AFTER DARK: Repo Man (1984)

By Tom Fallows / March 30, 2009

REPO MAN (1984)Written & Directed by Alex Cox Starring Harry Dean Stanton (Bud), Emilio Estevez (Otto), Tracey Walter (Miller), Olivia Barash (Leila) & Sy Richardson (Lite) REPO MAN IS SHOWING ON SKY MODERN GREATS AT 3.25am ON THE 1ST APRIL

Ordinary fuckin people I hate em, snarls Bud watching a couple of yuppies across the street.

I agree, and this goes for movies too, and is the perfect place to start a weekly (or as close as I can get) blog dedicated to those weird, wild and wonderful movies that occasionally creep up on British TV. The line, of course, comes from Alex Coxs Punk statement-of-intent Repo Man (and since this blog is inspired by Coxs TV Show Moviedrome, it seems only apt to pay homage to the Commandero himself right at the outset). REPO MAN tells the story of Otto (Estevez) a dumb young punk who after losing his job and girlfriend ends up working for a fleapit Repossession Company in downtown LA. Here he learns that:

a repo man spends his life getting into tense situations,

and takes advice from wired men living off car fumes, speed and warm beer. Things heat up when a Chevy Malibu glides into town, brimming with radiation and maybe containing four dead aliens in the trunk. Its worth 20-grand to the repo companies and attracts the attention of everyone from the rival Rodriguez Bros, the CIA and a clandestine group of UFO-ologists intent on exposing the truth. Despite its billing as a black comedy/sci-fi/road movie satire, it was the Punk Rock soundtrack that made Repo Man a cult hit back in the 1980s. Indeed, its hard not to love any film containing music by Black Flag, Iggy Pop, The Plugz & The Circle Jerks. But its not just the music that makes it one of cinemas few genuine Punk movies; its also the raw aesthetic and anarchic ideology. The film is anti-establishment, aggressive and frustrated . The consumer dream of the 80s is turned on its head, showing a world where one product is no different from another and everything is sold in plain white packaging with a blank description of the front (i.e. Cornflakes, Beer or simply Food). This is Reagans America taken to its logical conclusion. Cox also has fun with Reagans obsession with nuclear power and paints a city on the brink of an apocalypse

theres gonna be some bad shit comin this way, warns Bud.

Theres an atomic paranoia here reminiscent of 50s B-Movies such as Them (1954) and Kiss Me Deadly (1955) most notably with the, great whatsit in the trunk and a scene where faceless government officials torch contaminated citizens. Beautifully shot by Wim Wenders regular cinematographer Robbie Mueller (of Paris, Texas (1984) fame) Coxs film inhabits a grungy, neon lit city at night, but never falls completely into the darkness. Where the film truly succeeds is in his sardonic, Scouse sense of humour (he was born in Liverpool, studied Law with Tony Blair and gave it all up for a life in the movies). The film is rich with quotable oneliners

I dont want no commies in my car, explains Bud. No Christians neither. John Wayne was a fag, or when Otto dumps his helpless girlfriend, Im glad I tortured you, she screeches.

A woman scorned and all that If that isnt enough to keep you up past midnight, then Repo Man boasts a fine ensemble of cult actors. Theres Stanton Escape From New York (1981); Sy Richardson a Cox regular from Straight to Hell (1987) and Walker (1987); and a scene stealing Tracey Walter Batman (1989) as philosophising car mechanic Miller (most characters are named after beer). The more you drive, the less intelligent you are, he warns. REPO MAN set the tone for Coxs anarchic film career. Its a trip worth taking. REPO MAN IS SHOWING ON SKY MODERN GREATS AT 3.25am ON THE 1ST APRIL