Today I have the immense pleasure of welcoming a very special guest, art director Larry Wiemer, to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS for an interview. Larry was responsible for the production design of motion picture SKATETOWN U.S.A. [my review of the film can be found here] and in charge of art direction on a multitude of television programs such as Archie Bunker’s Place, Solid Gold, Mama’s Family, Major Dad, and more recently, The Real Housewives of Orange County, Pawnography, and Dave Chappelle: The Closer. In this interview Larry will be discussing his role as production designer of SKATETOWN U.S.A., and his television art direction accomplishments.
Welcome to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS Larry!
Athan: When did you first realize that you wanted to be an art director?
Larry: My first realization that I wanted to be an art director was after graduating from college and going on interviews for acting jobs and hating the process.
I decided to go back to college and study to be a scenic designer.
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Athan: Where did you study the craft of art direction and production design?
Larry: I went to UCLA to get an MFA in Theatre. At UCLA there were teachers who had been in the entertainment business and knew what a student needed to learn to get ahead. I enjoyed my time there as a student and teaching assistant.
We learned all aspects of the backstage crafts including lighting, sound, scenic design, set construction, technical direction.
After graduating I went to work in the television studio scenic shops CBS, NBC, ABC and actually built scenery that would go on prime time tv.
I would take the blueprints of the sets home and study them to see how the real professionals did their designs.
When the Art Directors would come through the scenic shop to check on the sets, I would introduce myself and ask for an interview to become an assistant art director.
As luck would have it I began to get work drafting sets and set decorating.
The rest is 50 years of working as a Production Designer, Art Director and Set Decorator in the entertainment industry.
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Athan: Your production design of SKATETOWN U.S.A. was beautiful and highly imaginative, making a roller disco skating venue come alive with color, pizazz, and style. What is it that drew you to participating in the movie?
Larry: In television there is a hiatus period in the spring when all the shows go down for a couple of months. It was during this hiatus period that I learned about the Production Designer position on Skatetown USA from another production designer who could not take the job. He recommended me for the job and I began work right away.
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Athan: What did you find most exciting about the experience of making SKATETOWN U.S.A.?
Larry: The most exciting thing about working on Skatetown was getting out of the studio and working at the Hollywood Palladium. This was the main location for the movie.
The Hollywood Palladium is a world-famous night club and music venue so it played right into the script. Its circular hardwood floor certainly made it work for SKATETOWN U.S.A.
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Athan: For you, what was the most demanding, but emotionally satisfying segment of filming SKATETOWN U.S.A.?
Larry: The most demanding part of the experience was getting used to working with a film crew as opposed to a TV production crew.
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Athan: Have you kept in contact with any cast members and crew from SKATETOWN U.S.A.?
Larry: After the film production was completed I went back to designing television shows, half hour sitcoms mostly, and have not kept in touch with anyone from Skatetown USA.
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Athan: SKATETOWN U.S.A. was directed by William A. Levey, who also helmed BLACKENSTEIN, SLUMBER PARTY ’57, THE HAPPY HOOKER GOES TO WASHINGTON, HELLGATE, and COMMITTED. What was the experience of working with Mr Levey on the movie?
Larry: I really didn’t have much interplay with the director during the production other than looking at a setup and where he was placing the camera.
He was a pleasant guy is all I can remember.
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Athan: You have worked mostly in television, providing art direction for the afore-mentioned programs, and many specials such as The 40th NAACP Image Awards, Adam Ferrera: Funny as Hell, Hal Sparks: Charmageddon, and the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards New York, to name but a few. What is it that you like most about being an integral part of these specials?
Larry: I enjoy creating a visual environment that works for all aspects of the show.
You can’t just draw something that looks great you need to think about all the technical aspects of how the cameras, performers, audience, stage space, lighting and equipment will work together to make a great production.
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Athan: Do you have any upcoming projects of which you would like to tell readers?
Larry: Keep an eye out for the National Spelling Bee and the AFI Life Achievement Awards.
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Thank you so much today for your time Larry, and for the insight you have provided into SKATETOWN U.S.A., film and television production design, and art direction. It has been wonderful having you on CINEMATIC REVELATIONS. You are welcome to return whenever you wish.
Synopsis: Two young men vie for the championship of a roller-skating disco competition.
Within a film history context: Roller disco was a short-lived fad of the late 1970s which grew out of disco, which was all the rage at the time. As a film genre, it was similarly ephemeral, with a handful of movies devoted to the topic. One of the first to deal with roller disco was J. Robert Wagoner's DISCO GODFATHER (1979). In this movie, a crime and action drama, a retired policeman owns a disco, and does his best to put drug dealers in their place. ROLLER BOOGIE (1979), directed by Mark L. Lester, was about the happenings in a roller disco venue, specifically the romance between two skaters, and how patrons try to stop the place from being taken over for redevelopment. Robert Greenwald's XANADU (1980), came at the tail end of the roller disco craze. A musical fantasy concerning an artist, and his love for a sprightly young woman, featured numerous roller disco set pieces throughout its running time. SKATETOWN U.S.A. was released in 1979, at the height of roller disco, and one of the most thorough films on the topic.
