Edge West Productions

Party Like

admin — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:21:25 +0000

Party Like
Ancient Feasts

For thousands of years mankind has shared a universal desire that transcends time, race and culture. We all love to party. This groundbreaking three-part mini-series is a sumptuous and decadent journey to savor the greatest parties the world has ever known, past and present. Discover how emperors, queens and the super-rich liked to celebrate and the party planners who risked everything if it went wrong.

Episodes

A Roman Emperor

Queen Of France

Rich And Famous

Photos
Emperor

Queen Of France

Rich And Famous

Facts
Series Accomplishments

Locations: Paris, Versailles, Rome, London, Brighton, New York, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Los Angeles

Actors: Over 200 actors in period accurate costumes, many of the costumes were hand-made.

Hair/Makeup: Over 120 period accurate wigs with authentic make-up.

Specialist Masks: Over sixty high-quality masks produced.

Crew: Over 130 professionals employed in every field of filmmaking, from crane-operator to camera to catering.

Sets: 25 period accurate sets designed, built, lit and photographed.

Dancing: 6 original choreographed dances, performed by 35 professional and semi-professional dancers.

Opera: A specially commissioned opera written and performed with professional opera singers.

Specialist Entertainers: Snake charmer, Contortionist, Magician

Props: 150 specialist hand-made props

Music: 30 original compositions. 120 pieces of music used across the series

Musicians: 20 period accurate musical instruments employed

Animals: Cobra, horses, roosters, nightingales, camels, ostrich, elephants, tigers.

Modern Parties: New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New Orleans.

Experts: 26 professional experts interviewed around the world.

Release Forms: Around 1000 signed release forms.

Vis FX Shots: Over 250 complex visual effects shots. Almost half of them are 3D wire-frame shots.

Edits: More than 6000 edits across three films.

Blogs

Party Like A Queen

Blog by Aidan Pickering - Series Producer

The sudden appearance of a horse has set in motion of all sorts of chain reactions throughout history. The arrival of Pegasus, the winged horse of Greek mythology, spelled the end for the monster Chimera. In 11th Century Vietnam, a vision of a white horse convinced King Ly where to build his citadel. So it may be that I was unwittingly following a well worn path in history when I saw two white horses with riders trotting through the courtyard of Versailles and off down the tree-lined vista that stretches for miles. It really felt as though I had just seen a ghost: the ghost of Marie-Antoinette. Let me back up.

I was at Versailles taking photographs of the magnificent palace gardens for use in Party Like A Queen, the episode that tells the story of the young queen of France, Marie Antoinette and her hard partying ways. I had watched as the morning sun lit up the gold painted palace gates and made the place look like it was on fire. I had wandered among the symmetrical rows of cone-shaped hedges, picturing what it must have been like when the 14-year old Austrian Princess arrived here for the first time to be the young bride of the future King Louis XVIth. I saw her harp still there in her music room, her rococo bedroom and boudoir at Le Petit Trianon, the small chateau in the palace grounds that Louis gave to her. All these objects were memorabilia. Until I saw those horses. Only then did I imagine this child of privilege turned woman of power actually riding through the palace grounds. Now I could see her plotting to establish herself at court, striving to be taken seriously, seizing on, of all things, fashion as a way to make herself larger than life, quite literally. I imagined as her horse’s hooves crunched across the gravel, an army of dressmakers turning miles of silk into ball gowns the likes of which had never been seen. Seriously wide dresses; impossibly tall hair. She wanted to be an imposing figure to calm the wagging tongues. That’s what she became: with her pouf hair and breath taking dresses stretched over a broad metal frame, some nights she would have measured about eight and half feet tall by about five and a half feet wide. It must have been like Shaquille O’Neal entering the ballroom.

The next part of the story everyone knows. She spent, and spent and spent. The French people blamed her for all of the nation’s ills. They revolted. She and Louis lost their heads at the guillotine. Suddenly I felt sorry for Marie-Antoinette. She was a child when she first came here. I am sure she could have made better choices. But can you really blame the Queen of Fashion for single handedly plunging the nation into debt? Hardly. Still, she joined a long procession of kings, queens, dictators and despots who lost touch with their people and met the executioner’s blade. I prefer to imagine her riding on the back of one of those white horses I saw, planning her next fashion statement, eager to define herself by setting the next daring trend. I wonder if the biggest mistake she made was being born a couple of hundred years too early.

Party Like An Emperor

Blog by Aaron Even - Episode Writer

“I’ve been up for three days straight.” That’s what the bleary-eyed set designer told me as I stepped inside the newly constructed royal palace of 3rd century Roman emperor Elagabalus. It wasn’t quite finished yet: a few touches needed here and there, some last minute painting, some drapes, a few faux torch flames to add a bit of class—oh yeah, and a swimming pool. Jeez.

Glad to be a mere script writer. Just words on a page. You don’t have to actually build the things you imagine. But it’s incredible to consider the consequences that unfold from typing lines into a word processing program. Turns out that a script is much more than just a story you tell: for others it’s a battle plan that must be broken down immediately into a series of concrete actions. So much wood to order, statues and plants to find, how do you make one doorway pass for two? This platform must be strong enough to hold a crowd, the floor must look like marble which, of course, we can’t remotely afford, and so on and so on.

There comes a moment when you feel actual guilt. Did I have to write a chariot into that scene? Why didn’t I stop to consider that chariots aren’t the easiest things to find or to build? And when the emperor sends a rain of flower petals onto his guests—although it’s accurate history and a perfect illustration of his excessive character—did I pause to consider the poor souls who would have to (and they actually did this) pluck hundreds of individual petals from real roses? Alas, I did not. Probably shouldn’t, since an excess of empathy would no doubt move me to write some of the most boring scenes imaginable.

“Emperor enters a very plain and easily lit room. Wait: natural light is fine. He wears, uh, regular clothes will do. My dear, he says. Suddenly a live Siberian tiger crosses the frame and he turns…” See? I couldn’t help myself.

In just a few hours, though, the incredible artists and carpenters and electricians and swimming pool builders managed to finish off a scene of great gluttony and decadence—a palace room filled with rich tapestries, glittering water, dancing flames, Romanesque statues, tables and couches on which heaping platters of meats and fruits overflowed, an emperor’s throne, and a play of light and shadows that perfectly suggested a luxurious palace at night.

And they only went three days without sleep to do it.

Party Like An Emperor

Blog by Calder Greenwood - Episode Co-Director & Series VFX Supervisor

The creation of ancient Rome in modern-day Los Angeles was a daunting task – where could we find a location suitable to recreate an epic party circa 200 AD? Not to mention the various other scenes called for – the Roman forum, streets and alleys, temples, palaces, hallways and forts. In the end we decided to build Rome ourselves in a studio. But with limited space and a tight budget, we had to get creative. From the earliest stages of pre-production, we began to design the space to be multi-purpose, multi-functional. Working closely with the art department, we designed rotating walls that on one side could be a temple, on the other a military fort. The same columns appeared on the palace steps as lined the temple hallway. Dirt mats were dragged in to cover the tile floor to make interiors exteriors. And cleverly placed green screens allowed us to extend the sets on to infinity.

We also had local re-enactors, who could provide their own costumes, props, arms and armor appear as extras in the film. Many were well versed in customs and practices of ancient Rome, and were able to lend authenticity to the scenes we shot – what foods would have been served, how they would be eaten, how swords were drawn from scabbards.

One of the most impressive builds for the set – a fully functional heated pool – was also one of the most complicated. With enough water to literally wash away our set, it had to be built to hold over 1,000 gallons of pressure. It also had to be drained immediately once the scene was shot, so it could be broken down to make room for more sets ready to be swapped in to the limited stage space.

Over 12 sets were erected and shot during the three day production. Somehow we pulled it all off on time and on budget. Although we’re currently still in post-production, I have the utmost confidence that this will be an episode that will have to be seen to be believed.

Party Like An Heiress

Blog by Philip J Day - Executive Producer & Director

The Waldorf Astoria in New York is one of the most famous hotels in the world – and has always been on my bucket list to go and stay there. But such is my budget that it didn’t really seem on the cards. That was until I took on the new series Party Like about the greatest parties in history. The Waldorf had played host to one of the world’s most expensive parties back in 1897 and so became the focus of one of our episodes.

We contacted the hotel and they agreed to let us film there over two days in February 2011. We were focused on the annual Viennese Opera Ball that takes place in the Waldorf’s Grand Ballroom . As our filming budget was extremely tight and New York is an expensive city I thought it was worth asking to see if they would comp me a room. Most hotels usually say no to these requests but as this was such a positive story I thought it was worth asking. The request went through the various levels of command – and a week later I was delighted to be told that the hotel was prepared to provide a room. I went on-line and checked out pictures of the ballroom, the great lobby, the dining rooms, and, of course, the bedrooms – all of them beautifully appointed. I was excited to see it all.

A few weeks later I arrived in New York on a freezing February afternoon . I would be using a local film crew so I was staying at the hotel by myself. When I arrived at the Waldorf Astoria on Park Avenue I looked up at the grand building and felt a tingle of excitement. This hotel had so much history running through its corridors that I couldn’t wait to see it. At check-in I was surprised when I was offered not just a bellman to collect my bags but an escort to take me to my room. As I walked behind the young lady I wondered which of the rooms would be mine. To be honest I expected to be in a small single room next to a noisy elevator. But we kept on walking, past every room along the 33rd floor corridor. I thought she’d made a mistake, as the only thing left was a huge double door at the very end of the corridor. But then she applied a room key and invited me to enter.

