Beautiful Losering

NEWS: Trailer and Festival Screening

2009-08-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

Wednesday September 16th, "Beautiful Loser" opens the SoCal Film Festival.

All the information is here.

Adam Lamberg, Keith David and Bill Katt will be there, along with producers Steven Wolfe and Scott Hyman.

I'm bringing The Hot Little Number I Call Mrs. Nolte and looking forward to seeing everyone again.

We also have a terrific trailer which can be viewed here.

UPDATE: Festival Screening

2008-04-22T07:42:00.001-07:00

Sorry it's taken so long to update this. My intent was to do so earlier but I forgot my password and username ... again. Then, SUDDENLY it came to me in a flash and so here we are.

The screening went very well. Of 200 films, ours was one of about 20 to sell out and one of the fastest to sell out. The festival directors said that had they programmed it sooner they would've added a screening or two.

The screening itself was most encouraging. A survey was taken afterwards and the film scored very well. 3/4's of the audience liked, and or loved it. There were a number of people very moved. A few women sitting near me were crying when the lights came up.

I was nervous going into the screening -- especially at such a big city festival -- that it would die. It didn't. I'm happy. The producers are happy. The festival directors are happy, and want to help us get it programmed elsewhere.

This festival experience was my first and an awful lot of fun. It was nice to hang out with the producers again, Steven and Scott, and the festival directors took very good care of us; taking us everywhere -- clubs, restaurants, making sure we had a ride wherever we needed. It was first class all the way. It was also exhausting. Some people live that life -- I prefer the visit.

I had most of Saturday afternoon to myself and used the opportunity to play tourist in Philly: I saw the Liberty Bell, Continental Congress, the Betsy Ross house, etc... I love all that corny stuff. To see where this great country of ours began was pretty amazing. To walk where those great men walked, equally so.

Festival Screening SOLD OUT

2008-04-07T19:38:00.000-07:00

We received this rather surprised email from the Philadelphia Film Festival today:

Morning – just wanted to let you know that the screening for your film Beautiful Loser is sold out. It was kind of unexpected since we do significantly better with international films and American Indies with either stars (like last night with William H. Macy and The Deal) or films with a Philly connection. So it looks – on first glance – you have a film people want to see!

Sure hope it goes well. I won't be there. I'll be across the street getting drunk.

I hate Beautiful Loser. Oh, the movie's fine, it's what the movie does to me. I swear, I'm not even close to a neurotic with anything else in my life. Being a neurotic is an entirely new experience, and I hate it.

Festival Screening

2008-03-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. Sorry, it's been so long since I last posted, but there was nothing to say until now.

Finally, some good news. Beautiful Loser will have it's premiere screening at the Philadelphia Film Festival -- Friday, April 11th at the Ritz Theatre 2.

I'll be there along with the producers. Anyone in the area interested in attending can check out the festival here: http://www.phillyfests.com/pff/home.cfm -- on the right column there's a prompt which allows you to download the festival guide. We're on page 76.

Here's the write-up, which I think is an excellent plot summation of the film -- better than anything I've written.

In this fresh indie, three high school friends, flush with the promise of first love, each make a decision that sets the course for the rest of their lives -- decisions that will come back to haunt them 20 years later.

Secrets and decisions of the past haunt the lives of a well-drawn cast of characters in this drama that introduces us to a group of high school buddies before moving the action forward to reveal the characters two decades later. Reggie (Adam Lamberg) is the wild card of this group of friends. Perpetually single and lacking ambition, he is prone to making inappropriate comments to girls. When the object of his affection breaks up with her bad-boyfriend, Reggie clumsily asks for a date. Things almost happen, but not quite, and the promise of a kiss still haunts Reggie (Lenny Von Dohlen) 20 years later. On the other hand, Diego (Giancarlo Carmona) and Bonnie (Caker Folley), dated all through high school. But when Diego went to Mexico to help his family, Bonnie (Cynthia Gibb ) lost whatever faith she had in men. Now she's a tough lawyer with a young son and a husband she can't trust (John Schneider of Smallville.) when Diego (Eddie Velez ) returns and unexpected emotions surface. Finally, Morgan and Dennice were high school sweethearts who married as teens and are still happy together, but secrets suddenly overwhelm them. Tender moments and crisp storytelling make this indie a worthy festival offering . . Scott Cranin

If anyone has any question about the festival, or would like to send me money, my email address is: jjmnolte@hotmail.com.

