Favorite Films: Trabants Frontman Picks ‘They Live,’ ‘Blade Runner,’ ‘Miracle Mile’ and a Host of Crazy Cult Movies You Haven’t Seen

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Portland, Oregon’s Trabants (pronounced Truh-bonts) are most likely the best surf/garage/psych band you’ve never heard of. The dedicatedly obscure and kitschy group led by multi-instrumentalist Eric Penna put out their first record 15 years ago and released their latest one, Mirage – the final installment in a triptych of trippy psych records – in June.

Penna named his band after a German car that debuted in 1957 and achieved popularity but was eventually discontinued in 1991. Trabants is a fitting moniker for the project of a musician and his revolving cast of cohorts who celebrate nostalgia – the quirkier the better. Taste the title track of their new record, and you’ll get the drift:

Penna also relishes cult films, so much so that he describes Trabants in part as a band that plays “soundtrack music from around the world.” To that end, Penna is a perfect candidate to participate in The Bad Penny‘s ongoing Favorite Films series, in which we pick musicians’ brains about the movies they like most. With that in mind, let’s delve into the 19th installment of our ongoing feature.

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“I love movies,” Penna says. “They inspire and inform my music and life to no end. I’m often reminded of the François Truffaut quote about how he’d be satisfied forever reading three books a week, watching three films a day and listening to records. That’s 100 percent true for me too. I’m pretty sure that’s how Truffaut educated himself, and in honor of the wonderful history of French cinema, I’ll start my list of movies with a contemporary of his …”

Eric Penna’s Favorite Films

Two or Three Things I Know About Her (1967): Jean-Luc Godard can rightfully be considered pedantic by some, but I have always been enthralled by watching him struggle to make sense of the world around him. There are many scenes in this movie (not the least of which being the famous coffee cup shot) where Godard verbalizes abstract things I’ve felt deeply but never myself been able to verbalize. Needless to say, this movie was a revelation for me when I first saw it as part of a double feature with another Godard highlight I highly recommend, Made in USA. Godard movies can be hard work to get through. It can be like reading a super-dense political essay. But if you put in that work, it will pay you back significantly.

Blade Runner (1982): Author Philip K. Dick’s incredible allegory for mankind’s constant grappling with the most basic existential questions of “Why do we live?” and “why do we die?” is so effective that I would make Blade Runner [which was based on Dick’s short story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?] required watching for all living people. Vangelis’ score is also a sliver of cinematic genius that complements the film perfectly while simultaneously shaping the music of our actual, non-cinematic future.

They Live (1988): John Carpenter is one of my favorite directors, and this movie in particular taught me to question both the world around me and the motivations of those in positions of authority. Powerful lessons! I was never the same after watching this and am reminded of its lessons almost daily.

Danger: Diabolik (1968): This is certainly one of the less serious movies on my list, but there’s no joking with these visuals. It’s a peak example of all things ’60s, from cars to clothes to music … the writing and plot are irrelevant in my recollection. If there’s a visual representation of the sound I try and achieve with Trabants, this is it.

The 10th Victim (1965): The Italians do ’60s kitsch like few others, and this a perfect example, not least for the fact that it has a pretty good plot. The concept is that state-sanctioned human vs. human “hunting” for those that choose to participate replaces war in a future peaceful society. Piero Piccioni’s organ-driven, ’50s bachelor-pad-style music tips this whole thing over the top, cementing a place on my list.

Day of Anger and Death Rides A Horse (both 1967): Being that my band, Trabants, have been known to do some spaghetti Western music, I’m often asked about my favorites in the genre, and I have to mention these two as highlights from the many I’ve watched. They both feature Lee Van Cleef in the cast and have nice music from Riz Ortolani and Ennio Morricone, respectively. There’s lot of entries in the genre that have good music, but it’s harder to find the confluence of plot and music with the right balance the way these two films strike. I would say these two films are great stepping stones for anyone interested in exploring spaghetti Westerns further than Sergio Leone’s defining contributions.

Five Dolls for an August Moon (1970): Another slice of Italian genius here! Mario Bava directs this must-see flick for fans of ’60s cinema. It’s probably most notable for its supreme Piero Umiliani score. but there’s plenty more to sink your teeth into, like the stylish direction and superb photography. Maybe some plot points don’t hold water upon closer inspection, but as long as you can suspend disbelief for 90 minutes, it’s a visual feast.

Miracle Mile (1988): We’ve taken quite a detour from the beginning of this list, but let’s bring it back to the serious vibe with this real-time drama about the end of the world and nuclear war to the tune of a hypnotic, electronic score courtesy ’80s soundtrack kings Tangerine Dream. This movie will have you appreciating every day the sun rises.

Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971): Another Italian film, but more in the mystery/action vein or specific to the “giallo” subgenre. Dario Argento directs the story of a drummer in a rock band who gets framed for murder after killing his stalker in self defense. Ennio Morricone provides an exquisite score for this one.

Daigaku No Wakadaishô (Sir Galahad in Campus) (1961): In 1960s Japan, there was huge growth in popularity of the electric guitar leading to a form of Japanese rock ‘n’ roll known as “eleki” music. This film was released at the height of its cultural importance and stars Yūzō Kayama, who made some superb musical contributions as well. (Do yourself a favor and listen to his song “Black Sand Beach” for a slice of instrumental Japanese guitar-rock perfection). I first watched this movie without subtitles and didn’t even care since, firstly, it’s not hard to understand; and, secondly, the music and the bands featured are the most important aspects. I’d say this film is a bit of an archaeological illustration of ’60s youth culture in Japan, and if you watch it for that, if you watch it for that, it’s superb!