WEBVTT 1 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:28.559 I have the honor of sitting down today with Sean Baker, somebody I've admired 2 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:32.000 for quite some time, and I'm just stoked you could carve out a little 3 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:34.240 bit of time for me. Sean, How are we doing? Great? 4 00:00:34.359 --> 00:00:37.679 Great? It's great to be on a show that I follow and listen to 5 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:41.960 regularly. And very nice to meet you, Ryan. That is my mind 6 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:46.880 boggling to hear. No, I really I look to your to your show 7 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:53.560 is my way of getting the newest news about releases and keeping me informed. 8 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:57.840 You know, I'm a big physical media guy, and you're keeping me abreast, 9 00:00:57.840 --> 00:01:00.079 So thank you. That means the world. And I love that we're 10 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:03.679 doing this. And you're wearing a vinegar syndrome. Sure are they somebody that 11 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:07.159 you've been following for quite some time? I am. I like this one 12 00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:10.840 the most out of all of them. I mean, you know, sometimes 13 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:12.519 I'm into their merch and sometimes i'm not. But this, this is a 14 00:01:12.519 --> 00:01:15.480 great one. This blue the color choice on that, Yeah, it's perfect. 15 00:01:15.519 --> 00:01:22.239 I love it. Vinegar Syndrome. What originally got you turned onto them? 16 00:01:22.439 --> 00:01:26.799 Oh? It's interest. I've known about them from probably their first or 17 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:30.439 second year, and I connected with them I know Joe Rubin over there, 18 00:01:30.680 --> 00:01:38.239 and they were nice enough to actually scan the negative of my first film, 19 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:42.680 Four Letter Words, that will be getting the release in twenty three. I 20 00:01:42.680 --> 00:01:47.159 can't tell you exactly with whom yet nice, but it's going to be a 21 00:01:47.239 --> 00:01:49.920 nice one. And it happened years ago. I mean, it's taken this 22 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:53.959 long with the rest of reperation, but Joe did the four K scan of 23 00:01:53.959 --> 00:01:57.560 my thirty five millimeter negative and we just kept in touch and then and then 24 00:01:57.640 --> 00:02:02.239 his company kept growing and growing, and I became a yearly subscriber and I 25 00:02:02.280 --> 00:02:08.719 look forward to every month getting my huge box. It's both a wonderful moment 26 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:13.560 and also a very stressful moment because, as you know, it's like I 27 00:02:13.639 --> 00:02:17.479 have more films now in my home than I will probably ever be able to 28 00:02:17.479 --> 00:02:21.400 watch, and then I'm thinking about, like, how can I even watch 29 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:25.400 these in the next five years. I'm a stressful thing. But I also 30 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:30.879 love the fact, absolutely love the titles they're putting out there, the films 31 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:35.759 they're restoring and getting to preserve. So I think they're doing God's work. 32 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:40.240 I completely agree. And the biggest thing for me is again like contextual special 33 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:45.960 features. They are one of the best in the business, and it's something 34 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:49.199 that's gotten lost in this era of streaming. And I'm glad that we're still 35 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:53.680 getting not every title, but many of these mainstream titles will get stuff. 36 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:57.639 And actually this is perfect time to bring up Red Rocket. I was stoked, 37 00:02:57.800 --> 00:03:00.840 first of all that it got a fiscal release at all. But Kat 38 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:04.159 Ellinger is on the commentary for that. Was that something that you looked into 39 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:07.840 or was that just happenstance or yeah, I'm proud to say I made that 40 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:14.000 happen. I love her commentaries. I love Kat, you know, I 41 00:03:14.039 --> 00:03:19.879 think she's just so incredibly intelligent and that love. I just love hearing her 42 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:23.479 speak about films. And I knew because Red Rocket was so influenced by, 43 00:03:24.120 --> 00:03:29.840 you know, Italian sex comedies, that she she knows a lot about you'd 44 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:32.159 be able to actually probably speak to the themes of the movie better than I 45 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:38.479 can. Usually sometimes filmmakers aren't very articulate about their own movies, and so 46 00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:42.280 when I I told A twenty four, I'm like, I'm not sure. 47 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:45.719 I know she hasn't worked with you guys yet, but check her out. 48 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:50.879 She's great. And A twenty four was completely down with it, and Kat 49 00:03:50.919 --> 00:03:55.159 gave this wonderful commentary. Yes, that would be incredible if they started making 50 00:03:55.199 --> 00:04:00.400 some of these real boutique commentators something that was more of a regular and their 51 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:03.599 stable. I would love to see that. I agree. All right. 52 00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:09.960 So the big thing this year, Takeout got this glorious blu ray release just 53 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:16.079 fairly recently from Criterion. My biggest thing just knowing how filmmakers are. Somebody 54 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:19.279 that's been in a Criterion closet video and now you have a Criterion release? 55 00:04:19.319 --> 00:04:25.120 How that? How'd that feel? I mean, it's still unbelievable. It's 56 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:30.920 still mind blowing to me that this little film that she Ching and I made. 57 00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:35.000 She chingsoh and I co directed this film. This is my Sophmore and 58 00:04:35.480 --> 00:04:40.120 we made this back in two thousand and three. It hit slam Dance in 59 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:45.560 two thousand and four and did the circuit, then didn't get an actual theatrical 60 00:04:45.959 --> 00:04:49.839 for three eight years. Happy later around oh wait, it finally got its 61 00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:57.120 theatrical due to many reasons I won't go into now, but but you know, 62 00:04:57.480 --> 00:05:00.519 this little movie that's just kept going and and we we never wanted to 63 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:04.079 just give up on it because we we we believed in it, and we 64 00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:08.639 realized that other people were believing in it, and then, you know, 65 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:14.879 down the line, this was about four years ago now because COVID slowed everything 66 00:05:14.920 --> 00:05:20.439 down your four years ago. Criterion reached out to me and they were interested 67 00:05:20.519 --> 00:05:26.120 in some of my titles, and and take Out being the first one. 68 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:32.560 So we went through an extensive restoration process, and I'm talking like it really 69 00:05:34.439 --> 00:05:41.839 one of the most intensive restorations that I know about, because we went back 70 00:05:41.879 --> 00:05:47.240 to the original elements. Here's the disc by the way, Yeah, it's 71 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:54.000 still so feels so weird to have the great the collection. But this movie 72 00:05:54.120 --> 00:06:00.079 was shot on mini DV tape, so that's standard definition many DV. That's 73 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:02.800 and it's US, so it's not PAL, it's it's you know, it's 74 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:06.759 NTSC. So that was twenty nine ninety seven frame rates, so it had 75 