Film Scouts Diaries

1997 Sundance Film Festival Diaries
Matt on the Golden Globes

by Matt & Kris

Premiered last night, slaughtering our cherries. Things went well.

One of the strangest things about Sundance is that people wait in line for hours for films whose makers would die to get distribution. Filmmakers and audiences are united in desperation.

Stood in line today with robust film critic Roger Ebert. Kind of a dour guy.

He told me he made a rule not to talk about any of the films he sees at the festival this year, because he doesn't want to have that kind of influence on any distribution deals. That's admirable. But he had a pretty negative energy, which compelled me to put an "Ebert" after all my statements to him (i.e. "That's right, Ebert" or "Whatever you say, Ebert"). Also, I know he pretends to hate Siskel and all that, but he wears this heart-shaped locket around his neck that contains pictures of him and Siskel as babies. Or at least I think it's him and Siskel.

Saw a really powerful film, PRISONER OF THE MOUNTAINS. It's the best thing I've seen at the fest so far.

Have a giant headache today. Haven't slept much. Last night, went to a party for Gramercy's GRIDLOCK'D, starring Tim ("Timmy") Roth and the late Tupac Shakur. It was a madhouse, with literally hundreds of people waiting out in the cold to get in. People would go up to the guy at the door and say, "I'm Timmy's hairdresser" or "I'm Timmy's masseuse" or "I'm Timmy".

Watching the Golden Globes right now. Lauren Bacall just won Best Supporting Actress, unfortunately, for THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES. Most of the film was shot in New York City, my home, so I've heard a lot of stories about the shoot, including some not so flattering stories about Bacall's behavior around some locations. She may be a legend, but what a rude, rude legend she is.

Milos Forman just won Best Director for THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT. Can't argue too much about that, although Lars Von Trier for BREAKING THE WAVES, the year's best film, would be my choice.

Enough about the Globes. Back to Sundance. More parties tonight and we have our second screening tomorrow morning. Also, Kris and I have a radio interview early. There's all kinds of that type of stuff going on here, hustling for the film. I know I should write more about the details, but I'm so engrossed in it that it's very boring for me right now. Sorry.

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