Northern Lights,

Aurora Glory Alice

My brother Michael Benveniste (1947-1981) started Northern Lights which later became Aurora Glory Alice

His first light show was at Harry Bridge's Longshoreman's Hall featuring Sal ("Laff, Laff") Valentino in early '65 ,I believe, which my stepfather produced.

As you know , we later did Western Front, California Hall , Bill Graham and Family Dog work. Micheal got tired of the other light show guys ripping off his techniques and not getting payed on time so he decided became a director in Hollywood.

I bought the light show from a guy that worked for Michael when he moved to LA to direct movies . I did a few gigs at California Hall and the beach for Chet Helms .

I was in High School and living at home . One day my stepfather decided to break all my equipment, throw me out of the house and then have me arrested . Charges were dropped , but that was the end of that.

Being a genius at animation , brother Michael went to Disney , but business was slow. In order to feed his family , he was forced to do "X" work.

He did the cult classics "Mona" and " Flesh Gordon " (even though his best work was edited out when it was sold and reedited by mainstrem media speculators, who he later sued and won, winning the case himself without his shyster lawyer !) .

Michael later moved back to the Bay Area and became a mentor to several aspiring movie directors and ILM tekkies living in the Bay Area .

Lucas and Spielberg still use his "reel". Chris Columbus and others attended his art direction lasses at the SFJCC. He declined the job of art director by George Lucas for Star Wars which was offered because of his special effects and visionary genius in Flesh Gordon .Five time special effects academy award winners Greg Jihn and Dennis "the Geek"
Murin were recruited by Mike for their first major motion picure "Flesh Gordon" while attending college in LA .

.He later became a rock band manager, architect and internationally renown 3D optics authority and innovator, marketing genius (he made my S.F. flower shop a huge success in the '70s) and all his skillls were self taught !

Any questions please ask.

Thanks,

David Benveniste - August 2004