week-long opening

FREAK
WEATHER

(dir. Mary Kuryla, 87 mins, 1999)

Wed Feb 2 9pm
Thurs Feb 3 9pm
Fri Feb 4 9pm
Sat Feb 5 9pm
Sun Feb 6 9pm
Mon Feb 7 9pm
Tues Feb 8 9pm

* Toronto International Film Festival *

* Rotterdam Film Festival * Seattle Film Festival *

Starring:
Jacqueline McKenzie (ANGEL BABY, ROMPER STOMPER)
Aida Turturro (THE SOPRANOS)
John Carrol Lynch
John Heard

A harrowing character study, and a film that splits the audience with its ferocity and daring. Jacqueline McKenzie portrays Penny, a young woman lost in a dangerous abusive relationship. One day, she sets out with her son, supposedly to bring him to school, but instead their day becomes one extended adventure in the extreme netherworlds of sex, drugs, abuse, and criminal behavior. Not to be missed.

Holly Willis: "Mary Kuryla's compelling first feature is a daring portrait of a female character unlike any we have seen on screen before. Penny (played with extraordinary acuity by Australian actress Jaqueline McKenzie) is by turns sexy and comically ridiculous, emotionally engaging and infuriating. In making a series of very bad choices for the best intentions, Penny takes the viewer on a roller coaster ride that starts int he morning when she is unceremoniously kicked out of her own home by her unsavory boyfriend; continues as Penny careens through a morning of comically misguided attempts to kill the family dog; into an afternoon of physical violence that is at once a seemingly appropriate punishment and yet a shocking reflection of attitudes about women who misbehave; and on into an evening of almost surreal mishaps and eventual revelation. In this whirlwind chronicle of a woman trying to properly align her desires with those of the world around her, Kuryla revisits Italian neo-realism, cinema's emotionally intense genre, as she borrows from John Cassavetes; both influences contribute to the film's brutal honesty, and to its almost lyrical moments of recognition and understanding. However, Kuryla updates her predecessors with a kinetic visual style and moody punk musical score that is decidedly of this decade, and with her unique mix of wry humor, sexual sophistication and engaging pathos. Kuryla's biggest acomplishment, however, is in leading us to respect this chaotic female who, like a force of nature, both wreaks havoc and sustains life."

"FREAK WEATHER is a film which deals with the negative aspect of the American dream. It is the first work of Mary Kuryla and is both difficult and fascinating. Straight out of a Raymond Carver world, with a touch of Courney Love, Penny (Jacqueline McKenzie) takes too many drugs, gets beaten by an abusive lover, takes poor care of her son, sleepswith a man she despises, but through her abjection, her madness, and even her "absurdity", she sometimes reaches those rare moments with chould qualify as states of grace. With talent, the director explores the same theme (one in fact rarely explored) of the woman's condition where Catherine Breillat has also ventured in ROMANCE." (Berenice Reynaud, CAHIERS DU CINEMA)

"Mary Kuryla's FREAK WEATHER doesn't try half so hard to be 'artistic,' but it's far more original and engaging, and its lead character - an abused wife/party girl draggingher brainiac son around town and trying to get rid of the family dog - is far more vivid." (Bruce Reid, THE STRANGER / Seattle)

HAMBURGER AMERICA

(dir. George Motz, 54 mins, 2004)

Tues Feb 1 7pm
Tues Feb 1 8pm

Followed by beer and pizza reception, sponsored by
Brooklyn Brewery

"HAMBURGER AMERICA is not an indictment, but rather a celebration of burgers and the people who make them." (Rick Kogan, CHICAGO TRIBUNE)

"The monologues paint a picture of Americana often overshadowed by the clown-faced, golden-arched, plastic-toy-for-cardboard-beef set. The personalities speak as loudly as the pictoral bliss of each burger prepared on film." (Robert DeWalt, THE NEW MEXICAN)

A documentary about some of the best burgers in America and the people behind them. HAMBURGER AMERICA tells the story of eight deliciously unique hamburger locations across the country and the people behind the burgers. Each restaurant featured in the film has been around for more than forty years, uses only fresh meat, and in many cases can boast the fact that ownership has stayed within the same family.

Newfest presents

KEVIN’S
ROOM

(dir. Sharon Zurek, Lora Branch, 120 mins, 2004)

Wed Feb 2 6:30pm

Celebrating Black History Month, NewFest presents the first two parts of this innovative drama which tells the story of African-American gay men of diverse backgrounds and concerns who meet in an empowerment group.

Kevin's Room 1: This innovative drama tells the story of African-American gay men of diverse backgrounds and concerns who meet in an empowerment group. HIV+ Charles and streetwise Pharoah join the group after they are witnesses to a hate crime. Teddy, a Christian, comes because of his impending straight marriage. The group is organized by Kevin, a young social worker who find his relationship with his lover threatened by deception over an HIV test. Tackling such subjects as relationships, risky behavior, and HIV prevention, Kevin's Room is a landmark film.

Kevin's Room 2: Trust. We check back in with outgoing HIV counselor Kevin and his support group for brothers in the life. But there have been some changes, expanding the group for other men of color – new to the group are Tony, a young Puerto Rican poet with the hots for older Pharaoh, and Aaron, an HIV+ father in a relationship with a white man. How far will these and other men go for love, and how do they address issues of trust, honesty, and fidelity in their own relationships as they deal with sexual identity, barebacking, HIV, and syphilis?

BE A WINNER!

(a Ross Byron film, 30 mins, 2005)

Thurs Feb 3 7pm

Free show!

They had dreams. . .of REALLY big ice cream!

