Movies
Sugar Town (1999, John Taylor, Michael Des Barres)
Rock music drama Sugar Town was written in three days, shot in three weeks and premiered at Sundance five months later, typical of Alison Anders guerilla attitude to film-making that has seen Tarantino seek her advice!
Gwen (Jade Gordon) is a ruthlessly ambitious young woman who will do anything to secure a position as the next rock goddess. Taking a housekeeping job she meets Liz (Ally Sheedy), a production designer looking for a New Age love, possibly in the form of record producer Burt (Larry Klein). Liz is close to former screen ingenue Eva (Rosanna Arquette), the wife of famed Brit rocker Clive (John Taylor). Meanwhile, Clive’s bandmates Nick (Michael Des Barres) and Jonesy (Martin Kemp) are trying to get a new album off the ground, but musical trends have left them behind. Their one hope of success is wealthy widow Jane (Beverly D’Angelo), but her demands before parting with the cash might just change all their lives…
The directors’ first film, Border Radio , saw Anders working on a phone sex line and Voss packing Christian records in order to get the negative processed. Things were a little easier this time, as the story caught the zeitgeist for the aphrodisiac of fame and extra credibility comes from the supporting cast, who include Duran Duran refugee Taylor and ex-Spandau Ballet guitarist Kemp.
production details
USA | 92 minutes | 1999
Director and Writers: Alison Anders, Kurt Voss
cast
John Taylor as Clive
Michael Des Barres as Nick
Martin Kemp as Jonesy
Jade Gordon as Gwen
Larry Klein as Burt
John Doe as Carl
Lucinda Jenney as Kate
Rosanna Arquette as Eva
Richmond Arquette as Rick
Lumi Cavazos as Rosio
Chris Mulkey as Aaron
Beverly D’Angelo as Jane
Bijou Phillips as Autograph Seeker
Jeffrey McDonald as Kevin