NatrlBornThrllr
12-12-2004, 06:50 PM
Those of you that bother to go to the Movies/Music forum from time to time probably read my post about the Fast Times at Ridgemont High screening that I attended a few weeks back. Well, up until last night, it was the single most enjoyable movie experience of my lifetime. That changed when I got one of 240 tickets to "Butt-Numb-a-Thon 6." To put those 240 seats into perspective, I'll note that there were over 9,600 online applications sent it. 240 of those were then given the opportunity to purchase tickets. I don't know anybody that knows anybody...so I wasn't one of the small fraction that got accepted via my application. However, thanks to the wonders of cancelations and the stand-by line, I ended up securing myself a ticket anyway.
Butt-Numb-a-Thon is aptly named, because it's a 24-hour movie marathon. Yes...24 hours. I don't know how many of you have ever taken a long road trip (say, more than 4 hours) but those who have are aware of what such a trip can do to one's hindquarters. I spent approximately 24 hours confined to a movie-theater seat, in a 25-hour period. My ass definitely went a bit numb, but it was most certainly worth it.
The sixth installment of this marathon, my first, started at noon on Saturday. It wrapped up at about 1 pm today. The fun part? Nobody outside of the main man himself (host Harry Knowles), and two of his hinchmen, know what's going to be screened. All we were told is that we'd view 6 older films, and 5 premier-type films. Everything beyond that was pure speculation.
So, here's a rundown of my time at the event (times are estimated to the best of my recollection):
7:30 am, Saturday: I woke up, showered, threw on some clothes, and left the apartment. I stopped and picked up some breakfast, then made the 30-minute drive to Austin. After arriving in Austin, I drove around for another 10 minutes or so, in an effort to locate a theater that I'd never once been to, and a parking spot in what seems to be a 3-square-mile, no-parking section of Texas.
9:15 am, Saturday: I parked, and made my way to the theater. We were advised to get there at 9:30...and told that tickets would not be first-come, first-serve, but rather, at 11:30 a couple of people would come out and chat it up with us. When I arrived, there were 5 people waiting ahead of me in the stand-by line, and 4 people (who already had tickets secured) waiting out front, hoping their early arrival would keep them from being stuck in a shitty seat for 24 hours. While waiting in line, I had a nice little chitchat coversation with Tim McCanlies (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564827/).
11:45 am, Saturday: All ticket-holders are seated, and the stand-by group (which, at 9:45 or so, maxed out at just over 20 people) was informed that there were enough open seats for all of us. The catch? "Open seats" meant that it was possible to gather enough chairs (of a reasonably comfortable quality), and line the aisles. I went in, and paid my $60 (which was, in turn, donated to a charity). I picked up my gift bag (filled with CD's, promotional items, about a half dozen t-shirts, close to a dozen movie posters, the works), then went into the theater to take my seat. Being my pampered self, I wasn't having any of that "sitting in the aisle" business...so I thieved myself a regular seat.
12:15 pm, Saturday: The host of the event, Harry Knowles, a published author and well-known cinematic "in-guy" both inside and outside of the Austin area, gave us a 4-5 minute welcome speech. Then the lights went down, and the show opened with some old-school trailers...including a very entertaining "Slumber Party Massacre" trailer.
12:30 pm, Saturday: During the introductory speech, we were told what our first film of the event would be. At 12:15, after out handful of trailers, the opening credits to Willy McBean & His Magic Machine (1965) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192803/) began to roll. This classic puppet feature is the first ever stop-action animated feature to be produced. It was entertaining, and certainly something outside of what I typically watch (this is a trend that, thankfully, would continue throughout the event).
2:30 pm, Saturday: The film comes to an end, and we're granted our first break. I use the break only to hit the restroom, and stretch my legs. I need not use it to get myself food, because the event is being held at the Alamo Drafthouse...a combination resturaunt slash theater, with a full waitstaff. During our noon welcome speech, I made the best order of my lifetime: a bottomless soda. This would certainly come in handy near the end of the event (not to mention, I always had something to consume...which is a plus when you take into consideration the price of food and drink at theaters).
