THE MOVIEBagdad Cafe the Movie. Filmed entirely at the Sidewinder Cafe would have to be about the biggest event the community of Newberry Springs has witnessed.
On a quiet morning in the winter of 1987 while having his customary morning coffee, he was approached by Brent Capra, the Art Director, and asked if he would be interested in appearing in the Movie. It seemed the art director was looking for persons to appear in a tattoo scene in the movie and having noticed his artwork felt it would enhance the scene with him in it. With a shrug and an uncertain OK he agreed.
Then the art director asked him if he knew who the chopper parked out
front the day before belonged to. His face lit up and a hardy "it's
mine" sprang from his lips. Brent then asked if an actor could drive
it in the movie. After his laughter subsided, he in a mater of fact tone
responded "that's like if I were to ask you, 'can I sleep with your
wife?'." To which Brent asked "would you like to drive it in the
movie with Monica Calhoon (Phyllis) as a passenger?"
With his YES the character ZACK was born. Do you remember the Rad Biker in the early part of the movie? As well as other scenes. Not really a very important character, just a statement of the wildness of Phyllis, Brenda's young and wild daughter.
Jack Palance, who portrays the retired movie artist from Hollywood, Rudy, brought the sense of life in the desert to life on the screen. You will notice he didn't have a bunch of pressing business, just wanted his rifle fixed and a cup of coffee.
Well Now! You have to see the movie to know what happened. If you saw it watch again. These are actors portraying fictional but real type people among the real thing. With a story that will intrigue and entertain you.
"Kelly" & Stephanie hosted a first for the Cast and Crew
of Bagdad Cafe. A Pig roast. In Newberry Springs this is a fairly common
event, at least it used to be with as many as three pig roasts per year.
For the Producer and Crew though, this was something they had never witnessed. Everyone was grabbing handfulls of food and listening to the music of the small band Kelly arranged for. With various members of the Cast and Crew filling in with some Rock & Roll of their own the evening went really good. Everyone had a good time and went home full and entertained, with memories to last a while.
How to do it. As shown to the right put the vegies and stuff inside the pig then wrap with aluminum foil and reinforce with a wrapping of chicken wire. Add a sturdy chain for getting the pig out of the pit when done.
Then dig a large hole and burn lots of logs. In Newberry Springs the
usual available wood is old dry Misquote, a super flavor wood. Add to this
bed of coals a bunch of rock to absorb heat, then lower a prepared, wrapped
pig in the pit.
Bury the pig and wait over night, or as Kelly did this early the morning of the wrap party he left it until after dark. Then carefully dig the pig up, as seen in the photo to the left. Zack is holding the chain you see going down into the pit and around the pig.
That pig's really hot now and the chain isn't exactly cool either. Once the pig is cleared of its covering the chain is then used to lift the pig from the pit.
Below you see it's Zack attached to the end of the chain. No he didn't pull
the pig up by himself. Kelly, John & Wes helped him lift it up and
to the awaiting table and crowd.
Things would have gone fairly civilized if Zack hadn't reached in grabbing a hand full of meat plopping it on a plate only to reach in for vegies, saying "this is how we do it in the desert." Percy was carefully carving meat and everyone else reached past him and in the tradition of "when in Rome do as the Romans do" they did as it's done in the desert.
This is usually the most tender, moistest meat you'll ever have. With the Potatos and Vegetables cooked inside it, the flavor is out of this world.