Off the Press, Up to Date: Cut Shorts - Short Films of Dave Markey 1974 - 2004 Page 1 of 6 BlogThis! Download Full DVD Movies All News, All The Time We compare movie downloading sites free. Millions of DVD movies & TV! Ads by Goooooogle May 11, 2006 Cut Shorts - Short Films of Dave Markey 1974 - 2004 Oaks, PA- Eclectic DVD and We Got Power Films are pleased to announce the home viewing release of Cut Shorts: Short Films of Dave Markey 1974 - 2004 for worldwide distribution on DVD. "Masks. More than anything else, these films are about masks. Cheap, hideous, gaudy, disposable Halloween Masks. Creepy clown masks, awful Adolf Hitler masks, frightening beyond belief Easter Bunny masks found in dime stores in the 1970’s." Says David Markey. But more about masks later. This collection documents 30 years in the life and work of Previous Posts http://off-the-press-up-to-date.blogspot.com/2006/05/cut-shorts-short-films-of-dave-marke... 5/11/2006 Off the Press, Up to Date: Cut Shorts - Short Films of Dave Markey 1974 - 2004 Page 2 of 6 Versus The Mirror goes HOME. independent filmmaker David Markey. The details of Markey’s life are all HOTWAX COSMETICS Presents HOT FRID here; his childhood friends, the apartment buildings and alleyways where he At San Jose's STUDIO 8 May 12th, 2006 grew up and which he eventually turned into his own movie studio, STAUBGOLD/QUECKSILBER MAY NEWS complete with a stable of “actors,” real-life props and street-bound extras. Blueprint Recordings - May Update Estonian Pop Queen Éha Brings Somethi Much of Markey’s work may seem surreal, but actually it's “all-too-real.” His Different to the Red Lion! frenetic documentary style mixes with Punk Fiction on the dime (literally). PROSTHETIC RECORDS SIGNS FRANCE Budget constraints did not deter Markey’s creativity; in fact, they provide an GOJIRA TO NORTH AMERICAN DEAL aesthetic for his work. Deep Space Selector MAGIX ANNOUNCES MUSIC MAKER 11 DELUXE WITH MP3 SURROUND SOUND & David Markey was born December 3, 1963 in Burbank, CA. As a Southern HARMONY AGENT California native, Markey made his first film in 1974 at the age of 11. NEW ARPIONI CD/DEMO, GÖTTINGEN/TOURDATES Because of his age, his parents would not allow him to see "The Exorcist," Autopsyrotica - a new graphic book by Ch so he nabbed his father’s hand-wound 8mm Brownie camera and made his Michael Ward own version, “The Devil’s Exorcist,” the only horror film he would ever make (discounting the 1980 feature "The Omenous" which was a horror film parody). For this epic, Markey employed the racially mixed kids that lived in his working-class neighborhood on Stewart Street in Santa Monica as actors, casting the inherently compelling, bell-bottom-wearing, well-coiffed Peter Garcia in the lead. Markey appears several times in the film as the victim of his rampant teenage Satanic Homicide. The film could be written A History of Violence off as camp (i.e. typical kid-makes-home movie), however, Markey’s film Viggo Mortensen exudes a genuine unsettling nightmarish atmosphere that reflects the New $14.96! Used $6.85! turmoil that was occurring in his home life as his parents were in the midst of an ugly Catholic "separation" resulting from his father's spousal abuse The Constant and alcoholism. Gardener Ralph Fiennes Markey continued to express New $19.96! Used $6.98! himself via film feverishly producing homespun backyard Brokeback productions, which he would Mountain screen in local garages or youth Heath Ledger New $16.96! centers to the neighborhood kids Used $6.71! and their parents. He saved his allowance and revenue made from Brokeback said screenings to fund his future Mountain Heath Ledger Super 8 millimeter cinematic endeavors. After the sudden death of his New $16.96! father Daniel in 1977, Markey moved in with his mother, Mary, to a nearby Used $7.97! neighborhood in Santa Monica, on Broadway and 26th St. A similar sunny urban area once again populated by packs of wild kids; Dog Town skaters, Sense and Sensibility surfers and stoners. It was here that he met siblings Jordan and Jennifer James Fleet Schwartz, (both appearing here in several films including the very weird New $9.66! "Plasticland") who evolve into lifelong friends and artistic/musical collaborators. The Passenger Jack Nicholson As the ‘70s were winding down, the counter-current new wave movement New $19.96! was on the rise, which sparked Markey’s interest and growing artistic style. The soundtrack of his endless summers and much of his work were provided by Devo, the Clash, Talking Heads, the Ramones, the Specials, (Prices may change) the Buzzcocks, and the B-52’s. This is best represented in the coming-of- Privacy Information age subtext of 1980’s "Summer Has Been Over for a Long Time." The innocence of these times would segue into a more serious early ‘80s Links hardcore-punk fueled by the immediate energy and brilliance of local LA http://off-the-press-up-to-date.blogspot.com/2006/05/cut-shorts-short-films-of-dave-marke... 