00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:12.240 a very video look. We shot it for three thousand dollars. Shi Chin 76 00:06:12.279 --> 00:06:15.680 and I were that basically the crew members were doing wearing every hat, with 77 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:23.199 our lead actor Charles Jang essentially being our third crew member sometimes the room when 78 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:27.920 he wasn't in a shop. And this, you know, this film you 79 00:06:27.959 --> 00:06:31.120 know, was basically went to slam dance with me just like pressing export on 80 00:06:31.240 --> 00:06:38.279 my final cut pro program, but knowing that it's that wasn't exactly what we 81 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:41.839 ever, how we wanted to present it to the world, but we had 82 00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:45.600 no money, so you know, so we always said, if we ever 83 00:06:45.639 --> 00:06:46.720 get the money, if we ever get the funds to do this right, 84 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:51.079 we're gonna do what we we want, how we want this film to look. 85 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:54.800 We want to make the film we wanted to look and be presented, 86 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:58.040 and that was more in long in lines with like the Dog, the ninety 87 00:06:58.040 --> 00:07:02.360 five films that would shoot well, they shot pal twenty five frames a second, 88 00:07:02.600 --> 00:07:08.519 most of them, so it was a much easier translation to twenty four 89 00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:11.680 frames a second, and then they would go out to film, so when 90 00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:15.399 we saw the celebration or the idiots in theaters, we'd be seeing, you 91 00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:20.800 know, a film out, which would really elevate the look and transform it 92 00:07:20.839 --> 00:07:26.160 into something that we always thought was more presentable and more cinematic. Of course, 93 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:30.319 oh all these years later, with Criterion coming on board and helping us 94 00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:33.199 with the cost of the restoration, we were able to do that, and 95 00:07:33.240 --> 00:07:39.279 we were able so we were able to basically change the frame rate from twenty 96 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:42.519 nine to nine to seven to twenty four. Then we were able to, 97 00:07:42.839 --> 00:07:45.839 you know, do a new color grade on it. We went out to 98 00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:51.160 film and then scan that negative back in and then we get a full new 99 00:07:51.560 --> 00:07:56.879 mix. So this is like a really this is the first time that anybody 100 00:07:57.000 --> 00:08:01.399 is seeing the film this way and the way that you and I always intended 101 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:05.920 it to look. So yeah, this is it's a new film essentially. 102 00:08:05.319 --> 00:08:09.959 Essentially, we didn't change the content, so I wasn't important to Lucas on 103 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:15.360 it. I'm not recutting it, but it is it is being presented to 104 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:22.519 the world in a in just a way more polished way. Wow. That 105 00:08:22.600 --> 00:08:24.000 I mean, to get a second life like that, first of all, 106 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:30.000 extremely rare, but beyond that, it is it's such a gift to somebody 107 00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:33.240 like you that has had that vision for so long, and it's great to 108 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:37.159 see people willing to step in and make that move. I mean, it's 109 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:39.639 I don't know, you know, you brought up the celebration and for stuff 110 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:43.720 like that to be I mean, first of all, the Celebration came out 111 00:08:43.720 --> 00:08:48.759 this year from Criterion as well. Wonderful Happenstance for you to get that second 112 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:52.399 chance, it's again just a beautiful thing. And companies like Vinegar Syndrome, 113 00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:58.279 Criterion giving that gift to independent filmmakers from you know, sixty plus years ago 114 00:08:58.360 --> 00:09:03.279 in some of these case is astonishing to see. Yeah, yeah, it's 115 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:09.080 a real it's an incredible honor. It's an incredible honor. And yeah, 116 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:13.399 I agree with you, Vinder Syndrome, Severn Arrow. I mean, like 117 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:18.639 so many of these incredible boutique labels out there, I'm cult epics, you 118 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:24.759 know, putting out cult what one used to call sexploitation films, but they're 119 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:28.720 actually really sophisticated, you know, mostly Dutch, you know, art house 120 00:09:28.759 --> 00:09:31.679 movies with sex and them. Uh, you know, these are we're getting 121 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:35.320 We're we're living in a great time where we get to see uh, these 122 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:39.600 films the way they were originally intended to be seen and not like on crappy 123 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:45.720 vhs. Yeah, and in many cases, even better than they've ever been 124 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:50.519 you know, projected in most of these theaters. You know, it's funny 125 00:09:50.519 --> 00:09:54.600 we watched you know, the three D three D archives. They've been putting 126 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:58.879 out films every Yeah. Oh, I don't know whether do you know what 127 00:10:00.120 --> 00:10:03.399 or House of Wax? You know everything about the releases. It was House 128 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:07.840 of Wax, one of the three D archive films or was that just done? 129 00:10:07.879 --> 00:10:11.159 Don't think so, right, that was like just ado, Yeah, 130 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:15.799 I think that was all internal the studio, right, Okay, But no 131 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:20.080 matter what, it had present day three D technology, you know, retrofitted 132 00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:24.639 to the movie. We watched it the other night on my three D set. 133 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:28.679 It looked amazing. It looks gorgeous. I mean, the three D 134 00:10:28.759 --> 00:10:31.399 technology is just as good as Avatar essentially. But what I was thinking the 135 00:10:31.559 --> 00:10:37.840 entire time was, it's so it's wonderful yet tragic that you know, the 136 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:43.480 director of that film, en Vincent Price, and almost everybody attached that film 137 00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:48.320 because most of them are past they never even got to see their own movie 138 00:10:50.039 --> 00:10:54.320 in a way that we're able to now we're seeing in a much more presentable 139 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:58.960 way than even the filmmakers were able to see it. So yeah, it's 140 00:10:58.039 --> 00:11:01.960 it's a very sad fat I mean a lot of these films, for I 141 00:11:01.960 --> 00:11:05.080 mean, to get to the blunt sad point, we're getting to an age 142 00:11:05.080 --> 00:11:09.159 where we're losing a lot of Hollywood greats. Uh. They all start coming 143 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:11.759 up around the sad time, and it's it's a more common occurrence where every 144 00:11:11.799 --> 00:11:16.240 week we're hearing big names just suddenly pass away, and now a lot of 145 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:20.000 them are getting love posthumously and they're not gonna be able to see these beautiful 146 00:11:20.120 --> 00:11:26.360 UHD you know, massive releases of some of their best cinematic works, and 147 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:30.480 it's just sad to think, but it's great for future generations too. I 148 00:11:30.519 --> 00:11:33.039 agree, it is. It's always sad, like our heroes are dying day 149 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:39.519 and just one and after another. It's to the point where I've