Interviews
Wild Eye Unearths Lost New York City Dark Noir Comedy THE ELECTRIC CHAIR Starring Victor Argo
By Jonathan Stryker

Oct 13, 2010 - 3:55:03 AM

THE ELECTRIC CHAIR, a Bukowski-inspired tale from the New York underground, is a lost independent film, recently unearthed by Wild Eye Releasing and distributed by MVD Entertainment Group. Originally a one-man show that played off Broadway, Harvey Keitel was originally slated for the starring role but due to another personal commitment, he recommended it to his friend Victor Argo.

In the film, Argo (MEAN STREETS, TAXI DRIVER, TRUE ROMANCE) is a shoe store manager who attempts to revive a failed career as a stand-up comic by performing, thanks to his ex-friend and sometimes agent, Sheldon, at a mysterious club where he finds himself sharing the stage with a looming, ready-to-shock electric chair...and performing before an audience of himself as a young boy, his mother and others from his past. During his nightmare routines, nothing that comes out of his mouth is funny until he turns the comedy on himself.

Before his death in 2004, Argo was a prolific character actor in a string of art house and action fare - a favorite actor for directors Martin Scorsese, Jim Jarmusch and Abel Ferrara.  

Director Mark Eisenstein was once Christopher Walken's professor in college, and takes credit for talking Walken into quitting school to pursue his acting career. For THE ELECTRIC CHAIR, Eisenstein "borrowed" all the film equipment from the college where he taught filmmaking. He also directed the unreleased feature, GOD IS ON THE OTHER SIDE, starring David Johansen of the New York Dolls.

THE ELECTRIC CHAIR will be screening at 92YTribeca on Friday, Oct 15, 2010 at 7:30pm. It will be held in the 92YTribeca Screening Room at 200 Hudson Street and admission is $12.00. Director Mark Eisenstein will be on hand for a post-screening Q&A.

Ticket Info: http://tiny.cc/szqx4

The DVD, to be released on October 19, will feature the film as well as these extras:

• Feature Commentary with Director Mark Eisenstein

• Roach (1992) 23-minute featurette

• ELECTRIC CHAIR Trailer

• GOD IS ON THE OTHER SIDE Trailer (unreleased Eisenstein film)