Kill Beau Vol.1

When Jonathan Lyons threw in the towel after "The Disputed Jaime Sandwich," Baxter and Village employees alike wondered if another employee film would come about.  It wouldn't be until February 2005 that the notion of "Kill Beau" came about.  It spawned out of a conversation between Bennett Duckworth and myself about a combination of the upcoming "Kill Bill Vol. 2" and how a movie needed to be made that summer.  I honestly can't recall whether it was Bennett or me who suggested the "Kill Beau" idea, but once it was brought up, it stuck.
I'm seen here, reacting to Leigh Correll's grossly-oversized shirt. Early notions of the storyline were very much an accurate, yet less creative spoof of the "Kill Bill" films.  A disgruntled worker (or ex-worker) decides to seek revenge against me and he or she must fight through my underlings before ultimately reaching and killing me.  But Bennett wanted to take it in a different direction.  This was definitely fine by me.  After the grueling process of writing the entire script (and consequent revisions) for the last movie I made, I was happy to step off to the sidelines.  Bennett still frequently asked me for ideas and I even wrote several scenes when requested to, but for the better part, it was Bennett's baby and I was going along with what was written for me.
In fact, even though Bennett offered to let me read the script on a number of occasions (and even encouraged to do so at times), I would refuse.  I wanted to be surprised by the final product.  And surprised I was.  First of all, I was amazed at the degree of professionalism the film exuded.  While "The Disputed Jaime Sandwich" had been the first film to officially go through the editing process through a computer program Jonathan had, "Kill Beau Vol. 1" was the first film to be edited with professional editing equipment.  The difference was evident as soon as the credit sequence began rolling as I watched a cartoon version of me get down to the music on screen (seen on my header above; all the way to the right, halfway up).
I was also caught off guard by the format.  I expected it to be just a scripted film, nothing more.  But a great deal of the first film is done in documentary style.  Between segments of the scripted storyline were corresponding blocks of interviews with employees (both current and former) as well as loyal customers.  They were prompted to share what they knew about me, from the pathos surrounding the collapse of my midnight film series to what it was like associating with me in general.  Regulars gave their impressions of the general staff, and likewise the staff gave their sentiment regarding the typical customer.  And everyone had a lot to say where the Baxter itself was concerned. Interviewee Steve Goldberg during shooting cracks up...and cracks up...and cracks up.
Before I go further, I'll get the basic premise out of the way.  The film picks up approximately where "The Disputed Jaime Sandwich" left off, after the destruction of Showcase Stoneybrook.  In this era, a syndicate has formed to control the theatres in Louisville.  It is the Criminal Resource Apex Power (or CRAP) Council.  I'm one of the main bosses of the council and when my midnight movie series fails, it causes a loss of revenue for the council and I'm disbarred.  Subsequently, I begin to receive death threats as well as decline in health and plucky employee Ed Melville is determined to understand what's happening and save me.  There are other subplots running parallel to the main one.  Jeff Holman becomes addicted to huffing chrome polish and Bennett and Bob Markwell obsess over movies.
Underdog hero Ed Melville has a nasty "trip" after drinking a mix of butter, popcorn salt and slushi syrup, as Jesse Stephenson perches atop the Baxter roof, keeping a steady lookout for the general manager's arrival for the day.
At the CRAP Council meeting, Joe Barlund plays a perfect Boss Hitler as Boss Lyons looks on. A scene that a lot of people liked and was especially fun to shoot was the CRAP Council meeting scene.  We filmed that scene at LAVA House in Louisville at approx. 2:00 AM, so it definitely had a very surreal feel to it.  Done a la "Dr. Strangelove," it had all the main players from the last films (myself, Jaime, Jonathan and Joe.  Really the only other main player missing was Ian, but we won't go into that).  Marat was thrown into the mix as an additional boss, and then Boss Hitler just for the sheer humor of it.  Hell, probably half of the outtakes for the film are from cast members breaking into laughter whenever they tried to deliver a line to him.  Eerily enough, the swastika armband just seemed to be lying about at LAVA House.  None of us dared to ask about it.
The CRAP Council in its entirety.  Boss Hatfield (Joe Hatfield) heads the table. I barely arrive after an assassination attempt.  I accuse the council of being behind my death threats. The bosses, such as Boss Gray (Marat Gray), ignore my claims and oust me from the council.
Anyway, the film left off with a bunch of loose ends to build upon. I collapse after barfing up a lung, Jeff and Jesse end up bickering about the size of their penises (or penes if you're really a stickler for grammar), Ed Melville knows more about my illness than he's letting on, Boss Hatfield is seen communicating with a higher unseen foe, Ginny Coakley loses an eye to a flying, hot kernel of corn and is consequently fired (adding to the enemies list), and Willie Cravens returns *shudder*  Naturally, as soon as everyone else and I finished watching the film, we wanted to see it again.  Not only that, but we couldn't wait for the sequel.  Alas, it was many months away yet, giving me something to look forwards to. "Boss on lot!" cries actor & director Bennett Duckworth as Bryan Senteney arrives.
As time went by, it came to pass that many other people saw the film.  I had strangers on the street walking up to me saying, "Hey, I saw your movie! You're cool," or some equally forgettable phrase. Being the antisocial bastard I am, an expression of disdain and alarm would typically come over my face and I would woodenly thank the person for the complement.  After the encounter, they would go on to tell their friends about how they had run into me and that I was just like my character on the movie, bitter and standoffish.  Crazy but true.
The infamous "Grundy Dance." I wore an Evelyn Grundy mask, waved my arms like a bird and waggled my hips like a fool during business hours in the parking lot. Oddly enough, I frequently find myself deluged with requests to reenact the so-called "Grundy Dance."  It was a dance I did during my prescription drug/illness-induced hallucination as "Puppet Head" plays in the background (note: the pervasive sickness I'm constantly suffering from was inspired by my actual bout with mono which lasted from Jan. to May 2004.  Many days I'd come in, walk to the office, vomit until I passed out only to be revived by an employee hours later so I could close the theatre.  Now that's management!).  I tell anyone who asks that the dance was utter nonsense but that doesn't stop people from bugging me about it. This essentially ends my notes and such regarding "Kill Beau Vol. 1."  To move on to Vol. 2, use this convenient link: click here.

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