2:40 pm, Saturday: We all take our seats, and the marathon resumes. We are treated to another bunch of trailers...this time with a Christmas theme. The standout trailer from this bunch was the one for "The Magic Christmas Tree."
2:45 pm, Saturday: The lights come back up, and we are treated to a couple of guests who are there to introduce our next film. They are Liam Aiken (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0014582/) and Emily Browning (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0115161/), the young co-stars of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0339291/). They answer a few questions about the film, and then the lights go down and the opening credits roll. [Premier Note: The film's premier is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 pm in Los Angeles, meaning that we were granted the first public screening. It opens nationwide on the 17th of December].
4:45 pm, Saturday: After another break (I suppose this will be the last break I'll bother to mention...just know that we got a short, 5-10 minute break after every feature-length film) we took our seats. A co-host introduced our next couple of treats...
4:50 pm, Saturday: (I'll also stop mentioning the host or co-host introductions, as we got one of those for every film that didn't have a special intro of some sort). We're treated to about 10 minutes in footage from Dreamworks' new computer-animated film Madagascar (2005) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0351283/). This film is still in production (even some of what we were shown was extremely rough, incomplete footage), but trust me when I say that when it's release date rolls around (next summer, I assume) it will be as big of a hit as, if not bigger than, "The Incredibles" was this year. The footage we were shown was absolutely hilarious...so definitely be on the lookout for that film.
5:00 pm, Saturday: We roll from the "Madagascar" clips straight into some extremely dated pirate trailers, including "Blackbeard's Ghost," "A Pirate Story," and best of all, "Ice Pirates from Outer Space." This was the perfect intro to our third film, a technicolor pirate tale titled The Black Swan (1942) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034522/).
6:35 pm, Saturday: After our break, we file back into our seats. At about this time, we're greeted by Robbie Stamp (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1182526/). He was there to give us information about an upcoming adaptation that he's executive-producing...the first film from a little series called "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371724/) is one of the most anticipated releases of next year (since it's an adaptation of a story that's seen play in a series of books, a radio show, a video game, and a stage play). We were treated to a slideshow featuring a lot of behind-the-scenes photographs, most of which hadn't yet been shown to the public. Mr. Stamp, after his slide-show, took part in a lengthy Q&A session.
7:10 pm, Saturday: After the slide-show and Q&A, we gear up for our next film. There's an intro by our hospitible host, noting that the film we're about to watch was was considered by some to be the best film of all-time prior to Citizen Kane's release. This is followed by a string of trailers (if you haven't noticed, we get miscellaneous trailers before every film), one of which was for the film, "The Mutations." After the trailers, we're shown a stunning 35mm print of Blonde Venus (1932) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022698/), starring Marlene Deitrich and a very young Cary Grant. Stellar film, and considering it's age...the archival print we were shown was as close to perfection as I can imagine.
9:10 pm, Saturday: We take a short break, and roll right into our fifth film of the night. I went out to my car to get my cell phone (because I don't wear a watch, and it's easy to lose track of time when you've been in a movie theater for over 8 hours). When I returned, I noticed some 3-D glasses waiting for me on the table in front of my seat. Just as I sat down, our host informed us that we were about to watch one of the most gorgeous 3-D films ever produced, Miss Sadie Thompson (1953) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046076/), starring the lovely Rita Hayworth. Furthermore, we were informed that our theater was one of 6 in the nation that was capable of using two projectors simultaneously, thereby providing the best possible 3-D experience. I must say...they weren't exaggerating. The film (set in Hawaii) was beautiful, and the presentation was jaw-dropping.
10:50 pm, Saturday: After our 3-D experience, everybody is kicked out of their seats, and sent to the main lobby. Security was brought in for the next film, so we were all going to be swiped with a wand upon re-entering the theater...in an effort to make certain nobody had a cell phone or camera in the theater with them. Gotta love the irrational fear of piracy when screening films that have never before been seen by the public. Needless to say, with this film, and 3 others like it to come...I once again visited my car, and put my cell phone in what would be it's final resting place for the rest of the marathon.
