Closing night of the 59th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF) at the Castro Theatre last Thursday was a blast from the past. Parts of Castro Street were dummied up to look like 1979 for the filming of the ABC-TV miniseries "When We Rise." A faux "Star Pharmacy" on the corner of 18th St. advertised specials priced at mere pennies. A fake campaign poster prompted our bro Pepi to wonder, "Is Carole Migden running for something again?"
Inside the movie palace, SFIFF closing-night film "The Bandit" took us even further back into the 1970s. It's a documentary about the bromance between superstar Burt Reynolds and his longtime "double," stuntman extraordinaire Hal Needham, whom he got the plum job of director for the seminal 1970s Southern good-old-boys romp "Smokey and the Bandit." These guys owned their little corner of the world for a spell.
Director Jesse Moss, introduced on the Castro Theatre stage by San Francisco Film Society (SFFS ) executive director Noah Cowan and director of programing Rachel Rosen, expressed his delight at seeing his film play SF's venerable temple of movie pleasure. A San Francisco filmmaker who did all his production work here in SF, Moss described seeing Errol Morris' great pet-cemetery documentary "Gates of Heaven" at the Castro in 1978, and its huge influence on him.
So let's go back to the '70s, why not? Roomies in Tinseltown, Reynolds and Needham left little mash notes for each other around the house signed, "Love, Roomie." They copied each other's macho drag. They went on romantic dates together, with girls along. After awhile of this, Out There was thinking, Why don't they just give into their obvious mutual attraction, hug, kiss, and rub up on each other? Then there was some party footage where they did just that, with a clear exchange of saliva. Straight guys are so kissy-face.
Needham earned our admiration when he explained in the film why he wanted to make a shoot-em-up, car-chase, blow-things-up kind of escapist flick. "I think the American people like to watch action - action, not violence."
All of the accouterments of 1970s pop culture were there up on the Castro's Silver Screen: Shag carpeting, mutton-chop sideburns, gold chains, chest hair, mag wheels. CB-radio speak: "Roger that, good buddy." Tight-fitting polyester clothing. Tangerine orange. We wore our aviator sunglasses. Pepi saw an exact replica of his beloved boyhood wheels, the iconic black late-70s Trans Am complete with hood decal, gleaming up there on the screen, every bit as much of a star of the film as its good-old-boy leading man. Now that was the chassis of a son-of-a-bitch ride. Over and out.
Trans Am
Berkeley Repertory Theatre and California Shakespeare Theater announced last week they will co-present a free half-day symposium called "Breaking the Binary: Building a Trans/Gender-Non-Conforming/Non-Binary Inclusive Theatre." The event, with views from a cross-section of theatre artists on the subject of T/GNC/NB inclusion, is organized by trans-identified theatre professionals Lisa Evans and SK Kerastas , and will showcase work from trans theatre artists and provide support to theatre organizations and artists making this type of work.
"Breaking the Binary" happens on Mon., May 16, from 3-7:30 p.m. at Berkeley Rep's offices at 999 Harrison St., Berkeley. There will be panel discussions, breakout sessions, and a showcase of scenes from works by trans playwrights Nick Hadikwa Mwaluko, Ariel Zetina, and Ty Defoe . It will be livestreamed through HowlRound.com, with future viewings available on its site. Seating is limited, RSVP required. Find the event listed on eventbrite.com.