Cosmic Bowling
Taryn, Mollie, and Bird planned to go to cosmic bowling at the local bowling alley with one goal: finding the cute new boy in town. When cosmic bowling is tragically canceled, they are set on an all-night odyssey in search of that elusive perfect Friday night. Written as a love story to female friendship, Cosmic Bowling is a film about the high school experience, in the tradition of Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused and George Lucas's American Graffiti, through the female lens.
Cosmic Bowling premiered on Short of the Week on December 4th, 2017.
Emily Berge
writer, co-director
I grew up on American Graffiti and Dazed and Confused. My best friend and I, who were fourteen at the time, had to bribe a college student in the line at the movie theater to buy our tickets to Superbad. I’m obsessed with the American teenage movie – the stories of high school guys rolling around town in their shitty cars and trying to do anything to get laid.
As a female filmmaker and writer it can’t be overemphasized how much we need the stories of women and young girls. Not just the girls who are objects of the male protagonist’s teenage lust - but the girls in jean shorts and some poorly applied glow-in-the-dark body paint. I hated high school, but for some reason I feel myself constantly pulled back, wanting to revisit it through art. My friends and I were a bundle of contradictions – simultaneously self-conscious and absurdly confident, caught between being children and adults, constantly spewing raunchy jokes, but strangely and deeply innocent at the same time.
I’ve never seen a film that showed what my high school experience had been like. Sure, I loved those classic all-American boys lovingly portrayed in films like Stand by Me and Boyhood, but I wanted to tell my own story. I hope you feel that spirit in our film, Cosmic Bowling, the story of three teenage girls who, after their plans are cancelled, set out on an all-night odyssey through their suburban town in search of the elusive perfect Friday night.
CAST
Holly Painter - Taryn
Faith Porter - Mollie
Tal Chatterjee - Bird
Colin Sayre - Cody
Antony Mason - Courtney
Noni Culotta - Courtney's Mom
Noah Lee Breymeier - Sam
Andy Kabel - Bowling Alley Manager
Abigail Wahl - Katie
Katie Kane - Katie's Friend
Dan Wills - Courtney's Dad
DIRECTED BY
Spencer Thielmann & Emily Berge
WRITTEN BY
Emily Berge
PRODUCED BY
Spencer Thielmann
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
John Christon
CINEMATOGRAPHY BY
John Christon
CREW
Alexa Carroll - Gaffer, Assistant Camera
Ian Ross - Key Grip
Max Cooke - Sound Mixer
Caitlin Joyce - Production Designer
Nancy Thielmann - Associate Producer
Eric Hanas - Production Assistant
Neil Ciurpita - Production Assistant
EDITED BY
Spencer Thielmann
SOUND DESIGN BY
Max Cooke
COLOR BY
John Christon
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Konrad & Paul
Robert & Nancy Thielmann
Eric & Jersey Auto Repair
Kendall Park First Aid & Rescue Squad
Kendall Park Roller Rink
Lisa & Fred James
Laurie & Dan Bagley
Mark & Vanessa Carroll
Geetha Narsimhamurthy & Family
Dream Machine Creative
Songs (by order of appearance)
"Bandit's Daughter"
Written and performed by Liza, Warrior Princess
"Pool Boyz"
Written by Alex Luciano and Noah Bowman
Performed by Diet Cig
Published by Rough Trade Publishing
Courtesy of Father/Daughter Records
"Fuck 'em all"
Written and performed by Liza, Warrior Princess
"Tiny Planets"
Performed by Sports
Courtesy of Father/Daughter Records
"Fuego My Eggo"
Written and performed by steve.
"Starting Again"
Performed by Lisa Prank
Courtesy of Father/Daughter Records
"Juicy J"
Written and performed by No Thank You
Courtesy of Lame-O Records
By arrangement with Terrorbird Media
" ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ "
Performed by Addie Pray
Courtesy of Father/Daughter Records