I’ve long been a fan of John Waters’ trashy classic Female Trouble with its amazingly crazy dialogue and situations that still hold up today.
That’s why when I first heard the Mel Henke classic swinging lounge album “La Dolce Henke” (described as a Playboy Magazine on record), I knew his wild rendition of “All That Meat” somehow fit with the film.
It’s been a few years brewing in my head, but I finally decided to make my very first musical mix combining the two great pieces. This is my way of convincing John Waters’ and others that Female Trouble should indeed become his second musical.
It’s tough to know what to write here. On Thursday, I had just finished uploading and distributing a video about how we fell short of our goal of $820 and along come a couple of fantastic souls (one, a great pal Paskal and the other, an anonymous donor) to put us over the top.
Now, as of this writing, we’re at $1020, two hundred dollars over the top!
When we reached the goal, I was utterly speechless.
I believed for years that each person needs to find where he or she “fits.” I moved to the Chicago area 15 years ago believing this area was the place for me. Tonight, I’ve been proven correct. I have fantastic friends from across the country and even overseas. I do have to say, though, that people here in Chicago and the surrounding area have been really true to my heart. They came through for me in volunteering and being there for me. I give a special thanks too for the folks back in my home state area who remember me. All of you are truly a joy in my life!
And now, the task of building a show is on! In the next two months, we’ll be acquiring the equipment stated in the GoFundMe campaign, plus continuing production of Vital Media, Mediatrocities and (fingers crossed) upcoming book set for Dec 2017.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT! PEACE AND LOVE TO YOU ALL!
I’ve long been a fan of board games. Since I was a kid, I was crazy about them, and during the 1970’s, board game ads exploded on TV.
Board games are apparently making a comeback, as people feel the effects of social media/internet isolation and of working multiple jobs. I also believe that in times like these, where there are definitely factors out there trying to divide people, getting together for weekly fun is therapeutic. We need gatherings like this.
In this spirit, I’m proud to announce that The Thrillo Pad is experimenting with the idea of a weekly board game night. I have been recently acquiring more board games with a few aspects in mind:
They are not roleplaying games. I was never a fan of roleplaying games, as I personally feel they isolate newbies and those who have no interest in investing time and psychic energy into delving deeply into characters and their stats.
They are relatively easy to understand and play. A lot of guests (along with me) have limited time, so making sure that play goes smoothly will be important.
They are out of print. I’ve recently found some treasures that blew my mind. I found them cheaply and intact (there was one notable exception, but it was an amazing discovery for $1). I love the idea of sharing a game that’s exclusive to my friends.
They promise to be fun. Goes without saying.
I’ll be posting pictures here of new acquisitions. Here’s one for a game night coming up in the future. It’s long out of print, so you may have a very exclusive chance at playing. If you want to be a part of the fun, stay tuned with us at The Underground Multiplex. We’ll have updates of our game nights.
High-Bid, the fast-paced auction game
One of my recent acquisitions is the game High-Bid, an auction game from 3M, published in 1965.
More on this particular game, plus other out-of-print games in upcoming posts.
Legendary Lew is the co-founder of The Underground Multiplex. His work includes heading award-winning midnight movie screenings and promotions covered in Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Associated Press and other media outlets. He’s the host of the podcast “Mediatrocites” here at TUGM.
This is the current production equipment for The Underground Multiplex
by Legendary Lew
The Underground Multiplex is currently running a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for future programming.
We have a major need for a new laptop/PC; a 4T external hard drive (for achiving our videos and podcasts); and professional grade headphones for “Mediatrocities” podcasts.
All totaled, we came up with the modest sum of $820.00, an amount we hope to be able to receive by December 1st. The sooner we reach the goal, the sooner we can buy the equipment needed to continue our programming smoothly.
The picture you see above is my production equipment for The Underground Multiplex. No joke. I’ve been using a tablet with a broken interface for over a year now.
Any posts, podcasts, memes, etc. from The Underground Multiplex have come from this. In case you’re wondering, yes, I do use a magnifying glass to read my writing.
Over the last 6 years, we’ve been able to accomplish a great deal and to get some much needed attention for vital independent artists and venues. Here’s just a short list:
We first reported the crisis for The Portage Theater with our post, “Save the Portage Theater,” which was shared by Roger Ebert on Twitter.
Plus, we’ve recorded numerous episodes of “Mediatrocities,” our own podcast covering directors and other prominent figures in the independent movie scene.
We’ve had award-winning short films and features, such as Scumbabies and Sci Fi Sol shown in multiple cities and festivals such as CIMMFest.
We believe we have great ideas for indie programming in the future, plus I have every intention of continuing “Mediatrocities,” as I am committed to having indie film artists share their works and get a voice heard. In the ocean of the Hollywood’s publicity efforts, our indie voices are vitally important.
AS A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO DONATE, TUGM WILL PRODUCE A SPECIAL EDITION OF “VITAL MEDIA” AFTER THE CAMPAIGN, AVAILABLE IN PASSWORD-PROTECTED FORM . ONLY THOSE CONTRIBUTING TO THE CAMPAIGN WILL BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS SPECIAL THANK YOU EPISODE.
Thank you for your support! And keep tuning in!
GoFundMe link: click here.
Over the last few years, teachers unions in Madison, WI and Chicago, IL have been under attack from political forces with a privatization drive. Wisconsin governor Scott Walker fought for a right-to-work law, which union claim would undermine the power of collective bargaining guaranteed by law. Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel showed a consistent disdain for the Chicago Teachers Union from the moment he took office.