5/11/2006 Off the Press, Up to Date: Cut Shorts - Short Films of Dave Markey 1974 - 2004 Page 3 of 6 Anchor Bay bands like X, the Germs, Black Flag, Red Cross, and countless others. The Blue Underground grit and darkness of this scene resonated as much as the wit and cynicism Camino Records with a teenaged Dave. Inspired by the music, David began playing drums Centaur Music and formed Sin 34 with his other-side-of-the-tracks friends from Beverly City Canyons Records Hills High School, Phil Newman and Julie Lanfeld. Soon after fellow Santa Discotek Media Monica High School student Mike "Geek" Glass would join the final line up Estúdios Trama of the band. Markey continued making films that increasingly reflected the Hatred Divine music scene exploding around him, as seen in his documentary “The Slog Heavy Fidelity Records Movie: LA Hardcore Archives 1981-82”. Magick Records Magix Max Recordings Much like the Do-It-Yourself attitude found in punk zines and bands, David Musea Records was inspired to make films just as he always has, except with the idea of Music Video Distributors getting his work seen outside the neighborhood. In the early ‘80s VCRs No Colours Records became prevalent. It seems arcane now, but at the time it was Onar Films revolutionary. Movies became readily available (unedited as they were on Panik House Entertainment television) and you could actually watch what you wanted to, as opposed to Prosthetic Records network programming (or the then smalltime cable television). David used Red Hot Music Label his contacts from We Got Power magazine to get his films out on video and Skyscraper Media in record shops. He had completed 1984's "Desperate Teenage Lovedolls" TKO Records for $250.00. Without even the meager bucks of even the most independent Trummerflora record label, distribution was limited to those in the know. One East Coast Unicorn Records fan, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, was watching from afar. Zero Youth Records In 1986, New York's Sonic Youth found themselves signed to the influential SST Records. Markey’s then-band Painted Willie was also on the label, and a friendship would soon emerge between Thurston and David. You can see these alliances being forged (and Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore's cinematic debuts) in 1987's "Astro Turf," a film based on a nonsensical fever dream of Markey's, 1989's Hollywood tourist nightmare "Lou Believers," and 1991's outrageous “Rap Damage,” which could very well be the template for Markey’s most seen work, "1991: The Year Punk Broke." They are solidified in the sour-faced sarcastic raspberry of 1992's “Grunge Pedal” featuring Pavement's Mark Ibold and Pussy Galore's Julie Kafritz. Much of the shorts films and music videos contained within are cross- referential. Many of the same actors (friends turned actors, many from So Call’s punk scene such as Black Flag’s Dez Cadena & Red Cross’ Steve McDonald) take part in these works. Certain Halloween masks and wigs appear throughout these various pieces. A dark sense of humor could only produce the tri-image random synchronicity of “Adolph 1990,” which was shot during Markey’s brief residency in San Francisco. Ditto for the masturbating clown in “Popcorn” (which its never before seen sequel is also included here). There’s a distinct sensibility throughout—askewed to the core; yet the concepts bind the stream of consciousness imagery together, however fractioned, frenetic or furious. Many of the films here are "Instant Films"--films conceived and shot, usually http://off-the-press-up-to-date.blogspot.com/2006/05/cut-shorts-short-films-of-dave-marke... 5/11/2006 Off the Press, Up to Date: Cut Shorts - Short Films of Dave Markey 1974 - 2004 Page 4 of 6 all within the same day. Pure inspiration for what it's worth. In some cases, these were warm-ups for the feature films that were to follow. In retrospect, some of the early no-budget short films play not unlike the later-day feature film and music videos Markey would direct, and often shoot and edit himself. Included here are clips from Sonic Youth ("I Love You Golden Desperate Blue"- the complete version from 2004's Nurse LP), The Posies ("Ritchie Teenage Love Dolls Dagger's Crime" from 1996's "A Small Circle Of Friends" Germs Tribute Tracy Lea LP), and Eyes Adrift "Alaska" (from 2002- Meat Puppet Curt Kirkwood, Used £7.46 Nirvana's Krist Novoselic, and Sublime's Bud Gaugh's short lived band.) Words with Wings In the 80’s and 90’s, Markey self- Moira Andrew released two video compilations, New £14.24 Used £5.00 first being the crudely titled “Some Shit”, followed by “Rap Damage +4”.