94036_RAA_WaitHaveYouNotSeenThis-Guts_R1_PROOF

Mark Espinosa

Hit paydirt with K-DiRT.

The moment I knew Steve and I would be friends was when I saw him cut his finger on a Lady Death license plate and whisper to himself “Master! You are flesh!” I have known this dude for over twenty years and every day I am blown away by the depth of movie knowledge and passion this man has. For him, the movie doesn’t end when the credits roll; that’s when the fun begins. “Of course he’s seen that movie, but he also saw the four other movies that inspired that movie and the movie the director and main actor connected over because it referenced this other obscure film they both saw as children that reminded them of this French noir horror flick that starred the woman who was in the background of one scene of Stewardess School. ” For him, every movie contains at least one prestige moment or performance that ripples throughout cinematic history and this wild bas tard loves to twirl that thread around like a Swedish dressmaker. In the unsophisticated hands of any number of self-proclaimed cinephiles, the phrase “Wait? Have You Not Seen…?” would be laced with a ven omous tone of condescension. What sets Steve apart is his clear appreci ation for these movies and his excitement to simply share them with the world. He is a grimed-up cinematic historian whose expertise focuses (but not exclusively) on films that dance on the fringes of mainstream con sciousness. The movie you caught ten minutes of during a free trial of HBO that features that guy who was also in that other movie you loved as a kid. His recommendations push far beyond box office acclaim; focusing more on often uncelebrated cinematic touchstones that exist within your consciousness whether you realize it or not. To walk the dimly lit video store of his mind, you’d find a nonchalant clerk who devotes attention to every frame, every background character, every subtle whisper of dialogue and barely audible music playing on a boombox when the Ghostbusters get their first call that only three people in the world ever noticed and one of them was the singer of the song. This power zine is ideal for cinematic afi cionados or open-minded individuals eager for recommendations on what to watch on a rainy Thursday night. Enjoy.

Mark Espinosa The Grid May, 2024