There will also be another Los Angeles are screening sometime in April. I will let you know when that date firms.

I note that even though it's been 6-months since I last posted, this site is still generating an average of 7 hits a day. I don't know who you seven are, but I do admire the perserverence.

Screening, Monday the 24th

2007-09-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

We'll be at the AFI building in Hollywood that evening. If you'd like to come, email me jjmnolte@hotmail.com

Me? I'm fine. Thanks for asking. Busy. As. Hell. in a good way with a rewrite and a ton of meetings. Heading to Universal in an hour -- going early as usual to take a gander around. Other than their wardrobe department I've never been on that backlot.

Most excited about a Happy Madison meeting coming up. That's Adam Sandler's company and I love what those guys do. They read a script and asked to meet with me so who knows? Of course, should The Mighty Rob Schneider show up I'll pass out from the vapors.

What else...? What else....?

I'm still doing movie reviews and was offered the job of editor. We'll have to work out money issues but if it goes as hoped that could be my ticket back to NC as I could work out my home in my underwear while eating cookies.

Graf...

2007-08-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

I forwarded your note to Adam.

Sorry, I have nothing to report for the rest of you other than it's 104 degrees here. I know... You're gonna tell me it's at least it's a dry heat. Well, so's an oven.

I suck, I know...

2007-08-14T08:21:00.001-07:00

I know I've been remiss in posting. But I've been buried. Good buried, but buried nonetheless.
No BL updates. We've submitted to festivals and have only heard and been declined by one. They said the film wasn't edgy enough. Knew we should've added that scene where we rape Dakota Fanning.

My action script is being budgeted now. That's interest at least. No small thing. If the planets align I'll be asked to do a rewrite to make it cheaper. But hell, to just get the news someone likes it enough to budget it made my week.

The film critic thing continues to be a dream job.

It's hot here. Unbelievably hot. I hate L.A.

I Have Returned

2007-08-02T05:29:00.001-07:00

Got back last night. Finally.

Have two rewrites, four reviews, and a speaking engagement to prepare for. Buried. More later. All's well.

Gone To Boone

2007-07-16T18:12:00.000-07:00

I leave tomorrow ridiculously early for the airport. I'm going to North Carolina for two weeks to oversee some major construction on our home. There was a bit of a disaster and it needs to be taken care of. They say two is better than one. Let's hope that includes mortgages.

But that's not the worst part. The worst part is being separated from my wife for two weeks. Gonna miss her madly. The only good thing about us not going back together is that we won't be tempted to stay. Los Angeles is wearing on me. I've more than met my goals, the bloom's coming off the adventure, and I miss my front porch, mountian view, and southern accents.

Don't know if I'll have internet access out there in beautiful Boone, North Carolina (hit link for photos, and yes, it really is that beautiful), and even if I do, don't know how much time I'll have. So, we'll see you when I get back. Hopefully around the 1st.

I'm Already A Prick Again

2007-07-14T19:33:00.000-07:00

Just yesterday I was sitting in a waiting room sure I was doomed and promising myself and The Good Lord that if spared I would appreciate life, smell the roses, and keep things in perspective. 22 hours later I'm screaming at the asshole in front of me for driving too slow (in my defense he was driving too slow), what's wrong with me?

