Austin360 blogs > Austin Movie Blog > Archives > 2008 > July
July 2008
Black is Back
One of the most recognizable faces and biggest names at each year’s Austin Film Festival is returning to town this year. Shane Black is one of the sharpest writers in Hollywood, and he crafts stories from the mic on the stage at AFF panels as well as he does behind a typewriter (or however he writes his screenplays). Black took Hollywood by storm with his screenplay for “Lethal Weapon,” a movie that helped revive and reinterpret the buddy movie.
The writer has been to probably more AFFs than any other writer and was recognized with the Distinguished Screenwriter Award in 2006, the year after he brought the wildly entertaining “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” a film he both wrote and directed, to Austin in 2005. The panel of Black, Sydney Pollack and David Milch in ‘06 was one of the best we’ve seen at the fest. Expect to be enlightened and entertained by this talent who always shoots-from-the-hip.
For more information on the Austin Film Festival, visit their Web site here.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: AFF
Special AFS screenings
Tickets are free, first-come-first-served. Get them, and learn about the films and filmmakers, HERE.
All shows at the Alamo South:
Sean Baker presents “Take Out” at 7 p.m. Aug. 20
Cheryl Dunye screens “The Watermelon Woman” at 9:30 p.m. Aug. 20
Juan Carlos Zaldivar presents “90 Miles” at 7 p.m. Aug. 21
And take an early look at AFS’ Essential Cinema Series “The Third Wave: Contemporary German Cinema,” running Sept 9 — Oct. 14. Details HERE.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
More horror for del Toro
Former Austin hero Guillermo Del Toro — enjoying good buzz for his “Hellboy II” hit — has a new horror project, The Hollywood Reporter writes today.
Del Toro, Miramax not ‘Afraid of the Dark’
Remake will mark distributor’s first horror outing
Guillermo del Toro and Miramax will produce a remake of the horror-thriller telefilm “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark,” the specialty distributor’s first big dive into genre filmmaking under president Daniel Battsek.
Comic book artist-writer Troy Nixey will make his feature directorial debut with the adaptation of ABC’s 1973 cult classic. Del Toro is adapting Nigel McKeand’s teleplay with Matthew Robbins, his writing partner on the 1997 horror film “Mimic” for Miramax’s former genre label Dimension. …
“Dark” centers on a young girl, sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend, who discovers sinister creatures that live underneath the stairs. …
The film is in its early stages; research and development of the monsters hasn’t begun yet, and other producers might come aboard. Moviegoers can expect an upscale creature feature along the lines of del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth,” with an emphasis on distinctive characters in keeping with the Miramax slate.
Directed by John Newland, the original telefilm (known as “Nightmare” in Europe) gained a cult following through syndication and home video release.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Do we really want to see ‘Inglorious Bastards’?
Last Tuesday night, the Alamo South sneaked in a screening of “The Inglorious Bastards,” the 1978 Italian WW-2 action flick on which Quentin Tarantino has based his latest screenplay “Inglorious Bastards.”
The original — starring Bo Svenson and Fred Willamson and directed by Enzo G. Castellari — is a fabulously clunky, mediocre genre picture, the kind of B-pulp that makes QT drool and pant. And you can watch him do so on the brand-new special three-disc DVD of the Castellari movie, out this week. A fun video chat with QT and Castellari is one of the bonus features.
But the movie simply isn’t special or interesting on almost any level — there are some neat explosions, but the armed combat stuff is flat, tinny and “Hogan’s Heroes”-esque — and word is QT’s mammoth, two-part redux is weak. (Look up “indulgence” in your Webster’s, goes the cliche, and you will find QT’s mug.)
Variety provides the latest on QT’s version today. Why aren’t we excited?
Universal eyes Tarantino’s ‘Bastards’
Studio may partner with Weinstein Co. on pic
Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Bastards” may soon find a home at Universal.
Studio is in negotiations to partner with the Weinstein Co. to bring the World War II drama to the bigscreen. Although deal points are still being ironed out, insiders say a pact is imminent.
The “Pulp Fiction” helmer and Harvey Weinstein met with five studios last week about co-financing the film, and it came down to Paramount and Universal. Par, which wanted to distribute the film in foreign territories, balked at a component of the pact that dealt with how grosses would be accounted given the way that Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” contract was structured.
