It will be screened several times during the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival. For instance, a week from tonight at Pace University.
Like many people, I dug “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadassss Song.” I also like some of Mr. Van Peebles’ music. (Especially a track called “Funky Girl on Motherless Broadway.”) I never saw any of his theater pieces, but I do own a copy of his novel “A Bear for the FBI.”The man is a character, no doubt about that.
But “Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha,” shot on digital video, looks to be... uhh... strange. Too strange, judging by the 3½-minute trailer, which is embedded below.
According to the description on the Tribeca fest website, the movie is a “picaresque yarn about a boy from Chicago who wants to see the world and get rich but discovers that all he needs is the love of a good woman.”
(“Picaresque yarn” means “waaay too frickin’ strange.”)
Thanks for reminding me about Melvin's music. When it would come on the radio back in the day, it was like nothing else ... like if the Last Poets had fun. Or, to mix generations, as if Captain Beefheart was a rapper.
ReplyDelete^ He would get played on the radio? Wow.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding me about Captain Beefheart. I gotta put a video of him up in my right-hand corner.
I have a vivid memory of him performing "Hot Head" on Saturday Night Live in 1980... and I came across it on YouTube a while back.
As for Melvin's music, honorable mention to Grace Jones's cover of "The Apple Stretching."
He fit into the "underground radio" aesthetic. They wouldn't play much popular R&B or soul ... Otis and Aretha excepted ... the basic formula was folk, blues, and psychedelic rock, something like Dylan followed by Albert King followed by Quicksilver. But weird worked, and Melvin Van Peebles made weird records.
ReplyDeleteI...don't...understand.
ReplyDeleteYup - strange is one word I would use to describe it. I've had it penciled in on my calendar since hearing about it a little bit ago. So, I'll be seeing it at Tribeca... if only out of sheer curiosity! Also, it's been awhile for MVP.
ReplyDeleteAnd it looks like MVP junior has a role in it as well.
BTW, I hear he's working on an album with producer extraordinaire, Madlib.
Eh, it looks like it could be entertaining if viewed with a David Lynch sensibility. You just have to throw your hands up and say, "Fine. Wierd me the fuck out."
ReplyDeleteGreetings, Mr. Obenson. I envy your opportunity to see this one at Tribeca.
ReplyDeleteIf you blog about it, I'll link to it.
offtopic
ReplyDeleteBut I wondered if this could possibly be of interest for you:
via Andrew Sullivan:
Bringing war Criminals to justice
The Guantánamo lawyers charged with devising interrogation techniques were inspired by the exploits of Jack Bauer in the American TV series 24.
Interesting interview