Lil Joe: The Movie
“ A screw-driver, an ice-pic, a butter-knife and a machete.” This is what my dad pointed out in his car, the last time I borrowed it. “Everything you need.” he said.
You may know Lil Joe from work and he may have been lots of fun or a total pain in the ass, and probably combination of the 2. He’s been my father my whole life and it has been the range of all the things. You may have seen an impression or heard a great story, did you hear the one about the poisoned buffalo meat? or maybe he helped teach you your trade, or at this point taught the person, who taught you.
He’s a friend, an on the job teacher, a father, a husband, uncle to all, a trouble-maker, and a problem-solver, a gaffer, genie op, cameraman, director, a fixer, and an agent of chaos, and many say, the godfather of film in New Orleans.
He was in the room when Lil Richard recorded "Tootie Frutti" at Cosimo's. Created what Independent Film would be with Charlie Pierce in the 1970's. Was part of the early days of Super-8 porn.
He worked on “The Town That Dreaded Sundown”, “Pretty Baby”, “Live and Let Die” and “ Easy Rider” to name a few. Worked his way up from poverty and divorced parents in the 1940’s, in the Iberville Projects to directing films, as well as created an industry for the people and the town that he loved. I found pardons from Governors Jimmie Davis and Edwin Edwards, and I don’t know what they are for. He took a purple school bus to Woodstock, and could get you into any backstage anywhere. He’s the reason we can’t film in a Catholic cemetery.
He settled into being a father and husband and didn’t leave us out of the fun, we got to live upstairs in a corner of our equipment rental warehouse and studio. This was in the 1980’s and made it possible, that as a kid, I got to watch MTV develop live from my kitchen door. Whitney Houston, Journey and ACDC are some of the bands that used our soundstage in the 9th Ward.
We’re ready to tell his stories and share all your impressions of him. You can use an impression of Lil Joe to get out of a speeding
ticket in New Orleans. Did you know that? Chip will tell you.
Lil Joe is still around to tell his stories and enjoy this documentary.
So help us raise a little money for editing and film rights from some of the projects he worked on. Our film-maker has chosen this goal from prior similar projects needing this amount.