A Time of Innocence, a Time of Confidences

"Bookends," the latest from gay filmmaker Matt Riddlehoover looks interesting, dare we say Woody Allen-esque? Eight twenty-somethings gather together to celebrate the birthday of a mutual friend. Before the evening concludes, relationships are tested, hearts are broken and passions are renewed. Features a fresh, hip cast and a swingin' soundtrack by Linnzi Zaorski. Written and directed by Matt Riddlehoover, who stars as a guy painfully and unrequitedly in love with a straight man.

 

Morning Wood: Matt Riddlehoover

I'm not entirely sure what's so shocking about "Watch Out," this movie about a guy who has sex with a blow-up doll that looks like himself -- I mean really, doesn't everybody jerk off looking at pictures of themselves? -- but star Matt Riddlehoover might make it worth a trip to the video store to find out more. The trailer's down below if you wanna see more ...

Watch the trailer here:

Vivian Liberto, Johnny Cash's First Wife, Gets the Last Word in 'My Darling Vivian'

Can't rave enough about "My Darling Vivian," Matt Riddlehoover and Dustin Tittle's documentary about the other Mrs. Johnny Cash -- the drop-dead gorgeous one. Vivian Liberto was a deeply insecure 17-year-old from a strict Catholic family when she met and fell in love with Johnny Cash. Their romance lasted just three weeks before the Air Force deployed the 19-year-old future music legend to Germany for a three-year tour. After thousands of love letters, he returned to her native San Antonio where they married and became parents to the first two of their four daughters in less than two years. Johnny's career -- and dependence on drugs -- took off shortly thereafter, and things were never the same. Whether you're a Man in Black fan or not, you'll be moved by this raw but ultimately sympathetic look at a woman who was ill-equipped for what life -- and love -- brought her way.

And anyone from a large family -- I'm the adult child of an alcoholic with two older brothers and a younger sister -- will get a kick out of hearing how everyone has their own version of family history and, in a sense, the truth. Eldest daughter Rosanne comes off as the consummate cynic (the oldest is always the know-it-all -- and wait'll you hear what she has to say about stepdad Dick Distin!) while second child Kathy is the rye, sardonic, HILARIOUS one. Third in line, Cindy, strikes me as having been most hurt by the divorce, while baby Tara (the family sweetheart?) had a completely different experience as she never really knew her parents when they were truly together.

Vivian, who craved privacy above all else yet resented being erased from history, probably would not have been able to watch this warts-and-all examination of her life. (There's a scene involving her former son-in-law Rodney Crowell that was one of several that reduced me to tears.) But she no doubt would have appreciated that the record was finally set straight that it was she -- not Johnny's "savior" replacement bride -- who persevered and raised four beautiful daughters all but by herself.

The film was slated to premiere at South by Southwest, but because of the coronavirus crisis, it is showing on Amazon Prime for a limited time now.

Variety agrees, calling "My Darling Vivian" an exceptional documentary that separates fact from myth while telling the story of Johnny Cash’s first wife. Read HERE.

Footnote:

It's probably worth mentioning that director Matt Riddlehoover and producer Dustin Tittle are married, and that Dustin is the son of Kathy Cash. :-)

(212) Tip du Jour

*THIS POST IS BEING MADE BY GUEST-BLOGGER, FRANK ANTHONY POLITO

Because I’m a firm believer in the whole “pay it forward” policy, I wanted to share a tip (my first ever as a guest-blogger!) that I received yesterday from (212) reader, Matt Riddlehoover…

“Jennifer Tilly, Maria Conchita Alonso, Debi Mazar, Ione Skye, Tippi Hedren and celebrity stylist turned actor Phillip Bloch light up the screen in RETURN TO BABYLON, a saucy silent film that's screaming to be heard.

BABYLON is an episodic film, stringing together the lives of scandalous Clara Bow (Jennifer Tilly), fiery Mexican film star Lupe Verez (Maria Conchita Alonso) and husband Johnny 'Tarzan' Weissmuller, ill-fated Virginia Rappe (Ione Skye) and rapist-murderer Fatty Arbuckle, Gloria Swanson (Debi Mazar), Ramon Navarro (Phillip Bloch), Josephine Baker (Rolonda Watts), Rudolph Valentino (Alex Monty Canawati) and a host of others in 1920s Hollywood. Turner Classic Movies fans, rejoice!

The tragicomic biopic is sure to be a hit amongst paranormal enthusiasts as well. In the film, as well as here in the trailer (cut by Matt Riddlehoover), the star-studded cast will occasionally -- and mysteriously -- morph into unnerving, ghostlike characters. The production was also allegedly haunted as actress Jennifer Tilly mentioned on the "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno. If that's not reason enough, you'll definitely want to see Tarzan's... banana!”

I immediately checked out the
bananatrailer, and was indeed intrigued…



I’ve been a fan of Jennifer Tilley’s since her brief stint as Garry Shandling’s girlfriend, Angelica, on It’s Garry Shandling’s Show back in 1987. (Anyone remember the episode? Garry goes on Love Connection with Chuck Woolery, and after he starts dating Angelica, he changes the name of his show to It’s Garry and Angelica’s Show, complete with a revised theme song!)

Though I couldn’t figure out why Tarzan (and his banana) wasn’t credited in the info Matt provided for me, or on the movie’s IMDB page. So I asked who this fine specimen of a man is, and was told he’s “non-actor Kevin Dailey.” (Hope Mr. Dailey doesn’t mind my
outingcrediting him here!)

I’ve also been told that BABYLON “test-screened in 2008... It's due for actual release this year. No dates yet... as far as I know.”

Won’t some distributor out there please give Mr. Dailey (and his banana) a chance to show
itselfhimself to the world?!