This was no hotel room, more like a mansion. The suite was so big that I could have housed an entire hockey team and still had room for the coaches . The reception area alone was as big as most hotel rooms. Then that opened onto the main lounge – a magnificent space with paintings and décor that normally is the reserve of museums and stately homes. At one end a twelve-seat mahogany dining table overlooked the Chrysler building a few blocks away.

It took me almost a minute to walk from the lounge to my vast bedroom. The bed was the size of a small island – I’d never seen anything like it. Truly incredible – and while I felt totally undeserved of such magnificence I wasn’t about to complain. It was just a shame that I couldn’t fill it with my friends and have the biggest party since 1897 – there was certainly the room to do it in. But it was certainly a wonderful way to cross off such a major thing on my bucket list.

Press

Trivia

Party Like An Emperor

Food

1. Greek hosts always mixed wine with water to ensure that their guests did not become drunk too quickly!

2. Much of what one might think of as “Roman cuisine” was actually a style of cooking imported from Greek culture. Prior to their exposure to the Greeks, the Romans were actually called “porridge-eating barbarians.”

3. The main adaptation from Greek food was the Roman emphasis on spicing. Whereas most Greek dishes contained perhaps three or four spices, the Roman dishes were reminiscent of Indian food – packed with up to ten spices to create a powerful and unique flavor.

4. Rome had its own equivalent of modern day fast-foot restaurants that were called popinae. Men could go in and grab a quick snack for lunch with some wine, but this style of eating was generally frowned upon.

5. The Romans were exposed to large quantities of lead on a daily basis. A common food sweetener was derived by boiling wine in copper pots, therefore exposing it to lead pollution. “Sugar of lead,” or lead acetate, was also used directly as a sweetener.

Clothing

6. Linen, cotton, or wool were the most common fabric for the clothing of the Roman Republic. At the time, the use of silk was frowned upon not only because it was incredibly expensive, but also because its transparent nature was associated with sleazy women and effeminate men.

7. The most common clothing item in the Roman Republic, the toga, was constructed with a round piece of white wool measuring 18 feet in diameter.

8. Roman women often used lead as make-up to achieve a paler complexion. They would also use donkey’s milk or crushed snails as moisturizer and crushed ant eggs as eyebrow liner.

Vestal Virgins

9. The vestal virgins were an essential part of Rome for almost a thousand years. Of these hundreds of women, only twenty two were said to have broken their vows: all of those who did (besides the woman seduced by Nero and the woman married by Elagabalus) were buried alive.

Elagabalus

10. One interesting aspects of Elagabalus’ effeminate nature was that he frequently had the story of Paris played out in his house. He loved to act the part of Venus, and in doing so, would drop his clothes to the ground and expose himself. Through actions such as this, it became known that he would routinely have all the hair removed from his body.

11. The Roman emperor with many names, Elagabalus’ natural name was Varius Avitus, but was changed to M. Aurelius Antoninus after accepting his place as emperor in order to strengthen his claim to the throne. Never officially tied to Varius, ‘Elagabalus’ stems from the patron-diety of Emesa, a Sun God, to whom Avitus was a priest.

Praetoriani

12. The Praetoriani was a personal army formed under Augustus in order to protect the emperor’s power and self. Nine to ten cohorts were chosen, each with around 1,000 men on foot and stead to serve under them. Originally, all but three cohorts and their men were spread throughout Italy, but were more strictly stationed in Rome’s Castra Praetoria under Tiberius’ rule.

Castra Praetoria

13. Built on one of the highest points in Rome between 21-23 AD by Tiberius, the Castra Praetoria was used as the barracks of the praetorian guard. Alternate names known to be used for this fortification also include ‘castrum praetorium’ and ‘castrae praetoriae,’ in a more derogatory manner and ‘castra custodiae’ during the Middle Ages.

Italian Unification

14. Prime Minister of Sardinia, Camillo di Cavour, successfully implemented the policy of ‘realpolitik’ to unify the various sects of Italy from 1848 to its official status as a united nation in 1861. Realpolitik is a realistic approach to politics, focusing more on power than on morals or ideals, while using nationalism as the means of such practices.

Roman Coinage

15. To honor his grandmother, Julia Maesa, from whom he was bestowed the Roman thrown, Elagabalus issued a series of coinage including Maesa’s bust. Along with Maesa, Elagalabalus included coinage for his mother Julia Soaemias, his three wives, and his cousin, the soon-to-be emperor, Severus Alexander.

16. Along with the word comissatio’s link to the Roman younger, more drunken after-diner party, it is most often recognized as an outdoor celebration in which participants drunkenly parade through the streets.

Party Like The Queen Of France

Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution

1. Supposedly, “Let them eat cake” was misattributed to Marie Antoinette. Biographer, Lady Antonia Fraser explains, that instead Marie-Therese, the wife of Louis XIV, uttered these words 100 year earlier.

2. Contrary to the callousness attributed to Marie Antoinette with the phrase “Let them eat cake,” she is actually quoted as saying “It is quite certain that in seeing the people who treat us so well despite their own misfortune, we are more obliged than ever to work hard for their happiness.”

3. After Marie Antoinette’s brother, Emperor Joseph II, visited France, he left Marie with a memorandum, which pointed out to her the dangers of her conduct that included the extravagant purchases in dress, jewelry, and amusements (including masked balls, horse-races, and the theatre). Soon afterwards Marie gave birth to her first child, Marie Therese Charlotte, in December 1778 and began to live a more quiet life.

4. Marie Antoinette’s fashion became more and more unpopular with the French people as the country fell into economic ruin and as she began to don “unqueenly” attire. Interestingly, the revolutionaries who sent her to the guillotine would later adopt her famous provocative, corset-less chemise.

5. The name “domino mask” derives from the latin word “dominus,” which means “lord” or “master.” It is thought that the English game of “dominos” refers to the black and white pattern produced by the mask.

6. As Marie Antoinette stepped up to the guillotine, she accidentally stepped on the executioner’s foot. A queen until the end, her final words before being beheaded were “Monsieur, I beg your pardon.”

7. The French Revolution is thought to have originated on July 14th, 1789, when commoners and soldiers stormed the Bastille, a prison that symbolized the king’s oppressive and ineffectual regime. Interestingly, the king supposedly wrote in his diary on July 13th, as well as on the 14th, only “Rien” (“Nothing”).

8. After Marie Antoinette’s final confession to a priest, when he encouraged her to maintain her courage, she reportedly said, “Courage! I have shown it for years; think you I shall lost it at the moment when my sufferings are to end?”

9. Even when the King and Queen were living in prison-like conditions within the Tower, food was still served plentifully. They continued to enjoy soups, entrées, roasts, decadent desserts, and fine wine and liqueurs. Conveniently enough, the necessity of fine dining created opportunities for servants to acquire news and transmit messages for the King.

10. The French Revolution actually had three phases: The Liberal Phase (1789-1792), The Radical Phase (1792-1794), and the Thermidorian and Directory periods (1794-1799). The end of the first phase and beginning of the second phase began on August 10, 1792 when a revolutionary crowd attacked the royal palace and resulted in the overthrow of the monarchy.

11. It was during the second phase of the French Revolution in which France became a republic (September 21, 1792), the trial of King Louis XVI begins (December 11, 1792), Louis XVI is executed (January 21, 1793), and Marie Antoinette is tried and executed (October 14 and 16, 1793).

Playboy

12. The first issue of Playboy reportedly sold fifty-thousands issues nationwide. Hefner attributes its immediate success to the publication of Marilyn Monroe’s nude photograph, which Hefner paid $600 for.

13. Hugh Hefner saw Playboy as a guidebook to help young men navigate the overwhelming post-WWII consumer culture. It instructed men how to live a hedonistic life – not just in sex, but also in all aspects – everything from happiness and self-liberation to fashionable clothing and fine cuisine.

14. Playboy’s original magazine was intended to be Stag Party, and instead of a rabbit, its mascot was supposed to be a buck. Hugh Hefner changed the name to Playboy at a friend’s suggestion after the name Stag Party was challenged in a trademark infringement case.

15. The most successful issue of Playboy was the November 1972 edition with Pam Rawlings on the cover, which sold over 7 million copies.

16. Playboy launched into the television business in 1982 after Hugh’s daughter, Christie Hefner, took over as the president of Playboy Enterprises Incorporated.

17. There has been a Braille edition of Playboy since 1970. It is published by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) and includes all of the written words from the non-Braille magazine, but no pictorial representations.

Party Like The Rich And Famous

Bradley-Martin Ball

1. About 1,200 invitations to the Bradley-Martin Ball were sent out, and over half of the guests invited came to the ball.

2. Because the Bradley-Martin Ball stirred so much discontent, Cornelia and Bradley left the states soon afterwards. They sold their mansion in Manhattan and then divided their time between London and Scotland. One of their friends that they had left behind, Frederick Townsend Martin, wrote “I cannot conceive why this entertainment should have been condemned.” when the ball had actually helped the economy because “many New York shops sold out brocades and silks which had been lying in their stock-rooms for years.”

The Waldorf Hotel & Waldorf-Astoria

3. In 1893 William Waldorf Astor opened the 13-story Waldorf Hotel on the site of his mansion – the corner of Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street. Four years later, The Waldorf was joined by the 17-story Astoria Hotel, erected on an adjacent site by Waldorf’s cousin, John Jacob Astor IV.

4. Some of the most famous guests to have stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria are Marilyn Monroe, Bugsy Siegel, Nikola Tesla, and Cole Porter.

5. The decorations in each of the 1,416 guest rooms in the Waldorf-Astoria are completely unique. No two rooms are alike.

