Mayor of the Sunset Strip
Dir: George Hickenlooper
2003
****
Rodney Bingenheimer is more of a 'lucky charm to the stars' rather than a 'fame-f*cker' like the detestable sexual vampire that is Pamela Des Barres or the egomaniac with a questionable past that is Kim Fowley (although I quite like Fowley, he's just not as nice as Bingenheimer). Bingenheimer has both the temperament and mannerisms of Andy Warhol and he also is the epitome of Warhol's philosophy, 'famous for 15 minutes' if you will. This is an interesting look into the world of a man who hung around with music legends and possibly influenced them to a degree. It's hard not to like the film because Bingenheimer himself is just so likable. The best bit of the film for me is when his sister is being interviewed, badmouths her Brother, stating that he is unreliable and never had a real job etc only to be rendered speechless when he hands her an autograph he got Elvis to personalize for her over 30 years before that he had just found.