THE DATING D I E T
Derek Jarman, Are We Here Yet?
Anthony Paull
The young gays of our generation, sadly, we are so easy to forget. We’re too focused on being trendy, indie, hot, now, cool – we barely have time to take in a breath of today or tomorrow, let alone look backwards at the triumphs of our gay forefathers. It’s tragic, really.The life-work of painter, punk, poet, and filmmaker Derek Jarman – whose story is told in the in the revealing documentary Derek – premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. The gay media barely flinched, opting instead to complain the festival neglected to include enough independent films with GLBT content this year. But seriously, do we need another “queer” film featuring two straight actors bumping and grinding in the boondocks to move us forward, or will looking to the past advance us in the long run? I take the blame too. I understand how easy it is to shy away from the term documentary. Just mention the word and I flash back to American History Class, clutching my heart in despair after being told to eyeball another film on the Civil War or the shooting of JFK. War is bad. Shooting the president is bad. Even then I understood. Still, I neither wanted nor needed to see such a highly-regarded man as JFK being murdered at every feasible camera angle. Though somehow, the well-crafted story of Derek Jarman changed that line of thinking for me. Shortly after viewing Derek, I yearned to know the intimacies surrounding the much-too-short life of Mr. Jarman. What made him fascinating enough to inspire Chumbawumba to write a song in his honor? Why did he choose to cover up all those sexy men with ill-fitting cloaks in The Pet Shop Boys “It’s a Sin” video? Did he ever get close enough to smell Morrissey’s armpit when working with The Smiths? I guess that’s what superb documentaries are meant to do –challenge us to risk asking peculiar questions.Narrated by the equally haunting and arresting voice of Oscar-nominee Tilda Swinton, Derek (directed by Isaac Julien) follows the nearly visible ghost of yesterqueer film prophet Jarman through the industrial streets and green, green fields of his English homeland. Through intimate recollections, you feel Swinton genuinely believes she’ll discover Jarman around a narrow bend in the road or in the shelter of the timber cottage where he lived, created, and erected a beach garden. This lends the documentary an eerie edge, allowing the viewer to drown in the notion of living beyond the emptiness of sleeping forever in a rarely visited grave, of continuing to leave a mark even when hidden six-feet-below.An outspoken AIDS activist, Derek’s unabashed love for men, film – along with the endless possibilities hidden within mundane projects like gardening – transports the viewer to a vulnerable place where compassion for his disease feels fresh and genuine. Modern day gay pornography, with all its prickly pleasantries, seems boorish in comparison to the homoerotism, the gentle touch of the semi-nude male soldiers portrayed in Jarman’s directorial debut, Sebastiane (1975), a film depicting the life and death of gay icon Saint Sebastiane.Personal friend of Jarman, Swinton solemnly admits she’ll miss “the mess, the vulgarity, the cant, the edge” that defines Jarman’s work. Clips and candid interviews of Jarman speak to her testament, allowing audiences a glimpse of a painter who wasn’t afraid to make a muddled splash, of a filmmaker who never feared to tattoo himself with a taboo subject. Even when faced with his demise, fear never fills Jarman’s fiery eyes. His endless body of work – comprised primarily of avant-garde short and feature films, including the 1978 masterpiece Jubilee that follows Queen Elizabeth I traveling four-hundred years in the future – speaks of a man unafraid to speak loudly, even if his fellow directors cringe and turn a deaf ear. With hope, Derek will allow those in the gay and straight world a chance to recognize the importance of Jarman’s artistic stroke, the bold manner in which he colored outside the once narrow line. Like Swinton, maybe someday we’ll pause long enough to see the footprints of Jarman surrounding us.
Beauty of the Beat Writer
Anthony Paull
Like many literary masters, critically-acclaimed Naked Lunch author William S. Burroughs was an enigmatic soul riddled with contradictions. Born into an affluent family of Missouri inventors, he was Harvard-bred but held blue-collar jobs. He married two women – one Burroughs killed by accidental gunshot – but severed his pinky over love for a man. He was troubled by a history of drug addiction and loss, but had a crystal eye for the future.
Still, what do we truly know of Burroughs – the multi-faceted author who foretold readers about the rise of AIDS, widespread crack use, and plastic surgery? Just who is the man who spoke of being ‘queer’ before it became a universal language? Unraveling the mystery, 25 yr. old director Yony Leyser tackled the task by reviewing Burroughs social history in the documentary William S. Burrough: A Man Within.
Screening at North American film festivals, Within grants viewers a behind-the-scenes look at beat-writer Burroughs’ literary rise and drug-plagued fall through a series of exclusive interviews and celebrity conversations – including talks with John Waters, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, and Gus Vant – signifying his enduring impact on artists worldwide.
Recently, Leyser stopped by to answer a few questions regarding the experience.
