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EVITHFF II
updated: Sep 29, 2010, 5:59 AM

By Edhat Subscribers

A boat ride, pizza, wine, milk duds, and a movie. Sounds like a pretty great way to spend an evening in Santa Barbara, especially after two days of early fall heat that smacked us hard Monday and Tuesday.

Edhat subscribers coming into the Maritime Museum for Tuesday night's second shot of the Edhat Very Independent Two Hour Film Festival (EVITHFF) looked awfully relaxed after their cruise over to the wharf with Capt. Fred in the Lil Toot. They were so relaxed, they almost looked a little like tourists.

From inside the Maritime Museum, the sound of animated conversation and laughter in fact attracted the attention of quite a few tourists, who stopped at the door to ask, "What's going on in there?! Can I get in?"

Enjoying pizza by Gino's and wine from Touring and Tasting, the crowd mixed and mingled before showtime promptly at 7 p.m.

See photos of the attendees socializing in the gallery right here

Then it was time for "Punching the Clown." Many had checked out the trailer and heard rumors of sustained laughing fits prompted by this film. We were all in for a treat. (Besides the milk duds and junior mints passed out before the film.)

This movie is really funny, just as EVITHFF co-founder Cevin Cathell, who has professional movie-picking cred, had promised. About a satiric folk singer (Henry Phillips) who just can't seem to catch a break, its comedic style had the audience in stitches despite a few technical difficulties with the viewing equipment.

Here's a short review from Edhat subscriber and attendee Lisa Knox Burns:

Sometimes life is like a high wire act; one false step - and whammo - sheet happens. Life happened last night when technical problems near the end of the film "Punching the Clown" popped up amid what had been continuous riotous laughter, fueled by sugary sweets. The audience experienced movie climax interruptus, as the audience was tossed forward and backward through the film's closing sequence, while sitting patiently in the Maritime Museum theater's steerage. We yelled sheepishly, "baack, baack", since our interest hung on every word.

This quirky film is about Henry Phillips, who plays his actual comedic character - a guy who writes songs about his so-called life, reminiscent of a Sarah Silverman sketch. The EVITHFF audience missed the punch line, but we thank Cevin Cathell for bringing this year's winner of the Slamdance movie festival to Santa Barbara. An edgy film for this edge of the continent. Hopefully its New York premier tonight had smoother sailing. Look for "Punching the Clown" in theaters.

Stay tuned for details on the next EVITHFF installment, promising another fun evening out in Santa Barbara.

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