Hey folks, Harry here with a positive spoiler review of Bob Gale's INTERSTATE 60 which played recently in St Louis, but doesn't hit theaters till October. So how was it? If you're not afraid of spoilers read on, if you are... it sounds pretty good... Here ya go!
I had the pleasure of attending Bob Gale's Interstate 60-Episodes of the Road on Saturday, July 27, 2002 at the Second Annual St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase. To explain this movie would be like to someone who has not seen it is somewhat difficult I-60 is unlike any movie I've ever seen. Unlike most conventional movies where one can figure out the plot instantly, this one is quite different. The movie goes in 360 different directions while following one main character all at the same time. See the difficulty that lies ahead of me?
Bob Gale himself introduced the movie by first saying that Interstate 60, had just received an "R" rating. So anyone who was offended by the f-word should go get their money back right then. He was not going to hide anything. He also said that a theatrical trailer has just been completed.
Before the movie during the Q&A session, four different people asked why he didn't really include St. Louis in his films (considering it was his "roots"). He explained the cost of transporting a whole crew to St. Louis because the city doesn't have very good film equipment resources. He later explained several St. Louis in-jokes in the film.
Mr. Gale also made a reference to the BTTF DVDs, saying that they're "cramming so much stuff into them that you'll be in DVD heaven come Christmas."
Anyway, Interstate 60 opens in a bar because, as the narrator puts it, all great stories start in bars. Two college students are discussing a term paper. A older man comes over and tells the two about a man who can make dreams come true and Interstate 60. The two humor the man until he leaves, and the two look at a map. There is no Intestate 60.
Michael J. Fox appears early in the film playing a businessman. To the best of my recollection, his character name is never revealed. He is sitting in a parked luxury sedan in front of a small business street, yelling at someone on his cell phone. In all this yelling, he's cursing about every two words. He seems to be the biggest jerk in all of business. In all of Fox's screaming, he opens his driver's side door, but does not get out. What he doesnÃt see is that a red-haired man riding a bike and smoking a pipe that looks like a wood-carved monkey's head is headed right for the door. The red-haired man (played by Gary Oldman) crashes his bicycle into the door. Fox gets out of the car and helps the man to the rear of car by literally picking him up by the pants. While doing so, Fox is unaware that he dropped his beloved cell phone.
While Fox is asking if he is okay, a giant Mack truck comes down the street and demolishes the bike and the cell phone. Both Fox and the red-haired man scream in disappointment at Fox for his phone and the man for his bike. Fox offers to pay for the manÃs bike. When Fox reaches for his wallet, he realizes that his suit has gotten water splashed on it. He starts a tantrum like a five a five-year-old, jumping up and down saying he wished the day had never happened. The red-haired man perks up and asks him to repeat what he just said. Fox replies that he wished the incident never happened. The man nods, blows green smoke from his pipe, and suddenly we see Fox sitting in his car, yelling at the person at the other end again. There's more, but IÃll leave that for you to witness yourself.
Neal Oliver (played by James Marsden) is having a birthday dinner with his family at a St. Louis restaurant. When Neal blows out his candles, he makes a wish to know answers about what to do with his future. His father then tells him that Neal got accepted into a law school. The entire family retreats outside where NealÃs father has a red BMW convertible waiting for Neal (in Neal's thoughts we hear that he hates red cars; he thinks it's a car more for his father).
Hiding in the background is the red-haired man, watching the whole situation. He once again blows some green smoke, which eventually knocks a bucket off of a high window sill, and hits Neal on the head, knocking him unconscious. He then awakens in a hospital where is met by a doctor. Coincidentally, Christopher Lloyd plays this "doc". Unfortunately, he is never referred to as "Doc", but rather by his name, Ray. Ray basically shows Neal a card trick to show him that everything is not what it seems. He gives Neal one of the cards ó a red ace of spades. Neal blinks hard (from the pain in his head) and sees that Ray is gone and replaced by another doctor. When Neal asks where Ray has gone, the new doctor says that there is no one on the staff named Ray. But, Neal still had the red ace of spades.
Later at work Neal notices a picture of a blonde woman on a billboard across the way of the warehouse. He falls in love with her image (the image is of actress Amy Smart, though she is not playing herself). Unfortunately, no else can see the billboard. Eventually, the billboard changes slightly and tells him where to be at a certain time.
Neal goes to this place and we again see Ray sitting behind a desk. Ray wants Neal to deliver a package by October 15 by heading west to Danver (not Denver) "by way of Interstate 60." Neal was not to open the package nor attempt to find out what was in it. Neal agrees and signs the contract with a spot of blood. Then Ray tells him that he should watch out for a killer who is on the loose. Before Neal starts out on his journey, he stops at AAA where he learns there is no I-60 or Danver. So, Neal just decides to take back roads heading west to make the delivery and find his dream girl from the billboard.
After only a few minutes of driving, he sees the red-haired man from the restaurant. Neal pulls over and picks him up. The man introduces himself as O.W. Grant. O.W. directs Neal to Interstate 60 and the two travel along together.
Every town they come across is one that Neal has never heard of. As O.W. puts it, there's unlisted phone numbers, so why can't there be unlisted towns? Basically, the two pick up hitchhikers and stop in the many odd towns. In one instance, they come up to one town where a frantic lady is looking for her 14-year-old son. She says he ran away to the next town. O.W. gets out and says they'll meet again. Neal takes the lady to the town where they discover that the drug, Euphoria, is legal, but has several warnings about the danger. They find the son at a rave and the son refuses to come home. So, the mother and Neal go to the police. The sheriff (Kurt Russell) says that since the legal age is 13, they can't do anything about it. She can either forget about her son, live in a euphoria-free zone where she can have limited visitation, or "join the party". If it were your son, what would you do?
Neal continues on the road still aware of his two goals ó make his delivery and find his dream girl. Several billboards of his dream girl have directed him along on I-60. He has very little time to make his delivery, yet if he makes his delivery, he may miss his dream girl. What choice will he make? What's in the package? Who is the package for? Is the girl the killer? Is the package recipient the killer?
If you would like answers to any or all of these questions, go see Interstate 60 - Episodes of the Road when it hits theaters in November. And, as Bob Gale himself put it, "take two to three hundred of your closest friends with you."
Ross
