Straight to Hell

I know only two other fans of this movie, my bandmates Mike Frank and Seth Baer, and I've read of a fourth fan somewhere in the UK. That's it. This punk-rock send-up of Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns from director Alex Cox (Repo Man) stars Repo Man alums Dick Rude (who also co-wrote) and Sy Richardson; two of our music heroes, Joe Strummer and Elvis Costello; members of the Pogues; and Circle Jerks bassist (and later pre-show dressing room meal companion) Zander "Snake" Schloss. A pre-celebrity Courteney Love displays early signs of her burgeoning lack of talent. (After seeing this movie upon its release, I'm pretty sure I was the first person in the world to spot her complete lack of talent, but of course, we've got to keep it on the up and up here at Overlooked Gems of My Lifetime.)

Don't think I'm recommending a film of subtle insight and emotional resonance. Like Cox's acknowledged cult classic Repo Man, the movie exists primarily for a series of absurd and even lame gags: the cowboys ride Yugos rather than horses, coffee addiction runs rampant among the townfolk, and so forth. A sudden death of an irascible geezer is commemorated by a wholly insincere "He was a great man." But don't just take my word. You've got to see this movie for yourself to appreciate its overlooked greatness. Actually, you may have to see it through the eyes of myself, my two friends, and that English bloke I read about who also digs it.