[Editor’s Note: For context, this was part of our impromptu “Animated GIF Week“]
We’ve been tracking the locally filmed Love Stalker movie for over a year now after we interviewed the two writer/directors Matt Glasson (who also stars in the movie) and Bowls MacLean, and while they’ve been doing the festival circuit, we finally got a chance to check out the whole film.
First off, it’s wonderfully shot (in our amateur opinion) and there’s some decent boob (in our professional opinion), so if you’re in to cinematography and/or boobs, there you go. However there’s quite a bit more here. The initial draw to a St. Louis-focused site such is this was that it featured a barrage of various local hangouts (The Silver Ballroom, City Museum, Sandrina’s, The Upstairs Lounge…) , but we found ourselves caring about that less and less as the movie went on. St. Louis connection aside, it’s just a great flick about people’s skewed ways of dealing with love after watching too many romantic comedies. It’s like “You’ve Got Mail” if Tom Hanks won’t take no for an answer and Meg Ryan never locked her door.
I tried to make “Love Stalker” somewhat reminiscent of the cable classics that I grew up with. The 1980s were the last decade before responsibility. The term “politically correct” didn’t exist. We tried to keep “Love Stalker” playfully below the belt while at the same time making sure that the film was an accurate document of contemporary Midwestern city nightlife.
– Bowls MacLean
The story revolves around Pete (Matt Glasson). Pete is likable guy with a seemingly endless supply of short sleeve, button down shirts, but only goal: to go out, get drunk and try to bang chicks. To accomplish his goal, Pete has developed the ability to completely disregard fear. He hits on one chick, gets shut down and asks if she has a “slightly hotter twin sister” before bailing and moving on to the next chick at the bar. That dance finally stops though when he gets a date with Stephanie (Rachel Chapman). …but this is a movie, and no one wants to watch nice, non-crazy people go on dates, and so eventually Pete loses Stephanie and appears to go more than a little crazy.
“Love Stalker” is a well-written (“A dead mom, is a dead mom, is a dead mom!”), funny (We love way Pete’s boss lowers himself behind cube wall.), surprisingly intense (That freaking scene with the closet!) messed up movie that just so happens to have St. Louis as a backdrop. Everyone should check it out…and you can! Soon! Like “Oh shit Valentine’s Day is already next week, what the hell am I supposed to do?” soon!
There’s a showing right here in South City at **The Heavy Anchor **(map) on February 14th at 8pm: theheavyanchor.com; $8 @ the door
After that, the “Love Stalker” crew will be showing their wares and taking questions afterward at **The Portage Theater **in Chicago during the “Billy Baxter presents an UNromantic Double-Feature” on February 17th at 8pm: lovestalkerpremiere.eventbrite.com
Finally, “Love Stalker” will also be showing at the Little Rock Horror Picture Show Festival that same weekend (2/18 – 2/19). littlerockfilmfestival.org
Go get yourself a bus and follow them around the midwest all week! Be the “Love Stalker” Stalker!
In closing, because of this week’s impromptu theme of animated gifs, we made one of Pete killing a Del Taco taco. The Del Taco of midtown is gone, but the internet isn’t going any where and that’s where Pete will be, forever chowing St. Louis taco. (Just let it sink in.)
More: The “Love Stalker” IMDB page and our preview interview with the Love Stalker guys