I met Mr Demme at a party here in Austin last SXSW. His kids were playing in the backyard and he was mixing really really well. He recognized me and came up to say "Hi". After a little bit of small talk, I congratulated him on the early word on his film, I had heard really good things about it. He thought I was talking about the film that was going to show later that evening, STOREFRONT HITCHCOCK. I shook my head and said..."No, no, I'm talking about the screening you did about a week or so ago for BELOVED" I swear to god he went stark white on me. You see it wasn't a test screening, but rather just a small screening for some execs, cast, those types. Around 35 people. I had had two reports that said it was fantastic. He was shocked. Since that time, I have heard not a peep about the film. The trailer I've seen was a bit lackluster, but from sources I have that know Demme very well, they say he says it's his best film. Well, that's one hell of a statement. Here's the review that pretty much backs that up. If you have seen the film... let me know. This along with A THIN RED LINE are two of the films that should be vying for OSCARS if they really are great that we've heard next to nothing on. So let us know... groovy?

I'm a long-time reader, first-time contributor. I haven't seen anything on your site about Beloved, the new Jonathon Demme-directed, Oprah Winfrey-starring film.

I was fortunate enough to acquire free passes at a Chicago preview for "Pecker" (of all things) for "Beloved." I'm fairly certain this was the first public screening of this film so far. I may be wrong about that, but that's what the marketing/secrete service types told us.

Although at first glance, it may seem that this isn't the type of film your readers would care about, they absolutely should. Demme does a stupendous job of mixing emotion and supernatural tension without falling victim to the cliches that so many other directors have. Demme even gets the occassional chance to flex his "Silence of the Lamb" muscle with some truly bloody and gore-filled scenes. This ain't no "Waiting to Exhale," y'all.

I've never read the Toni Morrison book, but from what I've heard from those who have, they stick to the story religiously. My guess is that Oprah had a lot to do with that. If I'm not mistaken, "Beloved" was the first of her "book club" books. For anyone who thinks this is some sappy Oprah star glamour vehicle, prepare to be shocked. We even get to see her piss like a racehorse out of fear in one scene.

The story is such, for those who don't know: A former slave woman (Oprah) is living with her three children in a shack near Cinncinati. We enter the scene during what appears to be a moment right out of Poltergeist. Shit is flying everywhere; we hear a ghostly baby screaming, but Oprah looks like she's used to this and spends most of the scene trying to doctor her dog that was injured during this supernatural episode. The two pre-teen boy children grab their shit and run out of the house declaring "We can't take this anymore." While the remaining daughter just looks shellshocked on the stairs.

Cut to Oprah a few months later in front of her house. Suddenly she sees a haggered looking Danny Glover strolling up her front walk. At this point I should say that nobody in this film comes off as a glamourpuss; everybody looks older than they are, ragged, weather-beaten, etc. Apparently Glover and Oprah knew each other some 20 years before, when both were slaves on the same plantation. They begin a relationship; he moves in, much to the daughters chagrin. The first time he goes into the house, he senses the spirit and is almost immediately treated to yet another really freaky poltergeist moment. Demme must have loved having crap thrown at his actors because that's pretty much all that happens for the first half-hour of the movie.

Once Glover is firmly established as a household stable, we get the mysterious appearance of Thandie Newton's character, Beloved. She seems to walk right out of a nearby pond dressed all in black with bugs crawling all over her. Now Thandie Newton is most certainly on my "TO DO" list, but seeing her with insects covering her and crawling in and out of her mouth made me rethink that....naw, I'd still do her even with the bugs. Beloved can barely talk, and when she does she sounds like the Devil in The Exorcist. In fact, there are many elements of the Exorcist in the early scenes with Beloved. She also has that shallow, raspy breathing problem that fair Linda Blair had.

The gore and serious tension of the film revolve around the mystery of Oprah's past behaviour; her other daughter, who is dead (but how did she die?); the true identity of Beloved; and her treatment at the hands of her former owners. Demme does a brilliant job of shocking us visually. Presumably, many who will see this film already know the answers to these mysteries, but Demme's pictures cut to the heart of the film's many horrors.

Now don't get me wrong, this isn't a horror film per se. But the elements are there. At the heart of the films are two mind-blowing performances by Oprah (who will undoubtedly get an Oscar nom for this) and Thandie Newton, who creeped my out in ways I never knew a pretty girl could (except for Rebecca Gayheart in Urban Legend, right?). Newton will probably get nominated too, but for supporting acturess, which is a shame because the performance is lead caliber.

This cut I saw last Saturday ran 2 hours and 45 mintues, which sounds like but felt necessary. There's no rush and there's a lot of story to be told, all of it interesting. Demme takes time to get to know the characters, not all of whom are likeable (now that I think about it, very few are).

All of you hard-core Sci-Fi and Horror fans (I'm one of you), give this one a chance. Don't be put off just because a woman who hosts a sappy talk show is the star and co-producer. Trust Demme. He good.

You can call me Capone.

Well Capone, if you're in Chicago for the Film Fest up there, I hope you take the time to drop us a line from time to time. Good work!