New York Trivia

6. The Dodgers were named in honor of their lower-class fans that would have to walk to the games stadium, and in the process, dodge the dangerous horse-drawn carriages.

7. Coney Island was so named for the rabbit problem that once plagued the area, as the rabbits were nicknamed “conies” at the time.

8. The fashion of the fin de siècle is marked by romanticism and formality. In contrast to earlier fashion, women wore high, straight-fronted corsets in order to make the waist appear as slim as possible. The skirts became shorter to accommodate stepping into and out of cars and trolleys.

9. The five boroughs of New York were officially created in 1898 when Brooklyn and the rural areas of Queens and Staten Island were associated with the current cities of New York (Manhattan and the Bronx).

Important People of the Time

10. J.P. Morgan, one of the big business tycoons of the Progressive Era, was guilty of less-than-honorable business practices early in his career, selling overpriced and faulty arms to the Union army as well as using insider knowledge to buy and sell gold by using a telegraph to receive news from the front lines during the Civil War.

11. Alva Belmont, a revolutionary upper class woman at the forefront of feminism during the late 1800s and early 1900s, was first introduced to the fight for women’s rights by Sylvia Pankhurst, a British freedom fighter. Further pushing Belmont away from the norms of aristocratic society were the bitter reactions from the press and public on behalf of her divorce from William Vanderbilt.

Dancing

12. At its introduction, the waltz was looked upon as scandalous due to the nature of closeness the dance held, with partners embracing one another more-so than any other dance during it’s initial steps into dance history.

13. Although still unknown, the evolution of the now classical dance, the waltz, has been connected to being stemmed from either a court dance, the volta, from the sixteenth century or the landler, a folk-dance originating in Austria.

14. The cotillion, a popular dance from the late 17th century through the 19th century, as featured at the Bradley Martin Ball, was a creation of Louis XIV in France.

15. There were multiple parts included in the dancing of the cotillion as well as a variety of music used to signal guests that the dance was to begin, including music from operas popularized at the time, waltz, polka and mazurka tunes.

Food

16. The famous Waldorf Hotel chef, Oscar Tschirky’s invention of the renowned Waldorf Salad went on to include celery, apples, and mayonnaise.

Photography

17. The first roll-film camera was invented by George Eastman in 1888, allowing almost anyone with a slight knowledge of the Kodak’s use to benefit from it’s ability to capture moments by 1890, no matter how big or small, be it recording personal family portraits or elegant balls.

18. Because of George Eastman’s invention of the user-friendly and incredibly cheap Brownie camera, photo albums and the use of photography became a staple of the Gilded Age in America.15

Forbes 400

19. In it’s first publication in 1982, the Forbes 400 list, a collection and study of the 400 richest people in America, listed oil as the source of the most income at 22.8 percent, whereas in 2006, technology took oil’s place at 24.5 percent, showing the clear change in American industry from just twenty-nine years ago.

Credits

Episode Credits

Roman Emperor Credits

Queen Of France Credits

Rich and Famous Credits

Emmy Magazine – Party Like

admin — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 08:53:00 +0000

Check out December’s Emmy Magazine. There’s a two page color spread on our brand new series ‘Party Like’, The part history part reality series premiers Feb 9th. Watch this space for more information.

Crime Lords Of Tokyo Screening – A Success

admin — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 20:42:06 +0000

Friends and supporters of Edge West Productions gathered on Friday, October 14th at the Culver City Studios to take in the premiere screening of Edge West’s newest aired program, Crime Lords of Tokyo. The film ended with a rousing applause followed by a Q&A session with the two directors of the film, Philip J. Day and Calder Greenwood. Guests were then invited to spend the rest of the evening at the Japanese themed after party where lots of mingling took place.

Phil Day on LA Talk Radio

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:02:42 +0000

Edge West’s founder and Creative Director, Phil Day, was interviewed on LA Talk Radio about the company’s latest film ‘Crime Lords of Tokyo. To hear what Phil has to say about the film and the Japanese mafia known as yakuza. You can listen or download the interview below.

Play Interview Audio

Crime Lords Of Tokyo

admin — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:10:18 +0000

Videos

Crime Lords Of Tokyo – Preview Video

Nat Geo Investigates Video – Marked For Life

Nat Geo Investigates Video – Japanese Mobsters

Behind The Scenes Footage

Photos

Production Photos

About

Tokyo. Orderly…modern…and seemingly safe. But this vast neon city hides a dark
secret. For the millions who live here, it’s something you don’t see every day,
and you may never encounter it face to face. For people on the inside, however,
nothing could be more obvious than the power of Japan’s infamous organized crime
syndicates known as the yakuza. This evocative and groundbreaking documentary
takes you inside this secretive underworld to meet the real yakuza, thugs and
high-ranking bosses, plus the people who write about their every move, and the
cops who track them down.

Author Shoko Tendo grew up inside a yakuza family, the daughter of a crime
boss. She recalls haunting episodes from her youth—her father breaking up the
house in a rage, a young man presenting his severed pinkie finger as a token
of his remorse. Shoko thought she could live in this world, until the day it
all went bad. Her decision to leave it behind would push her to the edge, where
she found strength in an unexpected place. For Tatsuya Shindo, losing his finger
to appease an angry boss was only the start of his troubles. For this young
foot soldier, a war for his soul was beginning, one that pitted his yakuza boss
against the God he longed to serve. Who would win his loyalty?

Incredible personal stories and candid interviews with people on the inside
reveal an organization both honorable and corrupt, violent and restrained, compassionate and driven by an insatiable greed. Japan’s national police are cracking down through raids and arrests, new anti-organized crime laws and public relations campaigns. But the yakuza seem to evolve to meet every new challenge that comes their way. In the red-light district, they are as obvious as the neon signs luring tourists into nightclubs and bars, places were anything can be had for the right price.
Here, a top yakuza boss, Mitsunori Agata, invites our cameras inside this dangerous underworld. He tells his unforgettable personal story, and explains why the
yakuza will never disappear from Japan. This amazing journey combines real-life stories with cinematic recreations to create a compelling portrait of Japan’s
most infamous criminals—the real face of the yakuza.

Blogs

Crime Lords Of Tokyo

Blog by Philip J Day – Director/Producer/Writer

The first time I saw Shoko Tendo I was startled at how frail and thin she looked. We had arranged to meet her at a nice hotel in Ikebukuro, an expensive commercial area of the vast Tokyo metropolis. It was the last shooting day. And I really needed a great story if our film was to work.

We had been in Japan’s capital for three weeks trying to investigate one of the biggest, yet most secretive, organized crime groups in the world; the yakuza. The Japanese mafia, numbering over 80,000 members, is notorious for full body tattoos and missing fingers. They are also known to be extremely violent. So, it’s no surprise that very few Japanese are prepared to speak about them, particularly on camera and especially to a foreign film crew. But that’s exactly what Shoko Tendo had agreed to do for us. And what a story she had to tell.

Our translator, Chako, greeted Shoko in the lobby and introduced us to her. As we traveled up in the elevator Chako made small talk but Shoko seemed detached and I worried that she didn’t want to be there. How wrong I was! To record the interview we had booked a beautiful traditional Japanese tearoom on the fourth floor. Low tables, adorned with intricate artifacts, stood on tatami mats, which were spread across the floor. We had pre-lit the interview but as we were running a little late we asked Shoko if she minded that we got straight on with it. Without blinking or moving any facial muscles she nodded in agreement.

What first surprised me was how much the camera loved her. While in real life she seemed incredibly frail, almost brittle, but on camera she seemed angelic, poised and beautiful. But looking pretty wasn’t why we were there. It was her life story that was tragically fascinating because this young woman had been through so much at the hands of the notorious yakuza.

Over the course of an intense hour she told us about her father who was a crime lord. Her early years were strange but the family enjoyed luxurious times. Then, by her mid-teens, her father fell behind on payments and she was pressured by a gangster to pay off the family debt by becoming his mistress. She eventually escaped from him, only to end up with another boyfriend who beat her regularly and severely. But when she got pregnant it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened and from the moment her child was born, she managed to transform her life. She wrote a best-selling memoir about her terrible exploits.

Spellbound, we got to the end of the interview and I for one was tearful for the journey she’d just taken us on. But now the most difficult thing of all. We knew that as a response to years of abuse that she had decided to be tattooed just like male yakuza, which meant her entire body. We had to ask to see and film her tattoos.

Our translator talked her through what we needed but surprisingly she agreed without hesitation. She told Chako that she wanted to give us her full story and that the tattoos were part of that story. So, with her back to the camera she slowly removed her gown, revealing one of the most intricate tattoos I had ever seen. In the center of her back there was an incredible image of a woman with a dagger gripped in her mouth. I asked what that represented. Without blinking Shoko looked straight at me and through the translator she said, “It is called the Prostitute from Hell”. At that moment I knew that this image and Shoko’s interview would become the centerpiece of the film. It was an extraordinary end to a truly moving story.

Yakuza Web Blog

By Calder Greenwood – Co-Director

During our search for real-life yakuza members to interview, we were informed
of an ex-yakuza turned pastor, who ran a Pentecostal church in Saitama, just
outside of Tokyo. The church was a renovated bar called the June Bride, owned
by his mother. We took a few trains and a taxi to leave the city proper, noticing
the lights and sounds got less intense the farther away we traveled. June Bride
was located on the corner of a quiet street, and only the faint organ sounds
coming from inside suggested it was anything other than a bar. We met Tatsuya
Shindo, the pastor, and witnessed a wedding ceremony scheduled for that night.
He seemed a capable and sincere preacher, and held the room’s attention for
the sermon. It wasn’t until after the ceremony that he showed us his traditional
irezumi tattoos and severed pinkie finger, cut off in penance to his oyabun
(boss) for a mistake made while still a yakuza. He was sent to prison, and while
inside found God, and the rest is history.

