the underground film revolution presents:
UNSPEAKABLE: THE LIFE AND ART OF REVEREND STEVEN JOHNSON LEYBA

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2nd, 2002 at 9.00PM
The Milky Way Lounge & Lanes

Reverend Steven Johnson Leyba is the kind of man who will paint over the American flag then remind you that "flag etiquette" has been royally pissed on by most major designers without anyone raising an eyebrow.  Reverend Leyba is a legally ordained Priest in the Church of Satan.  He is known in the underground art world as the "Father of Sexpressionism".  The man views every kind of bodily excretion as a viable medium with which to paint.  He is deeply in touch with his Native American ancestry.  

And his performances, well, they're not even legal in some places...

These juxtapositions may seem like a lot to ponder, but they represent just a scratch on the surface.  For nearly two years, Reverend Leyba permitted the filmmaker's cameras to observe his life, his art, and his infamous personal rituals.  Some of this extraordinarily unique footage charts a terrain of human behavior that has rarely, if ever, been explored within the documentary form.

The Reverend's prolific and varied artistic output reflects his unyielding political and religious opinions.  UNSPEAKABLE captures the unusual behavior of this Satanic Priest and takes a firsthand look at the issues that propel his work.  The film hops from one inimitable character to the next as they grapple with topics ranging from the denial of the "American Holocaust" to the discovery of new ways to make an explosively sexual/political statement with a whiskey bottle.

The resulting portrait is of an artist with a perversely brilliant vision and talent.  He is both humor and fury.  He is grotesque, yet possesses the UNSPEAKABLE beauty of a man free enough to confront and embrace his own humanity.  

The film also represents some of the more offensive footage included in modern documentary film; it is not for the faint of heart, nor is it presented for mere shock value.  UNSPEAKABLE is a film that boldly pushes the boundaries of documentary film-making; it forces its audience to confront the idea of WHAT IS OFFENSIVE and also, WHAT IS ART.  A film experience not to be missed!

The Milky Way is located at 403-405 Centre Street in Jamaica Plain, downstairs from Bella Luna.  It is accessible via public transportation (Perkins Street stop on the #39 Bus/Jackson Square stop on the Orange Line T).  Screenings run from 9.00-midnight the first Monday of every month; admission for is $5 per person; events are 21-plus.  Please call 617.524.3740 (x22) for EVENT INFO, more detailed directions or other club info.

A review.