National Media Museum | Accepting Awards at the Macon Film Festival | Blue Bus takes top award at On Location film fest
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IMDB
". . .A breath of pure oxygen in an age of cinematic smog." ". . .A film that has its own distinctive voice and has something substantive to say about the importance of one of our best assets in life, our friends." "I am not sure who I was rooting for more; the guys or the bus. I found myself laughing out loud, singing out loud, and just thoroughly enjoying myself." ". . .Insightful and delightful from start to finish." - IMDB.com THE SOURCE
It's been four days since BendFilm wrapped up, but there's been one film that's been sticking with me since. The film is called Blue Bus, and well, I can't stop thinking about it. I figured maybe writing about it would shake it free. The story is that of two men traveling from Los Angeles to New Orleans in a 1968 Volkswagen bus, as mandated by a recently deceased friend, who in addition to gifting the bus, has also provided the men with a box they're instructed not to open until reaching the Crescent City. What ensues is a cross-country romp that relies almost solely on the back-and-forth between the two men. Ron Recasner, who plays Auggie, dishes out one incredible story (many of them actual tales of the actor's own experiences) after another and laughing along through the film is director Phil Scarpaci, who proves delightfully hilarious in the role of Joseph, a seemingly successful businessman. We see this story through a largely grainy, documentary-style view that provides a strangely unique cinematic perspective. You know this isn't a documentary, because, well, the festival schedule said so, but the interaction between Auggie and Joseph is so authentic and their emotions so real that the line between narrative and reality melts away about halfway through. Walking out of the film, there was a lot going through my head, and I couldn't stop thinking about how incredible friendships can be. Sappy? Slightly. . .or incredibly so, but the film really gets you in the heart and in the gut. And you laugh, too. That's always important. When I met Recasner and Scarpaci outside the bar on Saturday night, they weren't the men from the film - but still pretty damn nice guys who didn't mind talking about their film for a few minutes. -Mike Bookey THE SOURCE WEEKLY
The Blue Bus (Directed by Philip Scarpaci) I can't say enough good things about this movie. It's a feel-good-under-any-circumstance flick as a pair of friends figure a way to end their midlife (or three-quarter life) crises by taking a road trip to New Orleans. The rapport between the two leads (Scarpaci and Ron Recasner) is phenomenal, fueled by their real-life friendship and ability to convey honesty on camera. -Morgan P. Salvo NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM Augie and Joe take off on a cross-country road trip in a battered blue Volkswagen bus. Their end destination: New Orleans. Their mission: to deliver a mysterious sealed wooden box left to Augie by a dead friend. En-route, their friendship enters a new phase as each man delves into his past and confronts his flaws, regrets, hopes and long-forgotten aspirations. Blue Bus is that rare vehicle – a film about loyalty and the willingness to go the extra mile that avoids cloying messages of sentiment. Instead, it embraces looking forward and advocates what all of us secretly know: that nostalgia ain’t what it used to be. With heartfelt performances, improvised dialogue, deliberately cramped camerawork (how else does one film two men inside a bus?) and two perfectly-matched leads in Recasner and director/actor Scarpaci, this emerges as one of the most engaging indie projects in years. And as our aging heroes butt heads during a journey to revelation, so the tension and suspense gently builds as they chug steadily to Louisiana… what’s in the box? -National Media Museum |
 Phil Scarpaci and Ron Recasner interviewed by Channel 6 during Bend Film Festival. |
