Hal_M's Open Salon Blog

Happy Birthday, Mr. Bob Weir. And Many Happy Returns.

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 22:10:37 -0400

PLAGUE Director's Cut Gets Review At DVDBeaver

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 23:10:13 -0400

One of my favorite DVD/Blu-ray review sites has reviewed my unreleased work-print cut of my film which, for those who don't know (is there anyone who doesn't know at this point?), was taken away by the producers and distributor and re-cut into something unrecognizable from the original film. Though there has been quite a lot written about this cut and its history, having a review at DVDBeaver is quite an honor for me. I thank them for their interest and support and the very nice review.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews52/the_plague.htm

How Did Dark Comedy CUMMINGS FARM Become ALL AMERICAN ORGY?

Tue, 5 Oct 2010 16:10:19 -0400

This is what happens when good films fall into the wrong hands. The dark indie comedy CUMMINGS FARM directed and edited by Andrew Drazek, produced by and starring Jordan Kessler, written by and starring Ted Beck, as well as Adam Busch (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER), Laura Silverman, Aimee-Lynn Chadwick, Yasmine Kittles, and Edrick Brown was terrifyingly retitled ALL AMERICAN ORGY by home vid distributor Phase 4. Yes, the characters in CUMMINGS FARM spend much of their time talking about a well-intentioned orgy, but this film is a far cry from the low-grade AMERICAN PIE-type fare suggested by this almost-too-comical-to-be-true re-titling and wretchedly misleading cover art.

Now before I bash Phase 4 too much, let me just state that without distribution of some sort, it is almost impossible for a film, no matter how good it is, to reach an audience of any meaningful size. So it is a good thing that CUMMINGS FARM found a distributor and is out there for the public to see. The negative side is that it has a completely misleading title that would, most likely, scare off those audience members who would most appreciate the film. And anyone renting this title based on the name and cover art, would more than likely find themselves a bit baffled and disappointed by the non-exploitative dark comedy of the film itself. Case in point: the large breasted, sexy vixen taking up most of Phase 4's video cover for ALL AMERICAN ORGY? Not in the film. Nope. Sorry. Want to see the artwork for the film created by the filmmakers themselves when promoting their movie at film festivals?

Quite a difference, aye? The above poster is very appropriate to the mood and tone of the film. Now CUMMINGS FARM was never meant to be a film that would end up being the toast of the Academy Awards, but it was, nonetheless, meant to be an intelligent film dealing with relationships, sexual attraction, insecurities and friendship. And it's a damn good movie that moves effortlessly between hilariously funny moments and disturbingly frank and uncomfortable ones. The interactions between the film's cast of confused characters searching for some meaning in their lives is not the stuff of low-brow comedies. Shot on an estimated half a million bucks in Louisiana, CUMMINGS FARM is not a film thrown together by a bunch of frat boys looking to have some fun and make a quick buck. There's heart in this film.

CUMMINGS FARM-- er, ALL AMERICAN ORGY-- was shot on the Red One camera and looks terrific. Performances are solid all around. This is a true indie feature and worthy of more than Phase 4 chose to give it.

Of course, this is Hollywood and the tale of CUMMINGS FARM's journey to distribution is not a unique one. But that makes it no less disappointing. Or wrong. Clearly, this distribution company could care less about the film they were releasing. Like so many films, marketing overrides everything. The work itself, the people involved and, perhaps worst of all, the audience.

Luckily, with the exception of the name-change, the film's trailer has basically stayed the same as when it was still CUMMINGS FARM. And, unlike the new poster art, the trailer does give one a much better sense of the film they are about to see. So ignore the large-breasted vixen and Phase 4's absurd definition of "marketing" and watch the trailer below. And if you like what you see, give the film a chance. I did. And I was very pleasantly surprised.

Tony Curtis, Arthur Penn and Gloria Stewart: Saying Farewell

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 13:09:07 -0400

This week has been a sad one. Two landmark actors and one landmark director (not to mention film editor Sally Menke, whom I wrote about earlier) have left us. While we know that this is the way of things and that these moments are inevitable, it still hits hard and the sadness and loss is real. Even if some of these people haven't been front and center in our daily lives for some time, knowing they are no longer with us seems to make the world just that much emptier.

But thankfully we have their work and legacies to guide us, to keep us company, and to recognize as a signpost to possibility.

Actor Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz) died yesterday of cardiac arrest in his Las Vegas home. He was 85. Thankfully, Mr. Curtis recently shared his memories of making SOME LIKE IT HOT with author Mark A. Vieira in the recently published book, THE MAKING OF SOME LIKE IT HOT: MY MEMORIES OF MARILYN MONROE AND THE CLASSIC AMERICAN MOVIE. I highly recommend it.

Curtis was a Hollywood icon. His films ranging from WINCHESTER '73 to THE DEFIANT ONES and on through THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, THE GREAT RACE, SPARTACUS, THE BOSTON STRANGLER and even an episode of THE FLINTSTONES (as Stoney Curtis) as well as dozens of other films and television roles, Tony Curtis was and remains an American legend.

Arthur Penn, the groundbreaking director who ushered in an entirely new direction in American cinema with his daring and controversial BONNIE AND CLYDE, died Tuesday night of heart failure at the age of 88. Penn cut his teeth on the early days of live television directing for GULF PLAYHOUSE, GOODYEAR PLAYHOUSE, THE PHILCO-GOODYEAR TELEVISION PLAYHOUSE and a host of other groundbreaking and highly influential shows. As a feature director, his work includes MICKEY ONE, THE CHASE, ALICE'S RESTAURANT, NIGHT MOVES, THE MISSOURI BREAKS and many, many others. In 1982, Penn was quoted as saying, "The movies have changed: there's now this wonderful storyteller Spielberg making benign movies that are enormously successful, while I'm known mainly for making movies about people shooting and cutting each other up. I love his work, but I could never make stuff like that."Arthur Penn will be forever remembered.

Film actress Gloria Stewart was reintroduced to contemporary audiences in James Cameron's epic blockbuster TITANIC. But Miss Stewart, who died Sunday night at the age of 100 from complications due to lung cancer, began her career in the early 1930's. She was best known for such landmark films as THE OLD DARK HOUSE, THE INVISIBLE MAN, GOLD DIGGERS OF 1935, REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM, THE THREE MUSKETEERS, IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU and literally dozens and dozens of other film and television appearances. Even though Miss Stewart was blessed to live a long life, the world is that much smaller in her absence. She will be missed.

As will they all.

Goodbye, Sally Menke

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 15:09:17 -0400

Horrific and tragic. Film editor Sally Menke's body was found at the bottom of a ravine in Griffith Park. She apparently left for a hike with her dog and never returned. This turned out to be on the hottest day in Los Angeles recorded history. Sally's dog was also found, thankfully alive. No report yet on the cause of Sally's death.

Sally was best known as Quentin Tarantino's editor. The two made a tremendous team. My condolences to Sally's family and friends and to Mr. Tarantino for the extreme loss. Sally's death is a loss to the entire film community.

Among Sally's non-Tarantino films are:

ALL THE PRETTY HORSES
NIGHTWATCH
MULHOLLAND FALLS
FOUR ROOMS (MAN FROM HOLLYWOOD segment)
THE SEARCH FOR INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

as well as many others.

She is already missed.