then here is a little VERY low budget film that barely reaches the tolerable level for most, but for those who delight in over-the-top spoofs, it may just appeal. One wonders just how these 'Bollywood' spoofs escape criticism from the fine film makers that come out of India (Deepa Mehta's trilogy, for example), but then most of them are made in India and are actually throwbacks to the heyday cinematic musicals of the 1940s.
BOLLYWOOD AND VINE follows the contrived idea that a young Indian wannabe film maker named Bhuvan Bannerji (Jamey Schrick) drives a tourist bus into the Hollywood Hills where lives an old actress of horror movies, one Delilah Leigh (Skye Aubrey, the only professional actress in the film and one whose credits date back to 1967) who lives on poverty's edge with her gay son Devin (J.R. Jones). Delilah hasn't worked in years, lives as a recluse, and when Bhuvan mistakes Devin (in complete drag) for Delilah he leaves a script at her doorstep. A charade begins, with Bhuvan's bad script seems to be a ticket to money if Devin can convince him he is able to carry the role in Bhuvan's home of Bombay - a Bollywood movie. Delilah and Devin vie for stardom, Delilah locks the boys in the attic to nurture Devin's need for a relationship, Bhuvan rebels, attempts escape, and the trio become caught up in an accidental death of a snoopy wannabe star neighbor (Trish Dempsey). Of course they are caught and the ending just gets so silly that it is groanfully bad.
The saving grace of the film is that it doesn't take itself seriously. The script has some funny lines sparingly dropped here and there and the cast seems to be having a great time with the comedy. This is a tough film to classify: it has gay themes but very little in the way of gay plot - except for the camp. This is one of those 'loving hands at home' films that is somewhat salvaged by Skye Aubrey who clearly knows her craft! Grady Harp
