ftp.xmission.com/2014.06.ftp.xmission.com.tar/ftp.xmission.com/pub/lists/movies/archive/v02.n071

Internet Message Format | 1998-08-23 | 30KB

From: [e-mail] (movies-digest)
To: [e-mail]
Subject: movies-digest V2 #71
Reply-To: movies-digest
Sender: [e-mail]
Errors-To: [e-mail]
Precedence: bulk


movies-digest         Monday, August 24 1998         Volume 02 : Number 071



[MV] MV ?'s
RE: [MV] Return to Paradise
RE: [MV] Which movie should I watch this weekend?
RE: [MV] Lethal Weapon 4
RE: [MV] MV ?'s
RE: [MV] FILM THREAT WEEKLY : 8-24-98  : Slate II, Take 35

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 01:28:20 -0400
From: "Meyers, Megan" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] MV ?'s

Has anyone seen Return to Paradise? Any opinions on it??

Regards
Megan

[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 07:42:23 -0700
From: [e-mail]
Subject: RE: [MV] Return to Paradise

'Meyers, Megan' <[e-mail]> Wrote
 ------------------
Has anyone seen Return to Paradise? Any opinions on it??

Return to Paradise is one of the few movies I can recommend without
reservation this summer. It has real, human characters facing
a moral dilemma that would confound anyone, and the film never
takes the expected route. Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche are fabulous
-- they're both interesting and intelligent actors. Joaquin Phoenix
is also excellent, in a smaller but challenging role.

My full review will be up by Monday afternoon at http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos.

MaryAnn

- -----
Sent using MailStart.com ( http://MailStart.Com/welcome.html )
The FREE way to access your mailbox via any web browser, anywhere!


[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 11:37:23 -0700
From: "Romero, Leticia" <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] Which movie should I watch this weekend?

> -----Original Message-----
> From:    David Lee [SMTP:[e-mail]]
> Sent:    Friday, August 21, 1998 8:34 AM
> To:    [e-mail]
> Subject:    [MV] Which movie should I watch this weekend?
>
> Harlow, people...
>
> I have a dilemma... given that school has started, I'm limited to only one
> movie over the weekend... and here are the choices available...
>
> a) Horse Whisperer
> b) The Avengers
> c) Hope Floats
>
> Could anybody help me make an informed decision? I know there's been a lot
> of bad publicity for The Avengers, but just like to see Ralph Fiennes and
> Uma Thurman. Do you think it'll be worth it if that's all I'm expecting
> from it?
    [Romero, Leticia]  If all you want is to see Ralph and Uma, stare at
the poster -- it would be more worthwhile!!
>

[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 11:53:05 -0700
From: "Romero, Leticia" <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] Lethal Weapon 4

JET LI ROCKS!!  This is the first time he has ever played a bad guy, and boy
was he bad!!  I was introduced to his work about a year ago, and I have put
him on the shelf ABOVE Jackie Chan!  (Even though the camera work
overemphisizes his energy just a bit).  I was slightly disappointed with
LW4's editing of the final fight seen -- it was a bit confusing as to who
was hitting who.  But all and all, it was a great performance.  When is the
western world going to discover Tony Leung?!!!

> -----Original Message-----
> From:    [e-mail] [SMTP:[e-mail]]
> Sent:    Sunday, August 23, 1998 7:06 PM
> To:    [e-mail]
> Subject:    [MV] Lethal Weapon 4
>
> Good day to you,
>
> I am sure that the majority of you have seen Lethal Weapon 4. I was
> wondering what you thought of Jet Li's performance in the movie. As an
> Asian, I am curious about the westerners' point of view on his
> performance. Heck, I guess it need not be just the westerners, how about
> everyone for that matter?
>
> I thought his fighting sequence was wonderful. Most memorable was the
> sequence when he and his goons were in Danny Glover's house holding Rene
> Russo hostage.
>
> So, what do you think of Jet Li?
>
> Wong
> [e-mail]
> Sibexlink Sdn Bhd in Malaysia
> http://www.sibexlink.com.my
>
> -----------------------------------------------------
> Get free personalized email at http://email.lycos.com
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 11:54:36 -0700
From: "Romero, Leticia" <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] MV ?'s

My mother thought it was fabulous...

