"The life of a repo man is always intense," the experienced veteran tells the rookie at one point in Alex Cox's cult classic "Repo Man." Of course, the rookie, a suburban teenage punk named Otto (Emilio Estevez), has no idea just how intense his life is about to get.

And, despite his 20 years of experience in a rough business, the veteran, Bud (Harry Dean Stanton), probably doesn't have much of an idea how intense his life is going to get, either. But, we know for sure that, no matter how intense it gets (and it gets very intense), he's ready for it. At another point in the film, Bud declares almost prophetically, "There's going to be some bad s--- coming down one of these days." When Otto asks him where he's going to be when that day happens, Bud replies, "I'm going to be right here, doing 110 flat out."

You get the feeling that writer/director Alex Cox feels much the same way, and "Repo Man" is his version of doing "110 flat out" while the bad s--- comes down. Made independently on a small budget in the middle of the neoconservative 1980s, "Repo Man" is an unforgettable B-picture, a bizarre, strangely fixating punk sci-fi satire that simply refused to die after developing a devoted cult following at midnight movies and on video.

Despite being barely an hour and a half in length, "Repo Man" is big enough to include dead aliens being driven around in an old Chevy by a scientist with a lobotomy, punk rockers terrorizing liquor stores, and pre-"X-Files" government officials snooping around and declaring with solemnity that sometimes people just explode. People do explode in the movie (disintegrated, really), guns are waved around, and the ending is an inexplicable fusion of science fiction and a punk's longing for escape from the face of the earth. The movie would seem to have a mad rush of adrenaline, yet strangely enough, it has a fairly languid pace. The story has its share of action and strange events, but much of it is long-winded weird dialogue that only makes sense (and is only truly funny) after you've seen the film a couple of times.

This, more than anything, accounts for why "Repo Man" became such a cult phenomenon on the midnight circuit: It is a movie that only rewards with repeat viewings. The first time you watch it, you might mistake it for a slightly dull, whacked out flick made by amateurs who had little idea what they were doing. The film has the overall flat look of a made-for-TV movie. Characters fade in and out and have no real definition. Events are never clearly explained, and certain sequences seem to have no narrative purpose of any sort.

Yet, first appearances can be deceptive, and "Repo Man" emerges as a much different experience once you've seen it a few times and allowed yourself to soak up its bizarre view of the world. Set in a polluted, neon-lit Los Angeles, it follows the exploits of a group of repo men--people who are paid to repossess cars on which the owners have not made payments (considering the American obsession with the automobile, this movie could have only been made in the U.S., even though the director is British). Things heat up (literally, in fact) when a mysterious order comes in for the repossession of a certain 1964 Chevy Malibu, the reward for which is $20,000. We know right away that something is not right with this particular car because, in the opening sequence, we see a highway patrolman fried in his boots when he opens the trunk and is bathed in a creepy golden light.

The movie is replete with weird characters and peculiar dialogue that is spoken with such straightforward earnestness that it is hard to tell if it should be taken seriously. Perhaps the strangest character of all is Miller (Tracey Walter), an odd little janitor who rambles on about how people who mysteriously disappear have actually been taken away in flying saucers that are, in fact, time machines from the future. By the time the movie is drawing to a close, Miller doesn't seem so weird because his paranoid, conspiracy-driven world view is the same as the movie's.

Writer/director Alex Cox, who would go on to make the excellent "Sid and Nancy" (1986), a biopic of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious, has a smart sensibility and wicked sense of humor. Although he is obviously interested in the surface lunacy of "Repo Man," he also infuses the narrative with a deep vein of social satire that gives every frame an extra kick.

Cox is especially clever in critiquing capitalism, consumerism, and all forms of mass control. Most consumer products in the film are generic, meaning they come in white packages with bland descriptive names on them. Thus, when one character says to another, "Let's get a drink," the punchline is a close-up of a six-pack labeled "Drink" being set down next to a convenience store cash register. At one point, Otto eats directly from a generic can labeled "Food" while his suburban parents stare mesmerized at a TV evangelist to whom they have just given all their money. (Meanwhile, most of the characters are named after well-known brands of beer: Miller, Bud, Lite, etc. Are we becoming what we consume?).

"Repo Man" is a small gem of independent filmmaking, the kind of movie that doesn't appeal to everyone, but is undeniably creative and original in many striking ways. I often lament in my reviews that too many movies lack inspiration; they are well-made and professional, but they don't have that spark to set them apart. "Repo Man," while not as well-made or professional as many other movies, definitely has that spark.

Repo Man DVD
"Repo Man" is also available from Anchor Bay in a special limited edition tin container that also includes the original soundtrack CD; a 24-page full-color collector's booklet with photos and liner notes; and a "Repo Man" comic (SRP: $49.98).
Widescreen	1.85:1
Anamorphic	Yes
Audio	Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Dolby 2.0 Surround
Languages	English
Subtitles	None
Supplements	Audio commentary with writer/director Alex Cox, executive producer Michael Nesmith, casting director Victoria Thomas, and actors Sy Richardson, Zander Schloss, and Del Zamora Original theatrical trailer Video trailer Talent bios THX Optimode test signals
Distributor	Anchor Bay Entertainment
MSRP	$29.98
VIDEO
Presented for the first time on video in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, the THX-approved anamorphic transfer of "Repo Man" looks great. The movie still retains a certain flatness that is a result of its low budget, but I never thought it could look this good. Colors are sharp and vibrant, and the level of detail is outstanding and free of any noticeable edge enhancement. Blacks look solid, with only a touch of grain now and then in the night sequences.
AUDIO
If the image is great, the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is even better. Thumping with a punk music soundtrack supplied by the likes of Iggy Pop, Suicidal Tendencies, and The Circle Jerks, the soundtrack is clean and nicely balanced with good imaging and nice directionality. The opening credits sequence featuring theme music by Iggy Pop sounds especially good, with solid bass and crisp highs. Dialogue is always clear and audible, and the various automotive sound effects have good resonance and depth. The surrounds are used somewhat sparingly for sound effects, but when activated they are put to good use.
SUPPLEMENTS
The main supplement on the disc is an entertaining and engaging audio commentary with a motley collection of cast and crew from "Repo Man," including writer/director Alex Cox, executive producer Michael Nesmith, casting director Victoria Thomas, and actors Sy Richardson, Zander Schloss, and Del Zamora. They were all recorded in one session, and they obviously had a good time discussing the various aspects of the movie and its lingering popularity with cult audiences. The absence of the movie's two main stars, Emilio Estevez and Harry Dean Stanton, is noticeable, but the commentary does not suffer appreciably. Also included is the original theatrical trailer and a video trailer, as well as some talent bios. Like the other recent Anchor Bay release, "Evil Dead II," this disc contains several THX Optimode test signals that can be used to calibrate your home theater system.

Overall Rating: (3)