November 7, 2010 (Austin, TX)—Independent filmmaker Bob Ray launches the second leg of Bob Ray’s Down & Dirty Austin Film Tour on November 10, 2010. After a successful West Coast tour this past summer, he continues to bring his Austin-centric films to audiences in theaters throughout the USA. Deliberately foregoing the old model of angling for distributors, Ray’s taking charge and taking his show on the road. With stops in 21 confirmed cities in the South and on the East Coast (and more dates to be added), Ray promises to rock movie screens across the nation. The New York Times reviews the two main features on tour and provides a glimpse of Ray, the filmmaker, in an article published on November 18th, 2010. MovieMaker magazine captures the essence of Ray’s DIY approach in a published interview with him on August 5, 2010.
Premiering in 20-plus North American cities, Ray’s third feature, Total Badass, delivers the Texas tale of Chad Holt, a counter-culture renaissance man grappling with a life-altering family crisis while defiantly enduring the last six months of felony probation, pursuing radical artistic endeavors and dealing weed to foot the bill. Vice Magazine has called Total Badass “a ballsy documentary… a totally unapologetic profile of the ubiquitous Austin hero.” Flavorpill referred to it as “an outrageous and hilariously seedy journey into the Austin underground …Total Badass bravely goes where no documentary film has gone before.” Check out additional reviews and press coverage at www.badassfilmtour.com. Total Badass screenings will feature Q&A’s with Bob Ray. Chad Holt will accompany Ray to share his signature brand of mayhem, humor and cautionary tales with filmgoers.
Ray’s universally appealing second feature film, Hell on Wheels, will also screen in cinemas along the tour. This critically acclaimed documentary chronicles the new era of roller derby mania. Grassroots through-and-through, the tour joins forces with local derby leagues (to date, 529 derby leagues operate worldwide) to serve up a slice of Austin delight to audiences across the U.S. Co-hosted by the roller derby leagues, many of the Hell on Wheels screenings will feature post-screening discussions with reps from local derbies, as well as Ray himself, to further explore the birth of modern roller derby, celebrate its continuing growth and examine the connection with each local stop’s community.
Adding to the good-times fun, there will be door prizes including DVDs of Ray’s first film, the critically acclaimed stoner comedy Rock Opera, and copies of former High Times Magazine senior editor Steve Bloom’s new book, the stoner film guide, “Reefer Movie Madness” (which includes an entry on Rock Opera).
Ray’s films have screened as official selections in over 70 film festivals as well as cinemas all over the world (BAM Cinematek, SXSW, American Cinematheque at the Egyptian in L.A., Australian Centre for the Moving Image, etc.). In 2003, Ray received a High Times Magazine nomination for a Stony Award for his first feature film, Rock Opera. His previous work also includes myriad short films and music videos for bands such as Nashville Pussy, Riverboat Gamblers, Fuckemos, and the Golden Arm Trio. Ray frequently collaborates with musical pioneers like …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead and Butthole Surfers. He has worked with The Black Eyed Peas, Modest Mouse, Hank Williams III and many other artists. Ray’s raucous, sidesplitting CrashToons animated shorts have been featured on Turner Network’s SuperDeluxe.com, Playboy.com and Comedy Central’s Atom.com.
Producer, Mike S. Ryan (Junebug, Palindromes, Fay Grim) has served, in part, as an inspiration for Ray’s decision to take this DIY marketing and distribution approach, when he said, “Market forces are so shaping independent content that we have castrated the whole reason indie got started in the first place.” So with a staunch DIY spirit, a running vehicle, and his innovative films in tow, Ray is determined not to sit idly by and allow the fate of his films to be held hostage by outdated distribution paradigms.
Keep up with these two outlaws as they rocket across the US of A trying not to get arrested (again!) and share in the mirth and mayhem captured in their balls to the wall tour journal at: http://www.crashcamfilms.com/tourjournal.htm.
For more information and a tour schedule see: www.badassfilmtour.com. Find links to hi-res images, film info, bios, synopses, etc. at: http://crashcamfilms.com/filmtour-pressinfo.htm. To review a DVD screener of Total Badass or Hell on Wheels, or to schedule an interview with Bob Ray or Total Badass subject, Chad Holt, contact: Mia Cevallos at mia@crashcamfilms.com or (512) 423-9007
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Total Badass: (documentary, 2010, TRT: 91 min) Texas filmmaker Bob Ray catapults the Austin subculture onto the big screen, reveling in its inspiring, unique and deliriously offbeat glory. With his latest documentary, “Total Badass,” Bob Ray takes you on an outrageous and hilariously seedy adventure into the Austin underground music and arts scene via wild man-about-town, social deviant, musical/stunt performer, sex addict, Guinea pig enthusiast, writer-publisher, father, weed dealing felon and local maniac Chad Holt. Exploiting life as his unwitting canvas, Chad’s take-no-prisoners artistry flares up like napalm as he strives to make his creative mark. Strap in for the riotous ride and follow this icon of the Austin counterculture as he defiantly endures his final year of felony probation, living his own brand of civil disobedience while manning the helm of a life-altering family crisis and going out moking!
“a ballsy documentary… a totally unapologetic profile of the ubiquitous [Austin] hero.” – Vice Magazine
“a psychological treat” – Phoenix New Times
“an outrageous and hilariously seedy journey into the Austin underground… [Total Badass] bravely goes where no documentary film has gone before.” – Flavorpill
“genuinely funny and touching”– Monday Magazine
“[Total Badass] is a rough film, and that’s a good thing: Holt comes across like a lost John Waters’ collaborator, or like a real-life version of Nicolas Cage in Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.” – Austin Chronicle
“Holt is a modern day Texas punk rock version of a Kerouac character; speeding through life on whatever fuels him in a non-stop flurry of writing, drug dealing, singing, stage diving, love making, and guinea pig raising.”
– Austin Daze
http://www.TotalBadassTheMovie.com
Hell on Wheels: (documentary 2007, TRT: 89 min) Hell on Wheels takes a from-the-trenches look at the dizzying clash of athleticism, exhibitionism, egos, politics and business that is modern-era roller derby. A group of hard-hitting Texas women overcome myriad obstacles in resurrecting and revamping the sport, only to find internal strife ripping the fledgling organization apart. Two leagues emerge from the clash, and what follows ignites an international roller derby revival. Shot over a five-year period by Bob Ray (Rock Opera) and Werner Campbell, Hell on Wheels was edited by award winning editor Conor O’Neill (Murderball, Word Wars, Capitalism: A Love Story) and features original music by …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead.
“Hell on Wheels is full of adrenaline-fueled highs, heartbreaking lows, and lots of chicks in short skirts kicking the shit out of each other.” –The Onion’s A/V Club
“Hell on Wheels is an epic doc. It’s fast, fun, and inspiring.” –Chris Gore (Film Threat Magazine)
“…the kind of twists, drama, cat fights and compound fractures that only happen in real life. …the story is extremely compelling, sometimes laugh-out-loud outrageous and above all inspiring.” – Ain’t It Cool News
“Hell on Wheels is a fascinating story and a fun movie.” -Cinematical
“Hell on Wheels is a killer documentary about the Austin all-women’s roller-derby leagues that inadvertently launched a nationwide (and now worldwide) revival of the sport.” –Salt Lake City Weekly
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