Wassup Rockers!

By money ⋅ July 19, 2006 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Did once golden boy photographer Larry Clark lose the faith of the Hollywood community? Is that a good thing is that a bad thing? Hmm, only time will tell I suppose. After a viewing of Mr. Clark’s over-the-top-pervy-midlife-crisis film ‘Ken Park’ – I expected anything he worked on again to be pretty similar. I imagine the scripts or storyboards somewhat like.

‘Dude is that a powell?’ Pan left to chest of skater1 ‘yes it is’ pan right to chest of skatergirl2.

He surprised me and bored me with ‘Wassup Rockers’. It seems that Clark has ben abandoned by the cool crowd and forced to make another grass-roots film. DV cam, lo budget editing – I think the actors supply all of the films music (for the most part). Wassup came across as a semi-sequel to Kids. The premise is good – hispanic rocker/skater types living in South Central LA. Just living. So we follow their lives – as boring as they are. Eventually we get an adventure to Beverly Hills where Clark shifts the film vibe to a fantasy level – backyard hipster parties in the middle of the day, Janice Dickenson (ANTM!) as the drunk lady that gives one of the ‘rockers’ a bubble bath … it gets pretty strange.

Is it good? Hmmmm, only if you really need to see someone’s backyard skate videos. Other than that – it’s a sign that Clark may make something good again (yes, I liked kids and sort of liked Bully. This film has some Clark elements – but it seems like he’s much more into the characters again, and the documentary (ish) style.

Anyone see it? Opens at the Crest here in Seattle … Elsewhere it’s open now.

* Clark and the main character …

Tags: Stella