The Long Dark Marathon of the Soul 2019: Repo Man (1984), directed by Alex Cox

The Trailer

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The Appropriate Tune: "TV Party", by Black Flag

       Time again for another movie that I’ve put off covering over some vague uneasiness that I can’t really explain. I’ve had a copy of it for years now (Criterion Collection even) that I picked up at a book sale and has just been gathering dust until this very day, when the spur of the moment compelled me to put it on the list. Why do I do this? Is the fact that I have it so close at hand make me push it away in favor of more obscure fare, that it’s become the back up in case something goes awry? I dunno, maybe. Anyway the whole ‘begin a review with introspection thing because you can’t think of a good opening line that then devolves into referencing it far more than it’s actually happened’ is old hat by now, let’s just get to the movie. It’s Repo Man.

       Otto, played by future Mighty Ducks coach Emilio Estevez, is your standard issue punk. His job at the local supermarket sucks, at least it was before he was fired, his parents are zombies glued to the televangelist channel, and his friends are thieves and drug addicts (not in the fun way either). His life seems to be destined for a slow spiral into shit, until he has a chance encounter by a man named Bud, played Ride in the Whirlwind actor Harry Dean Stanton. Bud is a repo man, a person whose job is to repossess property from those who have missed payments on said property, in this case cars, and he wants Otto to join him. Initially reluctant at first, Otto eventually does, pleasantly surprised to learn that a life of petty thievery, casual drug use and general misanthropy has prepared him well for this career, or so he thinks. Also there’s this car that vaporizes people and everyone wants it, and maybe aliens?

       Repo Man has a lot in common with another movie covered in year’s Marathon, the infamous Tank Girl. Both movies are super into the punk aesthetic, both present a broad view of social decay and human suffering and then undercut it with cartoonish absurdism, and so on. Where they differ chiefly is a matter of execution, which Repo Man arguably has the advantage. There’s no vacillation over Otto’s moral compass; he’s a piece of shit and so is everyone around him. There’s no question of whether the problems of society can be solved, it’s all just shitty conformism anyway (complete with They Live style Drink beers. The structure is certainly more coherent in Repo Man as compared to the sloppiness of Tank Girl, gradually turning up the weirdness until the all out madness of the climax. If you were looking for one movie to bring to your punk-themed Halloween party, this should probably be your first choice.

       A movie is often made by its music, and Repo Man is certainly no exception, showcasing some of the biggest names in the punk scene at the time. Circle Jerks, Black Flag, Suicidal Tendencies, Fear, as well as a theme song by perennial punkster Iggy Pop, Repo Man is arguably to hardcore punk as The Harder They Come was to reggae and ska music. If you’re interested in getting into the genre, it’s as good a crash course as any other.

       That all being said, there’s just something about Repo Man that left me cold by the end. Maybe I’m just in a gray mood that the ‘everything and everyone’ sucks punk ethos feels like a broken record at this point, even when Alex Cox tries to make it silly by throwing in radioactive cars and the like. I’ve just seen movies with the same vibe done before, on this year’s Marathon even, and aside from that punk look I don’t see it as breaking any new ground. Aside from showing Emilio has the chops for a leading man role that is, and it’s always fun to see Harry Dean Stanton pop up in something.

       That it could be a ‘me’ problem means that I can’t say to skip this one, so I’ll say that if you’re into these weirdo 80s cult films, The Burbs, Frankenhooker and the like, then this should be on your radar. If you’re into punk music, then this should be on your radar. Otherwise just watch The Warriors or something.