Documentary filmmaker Andrew Friend, an unapologetic supporter of teacher unions, created a new documentary recounting the struggles in Madison and Chicago over the last few years.
The film Schoolidarity is a reminder of what can be accomplished with collective action and what it means to be in a struggle for the long haul.
I interviewed Andrew via Skype for the latest installment of Mediatrocities. Give a listen and please comment and/or share with others!
This episode of Mediatrocities features Dylan Reeve, co-director (along with David Farrier) of the hit documentary, “Tickled.” You’ll want to give a listen, because you’ll learn something about me you’ve never known before. We talk tickling contests, strange festival happenings, lawsuits, abuse of power and what it’s like to be part of a male/male tickling community. By far, the most personal discussion I’ve ever given.
Mediatrocities is back! It’s been awhile due to moving to a new home for The Underground Multiplex (we’re now in the Bowmanville neighborhood), an accident that destroyed my laptop containing many of my media files, plus life in general for those in the arts who need several jobs just to survive.
But, we’re still doing it. My commitment to promoting media normally unseen by too many who believe entertainment begins and ends at Netflix is unwavering. You can be certain to find more podcasts in the future with those folks contributing to Chicago unique media richness.
To that end, I present an interview with Devon Freitag, one of the curators of the Global Girls Film Festival, a festival of international short films chosen by formerly homeless teen residents from The Harbor in Park Ridge.
The Harbour’s Global Girls Film Festival programs will showcase 13 diverse and empowering films from 10 countries. The New View program offers seven visually and emotionally rich films that have touched the residents who have selected them and will likewise inspire the audiences that view them.
In the Hold Your Breath program, the young curators from The Harbour treat audiences to a compelling mosaic of experiences ranging from a girl exploring her sexual identity to a family fleeing from domestic abuse.
Here’s a testimony from Ellyonna, one of the curators of the Fest talking about her challenges of being homeless:
Check out this unique film festival Friday at The New 400 in Rogers Park.
Screening info:
Global Girls Film Festival
Date: Friday, October 9, 2015
Place: The New 400 – 6746 N. Sheridan, Chicago, IL
Admission: $ 8.50; Free for residents of The Harbor
Friday at 7:00pm New View
The vibrant characters in these powerful and poignant short films may change your view of the world while facing some demons of their own. You’ll delight in Lila’s magical way of bringing joy to strangers, then take a touching look at a young girl living with Tourette’s Syndrome (Flying Anne) and celebrate the humanity of a brave teacher who protects a young Sikh boy from harm (Kush). New View features seven films from seven countries: Lila (Spain & Argentina), Drawing Angel (USA), Flying Anne (Netherlands), How to be Alone (Canada), Call her Lotte (Germany), Granddaughter (Argentina), Kush (India).
Friday 9:00pm Hold Your Breath (93min)
Sometimes, every choice we make seems like a drama. This program of suspenseful and beautiful short films shares stories of heroism and challenges that resonate with women from all walks of life. You’ll discover a secret as two friends talk about a blind date (Happiness) and explore the fragile bond between a mother and a daughter who has self-harmed (Emily.) Then meet a maverick story-teller who goes AWOL from the High Council of Fairytales (The Maiden & The Princess) before cheering on a family finally escaping domestic abuse (Just Before Losing Everything). Hold your breath features six films from four countries: Cut Off (France), Happiness (USA), Emily (Australia), Guida (Brazil), The Maiden and the Princess (USA), Just Before Losing Everything (France).
Tom Towles was an American actor who was born and raised in Chicago, IL. He passed away on April 5th, 2015.
He was a former U.S. Marine turned cult figure in the independent film scene with what is arguably his most iconic role as Otis Toole in the controversial John McNaughton classic, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.
McNaughton initially auditioned Towles for the role of Henry before asking him to play Otis. Towles had a background in improvisational comedy, which he used in playing the darkly comic character. His performance is instantly memorable and has become, in my opinion, a contender for one of the scariest performances captured on film. In the scene featured below, Otis and Henry are buying a color TV in the rear garage of a pawn shop. It is in this sequence where we see how casual Otis is in conversation, how quick he is to commit horrible atrocities, and even going as far as to take pleasure with a child-like glee. (Warning: The scene is disturbing and NSFW.)
Other credits include Miami Vice (2006), the 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead, and frequent collaborations with Rob Zombie with titles like House of 1,000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects, Halloween, and the faux trailer Werewolf Women of the SS.
TUGM will soon have a complete podcast of my interview with filmmaker John Rangel, director of The Girls on Liberty Street. He’s raising funds for a new independent feature called Remember Our Days set to be filmed in Aurora, IL. In this snippet from the interview, John and I discuss why it is that Hollywood characters can live way beyond their means and why audiences passively allow this ruse.
As with all Mediatrocities podcasts, this audio exchange is NSFW.
Head on over to Seed and Spark and support John’s quest for a workable budget. There’s 11 days left, so please spread the word! Support indie cinema!
TUGM is a community-arts organization dedicated to locally-produced transmedia.
What is transmedia? We like to think of it as:
VIDZ PIX TXT TRAX.
We advocate for independent artists and content creators. We produce live events to strengthen the local arts community. We also organize our own original transmedia productions.
Based in Chicago.
Shy, Ill 4EVA
Legendary Lew is the co-founder of The Underground Multiplex. His work includes heading award-winning midnight movie screenings and promotions covered in Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Associated Press and other media outlets. He’s the host of the podcast “Mediatrocites” here at TUGM.
by Legendary Lew
by Legendary Lew
The Underground Multiplex 