We are celebrating Christmas with our own Advent Calendar. Over the next few weeks we will each be watching a different Christmas related film every night and sharing our thoughts on Facebook. You can keep up with our festive marathon by following us on Facebook and using the hashtag #Shempmas . Every night we will each share a new poster and discuss why we've chosen it, and we invite you to join the conversation. Merry Christmas to you and we'll see you on Facebook!!  John Lee is eyeing a Summer shoot in Oregon. With the success of Netflix's Pee-wee's Big Holiday last month director John Lee has been selected to helm the upcoming Caddyshack remake, which is slated for a 2017 release. The all-new cast is here. George Clooney was the first on board and will be co-producing the film alongside Ghostbusters creator Ivan Reitman. Clooney will be stepping into the role of the prudish Judge Smails (originally played by Ted Knight) with former SNL great Jon Lovitz assuming the role of Al Czervik (the looney millionaire played by Rodney Dangerfield). For the lead role of Danny Noonan (the caddy originally played by Michael O'Keefe) the producers turned to Dylan Sprouse whose most notable roles have been alongside Adam Sandler in Big Daddy and Disney's The Suit Life of Zack and Cody. Kentucky-born comedian Billy Crank beat a multitude of hopefuls at a recent nation-wide audition process for the role of Carl Spackler, the dopey ex-military groundskeeper character made famous by Bill Murray. Reitman stated in a recent press release "Replacing Bill (Murray) is a tall order and we strongly felt that whoever plays Spackler would need to be a newcomer with nothing to lose". Crank is well known in his home state of Kentucky for his Ernie Worrell character (the son of Ernest P Worrell) but he is relatively unknown to the rest of the world. Warner Brothers are currently in discussion with Kevin Hart, who they hope will take on Chevy Chase's beloved Ty Webb character. Although negotiations are still ongoing reports coming from the Warner camp suggest that Hart is expected to sign. The Caddyshack remake has endured a long development process. Original director Harold Ramis passed away in 2014 leaving the project in limbo until long-time friend Reitman stepped in. While it is yet to be confirmed, original cast members Michael O'Keefe, Chevy Chase and Brian Doyle-Murray are rumoured to have cameo appearances. No word yet on whether Bill Murray will have any involvement with the remake. We reached out to Warner for further comment and were told that more announcements will be made in the coming weeks. April Fools!
by GLENN COCHRANE | FAKESHEMP.NET
Anyone who follows FAKESHEMP.NET, or listens to our podcast, will know that we have a strong affection for filmmaker Albert Pyun. You will also know that he has struggled with a degenerative condition for the past several years. Today that condition got the better of Albert and he has released the following statement.
Here is the definition of what is affecting me. I have been fighting it to with my drive to make movies but yesterday it was clear to me I have degraded to far, and I could not overcome the disease. My dementia had progressed to the point I have lost to much brain, to much of me. The definition:
Cerebral atrophy is a common feature of many of the diseases that affect the brain. Atrophy of any tissue means loss of cells. In brain tissue, atrophy describes a loss of neurons and the connections between them. Atrophy can be generalized, which means that all of the brain has shrunk; or it can be focal, affecting only a limited area of the brain and resulting in a decrease of the functions that area of the brain controls. If the cerebral hemispheres (the two lobes of the brain that form the cerebrum) are affected, conscious thought and voluntary processes may be impaired. He continues... Even I cannot make any more films because the Dementia progressed quicker than I thought possible. I will always consider it my final creative effort as a filmmaker. I know all of you are disappointed, none more than I. I so wanted to bring the talented cast and crew to the world's attention. They made my last days as a filmmaker so satisfying and a joy. But they diseased has truly dimmed my brain to the point I can no longer fight it. It's robbed me of everything. My ability to think, walk and even 
My poster design went through at least 20 versions before we settled on the final one, and a few months later I found myself flying to Las Vegas to attend the world premiere at the Pollygrind Film Festival. Being picked up at the airport by Cynthia was a surreal experience, although not nearly as surreal as sitting in Albert's living room and discussing cinema with him. He invited me to ride-along on a cinema sound check with him and composer Tony Riparetti. I regret declining that offer but I was going on 40+ hours sleep deprived and was desperate to hit my hotel bed.
