Smash Cut

Time: the near future. Place: America. Situation: Politicians and the nation’s elite harbor a secret, isolated compound where human clones are bred so that their organs can be harvested and used by those possessing the power and wealth to do so, thus prolonging their lives and maintaining the status quo.

Sound far-fetched? Too absurd to be true, even with seemingly zombie-like geriatrics running for office? Yeah, it probably is, but that doesn’t mean that 1979’s Parts: The Clonus Horror (a.k.a Clonus) isn’t without its subversive charm or B-movie merits. Wait, did you think I was talking about a more recent effort, like Michael Bay’s noisy 2005 sci-fi thriller The Island, with Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson? Well, that latter work does mirror Clonus in lots of ways, and the makers of the 1979 feature sued the Bay production and DreamWorks for copyright infringement, leading to a settlement between the two. So, I leave the “rip-off” notions at that.

Anyway, with a beautifully-presented DVD available from Mondo Macabro, and current election campaigns in full swing, I think it’s a good time for those with a taste for the cinematically obscure to have a peek at this movie. Okay, it’s marred by some stilted acting for certain (although I’m not one to immediately equate “stars” with “talented thespians,” even I can’t say that the performances by the relatively no-name cast are particularly good here). And its pacing isn’t as frenetic as that of Michael Bay’s pic (and that’s a good thing, in my book). But the ideas and social critique are both potent and pointed. The way that the clones are conned into believing that a new, rich life awaits them in a fictitious, candy-coated “America;” the manner in which the “normal” people of society generally refuse to question authority; or the way that those blessed by the benefits of class — without realizing it — will prove complacent with the status quo when push comes to shove, even if they’ve believed themselves to be fair and just citizens for all of their lives.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 famously parodied this movie on one of their episodes, and believe me, there certainly are a lot of laughs that can be had at its expense. But there are also a lot of rewards to be found — certainly more than offered by bigger-budget, mainstream trash like The Island — and if you can get past those aforementioned stumbling blocks, you may find Clonus to be a bit of an underrated genre gem. The DVD offers a lot of bonuses, like a commentary and video interview with director Robert S. Fiveson, a theatrical trailer, and a stills gallery. The best feature, however, is the fact that the disc sports a new transfer of the film made directly from the original negative. It’s amazingly pristine.

And if I haven’t swayed your interest, check out the rave review from The New York Times here.

Looking back at Hollywood movies from the ’70s, I’m often left wondering if half of the actors who became big names at the time — Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, and Faye Dunaway, for example — would’ve ever made it had they started out in today’s market. Sure, they’re talented, but do any of today’s Megawatt Stars look like those folks? Everyone now is uniformly pretty/handsome, and very few of our contemporary top-billed performers have the unique looks or personalities of the aforementioned talents.

Another name to add to that list of truly unique actors is Elliott Gould. Robert Altman’s original war satire hit M*A*S*H made him a household name, but his nuanced, sometimes neurotic, performances in a slew of ’70s classics canonized him as a thespian who could personify and reflect the confusion and insecurities that were fueling that tumultuous decade.

The wonderful programmers at Brooklyn’s BAMcinématek repertory house/theater are currently paying tribute to the Gould’s amazing talents with a series entitled “Elliot Gould: Star for an Uptight Age”. It began on August 1, but continues through August 21. And it’s okay if you’re just hearing/reading about the series now because the only film that’s played so far is M*A*S*H, a movie that’s not hard to find or see. The rest of the list is filled with some underseen gems (like the terrific Alan Arkin-directed black comedy Little Murders, which will feature a post-screening Q&A with Mr. Gould on Friday, August 8 at 6:30pm) and a lot of treasures that aren’t readily available on DVD, such as Peter Hyams’s gritty 1974 cop flick Busting (showing on Sunday, August 10).

I wish that the intense white-knuckle thriller The Silent Partner, which was brilliantly scripted by L.A. Confidential writer-director Curtis Hanson, were part of the series. It’s one of the best heist movies I’ve ever seen, with Gould and a psychotic Christopher Plummer trying to outwit each other at every twist of the plot. You’ve seen movies with cat-and-mouse type narratives, but this one’s more like “cat and cat”; the two leads take turns pursuing and trapping each other with nail-biting results. I figure a viable print for the film just wasn’t available. Alas, alas….

Regardless of my missing fave, you should do yourself a favor and check out some of these films if you’re in the area. We’re lucky to have works like these in American cinema, and we’re equally lucky to have a true actor like Elliot Gould.

The full schedule of films is here, including details of screenings which will be followed by a Q&A with the performer. A feature article about Gould from The New York Times can be read here.

If you’re like me, the answer’s probably “Never!”

But I have devoured Bill Fishman’s underrated 1988 music industry satire Tapeheads too many times to count, and if that phony Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles commerical at the top brought a smile to your face, then maybe you should watch it too.

John Cusack and Tim Robbins star as a couple of director wannabes, recently fired from their dead-end gigs as security guards. They head out to L.A. with the hopes of making it big in the music video biz, while staying true to themselves and helming only the projects that they truly want to make. Standing in their way are a scheming right-wing presidential candidate, double-crossing industry journalists and unscrupulous record execs.

Cusack and Robbins clearly have a ball in this movie, and the commercial parodies, non sequitur gags, and music videos are pretty great (not to mention the soundtrack by funk legends Fishbone, who make a cameo appearance in the pic). And hey, it’s hard to lose with a movie that sported the tagline, “Let’s get into trouble, baby!”

If you find yourself staring at the multiplex marquees these days and thinking…uh…”Why so serious?”, then have some light laughs with the Video Aces of Tapeheads.

Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles is a real place, by the way. You can go to the official website here.

Swanky Modes!