11:15 pm, Saturday: Once everybody is through the security checks and back into the theater, we're seated and told that there will be two things shown to us now. The first of these two things is a teaser trailer with "a little something extra." As the lights go down, Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise pop up on the screen and offer a warm welcome to "all of the attendees in Austin at the 6th Butt-Numb-a-Thon," and say that they hope we'll enjoy the included teaser trailer for War of the Worlds (2005) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407304/). This trailer segues right into our second premier film of the marathon, Joel Schumacher's The Phantom of the Opera (2004) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293508/). [Premier Note: U.S. premier was 1 day prior to our screening, on December 10th. It opens nationwide on Christmas day.]
1:30 am, Sunday: We headed back to our seats after a much-needed break (trust me, whether you love or hate Schumacher's "Phantom of the Opera," you'll need a break after watching it). We were informed again that we'd be viewing two things, a trailer and then a film. The trailer this time, though not as cool as a personal video welcome from Spielberg and Cruise, was still quite nifty. We were told that the trailer had just gotten the okay from the MPAA on Friday, and that we were the first people outside of the filmmakers and MPAA to see the trailer for "The Ring Two." The film looked interesting...comparable to the first, but from what I saw, I doubt it will be as good.
1:35 am, Sunday: Like I said, a trailer, then a film. The trailer was for Ring 2, the film...not as well known. However, we were given a hint: it was a film whose trailer we had seen earlier in the marathon. Ice Pirates from Outer Space? No, but almost as good...our 6th film was: The Mutations (1973) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070423/). What's better than getting to watch a B-film on the big screen with 250 other people? Well that's easy. Getting to watch a B-film on the big screen with 250 other people...and getting an introduction and Q&A with the film's co-writer and producer, Robert Weinbach (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0918092/). My, oh my, not only do we get to watch a film about genetically altering kidnapped college students, with the intention of transforming them into human/plant hybrids...but we get to pick the brain of the guy that came up with this crap! Can't ask for more than that.
4:00 am, Sunday: I said earlier in the post that the only information we were given was that there would be 5 premier-type films, and 6 older films. Well, there's one thing I didn't mention. In the previous 5 "Butt-Numb-a-Thons," he had made it known that every year, there would be a "torture film." Well, up until this point...we'd seen 5 older movies, and no torture film. In comes Toys Are Not For Children (1972) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0153225/). This film is twisted, twisted, twisted. It will never, ever leave my memory. Let me give a one sentence plot description: a 20 year old Jamie weds her boyfriend, but conflict arises when he realizes how strong of a fixation she has on her toys...and on her father. Yeah. It goes there. Exploitation cinema to the max.
5:30 am, Sunday: There are 3 films left, and all 6 of the older films are out of the way. This is the home stretch...where you're over 15 hours in, and things start to kick into high gear. In comes our next film, a little dandy out of Europe called Layer Cake (2004) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375912/). After watching this, and with only two films to go...this was far and away my favorite film of the event. I love everything Guy Ritchie has done. In my opinion, this film is better than both Ritchie's "Snatch," and "Lock, Stock." It's directed by a fellow named Matthew Vaughn. The same Matthew Vaughn that's worked as producer on all 3 of Ritchie's feature length films. So it's no surprise that Vaughn's directorial debut seems to be cut from the cloth of his directorial-mentor's more acclaimed films. What is surprising is that it surpasses them. I won't go into depth here, as I have full reviews planned (for my review thread) within the week)...but yeah, that's that. [Premier Note: No word on a specific release date]
7:30 am, Sunday: ...or is it? Nope, that wasn't all for "Layer Cake" at our little marathon. Immediately after the screening, supporting actor Tamer Hassan (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1268748/) graced us with his presence. First things first...this is a big fucking guy. He used to be a boxer. I mean, he's big, big. Anyway, I digress...Hassan did a Q&A, and was probably the best guest we had on the night. Not only did he talk about his completed films (all of which were done overseas, where he's made quite a name for himself in the past year), but he also talked about some upcoming projects he's involved with, like "Batman Begins," and "7 Seconds" with Wesley Snipes. He also said he's involved with a project that a lot of people are hoping will go forward: "Getaway," an adaptation of the relatively popular video game.
