Filmfest 2001 - 09
Ever wanted to see a retro-future-musical-space-western? Well, the best one
around has got to be
THE AMERICAN ASTRONAUT.
Created by one-man-film-industry
Cory McAbee
(writer, director, lead actor, musician,
and composer), this totally wacky flick tells the story of Samuel Curtis,
sort of a space courier who trades a boxed “real-live-girl” to the all male
planet of Jupiter for a sixteen year old boy that the all female planet of
Venus wants. While transporting the boy safely, Curtis has to contend with
the nefarious and more than a little obsessed Professor Hess who is
pursuing them both, plus a pair of deranged space farmers, badly affected
by years of living in a weightless environment.
And then there are the dance numbers. Put it all together, and you get what
will become a cult movie, maybe not of
ROCKY HORROR proportions, but one
that will be appreciated for its unique craziness for years.
MIRROR IMAGE
is a Taiwanese “romantic comedy” (not terribly heavy on
either) about a pawn shop owner and his mysterious girlfriend who figures
they can all make more money selling unclaimed items on the Taipei subway.
Being a transit buff, I went to see the subway, and I was not dissapointed.
The Taipei subway, while not architecturally stunning, is sleek, appears to
be very clean, has impressively long escalators to reach the deep stations,
and is cool because you can walk between the train cars, sort of like
Toronto’s articulated street cars. We never did get to the front of the
train to see if passengers get a window on the tunnel or not, so I’m not
sure if the film deserves a 4 or 5 star rating.
NOSFERATU
was a real treat. This silent 1922 version of the Dracula legend
(the filming of which was the subject of last year’s kooky
SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE)
was accompanied by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra playing a
recently rediscovered original score.
Far campier than scary, this film really creeped people out when it was
first made. It’s still worth seeing as a genuine piece of cinematic
history, and for
Max Shreck’s
bug-eyed, spidery-fingered Count Orlok. You
can find NOSFERATU
on video, it just doesn’t normally come with a live
orchestral accompaniment.
THE FLUFFER
is a film about, well, if you don’t know what a fluffer is…
THE FLUFFER
is a film about a classic young innocent who arrives in
Hollywood with a dream to work in the entertainment industry, and whose
career path takes an odd turn when the
CITIZEN KANE video box he rents
actually contains… the gay porno version, CITIZEN CUM… and the only
reason I’m going to go on, was that this turned out to be a pretty good
flick. And it ain’t a skin flick - just in case you were wondering.
Innocent Sean becomes fascinated by CITIZEN lead Johnny Rebel, and he heads
off to the production company to look for a job. Soon he finds himself
employed keeping Johnny “happy” and ready for his sex scenes. While Sean’s
fascination develops into a crush, Johnny is having trouble at home with
his exotic dancing girlfriend: Johnny is only “gay for pay”.
Complications ensue, including one character’s ridiculously cliched fall
from grace, but otherwise good writing, and strong acting from everyone
(including Scott Gurney
who’s some BAYWATCH
cast member as Johnny Rebel)
save the show. Naughty, but not too naughty,
THE FLUFFER was fun. It’ll be
out in the States in major markets beginning late this year, following that
in Canada mid-2002.
Craig James White
Toronto - jacket not required