Page Two

The voice that woke me was deep and familiar: "Hello, this is Paul Bartel, and I've made a new movie, and I've been told by Hart Sprager that you're the one to help get it shown in Austin." Paul Bartel, was this someone's idea of a joke? The director of Cannonball, the classic Death Race 2000, and the masterful Private Parts -- on my phone? Of course I could help set up a screening. Which is why the Chronicle sponsored the first successful public screening of Eating Raoul in the country. I didn't realize this for a while; I thought we were just showing the new Bartel movie. But years later, talking to crew, I discovered that although there had been a successful cast and crew screening in L.A., where the low-budget film was made, two East Coast screenings had been underattended. The almost full house at the Varsity Theatre loved the film, providing Bartel with his first awareness that he had a potential commercial hit. Paul Bartel died last week. Unfortunately, the early promise he showed -- in the brilliant shorts "Naked Nurse" (1969) and "Secret Cinema" (1969, think cinéma vérité-ish Truman Show) and the features Private Parts (1972), Death Race 2000 (1975), and Eating Raoul (1982) -- was never realized. Not for Publication (1984) and Shelf Life (1993) were never even released, and The Longshot (1986) barely was. Only Lust in the Dust (1985) and Scenes From the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills (1989) attracted much attention. Despite their strengths, especially the latter, it's hard to make much of a case for them being any kind of improvement on the earlier work.

Sometime in 1977 or '78, I was reborn at a South Austin drive-in watching Jonathan Demme's Caged Heat. The story of why I was feeling so doomed is too meandering to go into, but the film filled me with energy and showed me the light. Over the next few years, exploitation films -- those low-budget wonders turned out to play the drive-in and inner-city theatre circuit -- were a real passion. Among the most revered directorial talents was Paul Bartel. Not so much for the widely acclaimed Death Race 2000 but for MGM's Private Parts (produced by Roger Corman's brother Gene), a perversely twisted but generally good-humored sick black comedy. I've always thought one of the reasons I've never been that impressed with David Lynch's Blue Velvet is because, having seen Private Parts, I'd already been down those dark streets.

Now, for most readers, forget the nine or so movies he directed and let's talk about the almost-70 acting appearances in film. Easily his most famous turn was his co-starring role in Eating Raoul with longtime friend Mary Woronov, but Bartel had an amazing career as an actor. Basquiat (1996), The Usual Suspects (1995), Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), Frankenweenie (1984), White Dog (1982), Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979), and Piranha (1978) are just a few of the films graced by his theatrical gifts.

Back in the early Eighties, when we screened Eating Raoul, the Varsity crowd laughed at all the right places and then some. Paul knew he had a hit, and he did. We kept in touch for a number of years after that, sometimes visiting. I think the last time I saw him was on the set of Class Struggle. He had talked about making the film since I first met him, and it was fun to watch it finally happening. Bartel was in a great mood.

It was a shock to read about his death. He was always vibrant, debonair, and funny. A passionate man, he left us some great films and terrific performances.

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The Chronicle's short story contest continues. Please write. Please enter. It will be fun.

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Senior ad rep Jerald Corder and Chronicle illustrator Lisa Kirkpatrick added a new member to the family. Adele Marie Corder weighed seven pounds nine ounces at birth and is 20 inches long. We are sure young brother Wyatt is excited about this new addition to the family. Here at the Chronicle, we are thrilled about the extended family's newest member. Our love goes out to all of them.