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42-625: Billed as "A Heterosexual Movie by Gregg Araki", The Doom Generation is the second installment in the director's trilogy known as the Teenage Apocalypse film trilogy, preceded by Totally Fucked Up (1993) and followed by Nowhere (1997). The characters of Amy Blue and Jordan White are based on the Mark Beyer comic strip Amy and Jordan . Araki's major film debut, shooting primarily took place at night during January 1994 in Los Angeles on

84-470: A Blizzard (2014), which was given limited release to mixed reviews. Araki returned to television with the 2019 series Now Apocalypse , co-executive produced by Gregory Jacobs and Steven Soderbergh on Starz . Araki's next film, the comedy/thriller I Want Your Sex , will star Olivia Wilde , Cooper Hoffman , and Charli XCX . Production is scheduled to begin in October 2024 in Los Angeles. The screenplay

126-600: A Master of Fine Arts in 1985. Araki made his directorial debut in 1987 with Three Bewildered People in the Night . With a budget of only $ 5,000 and using a stationary camera, he told the story of a romance between a video artist, her sweetheart, and her gay friend. Two years later, Araki followed up with The Long Weekend (O' Despair) , another film with a $ 5,000 budget. His third film, The Living End (1992), saw an increase to $ 20,000. He often had to shoot his early movies spontaneously and without proper permits. Despite

168-481: A budget of $ 800,000. The crew avoided well known landmarks and shot in undeveloped areas of urban sprawl to give an apocalyptic feel. The budget allowed Araki to hire professional crew, making it the first of his films not shot by himself. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 26, 1995. It received mixed reviews from critics. During the press screening, many critics left. However, at

210-412: A fast food window clerk as "Sunshine" and later by a character played by Parker Posey as "Kitten". Jordan, Amy and X spend the night in an abandoned warehouse, where they engage in a threesome . While Amy goes to urinate, Jordan and X are attacked by a trio of neo-Nazis , one of whom had previously mistaken Amy for his ex-girlfriend "Bambi". The gang first severely beats up X, then holds Jordan down as

252-544: A festival focusing on independent films . Katy Clark was president from 2015 and left the institution in 2021. Artists who have presented work at BAM include Philip Glass , Trisha Brown , Peter Brook , Pina Bausch , Merce Cunningham , Bill T. Jones /Arnie Zane Company, Laurie Anderson , Lee Breuer , ETHEL , Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan , Steve Reich , Seal , Mark Morris , Robert Wilson , Peter Sellars , BLACKstreet , Ingmar Bergman , David Van Tieghem , Michael Moschen , Twyla Tharp , Ralph Lemon , Ivo van Hove , and

294-673: A flexible event space which houses the BAMcafé, and the Hillman Attic Studio, a flexible rehearsal/performing space. The BAM Strong, an array of spaces, includes the 874-seat BAM Harvey Theater at 651 Fulton Street. Formerly known as the Majestic Theater, it was built in 1904 with 1,708 seats and eventually showed vaudeville and then feature films, and was named in Lichtenstein's honor in 1999. A renovation by architect Hugh Hardy left

336-433: A handsome drifter named Xavier Red while driving home from a club. Jordan gives Xavier the nickname "X". A late-night stop at a convenience store leaves the three on the run when X accidentally kills the store's owner, forcing the trio to hide in a motel to avoid arrest. Jordan and Amy have sex in the bathtub, while X watches and masturbates from behind the bathroom door. X then learns from the local television news program that

378-523: A high base of gray granite , with cream colored brick trimmed in terracotta with some marble detail above. The Howard Gilman Opera House has 2,109 seats and BAM Rose Cinemas, which opened in 1998, comprises four screens, and primarily shows first-run, independent and repertory films and series. Also within the Peter Jay Sharp Building is the Lepercq Space, originally a ballroom and now

420-609: A relationship with actress Kathleen Robertson from 1997 to 1999. In a 2014 interview, at which time he was in a relationship with a male partner, Araki said: "I don't really identify as anything", adding "I'd probably identify as gay at this point, but I have been with women." Brooklyn Academy of Music The Brooklyn Academy of Music ( BAM ) is a multi-arts center in Brooklyn , New York City. It hosts progressive and avant-garde performances, with theater, dance, music, opera, film programming across multiple nearby venues. BAM

