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When Genres Collide
Posted September 22, 2009 in Blog
The final frontier of space has always had a natural metaphor in the American West. Whether it’s wagon train to the stars (Star Trek) or the post civil war frontier (Firefly), the space western has been a staple of modern pop science fiction. This marriage, while a little long in the tooth, has given us some great thrills (Star Wars) along with some cheese (Battle Beyond the Stars). But, what happens when someone bends a genre past the breaking point?
I picked up The American Astronaut a few weeks back. It was an official selection at Sundance. It sported a cool black and white cover with blurbs that said things like “Nothing short of phenomenal” (New York Times) and “May be the most wonderfully strange film experience you have this year” (Film Threat). How could I pass that up?
This is a space western musical comedy that plays out like somebody decided to combine the Rocky Horror Picture Show with Flash Gordon. I’m still not sure what to think of it. It was the worst movie I ever felt compelled to finish. Even now its bizarre originality leaves me speechless. The writer/director is working on a follow-up movie, Werewolf Hunters from the Midwest. A film I might just have to look up…
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