Starring: Nicole Cosby, Antonia Marrero, Ebony Coles

Garroto dreams of setting the world record for eating the largest ice cream sundae. Ayanna dreams of landing the TV network's lead anchor spot. Cookie dreams of filling her restaurant with customers. They all come together, only to fall short. But instead of quitting, they keep striving. And in the end succeed!

LOW
IN EUROPE

(dir. Sebastian Schrade, 50 mins, 2004)

Fri Feb 4 5pm
Sat Feb 5 5pm

The documentary LOW IN EUROPE follows the Duluth, Minnesota, minimalist post punk-rock band Low on their 2002-2003 European tour, as Low presents the album TRUST.

Ten years earlier Low had first appeared on stage, playing excessively slow and quiet in front of Duluth's 90s noise kids. Confronting the audience with intense quietness was the band’s concept of bringing back the experience of punk, which they describe as being disturbing to people.

LOW IN EUROPE is a portrait of an exceptional band in the international music circus - with personal statements, impressions of an incessant tour life, and a lot of excellent music. The band plays concerts in small clubs in German cities like Dresden, Cologne, and Berlin, as well as in beautiful and big locations such as the "Union Chapel" in London. One day they stumble into a meeting with the legendary band Napalm Death after they played a beautiful unplugged radio session with their own Christmas songs. As they arrive in London for their two final shows on February 14th and 15th, 2003, the city faces the largest ever political demonstration in history. . .

Visit the movie's website - Visit Low's website

Exhumed Films presents

DEEP
RED

(dir. Dario Argento, 90 mins, 1975)

Fri Feb 4 7pm

This Dario Argento horror classic is back for more!

A jazz pianist working in Rome unwittingly becomes entangled in a string of brutal murders. He seeks to solve the mystery, only to find himself a suspect, then a target.

THE EVIL DEAD

(dir. Sam Raimi, 85 mins, 1981)

Fri Feb 4 10:30pm
Fri Feb 11 10:30pm

Pioneer Late Nights

STARSHIP
TROOPERS

(dir. Paul Verhoeven, 100 mins, 2001)

Fri Feb 4 midnight
Fri Feb 11 midnight
Fri Feb 25 midnight

“Jaw-dropping. . .it’s hard not to be astonished and even mesmerized.” (LOS ANGELES TIMES)

“Powerful entertainment that appeals to our most basic instincts.” (SAN FRAN EXAMINER)

“Both fun and shocking!” (SAN FRAN CHRONICLE)

Welcome to the sci-fi fascist future. Director Paul Verhoeven (TOTAL RECALL, ROBOCOP) mixes big budget bug bashing with twisted satire of old Hollywood movies. It's the future, Earth is at war, and the kids are all going off to fight giant killer bugs on the remote planet of Klendathu. Casper Van Diem, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, and Patrick Muldoon play some of the blandly attractive young recruits who engage in soap-opera style love triangles as they toughen up and learn to fight (and die) like soldiers. Michael Ironside is their gung-ho, one-armed leader. The real stars though, are the superbly animated bugs. Packed to the rafters with jaw-dropping special effects and insane violence, the film managed to be a box office hit though it undoubtedly left some audiences confused at Verhoeven's slyly deadpan humor. By the time Neil Patrick Harris (TV's Doogie Howser) starts marching around in a Gestapo-style uniform, for example, it will be apparent this isn't STAR WARS. What it is however, is a rousing experience for mature viewers in the properly ironic frame of mind.

A Sony / Columbia Pictures Release.

THE DESCENT OF
WALTER McFEA

(dir. Andrew Bowler, 84 mins, 2001)

Sat Feb 5 7pm

If you can't laugh at life, you're doing it wrong

For Walter McFea, life is good. He has a chance to make it better when he meets Stevie. For Walter, the problem won’t be getting the girl, it’ll be holding on to her when everything else falls apart. Can Walter see what he keeps doing wrong before he loses the only thing he has left?

Pioneer Late Nights

COWARDS BEND THE KNEE

(dir. Guy Maddin, 60 mins, 2003)

Sat Feb 5 10:45pm
Sat Feb 12 10:45pm
Sat Feb 26 10:45pm

"Maddin’s masterpiece!" (J. Hoberman, VILLAGE VOICE)

“Might be Maddin’s masterwork!” (NY PRESS)

"There is something rather splendid about this extended-play peep show, as if Mr. Maddin had stumbled across a hitherto lost archive of cinema's less-than-innocent past.” (NEW YORK TIMES)

“One of the ten best films of the year! A feverish, hilarious exercise in self-flagellating mythomania.”
(Dennis Lim, THE VILLAGE VOICE)

A masterstroke from goofy Canadian cineaste Guy Maddin, director of THE SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD and DRACULA: PAGES FROM A VIRGIN’S DIARY.

Adapted from a ten-part peephole installation, COWARDS BEND THE KNEE is, in the words of Mark Peranson, “jam-packed with enough kinetically photographed action to seem like a never-ending cliffhanger. . .In this twisted and poisoned wish-fulfillment, the mythomaniacal Maddin casts ‘himself’ (actually, Darcy Fehr) as a hockey sniper made lily-livered by mother and daughter femme fatales, and resurrects his father as the team’s radio broadcaster and his own romantic antagonist. Set in a shadow-suffused hockey arena and a Mabuse-like beauty salon-slash-abortion clinic, the plot drips with Grecian formula, as sordid family secrets spawn unintentional murder most foul.”

A Zeitgeist Films Release.

