Gas Food Lodging

Last updated
Gas Food Lodging
Gasfoodmovieposter.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Allison Anders
Screenplay byAllison Anders
Based onDon't Look and It Won't Hurt
by Richard Peck
Produced by Carl Colpaert
Starring
CinematographyDean Lent
Edited byTracy Granger
Music by J Mascis
Distributed by Cineville
Release dates
  • February 24, 1992 (1992-02-24)(Berlin)
  • July 10, 1992 (1992-07-10)(United States)
Running time
101 minutes
CountryUnited States
Languages
  • English
  • Spanish
Budget$1.3 million
Box office$1.3 million

Gas Food Lodging is a 1992 American drama film written and directed by Allison Anders, based on the novel Don't Look and It Won't Hurt by Richard Peck. Starring Brooke Adams, Ione Skye, and Fairuza Balk, the film follows a waitress trying to find romance while raising two daughters in a trailer park in a small desert town in New Mexico.

Contents

Gas Food Lodging premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1992, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize, and was screened at the 42nd Berlin International Film Festival on February 24, 1992, where it was nominated for the Golden Bear. [1]

The film was theatrically released in the United States on July 10, 1992, to critical acclaim. At the 8th Independent Spirit Awards, Balk won for Best Female Lead, while the film earned nominations in four other categories, Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay for Anders, and Best Supporting Female for Adams.

Plot

Nora, a waitress with two teenage daughters, struggles to raise them in a trailer park as a single parent after her husband abandons the family. After repeatedly skipping school to go on dates, Trudi, the elder daughter, quits school and gets a job as a waitress alongside her mother. Meanwhile, the younger daughter, Shade, spends most of her time watching the movies of Mexican film star Elvia Rivero and dreams of finding a boyfriend for her mother.

After being dumped by the boy she was seeing, Trudi meets Dank, a British petrologist, at the restaurant where she's working. They eventually sleep together, and she tells him that her promiscuity is caused by the fact that she lost her virginity in a gang rape perpetrated by local boys she knew. Returning home the following night, her mother tells her that she has one month to find a new home.

Shade tries to seduce Darius, her friend, by dressing up in a wig and costume à la Olivia Newton-John, Darius's supposed dream girl, at her sister's suggestion. After her seduction attempt fails, presumably because he is gay, she runs into Javier, the local projectionist, who teases her over her outfit before giving her a ride home on his bike. Afterwards she sets her mother up on a date with Raymond, a married man who was revealed earlier in the film to be having an intermittent affair with her mother. As they do not want to reveal their connection to the eavesdropping Shade, they make wry conversation where Raymond claims to work as a gravedigger and Nora as a brain surgeon.

Trudi discovers she is pregnant with Dank's child, but when he fails to return from an expedition, decides to go to Dallas and give up her child for adoption rather than have an abortion. While Trudi is away, Nora begins an affair with Hamlet Humphrey, a man who installs satellite dishes, while the girls' biological father, John, reappears.

Shade falls in love with Javier and tries to reconnect with her father. Initially disturbed by Hamlet Humphrey, she warms to him after he reveals that he is familiar with the movies of Elvia Rivero and compares Nora to her.

Shade goes to Dallas with her mother and Hamlet for the birth of Trudi's baby. After giving birth to a daughter, Trudi tells Shade that she'll be staying in the city, as their home holds too many bad memories for her. On their way home, Shade spots a sign advertising day-glo rocks like the one Dank gave her sister. She goes to confront Dank but instead learns that he was killed in an accident while looking for rocks. Walking off into the desert, Shade realizes that Dank always loved Trudi and vows to eventually tell her what happened.

Cast

In addition, Adams' daughter, Josie Lynne, appears as Trudi at 2 years; Skye and Leitch are real life siblings.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack for Gas Food Lodging was released by Elektra Records containing 28 tracks. J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. contributed many of the tracks and also made a cameo at the end of the film, as the guy who explains what happened to Dank.

Reception

Hal Hinson of The Washington Post wrote that "It's a great movie about making do." [2]

Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote that "there are subtly etched characters, effortlessly fine performances, and a moving story that is not easily forgotten." [3]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 81% based on 16 reviews.

