Film "Reverend Billy and The Church of Stop Shopping" at Red Vic

"Reverend Billy and The Church of Stop Shopping" - an award winning documentary film by German director Dietmar Post plays for one night only at the Red Vic Movie House in San Francisco. http://www.indybay.org/news/2003/11/1658885.php The film, made in 2002, follows Reverend Billy on his unique form of anti-globalization civil disobedience -- "shopping interventions" -- in New York City. A "permitless parade" led by two men bearing aluminum crucifixes with large Mickey and Minnie Mouse dolls duct-taped to them converges on the Disney Store in Times Square. In a convincing Jimmy Swaggart imitation, Reverend Billy exhorts the sinners/shoppers against evil consumerism with rousing Hallelujahs and call-and-responses. The preach-in includes hiding a cassette player spouting anti-shopping speech behind the toys. "We believe in the God that people who do not believe in God believe in." says he. Hilarious, effective, and of course ending in arrests. At a Starbucks adventure he applies orange stickers to Starbucks logos to replace the mermaid's missing nipples. At Edgar Allen Poe's house in Greenwich Village, dressed as giant Ravens, they lurk in the construction scaffolding to recite Poe's famous poem to save the his historic house. His actions involve Artists, pranksters, and activists--among them, the Surveillance Camera Players leading group addresses to streetlamp cameras, and labor advocates delivering fiery lectures on Central American sweatshops. Bill Talen, in a previous incarnation was a performance artist in SF. As Reverend Billy he has re-energized street performance in New York, and his allure draws a near-cult following that almost emulates the televangelists he is imitating. http://revbilly.com/index.php The Red Vic theater is now in its 26th year a a collectively run house screening independent films. So yes--you can go to the movies without spending your money on evil corporations! Hallelujah! Red Vic Movie House 1727 Haight St. (near Cole) SF 668-3994 http://www.redvicmoviehouse.com/ Wednesday November 12 - 2pm matinee, 7:15 and 9:15pm Adults $6.50, Senior/disabled/children $3, matinee $4.50