Comments on: Reel Reviews - Repo Man

By: Repo Man Tshirts

Repo Man Tshirts — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:43:49 +0000

This is probably my favorite film, was happy to see this podcast is still available!

I made some generic Repo Man fan shirts, with “t-shirt” on the front and quotes on the back. Click my name to see them.

By: Pedro

Pedro — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 17:25:21 +0000

I just ran across in I-95 Miami a dude with a black urban attack motorcycle that passed me like I was not even there. Five miles north an ten minutes later I saw him at a traffic light. Politely I asked what did he do for a living, he replied that he repo high end cars in places impossible to access like Fisher Island. He did not care to comment any more except that if you want the job done right for a price, call 786-355-7728 and leave a message, if he likes what he hears, he will call you back. He can repo any MBZ, Porshe, Aston MArtin, Masserati, Murcielagos, BMW and Bentley.

By: Jim in LA

Jim in LA — Wed, 09 Mar 2005 21:27:58 +0000

Great show!

The generic food is based on the Ralphs chain here in LA; they had popularized what was then called “Plain Wrap” food - truly a part of the rich-get-richer Reagan Era thing. I don’t know about the lack of placements; rather, i think it was an intentional way of showing a middle finger to the emerging ruling class (yeah right!) that was newly ascendant during the Reagan Years.

I actually have a t-shirt that Ralphs sold that has the blue bar and “Shirt” on it, like everything else you see on the movie. Most of it was indeed Ralphs merchandise placed in that crappy old Safeway they shot in (where Otto and Kevin work) with the pedophile manager.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 16:45:07 +0000

I went to school with Alex Cox and we hung out together for a while (I bet everyone from the school is saying this!). I like to think that a character in Repo Man is based on me (I’m probably completely wrong but but it is my fantasy) — although it is many years since I have seen the movie I think there is a store clerk in it called “Kevin” — well he kind of looks like me.

Alex and I went to see “King Kong” one afternoon in Liverpool, we were about 12 or 13 I think. We watched the whole movie, the lights came up and I got up to leave, but Alex didn’t want to go, he stayed and watched it a second time! I thought that was a very unusal thing to do.

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 05 Feb 2005 06:30:53 +0000

Duane,

Thanks for the comment. You are certainly right about the the PineTree air fresheners. Alex Cox had a small placement deal (the only one in the film) with them and they supplied a couple of boxes of “unscented” pine trees for them to use throughout the film. As for the generic food, they talk about how funny they think it is, but I don’t remember if they discussed a bigger idea behind it. Just thinking about it now, punk culture would be against the whole idea of feeding you images to get you to buy things. It is kind of ironic that by going to the extreme to avoid commercial placement you have the generic brand stuck in your head. Maybe that was the idea. Who knows. I still get a kick out of seeing a six pack with big block letters BEER written across each can.

By: Duane

Duane — Thu, 03 Feb 2005 18:14:59 +0000

Love the show, Michael. Quick thing, you mentioned with Repo Man something like you didn’t know what social statement the producers were trying to make with all the generic food. I’ve always heard the trivia that they couldn’t find any sponsors to give them money for product placement except for the PineTree air freshener people, and thus the only specific product you see are those air fresheners, literally on every vehicle including the motorcycles.

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 02 Feb 2005 17:02:25 +0000

Pete,

After every Reel Review there is something I realize I forgot to mention. At one point I mention that we are going to talk more abut Zander later in the podcast. After I was finished and the podcast was posted I realize that I never discussed Zander’s Circle Jerks affiliation. I should have realized this would never slip past Pete from

By: Pete Prodoehl

Pete Prodoehl — Wed, 02 Feb 2005 11:56:45 +0000

Did you mention that Kevin the Nerd was played by Zander Schloss of the Circle Jerks?

By: Greg & Lisa

Greg & Lisa — Wed, 02 Feb 2005 05:31:39 +0000

Michael,

Really cool review of Repo Man! We love to hear you talk about movies we’ve seen over and over…like this one, Rushmore, etc…you always seem to point out something we’ve never noticed.

Another cool thing Alex Cox did was include Julien Temple in the commentary track for Sid & Nancy (Criterion Edition). Julien made the Sex Pistols film “The Filth and the Fury,” and really kind of rips on Alex for romanticising the Sid & Nancy story in his movie…ON the commentary track for the movie! That takes cojones to include! Hilarious!

Thanks!
Greg & Lisa

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 19:55:17 +0000

Kevin,

Thanks for the compliment. Now that we are working with DVDtalk.com we should soon have some movies made available to us prior to the street date. I’ll be sure to comment on them. Until that happens, check out Geoff’s weekly round up at DVDtalk Radio.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 17:04:43 +0000

Michael,

I enjoy the Reel Reviews podcast… you are doing a great job and are very complelling.

I thought it might be nice if you did a “NEW RELEASE” Reel Review of DVDs that are being released the following week. Or at least the movies you feel worth mentioning.

http://www.Blockbuster.com offers a link to upcoming/coming soon DVD releases.

Great show,

Kevin

By: Wenzi

Wenzi — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 08:52:24 +0000

I really loved the soundtrack to the movie. Even more than the movie which I also enjoyed.