After the interview he joined us for dinner at a restaurant across the street,
during which we explained in greater detail the nature of our documentary. He
mentioned he knew yakuza – friends from childhood who remained in the faction
- who might be willing to meet us. Within five minutes of making a phone call
they arrived, living only a few blocks away. The second the shoji door to our
private room slid open, you could feel the presence of these men. There was
a palpable sense not of danger, but of respect. The way one might look away
from the gaze of a wild animal when there’s no fence to ensure your safety.
As they walked in they immediately became the alpha dogs, and we all bowed to
show our respect. Since Shindo had known them for so long, his casual relationship
with them helped to ease the tension in the room, and drinks were quickly poured.
Shindo explained who we were and what we were doing in Saitama, and as it turned
out they were familiar with the National Geographic Channel, and often watched
it in their yakuza office.

Within 30 minutes we were already conducting a private interview in the next
room over, in which both men opened up about their experiences from the inside,
and showed us their tattoos. When the interviews were over, as it was too late
to catch a train back to Tokyo, they called a taxi for us and personally saw
us off. The hour-long ride back was one in which we all marveled at the situation
we managed to find ourselves in that day, as it was our first encounter with
real-life yakuza. But it wasn’t to be our last…

Yakuza Web Blogs

By: Aaron Even – Writer

“I’m sorry, I can’t speak on the record.”

This was the comment made over and over again when we attempted to broach the
subject of the yakuza’s involvement in the world of high finance. It’s apparently
a deep involvement, and one I was interested in exploring as we sailed over
the Pacific Ocean at thirty thousand feet. But on the ground in Tokyo, it quickly
became clear that this wasn’t going to be an easy task.

The truth about the yakuza is that the image we have of them—thuggish swagger,
tattoos, funny hairdos—no longer matches the reality very well. As one financial
expert told me, there are really two different types of yakuza in today’s Japan.
The low-level bruisers and extortionists are the bottom of the barrel. They’re
an annoyance perhaps, but ultimately inconsequential. The real threat comes
from what this expert called, “the Abramovich yakuza” (a reference to Russian
billionaire Roman Abramovich ), sophisticated, intellectual types who understand
the world of stock markets and multinational corporations.

The yakuza are no fools: they go where the money is. It’s ultimately a simple
proposition that is familiar to virtually every modern business—what’s best
for your bottom line? Is it more profitable to control street-level prostitution
or run a chain of internet pornography websites? Do you make more from extorting
corner bars or defrauding major corporations and banks? To give a few examples
of this recent evolution in the yakuza’s “corporate strategy,” last year several
companies were delisted from Japan’s stock markets due to alleged involvement
with the yakuza. Major financial institutions and banks have gone broke after
being looted by yakuza predators, which often operate from the inside.

So what kind of money are we talking about? In all, this financial expert estimates
the two biggest yakuza syndicates, Yamaguchi-gumi and Sumiyoshi-kai, to have
assets worth $100 billion. And that’s just a ballpark figure.

If such numbers are correct, clearly that’s a major concern for millions of
investors around the world. For executives, it’s got to be a nightmare. Not
only could you wake up to find your company has been defrauded by some shady
yakuza-run scheme, but if you’re unlucky enough you may experience the bribery
or blackmail that often enough leads to suicides in Japan.

That particular point was driven home numerous times during interviews. There
are suicides, and there are “suicides”—the ones no one believes in, that are
too convenient, or that prevent some public exposure of private wrongdoing.
Scary stuff, if you happen to be a target.

So if all that’s true, why isn’t it a major part of our show? Ultimately the
answer is found in the first line of this blog. When no one wants to speak on
the record, it becomes very difficult for us as filmmakers to tell that particular
story. Facts become hard to verify. And even harder to portray in a visual medium.
On top of that, the sheer complexity of yakuza financial schemes makes them
challenging to understand, much less convey in a matter of minutes. So in the
end, although it makes for fascinating reading, it didn’t translate to the screen.
That’s too bad, in a way, because it’s an important truth about the yakuza that
deserves more attention. However, my hope is that if you’re interested in this
show, you’ll pick up a book or read an article or two, and begin to learn just
how far-ranging and fascinating Japan’s world of organized crime really is.

Crime Lords Of Tokyo

Blog by Philip J Day – Director/Producer/Writer

I owe a lot to Mr. Lee! Without his bravery I doubt we would have had such an interesting story to tell. Let me explain.

In September 2010, I was in Tokyo with a small crew making a documentary for National Geographic about the Japanese mafia known as the yakuza. With over 80,000 members it is one of the largest organized crime groups in the world. We have read that extortion is their typical source of income and that no one in Japan is immune from this “protection” racket. But while it seems most Japanese know about the yakuza few are prepared to discuss them.

We only had three weeks to get inside this secretive and dangerous world. So, we cast our net wide. Through a contact, I heard about a Chinese restaurant owner in Tokyo’s red light area who had talked on record about having to pay protection money to the yakuza.

I had our translator contact him and the next night we traveled to meet him at his restaurant in Tokyo’s red light district called Kabukicho. This bizarre world of neon and erotica sees Barbie doll-types tout for business outside garishly lit clubs where foreigners often aren’t allowed. Men in black suits and sharp haircuts stand guard, looking menacing to all who pass by. We are told many of them are yakuza. It makes me slightly nervous to walk among such overt displays of criminal activity, especially as we are there to look inside their world.

Xiao Mu Lee’s restaurant was on the fourth floor of a typically narrow building, where the tiny elevator can barely fit two of us. We enter a world of loud noise, smoke and rushing waiters they squeeze past us carrying trays of exotic dishes, beer and sake. Two Chinese chefs prepare Asian food in deep woks – flames and steam bellows from their tiny kitchen. The clientele is mainly Asian businessmen and the owner seems to know them all.

We meet Mr. Lee, who is slim, good looking, with a broad smile. The chain-smoking, flamboyant 50-year-old tells us he was a professional ballet dancer in Beijing before coming to Tokyo to open a restaurant 20 years ago. He has written 15 novels, which he shows us in a cabinet adorned with books and photographs of him. We tell him who we are and that we’re looking for a genuine insight into the yakuza. He tells us he has much to tell us but tonight he is busy, so to come back the following evening with our cameras. Before we leave I notice that he is talking to two heavy set looking guys – after a few moments he hands them an envelope – which the older one pockets, they bow and leave the building ahead of us.

The next night, and somewhat anxiously, we return with our cameras. Mr. Lee tells us some incredible inside secrets about how the yakuza operate, how they keep from being busted by the cops and how they extort money from local businesses like his own. Members of the local yakuza drop by once a month to accept a “donation” for “protection.” Once, several years earlier, Mr. Lee tells us he was kidnapped and beaten by gang members for a “misunderstanding.”

I ask Mr. Lee if he is worried about telling us these things on camera. He assures that he has a good relationship with the yakuza and as long as he plays by the rules of mentioning no names he will be “protected.” Not only does Mr. Lee give us an astonishing interview but over the next few days he will introduce us to a host of characters, including a yakuza boss, who transform our investigation from an academic study to being a genuine inside look at this most secretive world. Like I said, I owe a lot to Mr. Lee.

Crime Lords Of Tokyo

Blog by Philip J Day – Director/Producer/Writer

The flamboyant Chinese restaurant owner, Mr. Lee, tells me he is not afraid of the yakuza. But I ask him does he feel comfortable to be seen on T.V. saying negative things about the notorious gangsters? As way of confirmation he signs our release documents without hesitation. He also tells me that he will try to get us an interview with a real yakuza boss. To be honest, I don’t really believe him but I am certainly prepared to give it a try.

The next day we arrive at the restaurant to that find Mr. Lee has been entertaining a large group of Chinese clients and seems to have enjoyed the celebrations himself. We wait for him to finish with his clients but I fear that the promised yakuza boss introduction is unlikely to materialize. Finally, he says his goodbyes to his clients and turns his attentions to us. Surprisingly, he says he wants us to film him giving us a guided tour of the red light area – Kabukicho – a place notorious for yakuza gangs.

Mr. Lee tells me it’s his neighborhood and that we shouldn’t be afraid. Somewhat apprehensively, I agree. For the next half hour we follow the eccentric and often hilarious Mr. Lee as he careens from shop to restaurant to sex-club, telling us that this restaurant pays extortion money, that this shop sells illegal sex, and that this group of men are all yakuza. He seems fearless, and some might say, reckless. Although it makes for a remarkable scene on camera, I wonder if it will get us all into trouble.

At the end of his tour of the narrow neon lit streets we arrive at a small insignificant restaurant. As we follow Mr. Lee inside with our cameras still rolling a thick set man in his fifties immediately stands up and urgently signals us to stop filming, which we do. It turns out that he is a bodyguard and that the neat, quiet gentleman sitting next to him is none other than the vice president of one of the main yakuza gangs. Not only is he perfectly charming but he also agrees to be interviewed on camera. Incredibly, Mr. Lee has been good to his word. We pile into two cabs and 15 minutes later we are back at Mr. Lee’s restaurant interviewing this powerful yakuza leader.

