Out (1982)

A self-styled "urban guerrilla" in Greenwich Village is sent on various assignments across the country by a mysterious "commander."

Director:

Eli Hollander

Writers:

Ronald Sukenick (novel), Ronald Sukenick (screenplay)

Stars:

Peter Coyote, O-Lan Jones, Jim Haynie

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Peter Coyote	...	Rex
O-Lan Jones	...	Nixie / Dinah (as O-Lan Shepard)
Jim Haynie	...	Carl / Tommy / Optometrist
Grandfather Semu Haute	...	Empty Fox
Scott Beach	...	Sailor
Danny Glover	...	Jojo / Roland
Max Grodénchik	...	Arnold / Boy (as Michael Grodenchik)
Gail Dartez	...	Trixie / Girl

Storyline

In this largely avant-garde feature film, Rex is the member of a group of underground revolutionaries with an unknown agenda who receive their orders from picking letters out of a bowl of alphabet soup. Rex and his companion Nixie travel across the country and change their names with each stage of the story (the stages are separated by a countdown of numbers from 10 to 0). They begin in New York City and strive to make it to Los Angeles. Their adventures, misadventures and often bizarre happenstances form the bulk of the narrative.

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Plot Keywords:

new york city | soup | revolutionary | alphabet soup | f rated | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Deadly Drifter

Filming Locations:

San Gregorio General Store - State Highway 84 & Stage Road, San Gregorio, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eli Hollander, Osprey Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Eli Hollander had a particularly difficult time casting the role of Empty Fox. He attended powwows in search of the right person to hire for the role. Two names kept on coming up: Rolling Thunder (a star of Little Big Man (1970)) and Grandfather Semu Haute. Hollander set about calling Grandfather, who actually owned an early model mobile phone that he never answered. When Hollander finally contacted him about the script, the Native American non-actor said, "Interesting script, but I have two problems. One is the name Empty Fox, and two is the part where I pull out the whiskey." Hollander defended the name Empty Fox and offered to change the whiskey to Perrier. When Haute arrived on the set, he told Hollander that he could use the whiskey. Hollander liked the Perrier substitute better. The two argued and argued and ultimately it is the Perrier that Empty Fox pulls out and offers to Peter Coyote's character. Hollander also recalls how Granfather Semu Haute could not remember his lines and how he had to be constantly prompted throughout each of his scenes.

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Quotes

Rex: [while eating tongue] That tongue smells tasty, babes. Can I have the shulm?
Nixie: You can't have the shulm. It's not good for you.
Rex: Hey, fuck off! I want the goddamn shulm!

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Crazy Credits

The title appears on the screen in a long division problem. A "0" is the divisor and a "1" is the dividend. The quotient is the title "OUT". After the title appears onscreen, a character throws a stick of dynamite and people are seen running from left to right against a brick wall on which is written a number countdown from 10 to 0.

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Connections

Referenced in Best of the Worst: High Voltage, Death Spa, and Space Mutiny (2014)

User Reviews

A great film that engages the viewer in the best sense... Highly recommended!

Incredible film... funny, clever, challenging. Even though the film was made in the 80's, I found it relevant to our time. The acting is superb... some of the best I have seen from Peter Coyote and Danny Glover. The rest of the cast is amazing. One should watch this film more than once, as the first time, it may seem baffling, but when you see it more than once, it makes sense in a deep way. It's obvious that this film was a labor of love and commitment. I much prefer the title "Out" to "Deadly Drifter" (which, I understand, was not the original name -- "Out" was).

If you enjoy a film that makes you, the viewer, work a bit, then this is one of these films. Don't be put off by other people's remarks. The work that you put into it is worth it -- I highly recommend it!!!