> -----Original Message-----
> From:    Meyers, Megan [SMTP:[e-mail]]
> Sent:    Sunday, August 23, 1998 10:28 PM
> To:    '[e-mail]'
> Subject:    [MV] MV ?'s
>
> Has anyone seen Return to Paradise? Any opinions on it??
>
> Regards
> Megan
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 11:55:56 -0700
From: "Romero, Leticia" <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] FILM THREAT WEEKLY : 8-24-98  : Slate II, Take 35

> "A man who lies cannot love."
> - Louis Jordan informing Leslie Caron in in Vincente Minelli's "Gigi."
    [Romero, Leticia]   this was also Goldie Hawn in "Cactus Flower"
> <===========Deluxe======Widescreen======Edition ===========>
>
> THIS WEEK   "Right here, right now."
> ===========================================
> --> NEWS: Where objectivity is strangely absent.
> --> BOXOFFICE CHART: Who's number one at the boxoffice?
> --> PICKS OF THE WEEK: A load of plugs.
> --> BIG SCREEN: Blade, and that's it.
> --> DIY FILMMAKING: Filmmaker War Stories
> --> AN INDIE PRODUCTION DIARY: The adventure continues...
>
>
> SUBSCRIBE   "Unless you already did."
> ===========================================
> Subscribe/Unsubscribe by sending an e-mail to [e-mail].
>
>
> CLASSIFIEDS   "If you advertise, they will come."
> ===========================================
> Reach over 55,000 film fanatics on the net.  For our reasonable ad rates,
> e-
> mail [e-mail].
>
> FREE ADVERTISING FOR YOUR FILM
> Go to http://www.lostinhollywood.com and click on the FREE advertising
> icon.
>
> DIGITAL EFFECTS - AFFORDABLE FOR INDIES!
> LOOK! is a new digital effects company producing inexpensive, high-quality
> solutions for independent filmmakers. 310-858-0130, or [e-mail]
> http://www.lookfx.com
>
> INDIE FILM CHARITY
> Filmmakers Alliance is a non-profit filmmaking collective in Los Angeles,
> providing hundreds of aspiring filmmakers with support, education and
> opportunity.  As part of our drive to raise $10,000 by Aug. 31st, we are
> holding a drawing offering fantastic prizes including, hair, facial,
> massage
> and chiropractic treatments, dinners at LA restaurants, passes to the
> Magic
> Castle, free script analysis,tattoos, personal training, swing dancing
> lessons
> and more!  Every dollar donated matters--so thank you for your continued
> support of independent filmmaking--and pass the word along to your friends
> in
> LA!  For info on how to enter the drawing, please visit our web site at
> http://www.filmmakersalliance.com/fundraiser.html
>
> SCRIPT CONSULTING BY AFI INSTRUCTOR
> Need professional screenplay help?  Consultant to top Hollywood directors.
> http://www.absoluterealtime.com/Schreiber/
>
>
> WIN A FILM THREAT VIDEO!   "Sign up a friend!"
> ===========================================
> Each week we'll be giving away a special collectible Film Threat Party
> Video
> to readers who forward Film Threat Weekly to their friends! (And you know
> in
> Hollywood, "friends" is a loose term, so that means just about anybody!!!)
> You could WIN, too!  The more e-mail addresses you send, the more your
> chances
> to win.  Sign up your whole family, or your whole company!  Start
> forwarding
> FTW to your pals or send us their e-mail address and we'll send them a
> weekly
> fix of Film Threat.  That's not a threat, it's a promise.
>
>
> THE NEWS   "Filtered and manipulated.  Just like the real news."
> ===========================================
> Look for updates this week at Film Threat Online in the Dailies section
> at:
> http://www.filmthreat.com/Dailies-Today.htm
>
> SPIDER-MAN RANT
> James Cameron's proposed "Spider-Man" film may be getting closer to
> reality as
> the legal-mumbo-jumbo surrounding the project gets resolved, but not
> everyone
> is pleased.  The always entertaining Jeffrey Wells sent this missive to
> the
> Rough Cut Online web site in response to a news item about the project.
> Wells
> letter is published here, unedited.  The site contains an edited version.
> You
> go Jeff!!
>
> Dave,
> Very intriguing, Dave.  "Spiderman" and Cameron and MGM and the weasels at
