But when this guy wasn't getting any traction, he decided to run himself for sheriff. For Kennedy, making Freak Power in Colorado was a must even if the scenery could be reproduced elsewhere. "I live in Aspen right now, and I think because of my longstanding relationships, we'll be able to pull in a few favors here and there," he said. The Denver Post reported the budget for “Freak Power” would be $1.85 million, bringing a cast of 100 and a crew of 73. Careers, Watkins and Ajax Phillips.Utilising archival footage uncovered over the last three years, they have deftly woven the provocative narrative of Thompson’s election campaign into an entertaining and timely documentary. The highly anticipated film, tentatively titled Freak Power, tells the story of Thompson's doomed run for sheriff of Pitkin County in 1969. “He talked about an Aspen that is of the people, for the people and by the people — and I agree with that.”, Where: The Pitkin County courthouse and outside the Gonzo Gallery. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts ... MOVIES132.TO- Watch Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb FULL FREE HD. Erica Robbie is the editor-in-chief of Local Magazine and Local Weekly as well as the arts & culture editor for the Aspen Daily News. Posted by 13 days ago. Change Aspen to Fat City 3. After winning approval, Kennedy talked in more detail about the project. “Freak Power” will continue to stream on other platforms, including Apple and Google Play, shortly after its Oct. 23 release on Amazon. 1. Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb DOCUMENTARY Hunter S. Thompson went to the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago as a journalist and returned home disgusted, yet motivated by what he’d just seen: violently suppressed protests, riots, corrupt politicians, and abusive cops. Movie community. I probably have more of those relationships in Colorado than I have anywhere else at this point. I think it's going to get people really pumped up about local politics — especially people from my generation, who are kind of cut out from that right now. Staff, “I’m not so sure [Thompson] wanted to lead,” local artist and “Freak Power” crew member Travis Fulton says in the film. Log In Sign Up. The Denver Post reported the budget for “Freak Power” would be $1.85 million, bringing a cast of 100 and a crew of 73. According to him, he has an informal understanding with Thompson's widow, Anita, to use quotes from the writer's letters. The new documentary Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb (available to stream on Amazon and iTunes) tells the story of Thompson’s run for … That's sort of the goal of this film. Freak Power is a fantastically well-made film, laser focused on that long-ago campaign but with wisdom that resonates today. Privacy, Terms, Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we would like to keep it that way. The first, circa 1968, shows five uniformed deputies, all sporting cowboy hats and holding guns. How is Freak Power relevant now in 2020? The new documentary Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb (available to stream on Amazon and iTunes) tells the story of Thompson’s run for … “Freak Power” producer Mimi Polk Gitlin noted the parallels between Black Lives Matter and the younger generation driving the movement with issues of racism and police brutality in the late 60s and early 70s. What: ‘Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb’ Where: freakpower.com; Amazon, iTunes and video on-demand services When: Beginning Friday, Oct. 23 How much: $19.99 MORE ON THE FILM & FILMMAKERS Aug. 20, 2015: 'Freak Power' and Liberty Salons start a dialogue in Aspen June 19, 2018: Exhibit on Hunter Thompson's 1970 sheriff campaign begins tour at Aspen Historical Society Oct. 8, … They appear at the end, old soldiers speaking of … The Freak Power team will also activate a voter registration area outside the gallery. And I wouldn't want to go to Canada. Basically, Hunter tried to start a third party...and it wasn't in the middle. Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb is a film about his campaign. “The more relaxed, friendly, community service-oriented type policing that Hunter was advocating did come to pass — and [has] existed with peace in the valley for the last 30 to 40 years.”. Contact Us, His job was to register his long-haired ski bum friends, Braudis said in an interview Wednesday. Fulton in 2017 found in his barn an old canister of film, labeled “Hunter Thompson for Sheriff.” It ultimately led to the creation of the film. The campaign and its legacy are the focus of the new documentary “Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb,” co-directed by Ajax Phillips. Freak Power Film on the Roof of the Art Museum 5. Circulation, Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. At present, the movie is budgeted for $1.85 million, although Kennedy says that total could fluctuate depending on who is cast as Thompson; more about that later. Hunter Thompson and supporters of his campaign for Pitkin County sheriff reviewing a draft of a newsletter. This campaign provides the basis of Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb, a new film by D.J. Freak Power was a band founded by bassist Norman Cook (later known as Fatboy Slim), Ashley Slater (the trombonist with the anarchic British jazz big band Loose Tubes), and vocalist Jesse Graham, also known as "the Bass Cadet. “We accomplished a lot of what we envisioned in the area of development,” Edwards says in the film. “Freak Power” offers a play-by-play of the campaign as it happens from Thompson, Bastian and “minister of information” Alex Sweetman, explaining the Freak Power philosophy and strategy. 