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ThisIsDanBell
ThisIsDanBell

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Shopping with Marlene Rosoff on April 5th 2000

A shopping trip with my good friend Marlene Rosoff (1967-2006). Not a day goes by that I don't think about her. She was a force. Too funny. Too nice. You either loved her or hated her. Marlene was a transgender woman in a very tough world. There wasn't a cheering squad for trans people 25 years ago. We teamed up and supported each other. Life wasn't easy at all. People were awful. Marlene couldn't handle the stares and taunts and cruelty and numbed herself with drugs and alcohol. She died of an overdose in California in 2006. I wonder what she would think of the world today. Things have changed but nothing has changed. In our little bubble it didn't matter. We loved each other and that's all that matters. I loved working on movies with her. She was an amazing talent. We had plans to do a movie where she plays a male character. She was up for anything that turned heads. Too bad we never got to do it. She's an angel now looking out for me. I can still feel her presence sometimes. God how I miss her. Enjoy!

Comments

Driving around those days with that fantastic music, just the best. Thanks Dan.

Keith Smith

Dang that guys newports were 3.60 cents smh I’m currently paying 14.92 for a pack of newports in Seattle area lol. Wish you could have gotten to do that movie with her. After just this video I can tell she would have been fantastic!

Michael Rose aka HighrangeMike

Seeing Marlene in this video truly resonated with me—it brought back memories of my own experience in 2000, when I was just 14 and my mom was battling cancer. That year changed me. Watching this truly transported me, wrapped in the nostalgia of that time—the sounds, the energy. I’m so sorry for your loss. Thank you for letting us see Marlene through your eyes.

Fiona G

It is such a gift to have video of someone who is gone. There are so many I wish I had on film.

Jenny Randall

This was such a nice tribute, Dan. It's always a trip watching footage of a person who is no longer with us. Thank you for sharing your friend with us. She seemed like a lovely person. What a tragedy she exited the world at only 39.

Natasha Westenberger

Thank you so much for this!

Roemi Lo

It’s interesting that you captured a small sliver of 2000. I found it interesting that there was an interaction with the guy who was buying cigarettes. I wonder where he is now. Felt like such a long time ago although I was only 2 haha

Ron Shchemelev

I loved this I’ve always heard about her when you’d tell story’s, I was 1 year old when this was filmed lol 😭

Hunter Waldroup

I adore this Dan. And your foreword is so touching. Thank you for this gem and giving us a chance to know Marlena. She seemed like a wonderful person and I’m so sorry what this world did to her.

Ak

You have such an interesting past. Thank you for choosing to share it with us.

Jimbo

Imagine just being in traffic and then getting roasted 25 years later for having a blown taillight lmao. I loved this! What a time capsule.

Jim

Dan you're an amazing videographer, thank you for sharing this experience with us. Marlene has been mentioned a few times throughout the years and it's good to get a face to a name.

Wimmer33fan

I appreciate you sharing this Dan. It's rare to have those people you can have such a good time doing literally anything (driving, shopping) whatever. She seems like she was so fun, I love her style.

Levi Hall

I remember those days buying cigarettes that were that cheap

theoriginalKat

It's great to see a video of your friend Marlene. I've heard you talk about her many times. Though for some reason I always imagined she was blonde!

Deborah Raphael

Marlena seems like she was just a pleasure to be around in general. The casual exchanges you have on this video really highlight how great of a friendship you both had. The early 2000s built in camera FX (quantize, mosaic, and Invert) will take any 2000s kid back (I had completely forgotten about how the early digital camcorders had those FX). Has the general feel of a "Dan Bell Film It" video of today, but I have to remember "wow he was probably carrying around a huge (small by early 2000s standards) dvcam or mini camcorder and not an iPhone (yeah. No iPhone in 2000 lol). Glad you have such a wonderful angel looking down on you (sorry you lost her so early).

Greg Aluise

Seriously. It’s crazy watching this.

Dan Bell

This was beautiful

Katherine Vilaire

RIP Marlena. Rest in power. Thank you for being authentically you. Thanks for posting, Dan. I am getting emotional having seen this.

DJ Metzler

2000 seems as far back as the 80s for some reason. thank GOD for captured memories. 🤍

𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐜𝐚

Love the ambient soundtrack too...

Charles Easton

23 year old Dan! What a great little moment in time captured with Marlene.

Charles Easton

Cigarettes were $3.60. :-(

Dan Bell


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