> 21st Century and yaddah-yaddah-yaddah.  Just one question:  Who gives a
> rat's
> ass?
>
> Has it occured to anyone how totally lame and old-shoe and one-dimensional
> ALL
> movies based on comic-book characters have been in recent years?  They are
> the
> single worst obsession to come out of the under 35's who are writing,
> directing and pushing for green-lights these days.  This is strictly a
> GenX
> thing here and it's like a pestilence.  God save us from another Mike
> DeLuca
> brainstorm along these lines.
>
> This is because they are (a) repetitive, (b) about infantile masturbatory
> boy-
> fan-
> tasies, and (c) terminally '80s.  Costumed heroes-vs.-villains is the same
> old
> story every friggin' time.  The submerged alter-ego of a conflicted
> personality
> stands up to and ultimately triumphs over evil.  And that's....IT!  How
> many
> times
> are audiences expected to sift through the same dog-eared baseball cards?
> Spiderman is a bit more young-guy juvenile and hung up than the others.
> Well,
> whoop-dee-doo for knocking our socks off!
>
> I cringe at the thought of Cameron regressing from the growth spurt of
> "Titanic" to do this thing.  I lament that Bryan Singer is doing "X-Men."
> I
> hated "Spawn."  I was intrigued by "The Crow" but not to any great extent.
> "Batman and Robin" was one of the most repulsive extravaganzas in H'wood
> history.  I refuse to see a free screening of  "Blade" because I just
> can't
> take this shit anymore. Some have said that the "Superman" films have aged
> well, but they were never more than marginally diverting, in my view.
>
> The basic problem with comic-book hero movies right now isn't so much that
> movies about titanic good-vs-evil confrontations and phantasmagoria and
> intensely rendered mirror-image visions of urban horror (have you noticed
> that
> ALL these movies take place in the essentially the same expressionistic
> city,
> i.e., Noir Town?) tend to bring out in screenwriters and directors the
> same
> self-referential, self-mocking, heh-heh,
> we've-been-here-before-but-THIS-time-
> we're-going-to-be-MUCH-more-clever-than-the-last-flick-about-an-anguished-
> all-
> too-human-superhero.
>
> The problem, now, is that these
> production-design-for-their-own-sake-because-
> the-plot-and-character-points-have-been-done-to-death-thrity-seven-times-
> before movies are OVER.  They're deader than dead.  Raw, minimalist
> realism is
> the new thing, as the breathtaking opening 25 minutes of "Saving Private
> Ryan"
> gave us a taste of.  That movie wasn't the end-all and be-all, but it sure
> as
> hell made the proponents of stylized violence and stylized storytelling
> seem
> like yesterday's pasta.
>
> I never, EVER want to see again a stylishly decked-out, over-coiffed
> super-
> villain cackling and smirking and double-entendre-ing his or her way
> through a
> cynical, over-preening, self-absorbed perf in a super-hero movie, once
> again
> delighted at his or her unregenerate evil (born of Nicholson's Jack
> Torrance
> in "The Shining" 18 years ago, and amped up by Jack with his Joker perf in
> "Batman" 7 years later).  Pleeeeese, enough is enough is enough!
> Pared-to-
> the-bone realism with real-death and real-consequences endured by
> real-people-
> with-a-semblance-of-gray-matter-between-their-ears is where it's at for
> any
> director or producer with the slightest interest in wanting to play it
> cutting
> edge.
>
> And while we're at it let's call a moratorium on calling-attention-to-
> themselves CGI
> shots, because I'm getting sick to death of these too.  I hate it when
> filmmakers show you a CGI shot and you say to yourself, "Hmmm...pretty
> good
> CGI"  I want to believe in at least a semblance of actual biological
> reality
> when I see a film, as I did in that mind-blowing Omaha Beach sequence,
> which
> of course used CGI here and there but sparingly and "realistically."  To
> paraphrase Samuel Johnson, in today's Hollywood CGI
> shots-for-their-own-sake
> are truly the last refuge of a scoundrel.
>
>
> BOXOFFICE CHART   "Hollywood's Horse Race... and they're off!"
> ===========================================
