THE END…A Thanks and a New Beginning!

And changed our name

by Lew Ojeda

Eight years ago, I co-founded this website with the hope of influencing, in some small way, how we look at movies and entertainment. I’ve long been a fan of the unusual in movies, music, TV and other media. The Underground Multiplex was to become an outlet for that expression and to give a voice to film independents often lacking in media. When we created content, we kept consciously in our minds the phrase “free media,” not just because we were not charging for anything we would have posted, but as a call for eliminating the restraints of corporatism on those creating content for the Internet and for larger screens.

During these years, we took every chance we could to get our message out. In so doing, we accepted tasks beyond our original intent of creating content and towards the goals of helping other creators get noticed and not get lost in the rush for the “brand new thing.” The life work of local artists, we felt, needed attention before the fog of obscurity hid them forever. Entertainment venues with glorious histories needed to be saved and those with sordid histories needed staff changes or to be closed.

We’ve hosted award-winning film programs centering on underrated, underappreciated and just plain bad-ass strange movies. We’ve presented primitive podcasts to give voice to independent artists and filmmakers, along with their admirers and tireless supporters. We’ve even attempted a radio comedy show and aired a few episodes.

We’ve accomplished a great deal, but I feel it’s also time to expand our reach, have a more concentrated approach with a fresh site and changes to what we do.

Our new website (currently under construction) and name will be THRILLO PAD PRODUCTIONS. The name comes from the location of where the two co-founders, myself and Tyler Pistorius, currently live.

Thrillo Pad Productions (TPP) will concern itself primarily with content production. Tyler is currently working on a short film and feature film. I am currently in post-production for the political comedy album, “Donald J. Trump: A Very White House Con Job.” My main concentration for TPP will be the production of “Vital Indie Media,” the vlog podcast centering on the unusual movies, music, TV shows and other ephemera in my collection. In the future, I will continue interviewing those who make a difference locally creating great art, music and movies.

So with this post we say goodbye to The Underground Multiplex and welcome to Thrillo Pad Productions. If you’ve been following us here on Facebook or on Twitter, please join us on our new Facebook page. We will announce there when the new website is up and running along with more social media connections so that you can join us in our further adventures!

It seems appropriate to make this announcement on Thanksgiving Day, because I give thanks to everyone who has made TUGM a great blog for the last eight years. Thank you all so very much and now let’s go on for many more years at Thrillo Pad Productions!

Michael Cohen Threatens Donald Trump (audio) NSFW

by Lew Ojeda

Well, Michael Cohen is guilty but he’s not going down without a fight. Audio from the upcoming comedy album “Donald J. Trump: A Very White House Con Job” NSFW.

BTW, your contributions on my bandcamp page can help us get this comedy album released sooner. Thanks!

https://lewojeda.bandcamp.com/track/michael-cohen-threatens-donald-trump

 

 

Anti-Trump Political Comedy Album Debuts on Wednesday and the Timing Could Not Have Been Better

From cartoonist David Rowe

by Legendary Lew

This coming Wednesday, July 18 marks the public debut of a comedy album I’ve been working on since February this year.

“Donald J. Trump: A Very White House Con Job” is the story of Trump’s rise and fall from White House power and glory. Taking the narrative approach of some notable political comics such as David Frye and Alen Robin, this album concentrates on Trump’s special relationship with Putin as the orange-haired reality TV show host lays waste to the nation.

I will be voicing Donald Trump, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Alex Jones, Steve Bannon (Peter Lorre), Richard Nixon and Hillary Clinton.

Joining me in this crazy journey are a talented cast of characters:
Co-producer and co-star Tyler Pistorius voices Vladimir Putin, Stacy Keach, Bernie Sanders, Barack Obama and Michael Caine.

Robert Danzinger, Madison Tustin, Michelle Zaladonis, Dustin Puehler and Matthew Weinstein round out the cast with their varied impressions of Jared Kushner, Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Don Trump Jr., Mike Pence and many others!

