And here's what Optimus Prime thought of the film...
At the end of my Blair Witch review I promised you a review of Breakfast of Champions. I was very lucky to see it at all. The Seattle Film Festival really under estimated the crowd to see this movie. Some how they over sold the show by 100 or so people. When it appeared I was going to be kicked out, I spotted a seat in the very first row. I normally like sitting very close to the screen, but at the Cinerama it is way to close. The screen is huge, and I was only able to focus on a quarter of the screen at a time.
Well at least I got to see it. The show was already half an hour late starting because of the seating problems. When they finally got everyone situated, we were told we'd have to wait longer for Bruce Willis and Nick Nolte to show up. That was a nice surprise. The movie was introduced by the director Alan Rudolph. He didn't really say much about it, except that it was like no other movie we'd ever seen.
It was a strange movie. There are a few things that I can't remember seeing anywhere else. But on the whole, it feels like a Terry Gilliam film. It does manage to capture the spirit of a Kurt Vonnegut novel. It really focuses on the stupidity of commercial America. I haven't read Breakfast so I couldn't tell you how well it was adapted.
Bruce Willis plays Dwayne Hoover a car salesman, he's one of those guys that has the crazy TV commercials. He also has problems being mobbed, because he is a local celebrity. Nick Nolte is his friend and employee, but also has a secret life of cross dressing. Barbara Hershey is Mrs. Hoover, she does "legal" drugs and zones out in front of the TV, which is her reality. Albert Finney has a stand out performance as Kilgore Trout, the whacked out Sci-Fi author that appears in numerous Vonnegut novels. I'm sure Vonnegut sees himself as Kilgore. Lucas Haas is hilarious as Bunny Hoover, a cheesy lounge singer who needs more attention from his parents. Every character lives in their own universe, barely able to communicate with each other. All have problems with who they are, and everyone is peaking in their paranoia. That's about all the plot there is. I really need to see it again, to understand it more.
After the movie Bruce, Nick, and Alan Rudolph all came up to answer questions. Alan said he's been trying to adapt the novel for 25 years. It really didn't come together till Bruce stepped in with his millions. Bruce said he did it, cause he's really sick of Hollywood. "Fuck Hollywood," we're his exact words. He then suggested that when it's released that we should get high with our friends and come see it again. He said it jokingly, mainly referring to the strangeness of the film. So don't get in an uproar about Bruce's support of drugs.
Another scoop, someone asked Nick if he plans on doing another Vonnegut movie. He said he would be in "The Sirens of Titan", which is my favorite Vonnegut novel.
Before I sign off. This is not a movie for everyone, I doubt it will do well at the Box Office. But if you are a fan of off-beat movies you will enjoy. Optimus Prime out.