> Weekend of August 21-23, Source: Exhibitor Relations Co.
> 1/New BLADE $17.0
> 2/     1 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN $10.1/$142.7
> 3/     4 THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY $7.9/$104.2
> 4/     2 HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK $6.6/$22.3
> 5/     5 SNAKE EYES $5.1/$40.6
> 6/New DEAD MAN ON CAMPUS $4.7
> 7/New DANCE WITH ME $4.5
> 7/     7 EVER AFTER $4.5/$42.3
> 9/     8 THE PARENT TRAP $3.8/$51.1
> 10/   6 HALLOWEEN: H2O $3.7/$47.2
> -/     3 THE AVENGERS $3.55/$18
> -/New WRONGFULLY ACCUSED $3.4
>
>
> PICKS OF THE WEEK   "Stuff we wanna plug."
> ===========================================
> INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL:
> The Detroit International Film Festival is looking for unique visions on
> film
> and video.  "...creating a vital center for independent filmmaking in
> Detroit."  This is the new incarnation of the Metropolitan Film Festival,
> now
> in it's 7th year. Any format, any genre, any length.  Films by and for a
> diverse ethnic community.  Competition for Shorts & Features.  Beyond the
> competition, this year's festival features many exciting highlights,
> including
> an opening night Lifetime Achievement Awards Ceremony honoring legendary
> Detroit novelist and screenwriter Elmore Leonard.  The ceremony will be
> hosted
> by nationally-renown filmmakers influenced by Mr. Leonard's work.  This
> kick-
> off, followed by a weekend of intriguing film, information-packed
> conferences
> and gala parties.  HURRY!  Deadline: 8-31-98.  Festival to be held Nov.
> 5-8th.
> Call 313-255-0098 or email: [e-mail]
> http://www.detroitfilm.org
>
> INDIE FILM FESTIVAL:
> The Austin Cinemaker Co-Op has a cool contest.  Enter your film in the
> Cheap
> and out of Focus competition.  Get the details:
> http://www.cinemaker.austin.tx.us/announcements.html
>
> WEB SITE:
> The Hedtec Moving Pictures, LTD web site offers critique, information, and
> ideas about filmmaking.  They have created a "shell" for filmmakers to
> bring
> and exchange information.  An online searchable database offers users the
> opportunity to post their resume. The goal is to have a large working
> database
> of filmmakers around the world.  The site also offers chat rooms, bulletin
> boards, and an interactive links page.  Cool free stuff.
> http://www.hedtec.com
>
>
> BIG SCREEN   "Coming Soon to a Theater Near You"
> ===========================================
> From five stars "Perfect! * * * * *" to one star "Crap! *" here's the
> lowdown.
>
> BLADE (R)
> * * * 1/2
> (http://www.lycos.com/blade)
> In the past week I've attended a Q & A with John Carpenter for "Vampires",
> a Q
> & A with nearly the entire cast of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", two Bauhaus
> reunion concerts and finally a screening of "Blade".  I have now
> successfully
> completed Vampirathon '98.  The "Buffy" panel was mainly a lot of crying,
> awkward teenage girls and creator Joss Whedon saying, "I can't tell you
> anything about next season."  The John Carpenter thingee went something
> like
> this:
>    Audience member: "Dude! 'The Thing' is the best horror movie ever!"
>    JC: "So what's your f**king question?"
>   This brings us to "Blade".  Based on the somewhat obscure Marvel Comics
> character of the 1970's, "Blade" (Wesley Snipes) is a human/vampire hybrid
> created at his birth as his mother died from a vampire attack.  Possessing
> the
> speed, strength, and healing abilities of the creatures, he is also
> unharmed
> by sunlight, silver and garlic.  He does, however, have their thirst for
> blood.  He know moves from city to city, attempting to cleanse them of
> bloodsuckers.  This time around, he nemesis in Deacon Frost (Stephen
> Dorff),
> who wants to become some sort of super-vampire (if this were Japanese, it
> would be Mecha-Vampire).  The whole thing is an excuse for lots of Gothic
> atmoshpere, techno, and Kung Fu.
>    I don't know about you, but when I've been partying all weekend and
> it's
> around 2pm on Sunday, I'm not really in the mood for a Merchant/Ivory
