Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse
Mar 07 - Mar 13, 2014
(Jason Renaud and Brian Lindstrom, United States, 2013, Blu-Ray, 90 min)
Local Sightings Festival award winner!
Early in its musical history, the Portland punk scene saw the emergence of a magazine, the Oregon Organizm, written and edited by an influential band member of the time, James Chasse. With a close friend performing as lead singer of The Wipers—an influential punk band that made an impact on groups like Nirvana—James became a well-known member of his society.
In 2006, tragedy struck, when James died during a highly controversial arrest by Portland police in downtown. Following the case, many people looked into the history of James Chasse, from his early punk years to his mental illness and the effects it had on the musician and his community.
This documentary follows his musical rise, decline and tribulations, along with a modern perspective on a police case increasingly relevant today.
"Alien Boy is a film that Ed Murray and his next police chief should be required to be see. It ought to be mandatory viewing for all Seattle cops, veterans and rookies alike." —Seattle Weekly
Alien Boy: the Life and Death of James Chasse - TRAILER from Finding Films on Vimeo.