The boss gives us an incredibly open interview. He answers every question and tells us he has nothing to hide, including his identity. The trim 70-year-old tells us about his childhood; why he joined the yakuza, and the strict code that every member must live by. It is called gokudo and commits each member to a lifelong service. At the end of our questions he even strips off his jacket and shirt to show us his full-body tattoo. The work is quite incredible. He tells us he has followed a life of strict discipline, no alcohol and the regular practice of kendo. Even at this age he is clearly not to be messed with.

Finally I broach the sensitive subject of signing our release form. Nervously I hand him the document, which is written in both English and Japanese. Without hesitation he pulls out a pen from his expensive jacket and signs his name, puts down his contact details and gives his business card. Then without further ado he bows to each of us and, together with his bodyguard, he disappears into the night.

My crew and I look at each other in total awe of what has just taken place. This was the gold ribbon interview that we had come to find, and one of key elements that, I think, makes this documentary a fascinating insight into a dark, shadowy and strictly disciplined world.

Credits

EXPLORER: Gangland Tokyo

Producer

PHILIP J. DAY

Directors

PHILIP J. DAY
CALDER GREENWOOD

Writers

PHILIP J. DAY
AARON EVEN

Editor

AARON MCADAMS

Directors of Photography

ROBIN PROBYN
KRIS DENTON
PHILIP J. DAY
CALDER GREENWOOD
COLIN HARGRAVES

Original Music

CHRISTOPHER RIFE

Narrator

J.V. MARTIN

Production Coordinator, Edge West

ERIN SHULSINGER

First Assistant Director

JEREMY GILBREATH

Second Assistant Director

J.P. OUELLETTE
DYLAN MATLOCK

Production Designer

CLARE BROWN

Art Director

FRANK BOLLINGER

Lead Man

DONNIE BIGGS

Set Decorators

PATRICK NUGENT

Art Swing

BRIAN SKALA

Property Master

SAMO TUSAK

Scenic Painter

SARAH COOK

Art Department Intern

VACLAV HAVLIK

Sound Recordists

SHINICHI MORISHITA
STEVE YASUI
MICHAEL KOMAGATA

Costume Designer

TAMMIE MARIE HICKS

Wardrobe Supervisor

AMBER LYNN

Set Costumes

JENNIFER HOUSLEY

Key Makeup Artist

LORRAINE MARTIN

Assistant Hair and Makeup

LAUREN ENSDORF

Assistant Camera

TYLER HARRISON

Still Photographers

MICHAEL JACOBSON
DESIREE STONE

Chief Lighting Technician

ED JOYCE

Best Boy Electric

JASON NORMAN

Electrician

IGOR TOCHILNIKOV

Key Grip

CASEY SLADE

Grips

YOSHI ISOMURA
OMAR PENA
JASON MCCANN

Casting Director

J.P. OUELLETTE

Actors

RUKA NAGASHIMA
MATTHEW LOCKERBY
GIANCARLO SOTTO
STEPHANIE YOON
JACOB YOON
JASMIN CURRE
ALICE WEN
CARY YOSHIO MIZOBE
LISA YAMADA
TERUMI SHIMAZU
MIDORI OKADA
GEORGE CHENG
CYNDEE SAN LUIS
LEAH PARK
ALPHA TAKAHASHI
MASAMI KOSAKA
JOSHUA SHIBATA
MARCUS NATIVIDAD
PETER MAI
DOUG WENG
TAKAHIRO FUKUDA
HY MIZUTANI
JOE BLATCHFORD
BENJAMIN KIM
DIANNE QUIRANTE
WESTLEY LE NGUYEN
BRIAN IKEDA
BRIAN FONG
WAYMOND LEE
CHON LEE
RUSSELL LE
JOHN PAUL ROMEO
BILLY WONG
KENNY KNOLL
Shinichiro Shimizu
Ralph Chan
TJ Maeda
Osamu Saito
Douglas Hachiya
Christian Mikkelson
Jim Chang
FUMI KITAHARA
CARY ALAN
NICK EPSTEIN
DANA J. STROM
KELLI GRIGGS

Transportation Captain

JIM KOSHAK

Drivers

DANIEL STOILOV

MIKE RENO

Post Production Supervisor, Edge West

DANA J. STROM

Fixer, Japan

CHAKO BELLAMY

Translator

MASAYO SODEYAMA

Key Production Assistant

COURTNEY KELLY

Key Set Production Assistant

MARLON “GOOSE” WALL

Production Assistants

LISA KATAYAMA
SABINE BRINK
CHRISTIAN MIKKELSON
KELLY RYAN
KATIE KEARNEY

Stage Manager

RALPH LLITERAS

Post Production Assistant

KELLI GRIGGS

Production Controller

MELISSA M. QUEVEDO

Production Accountants

KATIE GREENFIELD
COLLEEN WONG

Online Editor

JENNIFER MACFARLANE

Colorist

MATT LEAR

Sound Mixer / Sound Designer

JEREMY SOHL

Catering

BULLS-EYE CATERING

Main Title Design

NGT ART & ANIMATION
PIXELDUST STUDIOS

Visual Effects Supervisor

CALDER GREENWOOD

For National Geographic Television

Production Coordinators

DANYA HAKEEM
BILL GABLER

Senior Researcher

JOHNNA L. FLAHIVE

Director, Research

TODD HERMANN

Production Coordinator, Explorer & Specials

ANNA DERRYBERRY

Specialist, Production Rights & Clearances

KATIE LEE

Manager, Production Rights & Clearances

MARLENE WALKER-GOLDEN

Post Production Supervisor

DEBBIE NATHANSON

Post Production Coordinator

MINSEOK CHO

Specialist, Facilities & Scheduling

SARAH ELLISON

Manager, Post Production & MediaCore Scheduling

MARCIE CALLAHAN

Director, Post Production Operations

BRADEN MCILVAINE

Director, Production Rights & Clearances

CATHERINE YELLOZ

Director, Production Operations

ROSEANNE LOPOPOLO

Line Producer, Explorer & Specials

HILARY BURKE

Senior Producer

MAX SALOMON

Executive Producer

ROBERT ZAKIN

Senior Executive Producer, Explorer & Specials

JONATHAN HALPERIN

Vice President, Specials Development

MALVINA MARTIN

Senior Vice President, Business Development & Operations

DEBBIE LONDON-HARRINGTON

Senior Vice President, Standards & Practices

SCOTT WYERMAN

Executive Vice President, Production

KATHY DAVIDOV

Executive Vice President, Development

MARYANNE CULPEPPER

President, NGT

MICHAEL ROSENFELD

Special Thanks

*NATIONAL POLICE AGENCY (KEISATSU-CHO), JAPAN

*RITZ CARLTON, TOKYO

*LINDA BELTRAN

*MALUGO CO., LTD.

*MASAYO SODEYAMA

*MIURA COMPANY LTD.

*BRETT BULL

*MITCH MURATA

*MALIK KUSTERS

*FILM L.A., INC.

*THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES

*CENTRAL CITY STUDIO

*BonoLabs, LLC

Stock Footage

*Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert

*WPA Film Library

*Associated Press

*Defense Imagery Management Operations Center at Riverside, California

*TOMOHIKO SUZUKI

*Aflo Co., Ltd.

*National archives

For National Geographic Channels

Executive Producer

KATHLEEN CROMLEY

Senior Vice President, Production

JULIET BLAKE

Production Manager

LEANNE DANIELSON

Unit Manager

DREW BARROW

Production Coordinator

MARION ASHLEY SAID

Executive in Charge of Production

STEVE BURNS

Produced by EDGE WEST, LLC in association with NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TELEVISION for NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNELS

Alcatraz on CBS San Francisco

admin — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:40:59 +0000

February 8, 2011 – Original Article

Investigator Says 1962 Alcatraz Escapees Likely Survived

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) – Nearly five decades after the most famous escape attempt from Alcatraz, the investigation continues into the disappearance of three fugitive inmates. One of the men continuing the search tells CBS 5 there is a good chance the men escaped “The Rock” alive.

Frank Morris, Clarence Anglin and his brother John Anglin escaped their cells through vent systems on Alcatraz on the night of June 11^th, 1962. The men left dummy heads in their beds and scrambled up a series of pipes, ran across the prison roof and may have inflated a raft before heading towards shore. The men were never found, and for years have been presumed dead.

“We just don’t give up looking for anybody,” said Supervising Deputy Mike Dyke of the U.S. Marshals Service. “I think probably the brothers lived… but there’s a chance that all three of them could have lived and they just split up once they left. There’s no body recovered. I can’t close the case.”

Dyke has been working on the case since 2003.

“Some teletypes that indicate there was possibly a raft recovered on Angel Island…the day after the escape – and one of them mentioned footprints leading away from the raft,” said Dyke. “They came across an oar, a paddle…right off the coast, about 50 yards from the shore of Angel Island.”

“They determined the oar was made on Alcatraz. There was one oar left behind and this one was an exact match,” he continued.

The issue of the raft is key. If they made it to land, and avoided the cold water, their chances of survival were greatly improved.

“There’s still a chance. You can’t rule out the fact that they died. But you can’t rule out the fact that they lived. That’s why we still have the warrants for them,” said Dyke.

The only problem is that no actual raft was ever found on Angel Island, there was only teletype evidence from the FBI. But if the men made it safely to land, there is still a chance they are alive today.

Clarence Anglin would be 79, his brother John would be 80, and Morris would be 84.

The National Geographic Channel is scheduled to air a documentary Wednesday night based on Dyke’s investigation.

Alcatraz Premiere on New York Post

admin — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:00:39 +0000

February 9, 2011 – Original Article

Nat Geo’s new documentary, “Vanished From Alcatraz,” airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. and uncovers new evidence that some prisoners thought to have died while trying to escape — actually made it to freedom . . .

