Notes from Austin, Volume 2 #12

Including:

"Tracers" at the Off Center

aGLIFF's "Queer as Folk 2"

Bob Ray

"George Wallace"

Kyle Henry

"The Blair Witch Project 2"

"American Movie" on DVD

Hot film news - release dates and new gossip! including Robert Rodriguez, Sandra Bullock, Dennis Quaid and Steven Soderburgh

April/May Video release schedule

"Dreamers"

Cinemaker Co-op's MAFIA

and more local news from the filethirteen mailbag...

Tuesday night I went with Kelly to see "Beautiful People" at the Arbor. I didn't like it very much but Kelly seemed to. After I see a movie, I like to discuss it, argue about it, talk about it, even fight about it. But I've noticed that both Rich and Kelly shut down after watching a movie if you don't like it. They don't like to hear me bitch about it. It kinda spoils the fun for me. But I don't want to spoil their fun either. Kelly and I got off on a tangent about conscience and inner-voices and got into sort of deep territory, except we couldn't, either of us, really make ourselves clear about our thoughts on the matter. It was rather dismal and frustrating. I don't think Kelly has ever seen the true "fun-loving" side to my personality. Right now, for the first time in my adult life really, I am trying to figure myself out and figure out how to relate to the rest of the world. I want to be myself but I also want people to like me, of course. I get far too introspective at times and this bogs everything down to one giant therapy session after another. People do seem to like me but it still seems like a daily grind to understand me. This for myself and for the rest of the world. What can I do but continue to work on it. I just wish I could have some good, clean thoughtless fun with Kelly, and with Rich. At least with Rich, we have a few drinks and talk movies for hours on end. That is a great joy for me.

Wednesday night I went with some friends to the Dog Track in Houston (actually LaMarque). They have changed it some. The third floor is now called the "Simulcast Lounge" and you can bet on dog and horse races via satellite from around the country. We bet on several of them and had a good time, even though I lost my shirt.

I worked a lot over the end of the week and spent far too much time on the computer. On Saturday night, I went looking for the Off Center theater so I could see Kelly's play, "Tracers." I drove all up and down 7th street, East and West, looking for it. I was just about to give up when I spotted it. If someone would have just said, "Right behind the Short Stop," it would have been easy to find.

I came in a few minutes late, but it didn't matter. "Tracers" was awesome. Written by Vietnam vets, the piece is a bittersweet meditation on the war. But it's also a theater piece of quite remarkable magnitude. Visiting the avant-garde and surely grounded in the experimental theater and cinema of the 60's and 70's, the performance on this, the final night of it's Austin run, was sometimes magical. Although the group of actors in the piece are young (perhaps rightly so) and somewhat inexperienced, they were often able to become unteathered and fly freely in the moment here. Director Olivia Whitmer inserts wonderful moments in the play for the actors to become spirit and to escape the bounds of the literal stage. Perhaps many of these are reflections of ideas from the source material, perhaps not, I am unsure. But it really doesn't matter because, either way, Whitmer made them work. A truly wonderful moment had the actors, after getting high on heroin, turn into slow-motion acrobats that mingled with each other on the stage. Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" blares on the speakers. It was a perfect reflection of lost young men, high on fear, boredom and chemicals, experiencing a moment of unbridled joy, commradery and togetherness. It was seemingly impossible to pull off yet it glided here.

Whitmer used everything at her disposal to bring forth the play. The backdrop was a marvelous mesh of camouflage, the American flag and a sheer piece of material that resembled a parachute. Slide projections magically appeared on these backdrops at times punctuating the piece with visual reminders of the memories of the era. Like newsreel images and "Life" magazine photograph spreads, the images served to both distance us and draw us in. Music was used throughout the piece, again generally from the era, to underscore moments and scenes. Occasionally this was far too loud, blasting the actors words into oblivion, but again, perhaps rightly so.

