Just finished up the Austin Film Festival and Heart of Film Screenwriters Conference. And I have to say I had a GREAT time. I very much understand the allure of fame now. Why people seek it, when they don't know what it is, why those that are famous clutch to it, and why they often times end up with serious problems. I was going to come on and write a very analytical of the festival piece, and who knows this may go that route, but for now, I'm going to concentrate on this issue of FAME.
Yes a four letter word beginning in "F". What is it like to seek it? Well, my entire life I have wanted to become famous, I think most of us have that dream. We bang our heads against the wall seeking it out. How can I become famous? Why am I not famous? What do they (the famous people) have that I don't? These questions fill our minds. We write our scripts, go to our auditions, we go to college to get the skills to become famous, and yet still we do not become famous. So we enter the "real" world, a bit bitter at fame turning the other cheek. We hate the mainstream films, music and art because they are the very symbols of the things we want. We bury ourselves in the "undiscovered" art form of independent films, music and art. But we turn on it, if it becomes mainstream. I have acheived a level of fame. There are T-Shirts of me in this world. Tonight as I sit third row center at the Paramount Theater as I have done hundreds of times, Russell Crowe took the stage to talk about his film, BREAKING UP. The film had just finished and he was fielding questions. In the middle of it all he stopped. Then he said, "You're him aren't you?... You're that guy... the guy with that website aren't you?" I was just staring at him. I mean here is someone who I had just spent an hour and a half watching make out with Salma Hayek. If ever there was a moment in my life to use the line, "You talking to me?" this was it. No, I didn't say that. I could feel 1400 pairs of eyes staring at Crowe and the back of a fat red head guy's head. My cheeks began to go flush, and I said, "ummm yeah."
The little conversation went on a bit longer, then it was back to Q & A. I was stunned. Here was a real live actor, who I have no doubts, will be a very big star one day, pointing me out in an audience. The sad part is I have to say in my review of his film I saw this night that I thought it was pretty bad. I can say for his behalf, I don't think it's his fault or Salma's, but a lack of story development, character development and a lack of direction and pacing. You wanna see Russell Crowe, go see LA CONFIDENTIAL, that's a real damn good movie.
Later I got a chance to shake Russell's hand and do a little chit chatting at a party after the screening. I didn't hang on to him, because I respect his right to drink Shiner Boch and eat Guacamole at his own pace. While I'm downing my Shiner, Robert Burns (production designer on Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Hills Have Eyes, The Howling and Re- Animator) comes up and says he got a call last night from Stuart Gordan, the director of Re-Animator and Space Truckers. Stuart had called to ask Robert if he knew me and for him to ask me to put in a good word on Space Truckers. Weeeeelllllllllllllllllllllll.... In my Humble opinion SPACE TRUCKERS FUCKING ROCKS!!!! It's that simple. And I had been saying that in the Ain't It Cool Chat area and forum. You'll be reading my review shortly.
Then I bust my ass to get back to the Paramount Theater to see I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. Well, who should I have waiting for me there, but Neal H. Moritz, the producer for the film. He's standing there in the lobby with Jason White, the festival's film director to introduce him. I was sweating like a square pig, and he noticed, I believe he said, "Been Running?" I smiled. Neal had liked the review that was up about the film that Hallenbeck had written. When I mentioned that Hallenbeck had seen the final print and that they had changed things to nearly exactly what Hallenbeck had asked for, Neal just smiled. What does this mean? Why was Neal here, I mean he was in LA last night at the World Premiere. Then he asked me what I thought about THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE. I told him I thought the script was great, but that the last two pages were the worst pieces of shit I have ever read. Then I went to go get my seat.
Then before the film began, Neal came up to me to say he really liked what I had written about I AM LEGEND because that's what he's producing next. HOLY SHIT!!! Cool, this guy's producing a Ridley Scott film... no... wait... He's producing an ARNULDT film!!!! Then I said something along the lines of, "I really loved the Protosevich script, hope Ridley doesn't screw it up with rewrites." Then Neal said they are changing it a little. My brain kicked in and I realized that I AM LEGEND is filming in Houston, Texas. So naturally I asked..."I'd love to get on set, check out how Ridley films" "Give my office a call, we'll get ya on set." Cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool. To actually see Ridley Scott say "Action" on a sci-fi set with Arnold doing something quickly thereafter, would be so incredibly kickass, that I would be speechless for half a second. Well, filming begins in February, so we'll see. Keep your fingers crossed.
