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Killer Diller Film Shot Here Opens to Enthusiastic Reviews

Editor
Posted 3/20/04

The movie 'Killer Diller' ' filmed in and around Fayette last summer ' premiered to an enthusiastic audience of nearly 1,000 at the Paramount Theater in downtown Austin March 16. Part of Film …

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Killer Diller Film Shot Here Opens to Enthusiastic Reviews

Posted
Editor
The movie 'Killer Diller' ' filmed in and around Fayette last summer ' premiered to an enthusiastic audience of nearly 1,000 at the Paramount Theater in downtown Austin March 16.

Part of Film Festival

The film was part of the South by Southwest film festival. Three lines of movie-goers waited for the theater to open. Those with passes for the entire festival or for the day were allowed entry before individuals purchasing tickets just for the film. I arrived at 5 o'clock to be first in line for the 7 p.m. showing.

While talking to three college age Austinites, I noticed different members of the crew approaching from several directions. The first assistant director, the art director, line manager, grip, production assistants, props manager, etc., had come from around the country to join the festivities. For most, this was their first opportunity to see the complete film. Ten tickets are given to those who submit films to the festival. The director Tricia Brock had control of these.

Jerry Jones Photo
Producers, Stars On Hand

I was not surprised to see Tricia arrive with producers Cary McNair (an Austin native) and Steve Espinosa and Jason Clark from L.A. I was surprised by the members of the cast who were on hand ' including Will Scott, Fred Willard, Nikki Crawford, Ronreaco Lee, Lawrence Lowe, and W. Earl Brown. Cast and crew were reacquainted. There was much hugging and hand shaking. There were also a lot of nervous people.

Fight Leads to Jail Time

The film opens with J. R. Cox (Taj Mahal) playing the steel guitar that is central to the film on the darkened stage of the Little Theater. We next see Wesley (Will Scott) as he is crossing the Glasgow bridge to Mokers (the Fishbeak) where he gets in a fight with some local toughs mishandling his guitar. The fight lands him in the Howard County jail and next, to the Bota House on 5th (North Church). Wesley is greeted by Ned (Fred Willard) and introduced to his new skeptical roommates Ben (Ronreaco Lee) and Lonnie (Lawrence Lowe). Wesley learns he is required to be a part of a dismal gospel group and finds himself slopping eggs at the Ballard Baptist College cafeteria (Maybee Dining Hall).

Looks to Steal Car

Abandoned by his 'co-workers' Wesley is shown walking west on Davis Street in downtown Fayette. In his frustration he is looking to steal a car, but is interrupted by Vernon (Lucas Black) who nearly runs him over with his invisible Plymouth. They talk while Vernon fills his tank at Home Oil. Wesley is left yelling 'You forgot to pay' as Vernon head's south on Church Street.

The band is terrible. Scene after scene they are poorly received. Then, in a shot where they are playing to Fayette Special Ed students, Vernon and Wesley are reunited with Vernon playing air piano and Wesley air guitar. A confrontation between Wesley and Ned results in an ultimatum that Wesley get with the program or go back to jail. When Wesley goes back to the school to pick up sheet music, he discovers Vernon's piano talent. What follows is a comic scene of Wesley chasing Vernon who is driving his invisible car through the streets of Fayette.

Band Jells

Once Wesley convinces Vernon to join the band, the tenor of the movie shifts as the band jells, the Bota House house-mates become friends, and their music draws people to them. This is first seen at the Spring Fling filmed on the south side of Linn Memorial Church. Next, it's on-the- air playing for KWRT, and then at, Mokers, their first blues gig.

To get to Mokers the band had to sneak out of the Bota House. At Mokers, Vernon has a fit (related to his disability), a fight ensues, the Sheriff arrives with her deputy (Charlie Polson) tagging behind, and Wesley flees.

Wesley learns Vernon has been institutionalized in Fulton (Kemper Military Academy) and springs him to the delight of all. The two decide to join their friends at Founders Day (filmed in CMC's Puckett Field House) where they are so well received that Wesley and Vernon are freed from threat of apprehension. The band heads off for their first big gig in Kansas City. We see the bus heading west from the overpass at the Rocheport exit. The film closes with J. R. Cox setting down his guitar at the end of his song.

Well Received By Audience

Jerry Jones Photo
It's difficult for a person close to a project to be objective in its evaluation. But I must say, the film was funny, enjoyable, and closed to a strong round of applause. There are many comic moments and comic lines in the film. The crowd laughed as Wesley chases Vernon. They laughed when they discovered one of Wesley's roommates lived in a Bota House closet. When they play at KWRT, the owner keeps mangling the band's name, every version of the name generating laughter from the crowd.

Those close to the film knew that a tomato was unintentionally tossed through the kitchen wall of Vernon's house. When Vernon's father (W. Earl Brown) asked what happened, Wesley told him he forgot to slice the tomato (rounds of laughter).

Great Music

The film devotes much attention to getting the music right. This is a sound track people are going to buy. The pacing leaves one wondering what's going to happen next.

Fayette and the Central Methodist campus show well, as do many of Fayette's citizens. We see Dr. Dan Elliott and Terry Furstenau in the Stephens Museum. Mark Belcher walks through a scene at the Spring Fling. Several of the Special Education students and their parents are in the film, as is Bob Sanderson at Mokers and Pam Sanderson at Founder's Day.

Holman Steals Show

The biggest Fayette mug shot of all, however, is Bill Holman at Founder's Day. In addition to being shown in the line of curator's chairs, his head shot appears all by its lonesome ' the only object in the screen (how much did you pay them for this Bill'). Many more Fayette and Howard County folks are shown as well as more of the town and the surrounding countryside. Even the Democrat-Leader prop paper is shown in all its glory.

Some On Cutting Room Floor

Some very public scenes that took much time to set up and shoot, however, ended up on the cutting room floor. These include the courtroom scene in the county courthouse, and several downtown scenes including the march of the prisoners. None of the film shot from the Jaynes' balcony made it into the film (sorry Ralph and Marie), nor did the shot with Jim Shover on his moped (please wear a helmet!).

For many who worked on the production, the credits at the end of the film were as important as the film itself. Here again numerous Fayette and Howard County citizens were mentioned. More important were the thanks to the City of Fayette, Central Methodist College, and Howard County. When the credits were nearly spent, up came: 'Filmed on location in Fayette, Missouri.' This is where I applauded the loudest.
Afterward, Tricia Brock and other principles took questions from the crowd. The feedback was very positive. Anecdotes of the production process were shared. This went on for 15 to 20 minutes before it was necessary to clear the house for the next film.

Praise From Jerry Jones

On the street and at the reception afterwards I spoke to several individuals. Jerry Jones of the Missouri Film Commission said it was the best of the 60 or so films he has been affiliated with during his career. A representative from the St. Louis film festival was there to recruit films to their event. She told me that 'Killer Diller' was the pick of the South by Southwest festival. David Ray a friend who had managed an arts movie house in Austin for several years, gave the film high reviews. He said it was 'quirky but engaging for the general public.' All affiliated with the project have high hopes for placement with a national distributor.

All in all it was a highly positive night. The film reaffirmed to me something most of you already know. Good things do come from Fayette, Missouri. Be proud! You're now on the map in bold letters. -- Mike Hirsch

Dr. Mike Hirsch was formerly mayor of Fayette and CMC professor of sociology. He was among those who were instrumental in having Killer Diller filmed in Fayette. Last summer, Hirsch moved to Austin, Tex., to take a new position as professor of sociology and chair of Liberal Studies at Huston-Tillotson College.

Photos: AT THE PREMIERE of 'Killer Diller' Tuesday evening in Austin, Tex., former Fayette Mayor Mike Hirsch, left, is joined by two of the film's production staffers, first assistant director Megan Sawyer and production coordinator Joey Stewart (who will be remembered by many here as the person who gave instructions during the filming of the Founders Day scene in Puckett Field House). Under the marquee at left is Columbia native Tricia Brock, the film's writer-director. Reportedly it was Tricia's mother who first suggested that Fayette and Central Methodist College would be an ideal setting for the movie. Shooting took place in and around Fayette in late spring and early summer of last year, with final production in Los Angeles. The production company is headquartered in Austin. Producers hope that favorable reviews will aid in securing a national distributor for the product. (JERRY JONES PHOTOS)

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