BILLY INACTION CAST INTERVIEWS: PART ONE – ROCKO JEROME

Okay, here it is–the long-awaited interview with actor Rocko Jerome! Rocko stars in the latest action comedy Billy Inaction, where he plays…you guessed it…himself. In this exclusive interview, he tells us everything we’ve always wanted to know about the “Mojo Dojo” that makes the man we know as Rocko Jerome!

1) How did you get into acting?

Well, doctor, it all started when I was just a boy…. I think anyone who acts or does whatever the hell it is my friends and I do, it comes as a result of never wanting to let go of “Let’s Pretend.” I was a master of Let’s Pretend from the time I could talk; I was always the hero of some story I was composing in my head. I was never just some red-headed kid sitting by myself out in the country, where I grew up. I was Han Solo or something, whatever the last thing I saw that blew my mind I was a version of that which was sort of puzzling to people, the lengths I would go to. My cousin told my aunt once, “I think he really believes he’s Spider-man.” I only heard that recently; it made me laugh. I’ve been method acting since preschool.

2) Who are some of your influences or role models?

The point at which it all started to come together was when I saw Evil Dead 2. I was probably 14, and dangerously close to the end of acceptable Let’s Pretend age, if not already well past it. Here was this very homemade movie with actors nobody I knew at the time had ever heard of, basically clowning around but making something very clever and entertaining. Before Bruce Campbell, a movie actor was Harrison Ford or whatever tiny percentage of people that we think of as “movie stars.” People I could never be, you have to seriously luck out. But with Evil Dead 2, they didn’t get anybody’s permission, they just made the damn thing and put it out there, and didn’t have to give up on acting out fantasies. They just got better at it.

3) What’s on your resumé?

Once I got in High School, I was very into the idea of becoming an “actor.” That would lead to a lot of heavy conversations with my parents and other adults who would say, “You can’t be an actor because you can’t make money at it, you’re living in a fantasy, get your act together and think about a career” because, again, people have that idea that an actor is Harrison Ford, and that anything that’s not paying bills isn’t worth doing. What I didn’t get yet was that you don’t “become” an actor. You are or you are not, it chooses you. You can be an actor and work at a gas station from birth to death, never step on a stage or in front of a camera, and you could be an actor in the only theater that really matters–the theater of life.

Anyway, the drama teacher at my school was a guy named Phil Hoagland. He was just a kid himself, really. I think he was 24. I wanted to be a James Dean kind of a guy, he wanted me to really come out of that and take my chi someplace for real. Which I guess I did, in my own backwards teenaged way. I played middle-aged business men and old perverts, stuff like that. Never a lead, but the character actor roles, the ones that actually made or broke shows by either stealing them or letting them get monotonous. I might’ve dropped out or got kicked out of school if not for the stabilizing influence of that program. Every time (well, most of the time) before I would do something stupid that would get me in trouble, I’d say, “I’ll get kicked out of the play if I get caught doing this.” That usually worked.

After a few years of doing those little plays, I got pretty good–for a kid in a High School play. You can be King Pencil of your High School, but going out for a real audition and facing that chorus line type scenario, my ego wasn’t ready for that. Hoagland said I rewrote every play I was in, and he was right, I did. I wasn’t ready–or ever will be–to be subservient to a director and be someone’s puppet. It’s great people can do that, I admire that, I’m just not that person, so my fancy flew elsewhere.

I ended up fronting a Rock & Roll band for a couple years. That really got me a lot of kicks, and I never had to go through that “I hope you like me, give me a job” act. It was more “You booked me and gave me this job, now you have to deal with this.”

I didn’t act again until I sort of got drafted into one of those 48 Hour movie things a few years ago and got hooked. I did a few of those; they were a complete terror each time out, trying to collaborate with people that had their own “artistic visions.” People are crazy, you know. I’ll just say that if you’re working with me and our feet are pointing the same direction, we could make something lovely and will definitely have a great time. If you want to manipulate me or thwart what I’m trying to do, you won’t have fun. But we might still make something good anyway! But I’ve got no time for that anymore.

I fell in with Jimmy’s menagerie not long after that. I like to play a sort of more cartoonishly oafish version of myself in these things, which is mainly a reaction to how many “filmmakers” like to make movies about how cool and virtuous they are, or how tough and ready they are, and women swoon all over them. I think that’s just about the worst thing you can do. So the movie version of Rocko Jerome is ultimately a parody of that kind of approach, where nobody but me thinks I’m anything at all like I think I am, because I’m just completely devoid of any sense of self awareness and have this huge ego with not a single shred of validity.

I did one time not play that guy, because Shawn Coots dared me to. Without telling anyone until we shot, I became the opposite character for this short. I’m proud of what I made that day, but I hated that guy I became. I basically took everything I hate and embodied it for the amusement of others. I proved I could so I would never have to again.

 Ironically that's probably the best thing I ever did.

4) Any long term goals?

Just really to have fun and make my friends laugh, and make more friends of like minds, and keep trying to make something that's really good. Not just "Oh, that was good considering..." but actually something sharp and clever. Each thing I'm in is better than the last thing, I'll say that much.

5) What was your experience like on Billy Inaction?

It's been a blast. It really has. Whenever we sneak into someplace to shoot something there's this thrill of "we're really doing this, this is happening" and nobody gets that more than Jimmy. We're all co-conspirators in Jimmy's Circus.

It's funny, he's been working on this damn thing for years, and I still don't really know how the pieces fit together. His direction to me is always very vague. That's not a knock at all; I love that he trusts me to do that. But on this it was "You're a mob boss, ninjas work for you, you want Gustav dead, GO." I had no idea what any of that was! "What's my motivation?!?" So all the stuff with the Mojo Dojo and doing all that Elvis Karate stuff, I just did that to fill this big hole. Jimmy just let me do that. That's a very amazing thing to be granted. Jimmy has never told me "no."

I respect the hell out of him. His fate will be the same as mine. I hope this thing catches big time and people get into it. But if I just get to hear my friends laugh--that would be enough.  

Check out Rocko's awesome website! Front on This: Salisbury Snake  

To see the latest BILLY INACTION trailer, starring Rocko Jerome, click here!

 

LOOK FOR MORE BILLY INACTION CAST INTERVIEWS COMING SOON!

FOR THE LATEST LIST OF BILLY INACTION INTERVIEWS, CLICK HERE!

CLAIRE WASMUND: EMBRACING IMAGINATION

Space Jockey Reviews is happy to feature an interview with one of its favorite indie filmmakers–Claire Wasmund. Claire is the wonderfully-talented writer and director of The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad (also featured here on SJR). In this interview, her optimism, perseverance, and creative spirit shine as bright as any star this Space Jockey has seen. Enjoy!

1. How would you define Claire Wasmund?

I checked Urban Dictionary and so far it’s not there, so I figure I have a little time to be sure I get a positive entry. I guess Claire Wasmund material is a little quirky; a little dark; perpetually and happily wounded; hopefully never melodramatic, and maybe realer than you initially suspect. Let’s hope no one defines that definition as a “load of crap”.

2. What made you decide to become a director?

Power… Ha! I have a lot of stories to tell, and at a certain point writing them down didn’t feel like enough. If you have an active imagination, this is a great way to actually be able to touch part of it.

