- A while ago, I posted a link to the teaser trailer for Shortbus, the new John Cameron Mitchell movie. Here is the uncensored trailer. Excuse me while I go wash my eyes.
- Intrigue at Images Cinema on Monday night: the Williamstown Film Festival's advance screening of The Last Kiss sold out, largely on the strength of Blythe Danner, who was scheduled to appear and introduce the film (Blythe cancelled due to back problems but sent her love). When the cans containing The Last Kiss arrived, I noticed they were sealed with combination padlocks. The cans could only be unlocked with a special code - but wait, it gets spookier. Paramount hired two security guards to stand in the lobby during the movie, prepared to oust anyone using a camera. One of the guards sternly lectured the audience - a largely fifty-plus festival audience - about the damage that cell phone cameras are doing to the motion picture industry, and the negative impact this has on our filmgoing habits (more expensive popcorn, for instance). The guards even asked a photographer from the Advocate to hand over his camera - his still camera - before the film could begin.
It's been a while since I've casually thrown around the term "fascist," so I'll use it now. Have things really gotten this paranoid in the film industry? The sheer effort expended to keep a grainy, out-of-focus video file of a Zach Braff movie from ever hitting the seedy underworld of black-market video piracy is so transparently crazy that I cannot belive an audience of several hundred people didn't collapse in hysterical, jeering laughter at the sight of it. And oddly enough, they didn't even ask me any questions, even though the best-shot bootlegs are usually made in the projection booth.
As for The Last Kiss, director Tony Goldwyn did attend the screening, and he seemed pleasant, thoughtful and ambitious. It's too bad he directed one of the worst movies I've ever seen.
- The Gauntlet seems to be moving along nicely. Thanks to readers who keep coming back day after day to participate; I always look forward to checking the results, and I hope you do too.
- I Viddied it On the Screen's Alex Jackson was kind enough to provide me with a link to My Best Friend's Birthday, the unfinished movie Quentin Tarantino made with his friends in the 1980's. Like Kubrick's Fear and Desire, it's a genuienly encouraging experience, a seriously bad movie that nevertheless suggests future genius. It's the sort of movie that shows you what is innate and what is learned, and while it can be cringeworthy at times, it's impossible to hate. At the moment, it seems like only part one hasn't been made friends-only, so check it out while you still can.
"Friends-only video" - wow, what a concept...
- On October 6, The Departed opens. On October 6, Cinemark Friday Night Rewind will be screening The Lost Boys. October 6 will be a fine, fine day.
Films watched this week:
Mission to Mars 4
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 2
The Squid and the Whale 9
Unforgiven 10
True Romance 10
Strangers with Candy 7
Scarlet Diva 8
The Last Kiss 0
The 400 Blows 10
Suspiria 10
Friday the 13th 7
Natural Born Killers 10
1 comment:
Rats, I'm really getting behind on Friday night rewinds. Next one I MIGHT make is in November. Oh well, for October I can't really complain since I'll be off to Chicago that weekend.
Also apologies with not really being able to keep up with the Gauntlet, it keeps coming down to me only seeing one of the two, or getting in too late to vote, but kudos to the commentators who have provided some interesting stuff.
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