Home media

Gas Food Lodging was released on DVD region 1 in the United States and Canada on September 23, 2003 via Sony Pictures Home Entertainment [4] It was again made available in region 1 as part of the Sony Choice Collection on April 3, 2012. [5]

The film was made available for the first time on Blu-ray format in the U.S. and Canada via the Sony Choice Collection on April 4, 2017. The set contains the 1080p transfer, 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio and English SDH subtitles and no special features. [6]

In November 2018, the Arrow Films subsidiary, Arrow Academy, released a special edition Blu-ray of the film featuring a remastered 1080p transfer and the original uncompressed 2.0 audio, as well as several new special features. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>The Craft</i> (film) 1996 film by Andrew Fleming

The Craft is a 1996 American teen supernatural horror film directed by Andrew Fleming from a screenplay by Peter Filardi and Fleming and a story by Filardi. The film stars Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, and Rachel True. It follows four outcast teenage girls at a Los Angeles parochial high school who pursue witchcraft for their own gain and subsequently experience negative repercussions.

<i>As Good as It Gets</i> 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by James L. Brooks

As Good as It Gets is a 1997 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by James L. Brooks, who co-wrote it with Mark Andrus. The film stars Jack Nicholson as a misanthropic, bigoted, and obsessive–compulsive novelist, Helen Hunt as a single mother with a chronically ill son, and Greg Kinnear as a homosexual artist. The film premiered in Regency Village Theatre on December 6, 1997, and was released in theaters on December 25, 1997, and was a critical and box office hit, grossing $314.1 million on a $50 million budget.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairuza Balk</span> American actress (born 1974)

Fairuza Balk is an American actress, musician, and visual artist. Known for her portrayals of distinctive characters—often with a dark edge and "goth-girl" persona —she has appeared in numerous independent films and blockbuster features.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ione Skye</span> British-American actress (born 1970)

Ione Skye Lee is a British-born American actress and the daughter of singer Donovan. She made her film debut in the thriller River's Edge (1986) before gaining mainstream exposure for her starring role in Cameron Crowe's Say Anything... (1989). She continued to appear in films throughout the 1990s, with notable roles in Gas Food Lodging (1992), Wayne's World (1992) and One Night Stand (1997).

<i>Return to Oz</i> 1985 film directed by Walter Murch

Return to Oz is a 1985 dark fantasy film released by Walt Disney Pictures, co-written and directed by Walter Murch. It stars Nicol Williamson, Jean Marsh, Piper Laurie, and Fairuza Balk as Dorothy Gale in her first screen role. The film is an unofficial sequel to the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film The Wizard of Oz, and it is based on L. Frank Baum's early 20th century Oz novels, mainly The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904) and Ozma of Oz (1907). In the plot, an insomniac Dorothy returns to the Land of Oz to find it has been conquered by the wicked Nome King and his accomplice Princess Mombi ; she must restore Oz with her new friends Billina, Tik-Tok, Jack Pumpkinhead, the Gump, and Princess Ozma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donovan Leitch (actor)</span> English-American actor, singer (b. 1967)

Donovan Jerome Leitch is an English-born American actor, singer and former model. He is the son of the singer-songwriter Donovan and the brother of actress Ione Skye. He was a member of the hard rock band Camp Freddy, and was a founding member of neo-glam group Nancy Boy along with Jason Nesmith, the son of Michael Nesmith of The Monkees. As an actor, he is best known for portraying Paul Taylor in the 1988 remake of The Blob.

<i>White Palace</i> (film) 1990 film by Luis Mandoki

White Palace is a 1990 American erotic romantic drama film directed by Luis Mandoki. It stars Susan Sarandon, James Spader, Jason Alexander, Kathy Bates, Steven Hill, Jeremy Piven, and Renee Taylor. It was written by Ted Tally and Alvin Sargent, based on the novel of the same name by Glenn Savan.

<i>Life Is Sweet</i> (film) 1990 British film

Life Is Sweet is a 1990 British comedy-drama film directed by Mike Leigh, starring Alison Steadman, Jim Broadbent, Claire Skinner, Jane Horrocks and Timothy Spall. Leigh's third cinematic film, it was his most commercially successful title at the time of release. A tragi-comic story, it follows the fortunes of a working-class North London family over a few weeks one summer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooke Adams (actress)</span> American actress (born 1949)

Brooke Adams is an American actress, best known for her film roles in Days of Heaven (1978), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) and The Dead Zone (1983).

