Wednesday, 01 August 2001 | Parking lot

I've never been able to identify with one social group so much that I completely abandon the others in order to immerse myself in it. I always found it rather limiting, having the hangouts, wardrobe, and, in some cases, friends, dictated by my social flag, and there were always too many groups that had aspects that appealed to me. At the same time, however, I always wondered what it would be like to be fully a part of a particular scene, rather than just a visitor, and whether I would feel more whole if I could define myself in relation to my scene.

Perhaps that's why I found Heavy Metal Parking Lot so intriguing. Maybe I'm not supposed to find it intriguing; maybe I'm just supposed to laugh…but both happened. For the 15-year anniversary of HMPL (which documents the parking lot at a Judas Priest show in 1986), the film is currently on tour, along with Neil Diamond Parking Lot, Girl Power Parking Lot (the Spice Girls' movie premiere), Harry Potter Parking Lot (a book signing), Monster Truck Parking Lot, and Raver Bathroom. Basically, the films set up fans to comment on their own fanaticism, just by behaving like fans. The fans at the respective events were drastically different and alarmingly alike; the clothes and ages and pre-show activities and expression of devotion varied a bit, but all of them had their religion. Of course there were a few clever people at last night's showing of HMPL who brought video cameras with them, you know, filming Heavy Metal Parking Lot Parking Lot.

To watch the films online, click here.

My car is back! It drives. It still says 253,000-something, but it really means 100,000-something. So it looks like I'll make it to 300,000 after all, even if it's not legitimate.