ART
you could show. Like Greek tragedy, and ask, “Did I see you on Channel 10 rain in a second, let’s use that. They’re
where it happens off stage. in a video film?” And I’d say, “Yeah, did digging a huge ditch here, they’re build-
Fluxion
This was the first film I’d made that had you watch the rest of it?” And they’d say, ing a bridge, a skyscraper downtown.
a script. It had all the techniques I’d “No, Magnum was on,” or something They would just go and do it, and before
learned at CBS as far as editing and like that. the cops arrived, they’d be gone. Small
issue
storytelling. It was as close as I could Lots of people say, “Oh yeah, I want to crew, set up, shoot, and run away. That’s
4
come to making a real movie. It was 55 make a movie,” but they don’t do any- the way the silents were made, and that’s
minutes long, and it took a year of filming thing about it. And those who do it are the way I like to make films too. I think
on weekends, then editing. However, I nuts. You’ve got to be nuts to say, “Hey, if I ever had money and a real crew, I
know that there’s absolutely no commer- it’s an incredibly foggy night, I’m going couldn’t do it that way. It all gets more
cial value for a videotaped movie. The to put the camera on a tripod and run complicated, which has nothing to do
only reason I do it is to make the movie. around in my back yard in my bathrobe with filmmaking.
so I can get the old flashlight-in-the-fog I think what I’m saying is that, while not
It seems to me there’s a sort of compul- scene.” Then later you can add some everyone can make a movie, if you want
sion. You get an idea, not necessarily a sound effects—the hooting owl, the cat, to make a movie, you can make one.
profound idea, but a kernel concept like the snapping branch. You film it first You don’t need the film commission.
the barking dog, and once you start, it and figure out how to use it later. That’s You don’t need the permits and a lot of
takes on a life of its own. the way silent films were made: Chaplin money. You don’t need a post house to
Yeah, I made a couple more films that and Keaton. Chaplin would never have edit. You can edit in camera. Nowadays
way, although without a script. a script, very rarely. He’d go out and you can edit on your computer. But if
they’d shoot and shoot and put the story you want to, go out and shoot it. All you
Also, other people get involved and together in the edit room. Here comes need is a camera and some support from
keep the energy going forward. the trolley, let’s go on that. It’s going to your friends.
I had an enormous amount of coop-
eration from people without whom I
couldn’t have done any of these films.
People are easily caught up in the
Bill HOlslAG
romance of it. Everyone identifies with
FilmOGRApHy
making a movie and wants to support you.
Yeah, if you have any kind of enthusi-
Cabbage, 1976.
asm, it’s totally infectious to most people.
Cabbages and sauerkraut
They think you’re insane, and they like
attack Boston.
the idea of going crazy for a while with
you. Mostly because they’re bored.
They Came from
They’re bored doing the same old thing
Beyond Velveeta, 1977.
every day.
Euell Gibbons and Amy
Vanderbilt battle a junk-food
So you do all this stuff and make a movie
invasion from outer space.
and… To what end?
Yeah. [Long silence].
Straight to Hell: A Bad
Because I truly enjoy telling stories. I like
Girl Gets Worse, 1978.
entertaining people. I hope I am. I hope
A farm girl enters the criminal
I’m not boring the crap out of everyone
underworld and attracts the
who sees these things.
attention of its glittering capo, Krimeczar. A love story.
It’s important for people to see it, right,
The Barking Dog, 1994.
even though… It’s not a huge disappoint-
A psychic murder mystery.
ment that more people haven’t seen it?
No, the satisfaction I get … Showing
Lightbath, 1995.
the film is the hardest part in the world.
Abstract cartoons; guided visual meditations.
Making the movie is the most fun.
When it’s over I always swear I’ll never
Suburban Voodoo, 1996.
make another one of these things again,
A sleazy Hollywood producer has visions of doom and does battle with an
because it takes so much time, a lot of
evil transvestite real-estate agent for his soul.
angst and head bashing, and basically
because I haven’t got the money to do it
Suburban Voodoo II: The End of the World, 1998.
the way I’d like to.
A sleazy Hollywood producer has visions of doom and does battle with a
Barking Dog actually aired several times
supernatural, evil transvestite real-estate agent for the fate of the universe.
on West Hollywood cable. I had a small
part in it, and people would call me up
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