'Back to the Future' Screening Hot, Gibson Meltdown Not
Burbank, California—Hollywood went Back to the Future at Mann Theatres' swanky Hollywood Boulevard theaters, where the sequels, Back to the Future Part II and Back to the Future Part III, were screened back to back for cast, crew and the most wildly enthusiastic audience this writer has seen for some time.
The trilogy's fans are simply fantastic; genuinely thrilled to experience these clever, original motion pictures—calling out tough trivia answers for prizes—with not a pierced eyebrow in sight. They laughed and smiled all night, watching the movies like sugared-up kids on the TV room floor and, frankly, showering more love on Doc, Marty and the DeLorean than Universal's shown in years.
During the break, Hollywood's Master Storytellers host Gordon Meyer introduced writer Bob Gale—whose bright ideas Hollywood needs right now—producer Neil Canton and actor Christopher Lloyd, who played Doc in each movie. Lloyd, welcomed warmly by the audience, spoke of wanting to portray the scientist as a romantic hero. He brought his wife and son to the packed screening, which was also attended by Mann Theatres President Peter Dobson and his son.
Back to the Futurists Gale, Canton and Lloyd answered the audience's sharp questions and talked for the better part of an hour about the breathless adventures of Marty McFly, the actor who played him, Michael J. Fox (seen briefly in a taped pitch for a Parkinson's Disease charity), and how hard rock band ZZ Top's manager couldn't figure out why they wanted to use a DeLorean instead of the ZZ Top car as the time travel transport.
It was a grand time looking back at what a movie ought to be—both intelligent and exciting—and there was plenty of praise for producer Frank Marshall and director Robert Zemeckis. But it was Bob Gale's night, with the writer spinning tales for delighted fans, who were begging for another sequel—a notion which was swiftly snuffed out, leaving them wanting much, much more. Now, that's how to make a movie!
News Notes
An interesting aspect of the widely reported Mel Gibson meltdown is the absence of judgment of Gibson's despicable anti-Jewish diatribe, to say nothing of the grave danger his drunk driving posed. Instead, speculation about his power is the game, with top Hollywood studio types, including Jews, keeping quiet or, worse, making excuses.
Silence implies consent and it is pathetic that Gibson's ideas have thus far gone fundamentally unchallenged by Hollywood—while Israel fends off another attack initiated by fascist Moslems—a few months before his latest foreign language horror movie, Disney's Apocalypto is unleashed in churches and theaters.
Screen Notes
Forget attending the Aug. 13 screening of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, presented by the Art Directors Guild (ADG) Film Society. It's completely sold out. The 1949 movie, starring Gary Cooper, Raymond Massey and Patricia Neal, was designed by Edward Carrere, whose work is being honored by the Guild. The screening includes a panel discussion with Ayn Rand archivist Jeff Britting (Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life) and architect James Sanders, author of Celluloid Skyline: New York And The Movies, moderated by Art Directors Film Society founder John Muto.
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RELATED ARTICLES
• Interview with Bob Gale (2003)
• Interview with Frank Marshall
• Scott Holleran: Thank You, Ayn Rand
• Commentary: The Passion of the Christ
RELATED LINK
• BTTF.com (the Back to the Future Fan Site)
The trilogy's fans are simply fantastic; genuinely thrilled to experience these clever, original motion pictures—calling out tough trivia answers for prizes—with not a pierced eyebrow in sight. They laughed and smiled all night, watching the movies like sugared-up kids on the TV room floor and, frankly, showering more love on Doc, Marty and the DeLorean than Universal's shown in years.
During the break, Hollywood's Master Storytellers host Gordon Meyer introduced writer Bob Gale—whose bright ideas Hollywood needs right now—producer Neil Canton and actor Christopher Lloyd, who played Doc in each movie. Lloyd, welcomed warmly by the audience, spoke of wanting to portray the scientist as a romantic hero. He brought his wife and son to the packed screening, which was also attended by Mann Theatres President Peter Dobson and his son.
Back to the Futurists Gale, Canton and Lloyd answered the audience's sharp questions and talked for the better part of an hour about the breathless adventures of Marty McFly, the actor who played him, Michael J. Fox (seen briefly in a taped pitch for a Parkinson's Disease charity), and how hard rock band ZZ Top's manager couldn't figure out why they wanted to use a DeLorean instead of the ZZ Top car as the time travel transport.
It was a grand time looking back at what a movie ought to be—both intelligent and exciting—and there was plenty of praise for producer Frank Marshall and director Robert Zemeckis. But it was Bob Gale's night, with the writer spinning tales for delighted fans, who were begging for another sequel—a notion which was swiftly snuffed out, leaving them wanting much, much more. Now, that's how to make a movie!
News Notes
An interesting aspect of the widely reported Mel Gibson meltdown is the absence of judgment of Gibson's despicable anti-Jewish diatribe, to say nothing of the grave danger his drunk driving posed. Instead, speculation about his power is the game, with top Hollywood studio types, including Jews, keeping quiet or, worse, making excuses.
Silence implies consent and it is pathetic that Gibson's ideas have thus far gone fundamentally unchallenged by Hollywood—while Israel fends off another attack initiated by fascist Moslems—a few months before his latest foreign language horror movie, Disney's Apocalypto is unleashed in churches and theaters.
Screen Notes
Forget attending the Aug. 13 screening of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, presented by the Art Directors Guild (ADG) Film Society. It's completely sold out. The 1949 movie, starring Gary Cooper, Raymond Massey and Patricia Neal, was designed by Edward Carrere, whose work is being honored by the Guild. The screening includes a panel discussion with Ayn Rand archivist Jeff Britting (Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life) and architect James Sanders, author of Celluloid Skyline: New York And The Movies, moderated by Art Directors Film Society founder John Muto.
$
RELATED ARTICLES
• Interview with Bob Gale (2003)
• Interview with Frank Marshall
• Scott Holleran: Thank You, Ayn Rand
• Commentary: The Passion of the Christ
RELATED LINK
• BTTF.com (the Back to the Future Fan Site)