1. The story is told with the vintage film and with voiceovers by the surviving participants. And strangely enough, the people whom Hunter was running this election against are pretty much the exact equivalent of Hillary and [Donald] Trump. “Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb” will screen at Sauerbeck Family Drive-In in La Grange, presented in partnership with Louisville Film Society. She can be reached at erica@aspendailynews.com or on Twitter @ericarobbie. The highly anticipated film, tentatively titled Freak Power, tells the story of Thompson's doomed run for sheriff of Pitkin County in 1969. Freak Power Day | This Saturday 10.17.20 Freaks will take to the streets in Aspen, CO ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What the Hell is Freak Power Day? He had, like, a .44 there, and he brought me in and we hid behind the couch and then tried to nail those things." R 1 hr 30 min Oct 23rd, 2020 Documentary This year, he followed it up with a documentary, Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb, co-directed with Ajax Phillips (who goes by the artist moniker Ajax W. Axe), currently available on-demand at AppleTV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube and Vimeo. Co-directed by Ajax Phillips and D.J. You have permission to edit this article. Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb (2020) Torrent Become availabe Oct. 23, 2020 & hold Documentary - Category, Rated 9.8 On IMDB With Over 19 votes / ON The Movie Database. ©2021 Denver Westword, LLC. Support Us movies132.to/2020/1... 0 comments. Support the independent voice of Denver and help keep the future of Westword free. ", After this description of the project, boardmembers asked Kennedy about his background in filmmaking. A memoir and rambling discussion (with rude slogans) of Freak Power in the Rockies. As I watched the evolution of the edits, the final product, I think, is perfect,” Braudis said Wednesday. All rights reserved. MOVIES132.TO- Watch Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb FULL FREE HD. Here's how the 32-year-old Kennedy pitched the movie to the board. A sold-out screening of “Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb” will later screen at Aspen Art Museum. // Courtesy Freak Power At some point, you’ve likely seen the famous “Thompson for Sheriff” poster artist Thomas W. Benton created for Hunter S. Thompson’s 1970 campaign for Sheriff of Colorado’s Pitkin County. Fifty years after Hunter S. Thompson’s campaign for Pitkin County sheriff, the late journalist’s influence on Aspen’s cultural and political landscape lives on, while his platform is in many ways still relevant today. Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb (2020) "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." We're just going to shoot it and make the best-quality product possible." It's too soon to say. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. He was basically running a freak-power backlash campaign, where he was trying to scare the townsfolk in order to get this weird subsection of people who'd never voted to come out and vote because they thought it would be funny to give people a good scare. Change Aspen to Fat City 3. Set amid the Nixon era and a period of polarized politics in the U.S., “Freak Power” opens to a scene documenting scores of young Aspenites piling into the Isis Theatre to witness the debate between Thompson and incumbent Sheriff Carrol D. Whitmire. Winds light and variable. He disguised himself as a famous animated movie producer and he took the Power Rangers to his studio. His campaign for sheriff was exactly the kind of citizen initiative that is inspired and inspiring,” Torre said Wednesday. At least we think he was joking. "He was broke, and the IRS had sent him a notice of intent of forfeit, of seizure. “Nobody has had the year they wanted to have in 2020,” Phillips said this week. Here's a look at the trailer for AmeriQua, aka EuroTrapped. Two-time Academy Award-winning composer Gustavo Santaolalla — of “Brokeback Mountain” and “Babel” — scored the film, while Gary Clark Jr. and Santaolalla produced an original song, “Valley of Last Resort,” with lyrics by Paul Williams. Freak Power Documentary Film about Hunter S Thompson's campaign for sheriff for Aspen in 1970. “Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb” will screen at Sauerbeck Family Drive-In in La Grange, presented in partnership with Louisville Film Society. “Watching the film come together from seed to screening, I’m amazed,” Braudis said. The community is encouraged to dress up in ’60s- and ’70s-inspired attire today as part of the day’s festivities, which will continue with the film’s sold-out screening at Aspen Art Museum. With Jay Bulger, Blair Carlyle, Weston Cage Coppola, Micah Flamm. A team of Aspen area filmmakers has mined previously unseen footage to make a new documentary about Hunter S. Thompson’s historic 1970 campaign to become sheriff of Pitkin County. But if either Chris Pratt or Chris Pine are interested, he would be, too. While the pandemic delayed the production of “Freak Power” and plans for the festival circuit, the timing of the film’s release — weeks before one of the most divisive, contentious elections in U.S. history — is as relevant as ever. ", Of course, politics is the family business, and while Kennedy said, "I personally hadn't given any thought to entering any kind of political thing," he joked that "if this movie works out, maybe I'll run for mayor of a small town in Colorado.". Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our terms of use, our cookies policy, and our privacy policy. They concluded “Freak Power” would remain, perhaps fittingly, a truly independent film and grassroots release. “I went to the Democratic Convention as a journalist and returned a raving beast,” Thompson famously scribed in an essay at the time. No, Kennedy won't reveal the name of the actors who've pledged to do cameos. Thompson working on newsletter. Edwards, who went on to become a Pitkin County commissioner alongside fellow freak Dwight Shellman, echoed this sentiment. A new documentary about famed gonzo journalist and Louisville native Hunter S. Thompson will have a drive-in premiere Monday night in the Louisville area. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. The agreement was that if Edwards was elected mayor, Thompson would run a vicious campaign for sheriff in 1970. I just really want to motivate a lot of young twenty- and thirty-year-olds to get back to voting and running for office. To show the world a Thompson they may not know. Controller Freak is one of Lord Zedd's monsters. Original Motion Picture Soundtrack for the movie Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb: Valley of Last Resort composed by Gary Clark Jr., Gustavo Santaolalla , released by Warner Bros. Records in 2020 This morning, the board of directors for Colorado's Economic Development Commission approved a rebate of $300,000 for Freak Power, a movie about writer Hunter S. Thompson's gonzo 1970 run for sheriff of Pitkin County, to be written and directed by Bobby Kennedy III, grandson of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy. The Gonzo Gallery owner penned and published the book in 2015 alongside fellow Aspenite and artist Ajax Phillips, who also co-directed the film. Among Thompson’s colorful campaign art, which became an integral part of his race, was an advertisement: “Hunter Thompson is a moralist posing as an immoralist. Certainly, Thompson’s run for office is a familiar story among the gonzo journalist’s fans. "Freak Power" movie poster "Freak Power" Listen . Social Distanced Love-In 4. The campaign and its legacy are the focus of the new documentary “Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb,” co-directed by Ajax Phillips. Music, Film, TV and Political News Coverage. An article he wrote ended up being published in Rolling Stone and created a massive backlash among the community, and he ended up losing by one vote. Freak Power: The Ballot Or The Bomb Documentary Film Playing at the Plaza Theatre from December 25th-December 31st Legendary Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson ran for sheriff of Pitkin County fifty years ago this year. Music, Film, TV and Political News Coverage. Help, The independent voice of Denver since 1977. What: “Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb’”. Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb is a film about his campaign. Freak Power Film on the Roof of the Art Museum 5. Sod the Streets 2. Posted by 13 days ago. But we have a friendly little agreement.". In his later years, Thompson became a countercultural icon for his literary style and his well-publicized antics, which often overshadowed his early contributions to political thought, Watkins writes in “Freak Power.”, “Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb” portrays the endeavors of a young, impassioned journalist who is described on the campaign trail as “all business.”. He called the film by the same title a natural outgrowth of the book after uncovering reels of footage from the campaign. “This movie is going to be powerful because it’s going to show a different side of Hunter that is really the serious, significant, substantial part of who Hunter was and why he became famous,” Watkins said in an interview outside the gallery on Wednesday. “Hunter was often my North Star,” Braudis says in the film, particularly in the areas of public safety and policymaking. Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb DOCUMENTARY Hunter S. Thompson went to the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago as a journalist and returned home disgusted, yet motivated by what he’d just seen: violently suppressed protests, riots, corrupt politicians, and abusive cops. And then they started building this big slap heap bordering his property and he sort of took action. save. "The film is not really based on any particular articles," he allowed, "and because it's an American political election, it's technically public domain. It's got a lot of issues, and it's kind of a parable for American politics writ large right now. A self-proclaimed punk from South Boston, Braudis credits Thompson for inspiring and, in part, informing his 24-year-career in public service. It's funny, it's kind of wild, but a lot of people really put their hearts into that election, and I don't want this movement in Colorado forgotten forever. Apart from a piece on Joe Edwards’ 1969 campaign for mayor of Aspen — titled “Freak Power in the Rockies” that ran in Rolling Stone magazine — few of Thompson’s musings on Aspen were ever published. Our innovative and timely exhibitions, education and public programs, immersive activities, and community happenings actively engage audiences in thought-provoking experiences of art, culture, and society. Freak Power was a band founded by bassist Norman Cook (later known as Fatboy Slim), Ashley Slater (the trombonist with the anarchic British jazz big band Loose Tubes), and vocalist Jesse Graham, also known as "the Bass Cadet. Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb (5) 1h 34min 2020 R In 1970, disgusted by the way police are abusing their power, outlaw journalist Hunter S. Thompson starts his own political movement, Freak Power, to fight against corruption and cronyism in his town and across America. "We're not making a huge budget movie here, so that will be important. As part of the informal, inaugural “Freak Power Day,” Mayor Torre will formally rename Aspen “Fat City” for the day, during a noon proclamation outside the Pitkin County Courthouse. The allotted $300,000 is good for up to a 20 percent rebate on what the production spends in Colorado. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. I think we're right on the verge of losing it, so I think this is the perfect time to bring it back. ‎Watch trailers, read customer and critic reviews, and buy Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb directed by Daniel Joseph Watkins for $19.99. While Kennedy says independent financing has been secured for the production, he won't reveal exactly who's ponying up the cash beyond saying that he's kicking in some of the dough. 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