Some interesting comparisons can be drawn between Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical “The Fabelmans,” now in theaters, and Patrick Read Johnson’s coming-of-age-in-the-era-of-“Star Wars” comedy, “5-25-77” (2002). Both filmmakers clearly poured their hearts and souls into these creative reminiscences of their early discoveries and explorations of the magic of film, largely through experiments with their families’ home movie equipment. In their cases, the cinema bug bit early and it wound up shaping their lives.
On the next “Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner,” Roy and I will talk a little bit about Johnson’s “new” film (actually 18 years in the making), but mostly we’ll be using it as a springboard for our own personal recollections of writing and producing Super-8 movies all throughout our teens
My cousin and Roy’s lifelong friend, Joe Metz, will join us, along with special guests, a few of those who appeared in the films and helped out behind the scenes. We’ll talk about our undiscovered treasures, projects that occupied our formative summers (mostly), including “The Last Plot,” “Omelet,” “Inner Vorzyd,” “AERO/VOID,” “An Hour to Live,” “Journey to Where,” “Leviathan,” “The Pterodactyls,” “Man and Thin Man,” “The Road to Insanity,” and “A Gorgeous Guy in a City of Women.”
Sadly, the films themselves will not be shown, but we’ll have plenty of stories, a few stills, some first-hand accounts, and boxes of paraphernalia.
Self-indulgent? You bet. But Spielberg and Johnson’s passions were not unique. They just happened to be blessed with that magic combination of calling, talent, drive, and good luck to get where they are today. I’m sure there will be others among our viewers who’ve had parallel experiences.
We’ll be ready for our close-ups on the next Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner. Join the paparazzi in the comments section when we livestream on Facebook, YouTube, etc. The geekery and nostalgia will be strong with this one, this Friday evening at 7:30 EST!
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PHOTO: Whipping up “Omelet” (1981), written and directed by Joe Metz, with yours truly, center, and Roy, obscured, on far right