“It’s all fantasy; why not every day?” - Goth participant at the annual Whitby Goth Festival.
GOTH CRUISE. Photo Credit: Courtesy IFC.
Indeed. The Yin-Yang principle applies to everything; why not someone’s personal nature and style?
For every happy-go-lucky kid there’s a brooder - a child who would never be described as “sunny.”
IFC introduces us to director Jeanie Finlay’s engrossing and musically rich little tutorial on modern Goths and the evolution of a sub-culture in “Goth Cruise,” coming to your TV on November 27 - at midnight, of course.
Director Jeanie Finlay, Photo Credit: Courtesy IFC.
The documentary is compelling, and I loved the soundtrack that highlighted some of my favorite artists like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sisters of Mercy and the Nephilim to name a few.
Johnny Cash could be categorized as country Goth; Betsey Johnson could be labeled a Goth designer; Tim Burton is most definitely a big budget Goth director and the hottest film on the planet right now dips into Goth waters, “Twilight”.
This vampire cross-pollination irks many Goths and was spoofed recently in a South Park episode titled “The Ungroundable.” The satire poked a big stick at “those vampire kids;” teens who transitioned from Abercrombie & Fitch wearing squares to Hot Topic wearing wannabes.
Goth embraces those groups who don’t fit into any other categories; those who love to dress up Victorian, fetishists, cross-dressers, EMO types, rivet punks and many more. There is a huge misconception that Goth is synonymous with satanic worship in the US.
Missy Suicide, co-founder of Suicide Girls
Suicide Girls, the Goth-tinged multimedia lifestyle brand established in 2001 with a group of alternative pinup girls was co-founded by Missy Suicide. The company has spun their alt success into branded TV shows, movies, magazines, books and a burlesque show. Missy Suicide shared her thoughts on the evolution of the ideals that defined Goth fashion and beauty versus mainstream standards.
"I think individualism and romanticism typifies the Goth look. There are several sub categories of Goth culture: Romantic, cyber, lolita, and so forth, so it is hard to speak in general terms. There is no goth uniform aside from black being a staple." said Missy Suicide from her Los Angeles headquarters.
"The way an individual pieces together an outfit is what distinguishes goth from mainstream culture. A Goth look would be made up of a mix-up vintage pieces thrifted or lifted from a grandparent's closet, new pieces from a company like Lip Service or possibly a high-end couture shoe or accessory, and maybe even a piece or two from a mall store."
Suicide elaborated on the counter-culture fashion ideals of Goths: "It tends to be timeless gaining inspiration from vintage and literary sources, it does not change seasonally ...(it's) less trendy than mainstream fashion... the Goth look tends to be more enduring and lasting and tends to cultivate a more wasted, pale look that is more reflective of a time when more importance was placed on intellect as opposed to physical virility."
Finlay's feature length 'Gothumentary' reveals the enduring allure of Goth Culture that draws many bright and successful people to it, while examining the natural Goth homestead of the UK and conversely the United States, where it’s more of a challenge to live and play dress up within the more conservative cultural grid.
There’s more at stake existing as a Goth in America than in Britain.
It’s no surprise that director Finlay takes us to the biggest Goth Mecca of them all: Whitby, England, where this small northern seaside town turns into Goth Valhalla for a weekend every year. The setting is perfect, and the visitors seem to blend into the bleakly romantic surroundings much more naturally than someone strolling by in a brightly colored track suit.
Finlay takes you right aboard a cruise ship for the fourth annual 2007 Goth Cruise that sailed for a five day-journey from New Jersey to Bermuda and back again.
IFC commissioned Finlay’s documentary, a visual journal set in the paradoxical world of a luxury liner destined for sunny resort shores with the mostly pale people dressed in black going on a typical Cruise “schedule of fun” ride.
In this surreal setting, Finlay broke it down: The ship population: 150 Goths, 2500 Norms. Finlay summed it up perfectly: “A cruise ship environment is everything that is the antithesis of Goth.”
We meet an elder couple of Goths and their son from England: Ian, Bridie and Kyle. They live their lives in full Goth regalia.
Mike and Amanda - Photo Credit: Courtesy IFC.
Mike and Amanda are (for Goth standards) happy Honeymooners from Jersey.
Sean - Photo Credit: Courtesy IFC.
Single dad Sean from Portland Oregon, lives in suburban hell, doesn’t know his neighbors, and revels in being the Gothic dad at his daughters’ high school. He’s an angry veteran who refers to himself as the mature Goth.
Ken and "Lobster"
Larry, aka Lobster, is not a Goth yet loves to cross-dress. His hometown of Charlotte NC is a conservative banking center that propels “corp. Goth” architect Lobster to escape from on numerous vacations. Ken is his main Goth "bro" who loves to paint his nails and femme it up with him; Ken introduced the whole Goth scene to Lobster in Charlotte.
DJ Storm - Photo Credit: Courtesy IFC.
Heath, aka DJ Storm, is a brainy computer geek who also cross-dresses even further, and likes to vamp it up in satin, vinyl and rubber. He was a child prodigy mix-master who gravitated to the whole Goth underground scene and music.
Finlay’s film goes to the heart of the fascination of Goth, whether it be a passing phase or a die-hard lifestyle.
From the love of The Cure, cleavage and corsets, a rejection of haute fashion size-dictates and a fondness for richly dark make-up, to the music which serves as the Sun which all the other attributes of the lifestyle revolve around - Goth is as alive and well today as it was in the 1980's when Bauhaus' 'Bela Legosi's Dead' was released.
You freaks and geeks, square pegs and loners: Swing the heartache. Own it and stay up late to watch “Goth Cruise.
From IFC: Music in the film
Musicians Interviewed in the film are:
Wayne Hussey (Sisters of Mercy) and The Mission
Andi Sex Gang (Sex Gang Children)
Melora Kreuger - Rasputina
Rome Burns (Uk Goth Band)
Voltaire
The One Bob (Goth DJ)
On the sound track
"Steelbound" a special calypso version of Spellbound by Steven Severin
(ex Banshee)
The composed sound is by Steve Nolan and Fyfe Ewing. Fyfe was a drummer in Irish rock band Therapy! and there is a large online / cult following speculating what happened to him
Music by:
Souixsie and the Banshees
The Cure
Voltaire
Rome Burns
Fields of the Nephilum
Eagles of Death Metal
Track listing:
"I kiss the Devil"
Eagles of Death Metal
"Blue Boy"
Performed by Rome Burns
"Cannibal Buffet"
Performed by Voltaire
"Steel Bound"
Performed by Steven Severin
"Lullaby"
Performed by The Cure
"Primary"
Performed by The Cure
'Close To Me'
Cure for Kids
Just Like Heaven'
Cure for Kids
"Moonchild"
Performed by Fields Of The Nephilim
"Spellbound"
Performed by Siouxsie And The Banshees
"Peek-A-Boo"
Performed by Siouxsie And The Banshees
'Gopher Mambo'
Performed by Yma Sumac
"Walking On Sunshine"
Performed by Katrina & The Waves
Goth Cruise the Movie trailer - a 'Gothumentary' from jeanie finlay on Vimeo 
USA
Your Talkback on this Story