| Mike McCarthy's art is based on three original Pop Culture contributions that America gave the world during the twentieth century: Comic Books, Rock and Roll, and Drive-In Cinema (not just the physical things themselves, but the ideas behind them). The most progressive and brilliant period of this pulp trinity occurs between 1935 to 1977 ("Bride of Frankenstein" to "Star Wars", Will Rogers death to Punk Rock, the first comic books until the death of underground comics); and the Life and Death of Elvis Presley.
Elvis Presley is not just the king of rock and roll, he is the king of American Pop Culture.
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2006 ARCHIVES
WHEAT COMES TO MEMPHIS
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foto by Mike McCarthy
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October 5th through the 16th.
Naturally I KNEW how we would spend this time. WHEAT is a co-conspirator friend of mine, an enabler if you will, a partner in arms in Guerrilla Monster, who allows my abstract visions to take form in reality. This trip would be no different.
When Wheat was not working with me he caught up with old friends, and looked forward to attending the 9th annual INDIE MEMPHIS FILM FESTIVAL which was premiering our OLGA, WILLOWZ and 200 SACHEN videos, the newly remastered TEENAGE TUPELO, and some other JMM goodies in a special closing night showcase called MEMPHICENTRIC (see below).
What follows in news item form is what Wheat and I did before he returned to his new home in dark Bradenton, Florida, where he bicycles at night using his cell phone for a headlight.
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I want DESTROY MEMPHIS to have vignettes. Perhaps these are dvd menu items, apart from the narrative. But if these artsier elements can function to advance the story then I believe it serves this documentary better, albeit in a surreal way. The ZIPPIN PIPPIN inspired such a piece.
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 Wheat arrived on Thursday afternoon (taking a bus!) from the airport and joined us at Casablanca where we waited on water. Earlier that day Director of Photography Iddo Patt, assistant Daniel Freeman and I had already taped former Director of Public Services and Neighborhoods DONNIE MITCHELL (who saved the W.C. HANDY house) and retired bio-chemist and author MR. DULANEY (who saved the Carousel). None of this would have been easy without the camera loan from Chad Schaffler or the previous sound work of John Markham.
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Click for larger version
foto by JMM
design by Ron Harris
Cadavera © 2006
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“You can come back from the dead but you can’t go back home.”
One day in August 2006 as the 29th DEATHWEEK beat down upon us, black tressed CORI DIALS strolled into Sun Studio. When she told me that she liked to make her own blood and guts and play dead in photographs (meanwhile she sells health insurance!) we hit if off immediately! “Strange lass, this Cori”, I thought...with Tura Satana eyes, Bettye Page jaw, and Veronica Lodge hairline.
I accompanied CORI on a horror movie shoot where she was hogtied in the back of pick up truck for hours (without complaining once). At an incredible antique junkyard location she climbed into rusted out car trunks at dusk after winning the approval of a County Deputy who at first stood in our way. CORI doused herself in red karo syrup and cherry jello - just to play dead.
“I have someone dead you can play.”
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River City Tanlines
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I've known Tanlines front-girl ALICJA TROUT for maybe 13 years? She played in the CLEARS and we shot an (unfinished) 16mm vid back in ‘97 that still sits upside down on my shelf. As the CLEARS, ALICJA and two male band mates; BRAD and SHELBY were 'high atari' in a look we conjured from mall fitted black tranny plastic and silver wiggage. A romanciful cousin to Eno and cheap beer.
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Last Starlet Cori Dials and Samantha Pinegar
foto by Steve Jones
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