Women have each compiled two programs that showcase their members' work. All SXSW badgeholders and non-badgeholders are encouraged to come out and check out the showcases. Audiences will also have the opportunity to vote on their favorite Reel Women short, and the winning filmmaker will receive a special award package.
The Austin School of Film has not released their lineup yet for their screenings on Sunday, March 14 at noon and Monday, March 15 at 2 pm. The Austin Film Society and Reel Women have made their programs available. Here's the 2010 lineup:
Austin Film Society Program for Saturday, March 13 at noon (70 mins)
Make a Wish, dir. David Ward Squeezed Out of Business,...
The Austin School of Film has not released their lineup yet for their screenings on Sunday, March 14 at noon and Monday, March 15 at 2 pm. The Austin Film Society and Reel Women have made their programs available. Here's the 2010 lineup:
Austin Film Society Program for Saturday, March 13 at noon (70 mins)
Make a Wish, dir. David Ward Squeezed Out of Business,...
- 3/11/2010
- by Debbie Cerda
- Slackerwood
The Alamo Guide
for March 11th, 2010
Oh, SXSW… it’s a rocky relationship, you and I. We have a lot of fun together, you give me free booze and barbeque, keep me out way past my bedtime, get me home safely (most of the time), and then you take me out the next day. Then, near the end of the week, we start fighting. “I’m tired!” I say. “I don’t want your free tacos!” I say (and then eat three anyway). “My stomach has been f-ed up for Days, I don’t want your Southern Comfort!” and then two days later you’re gone. SXSW does this to all of us. It keeps the Alamo Ritz so busy that we have to nix all specialty programming for a week so we can show new movies, so keep that in mind this week.
S. Lamar (a few screens anyway...
for March 11th, 2010
Oh, SXSW… it’s a rocky relationship, you and I. We have a lot of fun together, you give me free booze and barbeque, keep me out way past my bedtime, get me home safely (most of the time), and then you take me out the next day. Then, near the end of the week, we start fighting. “I’m tired!” I say. “I don’t want your free tacos!” I say (and then eat three anyway). “My stomach has been f-ed up for Days, I don’t want your Southern Comfort!” and then two days later you’re gone. SXSW does this to all of us. It keeps the Alamo Ritz so busy that we have to nix all specialty programming for a week so we can show new movies, so keep that in mind this week.
S. Lamar (a few screens anyway...
- 3/10/2010
- by caitlin
- OriginalAlamo.com
Bob Ray needs dough to fund his newest documentary Total Badass! Help an Austinite out and take a look at his Kickstarter campaign to donate!
Also, check out their fundraiser screening of the film, Thursday, March 18th at Alamo South Lamar. You can purchase tickets Here!
We celebrate a lot of things at the Alamo Drafthouse. Exploitation cinema, good food, great beer, dance parties, film festivals, but most importantly independent film. We’ve helped a lot of baby films (and I mean that in a very non-patronizing way – I’m talking “baby” versus “gigantor studio films”) get off the ground with screenings, and with our amazing customers and film-junkies spreading news via word-of-mouth. Right now, we’ve got a filmmaker that needs a boost so he can get his documentary off the ground, and we though you’d be the perfect audience to direct this call too.
Bob Ray is...
Also, check out their fundraiser screening of the film, Thursday, March 18th at Alamo South Lamar. You can purchase tickets Here!
We celebrate a lot of things at the Alamo Drafthouse. Exploitation cinema, good food, great beer, dance parties, film festivals, but most importantly independent film. We’ve helped a lot of baby films (and I mean that in a very non-patronizing way – I’m talking “baby” versus “gigantor studio films”) get off the ground with screenings, and with our amazing customers and film-junkies spreading news via word-of-mouth. Right now, we’ve got a filmmaker that needs a boost so he can get his documentary off the ground, and we though you’d be the perfect audience to direct this call too.
Bob Ray is...
- 3/4/2010
- by caitlin
- OriginalAlamo.com
Director: Drew Barrymore Writer(s): Barry Mendel, Drew Barrymore Starring: Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden, Kristen Wiig, Drew Barrymore, Juliette Lewis, Jimmy Fallon, Daniel Stern Bliss (Ellen Page) is a misfit – at least as far as rural Texas standards are concerned – high schooler. Bliss’ mother (Marcia Gay Harden) wants Bliss to be a beauty pageant queen, just like she was; but when Bliss shows up at a beauty pageant with blue hair, we all know that Bliss doesn’t share her mother’s aspirations. One day, Bliss’ mother takes Bliss to Austin to do some shopping. She reluctantly agrees to buy Bliss a pair of combat boots, until she notices that the boutique also sells bongs. Bliss buys the combat boots with her own cash, and picks up a flyer on the way out…the flyer is for a female roller derby exposition match in Austin. Bliss drags her...
- 10/3/2009
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Hot chicks! Cool nicknames! Broken bones! Director Bob Ray spent five years documenting a fledgling, all-female roller derby league in Austin, Texas, and the result is Hell on Wheels, an energetic, snappy flick that's both entertaining and informative. Our friends at SnagFilms have made it available for free online viewing.
Dan Policarpo (Aka Roller Derby Dan) birthed the idea of a 21st Century version of roller derby, whose initial popularity peaked decades ago. Women readily responded, and Policarpo picked four that he felt would be good team captains: Heather, Anya, Nancy, and April. After he exited, the four decided to forge ahead with plans for a league, forming Bad Girl Good Woman Productions, even though they had no business experience. After two years of struggle, the first bout is held in front of 350 fans. Soon after that, the four decide to incorporate, which provokes a heated response from the players,...
Dan Policarpo (Aka Roller Derby Dan) birthed the idea of a 21st Century version of roller derby, whose initial popularity peaked decades ago. Women readily responded, and Policarpo picked four that he felt would be good team captains: Heather, Anya, Nancy, and April. After he exited, the four decided to forge ahead with plans for a league, forming Bad Girl Good Woman Productions, even though they had no business experience. After two years of struggle, the first bout is held in front of 350 fans. Soon after that, the four decide to incorporate, which provokes a heated response from the players,...
- 6/24/2009
- by Peter Martin
- Cinematical
Whether you're tired of people texting during the movie, want to relax on your couch or have a fear of catching swine flu, there's plenty of entertainment options that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home this summer, whether it's On Demand, Online, or On DVD. A helpful guide is below, and don't forget our look at the indie films that are hitting theaters this summer.
On Demand
Our sister company IFC Films will have quite the busy summer, providing at least one film a week to watch on demand and nowhere else. The company's Festival Direct summer schedule recently kicked off with the Robert Pattinson teen drama "How to Be," and will be followed on May 6th by the premieres of Pablo Proenza's haunted house thriller "Dark Mirror" and the Patrick Wilson-Amy Smart romantic dramedy "Life In Flight," which premiered at last year's Tribeca Film Festival.
On Demand
Our sister company IFC Films will have quite the busy summer, providing at least one film a week to watch on demand and nowhere else. The company's Festival Direct summer schedule recently kicked off with the Robert Pattinson teen drama "How to Be," and will be followed on May 6th by the premieres of Pablo Proenza's haunted house thriller "Dark Mirror" and the Patrick Wilson-Amy Smart romantic dramedy "Life In Flight," which premiered at last year's Tribeca Film Festival.
- 5/5/2009
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.