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RIP: Stephen Parr, King of the Oddballs by cineSOURCE staff
Stephen Parr, Oddball Films director, with writer Armistead Maupin at opening night of Frameline film festival. photo: unknown
IT IS QUITE DISTURBING TO KNOW
Stephen Parr is gone, especially since he looked almost elderly—old baggy suit, skinny tie, fedora—since he was a twenty-something running clubs around town, suggesting he might live forever. He was 63 and it was the "result of complications from Parkinson’s, though details are unclear," according to the Mission Local site.
"Stephen had an amazing film archive, Oddball Films," wrote Karl Cohen, San Francisco's animation maestro. "Several times a year we would discuss a research problems one of us was working on. He was so bright and knowledgeable."
In an interview posted online, Stephen wrote, "I started the archive in 1984. My background was film and video art at the Center for Media Study at SUNY Buffalo in the late '70s."
"I was also an artist in residence at the Experimental Television Center in Binghamton, NY. I made my way out to San Francisco [around 1979] and started creating visual [video show] backgrounds for nightclubs."
His first venue was Club Generic, from1980 to 1982, which hosted important early work by Karen Finley and Christian Marclay, among many others. One of his partners, who wishes to remain unnamed, noted that, "he was dependable, very hard working and impeccably honest—a rare combination [in that scene] and indicative of strong character."
"When Ridley Scott was shooting in a club I created ambient imagery for," Parr continued in his self-summary, "I licensed some clips. I realized if I started my own archive I could have all the source material I wanted to create my own work."
"I chose film because I thought it would end up being the medium with the most longevity—and it still is, although not many people shoot or project it anymore."
"We have an amazing collection of rare, entertaining, eclectic and eye-opening subjects as well as historic and contemporary High Definition clips in all genres to support your projects," Parr wrote about Oddball on Linkedin. "Our company is founded on a historical knowledge of film culture and an intimate relationship with media production."
Stephen Parr in Oddball's vast stacks in his trademark fedora. photo: Anthony Kurtz
"Our worldwide clients include ABC News, Google, Miramax, Disney, Nike, MTV, HBO, Industrial Light & Magic, Young & Rubicam and many more."
Oddball's live/work location on Capp Street, in San Francisco's Mission District, was over a factory where the daytime din was difficult to bear. But its 10,000 plus feet of cheap space and Parr's preference for night work made it perfect (presumably he slept with ear plugs).
"I have many fond memories of doing things with him for over 30 years," continued Cohen. "He used to toss wild parties, and I do mean wild."
"They were crazy enough that I got one written up in Herb Caen's [SF Chronicle] column back in the 1980s. One of the characters I met that evening called himself 'Pie-Faced' Mike. He got off by having women at the party smash a pie tin of whipped cream or shaving cream in his face. Herb wrote it up along with a mention of Stephen. I also looked forward to hearing about his occasional trips to the non-tourist areas in India."
Indeed, that was one of the most interesting developments in Stephen's life in the last two decades: cutting back on the downtown, no-daylight scene to develop a spiritual practice.
At some point, he fell in love with Amma, the "lower cast" self-taught guru from South India, who is called the "hugging guru" and is one of the few women among today's top spiritual masters.
As well as "getting hugged" by Amma when she came to the States, Stephen started going on retreats in India. He was at Amma's ocean-front ashram when the 2004 tsunami hit, climbing out the window with other acolytes, to escape over the roof.
"Stephen, I'm feeling quite sad knowing you are gone," Cohen concluded. "You were part of what makes San Francisco a wonderful and unique place to live.
His Facebook page also had notes from folks like Shirley Smith who said, "RIP my dear friend. I will miss your combative spirit and wicked sense of sarcasm. Thank you for having been such a relentless and passionate crusader and archivist for the underground art with Oddball Films."
And "San Francisco lost an avant-garde cultural icon!" from Kim X. Mossman. Posted on Jan 18, 2018 - 01:03 AM