actually thought 150 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:43.360 about just stop doing the rest and peace thing on you know, on Instagram, 151 00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:50.679 because it's every day. It's kind of it's depressing, but that's also 152 00:11:50.679 --> 00:11:54.399 why it's so wonderful that like that company is like, you know, the 153 00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:58.840 ones that you've mentioned are able to get interviews with them right now, and 154 00:12:01.240 --> 00:12:05.840 you know the ones who are are still with us and really highlights the need 155 00:12:05.879 --> 00:12:09.440 for archival purposes. So the special features, it's it's a plus when we 156 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:13.559 can get them. But in a lot of these cases, the studios just 157 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:16.720 aren't caring mostly about some of these low budget films, so they get kind 158 00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:20.399 of swept under the rug and forgotten about. And unless these companies are stepping 159 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:24.720 up. Some of them are literally gonna be gone, so it's just nice 160 00:12:24.759 --> 00:12:28.279 to see a second chance for something like Takeout. Yeah, I agree. 161 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:35.240 I'm also really excited about Kat Ellinger's new label Radius. I jumped right on 162 00:12:35.320 --> 00:12:41.759 board and became like that full member. Nice, like, oh that's a 163 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:46.120 that's a hit to my bank account. But I'm looking really forward to like 164 00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:50.919 there that already the titles they've announced and like, okay, we're they're going 165 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:56.360 to be introducing some wonderful re releases to the world, discoveries that films that 166 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:01.360 are right for rediscovery. Absolutely, and Fran the main guy that used to 167 00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:07.919 be an Arrow that started Radiance, his personality is so perfect for just like 168 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:11.200 curating taste for the world at the moment, and it's nice to see some 169 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:15.440 of these will literally have never gotten attention anywhere else suddenly be in the hands 170 00:13:15.480 --> 00:13:18.759 of thousands of collectors and film fans. Yeah, that's definitely, that's definitely. 171 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:22.639 Uh, Takeout. Lots of people have still not seen it. Can 172 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:26.720 you share a quick little elevator pitch what it's about? Sure, it's about 173 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:33.879 a day in the life of an undocumented immigrant Chinese undocumented immigrant living in Manhattan 174 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:39.200 and dealing with a smuggling debt in which he's fallen behind him. So he 175 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:43.879 wakes up in the morning to some debt collectors basically threatening him saying that he 176 00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:46.240 has eight hundred He has till the end of the day to get him eight 177 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:50.279 hundred. Get them eight hundred dollars or his life is going to become very 178 00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:58.120 uncomfortable, and it's already quite uncomfortable. And essentially he goes to the Chinese 179 00:13:58.120 --> 00:14:03.559 takeout that he work daily and speaks to a coworker and it's like, I 180 00:14:03.639 --> 00:14:05.480 have to figure out how to do this. He borrows a little bit of 181 00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:09.600 money, but about half of it, but then has to find the other 182 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:16.759 four hundred dollars in tips, which is basically asking a lot because he only 183 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:20.279 only usually only pulls it around ninety dollars a day on tips. So you 184 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:24.840 know, he takes another person ship, he takes all the deliveries. He's 185 00:14:24.919 --> 00:14:30.919 doing whatever he can to to meet that goal. And it's and so that's 186 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:35.080 the basic plot line, but it's a it's through his eyes that we get 187 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:41.080 to see Manhattan in a way because we follow him on his on his you 188 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:46.639 know, his deliveries, and we get to peer into different apartments, seeing 189 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:54.519 people's different different you know, their background, their their apartments, their lives 190 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:56.480 there, you know, people from different walks of life. Sorry, I 191 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:05.840 haven't done this elevator quite home had too. But so that's essentially it. 192 00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:09.480 I mean, I'm not going to reveal everything, but it's it's a it's 193 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:13.679 it's shot in a docu style way. We shot in a real working takeout 194 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:18.279 on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. We shot this in UH three the 195 00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:22.919 end of the summer of O three June of two thousand and three, and 196 00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:30.159 we we really blended real life with our fiction and with the goal of that 197 00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:35.879 line. Yeah. So and it really just you know it it covers it 198 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:41.600 is political yet not at the same time, because it's just a real objective 199 00:15:41.720 --> 00:15:46.080 look at ming Ding's life, a day in the life of ming Ding and 200 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:52.399 uh without really applying over politics to it, so that hopefully it can speak 201 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:54.120 to both sides of the aisle, just to really talk about, you know, 202 00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:58.200 the issues we have going on in this country. You know, it's 203 00:15:58.200 --> 00:16:02.759 a tiny little film we shot for three thousand dollars never you know, just 204 00:16:02.919 --> 00:16:07.639 very influenced by the Dogma ninety five movement. Yeah, cinema veritay in general, 205 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:14.879 the Dardan Brothers, and I think it's become even though I think it's 206 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:19.360 it's obviously covering issues that are very still extremely relevant, if not more relevant 207 00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:23.440 today, It's still It also is a time capsule because you get to see 208 00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:27.840 Manhattan in two thousand and three. Two thousand and three is a super interesting 209 00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:33.279 time because of obviously coming so shoot so soon after nine to eleven, and 210 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:37.000 it seems like there's a little bit of a disconnect with these current generations, 211 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:40.879 not only of film fans, but obviously of people being raised because I mean, 212 00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:42.759 we have full blown adults that weren't around for nine to eleven, which 213 00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:48.039 is weird to imagine at this point. But is there anything from that that 214 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:52.679 you felt really affected the filmmaking at that time for you? Oh, definitely, 215 00:16:52.759 --> 00:16:57.519 I mean it was it was I guess eyes were on immigration even more 216 00:16:57.960 --> 00:17:03.639 after, not as esecially in New York City after nine to eleven. And 217 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:07.440 we work it into the script. We work there is a moment there's some 218 00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:17.119 dialogue about