Actor Considine has cult following in Port Townsend; ‘Baru Film Festival’ grew out of tai chi group

PORT TOWNSEND — Twenty years ago, Rex Long of Port Hadlock went to see a quirky little film called “Trouble in Mind.”

It was filmed in Seattle, he was a Kris Kristofferson fan and he was intrigued by the idea of seeing the actor Divine in the role of the heavy.

On Sunday, he went to see the movie again, but this time because one of his tai chi students, John Considine, is also in it.

“It’s always fun when you can pick people out,” Long said. “I see him in more and more things now that I’m looking for him.”

Originally from Seattle, Long is an inspector at the Port Townsend Paper Corp. mill in Port Townsend and teaches tai chi out of his home in Port Hadlock.

Four years ago, Considine joined the exercise group.

Personal film festival

After Considine got to know the group — which also meets in Port Townsend at Michael Gilman’s studio or at Chetzemoka Park — he instituted his own film festival and invited them.

“It’s become an annual thing now,” Long said.

“We go over to his house, have dinner — he does the cooking –and see one of his movies.

“John calls it the Baru Film Festival because that’s the name of his character in ‘The Thirsty Dead,’ the first one he showed.”

The next year, the group saw another “Dr. Death,” which Long described as “a cult film you might see on ‘Mystery Science Theater 2000.”‘

And on Sunday, Long, his wife, Sam, and about 10 members of the tai chi class were in the audience to see Considine in “Trouble in Mind,” a film the follows the slightly bizarre lives of small-time crooks in Seattle.

20-year looking glass

A fund-raiser for the Port Townsend Film Festival, the screening was followed by a chance to ask Considine about life in Hollywood and the making of the movie, in which he appears in the last half.

“It’s very odd to watch a film you did 20 years ago and haven’t seen for 20 years,” Considine told the audience after the showing.

“My first thought was, ‘How long before I come into this thing?’

“I thought I had a much bigger part.”

Considine also told stories about his grandfathers, John W. Considine I and Alexander Pantages, who were rival theater owners in Seattle.

Then he described his childhood in Hollywood as the son of MGM producer John W. Considine II.

“I really thought for a long time that everyone in the world was the movie business or a servant,” Considine said.

More in News

Sequim City Council members finalized through their consent agenda to ban the sale of fireworks effective October 2025. They held a public hearing last month that garnered mostly support for the ban. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim finalizes ban on fireworks

Ordinance change will go into effect next October

Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group
Rich Krebsbach, manager of the Highland Irrigation District, asks questions of Rhiana Barkie, Clallam County public works project coordinator. The map is one of four new options for the Dungeness Off-Channel Reservoir project. Public input is being taken through the county’s website at https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/188/Dungeness-Off-Channel-Reservoir-Project.
Sequim reservoir project draws crowd, questions

Clallam County, FEMA public comment period open through Nov. 21

Christmas gift inspires playground cleanup

Veteran volunteer collects playground metal

Weekly flight operations scheduled

There will be field carrier landing practice operations for aircraft… Continue reading

World War II veteran Arthur Bradow, right, and his daughter Barbara Cason admire a quilt sewn by his niece for his 100th birthday on Dec. 13. Bradow served in the Merchant Marine in the Pacific Theater of Operations and stateside in the U.S. Army Air Forces. (Paula Hunt/Peninsula Daily News)
Veteran has 100 years’ worth of experience

Looks back at long life and wealth of knowledge

Veterans Day ceremonies set

Organizations across the Peninsula will conduct a variety of services in observance… Continue reading

Changes to code for floodplain delayed

Effects on Brinnon and farmland considered

EYE ON THE PENINSULA: Proposed budgets top Peninsula agency agendas

Meetings across the North Olympic Peninsula.

Lisa Bridge of Sequim is given a tour by Cithlali Chavez of Fred Hutch Cancer Center inside the giant inflatable colon discussing colon health on Wednesday at the Port Angeles Senior Center’s health and wellness fair. Representatives from Olympic Medical Center, Jamestown Family Health Clinic, North Olympic Healthcare, Clallam County Health and Human Services, Elwha Klallam Tribe and Peninsula Behavior Health were present to answer questions. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Health and wellness fair

Lisa Bridge of Sequim is given a tour by Cithlali Chavez of… Continue reading

Budget projects $6M loss for OMC

Expenses continue to outpace revenues

Port Angeles implements annual business license fee

Those with gross revenue over $25,000 to pay $190

Commissioners discuss addition of south county deputy

Budget modifications may support position