#362: ANDERS, Allison; LENT, Dean & VOSS, Kurt: Border Radio (1987)

ANDERS, Allison; LENT, Dean & VOSS, Kurt (United States)
Border Radio [1987]
Spine #362
DVD

Before carving out a niche as one of the most distinct voices in nineties American cinema, Allison Anders made her debut, alongside codirectors and fellow UCLA film-school students Dean Lent and Kurt Voss, with 1987's Border Radio. A low-key, semi-improvised postpunk diary that took four years to complete, Border Radio features legendary rocker Chris D., of the Flesh Eaters, as a singer-songwriter who has stolen loot from a club and gone missing, leaving his wife (Luanna Anders), a no-nonsense rock journalist, to track him down with the help of his friends (John Doe of the band X, Chris Shearer). With its sprawling Southern Californian and Mexican landscapes, captured in evocative 16mm black and white, Border Radio is a singular, DIY memento of the indie film explosion in America.

83 minutes
Black & White

Monaural

1:33:1 aspect ratio

Criterion Release 2006

Director/Writers

Anders and Voss

Additional dialogue and scenario by The cast.

Allison Anders was 33, Dean Lent was ?, and Kurt Voss was 24 when they wrote and directed Border Radio.

The Film

Film Rating (0-60):

60

The Extras

The Booklet

Twenty-page booklet featuring an essay by Chris Morris.

Commentary

1. With codirectors Anders and Voss.
2. With actors Luanna Anders, Alvin, Chris D., John Doe, and Chris Shearer.

The Making of Border Radio

A 2002 documentary featuring interviews with Anders, Lent, Voss, Doe, and Chris D.

Nine deleted scenes

Music video

Of the Flesh Eaters’ The Wedding Dice.

Stills gallery

Featuring rare behind-the-scenes photos.

Bios of cast and crew

Theatrical trailer and radio spot

Extras Rating (0-40):

39

60 + 39 =

99

By Director
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