Emilio Estevez film Bobby stirs positive spirits in Bakersfield - By N.L. Belardes

The Fox Theatre in Bakersfield the night Bobby was screened


Random puppet moment...

I almost hate to say that the first person I saw other than chinpgea before the Bakersfield screening of Bobby was a puppet. But it’s true. I’d just parked and was wandering toward the front of Bakersfield’s Fox theatre when I heard a strange voice yell out, “Hey buddy, got a light?”

There was this puppet bird, his beak flapping just like his tiny wings in the darkness. “You like my wingspan? I’m a freakin’ Condor,” he yelped. I was pretty sure I was staring at a penguin, and a stuffed one at that. “Hey, you ever seen Hectic Films?” the bird asked.

“I’m going to see a screening of the new Emilio Estevez film. It dramatizes the death of Bobby Kennedy.” I didn’t have a light, but somehow the bird had lit a cigarette.

“Pphhew! I hate these goddam things,” he yapped. “I don’t know why I ever light em. Oh yeah, that the Bobby movie? I ain’t got tickets, so I figure to heck with em. I’ll just circle like a vulture and then head home after I lift a few wallets.”

“Sounds good.”

“Well check out Hectic Films at BIFF on November 24th and 25th. I’ll see ya. I gotta go scare some little kids.”





Soon enough, chingpea and I stood in line at the 1500 capacity Fox Theatre where I noticed prominent organizers of the UFW, college students and professors. We stood there until Matt Munoz, the Ska King of Bakotopia phoned. “Hey, I’m down here by Dagny’s. There’s a press conference.”

Chingpea and I jumped out of line. “OK, we’re on our way, but we lost our primo spot.”

“What? You got out of line? I was going it check it out first.”

We argued, sounding like some kind of Bakotopia/Paperback Writer married couple. But none to worry. We soon dove inside the Kern County Land Canal building—that’s where some of the old water wars took place. After all, if was John Maynard in his history, Bakersfield: A Centennial Portrait who wrote, “The story begins with water.”



We entered into a flood of reporters. Writer/Director of Bobby, Emilio Estevez leaned against a counter with the mortician actor from Six Feet Under, Freddy Rodriguez. Rodriguez sported a Johnny Depp look and attitude: a bit tough, a bit overly passionate—but cool as hell. Interesting that I just had a meeting with punk rock mortician Kenny ‘Motor’ Mount—Bakersfield’s real life mortician star. But that’s another story to be revealed at BIFF. (See Matildakay’s take on BIFF—she’ll hook ya…)





Reporters asked lots of questions during the press conference. They filmed, shot Web video, recorded audio; chingpea and I even shot some camera phone videos. (Click to see the Bakersfield Californian interviews with Emilio Estevez and Freddy Rodriguez). I even chimed in and asked Emilio after he talked about writing part of his screenplay in Pismo. I wanted to know about any historical works and historians who may have advised him during production, or while he wrote the screenplay. Estevez mentioned that he didn’t really have an advisor, or work with any historian specifically because the characters in the movie were all fictitious (except for the film footage of Bobby Kennedy). Estevez did say one person had been in touch with him. “Jack Newfield sent me a lot of information,” he said. He talked about fictitious characters and I stood thinking, Wow, I got to ask a movie star a question. Everyone seemed star struck.


N.L. and Munoz at the press conference (chingpea phone video)


N.L. phone video of media at work

Jack Newfield—who Emilio Estevez mentioned—had written a memoir about knowing Bobby Kennedy. He was an acclaimed reporter. Although Estevez didn’t mention it, Jack Newfield died in 2004…











Matt Munoz and Lydia "Chanclas" Gonzales work their media magic

After the press conference I was tickled to see KERN 1410 reporter Greg Goodsell walk up to Estevez and ask for an autograph on an old VHS copy of Repo Man. Later Goodsell wrote to me:

Emilio said that he has no idea about what REPO MAN is about, and is a triumph of style over substance. He also said that the late great character actor Fox Harris, who transports the radioactive aliens in the trunk of his car in that film—surprised the director when he arrived on the set that day and said he couldn't drive!!!!


Greg Goodsell of KERN 1410 talks to Emilio Estevez about Repo Man


Senator Dean Florez leans...

Munoz, chingpea and I walked back to the theatre line, this time towards the rear as it rounded a corner. There, I saw historian, Miriam Vivian and her husband, Tim. We spoke briefly and she got a phone call—one of her kids. I slunk away reminiscing about her historical writing course...

