SXSW
2002 - Day 9- Saturday March 16, 2002
My neighbors got up at 10am and started clumping
around and making noise and putting me back in my horrible
mood. Assholes. Who the fuck only sleeps 5 hours? I
hope they die in a horrible car wreck.
I had some films I wanted to see but none of them
were really that important to me and I was so burned
out that I decided to just go to the 7pm showing of
“Blade” and skip the afternoon stuff. I got downtown
about 6pm. There was a throng of pretentious assholes
from Austin who think they are somebody congregated
at the front of the Paramount. And, too, there were
some people I like. Of course, Harry and Guillermo del
Toro were there. So was Ron Perlman. As for people I
know and like, Jan, my friend who knows Harry was right
in line behind Allan and I. I also saw Rav and my friend
Jason who screens films with me at Austin Film Festival.
At least, I think he’s name is Jason. I always get it
confused for some reason. He’s a cool guy, whatever
the fuck his name is. The pretentious folk included
Corey and Martin from the “Reel Deal” and Charlie Soto
(who actually works for SXSW). Oh, the girl who made
“Journeys with George” was also there.
I tried to talk to everyone but it was hard to
keep up with everyone. Allan was trying to run my life,
telling me I should take pictures of the “Reel Deal”
people (why?) There was this guy standing behind Jan
and he looked kinda familiar. He was pretty young and
he had the most beautiful, crystal clear, gray-blue
eyes that I have ever seen. I wanted to say something
like, “This is not a gay thing or anything but – WOW
– your eyes are so awesome.” I wish I could just say
things like that. I’m such a pussy. Anyway, Jan got
called by some pretentious fuck to go into a line for
“Special Guests” of Harry’s. That’s cool. Jan is a sweet
lady and not pretentious at all. I was close to the
front of the “Pass” line, so I knew we’d get in and
get decent seats. The guy with the beautiful eyes was
now right behind us and when I turned to look at him
again, he had been joined by his friend. It was the
guy we saw at the MYEC on Thursday (Day
7) who looks like Ben Savage. I couldn’t resist.
I said “Hi” and told him about seeing him the other
day and wanting to say, “Where’s Topanga?” He smiled
and was quite unassuming and told me he gets that a
lot. We talked a bit and I noticed he was wearing a
Jewish star necklace. He was a very nice looking young
man and his friend with the eyes looked on while we
talked. I never did work up the nerve to compliment
him. But Wow! A moment of pure beauty for me. It was
nice to see those guys.
Inside the Paramount, we got drinks and popcorn
from Kat and went to the third row. They had cordoned
off some space for Harry and his “Special Guests” and
so we had to sit in the second row. No big deal.
Here’s how cool Guillermo del Toro is: He signed
autographs and talked to fans right in the aisle of
the Paramount for about 30 minutes before the film.
Perlman too. It was cool. A guy came and talked to the
girl sitting next to Allan (a UT film student Allan
kept chatting up) and showed us the autograph he had
gotten on a poster. Del Toro had even done a little
cartoon drawing on it. Now that is cool! Some guy behind
us told us he met Perlman and Nicky Katt. I looked for
Katt but couldn’t see him.
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Luis Black of SXSW introduced del Toro who
came out and wowed the audience. He
did a Q&A after the film too.
Here are some of his best quotes:
“This (film) is about as subtle as a fart
in a space suit.”
“This is the world fucking premiere of this
movie.”
“This film is a dress rehearsal for ‘Hell
Boy.’”
“It’s fucking ‘Itchy and Scratchy,’ man.”
“I’m not subtle.”
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Guillermo del Toro
and Ron Perlman
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Perlman got up on stage during the Q&A and
even did an impromptu imitation of del Toro. It was
cool. I’ve said it before and I will say it again: If
you ever get a chance to hear del Toro speak, grab it!
He is the most awesome film director I’ve ever heard
speak. He’s Tarantino without the pretense. He’s awesome.
During the Q&A, he took every opportunity to hype “Hell
Boy” that he could. He wants to make that film so bad.
