All My Friends Are Funeral Singers (film)
All My Friends are Funeral Singers is a 2010 experimental drama film directed by Tim Rutili of the band Califone. The film makes extensive use of the music of Califone, and was released as a companion to the band's album of the same name.[2] The film tells the story of a medium, played by Angela Bettis, living with a group of ghosts in the house who want to leave. She finds out that the ghosts were trapped by her grandmother.
All My Friends Are Funeral Singers | |
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Film poster | |
Directed by | Tim Rutili |
Written by | Tim Rutili |
Starring | Angela Bettis |
Music by | Califone |
Distributed by | Better Angel Films IndiePix Films |
Release date |
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Running time | 84 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $30,000[2] |
Cast
Role | Played By |
---|---|
Zel | Angela Bettis |
Karen | Emily Candini |
Ted | Reid Coker |
Henry | Kevin Ford |
Margaret | Megan Hovde-Wilkins |
Camille | Karol Kent |
Julius | George McAuliffe |
Buñuel | Michael McGinley |
Alice | Sierra Magdalena Mitchell |
Alan | Alan Scalpone |
Nyla | Molly Wade |
Moe | Wesley Walker |
Musicians | Joe Adamik Jim Becker Ben Massarella Tim Rutili |
Grandma's voice | Suzanne Sole |
Answering machine voices | Taylor Patterson Roseann Rutili |
Production
Rutili began writing the film's screenplay in September 2008, and developed the screenplay alongside the album.[3] The screenplay was completed by December of the same year, but production on the film didn't begin until April 2009.[3] Rutili was heavily inspired by the 1970s Spanish drama "The Spirit of the Beehive," in addition to the works of David Lynch.[3][4]
The film made its premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.[5] It also screened at the 2010 South by Southwest festival where Califone played the live score and additional concerts.[6]
Reception
The film's reception has been mixed. The Hollywood Reporter noted that the film "will be of interest to fans of the band Califone" and that "filmmaker/bandmember Rutili could edit together some good concert-backdrop material from the more experimental moments."[7] and positive reviews of the film were given by both Express Night Out[8] and Inside Pulse Films,[9] with the latter referring to the film as "trance-like and dreamy — like a washed-out jeans version of Beetlejuice" and "an unqualified crowd-pleaser."[9]
References
- ""ALL MY FRIENDS ARE FUNERAL SINGERS" - writer-director, Tim Rutili". Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- All My Friends are Funeral Singers - Official Sundance Press Kit, http://funeralsingersfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/FS_PRESS_KIT_2010.pdf Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
- Wappler, Margaret (2009-12-09). "Califone frontman Tim Rutili gets an on-set lesson in filmmaking - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
- 12/10/2009 515 PM by Brandon Kim. "Tim Rutili Makes the Indie Rock to Indie Film Leap - Interviews - Interviews - News". IFC.com. Archived from the original on 2010-07-12. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
- "2010 Sundance Film Festival : All My Friends Are Funeral Singers". Sundance.bside.com. Archived from the original on 2010-03-26. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
- "Events | All My Friends Are Funeral Singers". Funeralsingersfilm.com. Archived from the original on 2010-06-01. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
- "Entertainment News | Movie News | Hollywood News". Hollywoodreporter.com. Archived from the original on 25 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
- "Film | Team Spirits: 'All My Friends Are Funeral Singers'". Express Night Out. 2010-05-25. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
- "Inside Pulse Movies | SXSW Film '10 — All My Friends Are Funeral Singers". Movies.insidepulse.com. Retrieved 2010-07-26.