Knowing Kelly O'Hare, as I do, it was hard to evaluate his performance as Dinky Dau. He was often amusing and evoked some of the biggest laughs in the play with his goofy antics. Perhaps he was a bit too broad at times; still trying to find a path into the character, but his oddness only served to warm us to the character further. It's the first time I've ever seen Kelly in a play and it was neat. I think he is far more talented than I ever realized. Some maturity must happen but when it does, he will be unstoppable. Michael Mason as Scooter was another highlight, although all the acting was good. Mason truly fit his character and his final moments, at the climax of the play, in a battle sequence were wonderful. Perhaps not groundbreaking, his performance served as yet another reminder of the abysmal horror of battle. Stereotypical, yes, but as it should be. At the climax, his cries, his whining, injured, desperate, lost and afraid Scooter, brought tears to my eyes. His calls of "Mama," which could have been tragically corny in a less talented actor's hands, became heartbreaking. It was ethereal and surreal and devastatingly human at the same time.

Stereotypical might be a term you could attach to the performance of Robert Paulette as Sgt. Williams. His boot camp speech was the stuff of a thousand other performers in endless films and plays. Until you realize how difficult and demanding the role is. Williams, as did most of his peers on this evening, made the role his own. He was the embodiment of all those Sergeants in the war.

One of the best moments in the play, in relation to true acting performance, came when Scott White and Jack Smith, as the "Professor" and "Doc," meet up. Until this point, White's performance had suffered quite a bit by being a little wooden. But when he was able to sink his teeth into some intellectual and literal dialogue, he soared. Perhaps the logistics of the sur-reality of the other portions of the play were not suited to his skills. But the conversation he shared with Smith became like the best of traditional theater where dialogue becomes everyday speech and we forget, for a moment, that we are watching a play and simply think we are watching people talk.

The highlight and lowlight of the evening was a member of the audience who seemed to be a Vietnam vet having flashbacks throughout the play. He smoked, an illegal act I believe, and talked loudly during portions of the performance. At first it was annoying, but eventually it became sort of a part of the play. Reality and theater melted together at times. The guy came up - ONTO THE STAGE - and hugged the actors at the end of the play. It was surreal.

This, of course, was ruined when the guy hung around after the play and annoyed the hell out of everyone, particularly Kelly, who seemed to simply listen intently to what the guy had to say. Homeless, smelly, drunk and incomprehensible, the guy seemed untouchable. Yet Kelly stood there and listened to him. One of his revelations: He wasn't in Nam, but he was "prepared to go." The guy wasn't even a vet. Just insane.

But, it's a trivial footnote to an awesome evening of theater. I can't wait to see what Whitmer does next. Whether or not Kelly is involved. Of course, I hope he is. It's a pretty good guess Mason will be involved somehow as he is currently dating the director.

After the play I went over to John Christensen's place for his 28th birthday party. I got him 30 eggs as a gift. I really had a good time yet again the whole night eroded into a therapy session. And, of course, it was my own damn fault. The place was packed with cute guys but, of course, I had to go and be myself. Will I ever learn?

The hit of the 99 film festival was the British made for TV series, "Queer As Folk," which ventured where no television series had gone before, chronicling the lives and loves of a trio of gay men from Manchester who were not role models, victims or martyrs.

The boys are back in this outrageous sequel where Stuart Jones is being blackmailed and seeing as he's no one's victim, he's out for revenge. But does he go too far?... Contains behind-the-scenes footage.

aGLIFF showed the 4 hour marathon of the series again last week and, of course, I missed it.

From: Dave Frohnmayer To: kyle henry Subject: Re: Free the UO 5! Date: Fri, 07 Apr 2000 22:07:15 -0700 (PDT)

Having visited your university last semester, I can not believe that you would arrest five students who were simply attempting to deliver a document with demands for trespassing! Please work diligently to get these charges dropped, or I will have to encourage all the students I come in contact with on my lecture circuit of college campuses across the country to consider boycotting your university.