A few days later and we were seeing the film for the first time. It was a well-attended screening and the audience response was great. Unbeknownst to me I was included in the festival's awards ceremony. I received an award for 'Best Key-Art' for my poster design. To receive such acknowledgement for work associated with the legendary Albert Pyun is insane!!
And there it is folks - LEGENDARY! I could go on and on about my own experience with Albert, but lets focus on him. What a legend! Albert is the man who gave us THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER, CYBORG, RADIOACTIVE DREAMS, NEMESIS and MEAN GUNS, amongst others.... MANY others. In fact he has over fifty films to his name (in thirty years, I might add). He is a filmmaking renegade of independent cinema. He has worked with the best in Hollywood, and he is responsible for countless success stories. Of all the directors I have known, few are as focused, determined and passionate as Albert. I might add that few are as open with their fans, which for better or worse, was one of Albert's foibles. He let everyone in on his creative process and he would vet his ideas to fans. Sadly a lot of people misunderstood this process and Albert put himself in a position to be criticised. Nevertheless he is a resilient man and took all opinions on board. That's just the way he did things and he was passionate about using social media to engage with the people he had been working for - the audience.
FAKESHEMP.NET moderates Albert's official website and I invite you to pay a visit. Take a look at the incredible work that he has churned out over the past three decades and read his story. The 'about' section chronicles a fascinating career and provides a compelling window into his life.
And of course there are the wonderful videos that Albert recorded for FAKESHEMP.NET. We were proud to present a six-month-long series of Pyun screenings in Melbourne, which featured twelve of Albert's films. For each screening he provided a video presentation, along with several of his various cast members, and gave insight into the film's productions and their back stories. You can find these videos in our Videos/Pics section or our YouTube Channel, as well as on Albert's website. Here are two of my favourites.
And with that I encourage you to drop by Albert's Facebook Page to send him your well-wishes. He is a one-of-a-kind filmmaker who's been dealt a shitty hand. Send your love to Cynthia too, because she is Albert's rock. The illness has taken an almighty toll on her and she could really use your love. And finally... lets talk. Drop us a line in the comments section below and lets talk about the films of Albert Pyun. WE LOVE YOU ALBERT. Look after yourself, mate. xx   All good things must come to an end, and so the time has come to say goodbye to another stellar year of the Melbourne Underground Film Festival. And what a year it’s been. It has easily been one of their best years yet with a program of boasting outstanding and provocative independent cinema. Jarret and I arrived nice and early, in time for the closing night trivia. Being so early in the evening the attendance for this competition was reasonably low, but that bared no relevance to the fun that was had. Talk about “FakeShemp represent”. After two rounds of trivia, which lasted about an hour, Jarret and I swept up the accolades by coming first (myself) and second (Jarret) with only a hair’s breadth between our scores. A few more people filtered into the theatre and it was time to watch the first feature for the night. We were treated to a strange Turkish documentary called REMAKE REMIX RIPOFF, which served as a retrospective look at the copy-cat films of the Turkish film industry throughout the 70s and 80s and how they cloned everything that was popular in Hollywood. It was a strangely compelling and highly amusing look at an industry of cinema that I knew existed once upon a time but never gave much thought to.  Following that film the doors opened and the room filled up quickly. Everyone was along for the world premier of Tim Spanos’ latest opus SIZZLER 77. It was a buzzing atmosphere with the sound of bottles clinking and the hum of people talking. Spirits were high and all of the faces from throughout the festival had grouped together to send the festival out with a bang. And then there was SIZZLER 77, an outrageous and hysterical comedy set in the back streets of Melbourne during the late 70s. The crowd response was great and the film’s humour hit all of the right spots. It was brilliantly written, fully self-aware and acted with the right amount of insanity. It tells the story of a new pimp in town and the two detectives determined to bring him down. With every conceivable retro centric pop-reference thrown in to the mix it also serves as a nostalgic and edgy satire with a huge amount of appeal. Stay tuned for my review. And so with the MUFF16 program at a close there was only one thing left to do and that was to announce the winners of the MUFF Awards. Festival director Richard Wolstencroft graced the stage alongside Hussein Khoder and Reilly Archer-Whelan to announce the MINI MUFF winners. Richard then called filmmaker Jon Hewitt to the stage to announce the various feature length winners. These awards included best screenplay, best director, best cinematography, and of course best film (amongst others). Amongst the winners was FakeShemp.Net's Jarret Gahan who took out the tied award for BEST DOCUMENTARY. This is where I take a moment to indulge in some personal acknowledgement. To see my brother-from-another-mother scoop up this award was a sincerely amazing moment. I've witnessed the hard work he has put into the film and watched it come to life over the past couple of years. I honestly couldn't be prouder. Jarret has been a fundamental asset to FakeShemp.Net and he can now proudly call himself an award winning film maker. Congratulations brother. "Outstanding!". 
