Dig
The Brian Jonestown Massacre VS. The Dandy Warhols
I rented this originally because I thought my friends Dominic and Jennifer were in it. I once hung out with them at the fabled BJM house where a lot of this movie takes place. They weren't mentioned. This documentary, which more resembles reality TV at times, is a genuine work of art. Whoever made the effort over the huge period of time this film (do your own research) covers to document, film, edit, etc. all of the sordid details of this L.A. indie rock fairytale gone bad did an excellent job. At the end of Dig, I felt like I really knew these guys. The singer for the BJM, Anton, is a complete basket case, but you have to love him because not only is he talented and a leader type, but he reveals his weaknesses openly and puts his heart into it. He eventually gets strung out on heroin and his rock star good looks and smiles turn to gray hairs and hate-filled rants directed at unwitting audience members. I remember the stories back when they were touring of aggro behavior and the like, but when I saw them in Austin, there were no such events. However, this film does a fantastic job of documenting the actual events which earned the BJM their notoriety at the time. My favorite person though has to be Joel, who just doesn't seem to give a shit about anything but having fun. God bless him. He says it best at the very end of the debacle with a smile on his face as usual, "What a gyp" (JB)
Robert Evans Documentary:
The Kid Stays in the Picture
The reason I rented this doc is because Patton Oswalt mentions the book in his stand up comedy CD. I love that disc. Anyway, Patton has done us all right, for this documentary about the legendary Robert Evans is brilliant. The images alone of his life and times are utterly fantastic. This guy was basically genius in every way. Yea, it is an autobiography, so he is able to spin it that way, but more power to him. At least he was doing something. I know people that don't do shit. Robert Evans basically dragged people with him to success and in the end this worked for him and against him. Some took the money and status and ran. Others whom he had mentored in years past eventually came into power and supported him and brought him back after the crash he suffered in the eighties. The stories and personal film and photos reveal and endless flow of unbelievable celebrity tales. Jack Nicholson personally flew around the world to beg a French Industrialist to sell Bob his house back. He made Copolla lengthen The Godfather and basically redo the entire film. He produced a shitload of movies, all of which I've seen and never knew he had anything to do with, not that I was paying attention. He was the quintessential seventies player type. He, in a sense, really defined the whole thing. (JB)
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