VPRO's Shot on Location: Leaving Las Vegas
from FrithMedia on Vimeo.
The Dutch media outfit VPRO contacted me in summer of 2012 about filming that 30-minute documentary on Leaving Las Vegas. I flew to Las Vegas in December to do the interview and the film came out in 2013. I didn't see it until VPRO sent me a DVD later in the year.
When it became available online, I didn't share it. In fact, I didn't talk at all about appearing on "Shot on Location" to anyone other than Eric and a few other people. This was all I posted about the trip here along with a few photo updates on Facebook and Twitter. As the readership knows, it sometimes takes me a long time to process things associated with my brother John. I'm sharing this now because I'm ready.
There is another reason.
I was none too happy with the way I looked in the film, but I've finally done something about it. I dropped about 25 pounds in 2014. In a day or two, I'll post specific tips on how I did it.
Welcome Erin 2.015
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| Photo by Bob Perkoski |
So there I am, John, a work in progress on many fronts. Know that I'm trying. I'm trying as hard as I can and I miss you with all of my heart.
Onward--
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8 comments:
You are a beautiful person. Didn't watch the video and haven't seen the movie, but your grace and honesty are touching and inspiring on the first day of the new year.
Keep it coming, sister! Here's to 2015!!
LOOSE weight? Hell, if it were me I'd take you out for Italian every night for a couple of months.
MR
PS--As long as you're around your brother is immortal.
I have a MacBook Pro. All the updates are current. I've followed the tips on the Vimeo Help list and I still can't get the damn film to stream. Tips?
RJ
Try another browser?
If all else fails, maybe try the library, assuming y'all have free machines to use there.
Wow. Well I finally had time to watch this, and it was very well done. (You have magic in your eyes.)
I have never watched the actual movie, because it would have been too hard. I'll try to make this quick, but forgive me if I ramble.
At the time it came out, I was deeply involved in a very complicated relationship with two men. Alcohol was a key factor/element in all our interactions.
I lived with one man, a filmmaker, in an apartment above a movie theatre. We could hear the movie playing over and over through it's run. (One of the "perks" of living in a theater is that you not only get to see movies for free, you get to memorize the dialog!)
The other man was a mutual friend, a cantankerous antique dealer/neon artist, that I ended up having an affair with.
The three of us would go out on these wild binges. We would travel together (often to Vegas). We were all best friends. But my affair was secret (maybe).
Of the three of us, the neon artist was the one voted most likely to drink himself to death. And we worried over him sooo much. Ironically, he is now the only one to have got completely sober.
The movie became a sort of talisman for us. We talked about, and we all knew it was too close to home to watch. That movie came up so many times during our friendship/relationship.
It's now sort of a "Plate of Shrimp" thing that I ended up finding you, completely by accident, on another blog when I wasn't even looking.
I still don't think I can watch the actual movie.
As for the three of us: the only one I still have contact with is the one we were sure would die first. And he's the oldest at 70 and still cantankerous.
(And yes, Alan knows both these guys, and the whole crazy story!)
Ok...enough rambling. Back to work.
That was a well done documentary...
I haven't seen the movie, but I'm making a point of buying your brother's book soon as I find a copy.
@DDP-
Interesting parallels in the way you and I became readers at the Owners Manuel. I have a history with beverage alcohol and had seen the movie and had basic knowledge of John's story but had no knowledge about Erin. I don't know the "Plate of Shrimp" metaphor but I stumbled across E'OB quite by accident. Now I can't quite pick up the book. Think I lived in the same neighborhood.
RJ
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