Alcatraz on Suite101.com

admin — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 15:48:24 +0000

Original Article by Francine Brokaw – February 4, 2011

This film examines the possibility that three prisoners did escape from Alcatraz.

Alcatraz was called “America’s most secure federal penitentiary.” There was one guard for every three prisoners. The prison was surrounded on all sides by torturous water. Alcatraz was an island. The Rock. Vanished From Alcatraz is a new documentary that looks at the one incident that has baffled investigators for decades.

Planning the Escape

On the night of June 11, 1962 three prisoners began their elaborate escape from Alcatraz. They had meticulously planned every detail and had been working on the plan for a long time. They even made replicas of their own heads with real human hair brought up from the barber shop. They placed these heads on their bunks and covered them up to their chins because there were constant bed checks in the prison. All night long guards would make sure each prisoner was accounted for. But it was not until the next morning that they discovered three of the prisoners were gone.

Alcatraz is surrounded by icy rough water and strong currents. People who tried to escape from there in the past never made it due to the frigid water. The three prisoners planned ahead. They created lifejackets and a raft from raincoats. This gave them an advantage over those who tried before them. These three thought everything through to the minutest detail.

Did They Make it?

So, did they make it to freedom? No one is certain. In 1979 the FBI handed off the case to the U.S. Marshall’s office and they are still looking into the events of that night. A fourth convict who was supposed to join the trio never made it to the rendezvous site on time. He told officials that the group was going to head through the water to Angel Island, then to the mainland.

According to some records, a raft was discovered on Angel Island. But this fact was hidden from the officials for quite some time. There was also a report of a stolen car that night, which could have been used by the escapees.

Frank Morris and John and Clarence Anglin were career criminals and as far as the officials know, they have stayed off the grid if they did make it out alive. To some investigators this would have been a feat in itself as these three men were hard-core.

There was also a report of a body floating in the water that might be one of the escapees. Could DNA prove this theory? The U.S. Marshall’s office is still investigating this baffling case. They have been following leads through the years and will not close the files on these three escapees until their 100th birthday. Until that time, they are still being hunted.

So, did the three prisoners make it to freedom or did they perish in the icy water of the San Francisco Bay? This documentary examines both theories.

In 1979 Clint Eastwood starred in the movie Escape from Alcatraz in which he played Frank Morris. This renewed interest in the case. Over twenty years later it is still an open investigation.

Vanished from Alcatraz premiers Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 9 pm ET/PT on National Geographic Channel

Nasca Lines Press

admin — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:49:52 +0000

Born To Rage Press

admin — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:39:41 +0000

Broadcast

“The Carson Daly Show” – Thursday, December 9

Interview with interview with Nat Geo Explorer and Special Correspondent Henry Rollins along with branded footage and tune in to promote “Explorer: Born to Rage” premiering tonight, December 14 at 10 PM ET/PT.

View the clip here: http://tinyurl.com/24qufrj

Print

- USA Today (major feature)

- Entertainment Weekly (Review/highlight)

- Washington Post (Highlight)

- Los Angeles Times (Highlight)

- Express (United Features Syndicate – will run in newspapers across the country)

- Chattanooga Times Free Press (Feature)

Radio

29 radio interviews with: Henry Rollins: 3 Large Nationals and 26 Regional including:

- The Dennis Miller Show – NATIONALLY SYNDICATED
- United Radio Station- National Geographic Weekend – NATIONALLY SYNDICATED
- WBUR-AM – Here and Now – NATIONALLY SYNDICATED NPR Affiliate – Boston, MA
- XM Sirius WTKS-FM – The Buckethead Show – NATIONALLY SYNDICATED – 100,000 Watts. #1 News Talk Radio Station in Orlando, FL
- KFBK-AM – The KFBK Morning News – 50,000 Watts #1 Station Overall and #1 News Talk Radio Station in Sacramento, CA
- KOMO-AM – 50,000 Watts. #2 News Talk Radio Station in Seattle, WA
- Southern California Public Radio 89.3 KPCC; 89.1 KUOR-FM; 90.3 KPCV – All Things Considered – NPR Affiliate – Los Angeles, CA
- WLVQ-FM – Wags & Elliot – #5 Radio Station in Columbus, OH
- WPTF- AM – Bill LuMaye – 50,000 watts. #1 News Talk Radio Station in Raleigh-Durham, NC. #6 Radio Station in Raleigh-Durham, NC

Digital

Category	Site	Date of Coverage	Type of Coverage	URL
Music	Blabbermouth	12/7/10	Tune-In with Video	http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=150491
Music	Brave Words	12/6/10	Tune-In with Video	http://www.bravewords.com/news/151796
Entertainment	Bullz-Eye	12/10/10	Henry Rollins interview	http://www.bullz-eye.com/television/interviews/2010/henry_rollins.htm
TV	Cinema Blend	12/2/10	Tune-In with Video	http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Explorer-Born-Rage-Preview-Does-Henry-Rollins-Have-Warrior-Gene-28550.html
TV	Examiner.com – DC TV	12/13/10	Tune-In with Video	http://www.examiner.com/tv-in-washington-dc/video-henry-rollins-explores-rage-gene-on-nat-geo-s-explorer
Music	Examiner.com – SF Music	11/29/10	Tune-In	http://www.examiner.com/music-news-in-san-francisco/henry-rollins-hosts-two-specials-for-national-geographic-channels
Entertainment	Gawker TV	12/14/10	Henry Rollins interview	http://tv.gawker.com/5712944/henry-rollins-on-the-warrior-gene-tsa-security-and-our-possible-minority-report-future
TV	IMDb TV	11/29/10	Link to M&C mention	http://www.imdb.com/news/ni5836507/
TV – Sci Fi	io9	12/13/10	Tune-In with Video	http://io9.com/5712805/robot-chicken-star-wars-returns-plus-the-big-bang-theory-crew-as-the-jla
Entertainment – Men	Man Up, Bro!	12/3/10	Tune-In with Video (via Stereogum)	http://manupbro.blogspot.com/2010/12/henry-rollins-investigates-anger.html
TV	Monsters and Critics	11/29/10	Tune-In	http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1602259.php/Henry-Rollins-on-Nat-Geo-Explorer-Born-to-Rage-Dec-14
Entertainment	Multipleverses	12/3/10	Tune-In with Videos	http://multipleverses.com/2010/12/03/nat-geo-explorer-born-to-rage/
Music	Nerdcore	12/3/10	Tune-In with Video (via Stereogum)	http://www.nerdcore.de/wp/2010/12/03/henry-rollins-and-the-warrior-gene/
TV	Real Television	12/4/10	Tune-In with Video	http://www.realtelevision.net/2010/12/04/explorer-born-to-rage/
TV	Remote Patrol	12/14/10	Review with Tune-In	http://tunein2nite.blogspot.com/2010/12/henry-rollins-and-real-mad-men.html
Music	Rock NYC	12/8/10	Tune-In with Video	http://www.rocknycliveandrecorded.com/2010/12/henry-rolins-was-he-literally-born-to.html
TV	San Francisco Chronicle Culture Blog	12/13/10	Tune-In with Video	http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/culture/detail?entry_id=78911
TV	Scooter McGavin’s 9th Green	12/10/10	Tune-In with Video	http://scooterksu.blogspot.com/2010/12/around-tubes-vol-lxxvii.html
Entertainment	Shallow Nation	12/8/10	Tune-In with Videos	http://www.shallownation.com/2010/12/08/national-geographic-explorer-born-to-rage-with-henry-rollins-video-photos/
Music	Sound Spike	12/2/10	Tune-In	http://www.soundspike.com/news/tour/1157-henry_rollins_tour_henry_rollins_celebrates_his_50th_birthday.html
Music	Stereogum	12/3/10	Tune-In with Videos	http://stereogum.com/591591/henry-rollins-tests-toughness-of-harley-repairmen/video/
Entertainment – DC	TBD.com	12/1/10	Tune-In with Videos	http://www.tbd.com/blogs/tbd-arts/2010/12/henry-rollins-searches-for-the-root-of-his-anger-video–5343.html
Entertainment – DC	TBD.com	12/6/10	Tune-In with Video of Warrior Gene Test	http://www.tbd.com/blogs/tbd-arts/2010/12/do-i-have-the-warrior-gene-was-i-born-to-rage-video–5548.html
Entertainment – DC	TBD.com	12/14/10	Henry Rollins interview	http://www.tbd.com/blogs/tbd-arts/2010/12/henry-rollins-is-angry-but-is-it-genetic–5917.html
Entertainment	USA Today – PopCandy	12/9/10	Tune-In with Videos	http://content.usatoday.com/communities/popcandy/post/2010/12/henry-rollins-goes-in-search-of-the-warrior-gene/1
TV	Warming Glow	12/2/10	Tune-In with Video	http://warmingglow.uproxx.com/2010/12/henry-rollins-on-nat-geo-anger-violence-and-the-warrior-gene
TV	Warming Glow	12/14/10	Henry Rollins interview	http://warmingglow.uproxx.com/2010/12/the-wg-interview-henry-rollins
Music	What the F Have You Done?	12/4/10	Tune-In with Video (via Stereogum)	http://idealistpropaganda.blogspot.com/2010/12/henry-rollins-and-warrior-gene.html

Born To Rage

admin — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:04:18 +0000

Why does our modern world remain so violent? Explorer’s Inside the Warrior Gene examines the work of a new breed of scientists who believe the answer may lie not in society, but in our DNA. Research has identified a specific gene, known as the Warrior Gene, which is being increasingly associated with violent behavior. And it’s shockingly common: one in three men in the U.S. have the mutant gene.

