from Anthony Just to let you know that I was lucky enough to get a ticket to the Gypsy83 premiere here in New York last night.

I didn't actually realize that it was the world premiere so it was quite exciting when the Producer, Director, Writer and the leading actor and actress appeared on stage before the film and then again afterward for a Q&A session.

Not having seen Todd Stephens' previous film, 'Edge of Seventeen', I didn't really know what to expect; I was pleasantly surprised!

The casting is very good, especially Karen Black as the washed-out lounge act. The lead actors give good performances and there is a real chemistry between them onscreen - if only platonic. The Stevie-related scenes are at time hilarious and very touching. Gypsy comes home to her father who was dumped 17 years prior carrying a six-pack of beer. She gives one to her dad, takes another for herself and promptly gets on a treadmill, walking and drinking at the same time. The treadmill in the Stand Back video immediately came to mind and just as I was savoring the inside joke, Gypsy envisions herself a-la Stevie on the treadmill bedecked in lace and dancing to 'Talk to me'.

Another scene has Gypsy at a bar on stage singing Karaoke to the same song which goes down better than expected with the bar's redneck audience until she twirls out of control, knocking the mic over and falling down.

The film climaxes at Mother for the Night of a Thousand Stevies. Having attended the last NOTS at Mother in 2000 it was quite strange to see so many familiar Stevie illusionists in the movie that were there in the club last year. They caught the bizarre mood of the event quite well.

My only disappointment was that they couldn't use any actual Stevie songs. A re-recorded 'Talk to me' was used whenever they needed a Stevie song which of course was not written by Stevie. This really put a damper on setting up the scene at Mother. During the Q&A I really wanted to ask Todd why they didn't/couldn't use her recordings but I was a little shy! Gypsy's best friend, Clive, is a Goth-type fan of The Cure and indeed they did use some Cure tracks.

Overall I would recommend this movie if you get a chance to see it at a festival or later on video - they haven't got a theatrical distribution deal yet. The Stevie references are really nice - a little tongue in check - but you can tell that Todd is a huge Stevie fan because it's all done with a lot of love.

It all started about a year ago…I read on the nicksfix that a movie about a girl obsessed with Stevie Nicks was being filmed and that extras were needed.

So I being the hopeful heart that I am…figured what the hell…I love Stevie and I have a Fabo Jacket of Stevie from the “Other Side of the Mirror” time space. Well, My friend Marty and I decide that we will go to “don hill’s” the movie was using as “Mother’s” for the night of a 1,000 Stevies. We waited like 6 hours and never got to get in to the club, we met wonderful people and I got a rash from some girl’s glitter…that’s another tale… Flash forward to June 6th, 2001…

Picture it if you will…I had just had my first annual Stevie birthday party.

It was my Trouble in Wayne-La Party…decorated out in all Stevie Memorabilia…from Posters to sunflowers…to a gold lama shawl that I made for the party. Candles and Crystals…we were anyone’s fantasy…

So…here it is June 6th, My birthday just the day before and having to return to work…I walk into find a fax on my desk that reads…”Premiere of Gypsy83, sponsored by Sony Music Productions” well, I almost dropped…

I go to my Friend Marty who reads the article and begins to RSVP for the tickets. Well…being that it came from a “friend” at Sony I figured what the hell…lets see what happens…nothing sort, nothing gained…

So he leaves a message…Hours go by and suddenly he gets a call back…

“ Hi Mr. Marr…well, due to a big response, we don’t think we’ll have any tickets to give away, but I’ll call you back later in the day to see if anyone doesn’t show up for them…but as it looks now…No, we have no more tickets…” he explains this to me as I think…okay…but there is still like 7 hours left before the end of the day…what the heck…I chanted to Stevie…

“Don’t leave me hangin’ on a string”…you can imagine it…

So the day drags on…it’s now 3pm…and the phone rings…

“Mr. Marr, we may have tickets, but there is one problem…you are in New Jersey…we are in New York, and we don’t know if anyone will be at the willcall office…can you get in to the city to get them…” Of course not, what can he do…Oh Hi, I need to leave to get free movie tickets…no way… That’s when I think…well how about another contact at Sony Music…

So I rang her up…”Hello, Ms. Brigid, Yes I have a favor to ask you…”

And I hang up with a smile…she is willing to get the tickets for me and wait until I get to 550 Madison Ave from Wayne New Jersey…If only I could fly. Well traffic is bad and we are running late…we get to the Sony building…at 7:05pm…I’m like forget it she’s left, we’re screwed… But Alas…Ms. B is waiting…tickets and all…”enjoy” she said with a kiss and a well wish…

We are set for the movie…and what a movie…from the start of the picture to the end of the credits…I’m like a kid seeing “Star Wars” for the first time. The movie opens and Sara Rue looks dramatic…and beautiful. Doing her best Stevie…she looks the part better than anyone else could have… The movie starts with a pair of “Edge of Seventeen” boots stepping out her car and walking to work…looking like Stevie shopping at K-Mart…if you can imagine her…she works in a foto-hut…the story is strong and bittersweet…we find that her mother “Velvet” was a big Stevie fan and that she turned her daughter on to the Welch goddess…at the age of 6…

Not to give much of the movie away…but the usual angst ensues…

From vicious names to down right rude bitches from High School…

Gypsy and her gayboy pal make a journey to New York to enter in a contest for a Night of a Thousand Stevies…, which of course they saw, on the nicksfix…

Through out the movie…we see the development of friendship and sexual awareness…the Goth boy becomes deflowered in a rest stop and then is scandalized by the homophobic frat master…”freaks” is the tag for all those in this movie…as it’s painted on Gypsy’s car…during a vicious attack… Gypsy is a strong woman, who believes in herself and finds strength in her freakish faghag relationship with her best-friend Clyde… On a sad note…the only thing missing here is Stevie…

Once during a video do we see here image twirling in the distance and we hear “talk to me” playing without her vocals…it was rather odd to not hear or see Stevie any where in this film…I kind of hoped that Stevie would have said “okay, here…use this song…or that song…or let me donate a tone for the credits…but no…she is no where to be found…only her name and her image are paid homage too…I think Stevie should see this movie and understand that it was not made in fun of her, but because of “our” own obsession with the musical witch…Embrace your fans Stevie…we Embrace you…is what I wanted to shout at the screen…when we know Sara is dancing to a Stevie tune…and is covered up by a Goth style song… When the movie ended…I took a deep breath and thought…how wonderful a film…what a great story and good acting…it covered a lot of ground in the world of Stevie Nicks’ fans…the unfortunate part is that the film has no backing for distribution…so it’s unlikely that “Gypsy 83” will make it to a local theater near you…but if it ever does end up on Showtime or cable-video…I suggest that you watch it…and enjoy the fact that you’ve known about Stevie long before this movie had ever touched upon the legend that we’ve come to love…Sara Rue and Cast were present at the screening and Sara actually pushed past me to go back up on stage…when leaving the theater…I was tempted to say…I saw you during the filming of the movie…but instead…I said…”Great work, loved you in Popular”…

Marty Marr came to the rescue with “ you were wonderful in the movie, it was great…you were wonderful...” she was pleased with our comments…and we walked up the street…like a scene from a movie…

Chatting about the events that had lead us here…from almost a year ago…

Thanks to Sony Music and to the players that helped us see “Gypsy 83”…