The beating of 64-year-old retired elementary schoolteacher Robert Davis by police in downtown New Orleans, much-televised over the past several days, is the lowest point the troubled city has sunk since its botched hurricane evacuation efforts. (Unless you count its long history of corruption, which is a whole 'nother story.)
Davis said he'd gone out for a walk and the confrontation began after he had approached a mounted police officer Saturday to ask about curfews in the city when another officer interrupted.
"This other guy interfered and I said he shouldn't," Davis said. "I started to cross the street and - bam - I got it. ... All I know is this guy attacked me and said, 'I will kick your ass,' and they proceeded to do it."
The APTN tape shows an officer hitting Davis at least four times in the head. Davis appeared to resist, twisting and flailing as he was dragged to the ground by four officers. Another officer also kneed Davis and punched him twice. Davis was pushed to the sidewalk with blood streaming down his arm and into the gutter. Davis' lawyer, Joseph Bruno, said his client did not resist police.
During the arrest, another officer, identifying himself on tape as S. M. Smith, ordered an APTN producer and cameraman to stop recording. When producer Rich Matthews held up his credentials, the officer grabbed him, leaned him backward over a car, jabbed him in the stomach and unleashed a profanity-laced tirade.
It is worth noting that Robert Davis is black and all the police present were white. While the race card has been played to some extent over the last several days, more of the emphasis seems to be what in the hell got into these cops? Although they accused Davis of drinking, he said he hasn't had a drink in 25 years and was merely out for a walk.
The city is stressed, yes, lord knows it's been through a lot lately. But this hideous display---eerily reminiscent of the Rodney King beating by LA cops---seems to confirm the boiling hotbed of police brutality and corruption long-rumored to have taken over the city ages ago.
Other witnesses in the New Orleans incident were intimidated by the police as well.
The pictures of Robert Davis laying on the ground covered in blood are nauseating. After a hospital visit (stitches were required to close his head wounds), he returned to the scene and was shocked to find his own blood still on the ground.
The three officers most clearly seen in the tape have been suspended without pay while the investigation continues. They claim Davis's version of events is distorted. But, if found guilty (duh), they should be summarily dismissed from the force and their pensions, if any, revoked.
Comedian Louie Nye Passes Away at 92
Louie Nye, a comic staple on many TV game shows and sit-coms of the '60s died Sunday following a long battle with lung cancer, according to his son, Peter Nye. Although Louie Nye's first breakthrough into television was a little before my time (shocking, but true) evidently he had created a national catchphrase when he belted out "Hi Ho, Steverino" on Steve Allen's groundbreaking 1950s TV show (as character Gordon Hathaway). I myself remember him on The Beverly Hillbillys as Milburn Drysdale's prissy son, Sonny Drysdale. Nye excelled at these kind of characterizations. His appearances on The Mike Douglas Show, The Tonight Show, The Jackie Gleason Show, and various '60s sit-coms were all very memorable.
One of my all-time favorite summer replacement shows was hosted by Nye: 1970's Happy Days (not to be confused with the later Ron Howard comedy). Happy Days was a celebration of the pop culture and music of the 1930s and featured some of the most gifted impressionists of the day, to say nothing of the big band reunions frequently staged. I missed it bitterly when it ended and still do.
I'm sure our own Mike Smith will do his usual fantastic career overview of Louie Nye in Mike's Rant.
PCR Top Ten Challenge From Mike Smith, Cont'd
In Mike's Rant #288 Mike Smith challenged the readers and staff of PCR to recall their top 10 favorite songs that make them think of movies they like. He was not looking for theme songs or title songs like "Purple Rain" or "Stand by Me" or "A Hard Day's Night." Merely a popular song used in a film or a film trailer that, when you hear the song, you think of the movie.
We had a pretty good turnout last week with seven total responses, all really good lists. We continue this week with more reader responses.
Top 10 Songs That Remind Me Of Movies. by David T. ("Backbiter69" on the Message Board and Lettercols)
In no particular order, they are:
"American Girl" - Tom Petty: The Silence Of The Lambs
"These Boots Were Made For Walking" - Nancy Sinatra: Full Metal Jacket
"Downtown" - Petula Clark: Jaws II
"Singing In The Rain" - Any version: A Clockwork Orange (Note: I have never heard Malcolm McDowell on the radio, but that doesn't matter. Everytime I hear any version, I think of this movie. Hope that counts.
"Flowers On The Wall" - Statler Brothers: Pulp Fiction
"Pipeline" - The Chantays: The Wanderers Most of you probably know the Ventures version, but this one is better.
"Stayin' Alive" - Bee Gees: Airplane (You thought I was gonna mention another movie?)
"Moondance" - Van Morrison: American Werewolf In London
"Layla" - Eric Clapton: Goodfellas
"Dead Man's Party" - Oingo Boingo: Back To School
Top 10 Songs That Remind Me Of Movies. by Juanita Craft(?) from Kansas City
In no particular order, they are:
"Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum, The Big Chill
"Change the World" - Eric Clapton, Phenomenon
"She" - Elvis Costello, Notting Hill
"Old Time Rock and Roll" - Bob Seger, Risky Business
"Brown-Eyed Girl" - Van Morrison, Sleeping With the Enemy
"Living Inside my Heart" - Bob Seger, About Last Night
"Last Dance" - Donna Summer, Thank God It's Friday
"Into the Mystic" - Van Morrison, Immediate Family
"Shout" - Lloyd Williams, Animal House
"Everything I Do" - Bryan Adams, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Romeo Coffeehouse to Close After Thursday's Film Meeting
In what could only be described as a shocking and depressing development for Bay-area filmmakers, Walter Romeo has announced he has decided to shut down the Studio 1515 Coffeehouse in Ybor City that has been the venue of the TOO Productions Film Series since January of 2004, and that this Thursday's (Oct 13th) meeting will be the last.
