Featuring
Larry Cohen, Martin Scorsese, Joe Dante, Michael Moriarty, J.J.
Abrams, Mick Garris, John Landis, Traci Lords, Fred Williamson,
Robert Forster, F.X. Feeny, Eric Bogosian, Barbara Carrera, Yaphet
Kotto, Eric Roberts, Rick Baker, Tara Reid. Directed by Steve
Mitchell. (2018/110 min).
FROM
DARK STAR PICTURES
Review
by Fluffy the Fearless😺
In
the climax of the 1982 film, Q - The Winged Serpent, a SWAT
team is defending the top of New York's Chrysler Building, firing
hundreds of rounds in an effort to kill the title creature. To
accomplish this scene as quickly and economically as possible,
director Larry Cohen hired the skyscraper's maintenance crew, dressed
them as cops and filmed them shooting from windows and baskets
outside of the building. Though firing blanks, the guns' shell
casings rained on the streets below.
This
was all news to the people of New York, who assumed they were under
siege (ever the opportunist, Cohen instructed one of his cameramen to
capture these scenes of genuine panic, which made it into the
final cut of the film). It was also news to John Landis, whose own
production of Trading Places was disrupted because police were
called to respond to the incident. Typical of his style and approach,
Larry Cohen never bothered to inform the appropriate authorities of
his intentions, nor did he have the same financial resources as
Landis to afford the city's cooperation.
It's
my favorite anecdote from a documentary filled with them. King
Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen is an affectionate
tribute to a writer-producer-director who forged a semi-legendary
career by remaining fiercely independent, staying true to his own
vision and ignoring the advice and help of others. In
the process, he directed a handful of cult classics and is probably
best-known in horror circles as the madman behind 1974's It's Alive (though in this writer's opinion, the
endearingly-tacky Q is his crowning achievement).
 |
| "What's in The Stuff? Michael Moriarty's essence, of course." |
But
Cohen's story actually begins in New York during the golden age of
television, where he began his career as a writer. The film
chronicles his rise in television, where he created a few series with
varying levels of success. It was out of frustration with studio
interference that eventually put Cohen on the path to independent
filmmaking, inauspiciously beginning in the blaxploitation genre
before moving on to the quirky horror films we know and love him for.
King
Cohen tells his story in tremendous detail, with dozens of clips
from his most noteworthy movies, interviews with colleagues and
actors he's worked with and, of course, plenty of entertaining
commentary and anecdotes from the horse's mouth. Cohen's enthusiasm
is contagious; it's clear he still loves the business, despite nearly
every one of his projects being a financial challenge to complete.
For
the uninitiated, King Cohen also does a wonderful job helping
one appreciate the man's creativity, not-to-mention loads
of sheer audacity. Directors Joe Dante, John Landis, Martin Scorsese
and J.J. Abrams have nothing but respect for Cohen's independent
spirit, as does frequent collaborator Michael Moriarty (the two did
five projects together). On an amusing note, Fred Williamson seems to
remember some of their shared history a bit differently than Cohen and isn't afraid
to say so, but he's good-natured about it.
The
ultimate grassroots auteur, Larry Cohen has had a long, fascinating
career, which this film encapsulates
with genuine reverence and affection. King Cohen is a must-watch for
both his fans and those curious about his unique approach to genre
filmmaking.
KITTY CONSENSUS:
MEE-OW! LIKE TAUNTING A MOUSE TO DEATH
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