The Chicken Has Declared Jihad On Us All
June 15th – June 21st
Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead – The only bad thing I have to say about this Lloyd Kaufman directed film is that I’m angry that I missed the deadCENTER screening. The experience of seeing this one with a crowd (and with the legendary Kaufman in attendance, no less) is the only thing that could’ve possibly made it more enjoyable. At least I did get to see him at one of the deadCENTER panels. Maybe I’ll run into him sometime in the future…
As Sarah suggested, this would make a great double feature with Richard Linklater’s take on Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation. FFN is a great book and really important to me. While I do appreciate Linklater’s film version, Poultrygeist was a truly brilliant interpretation of Schlosser’s book. The Troma people do a remarkable job of living up to what truly is gory subject matter. And the movie just also happens to be fun as hell.
I particularly liked the two leads, Jason Yachanin and Kate Graham. They brought a goofy boy and girl-next-door feel to the film that looked all the better once they were covered in all manners of horrific ooze. They brought a charisma to the movie that I honestly wasn’t expecting. I enjoyed the musical numbers quite a bit and would have welcomed a little more development on that front. And, of course, the low-budget special effects were absolutely wonderful.
Although now I do feel a strong desire to incorporate a penis monster, some manner of dismemberment and/or a car flipping & exploding into all future home movies. Those Troma touches, whether they’re knowing gestures or money-savers, really make the movie.
And while Poultrygeist is offensive, it’s certainly not mean. The distinction is an important one to be made. It’s why “clean” comedy doesn’t ultimately work (at least with a sophisticated adult audience). You kind of have to be offensive. It’s also why political conservatives aren’t funny. They don’t know how to be offensive without being mean.
I loved this one so much that I had to watch the Director’s Commentary the next day. While the commentary was both hilarious and insightful (and, at time, wonderfully bitchy), the thing that struck me the most was learning that Lloyd Kaufman’s wife, Pat Swinney Kaufman, was the executive director of the New York State Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development. Wow. And besides the Troma gig, which he’s been at for 35 years, Lloyd also chairs IFTA (Independent Film and Television Alliance). They both obviously share a strong passion for this thing called film and they’re both very much doing something about it. They are truly an inspiration.
For more, check out recent podcast interviews with Lloyd Kaufman by Elvis Mitchell on The Treatment and Aaron Hillis at GreenCine Daily (which includes a shout-out to the deadCENTER gynos).
Colossus: The Forbin Project – Sentient computers are scary. Especially when said sentient computers join forces with Soviet sentient computers during the Cold War. They’re even scary when they promise to end all wars and ultimately save humanity.
This film, I think, has a lot to say about nationalism and the consequences of a globally connected world. Perhaps man is intent on destroying itself no matter the extent of technology. It seems to be our shared destiny.
Just watched Poultrygeist last night so it’s fresh in my mind, too. I didn’t know it was possible for a film to actually be MORE offensive than Pink Flamingos, but P.G. did it. I agree with Sarah that Uncle Lloydie is bloody brilliant. I’m actually a little intimidated by him now. He’s kind of a genius.
I’m actually glad I saw it in the privacy of my own home and not at the deadCENTER screening. I was not even remotely prepared for just how offensive it was… Wow. I am not at ALL easily offended, and I wasn’t really personally offended, but it still kind of shocked me.
I completely agree with your point about political conservatives. Kaufman wasn’t being mean at all… but my previously stated point about thinking that he wants to screw any woman who comes within 5 feet of him still stands, only now I believe it with even more fervor.
I think Kaufman would probably screw any woman, man, or beast if it would help him get one of his movies made. And beyond that, I’m almost certain that whoever he screwed would feel privileged for the opportunity. That’s a charisma that only a select few possess. I’m impressed. Slightly appalled, but no less impressed (sentiments I share for Pres. Clinton). Perhaps I’ll be taking notes tonight.
I mentioned this to both you and Kathy, I think, but Kaufman reminds me a lot of John Waters. Is some of the material offensive? Sure. But in an almost childishly joyful way. Much like Waters, Kaufman seems to celebrate what makes each of us freakish in some way (we’re fat, we wear a burka, we screw chicken carcasses), rather than judge it. Like you mentioned, it’s never mean.
And the abundance of boobies just seemed to me like another long-running gag that’s present in this ouevre. You kind of have to have boobies, just like you have to have green slime, buckets of blood, and an exploding car. I picked up on a strong undercurrent of irony with all of it. Besides…there was almost as much male ass and junk on display as there was boobies.
