An incredible film that failed at the box office, but received a surge from its soundtrack.
Repo Man first graced the silver screen and warped VHS tapes more than 30 years ago, but it still remains to be one of the strangest, most beloved, and "punk" cult movies of all time. Sure, this is merely my own opinion — someone who was born in the 80s and got heavily into punk and pop-punk music in the 90s — but allow me to explain.
The moment the opening credits kick in, the intense music featuring Iggy Pop attempts to melt your face off, and a map of different locations in New Mexico cycle across the screen, you'll feel like you've been kicked in the teeth by Emilio Estevez himself.
Someone put together a Spotify playlist of all of the songs heard in the movie. The soundtrack includes other bands like Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and Suicidal Tendencies. Throw on the playlist while you read this article to get the full experience!
Repo Man is considered a comedy and is about a punk kid, Otto (Emilio Estevez), who starts repossessing cars only to find one very special car with something very odd in the trunk.
He gets the gig after being fed up with his punk girlfriend, punk friends, and a monotonous job at a grocery store. Luckily, an eccentric repossession agent named Bud (Harry Dean Stanton) shows him the ropes of the job, and why being a repo man is "intense."
"The life of a repo man is always intense."
So, if the incredible soundtrack, storyline, and the likes of Harry Dean Stanton and Emilio! don't have you convinced to watch the film, here are some neat and strange things about the cult classic.
Casting Call
Several actors were under consideration for the role of Bud. Lee Ving from the punk band Fear (whose music is actually on the soundtrack) was batted around for a while. Dennis Hopper was also being considered, but the limited budget scared him away.
The studio producing the film wanted Mick Jagger, but Harry Dean Stanton turned out to be a perfect fit. I can't really imagine anyone else playing the role of Bud.
Storytelling/Real Life
The film's writer and director, Alex Cox, based the script on some of his own Los Angeles experiences as he drove around with his neighbor who was an actual car repossessor. He even became an apprentice, driving repo'd cars back to the yard.
To get the film recognized by investors, Cox packaged the written script with a short comic book, detailing what he wanted the film to look like.
Production
The film was shot in July and August of 1983 — which is Los Angeles' hottest, smoggiest, and most uncomfortable months (the opening credits show a map of New Mexico, but the film was shot in California). The first scene the crew shot is said to be a reminder of the "weirdness and magic that filmmaking involves."
In the scene, Otto (Emilio) walks along the railroad tracks before dawn, and the lights on the bridge go out behind him. Writer and director, Cox, remembers the magic of it:
"Alan, the location manager, introduced me to the guys whose job it was to turn the lights off, on the bridge. One was very tall and gangly, and looked like Ichabod Crane. The other was short and fat, clad in dungarees like a cartoon character's. His name was Mr. Knickerbocker. Here were two perfectly preserved, downtown LA characters circa 1932, the kind of guys who would have been waiting for Philip Marlowe when he stepped off the train at the Union Station. I gave the nod when Emilio got up from the tracks, and the assistant directors relayed a radio cue to Mr. Knickerbocker, who turned the lights off. I gave the cue a second time, and Mr. Knickerbocker shut all those bridge lights off again, and the scene was done. The sky behind the bridge was glowing. I was entranced. I hope I remembered to say thank you to Mr. Knickerbocker."
Apparently, not all of the on-set experiences were beautiful and entrancing.
Emilio Estevez preferred to walk around in his whitey-tighties instead of wearing pants, and some of the actors in the movie didn't know how to drive a car — an important part of being someone that repossess other cars.
The Soundtrack
The film is known for its awesome soundtrack, but it's got an interesting story, too.
By himself, Cox visited Iggy Pop at his apartment to explain the movie to him and request that he record a song for the soundtrack. Iggy's career was hitting a bit of a rough patch at that point and he needed some extra funds and breathing space. In addition, it helped that Cox gave Iggy the freedom to sing and create whatever he wanted to do with the song.
"It was like a gift from God to express myself," said Iggy.
According to Chas Ferry, the assistant to an engineer at the recording session, Iggy Pop wrote the song a few minutes before recording started.
Film Reception
The film tanked, got punched in the gut in a mosh pit, failed at the box office, and was quickly throw onto VHS. However, it's just one of many cult classics that have dealt with the same treatment from Hollywood.
The success of the soundtrack gave the film its first sparks of commercial life. Alex Cox says film's commentary that he believes the success of the soundtrack was key to the renewed interest in the film's video release, and it was also instrumental to the film's cult popularity among the masses.
In conclusion
When I think of Emilio I think of Repo Man — then Disney's The Mighty Ducks and that iconic scene from Night at the Roxbury. I'm not going to mention what's inside the trunk of the car that's mysteriously murdering everyone because I'd rather you see it for yourself.
If you're a fan of punk music, cult classics, and 80s movies you'll love Repo Man as much as I do. If you don't like it then maybe being a repo man is "too intense."
You can find out where to stream Repo Man at decider.com.
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