Ultramegalopolis presents a 2 and a half hour psychogeographic tour through the vast, post-riot, urban sprawl of Los Angeles, California circa the early ‘90s. Explore the war zone from within its graffiti-covered walls as director Larry Wessel trains his camcorder lens on a dizzying display of the city's most peculiar niches and residents including disabled street performers, junkies, sidewalk religious zealots, ex-cons, celebrity impersonators, and living mannequins. Visit the site of the infamous McMartin pre-school, hear the confessions of Charles Manson’s former cellmate, and experience the subterranean boxing gyms, wrestling rings, graffiti yards, and bullfighting arenas of America’s smog infested City of Angels.
Like an analog Frederick Wiseman, legendary cinéma vérité documentarian Larry Wessel has tackled a wide array of eccentric subjects and captured some of underground cinema’s most striking and unforgettable visuals; equipped solely with his camcorder and a nearly non-existent budget. An aesthetic terrorist of the highest order, Wessel’s simplistic, fly on the wall approach has allowed his subjects to reveal their stories and actions in the most candid and uninhibited means conceivable. Saturn’s Core is proud to present Ultramegalopolis in its superlative, director approved Blu-Ray edition, accompanied by a bounty of new supplements compiled and curated under the supervision of director Larry Wessel.
directed by: Larry Wessel
starring: various
1996 / 149 min / 1.33:1 / English DTS-HD MA 2.0
Additional info:
- Region Free Blu-ray
- Audio commentary with director Larry Wessel
- Larry Wessel: The Walkertown Report -a career spanning interview with director Larry Wessel conducted by Dwayne Walker
- “King of the Underground” -director Larry Wessel reads an excerpt from his upcoming memoir
- “Boy Scout” -Paul Roessler music video directed by Larry Wessel
- Larry Wessel short films:
- Lust for Knife (Super 8mm / 1980)
- Santeria! (2012)
- The Sugar Weasel Story (2013)
- Summer (2013)
- Let’s Talk About Chemtrails (2012)
- Trigger Happy (2012)
- Have a Nice Day! (2012)
- Oil! (2012)
- "Larry’s Little Wonders": a collection of animated shorts
- Larry Wessel trailer vault
- English SDH subtitles
- Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Rebekah Porter
- English SDH subtitles