462-473: A stark change from the dark, heavy drama of Mysterious Skin , a change purposely planned by Araki. It received very favorable reviews, with some describing it as another of Araki's potential cult classics. Kaboom marked Araki's tenth film and made its premiere at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival . It was awarded the first ever Queer Palm for its contribution to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues. Araki followed that film with White Bird in

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504-475: A thumbs down and "zero stars" by Roger Ebert to "Literally the Best Thing Ever" by Rookie , and was eventually heralded as cult classics. Araki's following film, Splendor (1999), was both an homage to screwball comedies of the 1940s and 1950s and a response to the controversy surrounding his ongoing relationship (despite Araki self-identifying as gay) with actress Kathleen Robertson . Hailed as

546-644: The Mariinsky Theater , directed and conducted by Valery Gergiev , among others. American punk band Hole recorded their live album MTV Unplugged at the Academy on February 14, 1995. Alice in Chains also recorded their live album Unplugged at the Academy on April 10, 1996 at the Majestic Theater (now the Harvey Theater) for MTV Unplugged . Alanis Morissette also recorded her live album MTV Unplugged at

588-576: The San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF), it received critical acclaim, most proclaiming it as Araki's breakthrough. Distributed by Trimark Pictures , it was released in the United States on October 27, 1995. While not a financial success, earning only $ 284,785 at the box office, McGowan was nominated for Best Debut Performance at the 11th Independent Spirit Awards . Teenage lovers Jordan White and Amy Blue pick up

630-562: The Teenage Apocalypse trilogy. The trio has been characterized as "... teen alienation, hazy sexuality and aggression." A former student of his at UC Santa Barbara, Andrea Sperling , co-produced the films with him. The trilogy saw Araki work increasingly with more notable actors and actresses including Rose McGowan , Margaret Cho , Parker Posey , Guillermo Díaz , Ryan Phillippe , Heather Graham , and Mena Suvari among others. The trilogy received varying degrees of reviews, from

672-687: The Academy on September 18, 1999. The Peter Jay Sharp Building in the Fort Greene Historic District houses the Howard Gilman Opera House and the BAM Rose Cinemas (formerly the Carey Playhouse). It was designed by the firm Herts & Tallant in 1908, in the renaissance revival style. It is a U-shaped building with an open court in the center of the lot between two theater wings above the first story. The building has

714-578: The Canon: Totally Radical". According to Araki, the new 4K restoration of The Doom Generation is the only one that he wants audiences to watch from here on out: "I hope that this new version of it wipes those old copies out entirely, because they're so inferior. There was an R-rated cut of Doom Generation that was made without my approval, and it's terrible. It's literally been butchered beyond recognition, and I'd prefer that people don't watch it at all than watch that copy of it." This version of

756-684: The United States in 1889-1890, Egyptologist and founder of the Egypt Exploration Society Amelia Edwards gave her first and last lectures here, in November and March, respectively. After the building burned to the ground on November 30, 1903, BAM made plans to relocate to a new facility in Fort Greene, Brooklyn . Herts & Tallant designed the new building. The cornerstone was laid at 30 Lafayette Avenue on May 25, 1907. A series of opening events were held in November 1908;

798-407: The aforementioned neo-Nazi ties up and rapes Amy on top of an American flag. The group finally cuts off Jordan's penis with pruning shears and forces the severed penis into his mouth. After Amy breaks free, she kills the neo-Nazis with the shears and escapes with X, leaving Jordan for dead. The film ends with Amy and X driving in her car. X offers Amy a Dorito , to no reply. Aimless on an empty road,

840-413: The annual Next Wave Festival in 1983, featuring performances by international and American artists. The Chelsea Theater Center was in residence from 1967 to 1977. From 1999 to 2015, Karen Brooks Hopkins was president, and Joseph V. Melillo was executive producer through 2018. 30 Lafayette Avenue's facade was restored for $ 8.6 million in 2004. A regular event as of 2012 was BAMcinemaFest,