I don't think the elation of getting that commutation from the The Big Governor Upstairs lasted the entire drive home from the doctor's office before I was all wrapped up again in the dit-dit problems of everyday life: Oh, I have this deadline -- Who's calling me this time of night? -- I got to return this stupid library book -- dammit, we're out of milk. I should be prancing around tossing rose petals, and here I am grousing already about nonsense.

Maybe that's the beauty of it. As the only living creatures aware of our own mortality, maybe we're just designed not to dwell on it. Maybe that's what keeps us sane. I don't know... All I do know is that I loved getting the news I was okay. I loved that feeling. But I also know I was a better person when I thought I was doomed. Ask anyone.

Chuck And Larry

2007-07-13T18:15:00.001-07:00

Went to the premiere last night. It was really something. I had been to the Phat Girlz premiere, but this was on an entirely different level. It was huge. HUGE!

Me and the Misses walked The Red Carpet. Can you believe that? We walked right past the photographers and reporters... Right past the round haircuts who were watching and wishing they were us. And there really is a carpet that's red. No shit. And The Red Carpet is long. I mean, real long. They closed off half of Universal City for this thing.

Best part: all the free popcorn and soda you can carry. Good day to have pockets.

First they screened the movie in this gigantic auditorium. The place was jammed. (They were very nice about asking us not to talk about the movie at all until next wednesday. I'm going to honor that.) After, we were invited to a party with the people who worked on the film and the stars. This party's food bill alone could've paid for five Beautiful Losers: Chefs, full bars, beautiful desserts... Tons of food everywhere. I've never seen anything like it.

I couldn't get near Dennis. He directed the film and was swamped with people. I did get to say hello to his lovely wife Sharon. So, me and my lovely wife just had a little food and soaked it all in. And of course we kept an eye out for the stars. We saw Adam Sandler, The Great Rob Schneider, Steve Buscemi, Ving Rhames, Kevin James, Seth Green, Seymour Cassel, Richard Chamberlain, and Jessica Biel.

On the way home the 101 freeway was jammed for miles thus fully completing our Hollywood experience.

I'm Not Doc Holliday

2007-07-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

I'm fine, thanks for asking. I was a basket case, but now I'm fine. All the tests came back negative today (negative, in that good way) and I'm perfectly healthy. But it's been kind of scary this last week.

Last week I went to the TB doctor to start getting my treatments. He put my x-ray up, showed me the spot on my lung (it's the size of a Buick), said that it wasn't TB, and that I needed to get a CAT-scan as soon as possible.

You can figure out the rest from there. Needless to say the CAT-scan is clean, I have a very minor issue with lingering bronchitis that happens every once in a while, and am still planning to live forever.

"Close The Bedroom Door"

2007-07-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

I love my wife. I'm crazy about her. I adore her. But she does drive me crazy. I had a meeting with some people here at the house the other day and the conversation went something like this:

WIFE: Before they get here, vacuum, straighten up, put the dishes away, set out a guest towel, and close the bedroom door.

ME: Close the bedroom door? Why do you want me to close the bedroom door?

WIFE: Because the pillow cases don't match the bedspread.

I crane me neck to look in the bedroom.

WIFE: See?

ME: No, I don't see. The pillow cases are blue and the bedspread's kind of brown and pink.

WIFE: Which doesn't match.

ME: It looks like it matches to me.

WIFE: Do you think I've forgotten how you dressed when we first met? I didn't know if you were color blind, retarded, or a used car salesman.

ME: We're gonna have all these people here -- Don't you think they're gonna wonder why the door's shut.

WIFE: So, what?

ME: Well, think about it: This is a small house. Through the process of elimination they're gonna know that's the bedroom and they're gonna wonder what we're hiding. And whatever they imagine we're hiding can't be worse than mismatched pillow cases. They're gonna see trapezes and gerbils and a woman chained to the wall with a red ball strapped in her mouth.

WIFE: What kind of people are you having over?
---
I shut the door.

