"It's amazing what you can do with a cheap piece of meat, if you know how to treat it."

Upon Father Geek's shoulders rests the weighty task of informing you all that Falstaffian icon Writer-Director-Producer-Star PAUL BARTEL has died in his Manhattan apartment of a heart attack. I had met the man a couple of times, one of which was with Harry at a benefit screening of BASKETCASE a few years back here in Austin. He was a true brother "Film Geek", he literally spent every waking moment at the movies, making motion pictures, or talking about cinema. He was a talent and personality that the industry and public will be poorer for losing.

Unlike many that I have had to write these messages about Paul was still extremely active in the community of film makers. Three films that he appears in come out this year; Michael Almereyda's HAMLET, DINNER AND A MOVIE, and DREAMERS. He was in 2 films each year from 97-99, and he made 5 features in 1996 including the incredible BASQUIAT, Carpender's ESCAPE FROM LA, and the wonderfully fun JOE'S APARTMENT.

(in a classic bit of writing) "We're into B & D, but not S & M... we met at the A & P."

While he made several critical and popular successes like EATING RAOUL, SCENES FROM THE CLASS STRUGGLE IN BEVERLY HILLS, and THE USUAL SUSPECTS, I will always remember him best for his off-the-wall flicks and roles like CHOPPING MALL, ROCK AND ROLL HIGH SCHOOL, AMAZON WOMEN ON THE MOON, PIRANHA, GREMLIN'S 2, and Tim Burton's great short FRANKENWEENIE. He was fantastic in a small part as the cameraman in Sam Fuller's great cutting-edge cult classic WHITE DOG.

(to the Ramones)"You know, people say your music is loud and noisy and harmful to mice... but I think you're the Beethovens of our time."

He started in the business at age 13 working as an assistant making MR. MAGOO cartoons for UPA. Later at UCLA he excelled as an animator, actor, and film maker supporting himself by working in all three of the skills. In 1960 he won a Fulbright Scholorship to study directing in Rome at the knees of some true masters. We 1st saw evidence of his promise in this area when he was the 2nd Director on the 1974 explotation classic BIG BAD MAMA.

"Your motivation in this scene is you want to step on as many people as possible."

As a Director he gave us such landmark explotation films as THE NAUGHTY NURSES, PRIVATE PARTS, SECRET CINEMA, LUST IN THE DUST, and who will ever forget the Sci-Fi Adventure- Action milestone DEATH RACE 2000, or CANNONBALL.

"When I got into directing I knew that I'd be able to give myself some really great character parts."

A true champion of indepentant cinema Paul Bartel (1938-2000) was honored at Film Festivals around the world from Cannes and Venice to dozens here in the USA. Yes, Paul had alot left to give us, at AICN and in theaters worldwide PAUL BARTEL will be grieved!

Father Geek out...

"When you get a bunch of rich fat people who are determined to get thin at any cost, some of them are going to die. It's a rule of thumb!"