3. For most big things I’ve done as an adult, I have memories of playing the role as a child. Do you have any such memories of playing director?

 I started making “movies” really young; I had a German Shepherd named Max whom I would run around with at around six or seven years old, and we were both deeply influenced by Lassie. I would order my younger brothers to go out into the backyard and get into some sort of situation, then Max and myself would run over to save them. My mother would be standing there holding the VHS camera and capturing the entire film in one long take, all in a wide shot. Fantastic.

When I got older and could safely hold the camera myself, I would always do a movie for a class project in school whether it was some educational rip off of Power Rangers or an impromptu recording of Romeo and Juliet. I would force my friends into them, direct them and play some sort of side character (like Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet). One of my favorites is my own version of Titanic done with Barbie dolls. I put the dolls into a small plastic boat, put it into the sink and then dumped a tray of ice cubes on top of it; then I sang “My Heart Will Go On”.

4. The movie Alien skyrocketed my interest in movies like no other. You could even say that it planted the seed that grew Space Jockey Reviews. Is there any movie that had such an effect on you becoming a director? If so, tell us about it.

Ugh… I might actually say Muppet Babies which is a TV show. Seriously. It inspired fan fiction from me and everything. Those muppets were all about embracing imagination. I wondered how I would get to tell so many stories like they did, and go to and create so many fantastical places through the powers of my mind. Yeah… Muppet Babies.

Otherwise, my dad made me try out for “The Music Man” when I was a little girl and that sparked a desire to be a playwright, which led me down the slippery-slope to film.

5. How do you decide which movie or webseries to make? What are your considerations?

I love flawed characters; truly flawed characters. One of my pet peeves is stories about characters whose fault is being “too nice”; a lot of women do stories about that and in reality I feel like women could write some of the meanest stories out there if they let themselves.

Since I’ve moved out to Los Angeles I’ve done my projects with Fernando Noor whom I feel is a brilliant actor and storyteller and serves as a major muse for me. A lot of times we’ll pick a story that speaks to both of us and go from there. Flawed characters with darker comedy worked in there somehow is what inspires us.

6. Tell us about your experience making The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad—especially about making a fantasy film on a lower budget.

I had a short story about Tallulah and Himo from a few years ago. I played Dungeons and Dragons in high school, and I had a half-elven sorceress named Tallulah who was rather successful. My youngest brother played a character we decided was her half brother, a full elf named Himo; Himo was a bard. Himo died and failed often. Himo then retired. I felt like that must really make family dinners an awful thing; because, who wants to constantly hear about the success of your younger half-sister? I wrote the story and it was cute… and then put it away. Fernando remembered it and made the suggestion that it be changed to a husband and wife story to amp up the tension. Good idea, Fernando. I think most filmmakers hopefully know how much extra doing fantasy or sci-fi adds to a budget and prep time. Usually there is makeup, there is the time that goes with makeup, there’s the set which needs to be completely believable or things fail, there is the time it takes to make that set, costumes, sometimes even tone. It’s not something you can rush along.

We knew that this short would take a lot of extra time and work from us in order to keep things cheap. We had worked with Longlost Pictures (Greg and Lex) before and immediately knew they would be perfect on this project. They’re exceptionally gifted and creative, and always give about 200%, give or take a few. Lex made costumes, Greg built the beehive IV, Longlost, Fernando and I stained the wood that we then put up on the walls in a spare room. We paper mached a fold-out couch for Tallulah’s bed and took turns painting it and covering it in vines.

Tallulah’s bed in The Heroine & the Cad (starring Melissa Malan and Fernando Noor)

I knew Fernando would do a fantastic job as Himo and bring the same sort of vulnerable intensity he always does, and so we needed to find an actress who would sort of stand up to him. We’d seen Melissa Malan in one of Longlost’s music videos and she had such a fragile sort of strength that we thought she would be great for the part. I feel like Tristan Scott-Behrends was born to play anything classified as an attractive race of beings so I knew he’d do a great job as the doctor and bring his usual quirk and depth to the part; Malia Miglino’s got a great spunk and realness so we knew she’d bring a lot to the part of the nurse.

Laura and Tokiko, our makeup team, really went out of their ways to make sure the application, supplies, shading, etc. were all remarkable enough to stand up to the scrutiny of being projected feet high on a wall.

We shot it in a little over two days and most of it takes place in one room. To keep it “moving” Longlost pushed to have us continually shift shot angles in the room so we weren’t looking at the same thing over and over again.

Because it’s a fantasy piece with some more “human elements” we wanted music to keep it completely in the fantasy world. I love Brandon K. Verrett’s talent. If I could have Brandon score my life for a day it would be the most epic day ever. Brandon’s music for this film enhanced the world so much.

You’ve got to have people dedicated to the project for a fantasy piece. You can’t have people in and out, it’s really a complete team effort that’s a hard but rewarding thing to find.

7. Who is your favorite director and why?

It changes day to day, I’m very fickle. But I have enormous respect for writer/directors and those who successfully balance dialogue heavy scripts.

8. As a director, what has been your most rewarding experience?

Besides meeting great people? As overly studious as this sounds, probably one of the most rewarding experiences has been just how fast you learn as a director. I feel like you learn quickly as a writer, but you never “see” the words (well, you do, but..), in writing, it’s sort of easier to claim something is subjective and that’s why it didn’t ring true to this person, or that person. With directing, though everyone has a style and tone that some people might not get, it’s much easier to see what works and what doesn’t work on screen. You can’t make excuses when it’s there in front of you.

9. What has been your greatest challenge as a director?

Since I was a writer first, I don’t always think as visually as I need to. I spent a lot of time writing (unfinished) novels and plays before moving on to screenplays. What works in one medium doesn’t always work in the other. You can write what you think is a brilliant scene of dialogue, high-five yourself, and then — if you just sort of leave it in a wide for three or four pages — you can then watch it fail… it might fail even if you add that dolly shot in. You need to surround yourself with people who balance your strengths and flaws. I’ve been so lucky to work with Longlost Pictures who are extremely visual and creative and come up with all sorts of ways to keep things moving.

10. Have you done any acting? If so, tell us about it.

I did a lot of acting when I was younger… a lot of community theater acting. I was big into musical theater, and my ability to project and be heard in the back row of the theater always really impressed my mother. I liked acting a lot; I just never felt I was “great” at it. I was “good enough”, I guess; not “awful”, but people seemed to respond a lot more to my writing than my acting. I took the hint.

11. You have two webseries—Partners in Pretension and Delayed Teen Angst. Tell us about them.

Delayed Teen Angst was a webseries I wrote back in 2007 or 2008 over a few days and then we shot it over a weekend. Through that I met Tristan Scott-Behrends (the elven doctor) who continues to be one of my favorite performers. It was a fun crash-course and a great chance to hear my lines on screen and figure out what worked, what didn’t work. When you write, it’s a rare opportunity to hear your lines read out loud by other, competent people. Great learning experience.