<i>Rivers Edge</i> 1986 film by Tim Hunter

River's Edge is a 1986 American crime drama film directed by Tim Hunter, written by Neal Jimenez, and starring Crispin Glover, Keanu Reeves, Ione Skye Leitch in her film debut, Daniel Roebuck and Dennis Hopper. It follows a group of teenagers in a Northern California town who are forced to deal with their friend's murder of his girlfriend and the subsequent disposal of her body. Jimenez partially based the script on the 1981 murder of Marcy Renee Conrad in Milpitas, California.

<i>Deuces Wild</i> 2002 film directed by Scott Kalvert

Deuces Wild is a 2002 American crime drama film directed by Scott Kalvert and written by Paul Kimatian and Christopher Gambale, who also created the story. The film stars Stephen Dorff, Brad Renfro, James Franco, Matt Dillon, and Fairuza Balk.

<i>Imaginary Crimes</i> 1994 American film

Imaginary Crimes is a 1994 American period drama film directed by Anthony Drazan, and starring Harvey Keitel, Fairuza Balk, Kelly Lynch, Vincent D'Onofrio, Seymour Cassel, and Elisabeth Moss. An adaptation of Sheila Ballantyne's 1982 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, it follows a widowed con artist attempting to raise his two daughters in 1962 Portland, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allison Anders</span> American independent film director

Allison Anders is an American independent film director whose films include Gas Food Lodging, Mi Vida Loca and Grace of My Heart. Anders has collaborated with fellow UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television graduate Kurt Voss and has also worked as a television director. Anders' films have been shown at the Cannes International Film Festival and at the Sundance Film Festival. She has been awarded a MacArthur Genius Grant as well as a Peabody Award.

Carl-Jan Colpaert is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter.

<i>Queen of the Stardust Ballroom</i> 1975 American television musical drama film

Queen of the Stardust Ballroom is an American musical television movie directed by Sam O'Steen and produced by Roger Gimbel, from the teleplay by Jerome Kass. It was broadcast by CBS on February 13, 1975. Maureen Stapleton, Charles Durning, and Charlotte Rae were nominated for Emmy Awards for their performances.

<i>Ophélia</i> (1963 film) 1963 film by Claude Chabrol

Ophélia is a 1963 French drama film directed by Claude Chabrol. The story centers on a disturbed young man who becomes obsessed with the idea that his life mirrors that of the title character of William Shakespeare's play Hamlet.

Mariah Waterfall O'Brien is an American interior designer and former actress and model. She made her film debut in the drama Gas, Food, Lodging (1992) and later appeared in the horror film Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995). O'Brien also appeared on the cover of Alice in Chains' 1992 album Dirt.

Leigh Hamilton was a New Zealand-born American actress and art gallery owner.

<i>Miracles from Heaven</i> (film) 2016 Christian drama film by Patricia Riggen

Miracles from Heaven is a 2016 American Christian drama film directed by Patricia Riggen and written by Randy Brown. It is based on Miracles from Heaven by Christy Beam, which recounts the true story of her young daughter who had a near-death experience and was later cured of an incurable disease. The film stars Jennifer Garner, Kylie Rogers, Martin Henderson, John Carroll Lynch, Eugenio Derbez, and Queen Latifah. Principal photography began in Atlanta, Georgia, in July 2015. The film was released on March 16, 2016. The movie was financially successful, becoming the 8th highest-grossing Christian film in the United States. Although critical reception was mixed, Garner's performance earned general praise.

<i>The Craft: Legacy</i> 2020 American horror film by Zoe Lister-Jones

The Craft: Legacy, also known as Blumhouse's The Craft: Legacy, is a 2020 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Zoe Lister-Jones. A soft reboot and sequel to The Craft (1996), the film stars Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone, and Zoey Luna as four teenage girls who practice witchcraft as a coven. Additional cast include Nicholas Galitzine, Michelle Monaghan, and David Duchovny, with Fairuza Balk making a cameo appearance.

References

  1. "Berlinale: 1992 Programme". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2011-05-24.
  2. Hinson, Hal (October 2, 1992). "Gas Food Lodging". Washington Post . Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  3. Maslin, Janet (July 31, 1992). "Review/Film -- Gas Food Lodging; Rueful Women, Rootless Men In a Dreary Western Town". The New York Times . Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  4. "Gas Food Lodging DVD". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  5. "Gas Food Lodging DVD Sony Choice Collection". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  6. "Gas Food Lodging Blu-ray Choice Collection". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  7. "Upcoming Arrow Academy Blu-ray Releases". Blu-ray.com. 10 August 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.