7:35 am, Sunday: Time for a breakfast break. It's $6.99 for all-you-can-eat. Now, by this time, I'm ridiculously tired, and I've spent a good bit of money on the night. So, naturally, when a woman is walking by and quietly asks nobody in particular if they would like hear breakfast receipt (paid for in advance), I jumped at the chance. She seemed to be happier to have gotten rid of it than I was to have gotten it. Well, not only was the food of slightly above average quality...it was free, and that always helps make things taste better.
8:15 am, Sunday: We were told that we would be shown two sets of clips before advancing to the next film. The first set of clips were from the upcoming film 2001 Maniacs (2005) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264323/). These were hand-delivered by Eli Roth (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0744834/), who both produces and stars in the film. It looked decent...but don't wait in anticipation for anything great. Eli was a really cool guy, though...so I feel bad telling you that, from what I saw, his film isn't anything special. Ah well, you win some you lose some, champ. The second set of clips we saw showed 10 minutes of a Japanese film that Dreamworks is looking to distribute called Casshern. It's already been released in Japan, and some people seem to love it...but I thought it looked absolutely atrocious.
8:30 am, Sunday: We are shown our second to last film, a little Thai number by the name of Ong-Bak (2003) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368909/). We were, again, strictly forbidden from bringing cameras or cell phones into the screening, because it hasn't been released in any way, shape, or form in the United States. Like I said, with only 2 films to go, Layer Cake seemed a lock as my favorite film of the marathon. However, along came this film and absolutely blew me away. It is, hands down, the best martial-arts film I've ever seen. Period. It is just as exciting as Crouching Tiger, Hero, and House of Flying Daggers...but it uses no wires or special effects. All of the martial arts moves are performed by Tony Jaa, not by Tony Jaa and some wires and a pulley system. This film received a standing ovation that lasted nearly 5 minutes. The verbal reactions from people (myself included) during fight scenes were like nothing I've ever experienced in a movie. Tony Jaa is going to be something special, you mark my word. [Premier Note: Rumored U.S. DVD release: Early-Mid Spring]
10:15 am, Sunday: There's one picture left, and we've got our third security team of the night jumping into the mix. However, before we can get to that...there's one more small surprise. Some Chronicles of Narnia material. It starts out with a personalized video greeting from the director and producer to the Butt-Numb-a-Thon audience, then moves into a lot of making-of material. Apparently, there has been no material released for this film...so I guess you'll have to take my word when I say that they have done a magnificent job in bringing to life the numerous species that populate Narnia.
10:30 am, Sunday: It's time for our final picture. I hate to say it, but I left on a sour note. I was hoping for one of three films: Sin City, Life Aquatic, or The Aviator. I figured I wouldn't get The Aviator because there was a press screening of it about a week ago here in Austin. I figured I wouldn't get Sin City because, no matter how close Harry Knowles is to Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez (and they're all quite close)...no friendly bond will make the film any more done than it already is. That left Wes Anderson's film, The Life Aquatic. Sadly, this didn't show either.
What we did get was Stephen Chow's most recent work, Kung Fu Hustle (2004) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373074/). Stephen Chow is the most popular director in the world. He's exceeded any level of popularity that Jackie Chan ever reached, and there are simply a shitload of people over in China, so when a director is hot, he's megastar hot. Coming off "Shaolin Soccer," and "The Tricky Master," Chow is riding a wave that's unsurpassed by anybody in the business.
Therefore, I was cool with seeing his film, here, in America, before it got a Chinese release. In fact, not only did we get to watch this film before it got released in it's home country...we were the second audience in the world to see the film (it aired at the Toronto Film Festival). Some cool stuff, if I do say so myself. However...the timing was just all wrong. I simply couldn't appreciate an over-the-top parody of kung fu only minutes after watching the single best martial arts (and I'll go as far as to say the best action) movie I've ever laid eyes on. It was just piss-poor scheduling. The film was okay, but I'll save the review for the reviews. [Premier Note: Release date - March 25, 2005]
So, after some chatting between audience and hosts, some more giveaways and the like...we ended up getting out right at 1:00, 25 hours after the doors were opened to us. I paid $60 to watch 11 films ($5 and change apiece), 5 of which were (or practically were) U.S. premiers, and get a bag full `o random movie shit.