Partners in Pretension is a seven-episode series we shot, and was maybe the second time I had directed? It’s about two members of the current lost generation who want to improve their desperate financial situation by profiting off the ad revenue of their online “how to videos.” It stars Fernando and Tristan. We’re currently on four online networks, were selected for a few festivals and local screenings, and have about 400,000 collective views. I’m proud of the series and very proud of the experience I gained from it. We met the obligatory awful people through it, but also cemented some relationships with some truly fantastic human beings we never want to be without again. On a self-centered note, when I see the series I can see my own improvement in every episode. There are always things I wish I had done differently when I rewatch, but usually I can say, “but I
haven’t repeated that mistake”.

12. What else is on your resumé?

I produced a feature film called “The Grover Complex” which was written by and starred Fernando Noor (Himo in The Tale of the Heroine and the Cad). We got into sixteen film festivals and came away with some “Best Comedy”, “Best of Festival” and some “Filmmakers to Watch” awards. A feature is such a huge undertaking and I’m so proud of the work we did on it, pushing it from pre-production to finish. I’ve worked in reality TV which I enjoy; I did some story work on NBC’s Fashion Star. I directed an episode of a great web series called Diary of a Weddng Planner and a few other films here and there.

13. What are you currently working on?

We just shot a noir-nspired comedic short film written by Fernando and produced with Longlost Pictures. I have a featurette I wrote that I’m planning on going into production with once again using Fernando Noor, Longlost Pictures, Melissa Malan, and hopefully a few other familiar faces.

14. What else is in the future for Claire Wasmund? Are there any big plans, or any special movies in the works?

I have a feature script I love written with Fernando and Tristan in mind; it’d be a great low-budget flick, but I’d love to raise a little more to actually pay a few people (*cough*, actors, Longlost Pictures, composer Brandon K. Verrett) a little bit closer to what they’re worth. (Which is unmeasurable, by the way. ;p)

I actually have two book series ideas that are both fantasy. Both of them are sort of in various drafts, one has spent time being a television show idea, then a feature, and has now sort of settled itself back into book form.

I have a psychological horror script I’d love to finish, a fantasy animation piece, and a boxing script with Fernando and Longlost.

After our featurette we have one more short film idea, and then we’re really pushing to film another feature. Since I was trained for writing and not directing, every piece I make here is hopefully a successful learning experience. I’d like to keep getting more under my belt before I make a big leap into a feature…but that sort of thinking sort of slides into what I warn about in a question coming up… Oops.

15. What advice would you give to the aspiring writers and directors out there?

Number one: don’t beat yourself up over any “failures”. When you analyze it, is that failure a failure? Meaning if you make a list of the positives and negatives that came from that failure it might be very likely you end up with more positives. You went over budget? Well don’t you know even more so what is needed and what is not needed on set next time? You lost the audience in this scene? Well don’t you have a great example of something now that maybe works on paper but doesn’t work on screen? Your trusted crew member botched the SAG/location/whatever paperwork? Great, since you had to fix it you probably know more about the whole process now than most people.

Sometimes a lot of these things take a while to reveal themselves as positives, but it’s there…lurking.

Also, just write and film things. Do it. Be responsible, but don’t second-guess yourself out of experience.

16. Now, I’m going to ask the question that always gets asked, but never seems less interesting for interviews: If there was one thing you could do differently in your journey to where you are today in life, what would it be?

I would have moved to Los Angeles sooner. No doubt about it. And I would have moved here with more of a “career” mentality instead of an “education” mentality. I have friends who moved here to attend school, and I have friends who moved here to work…even if they did attend school at the same time. Those who came here to work with no excuses made about what they knew, who they knew are all probably a little farther ahead than those of us who came here with the thought: “I’m coming to learn, THEN work.” I notice that it seems harder for some to get out of that “I’ve got to learn more and THEN I’ll be ready” mentality. I’m in no way saying school is a bad idea; I just think people need to remember that school is not the only way to learn, and just because an institution finally gives you a pat on the back doesn’t mean you are in fact good to go.

17. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I think I’ve posted this before somewhere, but it’s something I have to constantly fight with myself about. There’s that great quote: “A closed mouth doesn’t get fed”. Some of the most talented people I know are also the humblest, they don’t brag near enough and because of this they don’t get opportunities to add things to their lists of achievements. Then you have other people who talk and talk and talk about how great their stuff is, how much they’ve done and, even if their stuff is well below average, this constant barrage of declarations is eventually going to get someone’s attention.

How many times a day do all of us sit there and go, “why that person?” I do it all the time. And then I’ll see that person took the time to go out to a screening and meet people, or went out to a mixer and threw their business card into twenty people’s hands, or makes a point of promoting themselves online daily.

You can’t just sit back and say, “my talent will speak for itself” anymore. There are too many people for it to speak loudly enough. I think all shy people reading this need to take at least one day a week to turn into some kind of self-promotion monster. It’s okay to pat yourself on the back publicly periodically. Let’s all try. You’re all talented.

Thanks so much for your support, Chris and Space Jockey Reviews! We need more people online who approach independent film in such an open and encouraging way!

Claire is truly the best in the Space Jockey spirit of creativity. We salute her brave and passionate search for the supernova sun within herself–that fascinating, limitless engine of ideas and wonder we call imagination!

Be sure to visit Claire’s website at www.clairewasmund.com

Check out and “Like” Claire on Facebook at www.facebook.com/missclaireabelle

Follow Claire on Twitter too! @ClaireLWasmund

Visit The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad website: www.heroineandthecad.blogspot.com

See and “Like” The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad on Facebook by clicking here!

Check out Longlost Pictures at www.longlostpictures.com

THE TALE OF THE HEROINE & THE CAD

The pages of a fairy-tale book turn, and a picture comes to life, in color, as we are taken, magically, into once up a time…somewhere.  We are flown into The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad with a bee’s-eye view, through the hexagonal lenses of…you guessed it…a bee.  Instead of a “fly on the wall,” we are a “bee in flight” just as objectively viewing the strange new world around us.  Through a forest and into a tree (yes, a tree), we begin our journey.

At the end of the bee’s journey is a man in lavish dress with the pointed ears of…you guessed it again…an elf.  He sits impatiently at the bedside of an older woman who is annoyed by his presence and uninterested in what he has to say.  The man is Himo (Fernando Noor), and the woman is the half-elven, half-human Tallulah (Melissa Malan).  Tallulah is on her deathbed (as she has been for the last fifty years), and Himo seems to anticipate her death more than dread it.  “Why?” you ask.  Although a fifty-year-long death could be reason enough, that’s not it.  As the title suggests, Tallulah is a heroine.  She has, in her long life, seen all manner of dangers and adventure—fighting dragons, bandits, and assassins, and saving damsels in distress.  All this she did while Himo lived in her shadow as nothing to be known for or remembered.  Are we talking about the ingredients for one jealous elven husband?  Is there a great man behind this this great woman?  What will Himo do to get what he wants, and what will Tallulah do to stop him?  I’m not telling, but you can imagine the possibilities for this one.

“It must be nice to have such a legacy….something that’s going to live on past you.” ~ Himo

My favorite scene in the movie begins at the four-minute/forty-six second mark.  Himo and Tallulah are outside near a waterfall, in a flashback from the past, exchanging affections.  This is an absolutely beautiful scene, with Melissa Malan looking stunning as her elven character, complete with pointed ears and a pixie smile. Malan is an actress with talent matched only by her beauty, and she shows both here to full effect. I, for one, was captivated by her wide-eyed spirit of performance; the energy in her personality radiates from her and brightens the movie beyond boundaries.  Melissa convinced me that she was Tallulah, with all the best that paramours could offer a mate.  Her eye contact, loving glances, and focus on Himo were spot on!  I often see actors who don’t show the commitment to a part that makes a character believable.  In The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad, Melissa Malan does the opposite of that in a most crucial scene. She shows us who Tallulah really is, letting her character shine through; she makes her familiar and also human, adding more to what makes the movie a success—realism in a fantasy story, grounding it in experiences we know.  Perfect!

