Luis Fernandez de la Reguera

Luis Fernandez de la Reguera (20 October 1966 - 14 August 2006) was anAmerican independent film director most famous forhis 2003 documentary "Rockets Redglare!" about the actor of that name.

Brief biography

Luis Fernandez de la Reguera was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He weathered adifficult childhood and left for New York City at age 17. Living in the pre-gentrified
Lower East Side, he played guitar in several punk rock bands including his own, "Orgy of One", and was a cover story in CMJ magazine.

Prior to becoming a filmmaker, de la Reguera also performed stand up comedy, and owned the Big Plate recording studio on Ludlow Street.

It was in his interim work as a bartender that he came to knowthe colorful actor, con artist , East Village personality and heroin addict Rockets Redglare and many of Redglare's wary friends.

In August 2006 while visiting friends in rural Phoenicia in Ulster County, upstate New York, de la Reguera lost control of his motorcycle and crashed. He was airlifted to a hospital in Albany, New York, where he died of severe head trauma a few days later at age 39.

Film "Differently Able"

Luis de la Reguera's first film was the 15-minute "Differently Able", whichhe wrote, directed and acted in. "Differently Able" is about two unhappy brothersforced by circumstance to live together. One brother (played by William Murchu) is in a wheelchair, angry and dependent; the other (played by de la Reguera) a cruel drunk.

Film "Rockets Redglare!"

"Rockets Redglare!" affectionately documents the life and death of character actor and stand-up comedian Rockets Redglare, born Michael Morra. In one scene, Redglare recounts how one morning when he was four and a half years old his mother dressed him in his favoriteshirt and for the first time made him French toast. Just as he started to enjoy hisspecial breakfast, his gangster father and his Uncle Eddie shot another man todeath in the next room. He adds that he never was able to enjoy French toast again.

In addition to Redglare himself, the film features interviews with people who knew him well, including actors Steve Buscemi, Willem Dafoe, and Matt Dillon. Buscemi also produced the film, which was shot by de la Reguera using rented equipment. Buscemi and de la Reguera recorded a commentary track for the film's release on DVD.

In February 2006, Buscemi and de la Reguera sued Mike Broder of Small Planet Pictures for $1.75 million, alleging he failed to market, promote, and pay advance fees relating to the distribution of the film. In September 2007, Broder agreed to turn over the rights to the film to de la Reguera's estate and pay up $35,000 for the plaintiffs' legal fees. If Broder fails to pay within five years, he must pay the entire $1.75 million. [ [http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=7790e184-e736-43d2-9b93-1d9adc47b384 Buscemi Recovers "Rockets"] ] [ [http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=headlines&Id=3793 BUSCEMI-PRODUCED INDIE FILM WINS $1.75 MILLION LAWSUIT] ] Buscemi and William Murchu now plan to re-release and redistribute the film. [ [http://www.floridalawyer.com/news-buscemi.html Victory in Court for Actor Steve Buscemi] ]

Trivia

* Is related to actress Ana de la Reguera
* Worked as an assistant to musician Lou Reed
* Was on the production staff of the Comedy Central television series "Strangers with Candy"

Links to more information

* [http://fernandezdelareguera.com/ Luis Fernandez de la Reguera web site maintained by his "Differently Able" co-star, William Murchu]
* [http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2006/08/to_my_favorite_.html Luis Fernandez de la Reguera remembered at radio station WFMU]
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* [http://www.rocketsredglare.tv/photos.html "Rocket Redglare!" movie stills and de la Reguera's director comments]
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20010616/ai_n14392692 "London Independent" obituary of Rockets Redglare (Michael Morra), June 2001]

"Rockets Redglare!" recognition and awards

* Screened at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival
* Honorable Mention at the 2003 Raindance Film Festival
* At the 2002 New York International Independent Film and Video Festival, "Rockets Redglare!" won the festival's Grand Jury prize for Best Documentary; Luis de la Reguera won the Best Documentary Director award.

"Rockets Redglare!" reviews

* [http://onfilm.chicagoreader.com/movies/capsules/24282_ROCKETS_REDGLARE Chicago Reader]
* [http://movies2.nytimes.com/2004/09/03/movies/03ROCK.html?ex=1160366400&en=b57da047e293f9b4&ei=5070 New York Times]
* [http://www.raindance.co.uk/archive/rocketsredglareandlunamacaroona.html Raindance Film Festival]
* [http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/10/08/DDGVK955S81.DTL#rocket San Francisco Chronicle]

References