Everybody Must Get Stonied Dept.: In the midst of cutting his new, much-anticipated documentary on Austin’s turbocharged, all-female roller derby league (Texas Rollergirls), local indie filmmaker Bob Ray and his CrashCam Films got word that their 1999 film Rock Opera was nominated for — what else? — a trophy at High Times magazine’s Fourth Annual Stony Awards. Frankly, why this wasn’t done sooner is anyone’s guess, though we suspect plenty of Frank Frazetta “Death Dealer” bongs and the resulting short-term memory loss may, perhaps, have been involved. Better late than never, though; Ray’s film, a stoner epic if ever there was one, is up for the magazine’s Stony in the category of “Best Unreleased Film,” against a bevy of other cannabis-friendly flicks, including another former SXSWer, Martin & Orloff (featuring members of Comedy Central’s late, lamented Upright Citizens Brigade). The awards will be presented Wednesday, March 5, at B.B. King’s Blues Club in New York City, with presumably chaotic (yet oddly chill) results… In other awards news, Austinite and production sound mixer John Pritchett nailed an Oscar nomination last week, in the category of Best Sound, for his work on Sam Mendes’ Road to Perdition. The nomination is shared with Scott Millan and Bob Beemer. Congrats and good luck to all.
This article appears in February 21 • 2003.