 “We’ll never get old, because you love me.” ~ Tallulah

This brings me to Melissa Malan in general and in this fairy tale again.  Malan is an actress I have previously seen in a short horror film called The Mockingbird.  In it, she plays a woman confined to her bed, after being paralyzed in a car accident.  In The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad, Malan again plays a woman confined to her bed, in most scenes.  In each movie, because of Malan’s talent, a bedridden character is brought to life with more energy and depth than most characters walking on two legs.  With expressions and words alone, she gives Tallulah strength as a heroine, even on her deathbed.  I do not give compliments like this liberally; Malan, however, deserves the compliments, no matter how sparingly I use them.  As in The Mockingbird, Malan makes an easily forgettable character one to remember!

Fernando Noor is an award-winning actor, writer, producer, and voice over artist. I had not seen his work before; however, he is one I will look for in the future.  As “The Cad”, Noor is the personification of the word’s definition—“A man who behaves dishonorably, especially toward a woman.”  He is this personification not just because we know what he’s thinking as Himo, but because of what Noor does as Himo…and yes…how he acts—as an actor, that is.  Noor projects coldness with his voice and sly detachment in his disdainful looks.  Even his posture and movements are subtly used as body language to complete the role. Noor let’s the viewer make no mistake in understanding his character, superficially as well as below the surface.  When Tallulah is still devoted and loving, Noor is her antithesis, projecting selfishness to please himself, totally believable in his part.  Tallulah’s love, contrasted with Himo’s lack of it, play off one another perfectly to set the movie’s tone.  Noor skillfully makes his character one we dislike, but remember all the more for disliking.  This, ironically, makes The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad one we can like all the more for disliking Himo.  As for what Himo wants as much as he wants her death, I’ll leave that for you to discover yourself.

Fernando Noor as Himo

 As for other actors, we also have Tristan Scott-Behrends and Malia Miglino.  Behrends is “The Doctor” and plays the part as one who cares little to nothing about his patient.  He considers half-humans to be inferior to full-blooded elves, and shows it with enough arrogance and detachment to make it believable.  You might say that Behrends plays the ultimate racist in a fantasy world—a doctor whose hyppocratic oath didn’t include equality; he boldly practices medicine with bigotry in his words, if not in his actions.  Behrends’ characters, as he well plays it, adds an extra element of social commentary making it decidedly more than a fairy tale, carrying over to the world of humans as much as elves.

I understand that we as the Elven race get frustrated with the lifespans of…lesser races.” ~ The Doctor

Malia Miglino has the minimal but essential part of the sexy nurse, and she does exactly that…very well!  Miglino is the current object of Himo’s affections, and no doubt Tallulah’s replacement; in her leather boots (the first we see of her) and her red elven nurse outfit, Miglino gets nearly as much attention as most other characters.  Even in her brief screen time, Miglino efficiently communicates her character to the audience, making a stereotype something more original, and surely memorable. (I look forward to seeing movies in the future, with Miglino in a lead role.) Miglino’s version of a temptress brings out more of Himo’s character, making him uncomfortably as much human as elf; his ogling flirtation with her is part of what shows, early on, his more despicable qualities.  After all, he is still married to Tallulah, and she is still on her deathbed.  How dare he do that!

Before I move on, let us stop and consider that last thought one more time, at least to better understand Himo, and possibly even ourselves—“How dare he do that!”  Yes, at first, we think, on impulse, in moral high gear, that Himo has no business having lecherous elven thoughts, while married, with his wife on her deathbed no less.  Yes, it’s easy to think it, say it, and act as though we ourselves would never do it.  However, before you judge too quickly (even an elf), consider this…just for a moment.  Tallulah has been dying for fifty years; count them slowly.  This sexy nurse is someone Himo’s been seeing, no doubt, for a seriously long time (maybe even fifty years)—parading around in front of him in her sexy elven boots, sneaking beautiful glances, slipping him amorous letters.  Yes, she’s also been giving shots, changing IVs, bringing medicine, and doing all other non-sexy things nurses do.  But, even doing non-sexy things, a nurse like this could distract even the best of elves…and humans!  No, I don’t have a dying half-human wife, cared for by a sexy elven nurse, but I understand temptation and how it works to change the best of us. So, in a way, I’ll defend Himo, as much as say why he’s despicable.  Yes, consider all that for just a moment, at least, seeing yet more in this most unique of tales. Just like in the fairy tales of Grimm, there’s far more than what we see on the surface–something pulling us under with it. Take a deeper look, then move right along.  How dare he do that!

Now with that over…for now…let’s consider how low-budget fantasy films are especially difficult to do.  Other genres—drama, action, adventure, mystery, and even horror—are easier, at least because they can happen anywhere, as is, without modifying the normal environment.  Fantasy, on the other hand, requires another world that must be created, often from scratch, often with budgets exceeding what is available.  I have the greatest respect for independent film directors who even attempt anything so ambitious.  After seeing, The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad, I have an even greater respect for such directors.

A painting of a younger Tallulah, appropriately called the “Tallulah Pastel” (by Elizabeth Lee)

This brings me to the ever-talented (and always beautiful) Claire Wasmund–an award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker. Her written work has appeared in nationally-published journals, and her film work has been a part of over 30 film festivals! In The Heroine & the Cad, Wasmund has written, created, and filmed a world that is a gem of a fantasy to see. With Wasmund’s directing talents, this new tale earns a respectable place as a new classic in a collection of its own.  The richness of colors, contrasts, focus, lighting, and camera angles all work together, creating a place we can imagine elves would inhabit.  Wasmund makes the technical aspects subtle to our senses and all the more natural on screen.  Small but opulent sets make all that’s needed, effectively, on a limited budget; I never found myself wanting to see more. Wasmund wisely kept characters at the center, using sets to support the story rather than carry it.  As the writer and director, Wasmund has taken her fairy tale from the page to the screen, beyond the limits of its budget. Such spirit, dedication despite obstacles, and ultimate achievement is what I most applaud in fimmaking. With such challenges in the fantasy genre, it’s easy to give up and difficult to succeed; to Wasmund, I give a standing ovation for success!

Of course, music can either make or break a fairy tale; music sets the mood, helps to establish the setting, and, if done well, helps the mind slip away into faraway lands and mythic places.  The original music composed by Brandon K. Verrett certainly makes The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad.  From the title page of the fairy tale book, as it begins, we hear what we expect–soft, light, magical music, with lilting tones carrying us with it, leaving the real world behind.