Tomorrow: Chuck and Larry

2007-07-11T08:43:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I worked with Dennis Dugan, the director of I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, we've stayed in touch, and over the weekend he invited Julie and I to the premiere tomorrow. I can't tell you how exited I am. Except for Phat Girlz, this is the only other major studio premiere I've ever attended and because I'm a star-struck moron the very thought of being in the same room with The Great Adam Sandler gives me the vapors.

When Dennis was directing Benchwarmers he invited me to that set for a day and I was so starstruck around Rob Schneider (Deuce Bigalow!) I could barely talk. So, hopefully there will be no star encounters with which for me to make a fool of myself. Just another grand Hollywood experience to remind me of why I came out here in the first place.

P.S. I still can't believe I met Deuce Bigalow. Deuce Bigalow!! Deuce frikkin' Bigalow!

Do I Look Like A Producer To You?

2007-07-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

I had a very long but very pleasant lunch meeting today with some friends that ended with an offer for me to produce a film for them. It would be a low-budget affair; around $3 million, but it would be a nice chunk of change for 4 months work. I explained to them that I had never produced a film before, but they've read a series of articles I wrote about making Beautiful Loser, know I've been through it, and want someone locked at the hip with them who they like and trust.

It was an unexpected surprise. I've never even considered producing before (but I'd never considered directing either). I told them I'd do it. Why not, right? I didn't come out here to get stuck in a rut. I came out here for new experiences. I'll be in over my head, but it will be an exhilerating over my head. It will be chaos, and crisis , and madness. I can't wait. And what I lack in natural intelligence and experience I can easily make up for with hard work and wily resourcefulness.

A big benefit is that the script's really good. I've read a lot of bad scripts. Not all of them mine. In five years I have only ever read two that were any good. This is one of them. I read it when I was still sick as a dog after returning from Canada, and couldn't put down. It's an action comedy with three female protagonists. Good characters, well-plotted, briskly paced, and a lot of fun.

I suppose the financing could fall through as it often does in these cases. But they're moving forward and he's quit his job, so we'll see.

New Song Up

2007-07-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

If you go to the Beautiful Loser website we've removed the piece score that played and replaced it with a song from the film called "Heaven Knows I've Waited," by Beau Killett. It's a hauntingly beautiful song that's perfect for the movie in so many ways.

Our music supervisor found this. It was during one of those many difficult late nights going through song after song after song, that usually ended with all parties frustrated at not finding anything affordable we all agreed on, that this one struck us. As it played we all started to look at one another praying everyone else felt the same way. Well, we all did and a big hole was filled.

We removed the score because it was a bit too melencholy. It's a lovely piece but not a good representation of the overall film.

First Draft Is Done!

2007-07-08T16:14:00.000-07:00

I hate writing the first draft of a script. Hate it. Plotting is so difficult for me. Pure torture. What happens next? What happens next? What happens next? SHUT UP! But, if you think about it that's all a story really is: answering that question. So, the first draft is done. Now the fun begins: The rewriting. I love rewriting. I love finessing a script. Never tire of it. And there's plenty to do. This is the first script since Beautiful Loser where the first draft came in at over 120 pages. 123 to be exact. That must be cut by at least 15 pages, and hopefully more. I like my scripts under a hundred pages. But, we'll see. The story comes first.

Most first drafts take me 6 to 8 weeks. This one I started six months ago. It's a ridiculously difficult concept -- a real challenge for me as a writer (which is good) -- and the What happens next? question sometimes took days of mental exercise to answer. However, it wasn't just the difficult concept slowing things down. In my defense, I did lose some time in Canada and rewriting another script that's hopefully going to some finance people next week.

My manager will be happy. He's been all over me about this. This is the script Disney's interested in, and even if they don't like it he's always looking for an excuse to call them.