Tarantino recently met with Brad Pitt to play the role of Aldo Raine, though that deal is said to be a long way from closing. Pitt and Universal will need to mend fences following bad blood over Pitt dropping out of U’s “State of Play” last year at the eleventh hour.
Shooting is scheduled to begin on “Inglorious Bastards” in the fall in Germany and France.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
UT film grad knocks ‘em out at Outfest
In its coverage of Outfest 2008: The 26th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, IndieWire features UT film grad Angela Cheng and her short family drama “Wicked Desire.”
It calls Cheng a “unique filmmaking voice” and bunches her with “10 short film helmers making some noise at Outfest.” (See the full list HERE.)
Outfest wrapped last week. Cheng now lives in Brooklyn. Learn more about her and her short HERE.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Movie memorabilia for sale
Everyone likes movie props and memorabilia. Some of you even yearn to own it.
Go to it: A fat sale of the stuff happens noon to 5 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Austin Studios (1901 E. 51st St., Stage 2). Items are culled from Texas movies made here during the past 16 years, including “Spy Kids,” “Secondhand Lions,” “Varsity Blues,” “Tree of Life,” “The Hitcher,” “There Will Be Blood,” “Friday Night Lights” and more.
Email questions to Debbie: dchaber99@yahoo.com
Stuff, stuff and, whoa, more stuff. All movie stuff. All for sale.
A treasure trunk from the ‘Spy Kids’ trilogy
Another On-Demand movie channel comes to Austin’s Time-Warner Cable, and it goes like this:
“Eurocinema is the first movie channel dedicated to presenting award-winning European and international films — the majority of which, rarely, or never reach U.S. theaters, rental stores, or television — to a wider audience. … Eurocinema offers no movies in English, no Oscar winners, and pretty much no movies that anyone has heard of.”
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Monte mulls movies
I had breakfast with legendary director Monte Hellman last week after he screened three of his movies, including “Two-Lane Blacktop,” at a packed Alamo Ritz.
We talked about lots of things — which you can read about in full in the American-Statesman Life section Thursday — including names and titles in today’s cinema.
Here’s Hellman, frank and forthright:
“A picture like ‘There Will Be Blood’ is harking back to the greatness that was old Hollywood. It’s really an homage to the best of Hollywood. I love that film. They went out on a limb with the ending, but I applaud that. It didn’t work that well for me, but that’s the way movies should be made. The director should go with his gut and do something really daring like that and the hell with everybody.”
“I enjoyed ‘No Country for Old Men’ because I think Javier Bardem is such a great actor, though I didn’t think he had to even get out of bed to do the role. But I thought it was a seriously flawed movie. When a movie has to take its emotional impact out of a voice-over at the end, then forget it. If you have to be able do it with the visuals and the story, not by becoming literature instead of film. I don’t think (the Coen brothers) could escape their awe of the literature. They lost me with that.”
“I won’t see anything with Russell Crowe in it. I think he’s really inflated. I would like him better if he wouldn’t try to do all these different accents that he can’t do very well. Most of these guys can do them, like Guy Pearce does a great American accent, and Christian Bale. But Crowe is always slipping between accents and trying to do everything. It drives me nuts. I don’t think he can act at all. I hated ‘A Beautiful Mind.’ I liked him in ‘The Insider’ up to a point, but I never believed him. The make-up was bad. I’m always aware that he’s acting.”
“I think Quentin Tarantino is an interesting genius. He’s just fascinating to watch. He doesn’t, and he never will, make a movie about life. He’s making movies about movies and there’s a limit to how far you can go with that.”
“I still love Wes Anderson. I like everything by Paul Thomas Anderson. They’re lead by their own inner voice rather than anything outside of them. It’s authentic. It doesn’t matter if their movies don’t always work. It works because it’s authentic, that’s all.”
Monte Hellman last week at El Sol y La Luna, talking movies.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment
‘Whip It’ keeps firm Austin ties
Intrepid bulldog reporter Michael Corcoran updates us with this:
Although producers decided to bypass Austin, the setting of the roller derby revival flick “Whip It,” for incentive-laden Michigan, some Austin skaters are up north working on the movie. Keri St. Aubin, aka Rocky Casbah, and Chole Truheart, aka Sacralicious, are serving as body doubles for a couple of the lead actresses, including Drew Barrymore, who’s also directing.
