I have to admit, I’ve never seen the 1991 cult classic Vegas in Space, which was distributed by Troma Entertainment – but it has become clear to me that the production had a fascinating behind-the-scenes story. Not only was the making of the movie the subject of a book by Craig Seligman called Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?, but now Deadline reports that Joshua Grannell, better known under the drag name Peaches Christ, is set to direct a film adaptation of that book!
Grannell has also written the screenplay for Who Does That Bitch Think She Is? with Michael Varrati, whose credits include My Acting Coach Nightmare, Aquarium of the Dead, The Wrong Stepmother, and Christmas with You. In director Phillip R. Ford’s all-drag science fiction flick, Vegas in Space, written by Ford and star Doris Fish, three male space travelers from Earth undergo sex-change operations in order to solve a jewel heist on a planet occupied solely by women. A legendary San Francisco drag queen, Fish died from complications with AIDS in 1991, months before the film’s premiere. The Vegas in Space Wikipedia page notes that “executive producer/star Doris Fish and producer/director Phillip R. Ford struggled for years to assemble the sets, money, and equipment needed to make the movie. The principal photography of the movie spanned 18 months, but it took Fish and Ford eight years to raise the funds to complete the film. Fish also designed the sets, costumes, makeup and hair, and miniatures.“
Grannell provided the following statement: “I first discovered Vegas in Space as a teenager in Maryland, and it completely blew my mind. Doris Fish was a visionary—a drag trailblazer lightyears ahead of her time. After years of celebrating the film through Peaches Christ screenings in San Francisco, and learning more about the behind-the-scenes journey, it became clear to me that the story of making this movie is its own epic—a dazzling, defiant film that demands to be told.” Varrati, who co-hosts the Midnight Mass podcast with Grannell, added, “The story of Doris Fish and Vegas in Space is about so much more than the making of an underground movie, but rather represents a significant chapter of queer history. Just as Tim Burton did with Ed Wood, we want to showcase how a dynamic group of outsiders were able to come together to create something groundbreaking that continues to be deeply relevant today.“
Who Does That Bitch Think She Is? is being produced by Jonathan Fernandez and former Troma executive Marty Sokol. As the search for “the perfect Doris Fish” gets underway, Varrati is gearing up to host a July 11 screening of Vegas in Space as part of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’ “Summer of Camp” series. The 7:30pm screening will be followed by a conversation with Varrati and special guest Phillip R. Ford.
Are you a fan of Vegas in Space, and are you glad to hear that Peaches Christ / Joshua Grannell is bringing Who Does That Bitch Think She Is? to the screen? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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