Production designers, art directors, special effects artists, costume designers, and jewelry coordinators are often overlooked in reviews. However, in a film like this, they must be recognized and applauded as well. The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad could not have done without the production design of Lex Benedict, Greg Cruser, Fernando Noor, and Claire Wasmund; it could not have done without the art direction by Caley Bisson; it could not have done without the beautiful “Tallulah Pastel” by Elizabeth Lee; it could not have done without the special effects by Greg Cruser, the sumptuous costumes by Lex Benedict, the jewelry by Betsey Benedict, or the soprano Ashley Burkett. Finally, but far from least, it could never have done without the special effects makeup by Laura Lieffring and Tokiko Inoue.  Yes, in this movie, all of these talented people came together to produce one movie that stands out in its indie genre, well in front of any I’ve seen before.

As a great example, we have the special effects makeup of Laura Lieffring and Tokiko Inoue. If I didn’t know Melissa Malan was such a beautiful young woman, I would actually think she was a beautiful but much older woman.  The makeup effects here are simply awesome!  With the high-definition image, it is especially important for effects to stand up to scrutiny; Laura Lieffring and Tokiko Inoue have made sure that they do. Without this effect alone, there would have been trouble once upon a time, too many times for success. Here, however, it’s done perfectly!

Adding to makeup accolades, I must also compliment the elf ears.  Even in the most brightly-lit, high definition, these ears looked like the real deal.  And, in a movie about elves, bad ears could ruin everything.  Once again, Laura Lieffring and Tokiko Inoue, operating on a lower budget, save the show, with the best ears I’ve seen so far in a movie about elves–bar none!

It is also interesting that, in the opening credits, the names of the cast and crew are not the names that appear in the credits for the movie elsewhere. Actors have names such as Lolindir Eledhwen, Ireth Elensar, and Ireth Fefala; the cinematographer is Natulcien Calaelen, and the director is Idril Seregon.  (Yeah, we know it’s you anyway, Claire.) The only reason for this I can imagine is one I really like. To further immerse the story in the fairy tale world, these are Elvin names, as if the elves are really producing it. Nice touch!

What’s this fairy tale about overall?  It’s about the cruelty of time, as it affects relationships, love, and life in general–how people (and even elves), in time, fall out of love for reasons that love should prevent. Such is the ironic nature of love, especially when only one has fallen out of it. Those who made the film boil it down to what is likely the most concise and accurate: [It] “deals with time’s longest running battle: the power struggle between couples.”  I agree!  And, this quote by Henry Louis Mencken (included at the movie’s end)  is perhaps the best way to point it out: “Love is like war; very easy to begin, but very hard to stop” Indeed it is!

“What’s the moral to this fairy tale?” you ask.  It could be all or any of a number I can imagine.  It is an aspect of all happiness to suppose that we deserve it, as supposed by Himo.  But, ultimately here, “The [heroine] is brave in deeds as well as words.” The ironic self-destruction that comes to those who are greedy and superficial is another message that is obvious.  Underestimating those more powerful is one of the worst mistakes we can make.

“Boom. Magic.” ~ Tallulah

The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad has already been selected to screen at a number of film festivals; it’s also been nominated for as many awards, including best make-up, costumes, and art direction.  I have a feeling it will receive many more before it’s over.  Recently, I read an interview with Claire Wasmund in which she was asked what inspired her to become a filmmaker. “An overwhelming desire for immortality,” was Claire’s answer. I like that. It’s the reason I do what I do too. Living on in the legacy we leave is the best any of us can do to be immortal. With her latest film, Claire is already well on her way to that immortality.

The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad is a beautiful new fairy tale, told with all the feeling and effect of an older classic–a fifteen minute short film, with all the punch of a longer feature.  It was produced by a cast and crew totally dedicated to the work and bound for the success they achieved.  Unlike youth and sometimes love, this one is sure to stand the test of time.  

Visit The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad blogspot: http://heroineandthecad.blogspot.com

See and “Like” The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad on Facebook by clicking here!

Check out Claire Wasmund on Twitter too–a great one to follow! @ClaireLWasmund

T.G.C. Films and Longlost Pictures present The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad, Starring Fernando Noor, Melissa Malan, Tristan Scott-Behrends, and Malia Miglino, Written and Directed by Claire Wasmund, Story by Claire Wasmund and Fernando Noor, Edited by Longlost Pictures (Lex Benedict and Greg Cruser), Original music composed by Brandon K. Verrett, Production Design by Lex Benedict, Greg Cruser, Fernando Noor, and Claire Wasmund, Art Direction by Caley Bisson, “Tallulah Pastel” by Elizabeth Lee, Special Effects by Greg Cruser,  Costumes by Lex Benedict, Jewelry by Betsey Benedict, Special Effects Makeup by Laura Lieffring and Tokiko Inoue, Music Featuring Soprano Ashley Burkett

Watch the demo reel of Claire Wasmund’s awesome directing work below! Included are scenes from The Tale of the Heroine & the Cad. In just under five minutes, it’s easy to see the magic in all of Claire’s work. Enjoy!

BILLY INACTION COMING SOON!

Here it is, all you Space Jockey explorers of superstellar cinema!  It's "the long-awaited, final trailer for the Louisville, Kentucky based action comedy Billy Inaction"--written and directed by Jimmy Humphrey!  It's a full-length feature, coming to DVD this fall, along with its companion piece Painwheel: The Making of a Movie Called Billy Inaction.

"What's it all about?" you ask.  The best way to answer that is to use quotes from the movie creators themselves. Meet the colorful characters below, and you'll see what I mean.  Each one is featured on his/her very own Billy Inaction movie poster.  Together, in order, they even spell the movie's title--Billy Inaction!  How cool is that?  Off the Space Jockey Rocket Meter already, I say.

 

Billy Duckett as himself – “Ruthless. Truthless. Nearly Toothless. Did we mention he’s the hero? While waiting in line for a new video game release, slacker Billy Duckett get’s more than he bargained for as destiny steps in and hits the select button, changing his life in ways he could never imagine.”

Jimmy Humphrey as The Ringmaster – “Twisted and hellbent on revenge after years in the circus, the villainous Ringmaster plots a foul reign on the city and especially it’s mayor. Little does our hero Billy Duckett know how he fits into all of this…..as he takes center stage in the Ringmaster’s vengeful sideshow.”

Rocko Jerome as himself – “In control of the deadly southside mob, crime boss and Kung-fu master Rocko Jerome vows to destroy his elusive rival Gustav Monyar. Little does Rocko know that Gustav has an ace up his sleeve in the guise of the unsuspecting Billy Duckett.” I know Rocko Jerome personally, and he’s no man to mess with! Trust me! Rocko means business!

Theresa Plappert as Miss Kitka – “Dangerous and beautiful, Miss Kitka, the world’s foremost female Russian assassin plays all angles. Hired by Rocko Jerome to handle some loose ends, not even Kitka could foresee whose side she’ll be on when the last body drops.” I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have a particular fascination with female Russian spies–who are invariably sexy.  Are there any exceptions here?  Absolutely not!  Theresa Plappert as Miss Kitka already has the part nailed with her appearance alone.  From here, it can only get much better! Miss Kitka even has her own sexy action figure already. Check it out!

 

 

Roni Jonah and Ashley Brightwell as The Siamese Twins – “The deadly Siamese Twins are the left and right hand to the villainous Ringmaster. Swearing their allegiance to the defunct Red Triangle Circus, the twins aid in a dastardly plot to destroy the mayor and kidnap a certain well-known talk show host.” Do Siamese Twins really get any sexier than this pair of undercover operatives? Absolutely not! A beautiful couple like this up to no good spells only one word–D-A-N-G-E-R!  Look out, but look often at this dynamic duo, as they will surely command attention!