Yeah, this is a really, really long post. However, it was a really, really long film marathon, so be glad you got the condensed version. I still have reviews to write sometime this week. ;)
-JP
Butt-Numb-a-Thon is aptly named, because it's a 24-hour movie marathon. Yes...24 hours. I don't know how many of you have ever taken a long road trip (say, more than 4 hours) but those who have are aware of what such a trip can do to one's hindquarters. I spent approximately 24 hours confined to a movie-theater seat, in a 25-hour period. My ass definitely went a bit numb, but it was most certainly worth it.
The sixth installment of this marathon, my first, started at noon on Saturday. It wrapped up at about 1 pm today. The fun part? Nobody outside of the main man himself (host Harry Knowles), and two of his hinchmen, know what's going to be screened. All we were told is that we'd view 6 older films, and 5 premier-type films. Everything beyond that was pure speculation.
So, here's a rundown of my time at the event (times are estimated to the best of my recollection):
7:30 am, Saturday: I woke up, showered, threw on some clothes, and left the apartment. I stopped and picked up some breakfast, then made the 30-minute drive to Austin. After arriving in Austin, I drove around for another 10 minutes or so, in an effort to locate a theater that I'd never once been to, and a parking spot in what seems to be a 3-square-mile, no-parking section of Texas.
9:15 am, Saturday: I parked, and made my way to the theater. We were advised to get there at 9:30...and told that tickets would not be first-come, first-serve, but rather, at 11:30 a couple of people would come out and chat it up with us. When I arrived, there were 5 people waiting ahead of me in the stand-by line, and 4 people (who already had tickets secured) waiting out front, hoping their early arrival would keep them from being stuck in a shitty seat for 24 hours. While waiting in line, I had a nice little chitchat coversation with Tim McCanlies (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564827/).
11:45 am, Saturday: All ticket-holders are seated, and the stand-by group (which, at 9:45 or so, maxed out at just over 20 people) was informed that there were enough open seats for all of us. The catch? "Open seats" meant that it was possible to gather enough chairs (of a reasonably comfortable quality), and line the aisles. I went in, and paid my $60 (which was, in turn, donated to a charity). I picked up my gift bag (filled with CD's, promotional items, about a half dozen t-shirts, close to a dozen movie posters, the works), then went into the theater to take my seat. Being my pampered self, I wasn't having any of that "sitting in the aisle" business...so I thieved myself a regular seat.
12:15 pm, Saturday: The host of the event, Harry Knowles, a published author and well-known cinematic "in-guy" both inside and outside of the Austin area, gave us a 4-5 minute welcome speech. Then the lights went down, and the show opened with some old-school trailers...including a very entertaining "Slumber Party Massacre" trailer.
12:30 pm, Saturday: During the introductory speech, we were told what our first film of the event would be. At 12:15, after out handful of trailers, the opening credits to Willy McBean & His Magic Machine (1965) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192803/) began to roll. This classic puppet feature is the first ever stop-action animated feature to be produced. It was entertaining, and certainly something outside of what I typically watch (this is a trend that, thankfully, would continue throughout the event).
2:30 pm, Saturday: The film comes to an end, and we're granted our first break. I use the break only to hit the restroom, and stretch my legs. I need not use it to get myself food, because the event is being held at the Alamo Drafthouse...a combination resturaunt slash theater, with a full waitstaff. During our noon welcome speech, I made the best order of my lifetime: a bottomless soda. This would certainly come in handy near the end of the event (not to mention, I always had something to consume...which is a plus when you take into consideration the price of food and drink at theaters).
2:40 pm, Saturday: We all take our seats, and the marathon resumes. We are treated to another bunch of trailers...this time with a Christmas theme. The standout trailer from this bunch was the one for "The Magic Christmas Tree."
