Filmmaker Kurt Voss has established a solid reputation as an auteur with an eye for the gritty, sardonic side of the rock’n’roll life – most notably with “Sugar Town” (1999), his critically lauded collaboration with Allison Anders on the lifestyles of L.A. rockers. But with Voss’s latest film, “Down and Out With the Dolls,” the director shifts his focus to the grunge-loving inhabitants of the Pacific Northwest.
The all-girl Portland band, The Paper Dolls, Lavender (Melody Moore), Reggie (Kinnie Starr), and Kali (Nicole Barrett) are in awe of Fauna (Zoë Poledouris) the self-impressed lead singer of a noted goth band called The Snogs. So, when Fauna decides to quit the Snogs and join-up with the Dolls the girls are initially thrilled to have the charismatic warbler in their midst. Meanwhile, Kali (Nicole Barrett) is busy trying to ignite a romance with the Suicide Bombers’ brooding lead singer Levi (Coyote Shivers). The band lands a record deal and everything seems to be headed towards a Hollywood style happy ending, or is it? Ultimately, the film is funny, biting and has some neat plot twists.
Writer/director Voss does a fine job of capturing the often angst-riddled existence of bands with plenty of humor, and fun cameos by the likes of Shivers and Motorhead’s legendary Lemmy Kilmister–as well as other rock’n’rollers who help make up the bulk of the cast. And in this chat, he talks about the genesis of this project, getting musicians to act, and Lemmy’s high-quality stash!
Get the interview in part two of WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE>>>
