Underground U.S.A.

An independent 16mm production from New York that lets the viewer peek in at the artsy in-crowd. Eric Mitchell, who wrote the screenplay and produced and directed the film, also stars. A hustler, he becomes involved with fizzling screen star Astor, who follows a path to suicide. Not much is here to like, but at least you'll hear a decent soundtrack, which, as in most pictures of this kind, is the best thing about the film. The sound man on UNDERGROUND U.S.A. was Jim Jarmusch, who received great acclaim for his picture STRANGER THAN PARADISE. That film starred John Lurie, who also appeared here and was a member of the Lounge Lizards.