Pioneer Late Nights

PRIMER

(dir. Shane Carruth, 78 mins, 2004)

Sat Feb 5 midnight
Sat Feb 12 midnight
Sat Feb 26 midnight

"PRIMER is the headiest, most singular science-fiction movie since Kubrick made 2001." (ESQUIRE)

"An ingenious movie about the perils of ingenuity. . .Invigorating. . .Like PI or MEMENTO, PRIMER is the kind of movie likely to inspire both imitators and cultists. . .Carruth has invented something fascinating." (A.O. Scott, NY TIMES)

* Grand Jury Prize - Sundance Film Festival *

PRIMER is set in the industrial park/suburban tract-home fringes of an unnamed contemporary city where two young engineers, Abe and Aaron, are members of a small group of men who work by day for a large corporation while conducting extracurricular experiments on their own time in a garage. While tweaking their current project, a device that reduces the apparent mass of any object placed inside it by blocking gravitational pull, they accidentally discover that it has some highly unexpected capabilities--ones that could enable them to do and to have seemingly anything they want. Taking advantage of this unique opportunity is the first challenge they face. Dealing with the consequences is the next.

A ThinkFilm release.

ARMY
OF ONE

(dir. Sarah Goodman,
2003, 71 min)

Sun, Feb 6 3:15pm

"brilliantly splices the words of Bush's 'Axis of Evil' invective into alphabetical order." (VILLAGE VOICE)

WITH GOD
ON OUR SIDE:
GEORGE W. BUSH
AND THE RISE OF
THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT
IN AMERICA

(filmmakers Calvin Skaggs, David Van Taylor and Ali Pomeroy, 100 min, 2004)

Sun, Feb 6 5:00pm

He’s the one they’ve been waiting for

". . .shows how we came to have a president who believes, in the words of one commentator, that 'he and his country have a special relationship with God.'"
(Stephen Holden, NEW YORK TIMES)

". . .stands in stark contrast to the quickie political documentaries that have flooded into specialty venues since last year. . ."
(V.A. Musetto, NY POST)

“Scary and fascinating.”
(SUNDAY TELEGRAPH)

Much of the world is confounded by his righteous rhetoric and boundless certainty. But George W. Bush's story makes perfect sense to one group: America's conservative evangelicals, a/k/a the Religious Right. He's the one they've been waiting for. An update of Lumiere Productions' 1996 Religious Right history ("a landmark" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE)), WITH GOD ON OUR SIDE explores the life and career of George W. Bush from a crucial but little-understood perspective. The film first places Bush in the context of born-again Christians' five-decade political education. It then offers a unique account of Bush's own journey from prodigal son to President, featuring previously-unheard eyewitness accounts of his midlife crisis in Midland.

A Lumiere Production for Channel 4

RIVERSENSE

(dir. Katie Geis, 78 mins, 2002)

Sun Feb 6 7pm

Four stories of the whitewater kayaking tribe, running the river of life

This Award-winning documentary follows the lives of five whitewater kayakers as they paddle through life. The film resonates even if you have never taken a stroke down a river, because it explores the life journey we are all on.

BJ & Katie Johnson are starting a family, but how will they reconcile their Class V, extreme lifestyle with changing diapers.

Dunbar Hardy suffered a life-threatening injury when he ran a 60-foot waterfall in Ecuador and broke his back. During his recovery he introduces an unlikely newcomer to the sport.

TR Yon is a fifteen-year-old playboater who is about to leave home to join the professional whitewater rodeo tour, but how will he work through his homesickness?

We are introduced to this wild community through the humor of the late, great, William Nealy, cartoonist, and whitewater legend. The stories help us discover the meaning of riversense that helps us navigate even the most challenging waters in life and in ourselves.

IFP
BUZZCUTS

Tues Feb 8 7pm

Followed by beer and pizza reception, sponsored by
Brooklyn Brewery

A series of short films from filmmakers working with the Independent Feature Project.

week-long opening

THE LETTER:
An American Town and the "Somali Invasion"

(dir. Ziad Hamzeh, 75 mins, 2003)

Wed Feb 9 9pm
Thurs Feb 10 9pm
Fri Feb 11 9pm
Sat Feb 12 9pm
Sun Feb 13 9pm
Mon Feb 14 9pm
Tues Feb 15 9pm

". . .utterly absorbing. . ." (LA WEEKLY)

"timely, thoughtful, and riveting. . .THE LETTER delivers." (FILM THREAT)

This riveting feature-length documentary explores what American news outlets have dubbed the "Somali invasion" of Lewiston, Maine – an insulated, predominantly white former mill town struggling to maintain its equilibrium in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy. A firestorm of controversy erupts when Lewiston, Maine Mayor Larry Raymond sends an open letter to the 1,100 newly arrived Somali refugees informing them that the city’s resources are strained to the limit and asking them to tell other Somalis not to move to the city. This letter was Interpreted as racism by some, and as a rallying cry by white supremacist groups across the United States. THE LETTER: AN AMERICAN TOWN AND THE "SOMALI INVASION" documents the ensuing cross-current of emotions and events, culminating in an anti-immigrant rally convened by The World Church of the Creator and a counter demonstration involving nearly 4,000 Lewiston residents supporting ethnic and cultural diversity.

An Arab Film Distribution Release.

NewFest presents

SAPPHO
IN THE CITY

Wed Feb 9 7pm

Lesbian and Bisexual women: a celebration through short films!

Transit (dir. Kerry Weldon): In the middle of the night on a downtown train, an exchange of glances promises everything or nothing.

Rosa Negra (dir. Viva Ruiz): The first episode in an indie NYC telenovela, filmed in classic form but with an entirely contemporary Queer/Brooklyn spin.