According to April Ritzenthaler of TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls, the league featured in the film, Juliette Lewis plays the captain of the Holy Rollers. Also, the former TXRD skater who goes by Smother Teresa has been training “Whip It” lead Ellen Page for several months in Los Angeles. “Whip It” is based on “Derby Girl,” the coming-of-age book by former Austinite Shauna Cross.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment Categories: Austin Movies Inc.
What film folks are on the Fortunate 500 list?
Michael Barnes over at Out & About reminds film fans to check out his annual Fortunate 500 list of worthy Austin movie figures. See this year’s list HERE.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Rodriguez, Rose and ‘Red Sonja’
Comic-Con is in full swing, and there’s wads of cool news about the Robert Rodriguez-produced and (his girlfriend) Rose McGowan-starring comic-book adventure “Red Sonja” pouring out of the ginormous annual geek-fest.
Read some juicy news from Cinematical HERE.
And check out film — and romance — news about RR and RM at IMDB HERE.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Austin flicks taking on NYC
Two films with Austin ties that made splashes at this year’s Sundance are getting New York releases this weekend: Margaret Brown’s “The Order of Myths” and the Duplass Brothers’ “Baghead,” which enjoyed its first run in Austin.
“Order of Myths” has nailed a wowsy 100% rating at Rotten Tomatoes so far (read it here), while “Baghead” has earned a solid (if mystifying) 93% rating, which you can read about here.
Best of luck to both films in Gotham.
We mentioned here in May how the Dobie’s bookings seemed to be suddenly split between indie fare and mainstream blockbusters — a curious development for a longtime art house venue, whose owner, Landmark, has prided itself on an artsy rep.
(You can read our Dobie report here).
Now we read this at Patrick Goldstein’s LA Times blog, in which he notices how an LA Landmark theater is doing the same:
The Landmark, the Westside of Los Angeles’ premiere art-house oasis, where discerning adults can sip cappuccino, munch on vegan cookies and see their favorite new existential French thriller or auteur-driven drama, is full of … studio popcorn movies!
Half of the Landmark’s 12 screens are devoted to showings of “The Dark Knight” and “Mamma Mia!,” the two current box-office hits. The complex is still offering such art-house favorites as “Mongol” and “The Wackness,” but in very small portions.
When Landmark first arrived, its top executives assured neighborhood activists that it wouldn’t be showing “Spider-Man”-type blockbusters, which could attract boisterous teenagers to the area. Has it abandoned those promises? Or has it simply adjusted to the marketplace, which has been a disaster for art-house productions?
Read the whole entry, which includes a story explaining the switcheroo, here.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Berg wrestles Hercules
Peter Berg — director of Austin-shot feature “Friday Night Lights” and executive producer of the Austin-made TV show of the same name — will develop and direct a new Hercules epic for Universal, Variety reports.
(Hmm, he didn’t tell me about it during our recent interview about his summer hit “Hancock,” an interview you can read here.)
“Hercules: The Thracian Wars” is written by Ryan Condal and “based on a five-issue comic book series by Steve Moore that debuted in May through Radical Publishing,” writes the trade mag.
Kevin Sorbo will not be starring.
Berg did tell me he’ll be directing a fresh take on “Dune.”
Hercules and his pet hamsters.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Austin Film Festival to honor Sam Shepard
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Austin Film Festival and Conference. Man, we’re old. The preeminent festival for screenwriters has made a national name for itself by not only screening a great selection of films, but by honoring the writers who so often go unappreciated.
This year the festival will honor legendary writer (and actor) Sam Shepard with its Distinguished Screenwriter Award on October 18 at the Austin Club. The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Shepard began his writing career off-off-Broadway in New York in the early 1960s before beginning his screenwriting career in 1968 with “Me and My Brother.” Shepard would go on to win Pullitzers for his plays “Buried Child” and “Fool For Love,” which he adapted for the screen for director Robert Altman.
In addition to his prolific writing career, Shepard has left his mark on American film as an actor, as well, with an equally remarkable resume, starring in films such as “Days of Heaven” and “The Right Stuff.”
“Sam Shepard has changed the landscape of American film and stage with his work as a playwright, screenwriter and actor,” said Barbara Morgan, AFF co-founder and executive director. “His work represents the spirit of the Distinguished Screenwriter Award and we are thrilled to honor him.”
For more information or to purchase badges for the Austin Film Festival, go to their official Web site here.