In comparison to the other films in the genre, SKATETOWN U.S.A. was almost entirely set inside a roller disco venue, with the exception of several scenes outside the place. ROLLER BOOGIE had scenes both inside, and external to the venue, showing characters away from the alley, and in their homes. Like ROLLER BOOGIE, DISCO GODFATHER also had scenes in the disco, but also in other locations. DISCO GODFATHER was of interest as there was a single sequence of roller disco, the others being straight disco dancing scenes. This is where it moved away from both SKATETOWN U.S.A, and ROLLER BOOGIE. XANADU was likewise, with one major roller disco scene, the others taking place away from a skating venue. This is something SKATETOWN U.S.A. eschewed, remaining in the skating venue for the vast majority of screen time. This pointed to something which set SKATETOWN U.S.A apart from the other three movies.
All the loves, enmities, comedy, and other events occurred in SKATETOWN U.S.A's roller disco, keeping locations to a minimum in the story. The effect of this on the movie was two-pronged. On the one hand, not showing characters outside the venue does not provide extra information about them, which would subsequently deepen knowledge of them. On the other hand, this does keep matters simpler with a single location. Whatever the audience finds out about the characters takes place in the roller disco alley, during a single evening. In addition, SKATETOWN U.S.A., and XANADU, had a partiality for musical sequences which ROLLER BOOGIE and DISCO GODFATHER did not contain. This had the effect of giving both movies a fantastical/escapist edge, whereby the other two pictures were of a more realistic persuasion.
In other areas, romance was a minor element of SKATETOWN U.S.A. in comparison to the other films. Both ROLLER BOOGIE and XANADU had this as a major aspect of their narratives, where SKATETOWN U.S.A. employed this device fleetingly, story time given over to comedy and competition between male skaters. The romance was between a male skater and a young female skater, brought together through her brother's malevolent feelings for the rival male skater. This is slightly similar to ROLLER BOOGIE's romance between two skaters, but SKATETOWN U.S.A.'s version is much briefer in duration. In looking over the film as a whole, SKATETOWN U.S.A. is notable for being entirely set in a roller disco venue, and the most rigorous of the movies on the subject.
Overview: William A. Levey is an American director who made ten movies over an eighteen year period. His output ranged from comedy, drama, to horror, thereby covering a number of genres. Mr Levey's first film, BLACKENSTEIN (1973), was about a physically-disabled Vietnam veteran who undergoes successful surgery to replace his arms and legs lost in an accident. The surgeon's assistant has other ideas, injecting the patient with DNA injections which cause the man to become a merciless killer. WHAM BAM THANK YOU SPACEMAN (1975), was a science fiction adult comedy of two aliens, and their mission to have relations with as many women as they possibly can. SLUMBER PARTY '57 (1976), was a teen comedy set in the late 1950s, with a group of young women relaying their sexual adventures to their friends. There was a plunge into exploitation territory again for Mr Levey with THE HAPPY HOOKER GOES TO WASHINGTON (1977). In this sequel to 1975's THE HAPPY HOOKER, an international prostitute is summoned to Congress in Washington to speak about the lack of morality in society, of which she herself is blamed due to her vocation.
Comedy was once again on the agenda with MONACO FOREVER (1984). The antics of a jewel thief in Monaco was the material for this movie, largely only of interest for the presence of Jean-Claude Van Damme as a martial artist. Next came a family movie, LIGHTNING, THE WHITE STALLION (1986). A stallion is stolen by a creditor away from its owner, who is a gambler. After the horse escapes one day, it is taken in by two children, the young girl dreaming of being an equestrian. On the other hand, horror pervaded HELLGATE (1989), to the nth degree. A murdered young woman is brought back to life by her father via a crystal, whereby she has her way with men, and subsequently kills them. William Levey's last film to date is COMMITTED (1991). A nurse who has just commenced work at a medical facility is inadvertently drawn into a web from which she cannot escape. SKATETOWN U.S.A. was William Levey's sixth movie, and one of his most-recognized efforts.