After the film, there he was in the lobby, looking to see what I thought. Well it's one hell of a fun movie. It kicks ass in many ways. This is the "Halloween" movie that the season so desperately needed. And he smiled. "You gonna write that up tonight?" Just did Neal, I just did.
Overall this festival, I've had writers, directors, actors, producers, agents and basically the people of Hollywood saying how much they love the site. At no moment was I hungry for company, it was always there, and they always knew my name. Food was free, drinks were free, movies were free. I had my ass kissed thoroughly. And liked it. Being someone that started this page more or less as a reason to get to the next day, and to see it bringing me this type of attention is astounding. If you saw my email, you would understand. There are names I worship that write me to tell me how much they like the site. This is incredible. The high you get from this is very strong. When Russell pointed me out this evening it was as though electricity flew through me. What a rush. When major A-list writers begin talking with me about things I wrote about 6 months ago, I almost cry. To actually really see that Hollywood people are reading the site, that they are listening to the news, reviews, and writings of myself and all of you is amazing to me. It's actually working, they actually do want to attempt to make better films, now if the execs let them.
Here are my picks of the festival movie wise.
Coolest Sci-fi Movie ---- SPACE TRUCKERS -- You'll be reading a great big write up on this one. THIS IS A FUCKING GREAT MOVIE. Hilarious, what SpaceBalls and Ice Pirates should have been. Berni Wrightson and Ron Cobb did brilliant design work, and it has a great score. The producers need to unplug their thumbs from their self-bio-waste expellers and get this film on the market. Has the potential to make a ton of money, if advertised correctly.
Coolest Horror Movie ---- I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER -- The crowd went nuts, the college co-eds screamed like banshees. A smile on my face throughout. I actually prefer this to SCREAM (I didn't like Skeet Ulrich in Scream, and I believe the sequel will be better, and so have the people that saw it in Pheonix, if only they wrote full reviews instead of "It's a cool movie" "I think it the best one" etc... This film is one of the best "jump" films I have ever seen. If you have a girlfriend, take her to see this, she'll be squirming and jumping and shrieking. It's soooo cool!!!
Best Movie --- KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR -- A German film that I feel is the best movie of the year. Before this I was a IN THE COMPANY OF MEN guy, but this film hit me like a sledgehammer between the eyes. I had no idea what I was sitting through, no clue it was going to be decent in the least. And it left me emotionally shook. It's funny, action packed, tragic and cool. This was the roll the dice film for me. I just went in, and I came out smiling like I broke the house bank. Wow.
Best Talking Heads Movie --- BAD MANNERS -- A fantastic movie, that moves like a taut thriller and mystery, but basically never involves anyone besides 4 characters in a house. Great dialogue and performances by the blind guy from SNEAKERS (David Straitharn (msp?) and Bonnie Bedelia. I was hooked by this film.
Best Competition Film --- COLIN FITZ -- A cool movie that has the potential to become a cult fave. This was the only film of the fest that I heard people saying they wanted a tape of. You Hollywood types, go check it out in LA around October 28th.
Best Film for Undiscovered Talent --- 35 MILES FROM NORMAL -- The two male leads in this, will have careers. Or they at least deserve it. The main lead dude could see alot of work. And the slut waitress was VERY good as a tease. Very heartfelt, and this director should see more work down the road.
Worst Pretentious Load of Shit --- THE BARTENDER -- I actually resented this film, and I walked out of it. I fell asleep a dozen times, and loud noises kept waking me, the last time I woke up this guy was lamenting the fact that he had screwed a beautiful girl with another guy, and all angst ridden saw a vision of JESUS say, "You are forgiven, little brother" I almost blew chunks right then and there. I HATED THIS MOVIE. Beautiful photography. I resented the waste of film stock, and the use of a really sharp DP.
What was I most shocked by? Dennis Hopper knowing who I am and could actually talk about the site, about caused me to soil myself. This man is a legend in my books, and I'm honored that I occupy an iota of his brain.
I'll be posting full reviews for all the above listed films as soon as I can. I'm doing a collectibles show this weekend, then my schedule is back to normal. FINALLY!!! I'm sooooo tired from the Film festival. I'm going to try to get some more stuff up here tonight though.