While the films for this year’s fest will not be released until September, what follows is a partial list of A list of confirmed conference panelists:
- John August (writer/director “The Nines,” writer “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Corpse Bride,” “Go,” “Big Fish,” “Titan A.E.,” “Charlie’s Angels” and “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle”)
- David Boxerbaum, APA Agency
- Curtis Burch, Latitude Productions
- Channing Dungey, ABC Studios
- Matthew Gross, ABC Studios
- Juliana Farrell, Groundswell Productions
- Andrew Form, Platinum Dunes
- Mickey Freiberg, ACME Talent & Literary Agency
- Brad Fuller, Platinum Dunes
- John Lee Hancock (writer “The Blindside,” “A Perfect World,” “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” “The Alamo,” director “The Alamo,” “The Rookie”)
- Patrick Hegarty- 2007 AFF Latitude Award Winner, videogame writer on “Ghostbusters,” “Eragon” and “Rataouille”
- Buck Henry (writer “To Die For,” “Protocol,” “What’s Up, Doc?,” “The Owl and the Pussycat,” “Catch-22,” “The Graduate”)
- Jake Kasdan (“Walk Hard,” “The TV Set,” “Orange County,” “Zero Effect”)
- Michael McDonald, ABC Studios
- Rachel Miller, Tom Sawyer Productions
- Jeff Nathanson (story credit - “Indiana Jones 4,” “New York, I Love You,” “Rush Hour (2& 3),” “The Terminal,” “Catch Me if You Can,” “Speed 2,” and writer/director of “The Last Shot”)
- Susan O’Connor, Videogame writer (“Gears of War” and “Bioshock”)
- Dan Petrie Jr. (“Beverly Hills Cop,” “The Big Easy,” “Shoot to Kill,” “Turner & Hooch,” “Toy Soldiers”)
- Chuck Sklar (“Everybody Hates Chris,” “The Chris Rock Show”)
- Bob Soderstrom, Screenwriter, 2002 AFF Screenplay Competition Winner
- Yaphet Smith, Screenwriter
- Eric Red (“100 Feet,” “The Hitcher,” “Near Dark”)
- Terry Rossio (“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” “Dead Man’s chest,” “The Curse of the Black Pearl,” “Déjà vu,” “Shrek,” “The Mask of Zorro,” “Aladdin”)
- Robert Townsend (“Phantom Punch,” “Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy,” “Black Listed,” “The Meteor Man,” “The Five Heartbeats,” “Hollywood Shuffle”)
- Mark Vahradian, Di Bonaventura Pictures
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: AFF
Magazine cover boy: Robert Rodriguez
You might have heard of this Robert Rodriguez guy. He makes motion pictures, big ones, that feature either lots of a) little children, bright colors and goofy gadgets, or b) blood, guts, writhing female dancers, guns, bad guys and free-floating dystopia.
Anyway, he lives around our parts and he’s the current cover boy for glossy MovieMaker magazine. He talks about shooting and chopping flicks on the cheap and how awesome his new “Grindhouse” ring tone is. And more.
You gotta buy the issue to read the story, but you can peruse the magazine here.
BLOG ENTRY UPDATE: MovieMaker emails us with this: “If any Austin360 readers want to take advantage, we’re offering the Rodriguez issue free with your paid one-year subscription for just $9.95. Check it out here.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Changes in this week’s Paramount schedule
So Monday night (tonight) I went to the gym, rushed through a workout (and skipped the shower — gross), got dressed over my sweat and jogged over to the Paramount Theatre to catch the Hal Ashby double feature “The Landlord” and “Shampoo.”
Breathless and perspired (hey, my sweat smells of lavender and rainbows), I reached the entrance only to be turned away by a small flyer saying tonight and Tuesday’s double feature have been canceled due to some repair work on the venue’s roof.
(See, there was no “Shampoo,” so I couldn’t shower! Ha, groan.)
So there’s your news. A long-awaited twofer (at least for me) blotted out. Don’t go tonight. It’s not happening. I would double check Tuesday’s show — it’s the same two Ashby films — just in case they fix things. But it’s not likely.
Also: “The Parallax View” won’t be showing Wednesday and Friday. It’s been replaced by that other Alan J. Pakula Watergate-era political thriller “All the President’s Men,” which shows with “Three Days of the Condor.” Both films star Robert Redford. “Condor” was directed by the fine Sydney Pollack, who died in May.
Scan the complete summer classic film sked here.