 

Matt Goodlett as Jeff Brisco – “As the much beleaguered number one guy to Gustav Monyar, Brisco is about to hatch a plan that the mob boss won’t be able to resist. But Brisco discovers he’s opened a Pandora’s box of mayhem when that plan involves the hapless Billy Duckett.”

Finally, in case you’re having trouble putting all those letters in line to see the title, below is the fantastic final poster for the film!  Way cool, again!

Finally, in case you’re having trouble putting all those letters in line to see the title, below is the fantastic final poster for the film!  Way cool, again!

When I say it doesn’t get any better than this, I mean it! With Billy Inaction, there’s a little (or, I should say a lot) of everything that everyone wants in the best of action/comedy films–sexy women, dastardly villains, unlikely heroes, ruthless henchmen, a killer plot, and sexy women. Did I say sexy women twice? Good! I meant to! No, I haven’t seen the movie yet, but knowing what I do, I have the highest expectations…and anticipations!  This Space Jockey, for one, will be there the night it premieres! A full review will follow, of course. Don’t miss it, and check back for updates on the movie, the DVD, and everything Billy! In the meantime, plotting and playing the possibilities in your mind, enjoy the awesome trailer below!

Visit Jimmy Humphrey on Facebook by clicking here!                                                 
Follow Jimmy on Twitter by clicking here!
See and “Like” The Billy Inaction (Finish this movie before I die!!!) Fan Page

I Eat Poop Films presents a Jimmy Humphrey film, Starring Billy Duckett, Theresa Plappert, Matt Goodlett, Rocko Jerome, Jimmy Humphrey, Shawn Coots, Brandon Ingram, Karen Condra, Roni Jonah, and Ashley Brightwell, Written and Directed by Jimmy Humphrey

THE MOCKINGBIRD

 

If you suddenly needed to care, selflessly, for another—a family member, or perhaps even a sibling who had once cared for you—giving up most of your life in the process, could you do it? Could you return, repay, or at least, “mock” the kindness given to you? Before you say yes, stop and think. Do you really know yourself so well? Are there, perhaps, demons hidden within yourself you’ve only yet to meet? The Mockingbird is a short film by Rick Gawel that makes us consider, in a not so comfortable way, the most extreme albeit possible outcomes of such a need.

On second thought, “not so comfortable” is actually far too mild to describe the way The Mockingbird goes about confronting us with such possibilities. Horrific is actually more appropriate. “How?” you ask. Let’s begin with the beginning. A woman moves down a hallway, half awake, on her back, with overhead lights flashing by; an oxygen mask on her face, suggests she’s headed for emergency treatment somewhere, surely in a hospital. But, no! She’s being dragged by her feet! Where she’s being dragged and what’s about to happen are things I’m not about to tell. Let’s just say that it makes the unpleasantness above only child’s play.

Madelyn Kennedy (Rebecca Steer) is a twenty-something woman suddenly confronted with the need to care for her sister, Evelyn (Melissa Malan). Evelyn is a once strong and independent woman robbed of her autonomy by an accident—one leaving her paralyzed from the neck down, condemned to a life of helplessness, confined to a bed. Evelyn is a prisoner in her own body, while Madelyn becomes a prisoner in her own home, haunted by commitment, guilt, and desperation.

What is most interesting about The Mockingbird is the in-your-face confrontation with transformation—deterioration into madness and the worst of what is human. With this change comes questions that involve us all; as viewers, we become as much a part of the story as Madelyn and Evelyn. Is the change the result of one susceptible individual becoming what few of us could? Or, are we too arrogant and vain to see the truth? Is it, instead, the result of forces grating on the senses to the point that any of us could become a monster? Is it, in fact, the rearing of an ugly nastiness, latent in us all, ready to spring forth and make us behave just as badly, beyond our control? Yes, what made me feel even more horrified was the thought of not really knowing myself—in the sense that inexperience makes it impossible. Setting aside what you think you know, and all of your most hopeful expectations, do you really know yourself? The Mockingbird makes us ask all these questions and more.

Rebecca Steer is an actress I have not seen before, but she plays her part as Madelyn with all the force necessary to give the movie its punch. Rebecca transforms her character from a pleasant, likeable woman, submissive, but otherwise “normal” on the surface. As the movie progresses, Steer shows her true talent by progressing her character accordingly, with impressive realism. Oddly, she makes Madelyn’s changes believable as much as they are bizarre and disturbing.

Before you think the part of a paralyzed woman cannot be difficult to play, think again. Melissa Malan has the challenging job of making Evelyn afraid, not with movement of the body, but only through looks on her face and terror in her eyes. Malan did this well enough to make me afraid just watching her; she made me feel as though I was, like her, unable to move, unable to defend myself, unable to do anything but be afraid. Without such a powerful performance as a bedridden character, The Mockingbird could not have been the success it is. Evelyn’s fear is a key part of The Mockingbird’s horror; Malan’s ability to communicate it to the viewer is what makes it real.

Director and editor Rick Gawel, along with cinematographers Tony Colon (and yes, Rick Gawel again), have created a horror film that stretches the boundaries of surreal cinema. As a reviewer, I must confess being partial to this type of film; however, with any objective view, The Mockingbird is a film that sets itself apart from others I’ve seen, visually as well as conceptually. Stark black and white, with strong highlights and high contrast, along with quivering overlapping images, gives the movie its surreal and most unique effect. Image shifts throughout intrude on the senses, unwelcome but imminent, forcing us, like Madelyn, to face the reality of human deterioration—physically as well as mentally. Bizarre camera angles make even reality seem unreal at times, helping to keep us unsure about objectivity, even when we assume it to be the case. With all the effects that Gawel and Colon deliver, the whole movie could be a nightmare…or so we think. Making us think again, however, we sense somehow that it’s not.

Added to these horrific visuals is a soundtrack that nearly drove me nuts—or should I say, as mad as the man in “The Telltale Heart.” Yes, I definitely should. A slow, pulsing repetition of noise (not music), grating on the nerves, making me want to turn it off. Before you think it’s a bad thing, think again. Like it or not, it’s a good thing here. This is a horror movie! Horrific, uncomfortable sound is delivered here with annoying perfection. I wanted it to stop, but it wouldn’t; I wanted to mute it, but I wouldn’t do that either, even though I could. Instead, I gave the movie every opportunity to make me uncomfortable; fitting with the story, it did that very well—as easily as a rope chokes a throat, a knife cuts the flesh, or any other thing causes pain, such as it does in The Mockingbird.

With the amount of special effects in The Mockingbird, no review could be complete without applauding Jenni Schenk—the one in charge of makeup and special effects. Blood and gore effects are not only copious, but just as copiously well done. Black and white, while toning it down, doesn’t allow for skipping quality…and Schenk doesn’t skip. With lesser talent, The Mockingbird might never have flown.