On the Shelf (dir. Zia Ebrahimi & Naomi Skoglund): An homage to book lovers and a humorous love story about a girl who is very particular about the contents of a date's shelf.

Confession: A Film About Ariel Schrag (dir. Sharon Barnes): A documentary portrait of Ariel Schrag, 23 year old dyke comic book artist.

Where the Girls Are (dir. Tricia Cooke & Jennifer Arnold): A lighthearted look at the Dinah Shore Golf Tournament, the annual event that draws thousands of partying lesbians to conservative Palm Springs.

THE FIRE
OF YOGA

(dir. David Conway, 43 mins, 2003)

Thurs Feb 10 7pm

“…a beautiful and inspiring testament to yoga’s reformative, regenerative, and transfiguring power.” (YOGA JOURNAL)

* narrated by Ali MacGraw *

This documentary breaks common stereotypes about yoga, as it travels from the South Bronx, to the Deep South, and finally to Hollywood. Narrated by Ali MacGraw, The Fire of Yoga explores yoga's power to transform life through the stories of a young "career criminal", a woman with cancer, and an eighty year old alcoholic.

KYLE GILMAN:
Some Success but Mostly Failure

Fri Feb 11 7pm

Local filmmaker and Possible Films’ hired-muscle at large Kyle Gilman comes to the Pioneer to screen some minor works, and to throw a birthday party.

- Camera Noise (2002, 29 mins)
- The Life Story of Kyle Gilman as Told to Him by His Mother Mary (2002, 12 mins)
- The Epic Tale of Kalesius and Clotho (2003, 27 mins)
- Getting Laid Tonight (2004, 2 mins)
- Two Night Stand (2005, 18 mins) - World Premiere!

LOVING
AND
CHEATING

(dir. Thom Powers, 55 mins, 2005)

Sat Feb 12 5:30pm

Traditional marriage vows ask couples to “forsake all others.” Marrying partners look each other deep in the eye and say “yes.” But does monogamy work?

LOVING AND CHEATING explores the gray areas of commitment and infidelity and with ardor and provocation touches issues everyone can identify with, but rarely anyone wants to talk about.

A former male stripper and his wife discuss the effects of their mutual affairs; a young engaged couple confront their differing views on cheating; a Baptist minister and his wife reflect on the success of their 50 year marriage; a middle-aged couple who call themselves “poly-amorous” explain how they opened their marriage. The widely read advice columnist Dan Savage weighs in with his audacious opinions, along with other therapists and other “sexperts.” Interwoven throughout the film are surprising and hilarious archival clips from news reels, sexploitation films and home movies.

FERRY TALES
with
VERTICAL TRAVELER

(dir. Katja Esson, 95 mins total, 2002 + 2000)

Sat Feb 12 7pm

Ever wondered what’s going on behind the lady’s room door? Ever been amazed by how an elevator shoots quickly up a building? Come to the Pioneer and see local filmmaker Katja Esson present these two stirring films about some of NYC’s secret passageways. FERRY TALES reveals all the drama and fun taking place in the lady’s room lounge of the Staten Island Ferry, where women put on their makeup and talk – oh, how they talk. VERTICAL TRAVELER explores the fascinating world of elevator designers and builders.

Exhumed Films presents

A Date with
Barbara
Steele

The face that defined Gothic Horror!

Triple bill!

35mm prints!

Sun Feb 13 - starts at 4pm

$9 each or $15 for all three

Have a horrific Valentine’s Eve
with this triple bill of masterpieces featuring the glorious
Barbara Steele!

4pm
THE HORRIBLE DR. HICHCOCK
London, 1885. Dr. Bernard Hichcock is leading a double life. At the clinic, his new anesthetic makes him a surgical miracle man. At home, he indulges nightly in secret macabre love games with his devoted wife Margaretha. In a room draped in funereal black, Hichcock uses his serum to narcotize her into a deathlike state that arouses his passion to delirious levels of intensity. One overzealous night, he injects her with a lethal overdose. She convulses and dies before his horrified eyes. . . Twelve years later the Doctor returns from Italy with his new wife Cynthia. Soon she is plagued with nocturnal hauntings: mysterious footsteps, creaking door handles, a skull under her pillow. The housekeeper Marta is hostile, rooms are forbidden, and her husband's aloofness conceal from Cynthia the fact that Hichcock has returned to his old habits. . .
Read an extended essay about the film here.
(dir. Riccardo Freda, 88 mins, 1962)

5:30pm
THE GHOST
Spiritualism devotee Dr. John Hichcock (Elio Jotta) is undergoing therapy for his paralysis with Dr. Charles Livingstone (Peter Baldwin). The risky treatment involves taking the poison curare to shock the system, followed quickly by an antidote. Livingstone connives with Hitchcock's wife Margaret (Barbara Steele) to kill the older man and inherit his fortune. All goes well until the safe with the loot turns up empty, and Charles and Margaret start seeing frightening phantoms. Servant Catherine (Harriet White Medin) falls into trances and speaks with John's voice, warning Margaret that Charles will betray her and telling her that she can retrieve his fortune from its hiding place. . .in the crypt.
(dir. Riccardo Freda, 97 mins, 1963)

7:20pm
CASTLE OF BLOOD
Alan Foster (Georges Rivière) takes a pub bet from none other than Edgar Allan Poe himself (Sylvano Tranquili) that he can stay the night in a haunted house. No sooner does he arrive, then he finds the place is occupied by some very peculiar residents: the alluring Elizabeth Blackwood (Barbara Steele), who presses her attentions on him; and the hostile Julie (Margarete Robsahm), who seems jealous. Warned by by a morbid Dr. Carmus (Arturo Dominici) that what he sees is an illusion, Alan witnesses a a strange Dance of the Dead, as the villa's ghosts appear and reappear, to re-perform the crimes that damned their souls.
(dir. Antonio Margheriti, 87 mins, 1964)

Descriptions of these movies courtesy of Glenn Erickson, the fine critic from DVD Savant.