I can’t believe how much I enjoyed Poultrygeist, and how not offended I was (I can be pretty sensitive). I worried that I might find not only a lot of misogyny, but a lot of easy, mean-spirited fat jokes (this was something I really worried about after learning that the subject matter was the fast food industry). I really had no complaints with it, though. I actually do get the sense, especially after listening to the commentary track, that Kaufman respects women (his wife kind of sounds like a badass). And is it weird that one of the things I noticed, and that was actually a positive for me, was that there were a couple of heavier girls being objectified right there along with the skinny ones? I don’t know why that endeared Kaufman to me, but it did.
Oh, and Dwight – remember that day when Dexy became self-aware?
It certainly throws a wrench in one’s life the day you find out your dog can read lips.
I noticed the heavier girls too. I hate that these are even things that I should notice. But as Kaufman said at the panel, the movie industry is racist and sexist and homophobic. It’s a fact.
For me, one of the most endearing things was the guy in the wheelchair. Some movies would play it just for a mean-spirited laugh. And, dare I say, most movies (or at least TV shows) would probably either just hide him in the background or present some version of the “oh, look at the handicap guy, isn’t he courageous and special and wonderful…god works in mysterious ways” crap. THAT is offensive. In this movie, he was treated (I thought) more or less like the other actor-persons (I’m working on incorporating more Lloyd-speak into my everyday vocabulary).
BTW, I do appreciate the irony in pointing out endearing moments in a film such as this. It’s ridiculous I know.
Hah! I can’t wait to tell Uncle Lloydie tonight about how endearing I found Poultrygeist.
Heavier women are hardly ever seen as sexual beings in the movies (or TV, or books, or anywhere, for that matter). When they are, it’s either as a target of ridiucle, or as some weird fetish. So this was so refreshing to me, to see nekked women that weren’t every last one skinny, with long legs and perky little boobs. Once you look past the fact that yes, there is all this female flesh on display, it’s weirdly empowering. Boobs on display aren’t inherently offensive to me…showing me only one type of boobs, and implying that this is the only correct and sexy way for boobs to look, is.
Strangest Monday afternoon conversation ever…
Your dog can read lips?!?!?! I’m impressed!!! (side note: I have a themed Halloween costume idea that might involve borrowing one or more of your dogs… if you’re cool with that. Um, yeah
).
Really good points on both your parts! You both noticed things that I didn’t. Yes, I did notice the heavier girls right along with the skinny girls in the extended choreographed lesbian musical number.
I really enjoyed the “childishly joyful” tone of the film as well, especially in all the musical numbers… did you notice how every time Wendy ran off anywhere, she would flamboyantly and ridiculously flail her arms and legs about? It was brilliant and hilarious.
I hope there won’t be very many people there tonight, but I’m sure there will be. (*crosses fingers*) Dwight, are you going to be taking notes on how to more effectively get action screwing beasts?
I suspect this will be the most packed Isis will have ever been. It’s such a small place, anyway. I hope they’re ready!
Honestly, a big part of why I’m going tonight is just to go to Isis again. We went through a big Isis phase a few years ago, where we went at least once a week..usually after Galileo’s poetry slams. Then we would have our own poetry slam at Isis, in the pillow room. Good times…
And what’s the costume idea?
The Neverending Story theme. I’m going as the Childlike Empress this year even if it’s just me, but it would be a great theme thing and you could have like 10 people all dressed up!!! It would be a great cast!
I’m trying to get Wes to go as Atreyu (he’s got the hair for it!), but he’s really adamant about being an asian prostitute so that probably won’t happen (so I’m taking Atreyu applications)… re: borrowing your dogs – Nanook would make a great Falcor and Dexy would make a great Gmork! If I could get enough people to go along we could also have Bastian, and, and, and…
I tried to convince Jared to go with me dressed as Atreyu the other day, and we were going to have Pinto be (mini) Falcor and Elmer be (mini) Artax… I was going to make Elmer a mini-saddle and everything, but I would probably have to slip Jared some hard drugs to get him to EVER dress up for Halloween as anything, so that ain’t happening.
Is Falcor the big, cuddly flying creature that the kid rode? That’s so Nanook.
You got it! I KNOW! Nanook would be PERFECT!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e3/Nes_falcor.jpg