.
""Ya
finished Packard"
---Sly
via Sage (April 2005, regarding Sly's receival of a "StarWars
Mockumentary" DVD which also includes the
'Sage Stallone: Portrait of a Madman mockumentary"
----------Most
of the following responses came from 2002-2003-----------------
Dear Mr. Packard, Thanks for the copy of REFLECTIONS OF
EVIL: it was good of you to get it to me. I've put it on
my stack of DVD's and look forward to it. I wish you good
luck with your film as with all else.
Cordially, Charlton Heston (letter
recieved by mail, late 2002)
"From
my cold dead hands!!!"
"Watched
the DVD, thanks for sending. There are moments of the movie
that were
really gripping. The plainclothes cop scene was amazing
and the trip through
down town with the Carpenter's song playing was the worst
acid trip I have
ever seen on film. The dog scene was nothing short of genius.
As far as all
your references to Speilberg, fuck it, you're way more interesting
and
intense than that fuckin guy."
Henry Rollins
"Yo--
Watched the movie. Wow! What a trip!! I personally loved
it. Laughed my ass off a couple of times. But I don't know
if it's supposed to be funny? Why haven't I seen this on
the Sundance Channel?? Looking forward to the next film.
Maybe my music could be of service?"
Sammy Hagar
"Saw
the movie. Aahh, my main complaint is that it's hard to
watch. The
synch-sound-- gets to you after awhile. But the images,
yeah, pretty cool- like an underground
movie....actually pretty damn awesome, the more I think
about it the more it blows me away. Obviously alot
of work went into it....is this some sort of
launching pad for you?"
Robby Krieger (The Doors)--watched
it with toothache
I"It
was shocking, intriguing, scary and subversive bad taste
from beginning to end. But moments of humour and pathos
shine through to keep you glued. Your "Mom" and the elderly
couple in the cozy bubble burb residence were just great.
Seriously spot on! Well, the only hope is the long slow,
sneak-up-on-you, cult underground status which can only
come via genuine support from a few hardies, whether on
the street, or in the celeb-support faction. Guess there's
no option now to re-edit or to sharpen and tighten up the
pace and drama. But, just a thought, Damon: dont go round
bitching and complaining. Go around cajoling and smoothing.
Go around the fringes of the industry with a respectful
and calculating tone, ready to re-shoot, re-cut, re-mount
the campaign for a meaningful festival appearance. The European
Festivals might offer a better chance to get noticed.
Ian
Anderson (Jethro Tull)
"Well
this is Buddy Hackett I got your movie maybe you can send
me a
note with a little more information I don't know who Chad
Nelson is..."
Buddy Hackett (1924-2003)
"Well
I am a member of the Academy.."
Roger Moore
"Oh
their gonna think it's just crap and throw it away, your
best bet is
film festivals or something.."
John Landis
(referring to the process of sending
thousands around to celebrities)
"God,
who the hell are you people..?" ((clunk))
Anonymous Phone Message
"You
want me to play a CREW MEMBER?? I Directed 15 of those damn
things!"
Jeff Corey (1914-2002)
(referring to a letter he received
at the beginning of production, asking if he was interested
in playing a stubborn old crew guy being directed by a young
Steven Spielberg circa 1971. At this time the film was titled
"Night Gallery Revisited". SAG regulations would
have made this impossible anyway.
"...that
poor Tony Curtis, Jesus Christ Packard must have paid him
100 bucks, it's really sad,..."
Sylvester Stallone
(rambling to his son Sage over the
phone, who kept trying to tell him "No dad, the voice
was dubbed.." But Stallone just kept rambling on in
his deep throaty voice).
"...I mean..this guy is really sick, no I mean he is
really sick, I've got kids in the house and he's
sending ME stuff at my home address??!...
I
wanted to put a fuckin' ball-peen hammer in his head after
a while..."
Ok, believe it or not this is a REAL
quote. 100% genuine! It come's by way of Sage Stallone (founder
of Grindhouse Releasing)
Sage
is now on a mission to drive his dad crazy with Reflections
of Evil DVD's. Every
time he visits him, he sneaks another DVD into his movie
rack, and each time his dad throws it away.
