Thursday, June 12, 2008

Chicago Area Alert!



Tomorrow!
Yes, you've been waiting for weeks, and now it's here!
What?
Well, the fundraiser for "The Search For Count Dante"!
If you live in the Chicago area, Friday the 13th at 7:00 pm there will be a screening of Floyd Webbs Documentary of John Keehan/Count Dante, one of the most notorious American martial artists that ever lived.
Additionally, our fellow Dojo Rat Master Chris Pieschala will be giving a martial arts demonstration, possibly ripping out throats and gallbladders or breaking furnature.
This is a must-see if you live in the Chicago area (The Occult Bookstore, 1164 Milwaukee Ave. 7:00 pm) more information can be found at Floyd Webb's website at THIS LINK.

13 comments:

Charles James said...

Hey, DR I don't get it. I mean I don't get what it is that makes this guy so famous or infamous. If it is the ad's in the mags for that era or that he participated in some scandals then I still don't get it. Most of the pioneers have been in scandals and such yet no one is doing a film etc on them.

So, I don't get it?

Dojo Rat said...

Hi Charles;

If you haven't been to Floyd Webbs site, please check it out - the link is both in my post and on my blogroll.
Of course, I read the adds when I was a kid, and they fascinated me. But more to the point, Keehan/Dante was involved in mafia schemes, alleged military intel, he was both respected and hated as a pioneering teacher who was blind to race issues in a racially charged time. He was hairdresser to playboy bunnies, Kept a pet tiger and started the very first MMA themes.
More recently, Floyd Webb has been involved in lawsuits, gang-like rivalry of former and legacy students, and has met some of the most incredibly interesting people while making this movie.
I am not a Dante groupie, I just think his brand of Karate-kitch was fascinating and to an extent legendary.
Please look through some of Floyd's past posts, and all the crazy stuff he's gone through in the making of this movie.
Thanks, D.R.

C. C. Pieschala said...

http://www.gapersblock.com/merge/archives/2008/06/10/kungfu-sans-pan/

Filmmaker Floyd Webb is hosting a fundraiser at the Occult Bookstore on Friday the 13th to raise money for his documentary The Search for Count Dante. Webb promises a preview screening of the film and a demonstration of Count Dante's world's deadliest fighting techniques by Master Chris Pieschala.


Gonna be a hoot!

C. C. Pieschala said...

And if you don't "get it" I suggest you buy the movie :)

Dojo Rat said...

Oops,
I had two "L's" in your name...
Sorry,
D.R.

Sean C. Ledig said...

When are you going to have a Tampa Bay Area premiere?

Sean C. Ledig said...

Hey Charles,

I think those old ads should be enough to draw a lot of people in.

I can't think of anyone who read comic books in the 1970's who hasn't seen that iconic ad millions of times.

If it just draws in curious comic fans, that should really help the movie to do well.

Next, we need someone to do a documentation on X-Ray Specs. (LOL)

C. C. Pieschala said...

If we could get to Tampa Bay Or anywhere else; I'm sure we would!

Funds, timing, venue, expenses, bitchy wives, yada, yada, yada ..

This is going to be a weird demo. I can do one in my sleep and have done so 100's of times .. but he's a different kind of guy.

Sean C. Ledig said...

If there's anything I can do to promote the movie in Tampa, let me know. I still have some contacts in the local media and among various independent film types, as well as the local martial arts scene.

Hell, I'd even put on a kung fu demonstration.

C. C. Pieschala said...

HTH,
Have DR give you my email I'll put in contact with Floyd. If you're serious.

Last night went off with out a hitch. Good, but small crowd. Those evil home depot bricks died a horrible death.

I don't have Floyd's feed back yet so I don't know yet. I want to thank everybody here especially you DR.

Anybody wants a 11"x17" color poster of the event donate to Floyd I'll get ya one .. I'll even sign it and stamp it with my master's seal and our own Kuk Ki Won stamp (ask about that one :) ). If I see Floyd I'll get him to sign a few.

Just email the receipt and your name & address.

But thanks again everybody.

P.S. DR - the demo was all John's stuff and Hap Ki Do .. get this the store owner was a Green Dragon. Even gave more detail on somethings. Like why John chose red and black colors .. it has to do with Voodoo of which he was a priest under Bertiaux.

He also remarked how it is odd that a Green & Black Dragon are working to help something on Dante. Ironic! Turns out he was quite good. But not a Jedi yet :)

For me it felt good to improv a whole demo on self defense and breaking and still get the "ooh's and ahhh's". I still got it.

Oh, I brought a CO2 pistol the "POP!" scared the crap out of everybdy.

Dojo Rat said...

H2H;

You can get in touch with Floyd directly through his website--

Piesch; Way to go man!
Did anyone film the event?
Any cute Voodoo Hippie Chicks???
I'll check Floyd's website and see if he put anything up yet.

C. C. Pieschala said...

"Any cute Voodoo Hippie Chicks???"
Nope.

Overall I think we could have done much better. I wanted at least 5 attackers at the same time but there weren't enough scary looking guys .. I learned a ton.

Contact me off line and I'll tell you.

The Triple Cities Martial Arts Academy Blog said...

i dont get it either man...

http://www.3citiesmartialarts.com