The album was first conceived after the release of the book “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House” by Michael Wolff. I knew I had to temporarily stop everything–producing Vital Indie Media and a new card game–to take on this project. This was, for lack better phrasing, a calling.

With each passing day, new complications ensued. The prominence of Stormy Daniels, elevated from footnotes to headlines; and with her, the sudden surge of Michael Cohen. Chaotic firings and resignations, continued displays of authoritarian maneuvers and gross incompetency, and the eventual emerging indisputable reality that, yes, Russia did try to interfere (and got unnervingly deep) all occurred during the album’s recording and post production.

Writing the narrative over the course of two months, I was concerned about whether the material would lose relevancy. To my surprise, the album to this day actually gained relevancy, as evidenced by the Trump-Putin meeting this weekend.

Come to Sinema Obscura on Wednesday night and see if you agree.

Sinema Obscura TV Party (s2e7)
Wednesday, July 18th 7pm (album set to begin 9pm)
The Logan Theatre Lounge
2646 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago

 

 

 

BREAKING SHOCKING! Google Assistant Hired to Set Up Murder for Cash

by Legendary Lew

TUGM has acquired audio of Chicago resident Brian Tarrup allegedly using the Google Assistant app for the contract killing of John Tarrup, his ailing father, for the purpose of collecting his life insurance payment.

Google Assistant Hires a Hitman

This is a breaking story with more details to follow. Brian Tarrup has not been available for comment on this case, but we will keep trying.

OPEN AUDITION for Donald Trump Satirical Comedy Album!

(Caricature by Donkey Hotey. Creative Commons)

by Legendary Lew

OPEN AUDITION for DONALD TRUMP POLITICAL SATIRE COMEDY ALBUM

Donald Trump political satirical comedy album being recorded on May 6th in a studio on Chicago’s west side. Looking for voice talent to record the characters listed below. A few of the voices are distinguished because of their familiarity in the media. Accuracy is important for the voices of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in order to propel the narrative of the comedy album forward. Actors should be 18 yrs. or older.

Some important points regarding this gig:

1 ) This is a non-paying gig. Sorry, I would love to pay you, but I’m an impoverished creator like so many others. What I can do is:

• Feed you well
• Reimburse you for reasonable travel within Chicagoland (CTA, Metra, gas for short drives, limited as far as suburbs. In other words, I can’t pay for any flights/Amtraks in/out of Chicago. Those will be on your dime.)
• Assure you that this will be a fun time with good people!

Here’s what’s required. **This is important**

1 ) You must be available for rehearsal here in Chicago on either Sunday April 22 and/or Sunday April 29. It would be best to be available for both, but just one is okay.2)  Recording in the studio occurs on SUNDAY, MAY 6TH.

YOU MUST BE AVAILABLE TO RECORD ALL DAY ON THAT DATE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS GIG.

The studio date cannot be rescheduled. The owner of the studio has been gracious enough to donate studio time to project and cannot postpone.

3) Talent releases required.

Comedy album working title is “Donald J. Trump: A Very White House Con Job”. The urgency of recording the album within a few weeks time is important to make this project relevant. This album takes the form of a narrative with the voices of Trump, Bernie Sanders, Stacy Keach, Vladimir Putin, The Obamas, Hillary Clinton, Alex Jones, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and many others. To get a sense of what the goal is, search You Tube for “Richard Nixon: A Fantasy” by David Frye. It’s the inspiration for this work.

I’m the co-founder of The Underground Multiplex and have recorded podcasts for years. Feel free to Google and check out the site.

If you are interested, send an email to lewojeda@gmail.com with TRUMP COMEDY in the subject line. (Otherwise, I may consider it spam). I will then give instructions on how to send an audio audition recording to my private email.  THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST!

DONALD J. TRUMP: A VERY WHITE HOUSE CON JOB
By Lew Ojeda
Copyright 2018 Lewis Ojeda

Preassigned voices

Donald Trump  — Lew Ojeda
Stacy Keach  — Lew Ojeda
Vladimir Putin  — Tyler Pistorius
Bernie Sanders  — Tyler Pistorius
Joe Kennedy III — Lew Ojeda
Steve Bannon  — Lew Ojeda
Notorious RBG (Ruth Bader Ginsburg)  — Lew Ojeda
Alex Jones  — Lew Ojeda
Richard Nixon  — Lew Ojeda
Michael Caine  — Tyler Pistorius
Biff — Lew Ojeda

VOICES NEEDED:

The following characters have had significant media exposure

Barack Obama
Hillary Clinton
Michelle Obama (getting this character’s voice “right” not as important as the above two)

The following characters have had less media exposure, so mimicking does not have to be “on the nose”

Type of characterizations requested follow each name

Jared Kushner
   Real estate owner, self-absorbed like a mini-Donald Trump, but not as overtly offensive. More like a entitled hipster

 Don Trump, Jr.
   Perky, yes-man to father. Constant sparring with Kushner for dad’s attention. Cheerfy quality.

Melania Trump
    Long-suffering almost sullen. Accented and interested in rich life more than politics

Ivanka Trump
     Spoiled and entitled daddy’s girl. Valley girl type

Betsy DeVos
     Clueless, entitled rich woman who gradually goes a bit mental from the stress

Mike Pence
      Vice President and Yes man to president. Overtly self-effacing to president, but really wants his job.

Stormy Daniels
     Although a porn star, important not to overdo her as a “bimbo”. Through interviews she is self-respecting.

Omarosa Manigault
     Business-minded woman invited as a staffer to Trump White House

Rex Tillerson
     Former CEO of Exxon Mobil become Sec of State

The following characters are extras and do NOT require specific vocal qualities

Mall Announcer
Retail Worker
Elevator Announcer
CNN Announcer
TV Announcer
Fox and Friends (3 announcers)
Group of Men
Bailiff
Sinclair reporters (male and female)
Jury Spokesperson
1st Student (Timmy)
2nd Student
3rd Student
Various students
ACTORS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE ON MULTIPLE VOICES IF POSSIBLE. Minor changes from one extra character to another are all that’s needed. You’ve definitely got this.

Vital Indie Media: Tugs Chooses the Best and Worst Movies of 2017

by Legendary Lew

Finally, after a long delay, Tugs The Seafaring Simian makes his full-throated debut on Vital Indie Media.

Tugs operates a tugboat hauling discarded DVDs, vinyl records, VHS and CDs around Lake Michigan and beyond. Saving sea life from choking on the petro waste, Tugs also seeks out collectors to relieve him of the huge haul. That’s where I come in for Vital Indie Media. I’m dedicated to presenting media discards along with new and unknown media treasures to our viewers.

Tugs does get the chance from time to time to see theatrical releases, so I’ve invited him onto this special edition of Vital Indie Media, just in time for the Oscars. Watch below as Tugs gives his his choices for the best and worst of 2017! (Possibly NSFW)

In Memoriam: Genevieve “Gene” Bowen

by Legendary Lew

I’m saddened to learn of the passing of important Chicago artist Genevieve “Gene” Bowen. The folks at The Underground Multiplex first met her while working on The Resurrection of Tristan Meinecke.

I found Gene to be a wonderful presence with great stories of working with Tristan Meinecke and her own stories of her artwork.

At the time of our meeting, she (at age 91), had already been a creative force in several media. Everything from paper to canvas to pottery to, most notably, large hunks of metal welded into different shapes and molds.

She also proved to be a great model for motorcycles, as proven by the promo photo above. Yes, she did ride fast cycles when she was younger.

Meinecke Art Space has a great page devoted to here located here.

I had the great pleasure of interviewing her about her life and work. In tribute to her life, work and graciousness, I’m re-posting my interview with Gene held in Noble Square on March 17, 2014.