Frohnmayer's response:

Oh good grief. How can you possibly think yourself an authority on affairs concerning our campus, and those who chose quite deliberately to violate the law? DF

Kyle's response:

I certainly don't consider myself an authority about the "affairs" concerning your campus, but I do certainly recognize a repressive action when I hear about it. Thank you for clarifying the situation for me with your tart and sarcastic response. I'll be sure to pass it on to others, who will know that you are no friend to democracy...

(That's good stuff Kyle! You rock!)

There were rumors of a film called "The Bogus Witch Project" being released which featured several pre-made "BWP" spoofs all glued together with new scenes involving Pauly Shore. One of the films supposedly to be included was "The Blair Bitch Project," a film I saw at No Dance in Park City, directed by and starring comedian Scott LaRose. I talked to Scott via electronic mail this week and he denied that his short would be used in the film. He seemed to indicate that the "Bogus" Project would probably never be released.

Meanwhile, Artisan has already announced that the sequel, "The Blair Witch Project 2" or "BWP2" will be released on 10/27/2000, just in time for Halloween. The sequel will be directed by documentary filmmaker Joe Berlinger. The concept will be that a documentary crew, who wants to prove that the first film was a hoax and that the public has been defrauded, will go into the spooky woods and spooky stuff will start happening to them. Not a bad concept.

The third film in the series already has rumors flying that it will be a "prequel" set in the 1600 or 1700's. I'll keep my ears open.

The DVD will be available on May 23rd - although the filmmakers are still trying to work out a deal with Columbia/Tristar to sell signed copies through their website.

BTW - Mark has now sold over 2400 tapes of "Coven" on his way to 3000 - 3/4 of the way there. I personally bought 4 copies, 3 as gifts. Mark will autograph them for ya too!

4/11 Happy Texas - The Insider - The Minus Man - Superstar - Three Kings - Three to Tango - Tumbleweeds

4/18 The Bachelor - Boys Don't Cry - End of Days - The House on Haunted Hill - Mumford - Stuart Little

4/25 Fight Club - Flawless - Molly - Music of the Heart

5/2 Anywhere But Here - Being John Malkovich - Dogma - Galaxy Quest - Virtual Sexuality

5/9 American Beauty - Bringing Out the Dead - Mystery Alaska - The Straight Story

5/16 Cradle Will Rock - The End of the Affair - Felicia's Journey - The World is Not Enough

5/23 Eye of the Beholder - Sleepy Hollow - Man on the Moon - Snow Falling on Cedars

Disney has let it be known that the 5 minute "Dinosaur" trailer that showed with "Toy Story 2" is in fact the first 5 minutes of the film. dinosaur is due 5/19

"Shanghai Noon" starring Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan has had such good response from preview crowds, it's now slated to be released 5/26. (Disney has already signed screenwriters Miles Millar and Al Gough to pen the sequel).

Lucas Haas' long awaited film "Hoofbeats" has had it's named changed to "Running Free." it's now slated for 6/2

"Fantasia 2000," the highest grossing IMAX film ever, will finally hit the shrunken screens at the megaplexes across America this Summer.

John Dahls' "Squelch" stars Leelee Sobieski and Steve Zahn. Summer.

"The Kid" starring Bruce Willis will be rated G or PG. It hits screens 7/7

"Scary Movie" is now the title of the spoof of "Scream," "I Know What You Did" and all the films in that genre from the Wayans clan. It's supposedly coming out 7/7. We'll see.

"Chuck and Buck" - the hit comedy of Sundance - 7/14

"Pokemon 2" - will again see collectors cards being given out with each ticket sold - 7/21

Amy Heckerling's "Loser" will star Jason Biggs and Mena Suvari. 7/21 *

Cecil B. Demented - directed by John Waters - 8/18

"Texas Rangers" with that Van Der Beek guy will be out 8/25. Some violence may have to be cut out to get a PG-13 rating.

