sipping whiskey in Montana

Missoula Filmmakers Belly Up to “The Best Bar in America”

By Kaylee Porter, 6-27-08

	The Ristau brothers have been working together for five years. "The Best Bar in America" is loosely based on their life experiences. Photos by Alexia Beckerling

Last month, brothers Damon and Eric Ristau opened the Missoula headquarters for their video production company Firewater Film Company. Since starting the company in 2003, the Ristau brothers have made mostly commercials and documentaries, but this summer they have other plans.

In July, they'll begin shooting their first full-length feature film titled "The Best Bar in America.” The brothers describe the Montana-based adventure-comedy about three men who travel the state’s bars, taverns and saloons as a “belligerent ‘Sideways’ where instead of sipping wine in California they are sipping whiskey in Montana.”

The story revolves around two men, Sanders and Ramirez, who meet at the beginning of the movie and travel together on Sander’s beat-up motorcycle and sidecar. When the old bike finally dies along the side of the road, the two men hitch a ride in a VW van driven by an elderly man named Northway.

Though vastly different, the three men share an appreciation of local watering holes and they begin a chaotic tour of Montana’s finest (and most interesting) bars, discovering along the way a depth to local bars that is often overlooked.

“One of the epiphanies of the film is that rather than it just being a room full of people drinking alcohol there is actually a deeper culture to it and a wisdom that exists in those places as the modern day campfire. It’s a place to exchange stories and a place to exchange wisdom,” Eric explained.

Many aspects of the story are based on Damon and Eric’s own experiences. In fact, Sanders and Ramirez, share many of the Ristau brothers’ traits.

“[The characters] are a composite of some of the more interesting characteristics of people we know and ourselves,” Damon said.

Ramirez, who makes his living at poker tables as he travels across the West, is loosely based on Damon in that he is adventurous and lives more in the moment than Sanders. When Damon was 16, for example, he drove his VW van to the tip of Baja over Christmas break. He also took a motorcycle trip through the southwest with two friends, which is another source of inspiration for “The Best Bar in America.”

Sanders, a struggling writer, is more introverted and philosophical, much like Eric. “I’ve always been a little bit more of the geekier one,” he said.

Northway’s character is based on an old man named Northway the Ristau brothers met late at night at the Oxford bar back in college. He was homeless and had stopped off in Missoula in his van.

	Filmmaker brothers Damon and Eric Ristau do some preliminary research at Charlie B's in Missoula before they begin shooting in July

“We ended up letting him sleep on our couch for like two or three weeks and really got to know him,” Damon said. “He was almost like a grandfather figure to us. He was an amazing guy.”

They eventually parted ways, but Northway continued to receive mail in Eric’s P.O. box. The brothers tried to track him down to give it to him, but they were never able to find him again.

Besides the real life inspiration, technology has made it possible for the Ristau brothers to make the film.

“One aspect to the technical side of our film making is that just recently high definition has developed into technology where there are smaller cameras,” Eric said. “So two people like Damon and me can go out in the field and do something that really looks like a Hollywood film.”

Because “The Best Bar in America” is a “virtually no budget film,” as Damon put it, this equipment is vital, and via their production company they already have access to it.

“Our resources right now are all our equipment and time,” Damon said. “Being small business owners, we end up having a lot of time.”

The low budget presents a problem, however, when it comes to casting.

“In order to have a good movie you have to have good actors and having no money...it’s kind of a big deal,” Eric said.

Local actor Andrew Rizzo will play one of lead roles.

“He’s phenomenal,” Damon said. “Eric lives right across the street from him and he’s been in a number of films.”

Northway's character will tentatively be played by David Ackroyd, an experienced actor from Whitefish Mont. Ackroyd, 68, has been in a multiple movies and TV shows over the years.

"He wouldn't be able to shoot his scenes until September, so we will have to shoot all the scenes that don't include him this summer, then use September to shoot his scenes. Having a 'name' in the film will help us in so many ways," Damon wrote in an email.

For the soundtrack the brothers want to “tap local talent.” They hope to have a soundtrack similar to that of the Motorcycle Diaries -- an orchestral score with a modern day western sound.

“The music will play a key role, but we are not quite yet at the point of picking precise songs. We do hope to use local talent though,” Eric said.

The brothers are currently putting the finishing touches on their script and scouting locations. They plan to begin filming the first week in July and continue through summer and early fall. Ideally, they plan to be done shooting by winter so they can begin editing.

“If all goes perfect, we’ll have a movie by spring 2009” Damon said.

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