THAX: The Movie
Poet Thax Douglas was a fixture at Chicago indie rock shows in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, reading short poems to introduce bands such as Wilco, Spoon and The Flaming Lips. Thax: The Movie premiered at the 2007 Chicago Underground Film Festival, after being produced by Truth and Documentary’s founder Ben Kolak and directed by Alex Mackenzie (www.strangerthanfilms.com). The film offers a window into a bygone era in the Chicago music scene, through the lens of Thax’ creative aspirations and tragic past.
“THAX: THE MOVIE" A POEM BY THAX DOUGLAS
Thax wrote this original piece for the 10th anniversary screening of the film May 3, 2018. Many fans and admirers attended the screening reminiscing with each other about a bygone era of the Chicago music scene they had experienced together. After the screening Thax said he watches the film once a year. "This is the first time I watched it and felt like I was watching a movie about a different person... My problems aren't the same as that Thax's problems. If they were I'd be a little embarrassed.”
“AFTER SEEING 'THAX' YOU MAY REALIZE HOW LITTLE YOU KNEW”
— Fauzia Arain, Chicago Tribune
“MACKENZIE NEVER BALKS AT THE DEPENDENCY AND CONTRADICTIONS BETWEEN THAX'S IMAGES, BETWEEN ICON, OUTCAST, AND CARTOON CHARACTER.”
— Dom Sinacola, Cokemachineglow.com
“... USES TAPED PERFORMANCES, HOME MOVIES, INTERVIEWS, WITH DOUGLAS'S FAMILY MEMBERS, AND THE POET'S PRODIGIOUS MEMORIES TO REVEAL A FIERCELY INTELLIGENT WRITER.”
— Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader