Inspired by Zoom and the isolation of the pandemic, Disaster to the Wench is a bit of Mystery Science Theater 3000, a slice of Turner Classic Movies, and a twist of Ms. Magazine. Brenda Pontiff, a screenwriter and actress, approached Rob Kates of Kates Media about the technological capabilities of pulling a public domain film from the web and putting four people on screen to comment over sound and music. “The term “Disaster to the Wench” is a toast from the movie Gilda and speaks volumes about what happens to strong women who dare to speak up for themselves or others. In many films, and within the studio system, there are many examples of how disaster comes to a woman who does not follow the rules or does not stay in her lane. It is a sad state of affairs, and sometimes ridiculous, but we hope things are changing. We do know it is important to call attention to it. So much attention is given to the male stars of that era and it is high time we raise a glass to the women, real and fictional, who stepped out of line.” The Hollywood Recorder spoke with the amazing team of DISASTER TO THE WENCH. www.disastertothewench.com
Tell us about the Women of Old Hollywood (DISASTER TO THE WENCH) film curation show.
Brenda – Disaster to the Wench celebrates old Hollywood but takes a hard look at the studio system that drove the golden era of filmmaking. We take old public domain films of the 1930’s and 1940’s with strong female leads and provide commentary on the films as they play in real time. It’s a bit Mystery Science Theatre 3000 meets Turner Classic Movies with a twist of feminism. Our show empathizes with the fictional women in the stories the studios chose to tell while at the same time examining the obstacles the actresses within the films had to navigate. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll learn something about the making of the film. We also provide a much shorter after-show piece called Post-show Walla where the four of us gab about the film the way four friends might go out for a drink after a movie to really share thoughts and feelings after the fact. Both our coverage of the films and the post-show chats are available on YouTube.
How did 4 brilliant minds come together to form this Female Movie Club?
Brenda – As the show’s creator, I’d say the isolation of the pandemic forced me to come up with a way to watch movies with my smart industry friends. I was using Zoom for other purposes, so why not use it to watch a movie in a communal setting? But then why be so selfish? Shouldn’t the world want to watch smart women watch a movie? I had purchased the domain name Disaster to the Wench a long time ago and was just waiting for an excuse to use it. I called my film history buff friend Nina Berry and mentioned the idea to her and she was totally on board. I’m a stand-up comic but I knew I needed another, more outspoken stand-up for constant comic relief and Cynthia Levin was the first person who came to mind. I’d known television writer Beth Szymkowski for years and we had similar sensibilities so she made perfect sense to round out the group as the mind of the writer who deals with producer notes on a daily basis.
The term “Disaster to the Wench” is a toast from the movie Gilda and speaks volumes about what happens to strong women who dare to speak up for themselves or others. Tell us about “Disaster to the Wench.”
Brenda – In Gilda, Rita’s character is forced to toast to her own demise. Women in the industry, and in the world in general, are constantly doing this. When we speak up or take a stand about fairness, equal access and inclusion, we know we run the risk of being punished. Women with a strong sense of integrity and character may be condemned and pay a high price for doing the right thing, so in a sense they can bring disaster to themselves. But this disaster is like good trouble in that it surfaces the truth so it can be sorted out. I’d like to think the toast is a badge of courage and would like to see it take hold and become a part of the vernacular.
Why is this Female Movie Club timely?
Brenda – Our show and the communal movie watching experience is certainly making use of the latest technology but it is also examining film in a time when cancel culture has impacted viewing habits. I think Turner Classic Movies has done a good job lately of trying to add explanations to old films instead of taking them out of rotation because viewers might find these old movies offensive. These films were made in a different time. The sexism and racism of the 1930’s and 1940’s may be shocking, but all the more reason we should discuss them. To simply ban films that no longer seem appropriate means we miss the opportunity to understand history.
How is the movie club raising a glass to women?
Brenda – Beyond our suggested drinking games for each movie where we are actually raising our glasses during the movie for fun, we are actually honoring the work of the women involved in the films. We’ve kept our movie selection to those films with a strong female lead. We hope to broaden our list of titles to include movies written by or directed by women but because we are currently limited to using public domain films, there are not many that fall in that category. We hope we can move from public domain to a broader library soon so we can focus on additional female contributors.
Tell us about working with Rob Kates.
Brenda – Rob Kates owns Kates Media and was known to me as someone who had the technical know-how to experiment with pulling a public domain film from the web and putting four people on screen to comment over sound and music. Rob has over 20 years of production experience and has worked with a wide variety of clients. He experimented with a few formats and was able to come up with an aesthetically pleasing recording. He has been great about guiding us and getting each of us the right equipment to film with. He is on the East Coast so he has been super patient with us and our lack of technical skills. He’s really a saint.
What can we expect to see from the “Disaster to the Wench?
Brenda – We’ve done three shows: Rain starring Joan Crawford, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, starring Barbara Stanwyck, and Pygmalion starring Wendy Hiller. We hope to do a live show for Halloween at a theater in Hollywood this October. We are also exploring some streaming channels focused on classic films that are looking for new content.
What intrigued you about the project? What are your goals?
Nina Berry is the group’s “film professor” and provides much of the rich background about the making of the film and the director’s vision as well as the career obstacles of the female leads of the chosen films.
Nina – It was just such a great idea and watching and talking about movies is one of my favorite things so I jumped at the chance. Goals – We really want to expand our library of movies so we are looking for a channel or platform that is interested in our perspective.
Cynthia Levin brings comic relief to Disaster to the Wench and at every turn an in unexpected ways.
Cynthia – As a stand-up, actress, and director, I look for ways to make fun of others’ work instead of doing my own! So yes, I was happy when Brenda called! Goals – We really want to get a following of like minded film fans who are ready to shine a light on women in the industry, then and now.
Beth Szymkowski brings the script writer’s eye to the show. She enjoys discussing the plight of the female character within the story and the male world the she is navigating.
Beth – Brenda knows I’m always looking for some way in to world domination. Goals – We are ready for a wider audience that knows certain societal norms don’t age well and are ready to talk about it.
Rob – I’m on the East Coast and I love the challenge of working remotely with this very creative team. Goals – I’d love to see us build our audience and explore more technical solutions to improve the overall show.
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