Never fear! There’s a lot more in The Mockingbird to fluff your feathers. There are nurses who draw blood—lots of it—and don’t wear shoes. Yes, they don’t wear shoes! Why? Who knows, but it’s another of the nightmarish details I like. Just like a dream, it just is. When it would make more sense for them to wear shoes, they don’t. There’s also a being with no name, possibly more important than we know. I can only guess who he might be. Do the same yourself, and see what you think. And, there are…well, lots of other things I won’t talk about here. Just watch the movie!

Oh! “What is the significance of The Mockingbird, as a title?” “What does it mean?” you ask? I’ll only say enough to be cryptic until you’ve see the movie. It is, I think, about punishment—how penance, in its most devastating yet effective way, is like a Mockingbird in its ability to imitate. The presence of such connections is another quality that makes The Mockingbird soar above the ordinary horror flick. There are metaphors to be found; rather than being disproved, they are talked about, living beyond the movie’s screen time, becoming something much greater.

The Mockingbird premiered at the Viaduct Theater in Chicago on August 6, 2011, as a part of the very first Herbivore Productions film fest—Herbi-Palooza 2011. It’s a 41-minute short film that packs all the punch of a full-length feature; it’s also the third film in Gawel's "Tortured Girl" trilogy. This is the first of these films I’ve seen, but, from the force of this one alone, I’ll be seeking out the others. The Mockingbird has style, scares, and suspense to spare, with surrealism that truly transcends reality—a Space Jockey favorite, easily!

With only one of Rick Gawel’s movies watched, I am already a fan of his work, looking forward to what else he produces. Herbivore Productions has found a unique niche in horror cinema; ironically, it’s at the top of the food chain in its niche, with not another plant eater larger than itself. At the heart of this herbivore is the human condition, haunting us with all its darkest possibilities. Is there a Madelyn lurking somewhere in us all? A possible horror for any of us of us is all the more horrific for all of us. With The Mockingbird, Gawel and Colon remind us of that, from beginning to end…from each bloody nightmare to every bloodier reality.

Starring Rebecca Steer, Melissa Malan, Joelle Weber, Kasey O'Brien, Steve Ruppel, David McNulty, and Brenda Arsenault, Directed and Edited by Rick Gawel, Cinematography by Tony Colon and Rick Gawel, Written by Melissa Malan and Rick Gawel, Produced by Brenda Arsenault, Makeup and Special Effects by Jenni Schenk, A Presentation of Herbivore Productions

Visit the Herbivore Productions website at www.herbivoreproductions.com
Visit Herbivore Productions on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HerbivoreProductions
Visit Herbivore Productions on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HerbivorePro

The Mockingbird Trailer

A Scene from The Mockingbird

 

Below is a great interview with actress Rebecca Steer who plays the part of Madelyn Kennedy. True to her character's condition, Rebecca is paralyzed and bedridden, complete with her oxygen mask. If you're not interested yet, check out the subtitled interview question! Enjoy! :)

 

SISYPHUS AND THE ROSE

 “I was never really afraid of being alone, until being alone meant not being with her.”

 

Stephen King suggests that Hell is repetition in his short story, “That Feeling, You Can Only Say What It Is in French”.  The story is about a woman who is forced to repeat the first hours of her and her husband’s doomed second honeymoon over and over.  I have often considered Hell to be exactly that myself—the monotony of the same thing happening again and again, made worse by the fact that you know the doomed outcome in advance.  Sisyphus and the Rose—the new independent film by Matt Goodlett and Jimmy Humphrey—makes me think of that Stephen King story and exactly what Hell could very well be.

I was recently invited to a screening of Sisyphus and the Rose in my own hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.  In attendance were the writer, the director and editor, along with the actors and production crew.  I admit that I went to the movie knowing nothing about it (not even the general plot), with no expectations.  I planned to have at least an evening with friends, and to meet a few more, no matter how the movie turned out.  I left not only with more than expected from the film, but also another movie well worth featuring here on Space Jockey Reviews.  I was pleasantly surprised with a movie that transcends its budget to be something much larger.

Sisyphus and the Rose begins with the main character, Parker (Matt Goodlett), in his bathroom brushing his teeth.  From his face, we see he’s disturbed and unsettled about something, as the camera closes in on a ring on a chain around his neck.  “My face is a road map of who I am and what I’ve become,” we hear with Parker’s voice-over narration. Who he is, what he’s become, and maybe, more importantly, who he was are questions explored in Sisyphus and the Rose.  The answers, although not given to us directly, are certainly worth thinking about and trying to find.

Parker is a common man, ordinary and forgettable, yet unique and outstanding in his banality.  He is a man obsessed with the memory of a loved one lost—to what we don’t yet know, if we ever do.  He misses her to the point of being next to dysfunctional and nearly detached from society.  He has no interest in dating, despite his opportunities, and compares all women to the woman he loved most—Samantha.

“Without her in my life tomorrow, all I have are yesterdays.” ~ Parker

The foreboding soundtrack by Dennis Stein reminds us that the story is a nightmare of sorts throughout, even when joy should be felt—even when the moment without music would make us feel happy and hopeful. The low, ominous tone of the score makes us feel that something bad has already happened, as much as it leads us to think the same about the future; even memories that should be pleasant are disturbing.  I’m thinking of the scene in the park where Parker has just proposed to Samantha.  Stein’s music captures the ominous tone of the story and hangs on, even when it could be lost, saying “Not so fast!” as we want to rejoice.  The wrong music would lead us the wrong way, but Stein’s score keeps us on track, maintaining the mood, making us participate by being, like Parker, uncomfortable.

Matt Goolett, the writer, also plays the part of Parker—the melancholy man unwilling to face his future.  Goodlett gives Parker just the right tone of behavior—a detachment from reality, with despair and hopelessness projected from his eyes, as well as the looks on his face.  Goodlett’s performance is the key that tightly locks the necessary elements into place.  He portrays Parker, with perfection, as a pensive personality—one of tormenting thoughts—overwrought, and complicated, but shallow in his view of the world.  Goodlett makes Parker someone we can identify with in some way, while we seek to distance ourselves from his type altogether; he makes Parker a man who once was normal but is no longer.  All of this that Goodlett does so well is what Sisyphus and the Rose could not have done without.  Kudos to Goodlett for delivering just the right main character in his own movie!

 

Casandre Elyse Medel is an actress I have not seen before, but she is one I expect to see many times more soon enough.  She has a gift for acting, and her performance in Sisyphus and the Rose was a true joy to watch.  Medel is as natural in her performance as the girl next door type she portrays.  As Lily and Samantha, Medel adds total believability to the story. She never seems to be acting; instead, she is always Lilly or Samantha, as we imagine they should be, even though we never knew them.  Medel is captivating in every scene she’s in, because she plays her part with a passion that represents life.  Lilly is the beautiful, hopeful element of the story, contrasting with the ugliness of despair; Medel captures this beauty perfectly, offering just the relief necessary in a movie that could otherwise be overwhelming in its oppressiveness.  Medel, her characters, and the life she breathes into them, are exactly what’s needed in the story; with lesser talent, Sisyphus and the Rose would have, like its namesake, been unable to reach the top of the hill.

