The Amazing Cynical Man Invades Hamtramck
Are you familiar with Hamtramck, do you have fond memories? If you do, then you will really love seeing this movie which was shot in Hamtramck by a comic book writer who lives there. This guy could not be more steeped in Hamtramck ... he is married to the Mayor!
Matt Feazell has been publishing comics for decades. He enlisted the help of Gary Freeman, who also wrote dialogue and did the camera work, and together they enlisted the help of ... heck, it looks like most of the city!
The film was made in Hamtramck with an all-Michigan cast! It is now showing, one night only, at the grand and palatial Main Art Theater in Royal Oak on June 13 7 pm.
The movie really does show off Hamtramck's architecture, both inside and outside, focusing on its lovable quirks, so I figure a quick mention in DetroitYes.com, the site that news-wise is often days or weeks ahead of the local news, is appropriate.
Here is my little mini-review:
After the Hamtramck showing, [[with only a little exaggeration, but trying to catch my true feelings) I almost had an out of body experience as I drove home. I briefly saw Hamtramck through the eyes of Matt Feazell and Gary Freeman. Everything was brighter: the colors more vivid, Hamtramck's odd contrasts more obvious and lovable. I felt as light as an ordinary person tapped on the shoulder and suddenly asked to be something extraordinary.
I am not going to give away the plot outline or any details, it is more fun to discover that stuff yourself, but I will say that the overall narrative is good and unique enough to be used in a Hollywood movie. The many jokes and sendoffs are equally creative and worthy of the big-time, and I was still shaking my head hours later when I was washing the dinner dishes, as little bits flashed unbidden in my memory. Wow!
The music by unknown bands was awesome, it really carried the mood and was sometimes so good it made you laugh all by itself. The photography and editing were superb. The only thing a bit sub par was the sound of the dialog, which was a bit too echoey in places. That is the one one technical imperfection.
But wow! I want to return to that place where super heroes might be ordinary people with a bit of a paunch. I want to drive down those means streets of Hamtramck chasing a super villain whose ideas for world conquest are so compelling they are almost circular.
And now I can, on Wed at the Main Art Theatre in Royal Oak!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012.7:00pm until 9:30pm..
Main Art Theatre
118 N. Main St., Royal Oak, MI 48067
All seats just $5. Hang out with the cast and crew at this first theatrical showing. There is an afterparty at Cantina Diablo's nearby at Main & 11 Mile [[formerly Memphis Smoke).