A massive congratulations to all of the winners from the three of us here at FakeShemp.Net. We've attended the festival for many years and we feel strongly about 2015 being the most solid year yet. There was a greater focus and overall cohesiveness to this year's event and the quality of selection was outstanding. The festival boasted a vibrant collection of films with some being edgy and provocative and others that edged their way towards the mainstream without spilling over into a pool of wankery. Following the awards Richard was taken off guard and told to halt the proceedings. Actress Kristen Condon then took the stage and surprised him with an award for Best Festival Director. Unbeknownst to him, a collective of festival supporters (us included) had planned to bestow this upon him to recognise his contributions to independent cinema. Over the past sixteen years he has provided an invaluable platform for indie filmmakers (new and old) to exhibit their work to audiences. He has given them an opportunity to showcase their work, where other festivals have denied them. MUFF represents the TRUE essence of indie cinema and has, in turn, served as a springboard to help propel a whole lot of notable filmmakers to success. The MUFF alumni include directors such as James Wan (Saw, Insidious, Furious 7), Patrick Hughes (Red Hill, Expendables 3) and Zak Hilditch (These Final Hours) amongst others. A bunch of filmmakers from present and past took to the stage to congratulate Richard and share their own stories and thoughts on the festival. It was a stunning way to close the 16th Melbourne Underground Film Festival (the festivities continued in the VIP room for a raucous after-party. But what happens behind closed doors, stays behind closed doors).  A massive thanks to Richard and MUFF for inviting us along as media partners and allowing us to curate our own evening. It has been an honour and we are proud to have provided a running commentary to the whole damn thing. On to MUFF 17!   The second to last night of the festival proved to showcase one of this year's most confronting and challenging films. Jarret and I met up early for a bite to eat before making our way to the Backlot Studios, where we caught up with a few festival regulars. Drinks were served freely and our Friday night was looking good. We sat in the cinema with absolutely no preconceptions of what to expect. The film was called NINA FOREVER and such a title leads to all sorts of connotations. The lights dimmed and from the first frame it was clear that we were in good hands. The film immediately boasted a high standard of production and sound design. The story began fairly conventionally with an unlikely relationship forming between an outsider girl and a grieving man, who recently lost his girlfriend in an horrific accident. The film has this effective way of lulling you into a false sense of familiarity before it makes an abrupt about-turn and descends into a macabre and perverted tale of resurrection, necrophilia and sexual exploits. It's as equally confronting as it is beautiful and almost 24 hours later it is still plaguing my mind. Definitely worth your time. Once the final credits rolled the audience left the cinema in a sort of uneasy silence. The film had infected everyone and time was needed to process what had just been seen.  Next up was Daniel Armstrong's debut feature film FROM PARTS UNKNOWN: FIGHT LIKE A GIRL. By now most locals in-the-know are aware that this film had a lengthy and arduous production and was actually released AFTER his second feature film, MURDERDROME. We had Daniel on our podcast late last year to discuss both films in detail. Click right here to have a listen and get yourself up-to-speed on his work. Unfortunately Jarret and I have other commitments, which meant that we were unable to hang around for this screening. However, having seen the film I have no doubt that the audience lapped it up. It's a local independent gore-fest that deserves support and compliments the Melbourne Underground Film Festival perfectly. And so there's only one day left... closing night of MUFF16 has a lot on offer and we will be back to report on all of the unruly shenanigans.  I woke up with a swollen uvula (I don’t recommend it) and spent the greater part of my day feeling as though I was being strangled and suffocating. Sadly this meant that I was unable to attend the final night of MINI MUFF. To say that I was disappointed is an understatement and I will be putting the world out for guest writers. If you were in the audience for Sessions 5 and 6 of MINI MUFF and would like to write an article recapping the evening, then please get in touch. Our email tab is at the top of this page. From all accounts it sounds like it was a near full-house and an amazing night. I am sorry to have missed it and cannot wait to read all about it. Please get in touch.  