Mojave Phone Booth

Though I don't know the validity of the history of an actual "Mohave phone booth", the idea of a grass-roots internet site does remind me of the marketing plan for the Blair Witch Project. I saw "Mohave" at the 2007 Staten Island Film Festival and was a little disappointed that there was no Q&A afterward. Overall, this movie is of high professional quality from the acting, directing, sound, and editing...and of course producing. Definitely is of quality and ready for mass marketing. The only problem is this movie would have to be dumbed down to appeal to the masses. A must see if you want to watch a quality independent film. The magnetic tape, though...I didn't get it. Why wasn't there a Q&A in Staten Island???

Some very slight material supposedly held together by an isolated phone booth in the Mojave desert. Various characters explain their problems to an unknown individual named Greta on the other end of the line. There are four episodes all seeming to have something to do with sexual frustration, jealousy, and magnetic tape. Countless conversations enlighten Greta about desperate boyfriends, bitchy girlfriends, best friend pimps, and U.F.O. alien parasites. It's unbelievable that all this nonsense is supposed to make sense, after characters from the different episodes eventually come together. Just another bad DVD for my garage sale. - MERK

If I remember correctly the guys who created the website would often drive out the booth in the middle of nowhere and spend a weekend camping by the phone waiting for it to ring. At first nobody seemed to ring the phone, but once they set up a website on the net they posted the number and from then on when they were camped out the phone would ring from all around the world. They post pictures on the site of them waiting for the phone to ring. They even made a recording of some of the conversations they had from the telephone with different people around the world. What was strange is that the phone company use to service this booth on a regular basis, even before anybody would seem to be using it. I have just seen the trailer and I must say the film looks very interesting. It's a pleasant surprise to see Steve Guttenberg is attached to this project. I have always liked this guy and he has sorely been missed from the big screen. I for one with be checking this movie out when it is released here in the UK. Keep an eye on this one folks, I think it's going to be a classic.

I'll leave it to others to discuss the plot, acting and photography other than to say that many of the shots in this movie could be printed and hung on your wall as art. The cinematography by Keith Duggan is spectacular. Well, I'll also say that the characters come across as real people- people that you feel you might actually have among your friends.

I saw this picture at the Sedona Film Festival. "What a great picture," I thought. After the showing, Jerry Rapp, the co-writer and co-producer came up to answer some questions. Then I was completely blown away. Some facts about the movie: 1) Shooting time? 18 days! 2) Number in crew? No more than 8 at a time, and that includes director/writers/ producers! Many of them did double duty. 3) Everyone drove themselves to and from the set or location. And, speaking of cars, the cars you see the actors driving in the movie are their own cars! 4) There was no up-front pay. However, gas money was provided along with food. All crew and talent are share holders in 50% of the film's grosses after the initial production budget is recouped. That is, after the budget is payed back, 50% of whatever the movie makes is split evenly between everyone involved. (I don't know who gets the other 50%. But, whoever it is, deserves it.) Shows what a dedicated group of professionals can accomplish if they work together.

The only other comment I'll make is to relieve the consternation someone else might have. The background music during the first episode was hauntingly familiar. During the Q&A I asked Jerry if it was original or came from another source. It was original but inspired by the 1974 Gene Hackman film, The Conversation. If you've seen that film, you'll know why it was haunting.

Keep your eye out for this picture and when it comes around, see it!

P.S., If you want to know what Jerry Rapp looks like, he's the flower delivery boy in the movie. I told you everybody did double duty in this movie.

I have been going over MPB in my mind on a fairly regular basis since I saw it at the FirstGlance Hollywood Film Fest and I again commend director/writer John Putch for really capturing in such a raw and gentle way the extremes of need and outreach. When I find myself actually believing that the guy is going to get rid of the alien bugs (on that wonderfully created zany, hopelessly neurotic woman), I know the casting and writing are doing their jobs very well. I also thought the "sane" half of the lesbian couple was amazing. Also, the scene where the real estate lie was revealed had such an unexpected punch to it. Every single actor was off the dial. Not one wrong note and hundreds of great choices. Having it on the outskirts of Vegas creates such a symbiosis between 2 emptiness-es, we realize there is nowhere to hide. We are all drowning in the wide open vacuum of our own disconnection, no matter how we try to dress it up. It is really a phenomenal indictment of what happens to the American Dreamer when the roots of the soul have atrophied and only the unnourished surface is left.