Gahan Wilson's band of ghouls, monsters and ghosts must have felt right at home this past weekend in Bermuda when the documentary about the cartoonist and longtime Playboy contributor was screened there. Hollywood director, producer and cinematographer, Steven-Charles Jaffe, whose roster of film credits includes Ghost, Star Trek VI and Strange Days, sent us this report from the island:
Hamilton, Bermuda, April 5, 2008
My film, Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird, was invited to be shown in the documentary competition at the eleventh annual Bermuda International Film Festival by Deputy Director Duncan Hall. When I began making the film I knew I would have to please Gahan's fans (including myself), but I also had a responsibility to seduce a new generation of cartoon and comic book fans by introducing Gahan's work in a medium they were not originally designed for - cinema. The screenings in Bermuda were attended by a majority of Gahan Wilson "virgins," and as much as I enjoy the response from his die-hard fans, it's becoming more gratifying to hear the enthusiastic responses people who have never seen his work. These Wilson virgins approach me after the screenings, asking where they can find his cartoons, and tell me how eager they are to see more of them. After demonstrating his genius for more than fifty years in Playboy, last night Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird received a SPECIAL JURY AWARD. For a filmmaker, this makes the journey all the more gratifying. To be continued....
(Pictured: Producer/Director Steven-Charles Jaffe with former Bermuda resident and author, Mark Twain, as they share a Gahan Wilson moment.)
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Comments on this entry:
I am a huge fan of Gahan Wilson, and have been ever since I ran one of his cartoons that had been published in Playboy, (with their permission), in my high school newspaper in 1965. The end result of that particular exercise in the freedom of the press almost led to the paper being burned and me being kicked out of school. How much more impact could you have as a cartoonist!
Steven-Charles Jaffe's film on Wilson is brilliant, and truly captures that wonderful and funny master of the macabre. Steven-Charles is also my friend, and he included me in his piece, but cut my high school story. Even so, I still love him and Gahan Wilson!
When I was in college, all you had to do to get a laugh was recite one of the classic captions, such as "One small step for a Znargh". There was no need to describe the scenario or even to identify "Gahan Wilson" or "Playboy" as the source - everyone **knew** just what you meant.