Valentine's Day Date Movie

ETERNAL
SUNSHINE
OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

(dir. Michel Gondry, 108 mins, 2004)

Mon Feb 14 7pm

"[a] uniquely funny, unpredictably tender and unapologetically twisted romance." (ROLLING STONE)

One of the most acclaimed - and romantic - films of 2004 ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND is an unconventional romance told in the abstract, inventive, and comedic storytelling style of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. Like his scripts for ADAPTATION and BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, this plot works off of a relatively complex idea that is easier explained through language of film than through words. In its most basic description, Joel (Jim Carrey) is undergoing a medical procedure to erase the memory of his ex-girlfriend, Clementine (Kate Winslet). However, while he is unconscious and the procedure is underway, he takes a journey through his mind, reliving moments with Clementine for fear of losing her forever. Using disjointed sound and action, foggy periods indicating Joel's confusion, and flashbacks to childhood where objects appear much bigger than they are to adult eyes, the cinematography communicates Joel's dilemma with visual hilarity. Only occasionally is the film laugh-out-loud funny; instead it is much more deeply and darkly amusing as the absurdity of the situation grows. ETERNAL SUNSHINE is nothing short of brilliant--a credit to director Michel Gondry (who has a topnotch reputation for his aesthetic music videos by artists such as Bjork). Carrey is wonderfully understated in the role of a simpleminded nice guy, and his signature goofiness is used only a handful of times. Winslet lights up the screen with her blue hair and orange sweatshirt, playing a lively free spirit and loose cannon. There are also strong supporting performances by Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood, and Mark Ruffalo, along with an excellent score by Jon Brion and a peppy soundtrack including songs by E.L.O. and The Polyphonic Spree. The film's conclusion promises to satisfy viewers; it offers a beautiful metaphor for the end of a love affair that brings perfect closure to this excellent film.

A Focus Features Release.

Woodstock Film Festival
presents

PARALLEL
LINES

(dir. Nina Davenport, 98 mins, 2003)

Tues Feb 15 7pm

week-long opening

GARY WILSON:

You Think You Really Know Me

(dir. Michael Wolk, 74 mins, 2003)

Wed Feb 16 9pm
Thurs Feb 17 9pm
Fri Feb 18 9pm
Sat Feb 19 9pm
Sun Feb 20 9pm
Mon Feb 21 9pm
Tues Feb 22 9pm

He was an underground pop icon. Not that you would know.

Twenty-five years ago, Gary Wilson recorded a strangely brilliant album, YOU THINK YOU REALLY KNOW ME. Wilson dazzled audiences with his musicianship, but shocked them by appearing in his underwear, covered with flour, serenading and destroying female mannequins. Then, over two decades ago, he simply vanished – leaving friends and fans mystified. With Motel Record’s 2002 re-issue of YOU THINK YOU REALLY KNOW ME, Wilson re-emerged from decades of obscurity to rock and shock again.

This is the story of the life, disappearance and re-birth of a funny and fierce American original.

Visit Gary Wilson's website

The New Museum of Contemporary Art
presents

EAST
VILLAGE
USA

February 16-21

Films from New York City's East Village in the 80s

The East Village USA Film Festival presents programs of shorts as well as features. These films typify the spirit of a time and place, where a carefree party lifestyle of sensation and fun was a given. Artists of all disciplines were finding jewels in the dirt, reveling within a somewhat derelict burned out neighborhood. The production value of many of these films is low, yet they are vibrant and intense in their evocation of a particular explosive energy. This fast and ready approach came from an urgent need for instant creative gratification using whatever resources were readily available. Some films have a maniacal force, others a sublime beauty or a pop style, and often a decadent tone. Narrative, animated, experimental or performative, these films fall within many genres.

Curated by Tessa Hughes-Freeland. Ms. Hughes-Freeland also wrote these notes.

Special thanks to all of the filmmakers. Thanks as well to Dan Cameron, Anne Barlow, John Hatfield, and Emily Rothschild - all of the New Museum.

Manuel De Landa, "Judgment Day," 9 mins
Kembra Pfahler, "Mild 7: Cowboy Stories," 12mins
M. Henry Jones, "GoGo Girl," 4mins
M. Henry Jones, "Soul City," 2 mins
Tessa Hughes-Freeland, "Baby Doll," 5 mins
Michael Wolfe, "Shimmelsteen," 18 mins
Uzi Parnes, "Girls Can’t Help It," 10 mins
Ela Troyano, "David Does Venus," 10 mins
Ellen Fisher, "Black Goddess," 6 mins
Matthew Harrison, "Apartment Eight," 34 mins

Total 110 mins

East Village USA
THE
TRAP
DOOR

(dir. Beth & Scott B., 70 mins, 1980)

Fri, Feb 18 10:30pm
Sat, Feb 19 2:30pm
(with WHERE EVIL DWELLS)

A Nietzschian parable on the fate of innocence, THE TRAP DOOR follows the mishaps of Jeremy (John Ahearn) as he is fired by his boss (Jenny Holzer), gets laughed out of court by Judge Gary Indiana, loses his girlfriend to sleazy Richard Prince, is hustled by prospective employer (Bill Rice) and mauled by predatory bird-women. Finally, he seeks the help of a shrink (the legendary Jack Smith) who turns out to be the most demented of all.