how his voyage from China was affected by nine to eleven. It 219 00:17:17.160 --> 00:17:21.920 was definitely, I don't know where you where were you living I was in 220 00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:25.440 California, And what makes us a little more personal for me because take Out 221 00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:27.839 I haven't really revealed this yet, and this was going to be the next 222 00:17:27.880 --> 00:17:30.799 thing I brought up, So this is kind of perfect time to weave it 223 00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:36.640 in. I work for immigration, I'm very high up in the government the 224 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:42.680 field of uscis actually, and I am such a unique grasp on a lot 225 00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:47.559 of these films because it like I can already feel myself tearing up a little 226 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:49.160 bit right now, just the way that these people have to fight to come 227 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:53.720 in and try to get a better life for themselves. It is so difficult 228 00:17:53.839 --> 00:18:00.640 to see how they are underrepresented treated in such a marginalized way, not only 229 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:03.759 in life, but then not even having their stories told in such an appropriate 230 00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:08.880 manner. And Takeout is one of those weird ways where it's done beautifully. 231 00:18:08.920 --> 00:18:12.640 It's done in a way that is treated with realism that we just don't get 232 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:18.119 from pretty much anyone else. Oh, thank you. That's that's incredible to 233 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:21.759 hear from, you know, from your perspective, Yeah, you know, 234 00:18:21.880 --> 00:18:25.240 this is Uh, this is something that we noticed when we were doing our 235 00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:27.880 research and talking. We were living above a Chinese restaurant, at the time, 236 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:30.039 not the one that we shot at, but another one, and we 237 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:37.160 got to speak with the gentlemen who were making the deliveries and realize that most 238 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:41.720 of them were undocumented. But they spoke about how they were doing this for 239 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:48.000 their family, how they were you know, chasing that American dream because ultimately 240 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:52.440 it would be a better place for them to be and there for their family 241 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:56.599 to be, even though in the moment, you know, uh, their 242 00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:00.759 life was was quite uh you know, precarious. They had to essentially stay 243 00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:08.640 invisible, you know, out of fear of deportation and prosecution. So it 244 00:19:10.440 --> 00:19:15.079 so yeah, to hear that from you means a lot because I you know, 245 00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:18.759 you never know how people within, who are actually working within, what 246 00:19:18.839 --> 00:19:23.200 sort of empathy they have for these individuals well, and I mean you just 247 00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:27.480 use the word that is somehow turning into like the theme for my channel lately 248 00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:33.400 is your filmmaking for me, is this perfect grasp of empathy with every single 249 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:38.039 film because they're delivered in such a way that is just hear the characters and 250 00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:42.039 their story, and it's all up to you to decide if you relate to 251 00:19:42.119 --> 00:19:45.799 somebody. It's up to you to decide if they're good characters or bad characters, 252 00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:49.279 or if we even need those adjectives. It's up to the viewer to 253 00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:55.920 you know, come in and find something to grab onto and learn about humanity 254 00:19:56.039 --> 00:20:00.960 because in so many of these other stories that there's villains and antagonists and you 255 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:03.480 know something even something like Red Rocket, there's no looking down on somebody for 256 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:07.319 being an adult film star. There's no need with uh, you know, 257 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:11.359 the Florida Project looking down on people for struggling to find a proper and steady 258 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:17.000 home. It's it's just a beautiful way to approach filmmaking. Well, thank 259 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:22.400 you. I actually just think that's strangely missing from today's you know, from 260 00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:26.720 US film and TV. Absolutely I forgot. I don't know when we made 261 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:32.920 that that change from you know what you just described, more objective take on 262 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:40.279 things, completely throwing judgment out the window, to a place where we're right 263 00:20:40.359 --> 00:20:45.039 now making these moral statements, you know, good and bad, and it's 264 00:20:45.160 --> 00:20:51.119 very black and white and very puritanical. I I it's I guess this slowly 265 00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:56.319 crept into our culture over the but I guess it really hit full about five 266 00:20:56.400 --> 00:21:02.279 years ago when we were told basically, you have to be sensitive to everybody, 267 00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:07.000 and and well, art is supposed to be a little bit insensitive times. 268 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:14.640 Art has to be honest and so and so, you know, anyway, 269 00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:17.759 I agree with you. And that's the type of films that I'm trying 270 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:21.720 to make that I'm trying to continue to make. I have to be very 271 00:21:21.720 --> 00:21:26.680 independent when I make them, because even even the mini studios are worried about 272 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:33.079 offending you know anybody now, so so yeah, but I'm going to continue 273 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:36.640 doing it. I'm going to continue doing it. And the next one is 274 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:40.960 the next film that we're actually prepping for right now. I think that you're 275 00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:48.200 I'm pretty sure that your listeners, just judging our sensibility and what you talk 276 00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:52.920 about, I'm sure we're on the same page. I think they're gonna dig 277 00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:55.640 the next one. The next one leans a little into genre, the way 278 00:21:55.960 --> 00:22:00.519 I've been slowly leading more and more into genre. But it's it's it's genre 279 00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:03.200 that you know, you would see in the seventies, you know, cool 280 00:22:03.240 --> 00:22:10.240 anti heroes again, like just uh, you know, I just wanted to 281 00:22:10.440 --> 00:22:15.359 say I was in I was in Middleburg, Virginia at a film festival there 282 00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:19.680 showing Red Rocket, and a woman came up to me afterwards, and she 283 00:22:19.720 --> 00:22:22.079 goes, I like your film, I think, but what's the takeaway? 