USA,
1993, 80 min
Shown in 1994
CREDITS
- dir
-
Steven Okazaki
- prod
-
Steven Okazaki
- scr
-
Steven Okazaki
- cam
-
D. Matthew Smith
- editor
-
Steven Okazaki
- cast
-
Devon Morf, Honey Yates, Ayel Sosa Il, Jim Matison
- prod co
-
Farallon Films
- source
-
Farallon Films
- premiere
-
North American Premiere
-
COMMENTS
Steven Okazaki in person.
OTHER
The Lisa Theory, Steven Okazaki’s (Living on Tokyo Time, SFIFF 1986) second narrative feature, may be a theory about how difficult it is to date girls named Lisa. It may also be a theory about how difficult it is for twentysomething, skateboarding, post-post-punk San Francisco musicians to hold on to their girlfriends and clean their South-of-Market apartments. But, ultimately it’s a theory about this not-so-lost generation—one which still eagerly wants to make something out of life and remains hopeful about relationships in the oh-so ironic 1990s. Devon, lead singer, loves Lisa. Lisa, sometime drummer, dumps Devon for newer horizons. Devon, nauseated, decides not to get out of bed for a few months. Adam, their roommate, is in love with Winona Ryder. The others are an ensemble of the young, the hip, the underemployed, and the completely grungy. The soundtrack of their lives features loud and lively San Francisco bands such as Her Majesty the Baby and Ovarian Trolley. In the end, The Lisa Theory reminds us that love requires hard work—and maybe even a little time commitment outside of band practice. But certainly, being in a band never hurt.
—Marc Smolowitz
FACTOID #73
James Wong Howe was the first cinematographer to receive a tribute at the Festival, October 19, 1974. The legendary lenser photographed such classics as The Thin Man, Pursued, Sweet Smell of Success and Hud.
