Setting Up Camp

By Rob Christopher in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 12, 2007 4:16PM

Skidoo sounds like something we made up at 3 AM while at some party: Groucho Marx (in his last movie) plays a gangster named God, Jackie Gleason trips on acid while in jail, Carol Channing plays the most sane character in the whole thing, there's a musical number known as the Garbage Can Ballet, and every credit to the movie is sung. It's an actual movie from 1968 and it was directed by Otto Preminger (who, among other things, played Mr. Freeze on TV's Batman). Skidoo is perhaps the brightest example of what happened in the late 60s when the old Hollywood studio system collectively lost their shit pandering to the youth market. Needless to say it did not do well, and has remained a gloriously painful obscurity ever since (where's the DVD?) You get a chance to see it tonight at 7:30 at the Music Box. Did we mention the music score is by Harry Nilsson?

On the contemporary end of things, as part of Reeling, RuPaul is in town with her new movie Starrbooty. It screens Wednesday night at the Lakeshore Theater, and not only will be there be a Q & A but also a fabulous karaoke afterparty at Goose Island in Wrigleyville. "The goal here was to make an exploitation movie that was part Russ Meyer, John Waters and The Naked Gun and we succeeded!" explains RuPaul, playing a supermodel/agency operative who goes deep undercover to rescue her kidnapped niece. How could you ask for anything more? Tickets available here ($10 for movie, $20 for movie & party).

Skidoo via Bitter Cinema