Thursday, March 21, 2013

'Straight Outta Tompkins' is real, and it is now filming around the neighborhood



"Straight Outta Tompkins" started filming on March 12. We heard about the film, but, to be honest, we thought the person who told us was joking. You know — a play on Straight Outta Compton. However, it is an actual production. Here's the description via the film's Facebook page:

A feature film written, directed and starring Zephyr Benson.

"Straight Outta Tompkins" is real, authentic and: Straight Outta Tompkins

Inspired by true events, "Straight Outta Tompkins" is a shocking, brutally honest view of today's Lower East Side, New York City drug trade.

We witness a powerful drug ring many don't dream exist: a consortium controlled by upper class, white, privileged young adults.

Seen through the eyes of Gene, a charming 18 year-old, a ‘pitch away’ from a college baseball scholarship.

Abandoned by his family, Gene finds a 'surrogate,’ seemingly more loving family within the underbelly of the L.E.S. drug community.

Gene is faced with one simple decision that could rob him of his youth, his innocence, his life.

There are also updates on the production's Twitter account. There's video of a shooting-up-heroin scene here.

Zephyr Benson, who attended attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in Filmmaking, is the son of Robby Benson, the boyish-looking actor your older sister totally had a crush on in the 1970s.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

..oh please.

Uncle Waltie said...

WOW...just fuc*ing WOW.

Uncle Waltie said...

Sounds even more exciting than my sex life.

glamma said...

my immediate reaction is oh lord, this will automatically become fodder for the forces at work to fuel their agenda of further "cleaning up the hood" aka stripping it of all cultural or socially progressive value..... oy.
can't they do one on nightmare zombie yuppies taking over??? that's the real problem!!!

Anonymous said...

wonderbread story for a wonderbread neighborhood.

11:23 am said...

real, authentic -- much like John Varvatos, Minetta Tavern, Bowery Diner, Rocco's,...are real and authentic

shocking, brutally honest view of today's Lower East Side, New York City drug trade -- 25th Hour, King of New York, Lush Life, Clockers, New jack City, Bad Lieutenant...

a consortium controlled by upper class, white, privileged young adults -- American Psycho, Twelve, Igby Goes Down, Sex and the City, Bright Lights Big City, Traffic, Drugstore Cowboy, Kids, Breaking Bad, Prozac Nation...

Gene: pitch away from a college baseball scholarship; Gene finds a 'surrogate,’ loving family within the drug community; could rob him of his youth, innocence, life -- Requiem for a Dream, Tom Hagen, Lance Armstrong, Boyz n the Hood, Menace II Society

Who's producing/making this? H.W.C.? Hipster Without a Clue.
Or H.W.N. Hipster Wannabe NWA?

Anonymous said...

white boys acting out their fantasies of being hood. it's like 1994 again without the actual danger.

Anonymous said...

Ain't happenin no more there!!

Uncle Waltie said...

"white boys acting out their fantasies of being hood. it's like 1994 again without the actual danger."

The only correction I would make is 1974 instead of '94.

11:41 am said...

I just gave the Mr. Wonderbread research materials and a clue.

Will this film be an epilogue to the Veronica Mars movie? What's next, a Kickstarter fundraiser? Damn! another clue to the filmmaker.

Anonymous said...

sure john gringo spacley would give a Wine and Dine on this..

Eden Bee said...

This will be the best thing I never saw.

Ken from Ken's Kitchen said...

Straight Outta NYU Film School.

For reals!

Gojira said...

Will there be an appearance by the young Carrie Bradshaw to give us a taste of what the neighborhood will become?

looking through the eyes of ❤ said...

Should've titled this film "Ice" Castles II: straight outta my dad's coattail and pocket.

(Not to take away from Ice Castles, which is a classic and good film even though it can be melodramatic and schmaltzy.
And Lynn Holly Johnson --yeah, yeah, yeah -- had that All-American girl, feminine, demure, innocent look yet sexy, sensual,and seductive -- rawr! Those Girls and Carrie Bradshaws have nothing on her).

Fipper said...

Well, unfortunately, the guy will probably go on to direct a hollywood feature in a few years after this. He'll be the next Brett Bratner.

Anonymous said...

A powerful drug ring run by upper-class white kids? He's right, I wouldn't have imagined a movie about that. How powerful and scary is a drug ring run by upper-class white kids? If you steal from them, they'll send their nannies after you!

Anonymous said...

Whoever said this:
"real, authentic -- much like John Varvatos, Minetta Tavern, Bowery Diner, Rocco's,...are real and authentic

shocking, brutally honest view of today's Lower East Side, New York City drug trade -- 25th Hour, King of New York, Lush Life, Clockers, New jack City, Bad Lieutenant...

a consortium controlled by upper class, white, privileged young adults -- American Psycho, Twelve, Igby Goes Down, Sex and the City, Bright Lights Big City, Traffic, Drugstore Cowboy, Kids, Breaking Bad, Prozac Nation...

Gene: pitch away from a college baseball scholarship; Gene finds a 'surrogate,’ loving family within the drug community; could rob him of his youth, innocence, life -- Requiem for a Dream, Tom Hagen, Lance Armstrong, Boyz n the Hood, Menace II Society"

is literally an idiot who just named movies that loosely have to do with the story. Boyz n the Hood has nothing to do with someone getting a scholarship and living in the drug ring. You should really rewatch all of these films before you go on listing them.
Its unfortunate that people cant appreciate young talent, wherever it may come from. Money aside, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to write, direct and star in a feature film.

12:02 am said...

Talent? Straight outta ignorance. Those themes and stories have been done before. And much like hipsters who are trying to re-live the past that they've never lived and have only seen in books and films, this is what the Zephyr is doing. And you could've just replied to @ 11:23 am, instead of copying and posting the comment. And much like this film, he's copying and pasting from those films and books. The only idiot here are you and the filmmaker for even trying to make this and being insolent for using LES/EV/TSP and a play on Compton. Thanks for commenting, someone from the filmmaker's clan.

Anonymous said...

Ugh- another story about college kids trying to be badass, like "savages" and "spring breakers". A little college kid is taking the drug world by storm-like everything else they think they can start at the top because they're so special.

Anonymous said...

Less Than Zero, East Coast edition. Straight out of Bret Easton Ellis's novels.

Anonymous said...

Hahahaha! It really is the suburban white boy dream to be a thug! This is why the yuppie boys always request gangster rap in my bar. Little whitebreads trying to be hard. Wish they would just embrace their yuppiedum and go back to buying cars and yachts instead of pretending to be part of the class that they are oppressing by their very existence.

onemorefoldedsunset said...

He's twenty! Apparently though, he does have special "New York Accent" skills ...
Silliest scenario ever.

Anonymous said...

if they can sell it to will ferrell he can make this legit!

Renee in Boone, NC said...

My hope to you for success. Ignore the negative posts
from obviously bitter people!

xex said...

> from obviously little people!
FTFY