SAVAGE SEVEN

In addition to my appreciation of Grinhouse, I had more personal reasons for wanting to see SAVAGE SEVEN.  The film’s star Adam Roarke was my first film teacher.  He ran a school called The Film Actor’s Lab in Dallas, Texas where I grew up.  I’ve been madly in love with movies ever since I could remember and when I was 15, I begged my parents to let me attend Adam’s film classes.  When I first met him, he looked at me with my big bangs and penny loafers and said, “We don’t take children at this school.  There is another place across town, why don’t you go there?” I looked him right in the eyes and said, “I want to be here with the adults and with you.....I want to learn about film.” I was so serious and emphatic and he could sense that right away.  He looked at me and said, “All right, you can stay.” Adam taught film acting and other classes that involved breaking down and analyzing film scenes.  Adam always treated me with kindness and never looked down on my because of my young age.  He was such a vibrant and fascinating person.  He had TONS of amazing stories about Hollywood in the 60s and 70s.  He knew so much about film-past and present.  To me, he always seemed so much larger than life.  Adam was the first person I can remember besides my parents who really believed in me.  He was so happy for me when I got accepted into film school.  I had directed my first student film and was dying to show it to him.  I called him and he said, “Great!  Bring it with you and we can watch it next week when you’re in town.” He died of a massive heart attack in his sleep only a few days later. 


What breaks my heart is that I never really got the chance to tell him how much he meant to me and how important he was in my life.  I also lament that I never got the chance to see his films while he was alive and discuss them with him.  Most of his films are not available on video and they certainly weren’t being shown in the late 80s and 90s when I knew him.  Only since moving to Los Angeles in 2000, has the opportunity finally presented itself for me to see his work.  I’ve now see SAVAGE SEVEN, THE STUNT MAN and PLAY IT AS IT LAYS all on the big screen.  The first time I saw one of his films, the minute I heard his voice and saw his face, it was like he was alive again.  It felt like I was getting to spend time with him again.  He looked and sounded so much like the Adam I remember.  It was surreal and comforting at the same time.


After the Q&A, I chatted with Richard Rush and told him about my time with Adam.  Then he invited me to see more of his films at the Egyptian and said we would speak again soon.  Mr. Rush was so nice and spoke so highly of Adam.  I turned around and started to cry.  My friend Lucas went with me and we decided to go out for dinner.  We sat in a cafe and ate frito pie, which we concluded was perfect meal to accompany a grindhouse night.

I would high encourage anyone to catch more Grindhouse movies AND also to catch the “New Hollywood” films of the 60s and 70s that will soon be playing at the Egyptian.  They will be showing PLAY IT AS IT LAYS again and some more Richard Rush films as well.  Check out the Filmradar calendar for times and details.

They are well worth taking a look at. 

2 Comments:

1. What a vivid and touching story. I can definitely see in my mind little Karie Bible stubbornly insisting that she be allowed into the class.

   I think the screening of your student film needs to be a future Film Radar event!

   Ray

   Posted by raymac on 03/16 at 12:46 PM

2. My student films are not exactly brilliant or anything even close.  I’d rather save the Field Trips for stuff that is good!  Speaking of which, I’m about the announce the next Field Trip very soon.  Stay tuned!  -Karie

   Posted by Karie (site owner) on 03/19 at 02:33 AM