Sadly we were unable to attend the MUFF events at Howler on the Wednesday night. The line up conflicted with our own screening at The Backlot... and so we would like to thank Gregory Pakis (no stranger to MUFF) for take notes on the night and providing us with the follow coverage. Muchas gracias amigo!! - Glenn. MUFF 16 Night 6 began at a handsome bar/restaurant converted from an old wool shed, hidden back off a main road in Brunswick now called Howler Bar. Actually, the night began with a free beer from sponsor Pistonhead, before we were herded into the stylish back screening room to watch NORTH CIRCULAR ROAD, an Irish suspense thriller about a haunted house that resembled “The Sixth Sense” (1999) with more than just the big twist at the end. After another free Pistonhead beer, we were flown to Bali, in local film maker Jamie Wilson’sCOME BACK MR BULE; a documentary which laments why less Australians are visiting the warm hospitable Bali, and that the general perception generated by Australian media reports that Bali is unsafe, is mostly untrue. “Come Back Mr Bule” works best as a love letter to Bali from Wilson, who has visited the city several times before making the documentary. After quickly gulping another Pistonhead beer, we were back in the screening room to see I AM EVENGELINE by another Australian film maker, Christine Rogers. Set in a mythological city, “I am Evangeline” echoed Blade Runner with its central protagonist, a runaway clone, which tries to extend the length of her own existence. The night ended with more Pistonhead lagers passed around as patrons mingled with the filmmakers. I was also lucky enough to be shouted a burger and chips by the formidable MUFF festival director, Richard Wolstencroft! - Gregory Pakis.  The sixth night of the festival saw the events split across two venues. This was obviously problematic for several reasons. Firstly it divided the attendance and forced people to choose between screenings and secondly it meant that we weren't able to provide full coverage of the night. The Howler Bar was hosting the films NORTH CIRCULAR ROAD, COME BACK MR BULE and I AM EVANGELINE. These are all films I was every excited to see, but was unable to attend due to our own screening. We would hate for these three films to go unmentioned in our MUFF DIARY and so I would encourage you to click on those titles and check out the interviews we did with the filmmakers. From all reports they had a brilliant turnout. Richard mentioned a near sell-out crowd (roughly 200 patrons), which is absolutely amazing. HUGE congratulations to each of the filmmakers. I will be making an effort to watch each film as soon as possible and will share my thoughts with you. Because I was unable to attend their screenings I put a call-out for guest writers to cover the night for us. At this point I have had no responses but if you were at those three screenings and would like to share your thoughts with an article (not unlike this one) then we would LOVE to include it. And so on the other side of town at The Backlot Studios, we found ourselves with a much more modest attendance (smaller venue), but a good one and an enthusiastic one. Some had come along to eagerly witness Albert Pyun’s ROAD TO HELL while others were curious about Shane Ryan’s MY NAME IS A BY ANONYMOUS. Following some drinks and mingle-time at the bar we all filed into the cinema. I stood at the front and welcomed everyone and proceeded with my introduction. With a few Pistonhead Larger beers in my system I cannot entirely recall what I said, but it was all documented on camera and so that will be revealed very soon. With a huge cheer for Albert we got the ball rolling with an exclusively recorded video message from the man himself. Joined by his wife Cynthia (who is also his writer and producer) they thanked everyone and gave some insight into the film itself.  The film rolled and from what I could gauge, the audience responded really well. I was unsure how the film would go down. I know that in my own mind it is a stunning one. One that is surreal, nightmarish and very experimental. Such a film is bound to be divisive but after the end credits rolled we all met in the foyer and shared our thoughts. The response was overwhelmingly positive. One person described the experience as ‘transcending’ while another called it ‘trippy’. If my recollections serve me well I believe I mentioned in my introduction that the film had imperfections and that these were what made it so wonderful. It showcases a filmmaker with his heart on his sleeve, in a truly raw and visceral way. Many people later told me that they agreed with that assessment. And so the world premier of the final cut of ROAD TO HELL is done and dusted. It plays so well on the big screen. It looks stunning and it sounds amazing. Michael Pare commands the screen brilliantly. The music is awesome and the entire surrealistic landscape is overwhelming.  