Mando's Machine

Take me back to the year 1980 and give me a slurpee and a copy of Mandos Machine on VHS. What a gem of a indie film came across it on the film festival circuit and took a chance. So glad i did. The cast of characters were young and inspiring just like the classic late 70s early 1980 movies of the era. Plot twists and a crazed failed televangelist sets the tone for the California summer. Imported valley girls are rumored to be coming back from the cutting room floor. Fingers crossed and this might just become a cult classic. Timothy Murphy gives another stand out performance as his star was already beginning to shine early on in his career. The young cast give believable and inspired performances leaving you asking what's going to happen in 1982. Cool soundtrack good characters and a slice of old Americana rolled into one. Mandos Machine takes you there.

I was introduced to this movie by my good friend Lee Turner, The Movie Mandos Machine is on of those quirky off the wall undiscovered gems that you really have to watch several times to really pick up on the subtle almost subversive quality of the writing and the performances. The Characters were very believable in the roles written for them, Kurt Sinclair as the pastor Dupont was entirely convincing as a father who having lost control of both is business organization and his family and thus his moral center and devolved into an immoral if not amoral monster. The would be member of the group Ezra played by Glen Martin did a commendable job with fan-boyish aplomb. Director Joseph Meschwitz succeeded in creating a slice of life picture that is designed to take you to a time that many of us will remember fondly and that's all it needs to do.

I watched Mando's Machine through a friend. As a fan of indie films, I found Mando's Machine, for what it was, enjoyable. It was fun to see the film - which was produced in 2004 - really capture the cheesiness inherent in many 70's - 80's movies and TV programming. From the soundtrack to the quirky characters and seemingly purposeful bad cuts here and there, the movie seems convincingly from the era it's set in.

The story is also quite unique as well, with a few of the actors giving convincing performances, while others fall short, but it's OK, because in the spectrum of what the movie is, it somehow all works out, for better or worse.

If you enjoy seeing a work that is exemplary of a young career this is one to check out. The performances show hints of talents to evolve and the direction is such that it is easy to imagine a bright future. The story is a bit hard to follow at times and the cheese factor peeks its head out from time to time.

When this group reaches its potential I can only hope that they all have the good fortune to still be in the movie business.

If you like raw work. Work unpolished by years of pandering to a fickle audience. Then try this movie out. It is a supreme waste of time and may be just the type of time wasting that you are looking for.

Saw this feature many years ago at a film festival in Memphis. I enjoyed it, but it is only for true indie film lovers in my opinion. The film has a few recognizable faces and has a very unique setting--the Valley in Los Angeles on New Years in the late 1970s. However, absolutely no Valley Girls for some reason, which one would expect to see in a film set in that locale. A little eye candy

It was intentionally over the top at times, but zany and enjoyable at times as well. Also, enjoyed the fact that the film had a different type of lead actor than most films of its kind don't use.

Overall it was just hard to categorize, but worth watching if you like indie films.