284 00:22:22.119 --> 00:22:25.200 And I'm like, well, you tell me. I mean, like, 285 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:29.519 why am I supposed to tell you? Actually? Just be and then I 286 00:22:29.559 --> 00:22:32.000 would just be preaching to you. You know, I put in there, 287 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:33.920 and I put enough in the film where I think we can discuss, you 288 00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:37.000 can apply your own politics to it. Perhaps you know, we can debate, 289 00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:41.039 but for me just to tell you exactly what you should be taking away 290 00:22:41.079 --> 00:22:45.160 from my film with just it's it's it's it's meaning. That's meaningless to me. 291 00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:48.880 That isn't art. I agree? Yeah, uh, that also brings 292 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:52.119 up, you know, modern modern cinema in general. I'm glad that you 293 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:56.240 are still able to pay attention to so much. It seems like you've been 294 00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:59.680 joining the hell out of bey on fest recently. How's all that going for 295 00:22:59.720 --> 00:23:03.000 you? On Fest? Is so wonderful. I'm so glad I live in 296 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:07.839 LA because of festivals like Beyond Fest. Yeah. I caught a lot. 297 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:14.559 Actually, I caught Joe Begos's Christmas Bloody Christmas the other day. That was 298 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:19.240 that was an amazing screening because it was at the American Legion Theater and it 299 00:23:19.400 --> 00:23:25.839 was. It was packed and people were having a ball. I got to 300 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:30.039 see the decision to leave Park chen Wuk and that was just that was you 301 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:36.119 know. In line was amazing. He makes always amazing always, you know, 302 00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:37.319 to the point where it's like, how did he do that? I 303 00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:41.799 have no idea how he did that. But the big one for me, 304 00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:47.400 you know, Ruben Auslin's Triangle of Sadness. That's what I call a throw 305 00:23:47.480 --> 00:23:52.039 in the towel movie. It's a type of movie that makes me question why 306 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:56.599 I'm even trying in our form because the heights he reaches with this film. 307 00:23:56.640 --> 00:24:00.960 And I know I'm I'm really hyping it up, but I honestly feel this 308 00:24:00.319 --> 00:24:04.160 that is one of the best films I've seen in decades. And I love 309 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:07.920 Ruben. I love him. I've seen everything he's done. I have all 310 00:24:07.960 --> 00:24:11.920 of his older films. I had to get all those import I don't know 311 00:24:11.960 --> 00:24:15.599 if you have, if you've seen his older ones, yeah you can import 312 00:24:15.640 --> 00:24:19.599 those. And he's the best. He's the best working right now. I 313 00:24:19.640 --> 00:24:22.279 don't know if it's just me as an outsider, but looking in this year 314 00:24:22.359 --> 00:24:26.559 beyond Fest seems to be a lot higher quality than the last handful of years. 315 00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:30.519 Not that they've been bad necessarily, but it just seems like there's a 316 00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:33.359 lot of hitting it out of the park this year. It's lovely to see 317 00:24:33.400 --> 00:24:37.319 just a really solid year. Yeah, I agree. I wish I was 318 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:40.720 there right now. I had to come up to Canada, so I only 319 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:45.599 hit like the first four days. But great programming. All right. So 320 00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:48.079 physical media. First of all, you've been into physical media. It seems 321 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:52.400 like for a long long time. What originally got you into physical media? 322 00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:55.440 Well, it goes way back. I mean, like yeah, back to 323 00:24:55.640 --> 00:24:59.480 like, if you really want to trace it all the way back. I 324 00:24:59.559 --> 00:25:04.240 was getting like the Super eight reels from the library and sometimes purchasing them if 325 00:25:04.279 --> 00:25:07.960 I if I could afford it, way back in the eighties, and then 326 00:25:10.119 --> 00:25:12.039 you know, and then nineties. You know, there was the VHS collection 327 00:25:12.279 --> 00:25:18.359 collecting. There was the laser discs that kicked in in the I guess I 328 00:25:18.359 --> 00:25:22.519 would say late eighty early nineties. I guess early nineties. Yeah, yeah, 329 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:30.200 But I remember my roommates having at NYU. We became like our our 330 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:34.440 room, our dorm room became the screening room because I had the laser disc 331 00:25:34.519 --> 00:25:40.200 player, so we had constant they were playing all like whatever would hit whatever 332 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:44.599 the studios put out, like I remember Last of the Mohicans, Oh my 333 00:25:44.680 --> 00:25:49.240 god, the Crow, you know, anything, We're seeing this and then 334 00:25:49.400 --> 00:25:52.960 think about it, like even back then, it was like it was SD, 335 00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:56.200 it's SD. It looked much better than BHS, but it's still is 336 00:25:56.359 --> 00:26:00.119 SD. And yet we were thinking, this just looks as good as thirty 337 00:26:00.119 --> 00:26:04.440 five. But uh, you know, just you know, keeping in that, 338 00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:10.519 and then and then DBD of course, and then Blu Ray, so 339 00:26:10.839 --> 00:26:12.160 you know, and now we're at the four ks, Oh my god, 340 00:26:12.920 --> 00:26:15.839 and hopefully we can just kind of keep it there. We don't really have 341 00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:21.599 to. I mean, our our our human eyes are not going to really 342 00:26:21.640 --> 00:26:23.759 be able to tell the difference between a four K and an eight K anyway, 343 00:26:23.880 --> 00:26:27.519 so on the televisions that we're watching them on. So I think we're 344 00:26:27.559 --> 00:26:33.000 okay, let's just slow down with any more releases, because for example, 345 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:36.559 I'm going to tell you one thing like this happens now a lot, but 346 00:26:36.599 --> 00:26:40.000 I'm seeing announcements for four k's and I'm just like, but I still haven't 347 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:44.440 watched the Blu Ray that I purchased on that like the Blue Underground's Justine, 348 00:26:44.519 --> 00:26:48.240 I'm like, okay, ah, damn it, what do I do now? 349 00:26:48.680 --> 00:26:52.640 Uh. At the same time, it's like, wow, Kino is 350 00:26:52.680 --> 00:26:56.400 putting out these four ks now and they have a day of taking a pellam 351 00:26:56.400 --> 00:27:00.240 one two three. Oh. That is literally that's like enticing. Yeah, 352 00:27:00.279 --> 00:27:07.119 and that will be And also I'm really lucky that I because I'm you know, 353 00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:10.319 in the industry, and I've made a few known films. At this 354 00:27:10.359 --> 00:27:14.599 point, I'm getting a lot gifted to me, which I you know, 355 00:27:14.680 --> 00:27:18.519 with hopes that I'll promote it on social media, and I do, especially 356 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:25.440 when I believe in the films, and so that's adding to my never ending 357 00:27:25.559 --> 00:27:30.359 election. Yeah, some of these labels diving in, you know, the 358 00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:33.839 four K is surprising on some of these titles, But when you get something 359 00:27:33.880 --> 00:27:37.559 like the taking a pelllem one two three, you just kind of go, 360 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:40.240 okay, yeah, it's worth it because the title like that coming on four 361 00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:44.400 K, I'm all in, oh yeah, oh yeah. And it's nice 362 00:27:44.440 --> 00:27:48.480 to see a filmmaker that is a modern filmmaker being able to promote and share 363 00:27:48.519 --> 00:27:51.720 physical media releases for some of these that are you know, fifty plus years 364 00:27:51.720 --> 00:27:53.440 old. On some of the titles. Over the last couple of years. 