"Ohhh..well
I like romantic movies I don't know if I'd to watch this,
but I can give this to Sylvester, I was thinking of bringing
it over to him. How is Sage anyway, is he losing his mind?"
Chad: (responding) "Well
no, he's just wandering around his apartment eating Reeses
and drinking Pelligrino water."
Jacqueline: "Ohh, is he still fat? Y'know his father
(Sylvester) really hates fat people, especially his own
son, he has no tolerance for it.."
Jackie Stallone (Sly's Mother, Sage's
Grandmother, Celebrity Astrologer, this message came in
long after the original Sylvester Stallone response, the
entire Stallone family now have their own multiple copies
and will innocently bring them over to Sly's house to drive
him crazy)
"Well
thank you for thinking of me, I just bought a new TV today.
My old one blew up for some reason. The thing actually exploded
with my whole family here, it was really strange. But I'll
take a look at your DVD thanks."
Curtis Armstrong (Revenge of the
Nerds (Booger), Risky Business)
I
am e-mailing you regarding the third copy of Reflections
of Evil we've received. You have sent two to Jim Belushi's
residence and one to his business address. We've thrown
two out and would like to return the other one to you. Jim
is uncomfortable receiving unsolicited material and is feeling
stalked since you've now sent him three. Please stop sending
your DVD. I will return this to you if you give me a return
address.
Dena (Jim's asst.)
(Read the whole story on the bottom
of our There's More page)
We
apologized to Mr. Belushi and company and this is where
that got us.
Dave,
I saw it and I didn't like it. I considered it harassment
that you sent it to my home address multiple times - these
things are usually sent to agents. It creeped me out to
receive this type of mail at home - I try to keep my home
address as private as possible. I didn't like the movie
and I didn't like your wise-ass letter. I'm a supporter
of independent and cult films being in many of them myself.
This marketing approach is going to hurt you in this town,
not help you. I'm pissed off. Knock it off and please do
not respond to this e-mail.
Jim
Belushi
I'm
calling on behalf of Mr. William Asher who has received
3 copies of your RIDICULOUS REPULSIVE movie. Please don't
send anymore DVD's, we do not want them! Thank you very
much for leaving us alone!!"
William Asher (Director of Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker)
"Yea
Chad, I got this DVD...uhh, what is it?"
Chad:
"Well it's a screener, an independent film, a free
gift.."
"Oh..well
who sent it to me...?"
Wilford Brimley (firm tone)
"I
just recieved Reflections of Evil and I don't know who sent
this to me or WHY but I am very upset! I don't know how
you got a hold of my private home address but I would appreciate
a call back at 310/***-***** with some information. Who-ever
you are please take me OFF of your mailing list!"
Frances Fisher
("Strawberry Annie" in Unforgiven,-etc, Clint
Eastwood's ex-wife.)
"Hello: I just had the displeasure of receiving your
film in the mail - if you can actually call it a film -
please don't waste my time again with this filth. I'm wondering
what Tony Curtis would say, I'm sure he'll give you a ring
after he watches it. Filmmaking isn't about what you made
- get out now and stop ruining this art form. No need to
reply you requested comments"
Anonymous Celebrity
"Hi
I need to be taken off your mailing list, you've sent me
several of these DVD's and I don't even have a DVD player
so it's just wasted. Please take me off your list immediately,
thank you."
Alexandra Paul (Christine, American
Flyers, Baywatch, etc, sent her VHS tape just the same)
"Well
this is very frustrating I'm not experiencing joy and happiness
I'm experiencing aggravation---I can't get your DVD to play!
I want to see it! Can somebody please call me at 310/***-****
and help me with this? Please I'm going crazy here I've
been fiddling around with this thing for hours and I can't
get the DVD to play!!!"
Nita Talbot (Day of the Locust,
Night Shift, Sweet Creek County War, Columbo, Rockford Files,
etc)
"Thank
you for the $700 hand pressed DVD. LOVE"
Phyllis Diller
"How
the HELL did you get this private address!? This is a breach
of security! We CANNOT have this address in the public domain!!"