> picture
> (then again, I'm never actually in the mood for a Merchant/Ivory picture).
> I
> just want pretty colors, minimal dialog, and lot's of ass-kickin'.  There
> should be AKN, the "Ass Kickin' Network". Instead of the old guy from AMC,
> you
> could have Don "the Dragon" Wilson presenting color commentary, and the
> evening highlight would be "Blade".  It delivers the goods.  Does it
> completely make sense?  Of course not, but it actually builds on itself
> until
> the end and for one or two brief moments, nearly works as a horror film.
> The
> Director, Stephen Norrington, and Snipes, who also acts as producer, took
> this
> project very seriously.  Norrington tries to get arty, and not all of the
> action works, but it hits most of the time, and the filmmakers succeed in
> hinting at a larger framework and vampire society outside of the film
> itself.
> At least somebody can make a superhero picture without screwing it up, and
> props to New Line for letting the film clock in with an R rating.
>    The only negative is the audience apparently found an alternative way
> to
> serve out their detention time, as it was the same bunch of idiot hip
> gangster
> wannabes who were at the "Halloween" screening.  It is amazing how each
> successive generation knows instinctively how to annoy the previous one.
> Shut
> the f--k up, I'm hungover and trying to watch the movie. - Ron Wells
>
>
> DIY FILMMAKING:  "War Stories from the Frontlines of Filmmaking"
> ===========================================
> Here we present another chapter in our continuing series focusing on the
> trials and tribulations of making independent films.  These War Stories
> from
> filmmakers who slaved to get it done will tear at your heart and might
> even
> make you cry.  (Not really, but it sounds good to say that.)  Battle on
> indie
> filmmakers!
>
> INTERVIEW WITH FILMMAKER: Mike Branum, writer/director
>
> WHAT'S YOUR STORY?
> I don't have film school experience. I just know what I like. I came down
> here
> from the Bay Area to work in post sound, and eventually got "The Bug" to
> direct. It didn't take very long, since I had been doing it at my little
> home
> studio (Hoopty Studios) for quite a while, and even though it was dumb
> little
> projects, it eventually grew to dumb big projects. I love movies, and I
> get
> inspired by them. In the case of "The Big Ring" I was kind of inspired by
> Buster Keaton, Suzuki Seijun, and Hong Kong action cinema. I'm just an
> idiot
> playing director. It's fun.
>
> WHAT'S UP WITH THAT TITLE?
> "The Big Ring" is about this tweaky chick who finds a ring that just
> happens
> to belong to some really bad people. She takes it up to her apartment to
> show
> her boyfriend, but the bad guys follow her, hold her hostage, and attempt
> to
> get the ring back. She breaks free and escapes, but eventually there's a
> showdown.
>
> WHAT WAS YOUR BUDGET, SCHEDULE?
> The budget was originally gonna be $0. I ran into a problem, though. I
> needed
> to buy film stock. That cost $20 (it's shot on MiniDV), and then I had to
> get
> 6 bananas, which, at 7-Eleven, was about $3.50. Expenses on movies are
> ridiculous. I used to make them for no money, with recycled stock, but not
> any
> more. In fact, it was a rule that if I couldn't do something for free,
> then I
> would re-write until I found a free way to do it. For example....I wanted
> to
> use real guns at the end of the movie, but I didn't know anyone who had a
> cache of guns laying around, so I used bananas instead. Then I tried to
> figure
> out a way to make the banana's act more like real guns. That didn't work.
> The
> locations were both only 6 blocks away from each other, and it was
> essentially
> shot in sequence (somebody from film school told me you shouldn't do
> that).
> The whole thing took about 4 hours to shoot. Then I took it to my master
> mechanic Troy Takaki, and he made it all make sense, editing it in about 4
> hours. There were a few tricks, but nothing spectacular, and we made sure
> to
