Johnny Rex: the king of Skid Row
This movie — a documentary about the now-vanished Skid Row in Minneapolis, featuring footage and narration from flophouse owner “Johnny Rex” (John Bacich) — has been on my mind for a long time… and I’m happy to report it’s now on the web.
Before these gems started popping up on the net, the only way to catch them was by lucking into the odd screening or digging through the Minnesota History Center’s video library… and then burning them into your memory by making hasty notes and pencil sketches (old samples at bottom of post).
The sound is scratchy and the video is degraded, but you won’t regret watching this incredible footage.
Tags: John Bacich, Johnny Rex, Skid Row, The Gateway District
