Synopsis:
A down and out Los Angeles musician, Chance (Rory Cochrane, Dazed and Confused, Argo) gets a shot at fame, fortune, romance and redemption when he is offered the opportunity to tour with the band Future Piegon, fronted by the lovely lead singer Rocket (played by real life alt-rock star Beth Orton). But on the eve of the gig his most prized possession (a rare 1969 Molotron keyboard) is stolen from his car and the only place to find it is in the pages of The Southlander, the ultimate buy/sell classified paper for musicians in Southern California. His quest to find his coveted instrument quickly turns into a surreal trip through LA’s underground music scene that includes appearances by modern rock superstar and Grammy Award Winner Beck, Hank Williams III, Royal Trux rocker Jennifer Herrema, skateboarding legend Mark Gonzales, and Academy Award Nominated musician (for his song Miss Misery from the film Good Will Hunting) Elliott Smith. Southlander features and all-star cast that includes Gregg Henry (Guardians of the Galaxy), Richard Edson (Do the Right Thing), Ione Skye (Say Anything…), Laura Prepon (Orange is the New Black) and Lawrence Hilton Jacobs (Welcome Back Kotter) along with original music by Beck, Beth Orton, Elliott Smith, Hank Williams III and more!
What We Thought:
Somewhere someone is dying to get their hands on the remastered release of Southlander: Diary of a Desperate Musician. That person isn’t me though.
I had never heard of the film and after watching it, I can see why. It’s clearly a cult film with a cult following. Just don’t count me as one of its new found followers.
I didn’t get it. I mean I understand the plot, Rory Cochrane gets his hands on a cool synthesizer which helps him get into a band just to have it stolen out of his station wagon. He then has to hunt it down and recover it. That’s easy enough to understand. I guess I just didn’t see why it needed to be made.
It’s very L.A. If you think Swingers is L.A., this has that beat. I know it’s very L.A. because I lived there and the San Fernando Valley for a few years myself.
I think you have to know a bit about L.A. to even comprehend what’s happening. Musicians used to get magazines and visit shops and barter and buy equipment all the time. That was the scene.
Hanging out, going to parties, doing drugs, all that was part of the scene too. It doesn’t mean it makes a good movie. I never really gotten into underground scene stuff. I never got into hanging out at parties to be seen or say you were there.
Southlander: Diary of a Desperate Musician is one of those movies that I don’t get, but people do and love it. It’s been remastered for this DVD release and I will give it credit for having a bunch of bonus features you’ll enjoy if you like the movie. Just not my thing I guess.
RECOMMENDED IF YOU KNOW OF IT!
Bonus Features:
- Photo Gallery
- Theatrical Trailer
- Bonus Audio
- Deleted Scenes
- Commentary Track
- Uncut Performances
- Music Videos
Cast & Crew:
- Rory Cochrane
- Laura Prepon
- Beck
- Hank Williams III
- Ione Skye
Recommended If You Like:
- Southland Tales
- Swingers
- Made
The Nerds Templar 