I walked back to where the Ska King and chingpea hung out, and soon enough we filed inside to watch the film. After Matt and I raided the concession (Rebekka and her daughter showed up and were in need of serious popcorn)


Infamous Bakotopia/Paperback Writer popcorn video

Senator Dean Florez spoke briefly. Emilio Estevez came on stage as well and talked about Bobby previewing in London and Paris. He said, “This is by far the coolest theatre Bobby has been screened in…”

The crowd applauded.

The film itself was a dramatization with both good and decent acting. Elijah Wood’s doomed character was a bit overdone. Yet, amid a myriad of stars portraying an ethnically diverse group of characters came a whirlwind of storylines all converging at the Ambassador Hotel in a spirited film of tragedy and hope. The spirit of the film conveyed a message of political optimism, that in America’s future there might be another Bobby Kennedy somewhere in the world to uplift the hearts of a disenfranchised war torn society.

Of course I instantly wondered if the Sheen family and their sense of duty to the Democratic Party had some candidate in mind. Senator Florez even wore a shirt that conveyed the message of “What if Bobby Kennedy were alive today?” In history classes I always taught that even asking such a question was a fallacy. Why? Because you can never answer such a question. Bobby is gone. Yet Bobby the film is about a continuance of spirit.

Yes, it was the spirit of the movie Bobby that mattered, and it was meant to be shown in the California heartland where Bobby Kennedy and his ties to the UFW once held strong. And I can’t help but think that even though in the ensuing Q & A where Estevez downplayed the movie’s political message, that Bobby is meant as a political message to that states from a Democratic political point of view: Our best candidates got killed in a Democratic heyday. Let’s try not to tarnish the democratic process any further. America needs hope… and yes, there is another Bobby Kennedy out there, and he could be anyone…

As a moderate how could I not connect to such a politically inspiring message?

After the film, we all went outside and waited by a creepy gate where we thought Emilio Estevez and Freddy Rodriguez might exit. There was a big goon security guard who we asked if that were the exit. He lied, “No.” Munoz chuckled.


The creepy Bakersfield Fox Theatre gate!

Matt Munoz then told a few interesting off-the-record stories while a big black widow nearly descended onto his shoulder. Creepy! I shoved him out of the way. We hung out and soon enough, Estevez and Rodriguez came out. They said goodbyes to Dolores Huerta, Dean Florez and a few others. They then hugged and said goodbye to one another.

From reporters to groupies… We were no better than Greg Goodsell after all. I handed Estevez a pen and he signed our posters including the lady next to me who had been begging for my Sharpie. I asked Estevez if there were any cameos in the film. I swear I saw Peter O’Toole in a scene. He gestured to the list of actors on the poster. “No. Just these people,” he said. All the actors had donated their time for free: Sharon Stone, Christian Slater, Elijah Wood, Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore, William H. Macy, Lyndsay Lohan, Harry Belafonte, Laurence Fishburne, Helen Hunt and more… He handed me back the pen after he used it to sign the other two posters and a movie ticket.


She wanted my pen and a moment with Emilio!

We walked away with Dolores Huerta and her husband, Richard Chavez. He’s the brother of Cesar Chavez. We shook hands and Munoz talked to her about my writing and we made polite small talk about how she talked during the Q & A session after the movie. “I made it back just in time for the film,” she said. There had been groundbreaking at the site of the assassination of Bobby Kennedy. It was Monday night. It was Bobby Kennedy’s birthday. He would have been 81. Three new schools are to be built on the site: a positive mark for inner city Asians, Latinos, and blacks of Los Angeles. It was at that moment I felt truly in touch with the political optimism of the movie and the day. That was indeed the spirit of Bobby Kennedy.

I was no longer star struck. I was simply spirited.


**Side note: My Thoughts... By Matt Munoz

It's always cool to be a part of a movie premiere here in Bakersfield, especially when the film connects strongly with the area.

To me, the star of the night wasn't Estevez or Rodriguez, it was UFW co-founder Dolores Huerta, present at The Ambassador the night RFK was gunned down. Knowing UFW history, and seeing a few glimpses of Dolores' face flash across the screen in the archival footage, really hit me. I immediately thought about her during those moments, thinking about what she was feeling.

So many causes struggling to survive in 1968, Americans just looking for equal rights and fairness, and their champion, Bobby Kennedy looking to make some positive changes on his way to the White House..

I wasn't even born yet, and my girlfriend was just an infant...I wonder what our parents were going through?

I asked Dolores Huerta what she thinking during the shooting re-enactment. She said she totally broke down, feeling all those hopes they had in 1968 being flushed down the tube all over again.

(Read all of Matt's thoughts and see a pic of me talking to Emilio)

This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on Wednesday, November 22, 2006. You can leave your response.