The Way of the Gun - the new film by Chrisopher McQuarrie ("The Usual Suspects") - starring Ryan Phillipe and Juliette Lews - 8/25

Yep - there will be a new "Higlander." Called "Endgame," it's slated for a late summer release.

"The Yards" starring Marky Mark and Jaoquin Phoenix may only see the light of day in limited release. If you live in NYC or LA, look for it on 9/8. Really, look for the date to keep changing. It has already moved several times.

Soul Survivors - starring Wes Bently (of "American Beauty"), Casey Affleck and Luke Wilson - 9/15

Requiem for a Dream - the new film by Dartren Aronofsky ("Pi") - 9/29

"Cowboy Up" - starring Keifer Sutherland. Look for the title to be changed to avoid confusion with Sutherland's "The Cowboy Way" - 9/29

"Urban Legends 2" will star Joey Lawrence. Due August or Sept.

"15 Minutes" - Ed Burns and Robert Deniro - 10/6

"Bounce" with Ben Affleck and Gwenyth has been moved to 10/13, supposedly due to Affleck grousing about his own over-saturation of the marketplace.

Billy Bob Thornton's western, "All the Pretty Horses," stars Matt Damon and Henry Thomas. Now due in the fall.

Cameron Crowe's latest - still without a title. Set in 1973, about a kid hiting the road with a rock band during their major tour so that he can write a story for "Rolling Stone" magazine - due fall 2000

The Coen Brothers film "O Brother Wherefor Art Thou" may have it's title changed. For one thing, no one can decide whether it's "O" or "Oh." - it will be released this fall, hopefully.

"Everlasting Piece - director Barry Levinson - Fall 2000

"Ladies Man" is the next SNL skit to become a major motion picture. Tim Meadows plays the suave hipset. Fall

Schwarzenegger's "6th Day," directed by Roger Spottiswoode. Fall.

"Monkeybone" stars Brendan Fraiser. doesn't Harry Knowles have a cameo in this? Fall.

"Little Nicky" - Adam Sandler as Satan's weird son - due 11/17

"102 Dalmations" will have only Glenn Close returning from the original. Rather than London, it will be set in Paris. Gerard Depardieu will costar - 11/22

"Charlies Angels" produced by and starring Drew Barrymore will also star Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu. And Bill Murray as Bosley. 11/2000

"Made" - starring Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn and written by Favreau (the "Swingers" are together again) - late 2000

"Finding Forrester," the new Gus Van Sant film starring Sean Connery will be released around Xmas.

"Quills" about the Marque de Sade with Geoffrey Rush and Michael Caine. Directed by Phillip Kaufman. Late 2000

KELLY PRESTON will star opposite Antonio Banderas in the action comedy "Spy Kids" for Austin writer-director Robert Rodriguez.

Austin's Sweetheart SANDRA BULLOCK is in talks to star in "Her Leading Man," a romantic comedy to be directed by Kevin Williamson. Isn't she too old for him?

JIM CAVIEZEL, in the new Dennis Quaid film "Frequency," will play the lead in Disney's remake of "The Count of Monte Cristo," based on Alexandre Dumas' classic novel. I don't think this is the version Austin director Guillermo Del Torro has been trying to get off the ground for a while.

Speaking of DENNIS QUAID, he'll join Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones in director Steven Soderbergh's Traffic. Quaid will play a lawyer in the film.

ADAM GOLDBERG, of "Dazed and Confused and "Saving Private Ryan" fame will join Val Kilmer and Peter Sarsgaard in the thriller "The Salton Sea." There's still no definate release date for his finished feature, "Sunset Strip" where he wears a giant afro.

CATE BLANCHETT will join Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton in director Barry Levinson's romantic comedy "Outlaws."

JULIANNE MOORE may star in the biopic "I Was Amelia Earhart."

Somewhere early in 2001, we are going to get a "Josie and the Pussycat's movie."

MENA SUVARI, in "American Beauty" and the forthcoming "Loser," will play the lead role of a worldly young girl in the black comedy "Mini's First Time."

