ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, June 29, 1996 TAG: 9607020004
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 10 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: it came from the video store
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO
I came to the Internet late and unwillingly, and am still not completely comfortable on this free-form medium that seems to be a million miles wide and half an inch deep. Without question, it is one of the greatest time-wasters ever invented. You can burn up hours noodling around with all sorts of things you probably oughtn't be noodling around with. What else is new?
But the World Wide Web is also a good place to find information about home video, and for those who haven't made the great leap forward into cyberspace, much of the same (or comparable) stuff can be found in books.
So, this week, the field is open to computers, videotape and books.
First up is The Picture Palace (http://www.picpal.com/picpal/). It is, essentially, an on-line video store, devoted to sales not rental, with lots of room for patrons to browse and chat about their favorite subjects. It also has "subsites" devoted to such cult favorites as Betty Page, Buster Keaton, Russ Meyer and Pope John Paul II. I bought a copy of "Psycho" there and tend to drop by to visit every week or so. It's one of the most interesting and entertaining pages I've found.
Scorched Earth Productions (http://sepnet.com/rcramer/) is geared more toward low-budget pictures - crime movies, exploitation, biker flicks and the like. The site carries an impressive catalog of titles for sale, and can also be reached by mail at P.O. Box 101083; Denver, Colo. 80250.
I was drawn to Scorched Earth by "Even Hitler Had a Girlfriend," a film that was directed by the page's proprietor, Ronnie Cramer. The 1991 independent production has achieved a rarefied cult status on video. It's one of those inspired efforts that clearly comes from the heart and makes a virtue of its low budget. The reason: protagonist Marcus Templeton (Andren Scott).
Think Travis Bickle from "Taxi Driver" without the weapons and the attitude.
Marcus is an overweight, sexually frustrated Omaha security guard. He sits around his crackerbox apartment watching the X-rated cable channel, wishing he had some female companionship and reading the angry religious tracts that are slipped under his front door. When it all gets to be too much, Marcus peels the plastic wrapper off another Slim Jim, chows down and feels sorry for himself.
Then he discovers out-call escort services and everything changes ... but nothing changes.
The box copy proclaims "99 percent true," and that's easy to believe. Beyond the leering (and self-aware) exploitation angle, David Manning's script is a perceptive examination of loneliness - one of the most moving and funny you'll ever see. Director Cramer gives the film the rough-edged irreverence and unpredictability of a '70s drive-in flick. And that's exactly the way the story ought to be told. The movie can be found in enlightened video stores. It's also available for sale directly from Scorched Earth.
Craig Hosoda's webpage (http://www.barefacts.com~chosoda/) is really a companion piece to his book, "The Bare Facts Video Guide" ($19.95, trade paper; P.O. Box 3255; Santa Clara, Calif. 95055-3255). It's a compendium of nude scenes by famous (and not-so-famous) actresses and actors. Want to find out where Liv Ullmann, Julia Roberts, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kevin Costner uncover strategic parts of their highly paid anatomies? This is the first place enquiring minds should go to unearth those obscure titles. Hosoda notes the times and intensity of these disrobed moments with a three-dot rating scale (one = yawn; two = OK; three = wow!) and occasional editorial comments (``yowza!'').
It was his book that led me to "Luther the Geek."
This bizarre little 1990 production has earned itself a strong underground reputation. Those who think the word "geek" is applied only to nerdy guys will quickly learn that it refers to carnival performers who bite the heads off of live animals, usually chickens. That's what the title character does. He's also a homicidal maniac who sets his sights on a rural Midwestern farm house. The result might have been titled "The Chainsaw Massacres of Madison County." Director Carlton Albright aims for that same Grand Guignol combination of sex and violence.
Hosoda took interest because co-star Stacey Haiduke, more famous recently for her TV work, has a "Wow!" shower scene.
Both his book and his web site are well worth a look, and the same information is also available on a CD-ROM.
Got a question about home video or film? Contact your favorite video columnist at P.O. Box 2491; Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491, or by e-mail at 75331.2603compuserve.com.
New releases this week:
Broken Arrow **
Starring John Travolta and Christian Slater. Directed by John Woo. Fox Video. 105 minutes. Rated R for violence, strong language.
This gloriously ridiculous big-budget thriller never quite works the way it should, but it was still a box office hit and will be just as popular on tape. The material doesn't suit director Woo's style, and there is absolutely no chemistry among the leads. Travolta is the half-mad Air Force pilot who steals two nuclear bombs. Slater is his co-pilot who chases him across the Utah desert. Completing a three-part masterpiece of miscasting, Samantha Mathis is a plucky park ranger. Good effects, slow pace, limited audience involvement.
- MIKE MAYO
Mr. Holland's Opus *** 1/2
Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Glenne Headly and Olympia Dukakis. Directed by Stephen Herek. Buena Vista/Hollywood Pictures. Rated PG for mild language.
This movie about reluctant music teacher Glen Holland (Dreyfuss) begins slowly, almost haltingly, then gathers strength and purpose the way a good life does. In the meantime, it has a lot to say about how people learn - not just in the classroom, but from experience. Along the way, it tugs on the heartstrings. If you can leave dry-eyed, check your pulse.
- KATHERINE REED
The Essentials:
Even Hitler Had a Girlfriend *** Scorched Earth Productions. About 90 minutes. Unrated, contains considerable nudity, strong language, mild violence.
Luther the Geek ** 1/2 Quest Entertainment. 90 minutes. Unrated, contains graphic bloody violence, nudity, sexual material, strong language.
LENGTH: Long : 115 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Glenne Headly (left) and Richard Dreyfuss star in ``Mr.by CNBHolland's Opus,'' which is new to video stores this week.