Earlier this year we learned there’s going to be a sequel to the 1999 cult film SLC Punk! And not only did the fans immediately begin pogoing with delight, but a lot of them took to Change.org to petition Jason Segel’s return as the character Mike. Unfortunately, that effort was not successful – Segel is not interested in even a cameo and the part is being recast – but hopefully more lovers of Stevo, Heroin Bob, Trish and John the Mod will be interested in helping to fund this new movie, titled Punk’s Dead. Yep, just like a middle-class suburban teen with expensive bondage pants pretending to be a squatter and panhandling for change in NYC’s Tompkins Square Park, these rich Hollywood players are hitting the curb and begging for money.
Just kidding (sort of). This isn’t another time to debate the idea of crowdfunding and what tax bracket is allowed to start a campaign. As a former scenester, I love SLC Punk! and I’m even more interested in a movie that addresses the subculture kid all grown up idea. Writer-director James Merendino seems like he’s also interested in more than a mere reunion piece, though the surface appeal is in the fact that Matthew Lillard, Annabeth Gish, Devon Sawa, James Duval and even Michael Goorjian are returning (yep, Heroin Bob is back from the dead, kind of). Probably also Christopher McDonald and Til Schweiger. And according to the synopsis on the film’s Indiegogo page, there’s a new generation in focus through the “misadventures” of the son of one of the characters. The events of the sequel will be set 18 years following the original, so that’s 2003. Hopefully there are lots of complaints and jokes about pop punk and Avril Lavigne.
Punk’s Dead is due for arrival in about a year, according to the pledge perks, namely the temporary digital download of the film – no owned copies nor DVDs are being offered to funders because of a distribution deal in place. Merendino, who is probably my favorite host of a crowdfund campaign video yet, says it’s going to “be like 2001: A Space Odyssey for punks, whatever that means. Maybe he’s hinting that the 90s co-opting of punk music and culture is like the HAL 9000 and guys like Stevo feel locked out in space a la David. If that’s the case, I want the movie to open with surviving members of The Stooges, MC5, The Ramones and other early bands reenacting the Dawn of Man sequence.
In addition to the advance digital streams, other perks include a very expensive claim to Heroin Bob’s “iconic” clothing worn in both films (I think in the sequel it’s a dream sequence or something), a relatively cheap chance to have dinner with “Heroin Bob” (Goorjian), if you can get to wherever it is (L.A.?), and a few different ways to visit the set and/or appear in the movie. Sorry, the one spot to buy your band a slot in a concert scene is already taken. They should throw in some more music-related things, especially since one of the producers is Rancid drummer Branden Steineckert (who interestingly enough also appeared in a film called Punk’s Not Dead). There’s a long way to with a goal of $250k and only about 5% raised so far, though they are keeping whatever they do raise as this is a Flexible Funding effort.
Watch Merendino introduce the sequel (subtitled “SLC Punk! The Aftermath” in promo logos) and campaign below. And head to the Indiegogo page to find videos starring Goorjian and Duval asking for your help.
Do you want to see this film? Enough to help fund it?
Related Topics: Fund This Film
