Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me

Written and Directed by Joel Hershman, HOLD ME, THRILL ME, KISS ME is an award-winning screwball comedy with a big heart. The film follows a small-time criminal hiding from his nutty ex-fiancée and the law in an El Monte, CA trailer park. As he bides his time waiting for a phony passport, he meets an oddball cast of characters, and finds himself juggling the affections of two sisters. HOLD ME, THRILL ME, KISS ME was an instant cult classic that collected numerous festival awards, and earned rave reviews from every major film critic of the time, including; Jeffrey Lyons and Leonard Maltin. The film was written in 10 days and made in 18 on a budget of under $200,000. Hershman met actress Diane Ladd (ALICE DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE, CHINATOWN, WILD AT HEART) at a party and told her about his upcoming project. She asked him to send her the script and that night Hershman went home and wrote a character specifically for Ladd who signed on immediately to play Lucille, an aging hypochondriac Southern Belle. Sean Young (STRIPES, BLADE RUNNER, NO WAY OUT), a neighbor of Ladd’s at the time, learned of the film through Ladd’s involvement and signed on to play the obsessed heiress, Twinkle, in a hilarious self-parody of herself. Rounding out the cast is indie darling Adrienne Shelly (WAITRESS, TRUST, THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH) as Dannie, the naïve love interest, newcomer Max Parrish as Eli/Bud/Fritz, the handsome small-time criminal taking refuge at the trailer park, and Andrea Naschak (former adult star April Rayne) as Sabra, the sadistic nymphomaniac and topless dancer. Even 60’s radical drug guru, Timothy Leary, drops in as an over-the-hill con artist. Add an incredible underground/alternative soundtrack featuring the Pixies, Violent Femmes, Elvis Hitler, and the Cramps and you get a funny, fast-paced ride.