365 00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:59.200 Are there any you know, just all around package of a really great presentation 366 00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:02.440 on a disc and a nice physical media package that made you go, damn 367 00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:04.119 it, I'm so glad I have physical media because this is amazing. Oh 368 00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:08.160 well, the second site stuff has been amazing. Second thank you. I'm 369 00:28:08.359 --> 00:28:15.200 dead. I mean, what else to drive set? I'm blanking on their 370 00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:19.039 other biggie they did. The Guest was the big one. They did, 371 00:28:19.160 --> 00:28:22.759 the Witch They've done, I mean they're doing the Hitcher. That's a big 372 00:28:22.759 --> 00:28:26.759 one for a long and Martin coming up from Georgia Romero so oh yeah, 373 00:28:27.559 --> 00:28:33.400 yeah, and and yeah, I don't I know there were legal issues with 374 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:40.880 the Hitcher forever, so that's wonderful that that's finally happening. I'm just scanning 375 00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:45.480 in my head, like in my room. You know, there are a 376 00:28:45.559 --> 00:28:48.759 few there. I love what Severn's doing with those box sets. My gob 377 00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:55.279 like Andy Milligan one is just uh, they're They're incredible, you know, 378 00:28:55.400 --> 00:29:02.279 they have literally yeah, there you go. And I know what's coming up, 379 00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:04.119 and I don't think they've announced, so I should shut my mouth, 380 00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:10.839 like yeah, but it's incredible stuff and I love this. I love David 381 00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:15.519 and Carl and Andrew over there. They really put their heart into everything they 382 00:29:15.559 --> 00:29:18.160 do. Yeah, no, you know what, I if I know that 383 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:22.200 you've had synaps on here right, not yet, they are a little distant. 384 00:29:22.279 --> 00:29:26.839 Yeah, okay, Well, if they're listening, can you I would 385 00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:32.480 really like them to put out the Schoolgirl school Girl Report films in HD. 386 00:29:32.960 --> 00:29:36.519 I mean, like, I appreciate that they put them out on DVD, 387 00:29:36.680 --> 00:29:38.720 but I started to get into them and realizing like, oh, these are 388 00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:42.319 really like these again are time capsules. I want to see these in better 389 00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:48.839 resolution. And I've been following that director Walter Booze Now and Try and so 390 00:29:48.920 --> 00:29:52.880 anyway, if they're listening, please Schoolgirl Report and also Love and three D, 391 00:29:52.039 --> 00:29:57.559 the other Walter Booze film I want to see on Blue Red Sineps does 392 00:29:57.839 --> 00:30:00.960 really great work. In the heart part is they'll tease that they're working on 393 00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:04.039 something, and then because they do such great work, it's another three and 394 00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:07.480 a half years. So the whole time, I'm just like, come on, 395 00:30:07.599 --> 00:30:11.079 I'm so excited, just give it to me. Yes, yes, 396 00:30:10.839 --> 00:30:15.920 yes, okay, So back to filmmaking for a minute. I feel like, 397 00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:18.880 and maybe this is just me, you can clarify. I feel like 398 00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:25.480 we haven't had a giant leap in like game changing either methods of filmmaking or 399 00:30:25.640 --> 00:30:30.480 ways of telling a story in a couple of decades. Is there something that 400 00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:33.000 you feel like is possibly on the verge of hitting and changing things up for 401 00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:41.720 people that's interesting, like background like the Matrix and American Beauty, Like nineteen 402 00:30:41.759 --> 00:30:45.240 ninety nine, I feel like was the last big like oh my god, 403 00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:52.000 Okay, movies are different now type of era. You know, I don't 404 00:30:52.079 --> 00:31:00.759 know, I'm kind of worried that people aren't seeking out ease these sort of 405 00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:03.720 like these these indie films that are made for adults anymore. These you know, 406 00:31:03.759 --> 00:31:07.400 they're people are going to the theaters mostly for the ten pole Marvel stuff, 407 00:31:07.440 --> 00:31:11.240 which is, hey, look, I'm glad they're keeping the theaters alive. 408 00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:15.039 Okay, I'm glad the pop gun is keeping the theaters alive. That's 409 00:31:15.079 --> 00:31:18.039 wonderful. But you know, while you're there, guys, why don't you 410 00:31:18.119 --> 00:31:22.640 check out the uh, you know, the the film that is maybe your 411 00:31:22.759 --> 00:31:27.279 medium budget type of movie you're you're because these are gonna I can't believe that 412 00:31:27.359 --> 00:31:33.240 these are there are any twenty million dollar films made anymore, because they don't 413 00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:36.319 seem to be making their money back unless they're horror. Now. Look, 414 00:31:36.440 --> 00:31:41.359 it's wonderful what has happened with Smile, and I believe Barbarian made a lot 415 00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:44.079 of money. But these are genre films, so you know, but I 416 00:31:44.079 --> 00:31:47.200 would love to see, you know, us get back to the time where 417 00:31:47.240 --> 00:31:53.119 we're watching you know, uh, dramedies, dramedis that are that are at 418 00:31:53.160 --> 00:31:59.599 that budget level. It seems like all these like the these sort of person 419 00:31:59.599 --> 00:32:05.200 at least personal films, these films about just you know, people, they 420 00:32:05.240 --> 00:32:08.880 have to be made for next to nothing now or they have to be packed 421 00:32:08.880 --> 00:32:14.559 with every star in Hollywood. And that doesn't really work for me because that's 422 00:32:14.599 --> 00:32:17.960 just it's just the star vehicle. So yeah, that that's I'm sorry, 423 00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:22.200 I wish I had an answer to your question. It's I mean, it's 424 00:32:22.200 --> 00:32:25.960 a good point, and it leads to the actual analysis of where are we 425 00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:30.559 at the moment because exactly what you're saying, pretty much everything. If you 426 00:32:30.599 --> 00:32:34.720 look at what we have coming out that are making actual waves, it's either 427 00:32:35.200 --> 00:32:37.480 made for one hundred thousand dollars or made for one hundred million dollars, and 428 00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:42.559 there's a lot of ground in the middle. I mean we were missing things 429 00:32:42.599 --> 00:32:46.400 like when Harry met Sally and with some of those big comedies where we're getting 430 00:32:46.440 --> 00:32:52.160 good scripts and getting It's not like Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal were small names, 431 00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:54.319 but they're not demanding, you know, twenty five million dollar salaries. 432 00:32:54.880 --> 00:32:59.400 So you know, a fifteen million dollar film can go out there and make 433 00:32:59.440 --> 00:33:02.240 sixty million for somebody and suddenly now they can afford to make three more films 434 00:33:02.240 --> 00:33:08.279 that are personal for them exactly. Yeah. And I just the other thing 435 00:33:08.319 --> 00:33:14.200 that I'm having issues with, and I'm not in any way. You know, 436 00:33:14.240 --> 00:33:19.440 everybody has their every filmmaker has their own prerogative. But like I just 437 00:33:19.480 --> 00:33:23.720 wish, you know, the streaming thing I feel is hurting films. I 438 00:33:23.759 --> 00:33:28.680 really do. It's hurting the art form. And I'll tell you why. 439 00:33:28.759 --> 00:33:31.160 It's not about the accessibility. Obviously, that's great. It's great that more 440 00:33:31.160 --> 00:33:36.599 people get to see it. It's great that it reaches more people. But 441 00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:40.160 that can still happen. It can still happen. But as it was in 442 00:33:40.200 --> 00:33:45.440 the past, where it's home entertainment, it's afterthought, it's after it hits 443 00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:52.160 theaters. I think the theater experience, the theater release is so important to 444 00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:57.240 a film because it honestly helps elevate its importance. And I know that's a 445 00:33:57.279 --> 00:34:00.400 weird thing because it'sn't the same as you know, right that the streaming film 446 00:34:00.440 --> 00:34:06.680 is just as important as the theatrically true, But I'm talking about like the 447 00:34:07.079 --> 00:34:10.480 pr side of things, promoting it, lifting it up in the eyes of 448 00:34:10.519 --> 00:34:14.719 the public so that they get excited about it, so that they see it 449 00:34:14.760 --> 00:34:17.320 as an event. They see it as actually like they anticipate it. And 450 00:34:17.360 --> 00:34:21.920 therefore you can't make it to the theater. That's fine, they'll eventually get 451 00:34:21.920 --> 00:34:27.440 it on home entertainment. But but it's just going directly to home entertainment. 