In the case of SKATETOWN U.S.A., William Levey has fashioned an entertaining, glossy motion picture. Taking as its focus a roller disco alley, highlighting the assorted goings-on between skaters, and the rivalry between two male roller skaters, it is a fun movie. The film, admittedly, has an emphasis on comedy, and roller disco skating scenes, the latter being spectacular to witness. There are quite a few skating sequences in its running time, and they are well-staged, foregrounding skating maneuvers, and splashy visuals. The staging of these is the strength of the movie, where technique, and visual splendor, coalesce as one. The use of comedy between the skating scenes does work well to space out segments, and there is no lumpiness in this respect with transitions. The romantic subplots also achieve their aim of adding something different to the mix, instead of the film being just a collection of skating scenes. While SKATETOWN U.S.A. is to be lauded for its attention to what appears onscreen, this does leave matters in other areas on an unequal footing.
The story of a competition between two male skaters for supremacy on the roller disco floor works to a degree, but feels like filler at times sandwiched between either musical, or skating scenes. This downgrades what could have been a stronger element in the movie, thereby relegating it to a secondary role. This tendency does not allow the time to develop several relationships which needed more attention. Allison makes an impact as Ace's sister in a non-verbal sense, but she is not allowed to utter hardly a few syllables. The tough gang member, and his protectiveness toward his younger sister is largely glossed over. Ace's friend Franky is utilized as a caricature, and his attraction to Susan is just played for laughs. In addition, the comic vignettes are variously amusing, or unfunny. There is one which builds well, being the man in the suit and hat requesting a pizza, and chatting with a young woman. On the other hand, the scene of pizza attendants throwing food at each other is messy, and unnecessary. If the comedy routines were better executed, they would have complemented their accompanying scenes, giving greater fluidity to the movie. In essence, though, this points to the obvious aim of SKATETOWN U.S.A. as a picture. It is a film whose intentions are to unashamedly divert its viewers in its fast-moving, cheerful manner.
Acting: There are a number of acting contributions in SKATETOWN U.S.A. which merit recognition. In the lead role of Ace, gang member, and roller skater, Patrick Swayze made a strong film debut. An actor with a definite presence who did great work as villainous men with more to them than first meets the eye, here is excellent. As Ace's skating rival Stan, Greg Bradford is another stalwart. With his ardent manner and easy smile, Mr Bradford does well as the ambitious skater. The object of Stan's affections, Allison, also being Ace's sister, is ably played by Katherine Kelly Lang. Several years before commencing her role as Brooke Logan Forrester on daytime serial The Bold and The Beautiful, Miss Lang's radiance is on show, as well as her skating prowess, quietly emoting in the background, but still very visible. Three other performers stand out in SKATETOWN U.S.A.
Ruth Buzzi, as Elvira, one of a group of three who want to pull the roller disco venue into line for its illicit activities, is fun. Involved in some of the funniest segments of the movie, Miss Buzzi is an accomplished comedienne who should have had more air time than what she received. As Teri, the concierge at the roller disco alley, Judy Landers is also amusing as the young woman spouting feminist ideology. As with Ruth Buzzi, it is unfortunate that Miss Landers was not present in more scenes. Unfortunately, Maureen McCormick is not as well used in the movie as Susan, Stan's skating partner, and sister. An actress with a way about her and refreshing personality, she is not utilized for these gifts here, her role not displaying these properly. The final acting of note was by Leonard Barr as the elder gentleman seeking pizza, and company. A fast-talking, humorous actor who acted in a handful of movies, he carries off the running gag beautifully, bringing a smile, and happiness to the film with his ingratiating manner.
Soundtrack: SKATETOWN U.S.A. has a bouncy 1970s soundtrack which is a pleasure to witness. The opening credits sequence song 'Skatetown' by Dave Mason, appropriately sets the tone for the movie, accompanying the opening outdoor skating scene well. Dave Mason's rendition of 'Feelin' Alright?' is the best musical piece performed in the film, giving a sense of earthiness to the proceedings. Aside from this, SKATETOWN U.S.A. teams the roller skating dance segments suitably with tunes, with 1970s pop/rock hits such as The Jacksons' 'Shake Your Body', Anita Ward's 'Ring My Bell', Heatwave's "Boogie Nights', Earth Wind and Fire's 'Boogie Wonderland', and Patrick Hernandez's 'Born to be Alive', especially noteworthy.
Mise-en-scene: The visual experience is a large component of SKATETOWN U.S.A.'s overall success. Cinematography by Donald M. Morgan beautifully captures the roller disco skating alley in all its colorful glitziness, making it not only fanciful but also, original. Art direction by Larry Wiemer creates an irresistible vision of a roller disco alley, an artistic standout for its ingenuity. In another area, the roller disco skating dance sequences have been inventively choreographed by Robert Banas, are never overdone, and fun to watch.
Notable Acting Performances: Patrick Swayze, Greg Bradford, Katherine Kelly Lang, Ruth Buzzi, Judy Landers, Leonard Barr.
Suitability for young viewers: Parental discretion advised. Adult themes, drug use.