Redford in a French ‘Condor’ poster looking superbad. Like me after the gym.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
‘At the Movies’ no longer
A day after Chicago Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper announced he would be leaving his chair on “At the Movies With Ebert & Roeper,” founding “cast member,” Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert has released a statement saying that he, too, will be leaving the show he started with the late Gene Siskel. The Sun-Times critic said in an e-mail to The Associated Press on Monday that Disney-ABC Domestic Television had decided to take the show “in a new direction,” precipitating his departure.
Sunday, Roeper referred to the failed contract negotiations that led to his departure. “Several months ago, Disney offered to extend my contract, which expires at the conclusion of the 2007-08 season,” Roeper said. “I opted to wait. Much transpired after that behind the scenes, but an agreement was never reached, and we are all moving on.”
More from the AP story:
A message seeking comment was left for a spokeswoman for Disney-ABC Domestic Television early Monday.Roeper said he intends to “proceed elsewhere … as the co-host of a movie review show that honors the standards established by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert more than 30 years ago.”
“I will be free to share the details on that program in the near future,” he said.
He also said he wishes Disney “the best of luck with their new show, whatever form it may take.”
Roeper joined Sun-Times movie critic Roger Ebert on the show in 2000, after Ebert’s original co-host, Chicago Tribune film critic Gene Siskel, died of a brain tumor in 1999.
Siskel and Ebert had begun reviewing movies on television together in 1975 on Chicago public broadcasting’s WTTW, which eventually took their program national. The pair jumped to commercial television through the Tribune Co.’s TV syndication wing in 1982, switching to Disney in 1986.
Roeper was chosen from among a large group of contenders to be the permanent replacement for Siskel after his death.
Ebert has been sidelined the last two years because of health issues that have robbed him of his voice.
“Over the last two seasons, as Roger has bravely coped with his medical issues, I’ve continued the show with a number of guest co-hosts,” Roeper said. “It’s never been the same without Roger, but I’m proud of the work we’ve done and I’m grateful to all the co-hosts who stepped in — and to the viewers that stayed loyal to the show.”
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
‘The Dark Knight’ live chat, Monday at 2p.m.
Did you see ‘The Dark Knight’ over the weekend? Join Statesman film critic Chris Garcia and Matthew Odam today at 2 p.m. as they chat about one of the year’s best movies. This chat will discuss the movie in detail; so if you haven’t seen it, it may be best to leave now.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment Categories: Chat
Monte Hellman’s big week in Austin
Cult hero and idol to cinephiles Monte Hellman (three words: “Two-Lane Blacktop”) comes to Austin next week to show his films and just hang out.
- Hellman screens three movies — “The Shooting,” “Two-Lane Blacktop” and, um, “Silent Night, Deadly Night III” — Wednesday night at the Alamo Ritz. He will answer all your questions. Tickets and details here.
Hellman
- Then from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, he’s doing a Meet and Greet with fans and worshipers at the United States Art Authority (29th and Guadalupe, behind Spiderhouse) during a relaxed cocktail mixer. It’s FREE and the rules are “just show up and drink.” More about the venue here.
Lots of Hollywood writers are being added to the Austin Film Festival and Screenwriters Conference — happening in October — including latest addition Phil Rosenthal, creator of TV’s “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Read about him and the rest of the stellar roster here.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Holy Alamo Drafthouse! Batman slows Web site
Batman fans have been jamming up the Alamo Drafthouse’s Web site trying to get tickets for tonight’s ‘Dark Knight’ shows.
After four tries and getting an error message or a spinning beachball, I went to the Alamo South Lamar location myself to find out what the deal was. Moviegoers have been calling that location all morning trying to get tickets when their online purchasing failed. No dice. You have to go there yourself. As of 12:30 p.m., many of tonight’s shows were sold out at that location and others around town. People in line were buying tickets for Saturday and Sunday shows.
The cashier advised me to come at 2 p.m. for my 3:15 matinee show. Good thing the baby-sitter is coming at 1 p.m.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment Categories: Weekend picks
Fantastic Fest unfurls films and fun
Fantastic Fest is approaching at daunting speed — didn’t last year’s just happen? — and it’s trickling out a preview of its mountain of genre titles, which run from the edgiest in new fantasy to a William Castle horror classic.
Fantastic Fest, maturing in leaps and bounds and buckets of blood by the day, happens Sept. 15 through 25 at the Alamo South with 100 flicks from 30 nations. If you don’t have your badge and aren’t a FF member yet, a furry troll will bite you in your sleep.
