A few weeks earlier, the JCJB recorded some of the music used in the movie's soundtrack. Among the original songs recorded were Fantasy by bassist Don Mopsick, and Westmoreland Weave by Garner Clark, both published by Moptone Music (BMI).

The character in the film played by Celeste Holm is "Ida," grandmother of the male lead played by Brendan Fraser. Ida loves to play the tuba and "sits in" with the JCJB in the party scene. The tuba tracks were recorded by Sam Pilafian, former star of the Empire Brass Quintet.

Another film track recorded by the band and Mr. Pilafian is a rather charming jazz band version of the Berceuse (op. 57) by Chopin, arranged by John Sheridan, the band's pianist and arranger. The Berceuse is a recurring musical theme used in other forms throughout the film.

On 12/11/96, the JCJB attended the first screening of the film in Los Angeles at the Fine Arts Theater on Wilshire Blvd. The band played at a party afterwards. In attendance were the producers, some of the stars, and other people connected with the making of the film.

In August, 1997, the film was acquired by October Films, under the auspices of Universal Studios.

Since then, the film has been shown at film festivals in Austin, Seattle, Montreal, and Korea, and has garnered favorable reviews in several periodicals including Variety and the The Hollywood Reporter.

San Antonio Express-News film critic Larry Ratliff writes: (6/21/1996) As the Still Breathing production team headed off to grab some lunch under the nearest shade, first-time feature writer-director Jim Robinson said the Alamo city gets to play itself on the big screen.

"People come up to me and ask, 'Why are you shooting here?' It was written for San Antonio," Robinson said, "I really wanted to capture the special place that San Antonio is--I think for the first time in a motion picture."

"No one has really captured what this city is, the very special magical parts of what it is."

Fraser, who who has played in many movies including Airheads, Encino Man, Gods and Monsters, The Mummy, George of the Jungle, etc. plays an eccentric San Antonio street performer who sees his true love in a midnight vision. Driven by perhaps hopeless romantic urges, he tracks her down in Los Angeles.

Unfortunately, she turns out to be a con artist who rates Fraser's character as a definite Mr. Wrong. That's where the magic of storytelling comes in. Somehow Fraser and Going wind up back in the Alamo City.

In the scene going before the cameras on this sweltering June day, Fraser is showing his dream woman one of his favorite places in San Antonio, Mission San Jose.

"The scene here at San Jose is really an important part of the movie," Robinson said. "The Rose Window and the legend of...why it was created and that story of it being carved for a lost love is a really important scene in the movie."

Robinson, a former Trinity University student and veteran of documentaries, music videos, and commercials, makes his feature film directing debut with a small budget...For Robinson, 40, Still Breathing is a dream come true..."I've been trying for about 15 or 16 years to make a film here," Robinson said.

"The movie is my way of telling people, hopefully the world, about San Antonio."

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Also in 1998: 20th Century Fox's The Newton Boys, starring Matthew McConaughey, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Skeet Ulrich, and Julianna Margulies. Filmed in 1997 in San Antonio, Austin, and other Texas locations, the soundtrack features three tracks from the JCJB Stomp Off CD Shootin' the Agate: The Pearls, Sweet Substitute, and Wild Man Blues, all composed by Jelly Roll Morton.

The US release date was March 27, 1998, and a soundtrack CD was released on Epic Records.

Visit the Internet Movie Database page for The Newton Boys 

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