Our man with his fist firmly planted in the union trade leaked the following filmic mis-adventure to ol' Father Geek today. I thought it would make a good horror story for all you film lovers out there. Even the best movies can be a bad experience if the people in the projection booth don't know what they're doing. Keep in mind these problems our reporter discusses were probably all the result of venue problems, not problems with the film proper... hope so anyway. Damn non-union projectionists. Its a growing problem around the country.
Just got back from a screening of "The Legend of Bagger Vance" starring Matt Damon, Will Smith, and Charlize Theron. This is a Dreamworks product, and it is directed by Robert Redford. They were screening on the campus of Syracuse University, where I have been burying bodies under the artificial turf in the endzone of the Carrier Dome for years.
I should correct myself. I saw about a half hour of this movie tonight. If this is any example of how DW is screening this puppy, then may God have mercy on them. Seeing as this movie is opening in a week or two, I would have thought we would have seen a near-final cut of the movie. What I saw wasn't even close. I mentioned that the movie starred Matt Damon and Will Smith, but I should add that it co-stars the Boom Mike. This thing made an appearance in about half the movie. No joke. In every scene. If this is a "good word of mouth" tour of screenings, it aint garnering much support if Mr. Boom Mike is seen more than the actors on screen. Honestly, it appeared to have more skill on screen than Ms. Theron. At least the Mike had a believable performance.
This wasn't even the worst part...the soundtrack had this loud "WUM-WUM-WUM" reverberating throughout the entire thing. It wasn't the projector, it wasn't the speakers, it was the soundtrack that DW sent out. Man, if this is the same thing they are sending to their other big time screenings, they are in trouble.
They stopped the thing maybe a half hour in after nearly everone had walked out. This wasn't based on the content of the movie, but most people weren't willing to watch an uncut piece of drivel with this loud annoying hum in the background of the soundtrack. As for me, I will pay my $8.25 to see it in the theater to give it a second chance. Although, when you advertise a finished product-type of screening for hundreds of people, and every single person walks out, this aint exactly helping their good word of mouth.
I will say that from the beginning of the moive, you definately feel that this is directed by Robert Redford. It really has a "The Natural" feel to it right form the beginning. Not due to the time period, but from the glorification of the sports hero in the form of newspaper clips and such. There is a nice cameo by Jack Lemon in the very beginning of the film...its sort of a funny yet creepy moment when he is on screen.
Of all the movies that I have been looking forward to before the new year, this was one that I had high hopes for. I hope, from the looks of this screening, that they get their act together in the next week or two. Bad buzz may kill this thing before they know it.
The guys organizing the screenings may need a nice shiny pair of cement shoes. Though, look for a possible Best Supporting for Mr. Boom.
--Corleone