Here’s a peek at FF’s first wave of titles, including descriptions provided by the fest and noted guest appearances:
“Art of the Devil 3” (2008, Thailand, director: Ronin Team) A prequel to one of the most graphic and visually creative horror movies in recent times, ART OF THE DEVIL 3 is a tale of unrequited love set amid the exotic world of rural Thai black magic.
“Cargo 200” (2007, Russia, director: Aleksei Balabanov) Acclaimed Russian director Balabanov’s tale interweaves stories of cowardice, corruption and horror set against the backdrop of the birth of perestroika in the Soviet Union.
“Dark Floors” (2008, Finland, director: Pete Riski) Finnish heavy metal legends Lordi (dressed in their actual stage costumes!!!) star as demons from another dimension who torment a band of strangers trapped in a hospital.
“Donkey Punch” (2008, United Kingdom, director: Oliver Blackburn) Seven sexy young Brits are hanging out on a “borrowed” yacht for a day of drugs, debauchery, and ultimately donkey punching. It’s the last activity that causes everything to unravel. After the screening, follow us to Ladybird Lake for the potentially inappropriate Donkey Punch Boat Party.
“Eagle Eye” (2008, USA, director: D.J. Caruso) Two strangers (Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan) become the pawns of a mysterious woman they have never met, but who seems to know their every move. Realizing they are being used to further her evil plans, they must work together to outwit the woman before she has them killed. During the week of the festival, take part in the EAGLE EYE cell phone scavenger hunt. Director D.J. Caruso (DISTURBIA) live in person!
“I Think We’re Alone Now” (2007, USA, director: Sean Donnelly) This fascinating and severely disturbing documentary takes you deep into the worlds and obsessions of Kelly McCormick and Jeffery Deane Turner, who have been separately stalking 80s pop icon Tiffany for nearly 20 years. Director Sean Donnelly live in person!
The Short Films of Nacho Vigalondo (various, Spain, director: Nacho Vigalondo) Festival darling and last year’s grand prize winner Nacho Vigalondo didn’t just come out of nowhere with his first feature TIMECRIMES. In 2003 he directed academy award-nominated short 7:35 IN THE MORNING and has a large and impressive body of short films. Fantastic Fest is premiering the collected short works of Nacho Vigalondo, many subtitled in English for the first time for this program.
“Spine Tingler: The William Castle Story” (2007, USA, director: Jeffrey Schwarz) William Castle, one of the mighty giants of fantastic film and media manipulation is lauded and explained by the ones who knew him and loved him best.
“Terra” (2008, Canada, director: Aristomenis Tsirbas) An Armada of humans arrives on a habitable planet with intentions of colonization, but the seemingly peaceful indigenous creatures turn out to have some unexpected moxie. Beautifully animated with voice talent by David Cross, Brian Cox, Dennis Quaid, Rachael Wood and Luke Wilson.
“The Tingler” (1959, USA, director: William Castle) William Castle’s masterpiece, an electrifying celebration of tactile horror that culminates in a shocking climax which audience members may never recover from. For this special presentation, the theater at the Alamo will be wired to recreate Castle’s greatest gimmick: “Percepto!”
PLUS! Fantastic Fest parties and special events:
Opening Night Party: Air Sex World Finals
Closing Night Party: “Get Lit,” a subterranean dance party a mile beneath the earth at nearby Longhorn Caverns.
Fantastic Feud and All-Night Karaoke Party
Fantastic Debates
100 Best Kills
Get complete FF info here.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
‘Light from the East’ shines on DVD
Austin doc-maker Amy Grappell’s acclaimed “Light from the East” is out on DVD. Featured at SXSW and given a good New York run, the doc follows Grappell and her American theater troupe as they experience the military coup in Kiev in 1991.
“During the massive political changes of 1991, including the fall of Communism and the Ukraine declaring its national independence, (the film) takes the viewer on a personal and philosophical inquiry into the meaning of freedom,” writes Grappell.
Learn more about the movie and how to buy it here.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Linklater turns up volume for ‘School of Rock 2’
Variety reports today that Austin’s Rick Linklater and man-boy Jack Black will do a sort of rock reunion tour with a sequel to the hit “School of Rock.” Read on:
School is back in session for Paramount Pictures.
Studio is developing a “School of Rock” sequel, with Jack Black attached to reprise his role as rock star wannabe substitute teacher Dewey Finn, who in the original film turned a class of fifth-grade high-achievers into high-voltage rock ‘n’ rollers. Richard Linklater is attached to direct again, and Scott Rudin is returning as producer.
