Mohawks, chains, metal studs, leather jackets, dreadlocks, piercings, tattoos, free beer and a mighty pile of cheese ruled the Thursday night free Squeaky Wheel screening of the Buffalo-grown short film, "Homage."
Squeaky Wheel is a not-for-profit media center located down in the heart of Allentown on Elmwood Avenue.
They give cheap access to state-of-the-art filming and editing equipment, while promoting independent filmmakers and local media artists.
Entering the "cinema" house of Squeaky Wheel Thursday night meant being struck with the contrasting black and blue walls and the snowy-screened televisions stacked three-high in the corner.
A sculpture consisting of 20 naked girl's dolls straddling a metal cage-like structure, and Michael J. Conklin's slightly grotesque, morbid pencil shadings of women with various machines exuding from their bodies sat beside each other.
"Homage," which was supposed to be screened at around 9 p.m., didn't begin until almost two hours later, as they were still editing it in back of Squeaky Wheel on the night of the premiere.
When editor Z Manzilla came out before the screening with the mini-DV tape held high above his head and told the crowd they were a little behind schedule, he meant it.
Fortunately there was enough beer and cheese, plus a hip jazz band playing to keep those packing the small cinema happy while the final pieces of the film came together.
The standing-room-only atmosphere built up the anticipation further, and finally at 10:45 p.m. it was ready to roll.
"Filmmaking is about people, not just one person," Manzilla announced in his thank you to director Tim Reilly and first assistant director Jason Clinger.
The opening credits of the film asked a simple question:
"Y'all ready for this s--t? Then let's hear some screaming."
But the crowd didn't need direction on that front. The hollering had begun as soon as the film's editor entered the scene, and so this was it. Finally this hyped up Buffalo-born film was going to be shown.
It was 15 minutes long.
It was short but served a tall glass of disappointment. The crowd loved it, but their avid display of appreciation may have been compelled by the fact that they were the actors in the film.
Though the film is sure to become a Buffalo cult classic, it didn't live up to its cool, unorthodox screening atmosphere.
It was a simple story about a man going to a couple Buffalo bars, and ending up murdered by a cult of vampire temptresses who take him home for what he thinks will be a rollicking good time.
An interesting story, but it was only 15 minutes long.
There were only six scenes in the entire film. The flyers did say short, but that was real short, and the story was just too simple.
"That was actually the first time I've seen it," first assistant director Clinger said after the screening. "I thought it was amazing."
Clinger didn't take the praise for the film though.
"I think most credit has to be given to Zilla, the editor," Clinger said. "We gave him so much footage to work with, you know what I mean?"
Apparently Zilla spent a lot of time in the editing suite, because he turned all that footage into a cohesive - but entirely too simple and boring - tale.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