882-468: The city of Los Angeles, they continue to get into violent (almost comedic; every item the trio buys always comes out to $ 6.66) situations due to people either claiming to be Amy's previous lovers or mistaking her for such. These incidents get the attention of the FBI , and their goal is to find Amy and kill her (exactly the same sentiment is voiced by several other parties in the film). She is mistakenly identified by

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924-534: The commentary, with many lacking the widescreen format. The first cut as shown at Sundance featured several scenes removed from future releases. It was shown at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival , restored in 4K with 5.1 surround sound , with the restoration supervised by Araki. This version released in cinemas around the US, starting April 6, 2023, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music as part of Newfest 's series "Queering

966-489: The content of his movie, but to the attitude. ... Araki may not have been thinking of Leopold and Loeb when he made his movie, but I was when I watched it." Ricky da Conceição of Sound on Sight named the film the best of Araki's "Teenage Apocalypse Trilogy" and said it "represented a major artistic leap forward" for Araki, who "creates a twisted pastiche of science fiction, nihilistic road movie and teen angst filtered with deadpan comedy and his own unique commentary on

1008-488: The credits roll. The film was initially acquired by The Samuel Goldwyn Company , but was dropped due to content objections, before being picked up by Trimark Pictures . Its home video release had many cuts and differed greatly from the original version seen at Sundance. In March 2012, the UK company Second Sight Films released a DVD with anamorphic widescreen and director/cast commentary. Previous releases up until this point lacked

1050-494: The depravity of modern America." He praised the set design, lighting, score and actress Rose McGowan, who "steals the show as the foul mouthed, morally aimless femme fatale on crystal meth and Diet Coke ." Gregg Araki#Teenage Apocalypse trilogy Gregg Araki (born December 17, 1959) is an American filmmaker. He is noted for his heavy involvement with the New Queer Cinema movement. His film Kaboom (2010)

1092-480: The director's most optimistic film to date, it made its premiere at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival . Araki's next project was the ill-fated MTV production This Is How the World Ends , originally planned with a budget of $ 1.5 million. He viewed it as a chance to reach the masses through MTV's viewership and signed on to do the project despite the budget being cut to $ 700,000. Araki wrote, directed, and shot

1134-537: The film a score of 55% based on 40 reviews. Giving the film its very first review, in Variety , Emanuel Levy noted: "Stylishly yet personally expressive, 'The Doom Generation' marks an innovative turning point in Araki's career." Roger Ebert famously rated the film "zero stars" and objected to what he perceived as its cynicism, ironic detachment, and depictions of blasé violence, writing: "Note carefully that I do not object to

1176-482: The film was released on Blu-ray from Strand Releasing in the fall of 2023. In 2024, The Criterion Collection announced its own release of the director's cut as part of its Gregg Araki's Teen Apocalypse Trilogy set, released on September 24 of that year. The Doom Generation received mixed reviews, with critics often comparing the film both favorably and unfavorably to Oliver Stone 's Natural Born Killers . Film review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes , gives

1218-631: The financial constraints, Araki's films received critical acclaim. He received awards from the Locarno International Film Festival and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association , with an additional nomination for a Sundance Film Festival award. Around 1992 director Jon Jost lent him a 16mm camera and gave him some film. Araki's next three movies— Totally F***ed Up (1993), The Doom Generation (1995), and Nowhere (1997)—were collectively dubbed

1260-480: The first opera to be staged there was the Metropolitan Opera production of Faust . It was also used for religious services during the early 1900s, when Charles Taze Russell , founder of the bible students movement (now Jehovah's Witnesses and International Bible Students Association ), gave sermons there. The Waltann School of Creative Arts (WSCA), founded in 1959, located at 1078 Park Place, Brooklyn,

1302-535: The inaugural address on the opening, the management announced that no dramatic performance should ever be held within its walls. The first concert opened with the overture to Der Freischütz , followed by arias and excerpts from various operas, including the William Tell Overture which opened part 2 of the concert. Founded in 1861, the first BAM facility at 176–194 Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights

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1344-714: The interior paint faded, with often exposed masonry, giving the theater a unique feel of a "modern ruin". In April 2014, CNN named the BAM Harvey as one of the "15 of the World's Most Spectacular Theaters". The complex also features a dedicated art gallery. The BAM Fisher Building, opened in 2012, contains Fishman Space, a 250-seat black box theater , and Fisher Hillman Studio, a flexible rehearsal and performance space, as well as administrative offices. The BAM Hamm Archives are located off-site in Crown Heights at 1000 Dean St. and maintain