JENNIFER LOPEZ is talking with her "Selena" director Gregory Nava about starring in "Bordertown," a thriller about a female journalist investigating a string of murders.

TOM GREEN, the scary MTV comedian who appears in the upcoming "Road Trip," will star in the comedy Freddy Got Fingered, about a grown man who moves back in with his parents.

THE ROCK of the WWF will make his big-screen debut as a half-man, half-scorpion villain in "The Mummy 2."

LL COOL J will join Chris Klein (the blushing boy in "American Pie") in the remake of "Rollerball." Director wil be John McTiernan. Meanwhile, Klein's costar JASON BIGGS, whose also in Amy Heckerling's "Loser" will play Christina Ricci's boyfriend in "Prozac Nation." Biggs is also slated to play in "Saving Silverman," about two buddies who try to stop their friend from marrying the wrong woman. Jack Black and Steve Zahn may co-star. Meanwhile Klien, who is currently at the megaplexas in "Here on Earth" also has another teen romance film due out later this year called "Say It Isn't so," costarring Heather Graham.

JOHN SAYLES will adapt but not direct, the New Yorker magazine crime story "A Cold Case." Tom Hanks is being sought to star in the film.

CHRIS COLUMBUS will direct "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the first film of the book series by author J.K. Rowling. look for a for a summer 2001 release.

DAVID FINCHER next film may be "The Panic Room." Nicole Kidman may star in the thriller about a woman and her daughter trying to elude a pair of home invaders.

PHILIP KAUFMAN will direct the feature film biography of Liberace. The film will follow the entertainer's career from a child prodigy to a Las Vegas superstar.

For more information visit http://www.dreamersthemovie.com

This is Ann Lu's feature film debut as a writer/director. "Dreamers'" cinematographer, Neal L. Fredericks', most recent theatrical release was Artisan Entertainment's "The Blair Witch Project."

Starring: Jeremy Jordan ("Never Been Kissed"), Courtney Gains ("Can't Buy Me Love"), Brian Krause (WB's "Charmed"), Paul Bartel ("Eating Raoul")

"Insignificant Others" Director: Chris Long Writer: Sean Corrigan Producer: Sharon Cave

We are now accepting crew resumes for all positions on a DV feature to be shot in the Austin area in late May and June. Key positions will be paid. Please e-mail resumes (preferably in word) to both chris@lostartsproductions.com and cavegal@flash.net. We are also accepting headshots and are especially looking for a male early to mid forties. Actors will receive some compensation. Please MAIL headshots to Lost Arts Productions at P.O. Box 782236, San Antonio TX. 78278.

Charles Burnett's thesis film for UCLA was chosen by the Library of Congress in 1990 as a "National Treasure" to be included in the National Film Registry. It had already won numerous awards as well as a prize at Sundance. Stan, a worker in a slaughterhouse, dreams about a better life, but even with his possibilities limited, this basically decent man decides against working with some local hoods on a "job." The film grew out of Burnett's conversations with a young abattoir worker he saw every day on the bus. Shot over 1 1/2 years on weekends, this low-budget film is an amazing achievement that satisfies Burnett's intention of showing people who struggle and survive, which for many, is an heroic accomplishment in itself. Cultural theorist bell hooks has described the film as a "critically existential, reflective meditation on the pathos of working-class black life in a particular historical moment."

ONE SHOW ONLY at the Texas Union Theater at 7:00 p.m. Admission is FREE. Doors open 45 minutes before showtime.

Please join us April 18th for Larry Clark's Passing Through.

For more information, contact: Austin Film Society 512.322.0145 salvatore botti The Austin Film Society programmer/free cinema circuit 512/322-0145

Deadine: May 15,2000. For information, go to their website at http://www.documentary.org.

http://www.HoustonTexas.net/JudysHome.htm and http://thejudys.com

Until next time, hope I don't scare ya!

lodg