Ex-punk rocker turned commentator Henry Rollins has struggled with violent feelings and a quick temper all his life. From fist fights at school to venting his rage as front man for the California punk band, Black Flag, to his current spoken word performances, Henry is an angry man. But he’s confused about where his anger comes from, and why he feels so different from others. He always put it down to the environment in which he was raised. But after finding out about the Warrior Gene, Henry is a man on a mission. He wants to know if his anger has to do with his upbringing or if it’s inside him, part of his DNA.

Henry enlists the help of a colorful group of characters to find out who else might have the Warrior Gene and how it’s affected their lives. A gang of outlaw bikers, like Paul, who was shot, stabbed and run over, and in return shot his assailant repeatedly. Surely Paul has “the warrior gene?” Or a group of Mixed Martial Arts fighters, who beat up each other for a living, would seem to be ideal candidates for the mutant gene. Or reformed gang members, twins Hector and Gilbert, who, without proper parenting, became the scariest and most dangerous kids on the block. Then there’s Dick Butkus, football Hall-of-Famer, widely regarded as the toughest and greatest linebacker of all time: surely he carries the warrior gene mutation? Or what about a peace-loving group of devout Buddhist monks or the chief executive of a large and successful company: surely they don’t have the gene? They all take a DNA test, which provides surprising results.

The link between the Warrior Gene and violence was first made after a 1990 study of an incredibly violent family in Holland. Most of the male members of this family had committed rapes, arsons and assaults, and the women were terrified of being around them. It turned out the males had a total absence of the MAOA gene – a gene known for distributing calming drugs like serotonin and dopamine to the brain. It has taken a further twenty years for researchers to understand the connection to mutations of the MAOA gene. But now the evidence seems irrefutable that those with a shortened or mutated MAOA gene have tendencies towards violence.

When the results of the DNA tests are in, the audience will be surprised–even shocked–at who has the Warrior Gene and who doesn’t. It reveals that the quest to understand human behavior will neither be quick nor easy. Inside the Warrior Gene is a thrilling descent deep into the genetic makeups of some very violent people. It’s not an easy journey, but this Explorer Special could be at the frontier of answering some of mankind’s oldest questions: who are we? And do we control our own destiny, or does it control us? Inside the Warrior Gene is a journey we should force ourselves to take.

Vanished From Alcatraz

admin — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:13:09 +0000

It’s a legendary disappearing act—and one of the most complex prison breaks in history. On June 11 1962, Frank Lee Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin managed to break out of fortress-like Alcatraz Island federal penitentiary and brave the rough, freezing waters of the San Francisco Bay in a handmade raft. Their masterful plan employed contraband tools, dummy heads made from soap and human hair, life jackets sewn from raincoats, and an ingenious combination of opportunism and careful planning.

Today we know exactly how they made it out of the cell block and down to the water’s edge. But nobody knows what happened next.

Despite one of the largest manhunts in U.S. history, Morris and the Anglins were never seen again, and for nearly 50 years people have assumed the trio drowned.

But the US Marshals aren’t convinced, and if anyone can find the elusive Alcatraz escapees, they can. America’s oldest federal law enforcement agency is charged with tracking down three of the country’s most elusive fugitives. The Marshals never give up on an open case—and for Deputy US Marshal Michael Dyke, the Alcatraz case is very much open for business.

We’ll go inside the Marshals’ investigation, into this decades-old case, and learn what striking new evidence has convinced Michael Dyke that at least one of the fugitives may have survived the escape. It’s a revelation that overturns basic assumptions about this infamous case. Retired and active deputy marshals will also share their war stories, revealing for the first time the most incredible, tantalizing, and strangest leads they’ve chased down over the years. Hear about two escapees attending a family funeral dressed as women, bodies allegedly buried deep in the Seattle woods, and a set of exhumed human remains that may just belong to mastermind Frank Morris.

Would the bay’s strong tides really have swept the prisoners out to sea? One coastal engineer with the US Army Corps of Engineers doesn’t think so. Is it true the prisoners’ raft was never recovered? New evidence calls that into question. More than a fascinating look into this legendary prison break, this Undercover History hour is a revealing look at the US Marshals and the complex work involved in their search for some of America’s most notorious fugitives.

Nasca Lines: The Buried Secrets

admin — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:25:02 +0000

In southern Peru lies one of mankind’s greatest mysteries – 1000′s of giant shapes etched into the desert sands. We reveal who made them and why.

Produced & Directed by Philip J Day
Edge West Productions
for National Geographic
Nasca Lines: The Buried Secrets on National Geographic

Etched, as if by giants, onto the arid moonscape of Peru’s southern desert lies one of man’s greatest mysteries; the Nasca Lines. More than 15,000 geometric and animal-like patterns have been discovered criss-crossing the pampas like a vast puzzle. Who built them and what was their purpose? Ancient racetracks, landing strips for aliens, or perhaps a giant astronomical calendar? And are the Lines connected to the gruesome discovery of large cache’s of severed human heads. Now, after decades of misunderstanding, modern archaeology may finally have the answer.

Excavations in the surrounding mountains are uncovering extraordinary clues about the people who made them and why. A long since vanished people, called the Nasca, flourished here between 200BC and 700AD. But the harsh environment led them to extreme measures in order to survive.

Archaeologist Christina Conlee recently made an extraordinary find: the skeleton of a young male, ceremonially buried but showing gruesome evidence of decapitation. In place of the missing human head, a ceramic “head jar” decorated with a striking image of a decapitated head with a tree sprouting from its skull.

Conlee wonders who this person was? Why was he beheaded and yet buried with honor. Was he a captive taken in battle, or could he have been a willing sacrifice? And did his decapitation have anything to do with the lines? The discovery of large caches of human heads adds grisly weight to Conlee’s theories and helps unravel on of man’s great mysteries.

The Skyjacker That Got Away

admin — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:14:04 +0000

Was DB Cooper a modern day Robin Hood or a hardened criminal? This film had the best ratings ever in the long-running Undercover History series on Nat Geo.

Produced & Directed by Philip J Day
Edge West Productions
for National Geographic
The Skyjacker That Got Away

On the eve of Thanksgiving, 1971 a man calling himself Dan Cooper leapt out of the back of a commercial jet with a parachute, $200,000 in ransom money and was never seen again dead or alive. It remains the only unsolved hijacking in U.S. history and has frustrated the FBI for nearly forty years. Who was the daring skyjacker and did he survive the jump?

Then, in 1980, after nearly a decade of silence, a young boy finds $5800 of the original ransom money buried in a sandbar of the Columbia River, nearly thirty miles from the calculated drop zone. Did Dan Cooper bury the money? Or did the three bundles of cash suggest that Cooper had perished that night?

Now for the first time in FBI history a team of citizen sleuths is using modern forensic science to unravel the mystery of D.B. Cooper.

Using state-of-the-art forensic technology, can the small amount of Cooper’s ransom money, found in 1980, provide the lead they have been missing? Can the tie, left on the plane, and presumed to be Cooper’s, reveal more secrets about where the hijacker came from? Or will one of the many suspects put forward compare with the DNA traces on file and prove to be DB Cooper.

Great Escape: The Final Secrets

admin — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:15:01 +0000

How a covert US Military operation fooled the Germans to help 73 prisoners of war escape in one of World War 2′s greatest untold stories.

Produced & Directed by Philip J Day
Edge West Productions
for National Geographic
Great Escape: The Final Secrets on National Geographic

It remains one of the greatest stories of heroism of World War II. Seventy-five men tunneled out of the Nazi’s most secure POW camp to wreak havoc on the German countryside. But who was the invisible hand that had reached out to help in the Great Escape. Now after nearly seventy years the true story can at last be told of how a handful of unsung heroes assisted the most famous escape of the war.

The top-secret unit run from Virginia was known as MIS-X and the handful of soldiers sworn to life-long silence assisted escape attempts from all 64 German camps scattered across Eastern Europe. The Prisoners of War received contraband successfully smuggled into the camps through packages sent by factitious organizations run out of Fort Hunt. But MIS-X also transformed the POW’s into spies along the barbwire front. The prisoners even escaped the camps to gather intelligence that was sent back to Fort Hunt in coded letters. But this jeopardized their status as POW’s with protections guaranteed under the Geneva Convention. That is why the operation remained one of the best-kept secrets of the war.

Lost Cities Of The Amazon

admin — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:01:37 +0000

This film examines one of the greatest tragedies in human history – the destruction of the Native Amerindians by European disease.

Produced & Directed by Philip J Day
Edge West Productions
for National Geographic
Lost Cities Of The Amazon on National Geographic

The Amazon is the largest tropical rain forest on the planet that until the twentieth century seemed untouched by man. But today, science is pealing back the canopy to reveal an untold history, one in which great swathes of the dense jungle were once gardens or farms, successfully managed by a huge and organized civilization. This new evidence suggests that legends of lost cities, like the mythical El Dorado, might be based in truth.

In 1542 conquistador Francesco de Orellana was searching for the mythical City of Gold, El Dorado, but got hopelessly lost. A diary kept of his epic adventure tells of a sophisticated population living in a network of gleaming white cities. But the diary was dismissed as a hoax. This film reconstructs his epic journey to discover the truth.

Today archeologist Eduardo Neves has found more than a hundred ancient sites around in central Amazon. Fertile man-made soil, more than a thousand years old, has been found all across the rainforest. The soil discovered would cover an area the size of France.