1386-489: The pilot episode, but ultimately MTV decided against the project and the effort never aired. Following a short hiatus, Araki returned in 2004 with the critically acclaimed Mysterious Skin , based on the 1995 Scott Heim novel of the same name. This marked Araki's first work with someone else's source material. Araki's next feature was the stoner comedy Smiley Face (2007), featuring Anna Faris , Adam Brody , and John Krasinski , written by Dylan Haggerty. It marked

1428-814: The publicly accessible Levy Digital Archive. The BAM Sharp and Fisher Buildings are located within the Brooklyn Academy of Music Historic District created by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1978; the BAM Strong is not. BAM is adjacent to downtown Brooklyn , near Atlantic Terminal , the Barclays Center arena, and the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower (once the tallest building in Brooklyn). BAM

1470-523: The requirements of our large population and worth in style and appearance of our city." The group applied to the New York State Legislature for a charter in the name of Brooklyn Academy of Music. The New York Legislature passed the bill to incorporate the Brooklyn Academy of Music on February 16, 1859. The group raised $ 60,000 by November 22 and another $ 90,000 by March 16, 1859. The Brooklyn Academy of Music opened on January 15, 1861. At

1512-814: The same name, and Nowhere after Ride 's album Nowhere . In 2010, Kaboom was named the first-ever winner of the Cannes Film Festival Queer Palm . Araki has also been honored with the 2006 Filmmaker on the Edge Award at the Provincetown International Film Festival . In 2013, Araki was recognized by the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City with the retrospective God Help Me: Gregg Araki . Araki has previously self-identified as "a gay Asian American". However, he had

1554-419: The store owner's wife disemboweled her children with a machete before committing suicide. This leads X to believe that the trio won't be considered suspects or be found by police. Later that evening, Amy has sex with X, despite their mutual dislike of each other. Eventually Jordan finds out, and things become tense as the two men develop a lingering sexual attraction for one another. As the trio journeys around

1596-492: Was a BAM venue during the 1960s and 1970s. One of the dance teachers there was African American contemporary dancer Carole Johnson , and the Eleo Pomare Dance Company performed there in 1967. In 1967, Harvey Lichtenstein was appointed executive director and during his 32 years in that role, BAM experienced a turnaround, attracting audiences with new programming and establishing an endowment. BAM began hosting

1638-630: Was chartered in 1859, presented its first show in 1861, and began operations in its present location in Fort Greene, Brooklyn , in 1908. The Academy is incorporated as a New York State not-for-profit corporation . It has 501(c)(3) status. Gina Duncan has served as president since April 2022. David Binder became artistic director in 2019. On October 21, 1858, a meeting was held at the Polytechnic Institute to measure support for establishing "a hall adapted to Musical, Literary, Scientific and other occasional purposes, of sufficient size to meet

1680-527: Was conceived as the home of the Philharmonic Society of Brooklyn . The building, designed by architect Leopold Eidlitz , housed a large theater seating 2,109, a smaller concert hall, dressing and chorus rooms, and a vast "baronial" kitchen. BAM presented amateur and professional music and theater productions, including performers such as Ellen Terry , Edwin Booth , and Fritz Kreisler . On her lecture tour of

1722-487: Was the first winner of the Cannes Film Festival Queer Palm . Araki was born in Los Angeles on December 17, 1959, to Japanese American parents. He grew up in nearby Santa Barbara, California , and enrolled in college at the University of California, Santa Barbara . He graduated with a B.A. from UCSB in 1982. He later attended the University of Southern California 's School of Cinematic Arts , where he graduated with

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1764-414: Was written by Araki and Karley Sciortino . One notable feature of Araki's work is the frequent presence of shoegaze music. This was first seen in the soundtrack of Totally Fucked Up , and was also substantially featured in the films Nowhere and Mysterious Skin . Both The Living End and Nowhere owe their titles to this shoegaze influence: The Living End after The Jesus and Mary Chain song of

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