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Heavy Metal Memories
With Jeff Krulik and John Heyn
Film Producers, "Heavy Metal Parking Lot"
Friday, June 29, 2001; Noon EDT
YEAR: May 31, 1986
LOCATION: Capital Centre Parking Lot
EVENT: Judas Priest Concert
Were you there? A headbanger in the parking lot? Outlaw filmmakers Jeff Krulik and John Heyn had a video camera and captured the heavy metal music fans outside the arena on the asphalt. The result was "Heavy Metal Parking Lot," a documentary that has since become a cult favorite that has gained a legendary reputation; has spawned bootleg videotape traffic and has been widely imitated.
Jeff Krulik and John Heyne will be online Friday, June 29, at noon EDT, to discuss their compilation movie, "Heavy Metal Parking Lot: 15th Anniversary Tour."
The 90-minute film is a collection of "parking lot inspired" films and original spin-offs. In addition to the original "Lot," the collection includes the "Neil Diamond Parking Lot" (1986), Heavy Metal Parking Lot: The Lost Footage" (1998), the "Harry Potter Parking Lot" (2000), "Raver Bathroom," "Girl Power Parking Lot" and "Heavy Metal Sidewalk."
This week, Visions Cinema and Bistro in Washington, D.C. has been showing "Heavy Metal Parking Lot: 15th Anniversary Tour." There will be midnight screenings Friday and Saturday.
A transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: This is J.H. here. Hello metal heads and welcome. (JH)
Hello, citizens of washingtonpost.com. Thank you for joining us during your lunch hour. Don't mind me. I'm having another cup of coffee against my better judgement. John and I just finishe our week-long run ever, here in Washington, D.C., our home town. (Umm, good coffee.)
You still drinking that coffee from this morning? (JH)
Absolutely Bob. (JK)
We had a great time and we're hoping to have more screenings. It's been a real exciting opportunity and we want to thank Visions Cinema for taking the risk of showing films by local independent filmmakers. (JH)
Washington, DC:
Why is it that after so many years, nobody can find any of the "stars" of this video? Why can't zebra-pants-man host a show on mtv? Are they all in jail?
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: We have positive ID on about 10 to 12 individuals who were in Heavy Metal Parking Lot and we've heard personally from two people, one of whom is Charter Member 001 of the Heavy Metal Parking Lot alumni club. He's the only member, but he's the one who contacted us. He's in the music industry in Los Angeles. He used to live in Reston, Va. His name is Jay Hughen. We have another contact with the woman who says, "Jack Daniels and Coke" and she works for the World Bank and we've never met Jay but we have regular contact with him on the phone. He lost touch with the people he used to hang out with in high school, all of whom are with him on camera in the video. (JK)
He's an A&R guy in the music business. (JH)
Zebra Boy is the most popular. We know who he is and one day, so will you. (JK)
Washington, D.C.:
Is Parking Lot turning into another Rocky Horror with the midnight showings?
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: We hope that it will evolve into that type of phenomenon. And we think it'll do well at midnight but it's more than midnight material. We garnered steadily increasing crowds at the theater this week all through word of mouth. (JH)
Langley Park, Md.:
How did Prince George's County affect your art?
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: That's a great question. I'm from Prince George's County, born and bred. I lived the first two years of my life in an apartment in Langley Park. I then grew up in Bowie, Md., graduated from high school there in 1979 an went straight to the University of Maryland. I worked after school in Capital Heights, Md. and owned a house in Lanham. Prince George's County courses through my veins. (John LAUGHS) John Heyn is an honorary Prince Georgian. He walks the walk and talks the talk and I love him for that. (JK)
We wanted to make a TV series: Mondo PG County. We love the retro aspects and southern culture on the skid aspects of PG county and how it was so divergent from the rest of sophisticated D.C. (JH)
When we had the opportunity to see a movie in uptown D.C. or somewhere out in PG country, we'd go to the Hillside Drive-In on Marlboro Pike. (JH)
Bethesda, Md.:
What bands that frequently tour would you say are a good '01 version of the big hair 80's metal?
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: A lot of current "modern rock" bands cite big hair metal music as influences, although that isn't really part of their stage persona but it does show up in their music. The band American Hi-Fi, whose music video is based on our documentary, cites 80's metal as an influence. (JH)
Burtonsville, Md.:
Is it true that you guys are going to do a documentary on the life and times of
Geoffrey Chaucer? Or is that just Hollywood buzz?
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: Our publicity agent planted that in the trades, but thank you for asking. (JK)
Brooklyn, New York:
I noticed on your web site plans for a full-length motion picture based on Heavy Metal Parking Lot. Any idea when that might be coming out?
Gary Winter
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: Very funny ... Ladies and gentleman, allow us to introduce future Academy Award-winning screenwriter Gary Winter. ( Jeff APPLAUDS) (JK)
We're collaboring with a highly-regarded New York screenwriter and the script should be done SHORTLY at which point we'll be trying to sell the script and getting a movie deal going. (JH)
Wheaton, Md.:
PRIEEEEEESSSTT!!!!!
