AFI ends in a mood of 'Defiance'
Conspiracy theorists were working overtime at the Cabana Club post-party for AFI's closing-night premiere, "Defiance," Sunday night.
About an hour into the Cinerama Dome screening, the film abruptly stopped and strobe lights lit up the theater. An announcement came that somehow a false fire alarm was tripped, but at least 10 minutes of an unscheduled intermission took place before fire officials OK'd continuing with the film. Paramount Vantage execs, not to mention director Ed Zwick and others connected with the compelling World War II movie, were momentarily freaked by the incident.
Not exactly the way you want to launch a serious academy contender.
More than one wag at the post-party blamed the stoppage on rival Oscar campaigners who saw how well the moving drama was playing and flipped the switch. That's not a likely scenario, but it shows you the conspiratorial schemes people start dreaming up during awards season.
For his part, Zwick later laughed it off, saying maybe he OUGHT to add an intermission to this passion project, which took 12 years to bring to the screen. The idea for the film came from lifelong friend and co-writer Clayton Frohman, who read a newspaper obituary that recounted the story of three Jewish brothers who escaped Nazi-occupied Poland and joined with the Russian resistance to lead other Jews into the Belarussian forest. It seemed like perfect fodder for a different and dramatic film.
The audience, despite the unplanned break midway, seemed to agree wholeheartedly. This could be a sleeper contender for Vantage, particularly when it plays for the academy, which often goes for Holocaust-themed dramas. High praise was heard especially for stars Daniel Craig, Liev Schrieber and Jamie Bell ("Billy Elliott").
The movie, originally scheduled for release on Dec. 12, now becomes the last film of 2008, opening in L.A. and N.Y. on Dec. 31 -- just under the wire in order to qualify for Oscars. It opens nationwide in January.
Don't ever count out Zwick when it comes to Academy Awards. As a producer he already has a statuette for "Shakespeare In Love" (a movie he helped develop) and another best picture nomination for "Traffic." His films as a director often trump critics' group snubs and score with the academy, including "Legends of the Fall" (three noms and one win); "Last Samurai" (four noms); "Blood Diamond" (five noms) and, of course, "Glory" (five noms and three wins). "Defiance" could well add to the total even if it isn't currently in the first tier of Oscar bloggers' early predictions.
Meanwhile, it was a busy weekend all around, and the early scent of Oscar was definitely blowing in the intense Southern California winds.
"Milk" had packed guild screenings for the DGA and the SAG Nominating Committee. Paul Thomas Anderson served as moderator for his friend, "Milk" director Gus Van Sant, who received a warm standing ovation Sunday from his fellow directors (a rarity with that usually more sedate crowd). Van Sant remarked that it's the first time he's ever gotten one of those.
Over at the Pacific Design Center at the Saturday afternoon SAG screening, supporting players Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Allison Pill, James Franco and a hilarious Diego Luna took questions from the packed crowd, including one audacious query from an actor who asked Franco what it felt like to do a love scene with "Madonna's first husband." Franco was understandably left speechless but recovered nicely.
The recent passage of California's Proposition 8 certainly had this crowd focused on the pertinence of "Milk," even though the story is set in the 1970s.
At "A Fine Romance," the Motion Picture & Television Fund's Broadway to Hollywood musical benefit Saturday night, event chair and 20th Century Fox Co-Chairman Jim Gianopulos told me he thought Baz Luhrmann's still-in-progress Nov. 26 hoped-for Oscar magnet, "Australia," was an absolutely "beautiful film" (this despite all the scuttlebutt about last-minute test screenings and changes). He also has equally high academy hopes for Searchlight's recent acquisitions, "The Wrestler" and "Slumdog Millionaire."
In the audience was frequent Oscar show producer Gil Cates, this year's producers Bill Condon and Laurence Mark (who also produced the "A Fine Romance" show with "Milk" producer Dan Jinks), and academy President Sid Ganis. Ganis seemed excited about the fresh take Condon and Mark are bringing to this year's show, which includes already announced new director Roger Goodman and new designer David Rockwell, with more Oscar show virgins likely to come. Ganis assured us that, despite backseat-producing suggestions from some in the press and elsewhere, NO categories are being dropped from the telecast.
Gianopulos seems particularly enthusiastic about bringing musicals back to the screen in a way that makes sense for contemporary audiences, saying the time is right and he hopes to have one eventually with the event's co-host, Hugh Jackman (maybe those rumored remakes of "Guys And Dolls" or even "Carousel"?).
After a protracted 2008 dry spell at the box office, Fox is counting on a big holiday season with the aforementioned old-fashioned epic, "Australia," the sci-fi remake of "The Day The Earth Stood Still" starring Keanu Reeves and "Mad Men's" superhot commodity, Jon Hamm, and the adaptation of the best-selling ode to a family pet, "Marley And Me," with Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson. The other Fox co-chair, Tom Rothman (also in attendance), enthusiastically told me "Marley" was "Terms Of Endearment" with a dog.
Certainly dogs are big this fall with Disney's hit comedy, "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," the Nov. 21 animated entry "Bolt," and "Marley," which is Fox's Christmas entry. But none may be better than the independently made "Hachiko: A Dog's Story," a film that screened at the Crest Westwood on Sunday morning for foreign buyers attending the American Film Market. There wasn't a dry eye in the house for this beautiful and touching American remake of a Japanese film (based on an incredible true story) that stars Richard Gere and Joan Allen. It is perhaps director Lasse Hallstrom's best film since "My Life As A Dog" and "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" (and yes, that includes his two best picture nominees,"The Cider House Rules" and "Chocolat"). A smart American distributor should start thinking about the 2009 Oscar race and snatch up this potential contender immediately.
--Pete Hammond
(Photo: Liev Schreiber and Jaime Bell, courtesy Kevin Winter / Getty Images for AFI)