Thank you, Gene! Chicago is greater because of you!

 

 

Vital Indie Media: The Crazy Ad Campaign of “PM Picnic” and the Legendary Talent Behind It

by Legendary Lew

Hello, everyone! Boy, this was a long time coming, but I finally have the next episode of Vital Indie Media up and running. Take a look at it!

BTW, this approach is the type I’m most interested in for future overviews of indie films, cult movies, TV shows and my vinyl records. Subscribe to the YouTube channel and support the effort! Thanks!

Chicago Film Community Members Launch an Initiative to Stop Sexual Harassment and Abuse in Local Productions

by Legendary Lew

A group of local Chicago media executives have come forth with an initiative to combat sexual harassment and abuse in local media. Among the

Called Chicago Media Standards, the statement challenges all industry professionals and institutions to take steps needed for a “ground-level shift” that would affect the entire business. What I really like about the statement is the acknowledgment that simply outing wrongdoers isn’t enough:

We have recently witnessed a seismic shift in acknowledging these issues (sexism, misogyny, discrimination), as an avalanche of allegations against power-brokers has revealed a system built on abuse. Unfortunately, none of the alleged conduct is unusual or even surprising. Many of us in the Chicago film industry are well aware of such conduct happening right here on our own sets, in our production offices, at our festivals, and in our schools.

We are better than this. We cannot allow this toxic culture to exist any longer, and we ask our peers to take a collective stand against the entrenched sexism and misogyny of our industry. This requires far more than just “calling out” or publicly shaming a few individuals for their distasteful conduct. We need to implement a ground-level shift in how we understand and deal with sexual harassment and discrimination of all kinds against all members of our community.

Change of this magnitude must happen both at an individual level and at an institutional level. Each of us must look inwards at what we can do personally, and outwards at what we can do through our organizations. And we must work together as a committed network of industry leaders to forge the way forward.”

The Underground Multiplex welcomes the letter and joins IFP Chicago, Full Spectrum Features, Open TV, Film Fatales, Zaxie, Black Apple Media, Stage 18 Chicago, and Percolator Films in the call for action to end the abuses.

The full statement can be read below. You can join their conversation at the Facebook page for Chicago Media Standards.

BREAKING: Roy Moore Taps Milo Yiannopoulos for Campaign

Roy Moore

Milo Yiannopoulos

by Ida Dunnett

Roy Moore, the Alabama Republican candidate for senate, has asked controversial “alt-right” celebrity Milo Yiannopoulos to campaign for him statewide. This comes just after a fifth woman came forward to accuse the embattled candidate of sexual assault.

“I don’t generally tap into young people,” Moore explained, “but I think this is a good opportunity to take advantage of what Milo has to offer my campaign.”

Yiannopoulos, who is openly gay, recently resigned from his senior editor position at Breitbart News after a video surfaced where he defended sexual relationships between 13 year-olds and adult men and women. Breitbart News, in contrast, has continued to support Moore.

Moore has also condemned homosexuality as a “crime against nature” and compared it to bestiality.

For his part, Yiannopoulos finds his involvement as a positive development.

“I think Roy Moore could be great influence on young people.” he said in a statement. “For teenagers, there’s no doubt Moore would be the perfect fit.”

When asked about the potential conflicts of having Yiannopoulos speaking on behalf of his campaign, Moore defended the decision.

“Milo knows he is sinful, which is something I wish all homosexuals would understand.” Moore stated. “He has the potential of bringing very young people into the campaign. The witch hunt against me by some Republicans are from the very old. Guys who’ve been there forever. I want them younger, much younger. I want them young.”

Moore is facing multiple allegations of sexual assault from women who claimed the abuses occurred when some of them were as young as fourteen years old. The candidate has denied the charges against him.

Should he win the election, Moore has promised a position for the provocateur.

“The first job he’ll have is to give the Senate office a makeover.”