Taking Woodstock: We Were There
We weren't going to even mention this, but....
All right, a couple of us (I'm speaking of both The Loveshade Family and the extended Discordian Division of the Ek-sen-triks CluborGuild) can be seen in the movie Taking Woodstock which just had its national release today. Why didn't we mention this before? Especially when I'm known for having an enormous ego and bragging about everything I ever did and even some things I didn't?
We didn't mention it because 1) we appear in a crowd scene buried in the midst of a zillion people; and 2) until we saw the film we didn't even know if we'd be in the final cut. Movie makers always shoot a great deal more footage than ever appears on screen, and even a great deal more than ever appears in those expanded DVDs.
Even my ego's not big enough to stand up to "so you're bragging about being in a crowd scene that nobody will ever see?" Frankly, it's barely big enough to "brag about being in a crowd scene that people will see." But I'll step up to the challenge.
Some of you may have heard the rumors that I've appeared on film before, even if those films are, well, not available for general release. (See how I manage to brag?)
But this was no work and lots of fun. We got to see New York, wear the Sacred Chao on film (although you can't see it), see some very talented people, meet Jonathan Groff (very briefly), meet Kelli Garner and Paul Dano, roll in the mud, get chewed out for being in the mud when I wasn't supposed to be, and meet some Discordians (we met at least half a dozen).
I didn't get to meet the real-life Elliot Tiber, who with Tom Monte wrote Taking Woodstock: A True Story of a Riot, a Concert, and a Life. And I also didn't get to meet the director Ang Lee (you may not know that crowd scenes are often not directed by the listed director). Would have loved to have met them both.
The movie's a comedy, plays very loosely with the facts, and is a lot of fun (Roger Ebert likes it). So go see it, and tell them Reverend Loveshade and friends sent you.
Learn more about the film at http://www.filminfocus.com/focusfeatures/film/taking_woodstock/
(In the photo, left to right, that's Kelli Garner, Demetri Martin and Paul Dano doing cuddles. Yes this picture's something of a clue. It's from the website linked above and is © 2009 FOCUS FEATURES LLC.)
Comments
So you were in a crowd scene with who? Who's your fellow mud roller you aren't mentioning? And also did you get to see lots of naked chicks? And do they have them in the movie? I won't see any movie that doesn't have naked girls. At least topless.
Posted by: Rev. Bootie | August 29, 2009 04:57 PM
Oh, Revy Love, such a gentleman. I'm the one who was in the film for like half a second. I was at the first Woodstock and it was different of course but a lot of the film took me back. I still have my Woodstock ticket. Some people handed in their ticket and got in, and some people got in for free. I paid my ticket then got in without giving it so kept it for a souvenier. Woodstock was crowded, the highway was a parking lot, it was rainy and muddy, you could end up way far away from the bands where you couldn't hear the music for the crowd, and it was one of the best experiences of my life.
Being in the movie was a total blast! But there was lots of waiting for filming which really was cool. That's when we got to meet people. And we met more than six Discordians I think it was at least a dozen. And our road trip there across half of America was as fun as being there. A few of us went together it was great!
And Revy Love did make movies. They are short but he's not! lol
Posted by: TawTew the Naturally Perfumed | August 30, 2009 03:26 AM
I just saw the movie it was loads of fun. I'm glad you had a fun time making it!
Posted by: Barbara Beal | August 30, 2009 01:44 PM
The Woodstock concert is romanticized past all reality. The "fun" was people rolling in a den of sin. After that concert, drug use went up and so did teen pregnancy. The hippie movement was part of the downfall of society. Thank God there were a few "Jesus freaks" who believed in Christianity. Without them America would be going to Hell.
Posted by: Christian Andy | August 31, 2009 12:24 AM
It takes a while for your American movies to cross the pond. But I'll look for it when it arrives. Glad you had fun!
Posted by: Arthur Hill | August 31, 2009 04:26 PM
That's awesome! I would so like to be in a movie. Did you see Eugene Levy? He's great. And when TawTew says you aren't short, she means you're tall, right?
