The Endangered List (Case File #59)

The first film from the makers of 69 MINUTES!

SLIME TOWN BLUES (1974)

Starring
Joe Leahy
Ginny Meyer
Ed "Zelmo" Baty
John Q. Bruce

Produced & Directed
by
Ian Morrison

Associate Producer
Phil Stephens

Music
George Sadtler

“‘Slime Town Blues’ Debuts at KC’s Midland Theatre”

KANSAS CITY – “Slime Town Blues,” a zany satire on bad movies, had its world premiere at the Midland Theatre Friday night (11). The Kansas City production, filmed here in seven days and nights last fall, used area talent and introduced a new concept called Slime-O-Vision.

Producer Ian Morrison says he considers this an important cinematic development, since it involves the wearing of glasses that can’t be seen through. “You see,” the 25-year-old filmmaker explained, “this buzzer rings and a sign flashes on the screen going ‘Slime-O-Vision…Slime-O-Vision.’ At that point, you’re supposed to put on these cardboard glasses because the movie is getting so bad it shouldn’t be looked at.”

Featured in the film are seedy detective Joe Sledge and his sidekick Zelmo. The two are called onto the case by worldwide smuggling magnate Eliza Jules. While snooping their way through the seamy world of Slime Town in search of the long-lost state of Lenia Xenebo, they encounter a secret agent who poses as a blind chicken with a seeing-eye duck, a voodoo cult that chants “hubba hubba,” a mysterious monster risen from the grave and a scene in which 30 elderly people and dogs are killed with toilet plungers.

Area locations used in the film include numerous alleys, Volker Park, the Kansas City Museum of History and Science, Jimmy’s Jigger, Swope Park, Mike’s bar on Troost and the Mission Hills home of Mrs. Russell Stover, who plays a cameo role.

Local talent in “Slime Town Blues” includes Joe Leahy, who is seen frequently in Kansas City commercials; Caroline Campbell and Brian Klinknett, who come from the Missouri Repertory Company, and Arthur Suskin and Allen Boardman, who are currently working at the Off Broadway Dinner Theatre here. Nonactors in the cast include Ed “Zelmo” Baty, a city employee; Charles Davis, owner of the Beautiful Day Café; Mike Renner of Mike’s bar; and Jimmy Bowers, who gets to do his thing when he bounces detective Sledge out of Jimmy’s Jigger.

Festivities for the one-night-only event started with the arrival of the stars in Rolls Royces, Pierce Arrows and a 1957 Plymouth station wagon. Inside were Darling Donna and the Dancing Duckettes, along with emcee Bud Foon, who raffled off turkeys in honor of the movie.

[Boxoffice, October 14, 1974, p. C-1]

“Young Wisconsin Patrons Like ‘Slime Town Blues’”

MILWAUKEE – Ian Morrison of Kansas City, who has produced his own home movie, a spy thriller titled “Slime Town Blues,” describes the film as “a violent distortion of private-eye flicks.” The picture was exhibited in Kansas City area theatres and it is now being booked in Midwest movie houses.

“Slime Town Blues” was shown at the Sprague Theatre in Elkhorn, Wis., with two showings each night, February 28 and Saturday (1).

The Elkhorn newspaper reported that the college and teenage set “enthusiastically supported and applauded Morrison’s efforts.”

Local home movie buffs were invited to visit the theatre for “answers to questions about producing and directing your own movie.” Morrison was scheduled to be present for the discussions.

(Boxoffice, March 31, 1975, p. NC-1]