452 00:34:27.559 --> 00:34:31.639 It just becomes part of this just this big mess of content. Nobody knows 453 00:34:31.639 --> 00:34:36.920 what to watch. It's not really being curated in any special way, and 454 00:34:37.840 --> 00:34:42.239 it's taking the O tour theory and throwing it out the window. It's like, 455 00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:46.320 I don't care what anybody says. The Irishman is not going to be 456 00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:52.920 as well regarded in the Scorsese film, you know, canon filmography as his 457 00:34:52.039 --> 00:34:55.320 other films that got theatrical releases. It's going to be seen as sort of 458 00:34:55.360 --> 00:34:59.360 like, oh, that was that streaming movie. Or something you know, 459 00:34:59.400 --> 00:35:02.519 and so and so that's really bothering me, And it's filmmakers have to do 460 00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:07.280 this because that's where we're finding our budgets, that's where money is coming. 461 00:35:07.280 --> 00:35:08.960 You know, you can make an eighty million dollar movie. You can be 462 00:35:09.119 --> 00:35:13.559 like your second time out and get an eighty million hour movie with Netflix. 463 00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:16.559 But again, and it's only going to live on Netflix for the rest of 464 00:35:16.599 --> 00:35:22.679 its life. And it's always like it's never really the director isn't promoted anymore. 465 00:35:22.920 --> 00:35:28.039 It's more about falling back into that like who produced it thing, And 466 00:35:28.119 --> 00:35:31.000 that was the whole that was the whole reason for the DGA to really may 467 00:35:31.000 --> 00:35:34.679 be like, wait a minute, the director. You know, this is 468 00:35:34.719 --> 00:35:37.880 a director. This we're going to fight for this, but we're losing that 469 00:35:38.079 --> 00:35:44.639 very quickly again. And like I'm just gonna I'm not dissing Blum. I 470 00:35:44.639 --> 00:35:46.519 think he's great. I love the fact that he's putting out a lot of 471 00:35:46.519 --> 00:35:51.760 films, But like the last Blumhouse film, you thought about, what do 472 00:35:51.800 --> 00:35:53.719 you don't think about the director? You think about Jason Blum. It's a 473 00:35:53.760 --> 00:35:59.519 Blumhouse movie. You don't know if you directed that film. So that's that's 474 00:35:59.559 --> 00:36:04.840 getting that's that's troublesome to me. I just went on, no, no 475 00:36:04.920 --> 00:36:07.159 it, and it brings up a whole lot of good points. One of 476 00:36:07.199 --> 00:36:10.320 the biggest things that we've been talking about recently with some of these interviews is 477 00:36:10.760 --> 00:36:15.199 the actual experience of a film living with you, and primarily that can be 478 00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:21.159 because of a shared experience in something, whether it be a theater or you 479 00:36:21.159 --> 00:36:24.119 know, back in the day like streaming films at the back of the library 480 00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:28.719 or something like that where it's projected on the wall. Is there something in 481 00:36:28.760 --> 00:36:31.000 your past that really goes man, That's one of my favorite memories because of 482 00:36:31.039 --> 00:36:36.400 the experience I had while filming or while watching this film. Well, just 483 00:36:36.679 --> 00:36:38.639 the other day when I saw Triangle of Sadness, it was a sold out 484 00:36:38.679 --> 00:36:43.239 show at Beyond Fest and it was like one of the best experiences. I 485 00:36:43.239 --> 00:36:46.760 mean, the the audience participation, Yeah, it was crazy. But over 486 00:36:46.760 --> 00:36:50.840 the years, yeah, I mean everything, And it happens every once in 487 00:36:50.840 --> 00:36:54.039 a while. Sometimes they are new films, sometimes they're you know, some 488 00:36:54.079 --> 00:37:01.360 sort of retrospective or I remember just oh but yeah, okay, so just 489 00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:08.119 recently and thank god it got a tiny theatrical even it was gas Barnoi's luxA 490 00:37:08.199 --> 00:37:14.960 Turna. Yeah, now I love the fact. Oh and you're gonna have 491 00:37:15.000 --> 00:37:16.639 to help me here. Who put it? What label put it out? 492 00:37:17.239 --> 00:37:22.159 I believe it was Yellow Veil. That was Yellow Veil. Yes, yes, 493 00:37:22.800 --> 00:37:25.519 So the box, you know, the release gorgeous. I mean, 494 00:37:25.679 --> 00:37:30.920 like you know, the sleeve and the booklet. It's a wonderful package to 495 00:37:30.000 --> 00:37:34.639 have. However, I'm really happy I saw it in the theater before I 496 00:37:34.679 --> 00:37:38.159 got that, because that was quite an experience. It's it's like next to 497 00:37:38.239 --> 00:37:44.159 Triangle Sadness. I think it's my favorite film of twenty two because it's it's 498 00:37:44.199 --> 00:37:49.119 it's an onslaught. He is really abusing the audience, but like in a 499 00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:52.920 way where like you king do this. If a filmmaker has this effect on 500 00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:57.360 an audience, therefore you know the movie has an impact. You can't deny 501 00:37:57.519 --> 00:38:01.760 it. And I love films that that hit, that touched you, that 502 00:38:01.760 --> 00:38:07.519 that that affects you, that you're thinking about. I I don't know if 503 00:38:07.039 --> 00:38:10.960 everybody knows about luxA Turna, but it's his. It's the film. He 504 00:38:12.039 --> 00:38:15.880 made two films recently, Vortex and luxA Turna. Externa is on the short 505 00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:19.920 side. I don't even know. I think it's just his feature length, 506 00:38:20.159 --> 00:38:22.159 uh, feature film length. I think it's come. I don't even know 507 00:38:22.199 --> 00:38:25.719 if it hits an hour. It's somewhere right around there. Yeah it but 508 00:38:25.719 --> 00:38:31.159 but but anyway, we saw it at the Lumier Cinemas in Beverly Hills, 509 00:38:31.960 --> 00:38:37.199 and he uses a lot of strobing. They even warn for they have warnings 510 00:38:37.239 --> 00:38:45.119 in the beginning of the film or possible epileptic seizures. But I it's so 511 00:38:45.280 --> 00:38:51.320 intense and it takes you. It just it's almost I was having a out 512 00:38:51.320 --> 00:38:53.280 of body experience at some point because I was just like I looked to my 513 00:38:53.480 --> 00:38:57.159 I looked to my wife Sam, and I was just like, I don't 514 00:38:57.199 --> 00:39:00.199 know how much more I can take. I was like falling off of my 515 00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:04.239 seat, and she was just like, I know, I know. And 516 00:39:04.280 --> 00:39:07.679 then the people behind us where everyone was just like kind of laughing because they 517 00:39:07.719 --> 00:39:10.639 didn't know how to handle it. And I'm just like, wow, this 518 00:39:10.719 --> 00:39:15.840 is this is truly a this is an experience I will not forget anytime soon. 519 00:39:17.079 --> 00:39:21.400 So and it was quite a fun film. It was really it's really 520 00:39:21.440 --> 00:39:25.000 like an intense experiment in a way. So anyway, that was one a 521 00:39:25.000 --> 00:39:30.480 few years back, I saw Lady Terminator Agva has that thirty five that goes 522 00:39:30.519 --> 00:39:34.519 around the best experience ever because I had medicals in me and I was just 523 00:39:34.599 --> 00:39:38.440 like, no, yeah, yeah, I mean, and then you know, 524 00:39:38.519 --> 00:39:44.119 going way back, I mean I remember going way way back, like 525 00:39:44.440 --> 00:39:47.320 the first time I was affected by seeing a film in the theater with Star 526 00:39:47.360 --> 00:39:51.719 Wars, you know, I was, I was, I'm dating myself right 527 00:39:51.760 --> 00:39:54.119 now, but I was six years old. My this is when parents could 528 00:39:54.199 --> 00:40:00.119 literally drop six year olds off like Star Wars. Yeah. Yeah, But 529 00:40:00.760 --> 00:40:05.039 I went with my older cousin he was ten, I was six. They 530 00:40:05.159 --> 00:40:09.440 dropped us off at the somewhere in Morris County, New Jersey to see Star 531 00:40:09.480 --> 00:40:15.199 Wars, and I just remember coming out going that's the best film ever made 532 00:40:15.239 --> 00:40:17.599 and they will never