> keep the running time down to about 4 minutes. Then I took it to my work,
> added sound fx, music, and ADR that we recorded at my home studio, and did
> the
> sound edit and mix in about 4 hours.
>
> DID YOU SACRIFICE ANYTHING BECAUSE OF BUDGET?
> Since I go into a project trying to figure out how to make it for no
> money, I
> don't really sacrifice anything. Sure, I'd love to have a nice big $1000
> budget, but I think I would end up wasting it on frivolous things. Either
> that, or I'd have the movie done for EXACTLY $1000. I did want to do a car
> chase through the streets of Venice, but I didn't have gas money to put
> into
> Troy's truck. I ended up scrapping the whole scene. I would'a been great.
> Also, we had this idea to do some CGI, but we couldn't find anywhere to
> put it
> in. Plus, my hands are kind of tied as far as when a project gets done,
> since
> I borrow Avids to cut with, and I usually have to do it on weekends or
> after
> hours.
>
> WHY DID YOU DO IT?
> Because we had some cool costumes, and nobody had anything to do that
> weekend.
> Plus, I needed an excuse to film a girl playing an accordion. Also,
> Victoria
> Haas ("Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman", Midol commercial spokesperson) agreed
> to
> do the next project with me, and I couldn't pass that up. She's great, and
> much fun to work with.
>
> STATUS OF THE FILM?
> It's done. Now it sits in my house, and I give copies to people I know as
> often as possible. Because of it's running time (about 4 minutes) there's
> not
> much I can do with it. I sent it out to the CinemaTexas Film Fest so that
> they
> could have some extra tape stock in case they needed to copy something.
>
> ANY ADVICE OF PEARLS OF FILMMAKING WISDOM?
> Any movie that costs over $100 costs too much. Plus, if you can help it,
> try
> not to use any more than one real actor....that way you don't have
> personality
> and ego problems. Of course, that wouldn't work with just anyone, but in
> my
> case it does.
>
> WAS IT WORTH IT?
> Oh yeah, but I doubt I'll make my money back. I can't stop making them
> now. My
> wife is trying to make me not think about the next movie until at least
> the
> current one is done. I've got a whole slew of ideas, and my friends are
> getting more and more into it, so I'm sure there'll be more Hoopty movies.
>
> WHAT'S NEXT?
> I'm almost done with the next Hoopty Movie. It's called "Gigantica And The
> Planet Of The She-Monsters." It's a mixture of Sci-fi/Edward D. Wood
> Jr./Ray
> Harryhausen and beach party movies. Put it all in a blender and put on
> puree.
> It should be ready in about 3 weeks. It's already way over budget, costing
> a
> whopping 40 bux so far.
>
> To find out more, surf over to:
> http://members.aol.com/hooptyman/hoopty.html
>
> FILMMAKERS:  Hey!  How come my film isn't in this column?!!  E-mail your
> tales
> to [e-mail] and answer the basic questions above.  Send
> us a
> copy of your film on video and if it sounds cool, we'll run a story about
> your
> movie!  Send VHS review copies to: Film Threat, 5042 Wilshire Blvd., Suite
> 150, Los Angeles, CA 90036
>
>
> AN INDIE PRODUCTION DIARY (OR WHAT WE DID ON OUR SUMMER VACATION)
> ===========================================
> by Merle Bertrand
>
> Thursday August 13, 1998
>
>     In case you haven't been glued to the Weather Channel these last two
> months,
> the entire state of Texas has been declared a National Disaster Area.  A
> severe drought combined with a killer heat wave has been making life
> miserable
> here for weeks.  All of which makes the fact that we spent most of the
> first
> week dodging raindrops cruelly ironic.  At least the scene with the cloudy
> gray skies was supposed to be a Victorian England dream sequence...
>      So, if anyone's ever been curious, yes, Day One is BY FAR the single
> most
> difficult day to get through in a production.  We started off "Adam and
> Ollie"
> with a 45 minute camera delay... which gave us plenty of time to sort out
> the
> ysterious electrical problem that completely knocked out our lights, a
> persistently intermittent buzz in one of our lavaliere mics, and the two