2:45 pm, Saturday: The lights come back up, and we are treated to a couple of guests who are there to introduce our next film. They are Liam Aiken (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0014582/) and Emily Browning (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0115161/), the young co-stars of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0339291/). They answer a few questions about the film, and then the lights go down and the opening credits roll. [Premier Note: The film's premier is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 pm in Los Angeles, meaning that we were granted the first public screening. It opens nationwide on the 17th of December].
4:45 pm, Saturday: After another break (I suppose this will be the last break I'll bother to mention...just know that we got a short, 5-10 minute break after every feature-length film) we took our seats. A co-host introduced our next couple of treats...
4:50 pm, Saturday: (I'll also stop mentioning the host or co-host introductions, as we got one of those for every film that didn't have a special intro of some sort). We're treated to about 10 minutes in footage from Dreamworks' new computer-animated film Madagascar (2005) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0351283/). This film is still in production (even some of what we were shown was extremely rough, incomplete footage), but trust me when I say that when it's release date rolls around (next summer, I assume) it will be as big of a hit as, if not bigger than, "The Incredibles" was this year. The footage we were shown was absolutely hilarious...so definitely be on the lookout for that film.
5:00 pm, Saturday: We roll from the "Madagascar" clips straight into some extremely dated pirate trailers, including "Blackbeard's Ghost," "A Pirate Story," and best of all, "Ice Pirates from Outer Space." This was the perfect intro to our third film, a technicolor pirate tale titled The Black Swan (1942) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034522/).
6:35 pm, Saturday: After our break, we file back into our seats. At about this time, we're greeted by Robbie Stamp (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1182526/). He was there to give us information about an upcoming adaptation that he's executive-producing...the first film from a little series called "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371724/) is one of the most anticipated releases of next year (since it's an adaptation of a story that's seen play in a series of books, a radio show, a video game, and a stage play). We were treated to a slideshow featuring a lot of behind-the-scenes photographs, most of which hadn't yet been shown to the public. Mr. Stamp, after his slide-show, took part in a lengthy Q&A session.
7:10 pm, Saturday: After the slide-show and Q&A, we gear up for our next film. There's an intro by our hospitible host, noting that the film we're about to watch was was considered by some to be the best film of all-time prior to Citizen Kane's release. This is followed by a string of trailers (if you haven't noticed, we get miscellaneous trailers before every film), one of which was for the film, "The Mutations." After the trailers, we're shown a stunning 35mm print of Blonde Venus (1932) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022698/), starring Marlene Deitrich and a very young Cary Grant. Stellar film, and considering it's age...the archival print we were shown was as close to perfection as I can imagine.
9:10 pm, Saturday: We take a short break, and roll right into our fifth film of the night. I went out to my car to get my cell phone (because I don't wear a watch, and it's easy to lose track of time when you've been in a movie theater for over 8 hours). When I returned, I noticed some 3-D glasses waiting for me on the table in front of my seat. Just as I sat down, our host informed us that we were about to watch one of the most gorgeous 3-D films ever produced, Miss Sadie Thompson (1953) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046076/), starring the lovely Rita Hayworth. Furthermore, we were informed that our theater was one of 6 in the nation that was capable of using two projectors simultaneously, thereby providing the best possible 3-D experience. I must say...they weren't exaggerating. The film (set in Hawaii) was beautiful, and the presentation was jaw-dropping.
10:50 pm, Saturday: After our 3-D experience, everybody is kicked out of their seats, and sent to the main lobby. Security was brought in for the next film, so we were all going to be swiped with a wand upon re-entering the theater...in an effort to make certain nobody had a cell phone or camera in the theater with them. Gotta love the irrational fear of piracy when screening films that have never before been seen by the public. Needless to say, with this film, and 3 others like it to come...I once again visited my car, and put my cell phone in what would be it's final resting place for the rest of the marathon.
11:15 pm, Saturday: Once everybody is through the security checks and back into the theater, we're seated and told that there will be two things shown to us now. The first of these two things is a teaser trailer with "a little something extra." As the lights go down, Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise pop up on the screen and offer a warm welcome to "all of the attendees in Austin at the 6th Butt-Numb-a-Thon," and say that they hope we'll enjoy the included teaser trailer for War of the Worlds (2005) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407304/). This trailer segues right into our second premier film of the marathon, Joel Schumacher's The Phantom of the Opera (2004) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293508/). [Premier Note: U.S. premier was 1 day prior to our screening, on December 10th. It opens nationwide on Christmas day.]