Citing Ybor's troubled image as a possible reason for business drop-off, Walter told me last month he had been closing extra days and basically opening on extended weekends only. But I didn't see this latest development coming.
Peter and Paul Guzzo, the two brothers who organize and set up the Film Review Series are looking for a new place to hold the meetings. They want to keep it in Ybor, but hopefully, wherever it winds up being, I encourage accessibility and parking as high priorities.
For those who can make it to the last Romeo Coffeehouse meeting at 1515 Seventh Ave., Thursday, Oct 13th, 8--10pm, here's the itinerary:
Life is a Circus by TOO Productions: An ordinary day in the life of some
unordinary characters. This was the FIRST film ever shown at the Coffeehouse
Film Review in January 2004.
The Karaoke Kid by TOO Productions: A teenager moves to Tampa, is picked on
by bullies and is taught the secrets of karaoke. A Karate Kid spoof, this is
one of TOO Productions first short films, shot when the produced The
Spooners public access show over four years ago.
‘Til Death Do Us Part by Sondra Olverholser: A film by the late Tampa
filmmaker Sondra Olverholser leftover from last month’s tribute to her.
The Libertines by Jon Wolding: Candles, flowers, romance... everything a girl
would expect the night of her “first time.” What's so terrifying about that?
And many more films!
TOO Productions feels that there are very few, if any, regular outlets in
the local area for local independent filmmakers to showcase their films.
Hopefully, this monthly event will provide that outlet for everyone, from
experienced local independent filmmakers to local college and high school
filmmakers experimenting with film production for the first time. TOO
Productions promises your film will be shown!
Studio 1515 has been owned and operated by Walter and Sarah Romeo, who opened the
coffeehouse in order to provide local artists a place to gather and share
their art. Coffeehouse Film Reviews was another way to provide a showcase to
local artists.
TOO Productions is looking for film submissions for future events. For more
information on the event or for information on how to submit a film, email
tooprod@hotmail.com or paulguzzo@hotmail.com. All genres of films are
accepted – feature length, shorts, documentaries, comedy, horror, love, art,
drama, foreign language, experimental etc. No pornography!
Walter and Sara Romeo and their wonderful Coffeehouse will be sorely missed---I'm sure I speak on behalf of the Guzzo Bros when I say, "Thank you, Walter, for giving us a place to hold our meetings and for helping advance the cause of independent filmmaking in the Tampa Bay area. Best of luck with your future endeavors!" --Nolan
SPECIAL CRAZED FANBOY NEWS...
• We Made the Papers Again! Local readers please look out for this Friday's (October 14th) St. Petersburg Times, specifically the City Times section and
an article called "Art Scene Savior?". Our old friend Vinne Blesi (
Couch Potato Confessions) is being featured for his work on PCR and for his new website, TampaBayMuse.com. None other than returning Times reporter Rick Gershman, the man who first put me in the paper back in
2002 with a terrific article on my old public access TV show, handled the writing! Rick says history repeated itself recently when he did a search for Bay area art and film venues and wound up on
TampaBayMuse.com, Vinnie Blesi, and right back on Crazed Fanboy.
• A New Nolan Radio Episode! FINALLY! After seven months of inactivity and during one of the most grueling years I've ever had, I am able to announce a new episode of Nolan Radio. If you'll look up at the top-most righthand corner of this webpage, you'll see a link to the interview with Ralph Butler, the designer of the new Florida quarter. Or you can just
click here. This is a special interview as Mr. Butler, besides having a great sense of humor, has many hometown connections to the Bay area. Hopefully, with my energy recharged, Nolan Radio episodes will be more regular now.
• Creature Feature Fan Database Updated! This is another story of delays and problems, but I was finally able to format and upload the last update sent to me by super-fan Lonnie Dohlen from last July. This update fills in the time between early December 1994, and mid-February 1995 on the
Database calendar.
• "Dinosoldier" by Jason Liquori Concludes. After a two-year run in what began as an exclusive original fiction section here on Crazed Fanboy.com, the
24th and final chapter of Dinosoldier by Jason L. Liquori is on the web. I had always intended on fleshing it out with more illustrations and perhaps even a Flash animation (which I still think about), but, alas, time was never on my side. Dinosoldier is a complete narrative, however, and will be archived here permanently. Thanks to Jason for the privilege of running this re-discovered gem.
• The Original Fiction Section Of CF Discontinued. Sad to say, everybody I know is in a different situation than they were two years ago, and supporting the original fiction section of Crazed Fanboy is no longer practical. Inquiries to potential editors invariably led to time-availability issues and I can't do it all by myself anymore. But, everything and anything that did pass through that area (
Flash Fantastic, et al) will remain archived indefinitely. (See "Classics From The Vault" link section below.)

WOOPSIE! Belated Happy Birthday Wishes go out to my favorite Mad Dog and Englishman, Hugo Morley, occasional PCR editorial contributor and favorite neighborhood barkeep who turned 38 years old, Sunday, October 2nd. And to former Florida boy, now LA-based ciné-punk of Other Side Cinema fame, Mark Terry, who turned 27 years old Thursday, October 6th.
THIS WEEK: Happy Birthday Wishes go out to Josh Sullivan, the world's most beloved comics and ska/punk gnome who turns 24 on Thursday, October 13th.
NEXT WEEK: ('cuz I'll forget otherwise) Happy Birthday Wishes go out to Autumn Lynn Rio, who I've known since she was (literally) hours old, turns 23 next Tuesday, October 18th!