School is nearly out, finals are just about over, and the Guild Cinema's Three Weekend Film Festivals in May is here to help fill all that spare time.
The first weekend of the film festival began Friday with the Madcat International Women's Film Festival and ends with the Itinerant Cinemascape on May 21. Right in the middle is acclaimed indie director Jon Moritsugu's Blast Out weekend Friday and Saturday.
Moritsugu is a Hawaiian-born director with an eye for the absurd and a twisted mind that is gaining him cult film director status. Among his featured films will be "My Degeneration" and "Fame Whore."
In an e-mail interview, Moritsugu described how he got into making films.
"I've always loved writing and music," Moritsugu said. "And when I finally got into super-8 filmmaking in high school, it was like, boing! This is the greatest combination of my interests. The whole idea of creating a new reality for people to check out has always been exciting for me."
It would seem Moritsugu excelled in creating a new reality. His film "Mod (expletive) Explosion" has been described as "so bad that it's good" by the New York Post. Variety magazine compared it to "an episode of 'My So-Called Life' on bad acid." Detour magazine said, "Imagine a script penned by a ten-year-old with Tourette's syndrome, and you'll get the feel."
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It sounds like the perfect way to end a ruthless semester.
Moritsugu describes his training as combination of some college with a liberal dose of real-world experience and said, "There is really nothing quite as intense and instructional as just going for it."
With wide range of influences including Danny Plotnick, Craig Baldwin, Andy Warhol, Minor Threat and the Stooges, which is Iggy pop's old band, Moritsugu draws inspiration from an eclectic crowd and his interests translate to his filmmaking.
Despite the rough nature of the films, a lot of work goes into the crafting of the story, score and characters.
"It involves lots of note taking, observations and notebooks filled with ideas," said Moritsugu. "I eventually edit through these ideas and arrange them, and piece together a story.
Music is prominent in my movies. So while I am writing, I am also planning the music."
When given the scenario of a poor college student with limited funds who wants to see his work, Moritsugu suggested seeing "Fame Whore" or "Terminal U.S.A."
"These are my most accessible films, which have also received the most kudos," Moritsugu said. "'Fame Whore' was an Oscar contender and 'Terminal U.S.A.' was played on PBS in 150-plus cities. They are also totally wild and freaky."
"Fame Whore" was "ruled ineligible for Academy Awards consideration by virtue of its 16mm format," according to a news release.
Being virtually unknown to Albuquerque, Moritsugu said to his first-time viewers, "Get ready for rock 'n' roll, guffaws, shouts, hipsters and poseurs. Put on your seat belts because this is raw and intense stuff."
What: Jon Moritsugu's Blast Out
When: Friday and Saturday
Where: Guild Cinema 3405 Central Ave.
Price: $5-$7
info: 255-1848
www.guildcinema.com