1:30 am, Sunday: We headed back to our seats after a much-needed break (trust me, whether you love or hate Schumacher's "Phantom of the Opera," you'll need a break after watching it). We were informed again that we'd be viewing two things, a trailer and then a film. The trailer this time, though not as cool as a personal video welcome from Spielberg and Cruise, was still quite nifty. We were told that the trailer had just gotten the okay from the MPAA on Friday, and that we were the first people outside of the filmmakers and MPAA to see the trailer for "The Ring Two." The film looked interesting...comparable to the first, but from what I saw, I doubt it will be as good.
1:35 am, Sunday: Like I said, a trailer, then a film. The trailer was for Ring 2, the film...not as well known. However, we were given a hint: it was a film whose trailer we had seen earlier in the marathon. Ice Pirates from Outer Space? No, but almost as good...our 6th film was: The Mutations (1973) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070423/). What's better than getting to watch a B-film on the big screen with 250 other people? Well that's easy. Getting to watch a B-film on the big screen with 250 other people...and getting an introduction and Q&A with the film's co-writer and producer, Robert Weinbach (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0918092/). My, oh my, not only do we get to watch a film about genetically altering kidnapped college students, with the intention of transforming them into human/plant hybrids...but we get to pick the brain of the guy that came up with this crap! Can't ask for more than that.
4:00 am, Sunday: I said earlier in the post that the only information we were given was that there would be 5 premier-type films, and 6 older films. Well, there's one thing I didn't mention. In the previous 5 "Butt-Numb-a-Thons," he had made it known that every year, there would be a "torture film." Well, up until this point...we'd seen 5 older movies, and no torture film. In comes Toys Are Not For Children (1972) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0153225/). This film is twisted, twisted, twisted. It will never, ever leave my memory. Let me give a one sentence plot description: a 20 year old Jamie weds her boyfriend, but conflict arises when he realizes how strong of a fixation she has on her toys...and on her father. Yeah. It goes there. Exploitation cinema to the max.
5:30 am, Sunday: There are 3 films left, and all 6 of the older films are out of the way. This is the home stretch...where you're over 15 hours in, and things start to kick into high gear. In comes our next film, a little dandy out of Europe called Layer Cake (2004) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375912/). After watching this, and with only two films to go...this was far and away my favorite film of the event. I love everything Guy Ritchie has done. In my opinion, this film is better than both Ritchie's "Snatch," and "Lock, Stock." It's directed by a fellow named Matthew Vaughn. The same Matthew Vaughn that's worked as producer on all 3 of Ritchie's feature length films. So it's no surprise that Vaughn's directorial debut seems to be cut from the cloth of his directorial-mentor's more acclaimed films. What is surprising is that it surpasses them. I won't go into depth here, as I have full reviews planned (for my review thread) within the week)...but yeah, that's that. [Premier Note: No word on a specific release date]
7:30 am, Sunday: ...or is it? Nope, that wasn't all for "Layer Cake" at our little marathon. Immediately after the screening, supporting actor Tamer Hassan (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1268748/) graced us with his presence. First things first...this is a big fucking guy. He used to be a boxer. I mean, he's big, big. Anyway, I digress...Hassan did a Q&A, and was probably the best guest we had on the night. Not only did he talk about his completed films (all of which were done overseas, where he's made quite a name for himself in the past year), but he also talked about some upcoming projects he's involved with, like "Batman Begins," and "7 Seconds" with Wesley Snipes. He also said he's involved with a project that a lot of people are hoping will go forward: "Getaway," an adaptation of the relatively popular video game.
7:35 am, Sunday: Time for a breakfast break. It's $6.99 for all-you-can-eat. Now, by this time, I'm ridiculously tired, and I've spent a good bit of money on the night. So, naturally, when a woman is walking by and quietly asks nobody in particular if they would like hear breakfast receipt (paid for in advance), I jumped at the chance. She seemed to be happier to have gotten rid of it than I was to have gotten it. Well, not only was the food of slightly above average quality...it was free, and that always helps make things taste better.