Mike White, who penned the 2003 comedy, is writing the screenplay, titled “School of Rock 2: America Rocks,” which picks up with Finn leading a group of summer school students on a cross-country field trip that delves into the history of rock ‘n’ roll and explores the roots of blues, rap, country and other genres.
Original film was a box office hit for the studio, costing just $30 million to make and earning $131 million worldwide.
White’s Rip Cord Prods. has a first-look deal with the studio. He and Black started Black & White Prods. in 2004 but parted ways in 2006. White’s writing credits include several Black vehicles, including “Orange County” and “Nacho Libre,” both for Paramount. White wrote and directed last year’s “Year of the Dog” for Paramount Vantage,
Black, who recently dropped out of the Todd Phillips-helmed comedy “Man-Witch,” stars in two upcoming high-profile comedies: Ben Stiller’s “Tropic Thunder,” opening Aug. 15, and the Judd Apatow-produced “Year One,” which bows next June.
Linklater most recently helmed “A Scanner Darkly” for Warner Independent.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Jason Bateman joins Judge’s latest
Update on Mike Judge’s latest film “Extract” — which we reported on some time ago — from EW (without addressing the key question: Will he make it in Austin?):
Mike Judge prepping comedy film with Jason Bateman and Kristen Wiig
Maybe three’s the magic number for Mike Judge. The talented but unlucky writer-director, whose last two films (“Office Space” and “Idiocracy”) were ignored by moviegoers, is assembling a new comedy called “Extract,” which centers on a flower-extract plant owner (played by Jason Bateman) who’s facing a stream of bad luck, including workplace issues and a cheating wife. Sources tell EW.com that “Saturday Night Live’s” Kristen Wiig, who just landed a role in Drew Barrymore’s Roller Derby movie “Whip It!” (a shoot that Austin lost to Michigan — C.G.), is in negotiations to play the cuckolding spouse, while “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” star Mila Kunis is in early talks to play one of the plant employees. Production is set to begin in August, pending the potential actors’ strike and Wiig’s “SNL” schedule.
Do not Judge. Yet.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
“Chop Shop” a modest gem
Just watched a great little movie that’s fresh out on DVD, the 2007 festival hit “Chop Shop.” It gleaned sterling reviews from top critics, and it’s one of the most satisfying movies I’ve seen in a while.
Directed and co-written by Ramin Bahrani and starring a humidly naturalistic cast of non-pros, this gritty urban story about surviving and growing up hits many of the same notes as the amazing teen urban romance “Raising Victor Vargas.” In fact, the two would make a perfect double feature.
Bahrani’s previous tiny buzz film was “Man Push Cart,” another worthwhile rental. I will be watching whatever he does next.
More about “Chop Shop” here and here.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
The Arbor gets Alamo-y
The Regal Arbor, way up north, is kicking off its new Retro Replay series July 30 with 007 classic “Dr. No.”
The offbeat program emanates an Alamo Drafthouse-esque tang (“Army of Darkness” — totally), which is, of course, a really good thing. Add to that prizes and special guests and stuff, and the analogy sharpens focus.
This is the tentative sked for Retro Replay. Shows are 7: 30 p.m. Wednesdays.
“Dr. No” (new print), July 30
“The Hudsucker Proxy” Aug. 6
“Joe vs. the Volcano” Aug. 13
“So I Married an Axe Murderer” Aug. 20
“Army of Darkness” Aug. 27
“Better Off Dead” Sept. 3
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Platt chat about ‘Last Picture Show’
Film festivals just don’t pop up once a year and do their festival thing. They rev along all year with fund raisers, brand promotion and lots of special events that fall under the rubric of don’t forget about us!
The Austin Film Festival, doing its annual pop up in mid-October, has one of those events Sunday: a conversation about “The Last Picture Show” with producer Polly Platt and UT film professor, author and producer Tom Schatz
The chat’s at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Driskill Hotel Victorian Room and is followed by a screening of “The Last Picture Show” at the Paramount Theater at 6 p.m. Admission to the movie is included in the event price: $12 for AFF members, $17 for non-members.
The two will discuss: “How did ‘The Last Picture Show,’ this low budget art film about a small town in Texas, take America by storm, let alone get made?” and “The film’s beginnings (Sal Mineo passed on Larry McMurty’s dime store novel to Platt) all the way to its place as a seminal work of the new maverick cinema of the 1970s.”