make a better film than that. And then of course, 533 00:40:17.639 --> 00:40:22.599 the next year Close Encounters came out and I'm like, that's better than 534 00:40:22.679 --> 00:40:30.159 Star I mean, I've been had parties. I brought my birthday party to 535 00:40:30.039 --> 00:40:32.800 one of my I forgot how old I was, but we went to an 536 00:40:32.840 --> 00:40:38.519 incredible shrinking Woman And it was mostly because I loved that in the beginning of 537 00:40:38.559 --> 00:40:43.440 the film, when the when the I don't know if you remember Incredible Shrinking 538 00:40:43.480 --> 00:40:46.039 Woman, but there's that part with the cheese whiz on the crackers in front 539 00:40:46.079 --> 00:40:50.599 of the supermarket and this one woman goes, now this tastes like shit. 540 00:40:50.960 --> 00:40:52.920 Well I was like seven years old and going, oh my god, she 541 00:40:52.960 --> 00:40:59.119 said shit, I got to ring my birthday party and see and I remember 542 00:40:59.119 --> 00:41:02.079 that event was one that was like, you know, a theater full cheering 543 00:41:02.239 --> 00:41:07.119 kid. So yeah, I mean like, look, this is my livelihood, 544 00:41:07.119 --> 00:41:09.000 this is my life. So obviously I have a lot of experiences like 545 00:41:09.039 --> 00:41:13.840 this. I was a projectionist, you know, when I was seventeen years 546 00:41:13.840 --> 00:41:17.559 old in Manville, New Jersey. So I worked the whole thirty five millimeter 547 00:41:17.760 --> 00:41:23.719 thing. I got to work behind the scenes there. So yeah, that's 548 00:41:23.760 --> 00:41:29.199 awesome. I mean that's fantastic. And to see the journey somebody can take 549 00:41:29.320 --> 00:41:31.719 for I mean, obviously it was something like being a projectionist, You're you're 550 00:41:31.719 --> 00:41:37.639 handling the physical media and just doing that can literally bring a level of appreciation 551 00:41:37.760 --> 00:41:40.639 that nowadays, I mean, streaming is never going to give anybody. It's 552 00:41:40.960 --> 00:41:45.960 we're at the point too where it's, uh, there's a psychological phenomenon called 553 00:41:45.000 --> 00:41:51.480 analysis paralysis. And when you see all of these options and you just like, 554 00:41:51.960 --> 00:41:53.639 well, fine, like fuck, I'll choose this one just because it's 555 00:41:53.639 --> 00:41:58.880 been staring at me. That's something the algorithm shows. But there's a gem 556 00:41:58.920 --> 00:42:00.280 on the next page that if if you actually would have watched it, it 557 00:42:00.360 --> 00:42:06.719 might have changed your life. Analysis paralysis. Yeah, is that what it's 558 00:42:06.760 --> 00:42:10.760 called. Yeah, it's it's basically like like CouchSurfing. You're literally sitting here, 559 00:42:10.800 --> 00:42:13.760 I don't know what to watch. I'm gonna go through all the channels 560 00:42:13.800 --> 00:42:15.840 and you do that for three hours. You know, a lot of collectors 561 00:42:15.840 --> 00:42:19.159 like us, maybe we'll do it. They're collection what do I watch tonight? 562 00:42:19.159 --> 00:42:22.639 There's five thousand releases? Which one do I choose? So it gets 563 00:42:22.719 --> 00:42:27.039 tough. And with streaming now there's nineteen different streaming services that people have, 564 00:42:27.159 --> 00:42:30.599 and how do you pick which one to watch? Which title on there to 565 00:42:30.639 --> 00:42:34.920 watch? It's just it's losing it to the point where there's no power behind 566 00:42:34.960 --> 00:42:39.920 it. I completely agree. Sometimes the way we choose it is almost like 567 00:42:40.000 --> 00:42:46.239 sort of like just a blind pointing. You know. I do appreciate movie 568 00:42:46.239 --> 00:42:50.960 though, Movie does that nice curation where you just get one film day for 569 00:42:51.039 --> 00:42:54.599 thirty days. I really like that, but no, I agree with you. 570 00:42:54.639 --> 00:42:59.920 And also what really is like I know you can probably turn this off 571 00:43:00.119 --> 00:43:02.920 figure a way around it, but I haven't, and most laymans don't. 572 00:43:04.159 --> 00:43:08.920 It's really insulting from some of the big streamers where it cuts to the credits 573 00:43:09.239 --> 00:43:14.199 in less than five seconds into the credits, the movie goes up to the 574 00:43:14.320 --> 00:43:17.719 upper left corner and it says it shows you what's coming next with an AD 575 00:43:17.800 --> 00:43:22.159 and you have to literally grab your remote in time and try to go up 576 00:43:22.159 --> 00:43:27.159 to that box and highlight it so you can see the credits before you lose 577 00:43:27.199 --> 00:43:30.920 that because you only have like ten seconds to do it. It's so insulting 578 00:43:30.960 --> 00:43:34.840 to filmmakers. I can't even believe they're allowed to do that. Actually that 579 00:43:34.880 --> 00:43:38.039 should be in the contract with like licensing your film to streamers. Are not 580 00:43:38.039 --> 00:43:43.880 allowed to do that. But yeah, so and also I want more than 581 00:43:44.119 --> 00:43:49.440 gripe with streaming. I paid a premium with Netflix, you know that, 582 00:43:49.519 --> 00:43:54.039 like that four K over the thing that cost an additional whatever, I'm still 583 00:43:54.079 --> 00:43:58.559 getting it. There's still buffering all the freaking time. And that slow mo 584 00:43:58.800 --> 00:44:02.320 thing where you're like, is that the film slow mo post slow mo or 585 00:44:02.400 --> 00:44:09.199 is that just catching up really annoying shit. I mean, there's a lot 586 00:44:09.239 --> 00:44:12.639 that we could just gripe on all day. One of the biggest things they're 587 00:44:12.679 --> 00:44:15.679 charging you a premium for four K, But if you pay attention to any 588 00:44:15.679 --> 00:44:19.440 of these that are in four K on Netflix and you have the disc, 589 00:44:19.880 --> 00:44:22.199 there's so much more compression on streaming, and people are just like, no, 590 00:44:22.360 --> 00:44:25.440 this looks amazing because when they you know, zoom in on somebody's face, 591 00:44:25.480 --> 00:44:29.519 you can see some pores. It's not the same thing you got banding 592 00:44:29.559 --> 00:44:32.079 on all the dark colors in the corner. You've got so much that on 593 00:44:32.119 --> 00:44:37.159 a disc. These people will literally never be able to see because they're not 594 00:44:37.199 --> 00:44:39.360 willing to go into physical media. And it's it's tough. Yeah, yeah, 595 00:44:39.440 --> 00:44:43.320 you got it. It's very true. And the credits thing, I 596 00:44:43.320 --> 00:44:45.239 mean, that's that's insulting, not only for the filmmakers, which obviously it 597 00:44:45.280 --> 00:44:47.920 is because a lot of those people gave up their life to do some of 598 00:44:47.960 --> 00:44:52.159 these films. But imagine you're watching a movie and it's got a really poignant 599 00:44:52.320 --> 00:44:57.320 ending, and the moment it ends just boom. Watch the you know, 600 00:44:57.400 --> 00:45:00.559 the next piece of shit movie that's being advertised next. Why I'm sitting here 601 00:45:00.599 --> 00:45:05.440 like on the verge of like, I'm depressed now because of this film, 602 00:45:05.480 --> 00:45:08.639 but I'm being drawn into the next Marvel movie. Like I know, I 603 00:45:08.679 --> 00:45:14.840 know. It's really sad. It's really sad. Yeah. Yeah, anyways, 604 00:45:15.079 --> 00:45:17.159 I'm so glad that you're on our side. I'm so glad that you're 605 00:45:17.440 --> 00:45:22.599 continuing to make films like this and to be as respectful with your time as 606 00:45:22.599 --> 00:45:24.840 I can. I hope someday we can have you back again, because this 607 00:45:24.880 --> 00:45:29.400 has been incredible. I love your work and I just appreciate you being a 608 00:45:29.400 --> 00:45:32.440 part of the community. How about we do this when my next might Okay, 609 00:45:32.440 --> 00:45:36.880 so I have Four Letter Words, which is my first film. Yeah, 610 00:45:37.000 --> 00:45:40.039 not a great movie, by the way. It was a very I 611 00:45:40.079 --> 00:45:45.280 was finding my way, but I'm really happy that it is actually getting out 612 00:45:45.320 --> 00:45:51.719 there because it shows my roots and it isn't as bad as maybe I thought 613 00:45:51.760 --> 00:45:53.320 it was. But so anyway, so that's my first film. That's coming 614 00:45:53.360 --> 00:45:59.280 out sometime in twenty three. And then Prince Broadway, which was my follow 615 00:45:59.360 --> 00:46:06.559 up to Takeout, that folds a luxe restoration as well, and so that 616 00:46:06.760 --> 00:46:10.199 will be also hitting having a re release in twenty three, so when one 617 00:46:10.239 --> 00:46:15.599 of them hits, I would love to be back on perfect. That would 618 00:46:15.599 --> 00:46:19.679 be amazing. Sean, thank you be safe. Hopefully we'll talk in soon. 619 00:46:19.719 --> 00:46:22.719 Thank you, oh man. Thank you. Keep fighting the fight every 620 00:46:22.760 --> 00:46:51.599 single day. Tell me no