Ellen Degeneres' Assistant
"I
understand your trying to get attention but please do not
use this address again ok?"
Dino De Laurentiis' Private Assistant
(Heavy Italian accent--potential mafia)
"With
his disturbing, funny and sometimes poignent film, Reflections
of Evil, Damon Packard proves that if you have enough skill,
imagination and chutzpah, you can still get off your ass
and make a movie. Reflections demonstrates many of the shock-cinema
qualities I dearly loved back in the good old days of the
Independents--totally original, daring, and in-your-face.
His follow up Star Wars Mockumentary just shows that Packard
is not a one horse wonder. SWM is clever, with superior
editing, much humor, and some insight into the gaggle and
haggle of the major studio players."
Gary
Kent
(veteran stunt-man, director, actor, SFX cameraman,
etc Richard Rush' 2nd unit man on films like "Psych-Out",
"The Stunt Man" and "Freebie and the Bean")
Semi celebrities:
"I vastly
enjoyed it---didn't want it to END!!"
Drummer for
Blue Man Group-Las Vegas
"I passed
out at a friends house and woke up with your movie playing,
needless to say it has changed my life.."
Will De Los Santos
(writer of "Spun")
"Awesome, what can
I say? Packard--man of a thousand voices. I can't believe
what you did man, I can't BELIIEEEVE what you did!!! This
movie is too much, and how you haven't rec'vd more response
just doesn't make much fu#@ing sense to me..!"
Jim
Van Bepper (Director)
"Packard, your movie
has reached cult status.."
David
Szulkin
"You haven't heard
of Damon Packard..are you kidding me?"
Sage
Stallone (on phone with Quentin Tarantino)
OLIVER STONE's OFFICE
RESPONDS read
the story here
A
few other celebs who I know (via other sources) have rc'vd
their DVD's but chosen not to respond or comment directly.
Nobody likes to respond, too much fear, apathy, disregard, disdain.
Tom
Savini (passed them out to his make-up students in PA) I
get emails from Tom's students all the time.
Bob
Clark (director of Black Christmas, Murder by Decree etc,
passed DVD on to his son)
Rospo
Pallenberg (former writer/partner with John Boorman on Excalibur,
Zardoz, Exorcist II: The Heretic etc, passed DVD on to his
son)
Vincent
aka "Vinnie" Gallo (via Sage) has two copies.
Richard
Donner (gave one to him in person at a screening, never
heard anything back.)
Francis
Coppola (simply has not yet responded, though years ago
he did think "Apple" was "wierd")
Robert Downey Sr (director of Greasers Palace, Putney Swope,
etc) via friend of his
Paul
Verhoeven (inquired via agent why so many dvd's have shown
up at home & office, was advised to use them as doorstops
and cup-holders)
Bryan
(X-Men) Singer (apparently someone was talking about ROE
at the wrap party of X-Men 2 and Bryan Singer said "oh
yea I have that DVD"
Alan
Parker (only via agent)
Gus
Van Sant (via email thru friend of his)
Victor
Salva (Jeepers Creepers 1 & 2) ordered a copy thru Bijouflix
Stuart
Gordon (via a friend who's working with him)
Talia
Shire and Jason Schwartzmann (info passed on via Johnny
Ramone--friend
of Sage's, who has passed away)
Alec
Baldwin, Kim Bassinger (baffled agent response, left message
inviting Alec Baldwin to a screening, agent called back
saying "Mr Baldwin cannot make your screening!")
John
Travolta (generic agent response)
John
Turturro (generic agent response)
Tobe
Hooper (copy given to him at the Aero Theater by a cute
girl who hugged him first)--note this is by far the best
way to get a DVD in the hands of a celebrity.
Curtis
Harrington (passed on to him in person at Aero Theater)
Fonja
Spielberg (Spielberg's step-mother, does not get along with
him, copy passed on at the Aero by Francesco Coco)
Chris Columbus (Harry Potter 1 & 2) Copy passed on at the Aero by Francesco Coco.