Platt, former wife of “Picture Show” director Peter Bogdanovich, was that film’s production designer. She went on to do lots more, including producing “Say Anything” and “Bottle Rocket.” More about her here.
Tickets at 478-4795 or here.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
SXSW’s online shorts contest finalists
Click and view the 15 short film finalists of this year’s 2008 SXSWclick Festival, South by Southwest Film’s online shorts contest. These aren’t cheesy home-made blips, but accomplished, slick productions by a talented bunch.
Watch them and read about the competition here
‘Blind Date’ by Ryan McCulloch
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’ sneak preview
Academy-award winning director Guillermo del Toro visited the Alamo South Wednesday night for a screening of his new film, ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army.’ Del Toro, along with ‘Hellboy’ comic book creator Mike Mignola and actor Doug Jones (who came to fame with his creepy role in del Toro’s ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’), took part in a Q&A session following the screening.
Check out photos from the evening here.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Bye bye, Waterloo Video
Curses, Netflix! Seems high competition from new media outlets has sent beloved Austin outlet Waterloo Video running. Or at least shutting.
Doors close in mid-August, triggering a remodeling of its sister store Waterloo Records so it can handle the leftover non-rental DVDs. This also means the shop is throwing a big sale on all rental DVDs and VHS tapes, from camp crud to Criterion gold.
What they say: “Multi-disc sets, special editions, director’s cuts, Criterion sets — all of it. Prices will vary, but most foreign and classic rental DVDs are $12.99, and genre film rental DVDs are $9.99. Get there before it’s all gone.”
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Latest on Tarantino’s latest
This coming from Nikki Finke’s feared and famous “Deadline Hollywood Daily” blog at LA Weekly about QT’s long-gestating WWII picture:
Tarantino Unveils ‘Inglorious Bastards’
Quentin Tarantino has just gone out with his long-anticipated script about World War II. But here’s the weird thing sources are telling me: not only is Laurence Bender attached to produce Inglorious Bastards, but there’s also “a possibility” that Harvey Weinstein will be producing as well but not financing it. This certainly adds fuel to those rumors that Harv is having movie money woes. This epic, originally for Miramax and originally set for 2001, has been so long in the works that some people thought it might never see the light of day. Tarantino himself has described it as a Spaghetti Western meets World II film that’s an homage to the Dirty Dozen with a story about a group of soldiers on their way to be executed who get the chance of a reprieve. I hear it’s gone out to almost every studio.
The Finke link here.
QT, talking movies at Austin’s The Belmont during the ‘Grindhouse’ after-party
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Reel Women know how to party
Reel Women’s doing it again, with a special screening, wrap party and awards ceremony for Best of Austin 2008 48-Hour Film Project, 6 p.m. July 21 at 300 Austin (9504 North I-H 35 ).
The FREE event features the top 10 juried films. More about the show and lots more Reel Women events here. Or call 971-1663.
This just wheeled in: The Bicycle Film Festival pedals to Austin in September, thanks to certified super-dude Lance Armstrong. Learn all about this pumping party here.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
More ink spilled for ‘Trinidad’
PJ Raval, old friend and co-director/shooter of the doc “Trinidad,” sends along more coverage about his and Jay Hodges’ movie at the Los Angeles Film Festival:
Two articles from Indie Wire, here and here.
A video interview by Indie Express, here.
Film Threat’s review, here.
And the Independent Film Channel’s write-up, here.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
‘Skin’ flick
Right, a documentary about Lyme disease doesn’t sound enchanting, but just stop it. Because “Under Our Skin,” showing at noon July 26 at the Alamo Ritz, is an urgent doc with a healthy buzz. It was an Audience Choice Award finalist at the big-shot Tribeca Film Festival this year.
Learn about the movie and watch the trailer here.
Get tickets for the July 26 screening here.
Another made-in-Austin flick hits theaters this summer (the other is the UT-made “Homo Erectus,” whose open date has moved from next week to sometime in September).
“Kabluey,” an offbeat family comedy starring Lisa Kudrow and the awesome Teri Garr, was shot here in 2006 and won an audience award at the Austin Film Festival. It opens July 25 at the Dobie.
More about the movie here.
Sundance wants your films. Now.
Early submission deadline for all films: Aug. 18
Official deadline for short films: Sept. 5
Official deadline for feature films: Sept. 8
Everything you need here.
