How weird is this: A post about unknown/forgotten gems on dvd that includes ASWANG, JOSEY AND THE PUSSYCATS (starring our friend Rachel Leigh Cook) and AMERICAN MOVIE. Did you ever see this, John? You gotta show Rachel. About ASWANG: The unnecessary plot takes the East Asian baby sucker, and sticks it into a (then) modern Rosemary’s… more »
Purple Onion is the September Club’s “Mother Ship”. And Andy Gorzalski is flying the flag. Although Milwaukee’s collective film consciousness is arguably somewhat newly developed, Purple Onion’s stake in independent film is anything but. Celebrating its 20th birthday this year, the company began producing commercials in 1987, back when there was virtually “nothing like that going… more »
(Music Video, MAPS, 2007) A lonely garage inventor builds a seven-foot, banruku style puppet, and then takes it to a town dance competition, in this music video for the UK based band, Maps. Shot in Wisconsin at the Historic Mill in Cedarburg, an art studio in Milwaukee’s Riverwest, and the Chandelier Ballroom in Hartford, the video and stars Didier Leplae… more »
Sad news today. Our friend Charles Nelson Reilly passed away over the weekend. From the New York Times: Charles Nelson Reilly, who acted and directed on Broadway but came to be best known for his campy television appearances on talk shows and “Match Game,” died on Friday in Los Angeles. He was 76 and lived… more »
The “New York Times” gave us a great review today for ROCK THE BELLS to make for the perfect beginning to the film’s NYC theatrical premiere. “Rock the Bells” is the story of one man’s labor of love to reunite the original members of the Wu-Tang Clan for a 2004 hip-hop concert in San Bernardino,… more »
Profile on the film “The Life of Reilly” on HDNet’s HIGHER DEFINITION, hosted by film critic Robert Wilonsky.
THE LIFE OF REILLY, directed by Barry Poltermann and Frank Anderson premiered today at 6:30 at the Austin Civic Center. It was reported in IndieWire like this: A sizeable crowd showed up at the convention center in Austin for the world premiere screening of directors Barry Poltermann and Frank Anderson‘s “The Life of Reilly,” a… more »
(“Making of” Featurette, 2005) In the fall of 2004 we spent one incredible week with the iconic television and stage star, Charles Nelson Reilly, shooting his stage show (which would later be released as “The Life of Reilly”. This series of short documentaries, shot by the September Club’s David Dahlman, and edited by our team,… more »
(Short Film, 2004) Mock trailer for a non-existent french new wave film. Directed by Wrye Martin, filmed by Mike Welckle, edited by Barry Poltermann. Circa 2002-ish. We never did anything with this except use it for the reel. It’s stuck in our memory though! For other music videos and odds and ends, explore the Attic.
(“Making of” Featurette, 2003) Our friends at Mondo Macabro made this half hour documentary for the DVD release of Aswang. It seemed like the perfect solution to an unwanted pregnancy. Marry the heir to a wealthy estate, deceive his dying mother, give them the baby when it’s born. Things are never as easy as they… more »
From Roger Ebert’s Review of AMERICAN MOVIE: “If you’ve ever wanted to make a movie, see “American Movie,” a documentary about someone who wants to make a movie more than you do. Mark Borchardt may want to make a movie more than anyone else in the world. He is a 30-year-old, odd-job man from Menomonee Falls, Wis.,… more »
“AMERICAN MOVIE” was shortlisted for an Academy Award! It’s an honor to share it with our good friends who made AMARGOSA!
American Movie wins the Grand Prize for Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival! Chris Smith’s American Movie, which was produced by C-Hundred Film Corp’s Jim McKay and Michael Stipe, won the documentary competition Grand Jury Prize. The film, which documents Midwest filmmaker Mark Borchardt, was acquired this week by Sony Pictures Classsics.
(Documentary Short, 1996, Premiere IFC Channel) Sunflower Cablevision was profiled in this piece from John Pierson’s Split Screen which debuted as part of episode #2, first broadcast in 1996.
(Documentary Short, 1996, Premiere IFC Channel) In 1996 we made our first short documentary, when we were asked by John Pierson to do a piece for the pilot episode of IFC’s SPLIT SCREEN. First broadcast on the fledgling network in 1997, Minnesotan Wrye Martin directs this investigation of Brainerd, Minnesota, home of Paul Bunyan and immortalized… more »
(Music Video, SPANIC BOYS, 1994) This one goes way back to ’94 from the “Spanic Family Album”. All of the old footage is from original home movies.You can see Tom Spanic at 10 years old with his first electric guitar – a 1956 Blonde Stratocaster that he got for his birthday that year. Director: Frank Anderson… more »
(Music Video, BAD RELIGION, 1991) Shot by Wrye Martin on the 1991 European world tour of Bad Religion by Wrye Martin on an SVHS camera and a Bolex. Edited by Barry Poltermann For other music videos and odds and ends, explore the Attic.
(Music Video, THE SPANIC BOYS, 1991) The first Spanic Boys video was done by Purple Onion in 1991, and made it to MTV and CMT. Matching ’59 Caddies, houses and dogs. Featuring Lori Minetti who later went on to become the Wisconsin Lottery Hostess and her twin sister Lisa. What can I say, it was the… more »
(Music Video, THE MIDWESTERNERS, 1991) Steve “Buck” Farr directed this music vid for our friends The Midwesterners. Chris Barry shot it. 16mm film. Bad flicker but it kind of adds to it. No Budget!!! And here’s some “Behind-The-Scenes” footage. For other music videos and odds and ends, explore the Attic.
(Music Video, SIGRID, 1991) Wow. Just Wow. John Biesack directed this piece we did for our friend Butch Vig (of GARBAGE and NIRVANA fame). The guys from GARBAGE produced it. John Waters has nothing on this one. Wrye Martin shot. Featuring the notorious Mr. Nude America, the late great Dick Bacon. Seriously. For other music videos… more »
(Music Video, COSMIC PSYCHOS, 1991) Some say that Kurt Cobain’s favorite band was the Cosmic Psychos (he was often spotted wearing one of their tour shirts). Butch Vig produced this one and we shot it one drunken day. The guys from Mudhoney were hanging out on set. A fun, amazing day making an awesomely stupid… more »