“It’s more like the absurdity of life, or living life no matter how absurd it is and making the best of it, just being happy—the paradox of the absurdity of life.” ~ Lilly

Although beauty is not required for an actress to be effective, Medel’s exceptional beauty adds another essential element that makes Sisyphus and the Rose exactly what it needs to be.  Lilly’s striking beauty is part of what makes the mental torture experienced by Parker seem all the greater and more effective for the story.  Each time Parker turns Lilly down or avoids her advances, there is a certain frustration felt.  As a viewer, we wonder why and think all the more to find reasons.  It doesn’t seem right, and it doesn’t make sense, but it happens anyway.  This has the added effect of creating greater depth to Parker’s character, as we consider the growing intricacies of who he is.  Is Parker really the calm, harmless albeit confused man he appears to be?  Or, is he perhaps someone more sinister—someone with a much darker past?  Is he turning Lilly down because of guilt, fear, or because he has no choice?  Is Lilly herself a punishment—a desire that must be forever refused?

There is a definite comparative symbolism in the name Lilly (as a funeral flower) and the rose in Lilly’s hair and the movie’s title.  Lilly wearing a rose, in my interpretation, symbolizes life as well as death, complicated by love.  She represents the duality of themes, as well as the repetitive omen that she arguably and ironically is.  Several times, Lilly readjusts the rose in her hair, as if to repeatedly tempt Parker, metaphorically, with a new beginning.  However, she is one so dearly loved that she cannot be loved again; the thought of a repetitive torture, knowing the end, may be too great for Parker to bear.  Again, I think of more questions.  Is a beginning with a promise worth taking, only to be damned to know the end?  Is Lilly a ghost? Is she really as she appears to Parker?  Or, to the contrary, is Parker somehow happy, regardless of how he seems, regardless of what affects him? Is he, like Lilly describes Sisyphus, possibly happy, giving it “tons of meaning.”  Yes, these are yet more questions we are left to think about—questions we are left with, long after the movie is over.

One of the many things I so like about Sisyphus and the Rose is that it’s a metaphor for life in general—the pains and joys, and how they are so entangled and complicated, sometimes cancelling out one another in the process of happening.  In other words, are the joys of life worth experiencing with the pains they necessarily involve?  Is love worth having when it must end with death for sure, breakups too often, divorce possibly…or perhaps even murder?  Yes, even murder here is a possibility that cannot be ruled out as much as it can also not be proven.

Of course, a review of Sisyphus and the Rose could not be complete without mentioning the significance of the reference to Sisyphus—the avaricious and deceitful king from Greek mythology.  Yes, King Sisyphus was not exactly the most likeable of people. According to Greek mythology, he killed travelers and guests, in violation of the rules of Zeus himself.  Sisyphus is said to have not only killed people, but also to have enjoyed it.  It is said that he did this in order to maintain power through the force of fear.  For his crimes, Sisyphus was sentenced to an eternity of pushing a boulder up a hill, only to have it roll back down, just as it would have reached the top.  Or, as Lilly says, “He was doomed to a life of meaningless labor.”  Yes, this metaphor is an integral part of Sisyphus and the Rose, suggesting ever-important possibilities for meaning.  Is Sam, like Sisyphus, being punished for something terrible he has done—yes, perhaps even for killing Samantha?  Is this punishment imagined and born of guilt, or is it perhaps visiting him in the form of Lilly, an avenging spirit herself?  Or, is Parker perhaps avoiding his Sisyphus-themed punishment by resisting the temptation to begin anew with Lilly? (If that is the case, it is interesting how it demonstrates an ironic inability to escape yet the repetition of a painful opportunity—effectively still leaving no escape.)  These are questions that cannot be answered with certainty, but the possibilities are part of what makes Sisyphus and the Rose all more intriguing as a movie.  After all, the experiences and answers are, I believe, as subjective for Parker as they are for the viewer.

Sisyphus and the Rose was written by Matt Goodlett.  I had not met Matt before seeing the movie, but I did talk to him about the movie afterwards.  As for the multiple interpretations, Matt said, “Whatever you take away from it is correct.  I wanted to leave it open to interpretation. Did her ailment do her in, did he kill her, or did she just leave him and he is that crazy?  I never wanted that to be clearly defined.  Any way you slice it though, it kind of falls into that horror sub category.  I love Edgar Allan Poe, and I guess I wanted it to kind of have that feel.”

I also love Edgar Allan Poe, and I must say that I did get a distinct Poe feel with Sisyphus and the Rose.  Parker is a man haunted by the death of a lover, and tormented by fears and realities, existing possibly only in his mind.  This, along with the resulting mood of despair and hopelessness produced exactly the type of Poe feel Goodlett aspired to create. “Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.’”

Sisyphus and the Rose was directed and edited by Jimmy Humphrey. (Humphrey also stars in the movie as Parker’s friend at the bar—the one who sets him up with Lilly.)  I had met Humphrey prior to seeing this film, but was unfamiliar with his work.  However, I must say that I was blown away by his directing talents, after seeing Sisyphus and the Rose.  A variety of camera angles, all setting the perfect mood for the movie, along with flawless editing and lighting is what made the film what it could not have been without a person of his talent—a success!  I must stress the effect of the lighting in this movie that gives it the perfect somber, melancholy feel.  It takes a director like Humphrey to make a movie like this work, and he certainly did it.  Again, I expect that we’ll be seeing lots more of Humphrey’s work soon enough, as his talent will, no doubt, make it happen.  I certainly plan to feature more of his work on Space Jockey Reviews!

In the end, after considering the movie, the metaphors, the symbolism, and all other elements, I will at least try to boil it down to interpretation that fits in a nutshell.  To me, Parker is the obvious Sisyphus and Lilly with her rose is Parker’s boulder.  Although he can resist new beginnings, he cannot stop the opportunities, the frustration, and all the miserable consequences tantamount to pushing his burden up a hill, only to fall back down again.  Such are the best laid plans of mice, Parker, and Sisyphus.

By now, (or long before) you may have wondered how I can ask so many questions, provide so few answers, and properly review a movie.  The answer is easy, if you haven’t figured it out already, or if I haven’t in some way said it earlier.  Sisyphus and the Rose is a movie that is about making you think, making you ask the questions, and find answers for yourself.  It’s a thinking man’s (and woman’s) movie that puts your mind in overdrive and never lets up.  It doesn’t tell you the answers, but does give you the clues to decide for yourself.  Watch the movie in its entirety below, but don’t expect to be done with it when it’s over.  As the credits roll, it’s only the beginning…again.

Visit Matt Goodlet, Art on Facebook by clicking here! See Matt on Twitter by clicking here!  Check out Matt on Tumblr by clicking here!

See Casandre Elyse Medel’s website by clicking here!  Visit Casandre on Facebook by clicking here! (There’s GREAT music on her website too! Trust me!)

Visit Jimmy Humphrey on Facebook by clicking here!  See Jimmy on Twitter by clicking here!

Starring Matt Goodlett, Casandre Elyse Medel, Jimmy Humphrey, and Luna in Exile, Extras Theresa Plappert, Ethan Fleming, Groucho P. Trout, Jess McMillan, Kelli Baumgarten  Written by Matt Goodlett, Directed by Jimmy Humphrey, Edited by Jimmy Humphrey, Additional Crew Brandon Ingram and Conrad Newman, Original Score by Dennis Stein, “Bad Design” performed by Today the Moon, Tomorrow, the Sun, Produced by Birds of a Feather Films In Association with ieatpoop films