Peter Falk (passed on at Aero by Francesco Coco)
Sandra Bullock (passed on at the Aero by Coco)
John Daly (legendary producer, passed on at the Aero)
Ken Russell (passed on via Grizedale Arts, UK)
Paul Hagget er Haggis whatever his name is (Director of Crash) passed on at Aero
Kate Beckinsale (passed on at Aero via Fancesco)
Peter Bogdanovich (passed on at Aero)
PeterppNorman Jewison (passed on at Aero)
Eva Marie Saint (passed on at Aero) ahh sweet Eva, most beautiful girl in the world
and
at least 9000 others that remain silent.
Come
on celebrities what the heck are you so afraid of??! Respond!!!
CLICK
HERE TO SEE REVIEWS
BY NOT SO FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO REALLY HATED THE MOVIE
CHECK
OUT SOME RECENT REVIEWS @
the
wide-wide web world of ROE
(master list of over 900 reviews, 6700 fan-sites)
COUCHOFDOOM.COM
FanTasia
Fest
FILMTHREAT.COM
FULCIMETALJACKET.com
DVDMANIACS.net
SPINNING
IMAGE--UK
Extraordinary
Movie & Video Guide
BecksIncredibleFest--NZ
SLEAZEGRINDER.COM
StenchGraphix
HORRORPHIL.com
THE
SCI-FI ZONE
The
Hackers Source
DVDREVIEW.COM
Vujer.com
(Swedish site)
QuakeNexus
(Swedish site)
DVD
Forum (Swedish)
Bijouflix.com
TWEEKTHESCREED.DIGITALRICE.COM
(search for "K"s archive)
BURIED.COM
BONESTRUCTURE.NET
the
infamous front page Jethro Tull review that sold 500 DVD's..!!
(thanks to Ian Anderson)
circal May, 2003
IF
YOU WANT TO LINK TO US CLICK HERE
for Banners
Fear
will always find a way
to bring darkness, given the chance,
for that is the atmosphere of it's survival.
FEATURED
REVIEW
ExtremeCinema Magazine (2002)
Reflections Of Evil.
Well it is time for the main feature and boy is this one
a tough act to follow. Reflections Of Evil is the brainchild
of Damon Packard who not only directed and took the lead
role but also marketed this compelling and unique movie
in a very special way. It turned up in our PO Box with a
rather strange letter that almost had me breaking into a
sweat reading it. Apparently the movie was going to bring
me JOY and LOVE and HAPPINESS. Oh well I thought it had
to happen sooner or later. The Christian fanatics have infiltrated
live4metal with some religious propaganda. Apparently this
was a disc that had been hand pressed on a spheroid magnesium
replicator at a cost of over $700. I decided it might be
best to play it on someone elseÕs machine, as I really didnÕt
know if this was going to cause some sort of system meltdown.
I was also informed that it was a gift and to pass it on
if I didnÕt want it.
Looking at the movie
website I discovered Mr Packard had distributed 22,500 of
these discs (probably loads more by now) in a manner of
interesting ways. He walked the streets and gave away about
8500 of them to all and sundry and surprisingly it was an
almost impossible task. A lesson was no doubt learnt, trying
to give something away for free is met with suspicion and
distrust but hell thatÕs the way the world is going and
no real surprise. There was also a mailing campaign that
certainly ruffled a few feathers. How he got the addresses
of such people as Sylvester Stallone, Charlton Heston and
John Landis is beyond me. The funny thing was that if he
didnÕt get a response (nearly all the time) he simply sent
out more copies. The media response was hilarious especially
from a very disgruntled Jim Belushi who stated, ŌThis marketing
approach is going to hurt you in this town, not help you.
I'm pissed off. Knock it off and please do not respond to
this e-mailĶ. It should come as no surprise to you that
he did respond to the e-mail. Another person who had been
handed a copy decided that Ō he was really scared some terribly
disturbed individual like myself was walking around leaving
these DVD's around the area and that I should either seek
shock treatment or throw myself in front of a bus.Ķ However,
positive response came from the likes of Henry Rollins and
on chatting by e-mail to Damon Packard he mentioned that
he had overlooked punk and metal fraternities in his marketing
campaign. Discerning music fans on the whole are equally
eclectic in their movie tastes and my advice is to hit the
concert queues at death and black metal gigs and give out
free copies there. I certainly have my task cut out in describing
the actual movie itself.