He wants Perlman to play the role. He even told us that
at one meeting he had at a studio, they told him they
would make the film if he cast The Rock in the lead.
“Fuck that!” he exclaimed to the crowd’s delight.
The UT girl next to Allan asked the best question
about the creature FX in the film. She said the vampire’s
mouths look “vaginal.” Del Toro ran with the question
and gave the greatest answer, saying no matter what
you tell FX and make-up people, they always make it
look like a penis or a vagina. It was hilarious.
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"Gigantic"
producer Shirley Moyers and director AJ Schnack.
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After the film as we were walking back outside
to get in line for “Gigantic,” a documentary about
the rock band They Might Be Giants, and Rav asked
me what I thought of the film. I had to admit
it was fucking awesome. It’s the best action film
I’ve seen in years.
Outside waiting, Allan and I met up again
with this friend of his who is in this Atheist
“club” with him. (They have their meetings at
a bagel shop – is that crazy or what). Her name
was Shelly and she was really nice. She gave me
some Cinnamon Tic Tacs though and they busted
my will. They were way too strong.
Inside a few minutes later waiting for “Gigantic”
to start, the guy sitting next to me turned to
me and mentioned the cable access TV show that
I do. He was very complimentary. That was cool.
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I get recognized about once a week from it now.
We talked a bit and he mentioned that he was moving
to DC as he just passed the bar. He and his wife run
a record label here in Austin and one of the bands they
work with is The Gipsys. I gave him a card and he told
me to check out www.auslander(something I can’t remember).com
or something.
The director of “Gigantic” introduced the film
and did a Q&A afterwards. It’s cool when the guys who
make the films stay for the entire run of SXSW and watch
it with the audience and do Q&A. That’s what it’s all
about man!
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the movie, Allan and I went to Starseeds. They have
their patio set up but they haven’t opened it up
yet. The cute guy waiting tables was trying to talk
people into making out with each other and when
Allan Campbell came in, I tried to get him to give
me a little kiss and he wouldn’t. How stupid is
that? It was funny though because the guy said I
should make-out with the guy in the booth behind
me and I turned around to look at it was an old
co-worker of mine named Barry. We both looked and
each other and our jaws dropped. I ran over and
hugged him even though he was with his girlfriend
and her mother. Barry is really cute and I used
to flirt like hell with him when we worked together.
He has red hair and is pale and thin and wan just
like I like them. Barry was clean shaven and fresh-faced
tonight and looked so awesome. He looked 15 years
old. I’d have blown him right there if he asked. |
The new patio at Starseeds.
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His girlfriend’s mother is kinda strange. Barry
and his gf go to “Rocky Horror” a lot and they were
running late so we didn’t get to talk too long.
This sorta cute guy who works at Starseeds (I think
his name is Daniel) came and sat with me. They do that
at the restaurant a lot. I dig that. It’s such a cool
place. I asked him to make-out with me and he did this
thing where he kissed his pinkie and he made me kiss
my pinkie and then we touched pinkies and we each kissed
our own pinkies again. It was different. He made eyes
at me a couple times after that as he worked. That was
sweet and fun. All in all a nice little capper to SXSW2002.
I was really not in the mood for the festival this
year and I’ve still got about 10 or 12 movie reviews
to write. I got way behind this year. Part of this was
my day job, part of it was J.K. being on my mind, part
of it was my upstairs neighbor assholes and part of
it was just timing. I had a good time but the writing
for all of this is really a lot of work and I still
have a lot to do. I’ll try to get reviews up as soon
as I can. Here’s what I have left to write:
The Smith Family
OT: Our Town
The Search for John Gissing
Salesman
Martin and Orloff
ZigZag
Home Movie
Music Video Showcase
CQ
Journeys with George
Blade 2
Gigantic
Wish me luck!
By the way, this is the first day since we started
“hanging out” that J.K. didn’t call me. (I think it’s
been over a month). I miss him.
Lodger @ SXSW2002
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