SUGAR TOWN
US, 1999, 92 minutes, Colour.
Ally Sheedy, Rosanna Arquette, Jade Gordon, John Taylor, Michael Des Barres, Martin Kemp, Larry Kline, John Doe, Lucinda Jenney.
Directed by Alison Anders and Kurt Voss.
Sugar Town is a film about the music industry, focusing on stars and bands of the 1980s who are in decline at the end of the 90s. Middle-aged, they are struggling with family, relationships, addictions. The film also highlights the movie industry in Los Angeles, especially with older stars being offered mother roles in films (in this case Rosanna Arquette being offered the mother of Christina Ricci).
Actual musicians including John Taylor (Duran Duran), Michael Des Barres, (Power Station) and Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet) perform in the film. Ally Sheedy portrays a production designer, with her assistant Gwen, played by Jade Gordon who is manipulating everybody to get to the top.
The film is in some ways a slice of life but it is also a slice of rather esoteric life for these mainly men who had been at the top and are now on the way down, struggling to survive, wanting to make a new album.
The film was co-directed by Alison Anders (Grace of My Heart, another film about the music industry, Things Behind the Sun) and Kurt Voss who worked with her on Things Behind the Sun and other projects.
1. Audience interest in this kind of story, characters, the bands of the past, the rock ‘n roll eras, the drug eras? The ageing rock stars? The ambitious young performers?
2. The Los Angeles settings, homes, mansions, studios, the roads? The musical score, the range of songs, from the past, new songs?
3. The characters, their past lives, many from England? Many from Los Angeles, age catching up on them? The consequences of their wilder years?
4. The focus on Jade, being recommended by Eva, going to work for Liz, the talk, discussions about what dress Liz should wear? Taking her jewellery? Picking up her date, sexual favours? Her relying on these for later promotion? Going to Kevin, commissioning him to write songs for her, her pressure on him, claiming the songs as her own? The confrontation with Liz – and its lack of effect on her and her ambitions?
5. Liz, production design, living by herself, her lack of self-confidence? The masseur and his help? Her going on the date with Burt, anticipation, Gwen advising her on the clothes and misleading her? The date, talk, return home? His not being interested in her, her talking about herself? No phone call? The later date with Aaron, his wanting to use her for promotion, her reaction? The consequences of this when Gwen schemed with her girlfriend to give her false information about Aaron? Liz and her ringing the agent for his house and saying that he was a sex offender? The complications and people making misery of other people’s lives?
6. Eva and her husband, the past, staying together? Her film career, on the rocks? Her wanting to have a child but not having one? Clive, his career, success? The woman turning up at the door with her son? Her New Age patter, going to help others, leaving her son behind? Claiming he was Clive’s? Clive not believing her, Eva taking the boy in? The friendship, his taking the place of a child in their house? The cookie-making, the discussions about her films? Nerv and his name, helping Clive with the music? Would he stay with the family?
7. Carl and Kate, her pregnancy? Carl, not wanting to go on the road? The Hispanic singer and her trying to be seductive? His kissing her, return home? Kate and her pregnancy, her bad reaction to Carl’s confession? Ricky as Carl’s brother, staying with him, the drugs, being clean? The reaction of the children to him, their frank talk? His doing the chore for Kate after his coming on to her? His meeting with Jonesy, the possibility of drugs? Not coming home? Turning up, Carl coming back, the confrontation? Kate and her giving birth?
8. Burt, plans, the date with Liz and its failure, the encounter with Gwen? The deal with the rich woman in Detroit? His appeal to her, her reaction? Her seeing the photo of Nick, wanting him? Burt and the group trying to persuade Nick?
9. Nick, past, his predilection for young girls? His being put upon to go to the rich woman? His going, reluctance, the encounter, his change of mind? Jonesy and support, still doing drugs?
10. The woman in Chicago, rich? Her listening to Burt and his proposal, rejecting it? Wanting Nick? The encounter with him, the revelation of her time in the brothel, callgirl, marrying the millionaire, having the money to dispose of?
11. Kevin, his addiction, ability to write songs, being used by Gwen, his lying on the floor sick, her stealing his songs and leaving him?
12. Glimpses of characters? The interconnections of the characters? Optimism and pessimism about the celebrity life? Its being precarious?