This is a film that defies
convention. There is a narrative that can be followed but
at times you will be left scratching your head and wondering
where it has hidden itself. Things are far from linear in
the filmic approach. If anything Damon seems to have set
out to vandalise the film industry and everything it stands
for. Reflections is what I can only describe as high art
guerrilla filmmaking. Yet it is a movie that has easy to
see reference points. On first view I found myself describing
the influences as portraying the grim seething underbelly
of America found in Taxi Driver, Deadbeat At Dawn and Combat
Shock. It emphasised the DIY ethic intrinsic of Troma films.
The jaded drug fuelled contempt of films such as Drugstore
Cowboy and Requiem For A Dream. The disenfranchised detachment
of Bad Boy Bubby and all that is wrong in society to spawn
things like Bum Fights. By the end I realised I had grabbed
a bottle of Jack and downed a fair amount and expected to
melt in my chair as though I had been knocking back Viper
hooch from Street Trash.
Probably the best way
to prepare yourself for this 2 hour 17 minute extravaganza
is to imagine you have just consumed several acid tabs and
are sitting back waiting for the ride. We start with Tony
Curtis giving an appreciation of Damon but it is quickly
evident by the overdubs that he is talking about a completely
different director and movie. The words well and truly shafted
spring to mind and I wouldnÕt be at all surprised to hear
about a lawsuit in the future. We are dragged into the living
room of a typical redneck elderly couple who constantly
sit in front of the TV. We view with them and are bombarded
with 70s trash TV and adverts in a cut up manner that is
instantly disorientating. We wander around a ghost town
with an alluring woman with the camera bathed in different
coloured filters adding a psychedelic intensity. Back in
the living room loud noises are heard outside. The man gets
up to investigate and we see a large gun hanging over a
massive swastika on the wall. Bobby, played by Damon, has
arrived and is ranting at the world. Ho gouges down on a
box of liqueur chocolates and drunkenly collapses, unleashing
probably the most puke ever seen in a film. We are aware
by now that all the sound on the film is hideously over
exaggerated and distorted. My letter had stated this is
best viewed with a Kilspich 2000 watt per channel THX sound
system (whatever that is). We go back some months and find
Bobby walking the streets and trying to sell watches to
people for $5. I donÕt think we actually see him make a
sale during the whole film. He even has people saying they
are going to kill him when he tries to give them away. He
basically spazzes out whilst all around him society is melting
with a seething misanthropic hatred. Everywhere people are
screaming at each other. The favourite words oft repeated
are Ōwhat the fuck you looking atĶ and ŌIÕll fucking kill
youĶ. Faces mutate and voices are distorted in a helium
balloon style manner. By now the various filmic techniques
are flying out. Cut ups, filters, tricks and distortions
bombard you both visually and aurally. The only film I can
think of that comes anywhere near this frantic velocity
is Oliver StoneÕs Natural Born Killers. The streets are
mean and Bobby spends most the time stuffing himself with
sickening looking cakes and running for buses that he never
manages to catch. Taking things out on a bus stop he falls
over and his head explodes on the pavement in a welter of
gore. This is surely a nod toward Peter JacksonÕs portrayal
of Derek in Bad Taste.
We are led from one confrontation
to another and as a viewer you donÕt know whether to be
horrified or piss yourself laughing at the intensity of
the situations. The city rages around him and in one excellent
scene we see Bobby going mad with it, a Disturbed poster
behind him sums it all up. Finally he gets an elusive bus
and arrives home. The place is just as mad as you would
expect. The contents of the fridge are frightening and I
doubt even Jeffery Dahmer would touch them if he were on
the brink of starvation. He seeks comfort in a massive pit
in the middle of the room and watches TV whilst eating crazy
American cereals and sucking whipped cream out of a can.
His lunatic Gran arrives on the scene (guess what, she wants
to kill him) and gets quite mad that he has eaten all the
cookies she has tried to hide from him. Next morning we
find the two of them in a diner and she constantly nags
him about his eating. Watching him distract her and eat
a sandwich that she is trying to stop him having is hysterical.
