Father Geek sadly has to report that our evil genius Dr. Moriarty was put out of commission for ShoWest's opening evening of star studded events by a the backstabbing workings of a new and powerful NRG counter-agent who managed to use her ample female charms to distract our own super spy, Moriarty, long enough to slip a double "Mickey" in the Professor's cup of Earl Grey. The evil Doctor on reviving from the heavy slumber induced by the drugs has wiped-out the scarlet temptress and assures Geek Headquarters that no future problems of this nature will exist. Here's his report...
Hey, Head Geek (and Father Geek)...
"Moriarty" here.
God bless the Moriarty Travel Wagon. Thanks to the sophisticated onboard computer guidance system, I as able to relax as the car did all the hard work, cutting its way through the desert night. I didn't have to pay any attention until I actually arrived in Las Vegas at around 6:00 Monday morning.
It doesn't matter how often you visit Vegas -- it's always bigger, crazier, and more outrageous when you come back. With the addition of the Belaggio and Mandelay Bay complexes, Vegas is even more gaudy than I'd remembered, especially in the harsh early morning sun. After checking into a hotel that shall go nameless (using a complex series of disguises, pseudonyms, and hypnotism to make sure no one would be able to track me down), I headed to Bally's Casino and Hotel, the heart of ShoWest, to check in and pick up my press pass.
For those of you who only have a vague idea of what ShoWest is, let me explain. It's the annual trade convention for the National Association of Theater Owners. This is their chance to get a look at the product the studios are offering for the year, and it's also a chance to see what technical advances in exhibition hae been made or on the horizon.
There's a reason this gets a level of coverage that most trade shows don't, though -- movie stars. Each year, four studios (which four depends on who registers first) put on major shows in which they bring out stars, stage themed events, show clip reels cut just for this crowd, and generally spend astonishing amounts of money and energy to overwhelm. They also hold a big awards dinner, a chance to bring out even more movie stars and A-list filmmakers. This year, there's even one extra studio, and some of what we've been promised sounds incredible. Not only is 1999 a particularly promising film year, this is also the 25th anniversary of ShoWest.
I could tell something special was up from the moment I was greeted by Jim Kozak, the convention's press director. He checked me in, got me my pres pass (with my real name on it), and directed me to where they were handing out the press bags. These are giant tote bags with a Pepsi logo on one side, the ShoWest 25 logo on the other, and enough goodies to put a permanent curve in the spine of even the heartiest film geek.
What sort of goodies? Well, there was exacly one metric assload of theater candy for starters. Remember, this is a trade show, so the concession manufacturers are here in force. There was a great Columbia 75th anniversary shirt, a MYSTERY MEN t-shirt with a silhouette of William H. Macy as The Shoveler on the front and a group shot of them all on the back, a HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE nightlight, a video copy of THE TRUMAN SHOW, disposable cameras, a black t-shirt with the new SCREAM 3 logo on the front, and much more. When I'm back at the Moriarty Labs, I'll scan some of this stuff in for you. Until then, I'm powerless to share. Sorry.
The day kicked off with a seminar on International Exhibition. I quickly figured out that this event was really just for the theater owners. It was interesting enough, a panel discussion of the problems currently facing overseas theater chains, but it's not really what I'm here to cover. Seems I was the last one to figure that out based on the almost complete lack of press presence at the seminar.
I slipped out halfway through and went wondering around to see what else was going on. I found a spot to pick up my tickets for tonight's Indie Film Showcase. There were six films for each of us to choose from. We would see one at 7:15 and the other at 10:00, with a big reception inbetween. I chose COOKIE'S FORTUNE and HAPPY, TEXAS. I was torn on the second one between that and THE RED VIOLIN, a Canadian drama starring none other than bad-ass Jedi Master Sam Jackson himself. In the end, though, Steve Zahn in a comedy will always win. The coolest thing about the ticketing for the films is that it was handled by ETS, a company that lets you buy tickets for events via phone, internet, or an ATM-like kiosk, which is what I used. This may well be the future of movie ticketing. In addition to selling tickets, the kiosk also lets you play your choice of current movie trailers (I've already played the long MATRIX one about a gazillion times, and I just got here), and it can give you info on the film as well. I had a great talk with the ETS reps and they're genuinely excited about the potential their system has in movie ticketing. Right now they're best known for their sports ticketing and concerts, having gotten their start with The Dodgers and Pearl Jam, but they're working to make the big push. Imagine being able to buy your movie tickets for any theater from dozens of locations around the city, guaranteeing yourself the seat. Getting STAR WARS tickets would be a breeze with this thing.
Finally I made my way into Bally's Grand Ballroom. This is a huge space, the same place Fox will be throwing their secretive "dessert party" on Wednesday night. So far, I've heard tons of rumors about what they're going to do at that event, but it's all just rumor. Two things is for sure, though -- the space is great, and I'm dying to know. As people started filing in, a guy sat down next to me and introduced himself as Andy Seiler of USA TODAY. He was the first other reporter I'd met at the convention, and wouldn't you know? He's read AICN and knew Moriarty. We ended up having a great film conversation over lunch, trading all those storie we each hear but can't print. It's still a little strange being treated like real press, but I think I could get used to it.
The luncheon got underway with an award for International Exhibitor of the Year, followed by Bill Mechanic's keynote address. I've always thought of Mechanic as one of the most levelheaded studio execs in town, and he said nothing here that would change my mind. Using Charles Dickens' classic opening line from A TALE OF TWO CITIES, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," Mechanic took a hard look at the spending habits of Hollywood versus what is really making money around the world. Yes, there were more $100 million grossing films than ever before in 1998, but when more films cost $100 million than ever before, no one wins. He acknowledged several times that TITANIC was a tremendous fluke, a lucky break financially. He noted that since the film, Fox hasn't spent more than $70 million on a film. He talked about getting away from paying the giant $20 million A-list movie star salaries. Yes, Fox is working with Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, and Harrison Ford in the coming year, but all of those films are coproductions with other studios. Look at THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz, and Matt Dillon aren't giant stars, but they were perfect for the film. Same with Kate and Leo for TITANIC or Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in SPEED. Did I agree with everything he said? No. Pointing out writers getting gross points as a terrible thing only reinforces the insane notion that writers aren't important to a film's success. Still, enough of what he said was right on that I expect Fox is going to remain the studio to beat for several years to come, even if you factor out STAR WARS.
By the time the luncheon ended, I'd been up for 32 hours. I decided to head back to my hotel room and grab a 2-hour nap before the evening's screenings.
When I woke up 12 hours later, I realized that regularly scheduled sleep might be a good idea in the future. I guess I'll have to get my Steve Zahn comedy fix later this year like everyone else.
There will be no more slip-ups, though. According to Andy Seiler, Monday is always just the warmup for the big event. It's early, early Tuesday as I write this. The New Line luncheon is today at noon, the next major item I'll be reporting on, and tonight is when they present the awards. I'll be covering all of it for you in tomorrow's report. Until then...
"Moriarty" out.