UPDATE: The whole film

What Is Beautiful?

In the new documentary "Gaze," filmmaker Matt Riddlehoover -- you remember, the guy who played a man who was so infatuated with himself he fucked a blow-up doll that looked just like him in "Watch Out" -- explores the work 20 artists through the eyes of their admirers.

 

Featuring the works of Salvador Cobrero Alarcon, Rob Beyond, Adam Bouska, Juanma Carrillo, Jerome Haffner, Matthias Herrmann, Ethan James, Albo Jeavons, Jules Julien, Karim Konrad, Bruce LaBruce, Ignacio Lozano, Sandro Mantovani, J David McKenney, Maykson Ribet, Alfredo Roagui, Nick San Pedro, Stuart Sandford, Bogdan Stanga, and Austin Young.

A Woody at the 'West Hollywood Motel'

Matt Riddlehoover's Woody Allen obsession reaches a fever pitch in his latest film, "West Hollywood Motel," from the plot -- sex! love! the meaning of life! -- to the neuroses, to the music ...and even the font of the credits! Official Facebook HERE.

Remains of the Day (07/22)

NRL: Add Gavin Cooper to the list of reasons we're recording rugby

Dlisted: David Crosby either angrily left or was thrown off podcast interview

Towleroad: Beautiful gay strangers have chance hookup, but may have met somewhere before

BBC: The gay mayor shaking up politics in Catholic Poland

Back2Stonewall: Polish Pride marchers pelted with stones, firecrackers and bottles but continue on

Yahoo: Cat filter accidentally gets activated during press conference for double murder

Instagram: Looking forward to seeing Matt Riddlehoover and Dustin Little's upcoming documentary about Vivian Liberto, the beautiful mother of Johnny Cash's four daughters

Hot Slut of the Day: Froot Loops cereal straws

USA Today: Hundreds allege Donald Trump doesn’t pay his bills

Boy Culture: These two boys will definitely get you going

The Daily News: Ryan Adams cryptically teased that he has “a lot to say” and will share it soon, five months after he was accused of misconduct and emotional abuse

The Wow Report: "Roommates" Richard Madden and Brandon Flynn step out in L.A. to have dinner

Baseline: Hall-of-Fame-worthy accomplishments of Mary Pierce

NewNowNext: U.N. warns fight against HIV/AIDS has stalled

Greg in Hollywood: Gay blogger visits P-town for the first time and loved it!

TV Line: Am I the only one who thinks the unnecessary second season of "Big Little Lies" wound up being better than the first?

The Guardian: Alec Baldwin has distinguished himself by refusing to join other former Woody Allen cast members (among them Colin Firth, Timothée Chalamet and Greta Gerwig) in denouncing the legally exonerated filmmaker

OMG Blog: Top 10 steamiest nude scenes of 2019

'Babylon' Revisited

After numerous delays, "Return to Babylon" -- director Alex Monty Canawati's lavish 1920s period piece that pays tribute to the sex scandals and cover-up marriages of Hollywood's Golden Age -- is being resurrected for release, with the help of gay filmmaker Matt Riddlehoover. The film follows homo-repressed "Latin lovers" Ramon Navarro (Phillip Bloch) and Rudolph Valentino (Canawati) and a troupe of ridiculously unstable actresses. "It" girl Clara Bow (Jennifer Tilly) stands trial for her revolving-door lifestyle, while coked-out Barbara La Marr (Wendy Caron) snorts Tinseltown dry. Tempestuous Lupe Velez (Maria Conchita Alonso) yearns for marital bliss, while temptress Alla Nazimova (Laura Harring) marries to shield her bisexuality. With a cast that also includes Debi Mazar, Ione Skye, Tippi Hedren and shunned ex-Blondie guitar Frank Infante(!), "Return to Babylon" looks like it just may be worth the wait.

Rabbit Test Too

If you're anything like me, you base your crowd-sourcing-donation decisions entirely on the physical appearance of the people asking for help. With that in mind, here's one you won't want to skip, which seems to have Joan Rivers' "Rabbit Test" in its DNA:


"Paternity Leave," directed by Matt Riddlehoover, is a romantic comedy slated for release in 2015. Greg (Jacob York) finds out that he's pregnant with his partner Ken's (Charlie David) baby. Dumbstruck by the news, their relationship takes twists and turns through hardship and hilarity, while we're left wondering if they're going to make it through the most unexpected and difficult period of their lives together. With Chris Salvatore, Susannah Devereux, Rebecca Lines, and Rafael Sochakov.

Complete details HERE.

Bergman-on-Man

The press release says:

"Scenes from a Gay Marriage" is a summer release that's sure to get you hot! The upcoming comedy stars writer-director Matt Riddlehoover, Jared Allman (Sundance Channel's "Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys"), and newcomer Carson Nicely (pictured). The plot revolves around a recently single man who becomes obsessed with his upstairs neighbors.

I'm game.

Official Facebook page HERE.

He's the One That He Wants

This via EthanSays: Check the teaser for "Watch Out," the story of Jonathan Barrows (played by sexy MySpace sensation Matt Riddlehoover), a man who falls in love with himself, literally. He is attracted to his own body, carries out an erotic relationship with a blow-up doll that resembles him, and takes pleasure in rejecting the advances of his many admirers, both male and female. He descends into a world of carnivorous priests and Prozac-popping Polish prostitutes and eventually assassinates the world's most popular pop-diva (Britney Spears?)



Filmed in an eye-popping style that will shock even jaded viewers, "Watch Out" co-stars Peter Stickles ("Shortbus") and Jillian Lauren (Margaret Cho's "The Sensuous Woman"), among others. Based on the controversial best-selling novel by Dr. Joseph Suglia.