Creating a Community
It’s on weekends like this – perfect weather, so many great community events underway or being planned – that I reflect on how far we’ve come as a city. Yesterday’s tribute to Ray Ackerman reminded me of just how bad things had gotten 20 years ago. If you were in college (I graduated in 1990), odds were more of your friends than not were planning to exit Oklahoma City as soon as possible. They were even being encouraged and urged to do so by professors.
Sure, we had a few good things still tying us all together – most notably the Spring Festival of Arts. But the festival wasn’t enough to keep folks rooted to Oklahoma City. It seemed as if we were going no where fast.
As thousands gather this weekend at the Oklahoma River, it’s easy to get caught up on how big huge events have helped make Oklahoma City an exciting place to call home. But sometimes its the smaller efforts that can be just as effective in changing hearts and minds.
One of the latest reminders of this was nothing less than a really, really bad movie; Zardoz.
Now, before you think I’ve lost my mind, keep in mind, this moment in time was not about the movie. Zardoz was without a doubt a low point in the career of Sean Connery. It has a Charles Manson hippie vibe mixed with bad sci-fi, naked chicks, effeminate violent bad guys, and a homicidal talking diamond. It’s the very sort of bad movie that would have been fodder for the classic Mystery Science Theater 3000 guys (see the You Tube clip above if you never watched this show).
Debuting as “The Movie Clubbed,” the roles of Joel and bots were filled by Greg Elwell (former co-worker at The Oklahoman and a true artiste with all the pastel colors of sarcasm), Rod Lott, Richard York and Brian Winkeler.
Greg and Moran Elwell
The Movie Clubbed Guys
The guys were brilliantly funny and provided yet another original, wonderful cause for community to come together. For a couple hundred people, including myself, it was a night not to be forgotten (though my friend Andrew Black, a Jamaican raised with a different sense of humor was more bewildered and worried about my mental health in choosing this as an outing). In other cities, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema provides such entertainment on an ongoing basis. Could the the Movie Clubbed turn into a greater venture and valued part of our city’s quality of life? I’d vote for it. And there’s a certain unappreciated old MidTown theater I hear may soon be losing its tenant (a church)…
All the guys involved with The Movie Clubbed have day jobs of course. For now, we can look forward to a couple of occasional performances a year. But I can dream, can’t I?
In the meantime, for those who really care to know more about the movie itself, enjoy this trailer (or don’t):
Thank you for joining our conversation on OKC Central. We encourage your discussion but ask that you stay within the bounds of our commenting and posting policy.
Comments
1. To answer your question:
Yes you can dream.
2. In this sentence:
But sometimes its the smaller efforts that can be just as effective in changing hearts and minds.
The third word “its” needs an apostrophe after the “t.”
You don’t have to thank me.
Also, I’m changing my blog address to a new name. It’s time
for a name change so I’ll be moving, but I won’t be announcing it there. I’ll probably
post it here. I have a lot of Russian followers I’m not very
happy about.
Thanks for the write-up, Steve!
The Movie Clubbed (including elusive fifth member Spencer Hicks who couldn’t get out of a Wichita stand-up date to join us for ZARDOZ) is getting together in two weeks to start planning our next painful cinematic experience. We’re still recovering from Connery’s chest ’fro and saggy red diaper-shorts.
The Movie Clubbed contended with the beast that is “Zardoz” back in March, during the OKC Museum of Art’s 10 year film celebration. It still haunts us to this day.
I’m super pumped for the next installment. It was painfully fun getting together with all the talented guys and watching a terrible, terrible movie.
This must be apart of the other person who lives inside of you. Do I need to put denial out a public add denying any relationship to you. And here have you taken my 46 year old respectable son?
I should have looked at the message before I sent it, I really can type. But seriously, where have they taken my son!
He obviously got elbowed by someone or something, But the aliens will return hin after they spend sometime with him. Like the ransom of Red Chief!
Oh, come on now Mom. Try to remember I’m the kid who watched “Car Wash” over and over again (and I still love the movie). I’d also like to point out I’m the ONLY Oklahoman writer whose Mom comments on his blog. I’m quite proud of this. And it doesn’t impede me at all from detailing watching a movie like Zardoz. Because at the end of the day, you know I’m quirky.
Great news everyone !! Zardoz IS available on Netflix for those that didn’t get enough from the trailer alone !!
Happy Feet Happy Feet !!