Following a twenty-minute interval everyone filed back into the cinema to watch a very different sort of film. One that proved to be incredibly polarizing. I introduced the film and shared some back-story into Shane’s work, and thanked everyone again. The cinema lights dimmed and the audience were treated to another exclusive introduction. Shane thanked everyone and then told his story of what inspired the film, where his mind was when making it and how the public has received it. It was a personal and informative introduction and we will definitely be sharing it with you online soon. The film played to a stunned audience. Once the film ended everyone made their way outside for drinks and smokes. It was a strange mood that rippled amongst us. Some had responded to the film very positively and found it to be a confronting, earnest and thought-provoking experience while others down right hated it…. I couldn’t have asked for a better reaction! This is the precise division that Ryan’s films attract and this is what makes him such an important and dangerous filmmaker. His work is challenging and demands a reaction. Having the opportunity to screen it to an audience has meant the world to me and I hope to be able to showcase more of his work later down the road.  And so it was. Another night of MUFF16 is done and our exclusive FakeShemp.Net event is over. Thank you to Richard Wolstencroft and the Melbourne Underground Film Festival for allowing us to take over the event for one night. I am thrilled with the reactions and feel that we have presented two films that truly embody the spirit of MUFF. Raw, audacious, confronting and controversial. That’s what it’s all about after all, right?   Wow. I'm ploughing through the MUFF program and getting it done (like a boss). Night number four was another round of shorts at Howler. I arrived early and ventured in to hang out with Richard and Hussein. Everyone’s spirits were high and so far the festival has been travelling brilliantly. I was the first into the cinema and made myself comfortable in one of the kooshy booths at the back. People started filing in and before long the room was swelling with movie-goers. MINI MUFF had managed to pull in another near-full attendance, which I thought was insane considering that it was a Tuesday night (obviously I don’t get out enough). The lights dimmed and the films began to roll. The mood of the program was entirely different from the previous night with this selection of shorts taking a much more serious and sombre tone. This was bad news for me because my tolerance for short films rarely exceeds the five-minute mark and the more serious and arty they become, the more pretentious they feel to me. Don’t get me wrong, there’s an important place for dramatic short films but my own penchant leans more towards sharp witty comical stories with a solid punch. And so sitting through twenty or so dramas felt more taxing for me than it should have. There were a few little comical stories thrown in for some measure of balance but the rest were more or less art pieces. Here’s a run-down of the top five films that definitely did resonate with me. THE LOCKER CLEANER – A very amusing documentation of a man who lives to clean lockers. CUSP– A story about two small-town outsiders who make an unlikely pact. CHARLIE – A dark and disturbing story of an lonely old man who is tormented by local degenerates. ROOKIE MISTAKE – A comedy about the delicate art of the pick-up line. BLOOD TRUST – A dark and twisted story of ethnicity, murder and a mother’s love. It was another great night of independent cinema and I was, once again, fortunate to have had great company. This festival is bringing in some great people and there’s no shortage of conversation to be had. With the Pistonhead Lager always on hand, MUFF16 is roaring away!!   