Back on the street like a deranged bagman Bobby seems to
be wearing different shirts and more layers of clothes in
every scene. We also realise that in the nice suburban neighbourhood
he has wandered into that he is none to popular with dogs
who go for him with a relish. Outside the earlier rednecks
house, he crawls into a car and sleeps a hallucinatory dream
that takes us back to his childhood. A young Bobby is on
a tour of Universal Studios with his Gran and the young
girl Julie from the start of the film who turns out to be
his sister. Bobby clearly is addicted to sugar and constantly
stuffs candy down his gob to the horror of his Gran. We
now follow Julie through the set of The Omega Man and into
a shoot being directed by a young Steven Spielberg. The
totally inept director ends up killing his crew and Julie
wanders off into a drug fuelled 70s nirvana.
The peace and love generation
scene sees her caught up in a happy trouble free world where
young brightly clad housewives are tuned in and turned on.
The camera does a remarkable job of giving us the effects
of the LSD trip and literally melts your face with some
stunning metamorphic trickery. Back at the car with Bobby
and Gran in the midst of an anti Vietnam demonstration the
spirit of the age is well and truly replicated. He dreams
of Julie wandering through a nightmare landscape, which
truly suggests the drugs, have gone wrong. The dream intensifies
with visions of video games, ET and newspaper headlines
about September 11th. Awake and back on the street helicopters
patrol the skies and the world is even madder. A plain-clothes
cop who berates him at length to either give him a watch
or " spend the next 10 years in prison sucking niggerÕs
cock" accosts him. The scary thing is apparently the LAPD
cop was played by a real policeman. With the Carpenters
for soothing effect we wander the streets where people throw
up blood and act like crazies. Bobby is attacked by every
man, woman and their dog, and shot at by deranged marines.
This seems like a never
ending depraved riot of a journey. The soundtrack is juddering
and cranked up to the max and assaults you at every level
(IÕm sure I can hear Future Sounds Of LondonÕs Dead Cities
amongst all this). We visit the cinema with Bobby and get
a collage of trailers for Lord Of The Rings and Star Wars
shown far from the way the directors intended them. Inevitably
Bobby runs into the police and proves far too chubby an
adversity for them. Stealing their car he escapes to the
only place we could possibly conclude at, Universal Studios
Theme Park. It was a miracle that he was able to film the
scenes there and was almost arrested by security. With a
dedication that had him stating nothing but death would
have prevented him getting the footage we get a wacky roller
coaster fun packed ending. Spielberg seems the main focus
for events and we go with Bobby on an ET ride that is tripped
out like you wouldnÕt believe. Leaving the ride he sees
the park is deserted. Julie is also wandering around and
carnage is ensuing. The rides are full of screaming people
and bodies are flying off them and reigning down in showers
of blood and brains. He embarks on the hilarious Schindlers
List The Last Ride and finally meets up with Julie. As far
as the ending is concerned all loose ends are neatly tied
up.
I have to say rather
smugly that I was well aware of the way things were going
to end well before we got there but others I have watched
this with were still left scratching their heads. This
is one hell of a compelling film and despite the long running
time it never loses its edge. In fact I was pissed
off when it finally ended, as I was completely engrossed.
It drags you screaming from one deranged scene to the next
and is one of the most remarkable films I have seen in a
long time. Damon Packard definitely deserves recognition
and Reflections Of Evil will surely achieve some sort of
cult status. The disc also includes a trailer for an acid
edged medieval Lord Of The Rings fantasy romp. I am not
sure whether this film was actually ever made or not but
his next proposed project looks great. Apple is described
as a sensual lesbian sword and sorcery fantasy inspired
by Elfquest. He also has a list of people drawn up who he
feels would be ideal for the main parts. The thing about
this that got me particularly excited (or hot and bothered
perhaps would be a better description) is that he has set
his sights on Fairuza Balk (The Craft) to play the lascivious
Elf Apple. Now frankly the thought gives me a hard on and
with that in mind I will leave you with the link you obviously
want (as you have come so far).
The
truth you seek cannot be sought.
In the act of seeking you deny it
because You are already what you seek.
