Doom, I Tell You, Doom Dept.: No one will ever accuse Bob Ray of being anything less than prolific – the Austin filmmaker is currently in postproduction on his epic documentary on tiny wheels and big attitudes, Hell on Wheels: The Texas Women’s Roller Derby Story, and has found time not only to knock out that badass Riverboat Gamblers video you’ve seen on the Austin Music Network, but also to rediscover one of his own lost masterpieces, Hillbilly Doomsday, starring Jerry “Toe“ Clark (Klaus Kinski to Ray’s Werner Herzog, natch) and featuring those fine, Herschell Gordon Lewis-by-way-of-Appalachia staples, gore and mayhem. Shot in Austin in 2001, the master tapes were lost and presumed MIA until recently when Ray and company “found” ’em and finished post on this nearly forgotten horror show. By now you’re probably wondering how and where on Earth you can see the finished product, yes? Lucky you, Ray’s screening it at this year’s Cinematexas International Short Film Festival in September as well as at the 11th annual Chicago Underground Film Festival, which is currently under way at the Windy City’s Three Penny Cinemas, 2424 N. Lincoln, should you happen to be in the neighborhood. Not enough Ray for you? Sucker. Check out the CrashCam Films Web site at www.crashcamfilms.com to scope gobs more Raymania, vids, shorts, and assorted madness.
Vengeance Is Mine, Sayeth the Voter Dept.: Sure, we’re all sick of Michael Moore getting all the press, but what, we ask on bended knee, can be done? Leave it to our pals at Dallas PBS stalwart KERA to come up with a solution: Their Frame of Mind series is actively searching out parody campaign ads, mock debates, and “witty send-ups of the election’s most divisive issues” for their “Voter’s Revenge” special airing this fall (exact date TBA). The deadline is Friday, Sept. 17, which gives you plenty of time to shoot that Osama bin Laden-George W. Bush nude oil-wrestling short you’ve been dreaming of for the past two years. Complete registration info’s online at www.kera.org or by e-mailing bart@videofest.org.
This article appears in August 20 • 2004.