Paull: Hi Yoni. Thank you for taking time to talk. What Burroughs’ novel most inspired you to chronicle his life work? And why?
Leyser: Well, I don’t think there was one novel. The first book I read of his was Naked Lunch. I thought it opened up new avenues of thinking. It was funny, outrageous, and I found it shocking that it had been written in the late 50’s when everything else I had read in that time-period was such crap. It still holds itself up as such a great critique of society, and it’s a great satire in regard to the bullshit government system we’re living in now and stuck and controlled by.
Paull: Burroughs used a nonlinear/cut-up technique to separate himself from other writers in Naked Lunch. What directing and stylistic techniques separate you from other documentary filmmakers?
Leyser: No person is a carbon-copy of the next. So hopefully, if you decide to make it in life as an artist, you’ll have some form of creativity. The techniques I incorporated were experimental animation techniques I’d learned while I was a student at CalArts, including wired-sculpture stop-motion and drawn-animation. Also, I included a combination of unseen footage in the film that his friends had given me, along with close-knit, intimate interviews with his closest friends. I looked for accuracy while maintaining the grittiness that was found in Burroughs writing.
Paull: Burroughs’ work as an exterminator inspired the title of one of his short story collections. Outside of the film industry, what personal work experience has helped you become an effective director?
Leyser: I don’t think any of my jobs assisted in forming my work on this film, except financially. I worked as a copy boy at Newsweek Magazine…a personal assistant to a wine executive…a bike messenger, and with various newspapers reporting on music…nothing too interesting. I didn’t want to be a bike messenger or a copy boy. These are jobs I took to financially support the film. I made my first documentary at the age of 16 about an obese carpet cleaner and his love affair with a crack prostitute. I’ve made documentaries and short films my whole life.
Paull: Through his life, how did Burroughs help develop queer culture?
Leyser: Burroughs was a pioneer of queer culture. Back then, people didn’t know gay people or ‘out’ people. He was gay when it illegal. He had a boyfriend when it was illegal. He wrote about it when it was illegal and no one else was doing it. He was a deconstructer of language and sexual identity, and I think he paved the way for what a lot of people have come to take for granted.
Paull: Burroughs short novel Queer took 30 years to find a publisher due to its centralized GLBT themes. From your experience, what kind of obstacles does a director face in modern times when attempting to produce a queer-focused film?
Leyser: Well, I don’t think it’s a queer film. It has elements of homosexuality and Burroughs was a homosexual, but I believe in deconstructing labels. Other than being labeled a documentary, I don’t know how many more labels could be attached to it. The GLBT audience is extremely important. I’m a big advocate of the community, but much more in my photography work, which focuses on transgender, queer, outsider punk. The film is a portrait of an intricate and dynamic man with so many different facets to him, and I think it’s a very important film for the GBLT community to see.
Paull: Within is laced with many celebrity conversations regarding Burroughs’ work. What seems to be the central characteristic about Burroughs’ writing that has so many celebrities enthralled?
Leyser: Again, in the 50’s and 60’s, Burroughs was a pioneer of rebellion, of anti-authoritarian, of deconstructing modes of creating art. That’s why they sought him out. Who else were they going to reach to? I didn’t include celebrities because of who they were. These are people who were friends with Burroughs. He was a huge influence on John Water and Patti Smith.
Paull: Ultimately, what surprised you the most about ‘the man within’ Burroughs that you had not known before undertaking this project?
Leyser: Wow. There’s just too much to say. That’s truly an impossible question. It’s too simplistic. There’s nothing that’s fact about Burroughs. There’s interviews and research. There’s nothing written in stone, and we don’t truly know who Burroughs was. I think people should watch the film, and I’d like them to be surprised at what comes out.
Mangus Director Brings a New Spark to Camp
Taking a cinematic road trip through the land of trailer parks and musical theater, director Ash Christian gives the world a fresh take on campy humor in his latest film Mangus. Starring comedic heavyweights, Jennifer Coolidge (American Pie) and Heather Matarazzo (Welcome To The Dollhouse), the film follows the story of an average teenager (Mangus) whose dream is to continue the family tradition of playing the title role in in the high-school production of Jesus Christ Spectacular. The only problem: the night of being cast, Mangus becomes wheelchair-bound, causing him to lose the part. Soon abandoned by a father deployed to Iraq, Mangus is whisked off to reside in a mobile home with his cougar mom and lesbian half-sister, who assist in his handicapped plight to resurrect his hope of playing Jesus.
Taking a nod to the John Waters’ handbook of filmmaking, Christian states his films aren’t cinematic masterpieces but clever movies that offer people a break from the real world.
Recently, Christian took a few moments to chat about his work.
Paull: Hey Ash. It’s been a few years since your first feature, Fat Girls. Where do you feel you’ve grown as a director?
