Luis Fernandez de la Reguera
Encyclopedia
Luis Fernandez de la Reguera (20 October 1966 - 14 August 2006) was an
American independent film
director
most famous for
his 2003 documentary
Rockets Redglare! about the actor of that name.
difficult childhood and left for New York City at age 17. Living in the pre-gentrified
Lower East Side
, he played guitar in several punk rock bands including his own, "Orgy of One", and was a cover story in CMJ
magazine.
Prior to becoming a filmmaker, de la Reguera also performed stand up comedy, and owned the Big Plate recording studio on Ludlow Street.
It was in his interim work as a bartender that he came to know
the colorful actor, con artist, East Village
personality and heroin addict Rockets Redglare
and many of Redglare's wary friends.
In August 2006 while visiting friends in rural Phoenicia in Ulster County, upstate New York
, de la Reguera lost control of his motorcycle and crashed. He was airlifted to a hospital in Albany, New York
, where he died of severe head trauma a few days later at age 39.
he wrote, directed and acted in. Differently Able is about two unhappy brothers
forced by circumstance to live together. One brother (played by William Murchu) is in a wheelchair, angry and dependent; the other (played by de la Reguera) a cruel drunk.
character actor and stand-up comedian Rockets Redglare, born Michael Morra. In one scene, Redglare recounts how one morning when he was four and a half years old his mother dressed him in his favorite
shirt and for the first time made him French toast. Just as he started to enjoy his
special breakfast, his gangster father and his Uncle Eddie shot another man to
death in the next room. He adds that he never was able to enjoy French toast again.
In addition to Redglare himself, the film features interviews with people who knew him well, including actors Steve Buscemi
, Willem Dafoe
, and Matt Dillon
. Buscemi also produced the film, which was shot by de la Reguera using rented equipment. Buscemi and de la Reguera recorded a commentary track for the film's release on DVD.
In February 2006, Buscemi and de la Reguera sued Mike Broder of Small Planet Pictures for $1.75 million, alleging he failed to market, promote, and pay advance fees relating to the distribution of the film. In September 2007, Broder agreed to turn over the rights to the film to de la Reguera's estate and pay up to $35,000 for the plaintiffs' legal fees. If Broder fails to pay within five years, he must pay the entire $1.75 million. Buscemi and William Murchu now plan to re-release and redistribute the film.
American independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
most famous for
his 2003 documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
Rockets Redglare! about the actor of that name.
Brief biography
Luis Fernandez de la Reguera was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He weathered adifficult childhood and left for New York City at age 17. Living in the pre-gentrified
Lower East Side
Lower East Side, Manhattan
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
, he played guitar in several punk rock bands including his own, "Orgy of One", and was a cover story in CMJ
College Music Journal
College Music Journal, commonly known as CMJ, is a music events/publishing company which hosts an annual festival in New York City, the CMJ Music Marathon, as well as a weekly magazine of and for the music industry and college radio stations in the United States and Canada. It publishes top 30...
magazine.
Prior to becoming a filmmaker, de la Reguera also performed stand up comedy, and owned the Big Plate recording studio on Ludlow Street.
It was in his interim work as a bartender that he came to know
the colorful actor, con artist, East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
personality and heroin addict Rockets Redglare
Rockets Redglare
Rockets Redglare was an American character actor and stand-up comedian. He appeared in over 30 films in the 1980s and 1990s, including a number of independent films, and mainstream films such as After Hours and Desperately Seeking Susan .-Early life:Born Michael Morra in New York City to a...
and many of Redglare's wary friends.
In August 2006 while visiting friends in rural Phoenicia in Ulster County, upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
, de la Reguera lost control of his motorcycle and crashed. He was airlifted to a hospital in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, where he died of severe head trauma a few days later at age 39.
Film Differently Able
Luis de la Reguera's first film was the 15-minute Differently Able, whichhe wrote, directed and acted in. Differently Able is about two unhappy brothers
forced by circumstance to live together. One brother (played by William Murchu) is in a wheelchair, angry and dependent; the other (played by de la Reguera) a cruel drunk.
Film Rockets Redglare!
Rockets Redglare! affectionately documents the life and death ofcharacter actor and stand-up comedian Rockets Redglare, born Michael Morra. In one scene, Redglare recounts how one morning when he was four and a half years old his mother dressed him in his favorite
shirt and for the first time made him French toast. Just as he started to enjoy his
special breakfast, his gangster father and his Uncle Eddie shot another man to
death in the next room. He adds that he never was able to enjoy French toast again.
In addition to Redglare himself, the film features interviews with people who knew him well, including actors Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi
Steven Vincent "Steve" Buscemi is an American actor, writer and film director. An associate member of the renowned experimental theater company The Wooster Group, Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films including New York Stories, Mystery Train, Reservoir Dogs,...
, Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe is an American film, stage, and voice actor, and a founding member of the experimental theatre company The Wooster Group...
, and Matt Dillon
Matt Dillon
Matthew Raymond "Matt" Dillon is an American actor and film director. He began acting in the late 1970s, gaining fame as a teenage idol during the 1980s.- Early life :...
. Buscemi also produced the film, which was shot by de la Reguera using rented equipment. Buscemi and de la Reguera recorded a commentary track for the film's release on DVD.
In February 2006, Buscemi and de la Reguera sued Mike Broder of Small Planet Pictures for $1.75 million, alleging he failed to market, promote, and pay advance fees relating to the distribution of the film. In September 2007, Broder agreed to turn over the rights to the film to de la Reguera's estate and pay up to $35,000 for the plaintiffs' legal fees. If Broder fails to pay within five years, he must pay the entire $1.75 million. Buscemi and William Murchu now plan to re-release and redistribute the film.
Links to more information
- Luis Fernandez de la Reguera web site maintained by his Differently Able co-star, William Murchu
- Luis Fernandez de la Reguera remembered at radio station WFMU
- Rocket Redglare! movie stills and de la Reguera's director comments
- London Independent obituary of Rockets Redglare (Michael Morra), June 2001
Rockets Redglare! recognition and awards
- Screened at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival
- Honorable Mention at the 2003 Raindance Film Festival
- At the 2002 New York International Independent Film and Video Festival, Rockets Redglare! won the festival's Grand Jury prize for Best Documentary; Luis de la Reguera won the Best Documentary Director award.