Here's a little side story: I was Googling my name and the name of the script I just optioned to see if there was anything about it out there and came across this. Four years ago I won semi-finalist in a screenplay contest and didn't even know it. It's a contest run by Francis Ford Coppola. 2186 screenplays were submitted, I made the top 79. Not bad. Not bad at all. But I'm giving Francis hell for not calling me. You know, as soon as I'm a big enough shot to get near him.

I'm Such a Jerk...

2007-07-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

I'm embarrassed to admit I completely forget to mention Andrew Teague as the designer of that fine Beautiful Loser website and Matt Rubenstein for getting us set up on MySpace.

Sorry, boys. Great work. Much appreciated.

Some BL News

2007-07-04T23:35:00.000-07:00

We have an official website now. I'm not sure what makes it "official," we just kind of put it up, but it's there if you want to take a look and even hear a bit of the score. We'll be adding more content as we go along, but enjoy: http://beautiful-loser-themovie.com/ And be sure to sign up for the mailing list.

There's also a MySpace page. What will be fun there is that we found Reggie's 1987 journal from high school and everyday we'll transcribe a day from his journal on the blog. So, if you want to know more about Mr. Reginald, his world, friends, and whatever else pops into his unambitious mind, go check it out.

---

Don't ask me why I chose that picture. Just thought it was cool. Anyone know where it's from?

Happy 4th of July!

2007-07-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

As as I sit here ready to watch Yankee Doodle Dandy, enveloped in cool ozone-killing air conditioning, and wasting water during a shortage to defrost a mighty slab of fear for bar-be-cuing, I wish to pause to say this: May God Bless each of you, and continue to bless this beautiful grand country of ours we are fortunate enough to call home.

And to you, the past, present, and future veterans; thank you for all of it. Thank you ever so much.

Heaven on Earth

2007-07-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

Want to know what heaven on earth is? It's four days home alone with my wife when we have nowhere to go and nothing to do. And air conditioning.

But first some quick movie reviews:

Sicko -- Very entertaining but quite unpersuasive. I don't argue that our healthcare system is a mess and could use improving, but Moore's only interested in total government control of healthcare and goes on to pretend that the socialized medicine programs in other countries is some kind of utopia. He presents few facts, zero statistics, just a lot anecdotes. My heart breaks for the people whose problems he spotlights -- and our healthcare system letting them slip through is criminal -- but Moore's no more serious about helping them than the insurance companies he goes after.

Live Free Or Die Hard -- Bruce Willis is so good in this role you don't care how silly the story or how wimpy the villain... It's dumb fun brought to you by one of the last true movie stars alive. I'd forgotten what it's like to sit in a theatre and be blown away by charisma and presence. Hasn't happened since Johnny Depp stepped off that sinking boat in the first Pirates.

Evan Almighty -- I know this is getting slagged, and it's far from perfect, but it did entertain me. Wanda Sykes is very funny and who could be better cast as God than Morgan Freeman?

A Mighty Heart -- A mighty bore. A dit-dit police procedure film where you already know the horiffic outcome. We never get to know Daniel Pearl. We don't really even get to know Marianne. The movie has no heart whatsoever, much less a mighty one. Huge disappointment.

And Now For Some Good News...

2007-06-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

First off, thank you everyone for your kind words and e-mails regarding the TB. I prefer cash, but whatever... Please understand that as long as it's not terminal I'm really okay with it and am already milking it for all it's worth.

"Honey can you take out the garbage?"

"Yeah, I think I can do that with the TB."

So... The good news: I optioned a script yesterday. For the first time in two years I finally optioned another script. The up front money stinks, but it's a serious mid-level production company whose next film is White Jazz with George Clooney and we finalized the deal yesterday. They were stingy, but hot to get it. I got the sense actor reps were waiting to read it. All very exciting...

Out of seven, this is the only script I've written with a female protagonist. Maybe I should do more of those. By far the best female character I ever created is in my worst script. Her name is Penny. She's fifteen and certain that whoever you are when you're sixteen is who you will be forever -- and so she tries to perfect herself in the few remaining months she has left.