With the aid of satellite photographs archeologist Professor Michael Heckenerger has unveiled a huge complex of huge villages connected by 150 feet wide roads, into what he calls a ‘sprawling city like modern Los Angeles’. Today the Kuikuro tribe lives much as they did 500 years ago but their existence is being threatened by deforestation. Heckenberger reveals how these survived and prospered in the jungle and why they need help if they are to survive.

Tunnel To A Lost World

admin — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:55:26 +0000

Hailed as the best film of the year on television in Turkey, this film explores one of the greatest finds in the maritime world.

Produced & Directed by Philip J Day
Edge West Productions
for National Geographic
Tunnel To A Lost World on National Geographic

When engineers started building the deepest submerged tunnel in the world, along the worst fault line on the planet, they knew this would be a tough project. But the greatest challenge facing them didn’t lie in the future – it lay in the past. The discovery of the biggest maritime harbor in the ancient world has set about a $3billion dollar battle between modernizers and archeologists.

Istanbul was the capital of four Empires for two and a half thousand years. Straddling Europe and Asia across the Bosporus channel, this ancient city was uniquely placed to control the passage of people and goods from all over Europe. And today it’s no different. The Bosporus remains one of the busiest commuter and cargo shipping lanes in the world. But passage across the narrow Strait is slow. The new tunnel and connecting rail-line is the 21st Century answer. But in building the future, the past has come back to haunt it.

During excavation a few yards below ground level engineers discovered the largest harbor of ancient times – the 4th Century Theodosus’ Roman harbor. The recovery of more than thirty Byzantine ships makes this the biggest maritime find in history and the site is the largest archeological dig in the world. Five hundred people working shifts six days a week are trying to get the Tunnel project back on schedule. But they keep uncovering more and more incredible artifacts. Now it’s an incredible race against time before the engineers move back in.

The Real Roswell

admin — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:37:00 +0000

One of the most often played films on National Geographic, this film investigates the truth behind the famous alien legend of Roswell, New Mexico.

The Real Roswell on Nat Geo

On July 8th, 1947 the US military issued a press statement claiming to have recovered a ‘flying saucer’ on a ranch outside Roswell, New Mexico. It is the first and only time in American history that such a claim has been made. But just four hours later the Army made a counter-statement saying that all they’d recovered was the remains of a weather balloon.

For over thirty years the story remained dormant, not even mentioned in UFO literature. Then in 1978 retired Major, Jesse Marcel, gave an interview that kick-started the legend we know today as the Roswell Incident.

Back in 1947 Major Marcel had collected some of the ‘flying disk’ debris and had always been convinced that it was much more than just a weather balloon. After three decades of silence he decided it was time to reveal that the military had switched the debris he’d recovered.

His story opened the floodgates, and within a decade UFO authors had found dozens of eyewitnesses, offering sensational testimony of a long forgotten incident. By the end of the 1980’s the Roswell Incident had grown to mythic proportions with a crashed spaceship and its dead alien crew hidden for sixty-years by a secretive government.

Today the city of Roswell, New Mexico is the flourishing UFO capital of the world. Every street corner has a reminder that it’s the home of extraterrestrials. But does Roswell have any legitimate claim for such a unique status? Or is the public simply being sold a modern myth masquerading as fact?

No physical, nor documentary, evidence has ever emerged that proves an alien spaceship crashed sixty-years ago. Psychologists point out that eyewitness accounts are unreliable, especially memories of events from several decades earlier.

The Roswell Incident bears a suspicious resemblance to a story set four hundred miles away in Aztec, New Mexico. A non-fiction book ‘Beyond the Flying Saucers’, published in 1950, told of how a crashed alien spaceship and its dead crew were recovered and hidden at a secret military base. But within two years the story was recognized as a hoax. Is it coincidence that Roswell mirrors so much of the fictitious Aztec story?

The Real Roswell Conspiracy investigates the legend to reveal what really crashed in the New Mexico desert in 1947.

Inside Rio Carnaval

admin — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:42:01 +0000

The cameras take a unique peak behind the scenes at one of the world’s greatest parties. But underneath the glamour lies a bitter rivalry.

Rio Carnaval is ‘the greatest party on Earth’. Hundreds of thousands of tourists rub shoulders with Brazilians from all walks of life in street parades across this beautiful but dangerous city.

The centerpiece of the world’s most famous five-day party is the Samba Parade – a competition on a vast scale. Thirteen neighborhood samba groups, each with five thousand costumed local dancers, parade aboard vast themed floats down a half-mile avenue. Watching them are a panel of expert judges, a hundred thousand spectators, and a TV audience of nearly half a billion. It’s a place where dreams can be realized but also a place where hopes can be shattered.

Inside Rio Carnaval takes us on an extraordinary journey into the secret worlds of two intense rival Samba Schools competing for this year’s crown.

The story picks up four weeks till Parade Day and the clock is ticking for Cid Carvalho.

He’s the new Chief Designer for Vila Isabel, last year’s Grand Parade champions. The flamboyant designer is responsible for creating the entire look for his school’s parade. Each of the thirteen samba schools chose their own theme, which must be interpreted with great style on an epic scale by designers like Cid.

Cid’s creation is being built on a vast scale in secret at Samba City. This brand new warehouse complex brings all thirteen-samba schools together for the first time. Each school builds their extravagant interpretations behind closed doors and away from the prying eyes of other groups. Such close proximity is unique in Carnaval history and competition has never been so intense.

It’s Cid’s first year at Vila Isabel but he’s already won the title at another School three years in a row. If he wins the crown for his new Samba School he will be elevated to cult status. But, such is the cutthroat nature of the business, that if he loses he’ll be looking for a new job.

Fernanda De Sousa is a beautiful twenty-four year old dancer with Mangueira, the Samba School that Cid Carvalho most fears. She has been dancing for them all her life and considers them family. They are Rio’s most established Samba School having effectively started Carnaval eighty years earlier. They remain the team to beat.

Mangueira is one of Rio’s poor neighborhoods known as a favelas; a place where drug crimes and homicides are commonplace. Fernanda lives in the heart of this hillside shantytown in a four-roomed house with her five year old daughter and twelve other relatives. While many of her childhood friends are now gun-totting drug dealers Fernanda believes that the Samba School and Carnaval offers the rest of the community real hope.

Fernanda lives for Carnaval and winning will bring her and the rest of the community great pride. But losing will bring greater tension to the area. Fernanda is worried for the safety of her daughter and family.

Inside Rio Carnaval unveils a world of charged personal stories, fierce competition and big business. Will Cid Carvalho have the vision and expertise to bring Vila Isabel the victory they so crave? Will Fernanda and her beloved Mangueira re-establish their role as Rio’s number one Samba School? Or will both of them face the heavy burden of defeat? With just twenty-eight days till Parade Day the heat is most definitely on.

Born To Rage on USA Today

admin — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:31:26 +0000

December 14, 2010

Original Article On USAToday.com

By Marco R. della Cava, USA TODAY

If the often banal state of television programming (“Coming up next, The Real Housewife Chefs of the Jersey Shore“) sometimes finds you seething, National Geographic Channel begs your indulgence.

Born to Rage, airing tonight (10 ET/PT), plumbs a question that rests at the core of the human experience: Are all humans predisposed to violence, or are some particularly inclined because of a DNA glitch dubbed the Warrior Gene?

Over the course of an hour filled with distressing images of human conflict, we visit with gang bangers, Hells Angels types, mixed martial artists and a Navy SEAL. Most of them tell harrowing childhood stories while submitting to a saliva-swab test that will determine whether they have lower levels of an enzyme known as MAO-A, whose critical job is to mop up excess rage-associated adrenaline.

“By age 10, I pretty much concluded that I was someone who was going to be angry all of the time,” says Henry Rollins, 49, the tattooed punk rocker who serves as special correspondent for this installment of the channel’s Explorer series. “This (show’s) idea intrigued me. Ultimately, I’d rather feel like I’m a product of the things I experienced than of some annoying gene.”

Rollins, too, gets tested. Suffice to say, the show’s big lure is finding out which characters have the Warrior Gene. But that’s about the only concrete answer provided by Born to Rage, admits writer/director Philip J. Day, who initially was intrigued by the behavior of soccer hooligans in his native England.

“We raise more questions than answers, because we are really at the very beginning of studying what genetics tells us

about our race,” Day says. “It is possible to have a gene abnormality and yet control your behavior. But it’s also safe to say that if you mix the experiences of a difficult childhood with this Warrior Gene, it can be incendiary.”

Rollins’ own upbringing isn’t exactly the stuff of preteen gang initiations, but it was enough to move him to the darker side.

“I was the only white kid in a (Washington, D.C.) school where everyone there blamed me for, you know, Martin Luther King’s death and all,” he says. “So I had to fight back, and when I changed to a calmer school setting, suddenly I was the one shaking kids down for their lunch money.”

Years later, that rage was channeled into the group Black Flag; concerts often found the frontman physically abused by and abusing the audience.

Part of that extreme form of self-expression is rooted in American culture, Rollins says. “Let’s face it: As a nation we are often a rough room full of hotheaded people, all under the flag of the First Amendment, of course,” he says.

“But I guess I would say that if you’re one of these guys who do things and later feel like a jerk about it, maybe taking a test for this gene isn’t a bad idea. If you have it, it’s not an excuse. But it can help you watch for triggers.”

In fact, Day acknowledges that the gene “is really mistitled, because Warrior Gene has a sort of nobility to it when we may not often be talking about a noble sort of violence. But then again, if you called it the Devil’s Gene, I’m not sure people would want to see if they had it.”

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