Posted by: Marie Gilbert | August 31, 2009 10:28 PM
Fifty years puts a silver shine on things. From what I heard Woodstock was the perfect place to be if you were a pig. I mean the oink oink kind no disrepect.
Posted by: Tom R. Trucker | September 2, 2009 06:02 AM
I haven't been here long, Christian Andy, but it seems like you turn everything into a sermon. No event with that many people can be a "den of sin." Where you there? But I'm glad you don't condemn all hippies. Their generation is running America!
And doesn't it say somewhere on this blog that teen pregnancy was higher in the 1950s than in the 1990s? Please do more research, thank you.
Posted by: Marie Gilbert | September 3, 2009 01:36 AM
I didn't say everyone there was sinning. But the event was about "sex, drugs and rock and roll." Rock and roll is fine, and sex is good within marriage. But fornication and drug use are wrong.
Posted by: Christian Andy | September 3, 2009 08:35 AM
We wish we were there! Really we wish we were at the first Woodstock too. But we were at Venice Beach for Go Topless Protest Day! Of course that was this year not last year. Click on our site to learn more. And go see the movie!
Posted by: Princess Unicornia and Fairy Princess Yoshikyoko | September 4, 2009 04:35 AM
Thanks for putting up a blog about the film! It was totally fun and it was great meeting you. You might make me a Discordian yet!
Posted by: Kelli | September 6, 2009 01:44 PM
You're definitely welcome, Kelli. I loved the movie and thought you were great in it. And you'd make a great Discordian. Ever think about becoming a Discordian American Princess?
And TawTew, for Goddess sake please don't tell people I'm a gentleman. You'll ruin my reputation!
And Marie, what else could TawTew mean?
Posted by: Reverend Loveshade | September 8, 2009 11:50 AM
By the time I got to Woodstock,
They were half a million strong,
I forgot to bring my bong
but somebody shared theirs.
Posted by: MJ Lover | September 9, 2009 07:06 PM
My Review of Taking Woodstock.
The movies good in parts, bad in parts, funny in parts, serious in parts, and has naked chicks, Rev. Bootie.
Posted by: Will Randolf | September 14, 2009 06:12 PM
Calling Kelli Garner aka Marcie of G-Force. I need your help to save Earth! Please leave me a message on my cell phone and I'll call you back. I have free long distance.
Also Kelli next time Clark Kent asks you out on a date, please don't turn him down. You can really hurt a guy that way, you know? And he's a great guy, handsome, polite, and keeps his hands to himself. At least on the first date. Really, you could ask him to go out with you. That would be even better! I'm sure he'd appreciate that.
When I come to get you to help me save Earth, I'll have a superhero costume ready for you. You can feel free to change in the other room. I promise I won't use my X-ray vision to peek. Really.
Posted by: Superman | September 15, 2009 04:10 AM
Hey Superman, even without your X-ray vision, I know all about spy cams. You need to go back to your wholesome image you had to begin with. You nearly ruined it with telling Lois Lane the color of her panties.
Posted by: Camera Bob | September 20, 2009 05:09 PM
I saw that flick it was great. I bet you had fun. I'd be rolling in that mud in 5 seconds.
Posted by: True Spirit of the 60s | November 25, 2009 11:56 PM
So which ones are you in that crowd? Nobody knows what you look like. Did you finally expose yourself?
Posted by: Jazzercise | December 4, 2009 12:49 AM
I never was at the Big One but I was at a lot of outdoor concerts and saw a lot of bands. I even saw the Nuge (Don't like his politics but he rocked). I envy you you get a mud bath and are in a cool movie. Keep on rocking!!!
As for Andy's Jesus Freaks. Dude! Yes they loved Jesus but they were hippies too. The had long hair, wore groovy threads, and many went barefoot. The establishment hated them. They made no distinction between Jesus Freaks and other hippies. I was there!!! Some Jesus Freaks smoked pot too. I know dude. Everybody have a Happy New Year!! Mean it.
Posted by: Vernon Avaritt | December 30, 2009 04:49 PM