The night had come to check out the MUFF’s newest venue, HOWLER. Given that it’s on the opposite side of town to me I hadn't had a chance to check it out ordinarily. And so with the festival making itself comfortable in these new digs, there was no better excuse to scope it out. It’s a brilliant venue. From the outside it’s a regular-looking (almost dishevelled) warehouse, tucked away behind other buildings in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick… but once you walk through the open roller door it’s abundantly clear that looks can be deceiving. The décor inside this place is amazing… very modern, with a rustic twang to it. I walked through a sort of café/lounge area, which was full of people drinking spirits and sipping coffee. The bar had a constant line of people, which appeared to be moving along quickly. Towards the back of the room, through a short corridor is the theatre. I caught up with the festival curators Hussein Khoder and Reilly Archer-Whelan at the ticket box before walking through to the screening room. I was struck by how huge the room was, decked out with chairs and a large screen on the stage at front. The back of the room was lined with comfortable booths, raised above the ground. Oh and the theatre has it’s own bar (in true MUFF form, Pistonhead Larger was freely available). Tonight was the first and second sessions of the MINI MUFF program. I arrived early (overestimated the peak hour traffic) and caught up with Richard Wolstencroft before the punter arrived. We discussed the festival and various other film related things before the people started rolling in. I had expected an attendance of about twenty or thirty people and was completely surprised (thrilled) to see the room swell very quickly. There were a few stray chairs once everyone was seated, but it was close enough to a full room. This was astonishing for a Monday night of short films and perhaps that’s a testament to the Brunswick crowd (a highly social and cultural part of Melbourne). The lights dimmed and the films rolled. I have been to loads of short film festivals over the years and I can say, without reservation, that this was easily amongst the best I have ever attended. I really have to hand it to Hussein and Reilly. They've done an incredible job selecting these shorts, which I understand they had to whittle down from 300+. In previous years I have done an entire breakdown of each short film and given them their own micro-reviews. I wont’ be doing that this year because the overall calibre of film is incredible. With most of them being outstanding, it wouldn't be fare to single out the one or two that weren't crash-hot. However I will list my five favourite films, which I would encourage you to track down and check out. THE STEVEDORE – A comical story of drug dealers, henchmen and next door neighbours. I AM FAIRY – A taut and well-written comedy with a fantastic punch line. THE DETECTIVES OF NOIR TOWN – A hilarious and politically incorrect film noir starring puppets and humans walking the same streets. THE BARBER’S CUT – A macabre comedy about severed bodies and reanimation. THE MIGRANTS – A strangely absorbing experimental film using string puppets to tell the tale of a mother and child in a desolate landscape. Suffice to say that the first night of MINI MUFF was brilliant. The audience responded really well and the mood in the room was collective. Once again, I salute Hussein and Reilly for a job very well done. I cannot wait for the next sessions of shorts and if you’re reading this in time, I urge you to get along and support these wonderful indie film-makers.   Night #3 was building up to be one of the festival highlights for us, with the Melbourne premier of our man Jarret Gahan's feature-length directorial début, GONE LESBO GONE: THE UNTOLD TALE OF AN UNSEEN FILM. Having spent the last few years piecing the film together, all was about to be revealed…. And what a revelation it was! The night began with a screening of Andrew Leavold’s deeply personal odyssey THE SEARCH FOR WENG-WENG. It’s a remarkable documentary about Leavold’s crusade to dig deep into the Filipino culture in search of a forgotten pint-sized movie star. I have seen the film several times and there is no doubt that it is something special. It oozes with love and passion and one hell of a tenacious determination to tell a story. The audience response was great and the film infected everyone.  Next up was GONE LESBO GONE. When we filed out of the WENG-WENG screening we were faced with a foyer full of chatter. A whole lot of people had made their way into the city on their Sunday night to see the film. I checked in with Jarret a few times to gauge his nerve factor and being the true professional that we know him to be he was cool, calm and collected (no doubt shitting himself on the inside). I was buzzing around the room with my camera, filming the atmosphere. Spirits were high and everyone was excited. Before long we were all ushered into the cinema… Richard Wolstencroft introduced Jarret to the front and we were given a little back story to the film. Jarret called Andrew Leavold to the front and the two of them bantered for a few minutes, priming the audience for what they were about to see. With a big round of applause the lights