The tale of a misfit who finds approval, and self worth, by tugging on a fuzzy blue mascot outfit is loosely based on a true story.
Two, in fact.
Scott Prendergast, the writer/director/star of the new-to-DVD “Kabluey,” actually did don a colorful suit once – he wore a superhero-style outfit to earn extra bucks.
And, like his character in the film, he once moved in with his sister-in-law when his brother was shipped out to Iraq.
“She was having a difficult time … she was so worried about my brother,” says Prendergast, who helped watch his two nephews ages two and four. Prendergast simply took those experiences and melded them together to make “Kabluey,” an eccentric comedy about a man who steps up when his family needs him most.
Turns out the little monsters depicted in “Kabluey” weren’t far off from their real-life inspirations.
“They were horribly behaved. At the time I wanted to wring their little necks,” says Prendergast, who later realized they were acting out the absence of their father and the new presence in their lives. “Suddenly, this weirdo they didn’t even know was living with them.”
The idea for “Kabluey” came to him at the end of 2003. His background in short films like “The Delicious“ nudged open a door or two.
When his agent read the script for “Kabluey,“ the reaction was intense.
“’Please don’t try to make this movie,’” his agent told him. And don‘t even think about starring in it. But Prendergast always starred in his short films and had faith he could play the main character.
“This is how I work,” he told his agent.
Prendergast stuck to his guns. He knew it would be easier to have a “name” talent play the main character, the ne’er do well who oversees his two nephews while their dad is in Iraq. So did his agent.
“He told me, “we can sell it and maybe we can get Jack Black to do it, and maybe you can direct it,’” Prendergast recalls.
“What do you mean, ‘maybe?’ This is my true life story.” says Prendergast, who trained as an improvisational comic before he started writing screenplays. “I had this really strange, strong confidence in myself and this movie.”
He went so far as to predict the film’s start date. Turns out he was off by a mere 29 days – the shoot began on March 30, 2006.
His film happened, in part, thanks to the support of co-star Lisa Kudrow of “Friends” fame.
“She called me up. ’Hi, it’s Lisa Kudrow. I love you script, and I’ll do it. Who are you?’” he recalls. “My life turned on a dime the day Lisa called me.”
He snared other name talent for the movie, including Teri Garr, a friend of one of “Kabluey’s” producers and Prendergast’s favorite actress.
“Kabluey” got a limited theatrical release but earned positive reviews from most critics. Still, he understands Hollywood’s cruel nature as well as any film veteran.
“It’s just a business hung on a tiny clasp of creativity,” he says.
(Photo: First-time writer/director/star Scott Prendergast refused to let another actor play the lead in his script for “Kabluey,” now out on DVD)
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Those kids became pretty endearing by the end of the film. I liked this one.
It’s funny, Linda. I thought the kids’ behavior was blown well out of proportion in the beginning, but when I spoke to Scott about it he says the kids were utter nightmares!
Do you have contact information for Mr Prenedergast? I would very much like to correspond with him about his film.
Not directly. Here’s his film site … there’s a contact button on the bottom right hand side of the main page (past the intro page).
http://www.astateof.com/