Coming To The Showroom Cinema: Bruce Noir and JSP
Very happy to announce that, this weekend, I’ll be exhibiting and discussing a selection of my Jersey Noir images as part of a new film fest, Bruce Noir: Darkness, Films, and Springsteen. The film fest will be held at The Showroom Cinema in Asbury Park, Monmouth County's leading art house theater.
So, here it is – three of my passions – Film noir, photography and the music of Bruce Springsteen – all happening in one place.
Shoooot. I'll be proverbial pig in mud all weekend long!
It's funny how things work out. It was May of last year when I first gave voice to my thinking that the lyrics Bruce Springsteen penned reminded me of the noir literature and films I enjoy. The stories that focus on the bleak and downtrodden, those trying for one last score, those living outside the margins of everyday life. That theses lyrics, and the cast of characters Bruce creates in his songs, were an homage of sorts to the film noir of the ’40s and ’50s.
Back on that May Friday, I used the lyrics for Springsteen’s Meeting Across The River as the “story” that went with that Boardwalk Meeting image. Just seemed to fit.
Maybe my Googling wasn’t good, but I never came across any true evidence to support my Springsteen/Noir ideas then. A couple of months ago, though, I was doing more research and I came across the The Showroom Cinema website and this film fest. Some more items fell into place.
Late one night, after volleying the idea back and forth, I sat down and sent a note to the organizer of the event, Michael Sodano and pitched my Jersey Noir images, and an idea for a talk. I got a positive reply back from Michael saying he’ll put me on the agenda.
So, for the past few weeks, I’ve been doing more research and putting together my presentation, which I’ve titled The Price You Pay: How Film Noir and Bruce Springsteen Have Shaped the Jersey Noir Photo Series.
And also…I’ve been trying to tame the butterflies flapping around in my stomach. Learning that crime fiction heavyweights (and local guys) Wallace Stroby, Dennis Tafoya, along with Bruce author Peter Ames Carlin, are on the bill…well, those butterflies turned into dragons flapping around.
Breathing fire, I might add, too.
There’s even been some nice pre-press around the event from The New Jersey Star-Ledger, a mention on the über-cool Springsteen website, Backstreets.com and some other places. It’s a pretty niche film fest but we’re hopeful for a good-size turnout.
It should be a fun time all around, with some GREAT films being shown (GUN CRAZY, BADLANDS, OUT OF THE PAST, ATLANTIC CITY, THUNDER ROAD) and some good discussions taking place. The very cool promotional poster, seen above, will be on sale, and I’ll have some of my images available for purchase as well.
So, if you’re in the area of Asbury Park, pull on your fedora, or tie your hair up pretty, spark up another Lucky and join us.
The Boss is waiting.
© Mark V. Krajnak | JerseyStyle Photography | All Rights Reserved 2013
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Totally awesome, Mark.
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