I first saw Alex Cox’s Repo Man from 1984 in the mid-’90s as a teenager, and I didn’t get it. As the years went by and I forged a greater appreciation for all things punk, I thought it might be a film that I should reevaluate. It was with that in mind that I finally picked up the Criterion Collection Blu-ray five or six years ago. I don’t know what the younger me was thinking, but the film is riotous fun from beginning to end. Satirical, irreverent, and with attitude to spare, Cox’s sci-fi-laced tale of punk rockers, repossession agents, secret government operatives, and religious whack-jobs in ‘80s Los Angeles became a new favorite. Since it’s turning 40 on March 2nd and with Cox announcing that he’s working on a sequel, I figured it was a great time to take a look back.
Disaffected punk Otto (Emilio Estevez balancing nihilism and naiveté) is roped into the repo man life when he unwittingly helps charismatic and curmudgeonly Bud (the legendary late Harry Dean Stanton) repossess a car. When word gets out of a Chevy Malibu with a $20,000 bounty on it, our leads, their colleagues (which includes a deliciously bizarre Tracey Walter), and a rival repo crew set their sights on a huge score. What they don’t know is that the trunk of the missing Malibu contains the bodies of extraterrestrials stolen from a government black ops site. So, sinister but inept government spooks are also on the hunt. Throw in subplots about Otto’s punker friends on a robbery spree and a vacuous televangelist mesmerizing local dullards, and you’ve got a pretty strange stew of a plot.
It absolutely works, though, as proceedings are kept pretty loose. If you miss the irony slathered onto the direction, you might find certain aspects campy. I think that’s what lost me on my initial viewing all those years ago. However, I now see that the purposeful application of elements like the low-budget effects enhances the DIY nature of the film. The disintegration scenes, in particular, repurpose cheesy ‘60s sci-fi-style effects as a funny middle finger to polished big-budget filmmaking.
Repo Man’s performances are all great. Broad, but just this side of over the top, everyone looks comfortable despite the wackiness raging around them. Cox’s direction of his own screenplay is confident and focused, while still giving the general weirdness room to breathe. He deftly allows grounded situations, such as the various difficulties involved with repossessing vehicles, to intermingle with outrageous scenes of people being annihilated by a glowing Chevy Malibu. It doesn’t hurt that the script drips quotable lines all over the place, either.
The production design and locations are excellent as well. The repossession office is grimy and authentic, while the exterior scenes around various bad neighborhoods give the film a pleasing texture. DP Robby Muller captures the strange and the serious with equal competence. And how about the music! The score by Steven Hufsteter and Tito Larriva is slinky and sets the perfect tone. The soundtrack featuring acts like Iggy Pop, Black Flag, Suicidal Tendencies, and The Circle Jerks provides a spot-on compliment to the visuals.
I figured I may have misunderstood Alex Cox’s Repo Man back in the day, and I was right. As soon as the supremely cool title sequence started up, I knew I was in for something special. Harry Dean Stanton is particularly magnetic as the wise, world-weary, and cantankerous Bud. Seemingly both wacky and edgy, Cox’s tale of punkers, philosophical blue-collar types, aliens, and various ‘80s LA weirdos still resonates today. It’s now become a frequent watch for me. Funny, but packing a few thrills, this is a toe-tapping good time. Highly recommended for fans of The Return of the Living Dead, The ‘Burbs, and Slacker.
Michael Cavender