Rich Howells

ARCHIVES: Short film gives Scranton rock band Felix Sarco one last ‘Crescendo’

ARCHIVES: Short film gives Scranton rock band Felix Sarco one last ‘Crescendo’
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Scranton psychedelic rock group Felix Sarco’s Polar Power Manifesto Magnet Supernova played their last show in February of 2007, but on Saturday, Sept. 11 at The Vintage Theater in downtown Scranton, the creative energy they left behind was alive and on display.

Over 70 friends, fans, and curious movie lovers packed the small venue, joining members of the former band to watch the Northeastern Pennsylvania premiere of “Crescendo,” a short film loosely based on the experiences of Felix Sarco. The gathering felt more like a family reunion than a film premiere, bringing together a sizable piece of their loyal fan base for the first time in over three years, and it was clear that the fervor for Sarco’s music has barely died down since that time.

“Crescendo” is the story of Kevin, the vocalist in a quirky band who takes his passion for music a little too seriously. As he starts to lose his artistic connection to his fans, he also begins to lose his grip on reality. Sarco singer Gavin Robb plays the lead role, and guitarist Justin Kraky and drummer R.J. Placko also appear in the film.

Placko edited and co-wrote “Crescendo” with Kipp Reynolds, who directed the film as part of their final project at the Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University. The pair went above and beyond creating a student film, however, as the movie cleverly incorporates music by Sarco and several other side projects by the band members while maintaining a balance between faux-documentary and dramatic art film. Not only were the filmmakers pleased with the turnout, which included a good portion of the cast and crew, but they were also happy to see the reactions of the crowd to their first film. Afterwards, they held a Q&A session, where they were better able to absorb feedback from the audience.

“I thought the film was well-received just based on the expressions on the people’s faces when we were doing the Q&A. People seemed to show a genuine interest in asking questions or in the answers we were giving, and a lot of people came up to Kipp and I afterwards and said they really enjoyed it,” Placko said after the event.

“It was really cool to get their reactions, hearing them gasp or laugh or be completely dead silent at the right times. During the Q&A, they had some great questions, which was a huge compliment because it showed that they were really paying attention to the film. It showed that they were genuinely interested in thinking about the film, which was, as a filmmaker, a huge compliment,” Reynolds added.

Reynolds noted that “Crescendo” hadn’t been shown to a large audience since it was premiered at their university, so it was quite a different experience to watch it with an audience who specifically came to watch their film.

“In Boston, it was our peers complimenting our technique and stuff like that. Premiering it for people who aren’t necessarily in the filmmaking business, which is exactly what we wanted, was different. We wanted to show it to an audience who was unfamiliar, completely, with the project, so to get the kind of feedback we got from them was really, really something,” Reynolds emphasized.

Placko pointed out that the crowd wasn’t just made up of old fans who were feeling nostalgic, either.

“The turnout definitely exceeded our expectations. There were people I didn’t recognize from the shows and a bunch of people I did. I was also glad that there was a really wide range of ages there.”

Whereas Placko lived through the local phenomenon that was Sarco, Reynolds met the drummer in college and wasn’t aware of the band until they became friends. He had not been to Scranton since shooting a few scenes in the area but said he loved becoming a part of the group’s legacy.

“Personally, I wish I could have seen the band because I know I would have been a huge fan. I’ve gotten to know the musicians involved and they’re some of the most creative and talented people I’ve ever met. I really feel privileged to be a part of that team because each one of them brings something different and special to the table, so it’s really an honor to kind of be a part of the group, even if I can’t go back in time and actually see them,” Reynolds shared.

The success of the premiere may inspire the filmmakers to hold future showings, but both admitted that between their profession careers and a new project in its “very early stages,” it may be a while before that happens.

“We’re really proud of this film and we would like it to be shown other places. If we can get it into film festivals or just premiere it other places, we definitely will,” Reynolds said.

“With all sincerity, I hope I get to hang out in Scranton again. It’s a really cool place with tons of cool people. I hope I get to go back.”

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