Body High - Cokey Falkow leads in a new movie about Venice Beach

(When I heard good mate and Saffer comedic legend, Cokey Falkow, was leading in a new Indie Film based in Venice, I had to get you the lowdown. i got this totally bizarre Gonzo, Harold Geiger, who lives at the beach, to head down and get us the down low.)

A buddy told me about a film that's being shot in Venice called “Body High”.  After a couple calls I weaseled my way down to set to check it out and talk to the cast.  It's a small town so it wasn't hard to find it.  I'd tell you where the set was but then I'd have to kill you.  So here ya go:

It's a indie flick about a pot dispensary that's down on its luck but comes across a magical strain of weed that might just save the day, as long as the gangsters don't get to them first. 

The second I got to set the producer, Lije Sarki, greeted me and showed me around.  This did not look like an indie film to me.  This was a full on production and nothing was spared.  I was impressed from the get go.  Lije took me right over to meet one of the leads, Bug Hall.

Most of you will know Bug from his very first role as Alfalfa in The Little Rascals  or most recently recurring on Nikita.  We started talking about his past and it blew my mind that 1993 was almost twenty years ago.  He said he still remembers every outfit and every scene from that movie.  He was eight years old.  That's when he decided he wanted to “play” forever.  I asked him why he wanted to do this movie.  His reply, “After I met the director I realized how much fun it would be to do an indie film with heart that shoots in Venice and works with a bunch of stand-up comedians.  I was in.”  Then the director walked up to see what I was doing.

He introduced himself as Joe Marklin.  Joe is a first-time feature maker from the east coast.  I asked him about the film and his vision.  “This is really a family environment and this movie is a tribute to all the great 90's indies like Clerks, Friday, and  Office Space.”  I asked how him it was going.  They've been shooting for almost a week and he had this to say, “Watching the dailies has taken a life of its own.  I couldn't be more proud of what the cast and crew are bringing to the table.  Every day I am amazed with the magic we capture.”  Joe used to live about a block from where they are shooting.  He actually wrote the movie for the exact neighborhood they are working in.  That makes it easy, right?

I went and grabbed Lance Allen before he walked out the door.  I guess he just wrapped for the day.  He plays a gay security guard with a hell of a sense for fashion.  I said to Lance to give me one good sentence about the film.  Anything.  He said, “It was either this or I would have to keep stripping for potato salad.”  He must be one of the comedians.

Then I looked over and saw a dude who I know belonged here.  He looks like he could be my neighbor, I live down the street.  His name is Cokey Falkow.  He's a South African star and comedian who is about as down to earth as anyone you have ever met.  So calm and cool.  I asked him about his experience so far and he said, “Venice is the star of this film – I am the co-star and that is a dream come true.”  Well said, Cokey.  I said, “Where are all the girls?  I heard there are a ton of beautiful girls in the film.”  Just then the producer came back up to me and walked me to one of the bedrooms that were part of the set.

In there lay Mackenzie Mason.  She was napping but he woke her anyway right after telling me she was Cortana in Halo 4.  “What if she whoops my ass?”  I was a little nervous since she just woke up.  Never wake someone from a nap and then drill them with questions, especially a hot chick from a video game!  I tried to be gentle and just asked for a little blurb about her experience so far.  She said, “I'm excited for people that don't get to live here experience what an awesome world Venice, CA has to offer, the style, the culture, everyone's gonna get a glimpse of this wonderful little world.”

That was it.  I thought.  I started to head for the door after thanking Lije and he said I had to meet this girl from Germany and she was the only lead in the film that I hadn't met.  So I met Bella Dayne, a beautiful girl playing opposite of Cokey Falkow.  I asked her how she felt about working on the film and she replied, “The characters perfectly capture my first Venice experience coming to L.A.  It's its own little world and it's been a blast to live in it.”  Well said, Bella.

So there you have it.  They invited me back again next week but before I left they gave me a little USB drive with some stills from the first few days.  Enjoy,

Harold Geiger

(Sounds like this could be one hell of a funny movie!)