THE TRAP DOOR was originally shown as a 30 minute short at Max’s Kansas City. The full-length, feature version premiered with an extended, six-week run inaugurating the second screen at Bleecker Street Cinema in New York City.

Featuring: John Ahearn, Coleen Fitzgibbon, Mary Fogarty, Robin Harvey, Jenny Holzer, Gary Indiana, Dani Johnson, Richard Prince, Marcia Resnick, William Rice, Jack Smith, Robin Winters and more.

APARTMENT
EIGHT

(dir. Matthew Harrison, 34 mins, 1987)

Fri Feb 18 MIDNIGHT
(with MANHATTAN LOVE SUICIDES and WHERE EVIL DWELLS)

Sat Feb 19 MIDNIGHT
(with MANHATTAN LOVE SUICIDES and WHERE EVIL DWELLS)

East Village USA
MANHATTAN
LOVE
SUICIDES

(dir. Richard Kern, 34 mins, 1985)

Fri Feb 18 MIDNIGHT
(with APARTMENT EIGHT and WHERE EVIL DWELLS)

Sat Feb 19 4:30pm
(with ROME '78)

Sat Feb 19 MIDNIGHT
(with APARTMENT EIGHT and WHERE EVIL DWELLS)

Sun Feb 20 2:30pm
(with ROME '78)

NEW YORK CITY 1985 – A churning world where the realities of poverty and sex among the desperate musicians, artists and scene makers dictates a mutated parody of normal lifestyles. Consumed with bitterness and hatred, the characters of MANHATTAN LOVE SUICIDES stalk their objects of attention through the depths of the Lower East Side. They are obsessive and selfish but sometimes they “fall in love”. The results are sometimes funny sometimes sad, but always violent.

Featuring: Bill Rice, David Wojnarowicz, Adrienne Altenhaus, Nick Zedd, Tom Turner and Amy Turner.
Music by: J.G.Thirwell, Wiseblood and others.

East Village USA
WHERE
EVIL
DWELLS

(dir. Tommy Turner & David Wojnarowicz, 30 mins, 1986)

Fri Feb 18 Midnight
(with APARTMENT EIGHT and MANHATTAN LOVE SUICIDES)

Sat Feb 19 2:30pm
(with TRAP DOOR)

Sat Feb 19 Midnight
(with APARTMENT EIGHT and MANHATTAN LOVE SUICIDES)

Sun Feb 20 4:30pm
(with BLANK GENERATION)

These are the only remaining excerpts from a film that was intended to be feature length. This is the story of Northport, Long Island youth Ricky Kasso. The movie captures the suburban teen spirit better than any other. It draws on actual events leading up to the murder of Gary Lawler and Kasso’s suicide, and experiences David and Tommy went through as teens. Some they wish they went through. Things such as Black Sabbath, angel dust, animal torture and human torture.

Starring: Scott Werner, Baby Gregor, Gnatz, Richard Klemann, Joe Coleman and Rockets Redglare.
Title Track by Wiseblood.

East Village USA
RainFilm presents
BLANK
GENERATION

(dir. Amos Poe & Ivan Kral, 56 mins, 1976)

Sat Feb 19 10:30pm

Sun Feb 20 4:30pm
(with WHERE EVIL DWELLS)

THE BLANK GENERATION IS RAW "PUNK" MUSIC DELIVERED AS FIERCE VISUAL POETRY, IN ESSENCE, TRUE CINEMA. IT IS CRUDE, ROMANTIC, SINCERE, EXPRESSIONIST, EMOTIVE, NUANCED AND NIHILIST -- A POE-RIMBAUD-BUKOWSKI-BURROUGHS-HELL-SMITH-VERLAINE POEM, FULL OF PUKE, GUTS & CHARISMA -- IT IS NYC AT ITS BOTTOMLESS WORST & BOWERY BEST. WHAT THESE ARTISTS DID FOR MUSIC, THIS FILM DID FOR CINEMA. IT EXPLODED THE MYTH OF PROFESSIONALISM LIKE A CHILD'S BALLOON. POP! POP! POP! PURE AND SIMPLE. IT IS, TO TRANSPOSE THE IMMORTAL WORDS OF MS. COUNTY, NOT ONLY "A ROCK N' ROLL ENEMA!" -- BUT A CINEMA ENEMA AS WELL.
COPYRIGHT 1976. POE/KRAL

Featuring: RICHARD HELL & THE HEARTBREAKERS (JOHNNY THUNDERS, WALTER LURE, JERRY NOLAN), PATTI SMITH GROUP (RICHARD SOHL, LENNY KAYE, IVAN KRAL, JAY DEE DOUGHERTY), TELEVISION (TOM VERLAINE, RICHARD LLOYD, FRED SMITH & ), THE RAMONES (JOEY, JOHNNY, DEE DEE & TOMMY), BLONDIE (DEBBIE HARRY, CHRIS STEIN, CLEM BURKE, GARY VALENTINE), TALKING HEADS (DAVID BYRNE, CHRIS FRANTZ, TINA WEYMOUTH), WAYNE COUNTY, LIZZY MERCIER DESCLOUX, TUFF DARTS (ROBERT GORDON), MARBLES, MIAMIS, HARRY TOLEDO, N.Y. DOLLS, THE SHIRTS & MORE.