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: Priest Rules. (JK and JH)
Berkeley, Calif.:
Love the new website! What are your plans
with this movie project?
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: Thanks. Too bad the damn thing crashes my computer. (JH)
Our site is done by a talented Web site designer who happened to be a fan. His site address is: www.planetjomo.com. (JK)
We just opened up the Tour Store, HMPL merchandise available online (www.heavymetalparkinglot.net) We've to t-shirts, tapes and buttons. (JH)
Washington, D.C.:
How influential was the U. of Md. system, from the film dept. to the campus radio station and the midnight movies on Rt. 1, in developing you as filmmakers?
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: I went film school in Chicago. (JH)
I am a successful and warped graduate of late 70's/early 80's college radio and midnight repertory theater school in College Park, Md. It was a great time for this stuff. Midnight movies were a religious experience. Seeing Eraserhead with Rupert Chapelle providing music before and seeing Dawn of the Dead with a thousand screaming fans/fellow college students ...you can't duplicate that kind of experience in your living room on video. And it really shapes one's views of flmmaking and kind of that communal experience that we've been fortunate to see unfold with the run we've been having at Visions Cinema. College radio for me was a great breeding ground for my filmmaking ideas. There was a great deal of freedom. Once you taste that, you never want to let it go. (JK)
Quince Orchard, Md.:
Isn't heavy metal really just a phase 13 year old boys go through to upset their parents? Or those that haven't progressed past their adolescence? Do or did adults really listen to Quiet Riot or Def Leopard?
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: Most of us are still KIDS and we're still rockin'. Our film is like a time capsule. We visited a place in time, a tribal gathering of the mid 80's. A lot of us are nostalgic for our youth. (JH)
I, for one, am glad we did a Judas Priest concert and not a Quiet Riot concert. (JK)
Wanna see your film!:
Where is your film showing next? Is it still in the D.C. area someplace? I've never seen it and it sounds like so much fun. I'm still recovering from all that hairspray I used back then ... one big walking fire hazard!!
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: Did you get your hair done at the Hair That Rocks salon in Gaithersburg? We want talk to you. (JH)
It's gonna be tonight and tomorrow night at midnight. (www.visionsdc.com) They may continue to play it but stay tuned. (JK)
I've gotta go. I gotta pick up my kid at day camp. Peace out. Have a heavy metal summer everybody. It's been fun. (JH)
Bye John. I'll still stay here.
Go to our Web site for the tour information for the movie. We're gonna be in LA at the end of July, Chicago at the end of August and we're gonna be hopefully come to your town soon. (JK)
Washington, D.C.:
What is your favorite fish?
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: Halibut. One of my idols is Mal Sharpe. He's the once and future man on the street interviewer who totally and completely was a major influence for me and still is. He's done commercials and he's done comedy albums, but one of his grayest moments on video was when he, at the 1984 Democratic National Convention, when immediately after Geraldine Ferraro accepts her nomination, Mal Sharpe is on the floor asking ridiculous questions to delegates, like "What's your favorite fish?" Complete non-sequitar nonsense. People were good-natured and hilarious. But I made a similar video when the Redskins won the Super Bowl in 1988 and went with a crew of five and waded into the crowds in Georgetown and the same question. I then dediated my video to Mal Sharpe, which led to us becoming friends, which was a thrill for me. (JK)
Fairfax:
Your thoughts on the upcoming film, "Rock Star", w/ Mark Wahlberg? The story parallels the replacement of the Judas Priest lead singer with an unknown cover-band guy from the midwest.
Thanks.
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: It was supposed to be called originally "Metal God." I can't wait to see it. We are very eager to see it be a success because we think that will help our chances for selling a movie idea. (JK)
Bethesda, Md.:
Do you think Heavy Metal Sidewalk was a mistake to make? I thought it really did not that funny...
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: We didn't make that. You'd have to ask the filmmaker. We included that as some kind of update. It's somebody else's work and it basically is a postscript that is more recent. It may not be as funny, but it's still a necessary document. We obviously endorse it because we included it in our collection, as we included other people's works as well that was inspired by HMPL. (JK)
Arlington, Va.:
What gives you your sense of humor?
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: Do you think I'm funny? Do you think I'm sort of a clown. (Imitating Joe Pesci from "Goodfellas)
If you think I'm funny, I appreciate that and thank you because I am trying to capitalize on that by making these funny off-beat documentaries. I think my sense of humor ... you kind of find your voice early on. For me, growing up, it was the works of The Three Stooges, Monty Python, Andy Kaufman, Saturday Night Live!, Lancelot Link Secret Chimp and sitcoms in the afternoon on Channel 5 and Channel 20.
Jeff Krulik and John Heyn: Thank you all for being so supportive and interested in our work. Please stay in touch via the Web site (www.heavymetalparkinglot.net or www.planetkrulik.com)
A BIG kiss. (MAKES KISSING SOUND) (JK)
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