Published at: Dec. 8, 2003, 1:41 a.m. CST by staff
Hey folks, Harry here... Figured I'd join in on this format of Nordling's just a bit...
1. RETURN OF THE KING is the finishing flourish on what is definitively the greatest single narrative trilogy in the history of cinema. This film gives a new meaning to scope in film. A new meaning to the term epic. Peter Jackson has honestly created a final film that absolutely just owned me for every second it played. And in the way of the world, I'm just a very small hobbit in my own little shire of Austin... and I'm thankful for that, every day.
2. HAUNTED GOLD - I learned that my instincts on this film and this story were so exactingly perfect with the BNAT audience that there were moments of John Wayne's girlish fop punches that I thought I was going to go into convulsions from listening to the audiences actual shock at how bad a fighter John Wayne started out as. Hehehehe... FANTASTIC. By the way DUKE (John Wayne's Horse) rules the Earth and could kick Shadowfax's ass I bet!
3. THE RETURN OF CAPTAIN MARVEL - I learned that intentially using one film as a lost leader for one of the greatest films of all time should not only be done, it commands to be done. I also learned that I must find a full print of this original serial as many people wanted to see the whole serial. hehehehe... God I love BNAT-ers.
4. Buster Keaton's THE GENERAL - After screening RETURN OF THE KING - I had two major programming issues. What on earth can play after RETURN OF THE KING and not disappoint? Secondly, What could I screen for Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and THE QUEEN OF THE GEEKS? (no other name is ever required from this point on btw and all future prints of her films will carry this title for Her name.) The idea was to reboot the audience... Take them as far cinematically speaking as humanly possible from RETURN OF THE KING. Give them a totally different perfect film experience, and THE GENERAL affords that. Guy Forsyth and his band's live music score performed live was once again genius. Over 2/3rds of the audience had never seen the film. Now they have learned how to salute an entire approaching ranks while making out with your babe! IMPORTANT LESSON!
5. King Kong drives a Volkswagon Automatic while in New York.
6. ANCHORMAN is going to be absolutely fucking hysterical. When you behold Will Ferrell's erection, you'll send off for 10 penis patches to put on your dick all at once. My god, he'd make Jenna Jameson feel like a Virgin!
8. Chan Wook Park's OLDBOY is absolutely genius. The film is one of the most thrillingly disturbing and arresting works of cinema I have ever seen and is the very best film that David Fincher has never made. The reason for that is the soul of the conflicts within the very society that makes up SOUTH KOREA and the Korean experience in general. The film is an absolute picture of how REVENGE is never a straight road. Better than any contemporary set film made anywhere in the world today.
9. SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW trailer is one of the most perfect, beautiful, holy shit cool as fuck wanna see wanna see my god, let's watch that again and again and again and again things I've ever seen. Paul Dini took me aside after it played and weeped about how desperately he wanted to see that film... right now.
10. NID DE GUEPES is gorgeous on the big screen. I've seen the film perhaps 60 times on DVD - finally seeing it on the big screen with a BNAT audience proved once again, why the Drafthouse and in particular this audience is the greatest ever.
11. BLIND - that Asian actor was hot!
12. GINGER SNAPS 2 - mass female masturbation scenes are very important for the sanity of all. Does this happen? Is there somewhere where 40 young girls are lined up and asked to freely masturbate and explore the power of their own hands? Also Blondes are bad news.
13. HAUTE TENSION -- Sometimes 20 blows to a killer's head with a fence post wrapped with barbed wire... sometimes you have to go a little farther than that.
14. Watching the SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW trailer again was absolutely necessary!
15. TEENAGE MOTHER - is literally the single greatest late night unsuspecting grindhouse ambush film in the history of mankind. This movie hand the audience clapping along, snapping their fingers... digging the funky cool threads, the single most amazing spasmotic dork monkey ever to be named DUKE in film history... and then had the nerve to feature a 5 minute dance number in which he figures heavily. I was laughing non-stop. The Hot Rods were awesome. Also, this film taught me that I have never been more happy and secure in my own sexual identity as a man... and will never again ponder the dreamy notion of being a pregnant woman.
16. ROTTEN FRUIT - Utterly depraved and brilliant. Perfect Breakfast Entertainment!
17. UNDEAD - The Australian Spierig Brothers' film plays fantastic late late in a run. Specifically - anything that involves MARION delights the audiences endlessly. Also when the hot babe strips to her bra & panties for a logical plot reason... well... that's just great!
18. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST -- Never listen to a National Media coverage of alleged screenings. This film played to an audience 230 exhausted cinema loving movie worshipers from all around the world, every political and religious group... and the film received a 5 minute standing ovation and a 90 minute Q&A that included numerous questions grasping to understand what the "critics" of this film are talking about.
19. Mel Gibson -- It was stunning to do a 90 minute Q&A with Mel Gibson at the 28 hours of continual conciousness... and it seemed to go incredibly well. When he first came out he was seemingly quite nervous and visibly uncomfortable. I could see that he really had no idea what to expect from this audience in terms of "confrontations" and "feelings". Beginning with the tearful blessings and thank yous from one Houston Lady, to the applause for the sheer bravery to make non-traditional works of passion instead of just chipping away at another sequel. Well... It was gratifying. When one of Mel's associates was answering questions, watching Mel on his hands and knees autographing a couple of front row-ers' programs was... maybe the single best image I have from BNAT this year... actually... let me take that back...
Watching the look on the 11 year old girl's face who attended as she was seeing Peter Jackson and Mel Gibson in person. Watching Fran Walsh and "The Queen of the Geeks" interacting with everyone. The fear that we had killed Peter Jackson when suddenly he fell to the ground by a disguised platform of steps. I'll never forget the weight of that smoke grenade. I'll never forget hearing that SECURITY forgot their metal detecting wands. Watching an audience discover the genius of Chan Wook Park for the first time. Seeing the sheer joy on people's faces as each and every surprise hit them. Watching Eli Roth asking Mel Gibson how CABIN FEVER played business wise in Australia this past weekend, only to have Mel Gibson say, "Cabin Fever, what's that?" And the entire audience going into hysterics!
The moment where I was trying to start talking after RETURN OF THE KING and for some inexplicably emotional moment, I came very near the point of losing the ability to speak all together.
Watching 40 geeks trying their hardest to beat the living shit out of a life size papermache Harry Pinata... as the Harry Pinata took on all comers!!!
Watching TEENAGE MOTHER and sharing the experience with Tim League as we watched our cinematic terrorism come to pass, executed beyond our wildest dreams!
Watching Father Geek give out TONS OF SideShow Toys! Watching BNATERS going around getting their yearbooks signed. Watching everyone talking with others based upon finding commonalities from the yearbook. And ultimately having the coolest BNAT T-shirts ever....
