Here's a report from that 'other' Sandman... on SlamDance and in specific SIX STRING SAMURAI and PHANTOM PAIN. I reallllllllllllllllly want to see Six String Samurai, I had about a dozen or so people tell me I would have loved it, while I was at Sundance, but I never could find a screening. Oh Well... Hopefully it'll get on the circuit.
There were many cool films at Slamdance this year. The two that were my favorites were Six-String Samurai and Phantom Pain.
Six-String Samurai:
DAMN the cinematography in this film rocks! The story is post-apocalyptic and a bit tired as far as I'm concerned, but HELL the action in this flick moves! The story is based on a guy who looks like Buddy Holly (in fact his name is Buddy...what do you know?), he plays a six-string guitar, and wields a Samurai sword like his ass was on fire.
The martial arts in this movie are what really caught me. Just total kick ass moves and great camera angles. Shit, its just fun as hell to watch it all! The director Lance Mungia takes pop culture into his own hands with much of the cool ska-ish music of the Red Elvises (who also make an appearance and get killed!) thrown in with the martial arts bit. Also, lots of cool slo-mo shots ala John Woo. I especially liked the bowling thugs complete with bowling shirts and shoes as well as bowling pins that convert into knives (unscrew the tops and we're ready to dice!). Where was Mungia when Costner was making "The Postman" (or "Waterworld" for that matter) ? This guy could sure teach a lot of these "industry types" how to make a film! There is a trailer for this flick at http://members.tripod.com/~amith/film972.html. I would recommend checking it out and then pray it finds distribution.
Phantom Pain:
If ever there was a movie that was the shit its this flick.
The director Neil Matsumoto has taken a step into dangerous territory with his portrayal of a Transsexual prostitute looking for what we all search for, a meaning to life. The movie is interesting in that we don't realize the woman is a transsexual until about half way through the film (the part was played by a woman). Things get even more interesting as the transsexual Kristy decides to "go back" to being a man. The fact that she eats sugar packets throughout the film symbolizes her lack of the 'sweet things' in life. So we follow her through her quest to feel normal. Instead she remains merely an object of desire to the men who pick her up and the boyfriend who keeps their relationship a secret in order to hide his own homosexual tendencies. This film has some great comedic moments as well as gripping drama. The two things I love in a film.
On another note, I did talk to Trey Parker for a bit who said for the most part, a South Park movie would not happen until the studio lets them do it the way they want (South Park style...what else?) Their style will inflict an R rating and the studio wants a PG (for the kiddies...who else?)
Love, Peace, and Geese....
The 'other' Sandman
