[net.movies] Dusan Makavejev's splendid original-formula "The Coca Cola Kid"

jaw@ames.UUCP (James A. Woods) (08/14/85)

plot:
	An obsessive and patriotic U.S. distributor of Coca Cola attempts
	to enlarge the multi-national's territory in the Australian outback.

	There's more -- consult a professional film reviewer for further
	minutiae (e.g. Judy Stone, S.F. Chronicle, 8/11/85).  The timing of
	the film is perfect; this may thwart the cosy place normally reserved
	in the auteur's heart for college-town sleepers.

for Coca Cola freaks, it's what you're all about:

	Makavejev has "thought through" carbonated beverage politics here,
	just as Yquem as done for sauterne, Hawken has done for econometrics,
	and Ritchie has done for Unix I/O.

for Makavejev mavens (you know who you are):  another triumph.

	Purposely not as daring as "Sweet Movie" or the Reichian "W.R.",
	it nevertheless harbors it's own obliquities.  The wry subtleties
	were crafted out of a desire (though by no means hypocritical),
	to obtain financial backing.  Makavejev's trademarks are all there,
	ranging from the scatological motif, to a de tocqueville-like curiosity
	for the mores of a non-native land, to an unavoidable erotic
	tension which would make the likes of director Nicolas Roeg 
	throb with jealousy.

for people who like:

	frisky secretaries

	the cinematography of Oz
	   including de rigueur Aboriginal didgeridoo shots more of
	   the variety of a Peter Weir than of a George Miller.

	catchy advert jingles
	   (the credits to the Coke song include a certain wog formerly
	   of the Rutles parody band.)

	method acting
	   Paul Snider transforms from the mustachioed weasel of Star 80
	   into a Bowie-like persona.

the Coca Cola Kid is a refreshing wonder.
	

jaw@ames.UUCP (James A. Woods) (08/14/85)

plot:
	An obsessive and patriotic U.S. distributor of Coca Cola attempts
	to enlarge the multi-national's territory in the Australian outback.

	There's more -- consult a professional film reviewer for further
	minutiae (e.g. Judy Stone, S.F. Chronicle, 8/11/85).  The timing of
	the film is perfect; this may thwart the cosy place normally reserved
	in the auteur's heart for college-town sleepers.

for Coca Cola freaks, it's essentially what you are all about:

	Makavejev has "thought through" carbonated beverage politics here,
	just as Yquem has done for sauterne, Hawken has done for econometrics,
	and Ritchie has done for Unix I/O.

for Makavejev mavens (you know who you are):

	Purposely not as daring as "Sweet Movie" or the Reichian "W.R.",
	it nevertheless harbors it's own obliquities.  The wry subtleties
	were crafted out of a desire (though by no means hypocritical),
	to obtain financial backing.  Makavejev's trademarks are all there,
	ranging from the scatological motif, to a de tocqueville-like curiosity
	for the mores of a non-native land, to an unavoidable erotic
	tension which would make the likes of director Nicolas Roeg (r.i.p.)
	throb with jealousy. 

for people who like:

	frisky secretaries

	the cinematography of Oz
	   including de rigueur Aboriginal didgeridoo shots more of
	   the variety of a Peter Weir than of a George Miller.

	catchy advert jingles
	   (the credits to the Coke song include a certain wog formerly
	   of the Rutles parody band.)

	method acting
	   Paul Snider transforms from the mustachioed weasel of Star 80
	   into a Bowie-like persona.

the Coca Cola Kid is a refreshing wonder.

	-- James A. Woods   (ames!jaw, or jaw@amelia)
p.s.

"The only performance that makes it, that makes it all the way, is one
that achieves madness." -- Jagger in "Performance"