dimmed and the film rolled. GONE LESBO GONE: THE UNTOLD TALE OF AN UNSEEN FILM is a retrospective documentary about Leavold’s first subversive exploitation film LESBO A GO-GO. Using a talking heads format, it recalls the whole making of 2003 film with a whole heap of cast and crew returning to share their thoughts. Some recall the experience fondly, while others bare resentment towards it. The strength of the documentary lies in the fact that most of the audience have never seen Leavold’s film, which gives the whole narrative of the doco an air of mystery and notoriety. With the added strength of a brilliant score and soundtrack by The Screaming Meanies and the use of rare archival footage, Jarret has crafted a personal and revealing exposé on a film that very few people know about, let alone have seen. Following the film, the lights went up and Jarret and Andrew were called back to the front for a Q&A. Lead actress Cara Gramer Guaraldo (credited in the original film as Cari Withercy) joined them… and she looked stunning. Absolutely gorgeous and hasn't aged a day since 2003. The three of them took the stage like pros and shared their stories to the captivated room of movie lovers. There is no doubt that the audience loved to the film and hopefully for them it was also one of the festival highlights so far. We captured the night on video and will be sharing it with you very soon. To say that I am proud of what Jarret has achieved is an understatement. Not only is he one of the nicest blokes on Earth and an incredible creative partner, he is also (clearly) a brilliant film maker. I'm proud as punch of what he’s done for FakeShemp.Net and couldn't be happier for him with such a fantastic screening at MUFF16. All spoils are very well earned.   I arrived to the second night of the festival with plenty of time to sink a couple of beverages. The barman gave me a free shot of bourbon (the bottle was down to dregs), and so I was sufficiently boozed up (which is completely uncharacteristic for me). Director Travis Bain flew down from Cairns (QLD) for the screening of his creature-feature THROWBACK. This was one of my favourite Australian indie-films of last year. In fact FakeShemp.Net awarded the film the 'Glenn Award' as part of our inaugural FakeShemp.Net Awards. The lights dimmed and the audience was treated to Travis's latest short film LITTLE NIPPERS, a quirky story of karma, featuring killer lobsters. The audience response was good, and then unexpectedly we were shown a teaser concept trailer for his upcoming feature film STARSPAWN. Using stock footage, the trailer pieced together an ambiguous narrative and presented a tone and atmosphere that we should expect from the project. It was certainly an attention grabber. And then there was THROWBACK. I needn't say much about the film itself. Lord knows we have covered it extensively at FakeShemp.Net over the last twelve months. Needless to say that I LOVE the film and recommend it to anyone who loves genre. It's a perfectly structured film and shot gloriously with limitless affection for schlock cinema. It's available on DVD and BLU-RAY (uk) and I would urge all lovers of indie cinema to support Travis by purchasing a copy. Jarret and I made a mad-dash for the toilets before quickly hitting the bar up for another drink. We then made our way back into the cinema for the Melbourne premier of Richard Wolstencroft's latest feature film THE SECOND COMING VOL 1. Richard addressed the audience and prepared them for a sensory overload. His film promised (threatened) to be a kinetic mind-fuck... and that's precisely what it was. Based on a collection of works from W.B. Yeates the film is presented as a mash-up of ideas and concepts, each presented as separate narratives but are woven together thematically. It's an experimental and existential film that proved to be a truly captivating and thought provoking experience. Best described as a psychotic marriage of David Lynch and Richard Stanley, it's also a film that demands contemplation. It cannot be watched and judged immediately. I know that I certainly need to process it more before I can fully comprehend it. Stay tuned for my review of the film.... Richard followed the film with an extensive Q&A session and discussed how the film originated and the process he went through to film it. He was joined on stage by his editor Mark Bakaitis and actress Kristen Condon and they gave the audience an impassioned background narrative of the project and what things lay ahead. And as soon as it all began, night number two of the festival was done and dusted. It was a brilliant night of cinema, attended by a dedicated audience of movie lovers. What a bunch of folk they are too. MUFF16 reigns supreme! |
