Silly Cinema: Los Wild Ones

Wowee!!!  I just returned from a whirlwind trip to Phoenix, AZ, and boy are my....  I guess I can't use that one because we drove a rented Sentra.  The wacky wagon has provided semi-reliable transport to many of our adventures but I just didn't trust it to not konk out on the side of the highway in the middle of the desert; as the saying goes, "Ain't nobody got time for that."  

The very last thing that I needed to do was rent a car and spend any money on an adventure weekend, but Los Wild Ones, the documentary film about Wild Records, the label on which Mary is set to record this week, premiered at the Phoenix Film Festival.  Such a great opportunity to catch a wonderful film filled with familiar faces, and get a chance to explore all the wacky tacky that the greater Phoenix area has to offer, I simply could not refuse.

The film's world premier was a few weeks ago at SXSW in Austin, TX.
The poster makes me laugh because as soon as it was posted on the "Los
Wild Ones" Facebook page, Reb Kennedy, the founder of Wild Records
commented, "Can't wait to see the real poster???" and "Is this for a
 1980s Elvis movie?"  Priceless.
(Source)

Los Wild Ones - SXSW Trailer

The film centers on the complex dynamic between Reb Kennedy and the talented, young stable of musicians he has signed to his Los Angeles-based record label, Wild Records.  It addresses the paternal nature of his relationship with many of his proteges and his stubborn resistance to embrace modern media in building the label.  Covering moments of heartbreaking vulnerability and exhilarating live performance, Los Wild Ones is, at its core, a film about people earnestly pursuing the thing they love most - music.

Mary & Reb
Mary set a goal of getting her picture made in front of the "word wall,"
and danged if she didn't pull it off.  Pictures of Mary and Reb together
always end up being some of my very favorite photos.

The biggest record label of its kind, Wild Records has a somewhat dubious reputation in Southern California.  With a headstrong Irishman at the helm and a mostly-Mexican talent roster (Mary being one of the glaring exceptions), Wild Records often gets dismissed as a niche label, even within the rockabilly community.  But high-energy music and a passion for that "wild" sound has the record label thriving all over the world.  I have born personal witness to the reception Wild bands receive in Europe; one would think it was the second coming of Elvis!

Our tickets

Mary, Mr. Tiny...and David getting ready for the film to start.
Mary was especially anxious bout her part in the film - that is
a nervous smile if ever I saw one!

Mary had absolutely no reason to be nervous.  The film was a triumph and had the whole audience vascillating from fits of laughter to silent tears (in almost equal measure).  We were surprised and excited to see that Mary was one of the film's featured artists.  She felt very honored considering the wealth of gifted musicians and her relatively-recent commitment to the Wild Records label.  I was just as excited to see that even Mr. Tiny had an "if you blink, you'll miss it" moment in the film (Mary blinked).  Where is my IMDb account???

See the very top of the photo?
 One of three times that Mary got screen credit!

The screening was followed by a Q&A session with the director,
Reb and his family, and the Wild artists who were in attendance.
It was all so film festival-y.

Mary poses in the "Party Pavilion."

Mary & Elise
Elise Salomon is the talented filmmaker responsible
 for creating, writing, and directing Los Wild Ones.

There were three successful screenings of Los Wild Ones during the film festival; following the Saturday showing there was a Wild Records revue in Tempe featuring The Delta Bombers, The Rhythm Shakers, and Mary (please visit the Wild Records' website to hear more from these great acts).

The Delta Bombers

The Rhythm Shakers

Mary
(photo by M. Stadnick)

At the end of a excellent weekend, we got even more excellent news; we learned that Los Wild Ones took home the prize for "Best Documentary" at The 2013 Phoenix Film Festival!!!

Woo Hoo!!!
(photo by E. Salomon)

Congratulations to Elise, Reb, and Wild Records!!!  The film was awesome!!!  It was thrilling to see Wild Records' non-traditional family captured so truthfully and with such dignity.  A particularly poignant moment in the film was underscored by the legendary Roy Orbison; he may not have been "wild" but his impact on Reb and on Los Wild Ones was profound.

"In Dreams" - Roy Orbison

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

p.s. We packed A LOT into less than 48 hours in Phoenix; stay tuned for more Arizona-style fun!!!  Remember, we are getting extremely close to 200 followers.  With your help we'll get there and you'll be rewarded with an exciting GIVEAWAY!!!  Thanks!