Christian: Being older, I have more experience, and I’ve learned how people are in the business. I’ve also met a lot of actors, which enabled me to get Jennifer Coolidge and Heather Matarazzo for the film. Overall, I guess I’m just more aware of the business side of things.
Paull: Mangus has an ensemble cast of well-regarded comedic actors. How were you able to gather such an array of talent on an independent budget?
Christian: The script attracted them. It doesn’t matter about money anymore. As a writer, you just need to develop a script that attracts great actors.
Paull: How do you choose actors for your projects?
Christian: I have to be a fan of the actor. I love Coolidge. She cracked me up in Best in Show. Heather, I loved in Welcome To the Dollhouse. John Waters, I’ve been a fan of his work for years.
Paull: You’ve also acted quite a bit, particularly in musical theater. Was there a reason you didn’t cast yourself in the title role?
Christian: I got too old. I didn’t miss it. It was nice to avoid getting in hair and make-up everyday. It’s funny, because I’m currently playing an 18 yr. old in a Rob Reiner film, so maybe I could have done it.
Paull: Mangus takes on a campy, yet serious tone in regard to family dynamics. Was it hard to maintain a balance when writing the script?
Christian: I never wanted the script to be mean because it could have gone that way. It turned out to be a sweet movie about family and fitting in. Honestly, I just wanted to write a movie about a kid in a trailer park who wanted to be a star in a high school musical. Everything else added itself as I wrote it.
Paull: Earlier, you spoke of John Waters, who has a cameo in the film. How much has his work influenced you, and in what ways?
Christian: His movie made me want to make movies. I’m not the type of filmmaker that is interested in making pretentious cinematic masterpieces. That’s not where I want to go. I just want my audiences to have a great time, to give them an escape.
Paull: In Mangus, I enjoyed how you avoided making cheap shots against people residing in trailer parks.
Christian: I love that whole (trailer park) world. I was very cognizant to avoid making fun of anything. That’s not what I want to do. If the movie offends certain people, that’s cool, but I wasn’t trying to be subversive.
Paull: As a gay filmmaker, how often do you find your films being labeled as ‘gay’ even if they contain minimal gay content?
Christian: I think it’s a queer movie. Anything I write or direct will have a queer sensibility. Certainly, the actors in Mangus are gay icons.
Paull: What’s next for you?
Christian: I just finished post on a dark comedy called Petunia. It’s about a family sticking together through the rough stuff. It’s the first film that’s not based on my life in Texas but on my first relationship when I moved to New York.
Mangus
An Horse Knock Out Walls
Anthony Paull
An Horse lead singer Kate Cooper met her musical other half (Damon Cox) while working at a Brisbane record store. The discovery of similar musical interests led the Australian rock duo to after-hour store rehearsals where they began crafting a hard-hitting, signature sound. The result – a critically, well-received cd (Rearrange Beds) followed by talk show appearances and a two-year international tour opening for such indie heavyweights as Tegan and Sara and Death Cab for Cutie. Two years later, the band is back with its sophomore release, Walls – a gut-punching collection of songs with drum beats heavy enough to crack pavement. For a sound bite, think Go-Go’s with a double-shot of espresso or Hole sans the screams. With songs ranging on topics like family illness and the difficulty of being separated from loved ones, Kate says the album was written during a bout of loneliness when she relocated to Montreal. “I was missing everyone back home and feeling lost. With my girlfriend working and my friends away, I just wrote. I was really productive”To share more on the album, Kate took a few moments to speak with Anthony Paull.Paull: Musically, the new album Walls seems to hit with a harder punch than the first album. What inspired the album’s direction?
Kate: Well, Damon and I had been touring together for two years, and a lot of it reflects the crazy things that happened to us during that time.
Paull: There’s a song on the album called Brain that talks about an emergency brain surgery your mother had undergone while you were on tour. What was it like to share something so personal?
Kate: For me, I don’t think too much about what I’m writing about. Writing is a way for me to deal with things. So it was hard for me to share it, but it was also hard for me not to share it.
Paull: You and Damon (drums) met while working together at a record store. Originally, what sound did you want An Horse to project?
Kate: We didn’t reflect on it much. We were just two people who were working together that were frustrated with our other projects. I gave Damon a demo of 20 songs that I had worked on, and he came back with some suggestions, and we just began collaborating.
Paull: The band has an early 80’s post-punk sound. What bands inspire you?
Kate: There are a lot of bands, but there was a band in the early 90’s called The Spinanes. They were a big point of reference for me.
Paull: As an out lesbian, many of your songs reflect your struggles with intimate relationships with women. Is there anything too sacred for you to discuss in your lyrics?
