This is the opening of the, for want of a better term, cult film, "Dusty and Sweets McGee," directed by Floyd Mutrux. It may languish unreleased (legally, at least) forever, possibly due to the cost of licensing the zillion music cues that Mutrux and/or his music editor used in the opening sequence alone, at a time when contracts didn't cover home video release usage. They presage the aggressive music collage concocted by Martin Scorsese and Robbie Robertson in the climactic scenes of "Goodfellas." Enjoy.
Above is the man in action, swinging a stick to calm the massed natives... Below is Mr. Baxter's rendition of "Unchained Melody," coming to us from a parlor in Italy:
From Michael DeCapite's novel RUINED FOR LIFE!, a scene of high school kids cruising around in Cleveland in the mid-70s:
We drove around. Jake was in the backseat cracking jokes. He kept asking us to stop where there'd be people he knew. It was dark, we were covering distance, killing time, waiting to be free of school and out in the world. The streetlights ran out. An airfield went by. Lost Nation Road. The Roxy Music tape ran through and popped itself out and the radio came on. An old song was beginning, just a voice. Jake eased right in, he knew all the words. Luke glanced at him in the mirror and I turned around. The song was coming from the night, we'd driven into it. There were strings and voices in the background, but the voice was trying to leave them behind. Jake's eyes were closed. We thought he was camping it up. And then, in the continuous darkness of the car and the night, the song's drama and reality hit me and the back of my neck tingled. Jake's voice cracked and soared and broke into falsetto. I turned and watched the road. Luke lowered the radio and we drove on while Jake sang "Unchained Melody".
You can read more of DeCapite's writing at sparklestreet.com.
Les makes a quick appearance in this essay by Brian McMahon of Cleveland's the electric eels:
