Viva Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Anna Biller's 1970s-styled sexploitation parody Viva may at times come too close to the real thing, but there's a welcome delight in the film's unapologetic and total submersion into cheap thrills. The story concerns suburban housewife Barbi (played by the seductive Ms. Biller herself), whose sexual awakening coincides with the Me Decade's excesses. When her clueless-executive husband leaves on yet another trip, frustrated Barbi is off to the carnal races. She renames herself Viva ("Because I want to live!"), takes a job as a prostitute, visits a nudist colony and stars in a musical orgy. No outfit is too gaudy, no penis too limp to make it into this film, and Biller's brazen art direction, as well as the copious nudity, leaves everything perfectly overexposed. Silent Movie Theater, 611 N Fairfax Ave., L.A.; Tues., March 3, 8 p.m. (Originally published in L.A. Weekly, February 27, 2009.)
posted by Derek Thomas @ 10:45 AM,
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Steel Panther: Balls of Steel Friday, February 20, 2009
Hair metal at its hairiest. Parody band Steel Panther rocks and mocks '80s heavy metal with all the subtlety of an iron maiden. Formerly known as Metal Skool, Metal Shop and Danger Kitty (from the Discover Card commercials), these glammed-up bad boys are poseurs on purpose, whether shredding guitars on "Death to All but Metal" or tenderly crooning lyrics like "Come on, pretty baby, suck my balls all night." Key Club, 9039 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; every Monday. (Originally published on LAWeekly.com, February 20, 2009.)
posted by Derek Thomas @ 1:30 PM,
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