Kate: I’m a romantic. I love to write love letters. A lot of our songs are about that, being separated from a loved one, being on tour. But yes, there are plenty of things I won’t sing about. I’m a very private person when it comes to my relationship. That’s why I keep the lyrics vague. That way, listeners can find something in the lyrics about them.
Paull: On your first album, Rearrange Beds, you state ‘this is a song for the one that I love. I haven’t met them yet, but I’m quietly confident’. Are you still living under the same motto?
Kate: No, I’ve met the person. You know, it’s weird. Sometimes, I feel like I’m write these songs, and I don’t know what I’m writing about it. And then, I go back and figure it out. It’s like I’m writing my own future. But anyway, I’ve found the person, and I’m quite stoked about that.
Take a Sound Bite Out of Grimes
Anthony Paull
On first listen, the ethereal musical offerings of Canadian indie rocker Grimes can startle even the more adventurous newcomer. There’s a slight imbalance to her ghostly voice, creating an eerie aura reminiscent of early Kate Bush. Listeners might liken Grimes to the creepy girl on the musical playground that makes the other kids want to play inside. Yet somehow, there’s something fantastic about her dark, airy numbers that should call the same kids out to dance in the rain.A musical chameleon, Grimes’ (aka Claire Boucher) most recent release (the Darkbloom ep) is an art flower broody affair with experimental instrumentation that would fit nicely on a space voyage soundtrack navigated by Bjork. Split with songs from fellow Montreal musician D’eon, Darkbloom recently garnered significant indie radio airplay with the single ‘Vanessa’, which combines Grimes’ babyish vocals with a lusty synth-piano beat. Horror film fanatics will take pleasure in the accompanying video that plays like outtakes of The Ring. Opening on a national tour for Lykke Li, Grimes plans to release a full-length album in the next year. She took a few moments to speak with Paull.
Paull: Hey Grimes. How have audiences been reacting to the new songs on the tour?
Grimes: Really well. This has been the best series of shows I’ve played. I think Lykke Li’s fans are really enjoying it. I thought people would just talk through the opening act, but it’s been really positive.
Paull: There’s a sturdy danceable backbone to the songs ‘Vanessa’ and ‘Crystal Ball’. Was that the plan for the new album to make people dance?
Grimes: I just naturally gravitate toward making upbeat music. I’m heavily into the percussion of a song. I like music that is fast and danceable. I used to make slower music because it was easier. Dance music is more fun for me.
Paull: Yes, there seems to be more optimism in the songs than previously heard on your 2010 album, Halfaxa. What inspired the new direction?
Grimes: I made ‘Vanessa’ and ‘Crystal Ball’ in the dead of winter. I think I was trying to cheer myself up. Whatever my music sounds like, it’s probably coming from the opposite sentiment.
Paull: There’s a bit of press about your vocal connection with Mariah Carey. Has her voice had much influence on your sound?
Grimes: I think that got blown out of proportion. I wanted to be a better singer so I used her voice as a tool to improve my vocal range. In the process, I really got into her music. She has a great catalogue.
Paull: With no history in music theory or notation, how do you develop the songs?
Grimes: When you’re recording in digital format, you don’t necessarily need to know music theory. When I write, I record immediately or I memorize it. That way, I can bypass notation. If I can’t remember it, I just write the notes.
Paull: How much influence did you have on the concept for the video ‘Vanessa’?
Grimes: I did everything except for being the director of photography. I directed, edited, and choreographed it.
Paull: The video’s style is reminiscent of a few recent Japenese horror films like The Ring. Was that planned?
Grimes: I don’t think that was the plan, but I like that you think that. (Laughs) I wanted it to have a J-pop feel and for it to look like a typical music video but for it to be uncomfortable and creepy. The song is vaguely about a girl from my elementary school from the Philippines who never talked to anyone. Recently, my friends and I tried to find her on the Internet, but we had no luck.
Paull: Tell us about your personal style. You’re known for having a broad range of fashion selections. At times, you appear like a forest nymph, and other times, an ice queen. How important is fashion in your stage show?
Grimes: I care about fashion a lot, but I have a weird disconnect with it. My personal style is just combat boots and shorts. I like to change my fashion like I like to change my music. I don’t like doing one thing. I get bored easily.
Paull: At times, your music plays like a soundtrack for a parallel world. What do you hope your music says about you?
Grimes: I want it to be emotive, yet on another level, I want it to be progressive and catchy. I want to make music that is diverse in what it references. I want it to be enjoyable, really. I think that’s the most important part.
Paull: What should fans expect to hear in the album slated for release next year?
Grimes: It comes out in January. It’s going to have Enya/Mariah Carey-type vocals with lots of black dicey glitch instrumentation. It’s a dance album, but I don’t want to reduce it to that. The production is very clean, and the vocals are high in the mix. It will be a more dynamic sound than previously heard.
An Horse
Grimes
Burroughs: A Man Within
Derek