> bubbas who showed up to dig a new sewer line right in the middle of our
> location.  (That was an amusing conversation:  TONY:  Does your equipment
> make
> noise?  BUBBA #1:  Yep.  BUBBA #2:  And it'll most likely spray, too.")
>      But we regrouped from our sluggish start to survive one of the most
> grueling production weeks I've ever experienced.  When the rains finally
> cleared, the Sun returned with a vengeance and we blistered under the
> solar
> microwave with a couple of hundred extras during our climactic rally
> scene.
>      The main thing is, after a hellacious first week of flying pudding,
> bodies hurled into trash heaps, and croquet balls ricocheting into
> foreheads,
> (it's a romantic comedy, I swear!), we're still standing and all the
> dailies
> look excellent.  Six days down and twelve to go.
>
> Next Week:  Week Two of Shooting
>
>
> END CREDITS   "Written, produced, and directed by . . ."
> ===========================================
> Publisher / Chris Gore
> Executive Publisher / Victor Minjares
> Contributors / Merle Bertrand, Tom Meek, Anthony Miele, Ron Wells
>
> Send us films, videos, CDs, games, screening passes:
> FILM THREAT, 5042 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 150, Los Angeles, CA 90036
>
> Website: http://www.filmthreat.com
> Edress: [e-mail]
>
> FILM THREAT WEEKLY is published by The Gore Group, LLC.  All material ⌐
> 1998
> Gore Group Publications.  All rights reserved.  Contents may not be
> reprinted
> without written permission of the author.  You are, however, welcome to
> forward this e-mail to whomever you wish.  All letters, comments and
> reviews
> sent to Film Threat Weekly in any manner are assumed intended for
> publication,
> unless stated otherwise. Your name and e-mail address will be printed if
> published herein. Not responsible for unsolicited submissions.
>
> Film Threat is now a proud part of the den: the daily entertainment
> network at
> http://www.theden.com
>
> Film Threat Weekly is distributed by ZENtertainment -
> http://www.zentertainment.com
>
> QUOTING FILM THREAT WEEKLY:  Journalists, if you feel the need to quote
> Film
> Threat Weekly you MUST include the Film Threat url
> (http://www.filmthreat.com)
> so that readers can get more information.  Otherwise you are NOT given
> permission to quote any material or contents contained herein.
>
> ADVERTISE: FILM THREAT MEDIA KIT
> ===========================================
> Reach over 55,000 film fanatics on the net.  To receive an e-media kit,
> e-mail
> [e-mail].
>
> Our rates are very reasonable, only $10 per word with a 10 word minimum.
> Indie filmmakers get a 50% discount!  Get the full details in our kit.
>
> SYNDICATION RIGHTS: REPRINT FILM THREAT WEEKLY
> ===========================================
> Reprint rights for columns, reviews, festival coverage or anything that
> appears in Film Threat Weekly are now available.  E-mail to
> [e-mail]
> with "REPRINT RIGHTS" in the subject line for our amazingly reasonable
> rates.
>
> FILM THREAT WEEKLY TAKES OVER THE NET   "Read FTW on other sites"
> ===========================================
> Read Film Threat Weekly on the "Internet Movie Database" at
> http://us.imdb.com/Threat/
>
> Also read Film Threat Weekly on the "Hollywood IndieNetwork" at
> http://indienetwork.com/filmthreat/index.html
>
> Speak Italian?  Read Film Threat Weekly translated into Italian at
> http://www.ottoemezzo.com
>
> FTW is also posted on a web site in the Philippines, Cyberville Online at
> http://www.cyberville-manila.com
>
>
> FILM THREAT  "Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium"
> ===========================================
> Independent, Cult, Underground, Alternative Film, Hollywood Satire And No
> BS
> ==============CUT-AND-PRINT ===============
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

------------------------------

End of movies-digest V2 #71
***************************

[ To quit the movies-digest mailing list (big mistake), send the message     ]
[ "unsubscribe movies-digest" (without the quotes) to [e-mail] ]