ECHO PARK
US, 1985, 84 minutes, Colour.
Tom Hulce, Susan Dey.
Directed by Robert Dornheim.
Echo Park is an unusual story about people who live on the fringes of Los Angeles society, in the Echo Park district. It is an American-Austrian? co production, one of the characters being an Austrian, the writer-director Robert Dornheim also being Austrian.
The film focuses on May, an unmarried mother, a waitress wanting to be an actress but who finishes up being a stripper. It also focuses on Jonathan, a gentle musical poet. The Austrian character is August, a would-be imitator or Arnold Schwarzenegger. Their interactions and friendship make for a comic and involving drama.
Susan Dey (L.A. Law) enjoys acting the role of the single mother, stripper. Tom Hulce, in his first film after Amadeus (later to make Slamdance and Dominic and Eugene) is the poet.
There is a fine attention to detail, a glimpse at a fringe way of life, a (locus on characters and their possibilities and hopes.
1. A Los Angeles fable? A piece of Americana? A European perspective? Universal appeal?
2. The use of Los Angeles, Echo Park? Echo Park as real, symbolic? Streets and apartments? The type of society in-this area of Los Angeles? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score and range of songs?
3. August's framework: his dream, being in America, the reality, the question: What are you doing in the United States? The final question asked by his father?
4. The story of May: her house, her relationship with her son, Henry, at work, August and his noise, her asking him to be quiet, the collage of visitors looking over the apartment for rent? The odd types who applied? Their reaction, reasons for not staying? Jonathan's arrival with the pizza, his taking the apartment? Her lifestyle, sexual liaison with August? Her devotion to Henry? The domestic sequences? Sunday and making breakfast? The phone call, going to Hugo's with Gloria? Gloria's objection? Her own comment about stripping, asked to try out? Her decision to go ahead? Her first job and the birthday party, her attempts, their eventually ignoring her for the cake? Going back to Hugo, his teaching her how to strip and give the birthday greeting? The collage of the range of parties she went to? Her relationship with August, with Jonathan? Platonic with Jonathan? Going to watch the making of August's commercial? The day at the beach and the peace and enjoyment? Going to the bail office to get out August? Jonathan's party and her anger with him for pretending, for hiring her? Going to the party and Jonathan and Henry delivering the pizza, seeing her? Her chasing Henry, Jonathan helping, facing the truth? Hugo's arriving with the prospect of a genuine TV commercial? Hope and prospects? The glimpse of her life?
5. Henry and his love for his mother, lifestyle, not liking Jonathan, gradually getting used to him, the name 'Hank, delivering pizzas with Jonathan and relying on him? The beach sequence and its enjoyment? Not wanting to go to the bail office? Seeing his mother strip, running away, watching his mother and Jonathan, the reconciliation?
6. Jonathan as pleasant, delivering the pizzas, his poetry, his music? Vinnie and his philosophy of life, delivering the pizza? Meeting May, deciding to stay, the relationship with Henry, giving him the name 'Hank', improving? August and his noise? Delivering the pizza and being bashed by the bikies, August and the weightlifters getting revenge? The enjoy able day at the beach? His motive for his birthday party, employing May, revealing himself? Her anger? Getting the bail, going with August, laughing with him at the commercial? The delivery, seeing May, the chase, helping to find Henry? A future?
7. August and his muscles, Austrian, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the dream and his father questioning him, his energy, the discussions with Sid at the gym, the Burt Reynolds look-alike, sex with May, attitude towards Jonathan? Getting the group to bash the bikies? The beach party? His creating the uproar, the bail? His father's arrival and the final question? His not getting into the Schwarzenegger party and having to face reality?
8. Hugo and his strippers, the interviews, the training, helping May, the final opportunity for the TV commercial?
9. Sid and the people at the gym, support of August, August's reaction and the violence at the gym?
10. A glimpse of life and values, search and hopes, relationships and future?