East Village USA
ROME '78

(dir. James Nares, 80 mins, 1978)

Sat Feb 19 4:30pm
(with MANHATTAN LOVE SUICIDES)

Sun Feb 20 2:30pm
(with MANHATTAN LOVE SUICIDES)

“A 90 minute costume drama that looks like a toga party in Little Lulu’s clubhouse. With one tooth blacked out, spindly David McDermott 111 plays the megalomaniac Caesar as a sniveling, screaming six year old ranting 'I am God!' on the steps of Grant’s Tomb. Meanwhile, Mitchell – scratching his armor and mumbling 'pretty weird,' as though Stanley Kowalski had stumbled onto the set of QUO VADIS? – chain smokes through a tepid love scene with the coyly simpering Lydia Lunch. A black slip hiked over her thighs and a spiky mop of hair cascading onto her face, she rises from her mattress-on-the-floor divan to chase McDermott around the camera with a whip.” (J. Hoberman, VILLAGE VOICE)

With: David McDermott, Lydia Lunch, James Chance, Anya Phillips, Bradley Field, Arto Lindsay, Lance Loud, Tina L’Hotsky, Patti Astor and Eric Mitchell.

EASY
RIDER

(dir. Dennis Hopper, 90 mins, 1969)

Sun Feb 20 1pm

Starring Peter Fonda as Wyatt (alias Captain America) and Hopper as Billy, it traces the hippie duo's adventures as they mount their seriously chopped hogs on a journey to find the real America en route to Mardi Gras. In Arizona, they visit a commune whose members are having a tough time, and in a small Texas town they're jailed for joining a parade. But they're quickly sprung by an ACLU lawyer, the quirky, hard-drinking George Hanson (Jack Nicholson), who accepts their offer to join them on the trip to New Orleans, eager to visit the best whorehouse in the South. EASY RIDER accurately reflects the tensions and hostilities of the period, Laszlo Kovacs's photography is superb, Nicholson is exceptional in his breakthrough role--and the startling, stunning ending is a shocker.

Cinewomen NY

presents

SKEWED
LOVE

Tues Feb 22 7pm

Followed by beer and pizza reception, sponsored by Brooklyn Brewery.

Visit the Cinewomen New York website

A Bitch's Progress: A Primer For Girls
directed by Lalita Khosla - 10 minutes
A primer for girls explores the meaning of the term bitch as a mother teaches her 7 year old how to be a bitch.

The Hill
directed by Deborah Chow - 12 minutes
A short narrative film about Jack and Jill and what really happened on the hill.

Allergic To Nuts
directed by Rosalyn Coleman WIlliams - 27 minutes
Newly divorced LaVita Johns has invited her best friends to her first dinner party in her new home; with friends like these, who needs allergies. Starring Vanessa Williams and Yolonda Ross.

Wet Dreams and False Images
directed by Jesse Epstein 11mins
Dee-Dee the barber is a self proclaimed "booty-expert" who covers his wall with magazine cut-outs of women. But when Dee-Dee is introduced to the art of media manipulation, he may never look at beauty the same way again.

Girl, Girls, Girls
directed by Patricia Mulcahy - 12 minutes
A young man who is afraid of commitment is sold the perfect solution to the problem of love.

X-PATRIOTS

(dir. Darien Sills-Evans, 100 mins, 2001)

Weds Feb 23 7pm

“a breath of fresh air on an American indie fest circuit. . .delicate, charming and well written." (VARIETY)

An intelligent, romantic and sexually charged drama, X-PATRIOTS follows two black American males through their self-imposed exile and search for self in the Netherlands. Manny Kirkpatrick is a struggling actor and drama teacher married to a Dutch woman, Elia. Depressed about his rapidly approaching 27th birthday, Manny isolates himself from his emotionally and financially supportive wife in a vain and obsessive attempt at producing a one-man show. With his inspiration stunted, he calls upon the aid of his former roommate and creative competitor Dexter Payne, a boastful (but in actuality, barely-making-it) New York writer. While attempting to collaborate, each man is forced to face himself, his expectations, limits, fears, and needs. The two writers eventually manage to find some common ground as they not only explore their own lives but their problematic relationships with the opposite sex. Strong characterizations, gorgeous Dutch scenery, and a provocative story that builds to an explosive emotional conclusion make X-PATRIOTS an intensely intimate and touching film.

week-long opening

SEXUAL
DEPENDENCY

(dir. Rodrigo Bellott, 105 mins, 2003)

Weds Feb 23 9pm
Thurs Feb 24 9pm
Fri Feb 25 9pm
Sat Feb 26 9pm
Sun Feb 27 9pm
Mon Feb 28 9pm
Tues Mar 1 9pm

"EROTIC… has the passion and scope of AMORES PERROS and Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN." (Mike Thomas, LOS ANGELES TIMES)

* Critics’ Award – Locarno International Film Festival *

A poor girl, a rich stud, a university student and a model nothing in common, except the desire to experience true intimacy. Their stories unfold and overlap as each becomes victim to their own sexual dependencies, self-perceptions and illusions.

The film explores the rituals, and conflicts of a poor, Bolivian-born girl, a rich, young stud leaving Santa Cruz for university in New York, a Colombian boy visiting his cousin in Bolivia, a black female college student in New York and a model/football player at the same University. Thematically structured around issues of femininity, masculinity, virginity, rape, and sexuality, the five stories draw upon each other as each character struggles to make sense of their own identity. With nothing in common (socioeconomic status, race, nationality, culture), except the desire to experience true intimacy, their stories are woven together through an underwear ad campaign, representing everything they feel they are supposed to be and everything they feel they are not. Their lives unfold and overlap as each character becomes victim to their own sexual dependencies.

