ABEL RAISES CAIN stops in Hapeville, GA

The tour has officially begun and I assure you, it's already off to an adventurous start! First, I would like to thank South Arts for making this experience possible. Taking the film on the road and introducing new audiences to my dad's work brings me great joy. I can only hope that it's reciprocal!

Today it seemed like an eternity before we escaped the maze that is called Atlanta airport (the guy wasn't kidding when he said to "cross the bridge to the train that will take us over the water and through forest" to get to the car rental desk) AND the extended travel sequence didn't end there. An accidental scenic route added an additional hour or more to what would have been a 3-mile trip had I not been directionally challenged!
You can imagine the beautiful sight for sore eyes the Maison LaVigne in Hapeville, GA was after a day-long journey.

While I'm really looking forward to our two-night stay here, I will confess I'm a little disappointed that our screening at the church was canceled. It turns out that my father's pranks surpass borderline offensive and are genuinely offensive. It wasn't the fault of the naked animals. My dad clothed these back in the 50s and 60s when he ran The Society for Indecency to Naked Animals.
In fact, it was the Sex Olympics and All Nude Choir that caused 'Abel Raises Cain' to be pulled. Out of context, these things sound mildly lewd to be sure. But they were scenes in my mom and dad's satirical film, called 'Is There Sex After Death?' My parents were poking fun at the sexual revolution back in the early 70s. But their movie was mistaken for pornography and they faced unique challenges distributing it as a result. They were perpetually censored and it's quite interesting to find ourselves in a similar situation forty years later. But it's completely understandable, as the screening WAS to be held in the town's historic church!

My disappointment stems from the fact that the community of Hapeville was not allowed to see my dad's story on the big screen. I think the folks here really would have enjoyed it. For the most part, people are moved, inspired or amused by my parents and their pranks. But truthfully speaking, their satirical humor CAN be a little over the top at times. I guess it's dependent upon the context and the lens through which the humor is viewed. For me, the weird world of the Abel's was always normal!

Location:Hapeville, GA

[The above entry was originally posted on the Southern Circuit - Tour of Independent Filmmakers blog on 2/5/11]