8:15 am, Sunday: We were told that we would be shown two sets of clips before advancing to the next film. The first set of clips were from the upcoming film 2001 Maniacs (2005) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264323/). These were hand-delivered by Eli Roth (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0744834/), who both produces and stars in the film. It looked decent...but don't wait in anticipation for anything great. Eli was a really cool guy, though...so I feel bad telling you that, from what I saw, his film isn't anything special. Ah well, you win some you lose some, champ. The second set of clips we saw showed 10 minutes of a Japanese film that Dreamworks is looking to distribute called Casshern. It's already been released in Japan, and some people seem to love it...but I thought it looked absolutely atrocious.
8:30 am, Sunday: We are shown our second to last film, a little Thai number by the name of Ong-Bak (2003) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368909/). We were, again, strictly forbidden from bringing cameras or cell phones into the screening, because it hasn't been released in any way, shape, or form in the United States. Like I said, with only 2 films to go, Layer Cake seemed a lock as my favorite film of the marathon. However, along came this film and absolutely blew me away. It is, hands down, the best martial-arts film I've ever seen. Period. It is just as exciting as Crouching Tiger, Hero, and House of Flying Daggers...but it uses no wires or special effects. All of the martial arts moves are performed by Tony Jaa, not by Tony Jaa and some wires and a pulley system. This film received a standing ovation that lasted nearly 5 minutes. The verbal reactions from people (myself included) during fight scenes were like nothing I've ever experienced in a movie. Tony Jaa is going to be something special, you mark my word. [Premier Note: Rumored U.S. DVD release: Early-Mid Spring]
10:15 am, Sunday: There's one picture left, and we've got our third security team of the night jumping into the mix. However, before we can get to that...there's one more small surprise. Some Chronicles of Narnia material. It starts out with a personalized video greeting from the director and producer to the Butt-Numb-a-Thon audience, then moves into a lot of making-of material. Apparently, there has been no material released for this film...so I guess you'll have to take my word when I say that they have done a magnificent job in bringing to life the numerous species that populate Narnia.
10:30 am, Sunday: It's time for our final picture. I hate to say it, but I left on a sour note. I was hoping for one of three films: Sin City, Life Aquatic, or The Aviator. I figured I wouldn't get The Aviator because there was a press screening of it about a week ago here in Austin. I figured I wouldn't get Sin City because, no matter how close Harry Knowles is to Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez (and they're all quite close)...no friendly bond will make the film any more done than it already is. That left Wes Anderson's film, The Life Aquatic. Sadly, this didn't show either.
What we did get was Stephen Chow's most recent work, Kung Fu Hustle (2004) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373074/). Stephen Chow is the most popular director in the world. He's exceeded any level of popularity that Jackie Chan ever reached, and there are simply a shitload of people over in China, so when a director is hot, he's megastar hot. Coming off "Shaolin Soccer," and "The Tricky Master," Chow is riding a wave that's unsurpassed by anybody in the business.
Therefore, I was cool with seeing his film, here, in America, before it got a Chinese release. In fact, not only did we get to watch this film before it got released in it's home country...we were the second audience in the world to see the film (it aired at the Toronto Film Festival). Some cool stuff, if I do say so myself. However...the timing was just all wrong. I simply couldn't appreciate an over-the-top parody of kung fu only minutes after watching the single best martial arts (and I'll go as far as to say the best action) movie I've ever laid eyes on. It was just piss-poor scheduling. The film was okay, but I'll save the review for the reviews. [Premier Note: Release date - March 25, 2005]
So, after some chatting between audience and hosts, some more giveaways and the like...we ended up getting out right at 1:00, 25 hours after the doors were opened to us. I paid $60 to watch 11 films ($5 and change apiece), 5 of which were (or practically were) U.S. premiers, and get a bag full `o random movie shit.
Yeah, this is a really, really long post. However, it was a really, really long film marathon, so be glad you got the condensed version. I still have reviews to write sometime this week. ;)
-JP