From respected director Rodrigo Bellott comes a teen drama exploring the universal qualities inherent in our expefriences, where difference is most often assumed.

A Cinema Tropical release.

SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL WINNERS

THE DRY SPELL

(dir. Drew Dowdle, 74 mins, 2004)

Thurs Feb 24 7pm

Slamdance 2005 * Grand Jury Honorable Mention for Best performance by an actor

THE DRY SPELL is an offbeat comedy depicting the deterioration of mental health in the absence of sex. With its highly unique style and structure, THE DRY SPELL provides a penetrating look into the disturbed psyche of a man alone. The story chronicles the comic missteps of our irreverent hero, Josey Fargo, as he desperately seeks a new mate.

It’s been nearly two years since this dry spell began, and the urgency to find new love is boiling over. Josey’s self-confidence is at an all-time low, and he longs for days past when it all came easy. With no money, no job, and strikingly poor genes, Josey must try harder than other men. And try he does. There appears to be no limit to the depths of his depravity, which results in some of the film’s funniest moments. THE DRY SPELL is a hysterical look at the single life.

www.thedryspellmovie.com

playing with TWITCH, 10 min

A teenage girl has a conflicted and emotionally charged relationship with the disabled mother she cares for, and develops an irrational fear that the disability is contagious. Her compulsive behavior and hypochondria begin to affect her relationship with her playfully sexy but oblivious boyfriend.

SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL WINNERS

FOUR-EYED MONSTERS

(dir. Arin Crumley and Susan Buice, 82 mins, 2005)

Fri Feb 25 7pm

I feel like a stupid piece of shit, like I’m not in control, I want a relationship but I don’t want a relationship, I don’t want to be mediocre, I want the world to excite me, I hate the term "soul mate," I want someone but I don’t want a struggle, I don’t want to be ruled by emotions, I want to be the navigator, I don’t want to waste time, I don’t want anything expected of me, I’d rather be alone than at war, I don’t want to depend on someone, I don’t want someone to depend on me, I want to be okay if I’m alone, I want to not have to want, I want to be able to quit if we get too close, is it okay if we just think about it as a collaboration and nothing more, can you please just talk to me. I’m looking for someone who is looking for the same.

www.foureyedmonsters.com

playing with EGG, 9 mins

best animated short, Slamdance 2005

A microscopic tale of epic tragedy. One pea-sized pirate's quest to slay his golden nemesis. Three carnivorous baby birds. A surrealistic interpretation of MOBY DICK, by Herman Melville.

A NIGHT TO DISMEMBER

(dir. Doris Wishman, 69 mins, 1983)

Fri Feb 25 10:45pm

"an awful, ugly, cheap, and incoherent mess."
- James Kendrick, Q NETWORK FILM DESK)

RAISE THE ROOF

(dir. Patrick Farrelly and Kate O'Callaghan, 84 mins, 2003)

Sat Feb 26 7pm
Sun Feb 27 7pm

A celebration of Irish music!

In the west of Ireland a woman works against time to open a center dedicated to the performance of Irish traditional music. Raise the Roof is a drama with interludes of landscape, philosophy and music from some of Ireland's most extraordinary musicians. It is also a story of the madness people go through to bring any artistic endeavor to life.

TARNATION

(dir. Jonathan Caouette, 88 mins, 2003)

Sun Feb 27 3:15PM

"Watching it, you feel a new possibility opening up, an artistic direction at once unexpected and obvious."
- A.O. Scott, NY TIMES

"An unqualified masterpiece."
- Lou Lumenick, NY POST

"A daunting blend of head trip, cinéma verite, music video, and auto-therapy."
- Anthony Lane, NEW YORKER

"Caouette lifts his story clear out of the victimized whine that bogs down so many confessional memoirs and offers the viewer instead an intimate look inside his ravaged yet loving head, at once street-smart and haloed by the naiveté of a young saint."
- Ella Taylor, LA WEEKLY

Jonathan Caouette's spellbinding debut TARNATION reimagines the whole idea of what a documentary can be. Caouette has been documenting his life since he was eleven years old. With TARNATION, he weaves a psychedelic whirlwind of snapshots, Super-8 home movies, answering machine messages, video diaries, early short films, snippets of 80s pop culture and dramatic reenactments to create an epic portrait of an American family torn apart by dysfunction and reunited through the power of love. TARNATION begins in 2003 as Caouette learns of his mother’s lithium overdose in his native Texas. Faced with the haunting remnants of his past, including a family legacy of mental illness, abuse, and neglect, Caouette returns home to aid in his mother¹s recovery. Slipping back into the archives of his youth, we watch Caouette grow up on camera, seeking escape from family trauma through musical theater, grade-B horror flicks and the forging of his identity through popular culture.

A Wellspring release.

Bizzaro Mondays program

Shade Rupe's
Subversive Sinema
presents

SOFT
FOR
DIGGING

(dir. J.T. Petty, 74 mins, 2001)

Mon Feb 28 7pm

This is a "Bizarro Monday" program. Every Monday at 7pm the Pioneer presents the finest (and trashiest) in horror, sci-fi, exploitation, martial arts, genre, b-movies, and z-movies.

JT Petty’s debut feature makes remarkable use of cool photography, creative sound design, lonesome locations and an intense score to tell a tale of haunting mystery. Cold in the best sense, SOFT FOR DIGGING manages to create moments of great tension and terror using only three lines of dialogue in the entire film.

It’s director J.T. Petty’s birthday! He’ll be bringing some cupcakes, so there’s another reason to come.