I love Penny. Just wish I could find a better story for her.

Me & Doc Holliday

2007-06-28T17:30:00.001-07:00

Well, the asthma medication isn't working. The past couple days I've been coughing so hard I bruised my ribs. So, it was X-ray the lungs time. Scary time. Watch the clock waiting for the results time.
--
And here's what you don't want to happen when you're sitting in your Doctor's office: You don't want to watch your Doctor read the radiology report, and suddenly... look shocked. No, you don't want that to happen. And then you don't want him to look at you and frown.

Oh, it's nothing terminal. But it could've been, because I almost died right there.

I have TB. Tuburculosis. And after discovering this, what's the first question the Doctor asked me? He asked me if I had travelled out of the country recently. My venom-filled answer was delivered with a single spiteful word. Say it with me boys and girls... And say it with a sneer: Canada.

I got TB. Can you believe that? Who gets TB anymore? It's like I'm in a Western movie all of a sudden. Didn't Doc Holliday have TB? How do you get TB in the 21st century? I live in 2007 Los Angeles for crying out loud. I live in the Los Angeles set after Predator 2, and I get TB. So, now I'm a lunger. That's my new nickname: Lunger. And that's a soft "g," by the way. Don't want you to get confused and think I'm out here leaping at people.

What's next? Polio? The black plague? The vapors?
---
And check out the treatment. See, I was born just late enough to still get TB, but too late to be sent to the mountains for months of bed rest... Instead I get 6 to 9 months of medicine to kill the organism in my lungs. Yes, I have an organism in my lungs. Which sounds like a Star Trek episode.

Song From BL

2007-06-26T08:38:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to hear a song from the film, you'll find it here at Audra Hardt's MySpace site.

Scroll down a bit and on the left and you'll see where you can hit one of those video prompts for a live performance of "Now and Then." There's a photo of a film cannister on the prompt. I love the way Audra calls me "Nolte" in the clip. It's like high school again.

Audra's a very talented singer/songwriter. I got a CD of her stuff early on, loved it, but there wasn't anything that would work in the film. So, I went to see her play live, heard Now and Then, and pestered her for months to let us use it -- and I can be a pest.

---
Glad I did. It's a beautiful song.

---

And take some time to check out the rest of her music. There's great stuff there. She has an amazing voice and something to say in her songs.

BL Review

2007-06-25T07:29:00.001-07:00

Someone emailed this to me. (Thank you, bandlerio) It's from an upstart magazine here in LA called Real Talk LA, and this review sounds a lot like the earlier one I posted, so I'm guessing one came from the other. But it's nice to know the story gave someone enough energy to write this up and that the writer is not affiliated with making the film.

We'll get our share of negative reviews (and no, I won't be posting those, -- it's hard to type from the fetal position with your thumb in your mouth) but for now, this is a pleasant surprise:

"BEAUTIFUL LOSER" IS A WINNER!

As one of the lucky viewers of this new, yet unreleased independent film, I can honestly say that "Beautiful Loser" is the kind of movie I wish we could find more often at our local theatres.

*This is not a ‘blow it up, run a lot, shoot & stomp, CGI the heck out of it’ blockbuster or an ‘I’m an idiot, but aren’t I funny in a crass sort of way?’ kind of film.

* It is a moving story about a guy who, to the rest of the world, seems like a real loser, but whose heart and loyalty make him the best friend anyone could ever want - even if people (including him!) don’t realize it.

* This touching love story about a group of high school kids whose friendships continue through their adult lives also has an engaging and off-beat spiritual bent, and delves into what each would give or do for a second chance at true happiness.

* As the director’s plot write-up puts it: “His parents named him Reginald Regineld. His friends call him ‘Ditto.’ At the age of eleven he decided he wasn’t going to do anything with his life. And that was going pretty well until senior year when he saw Tracy. This wasn’t so much love at first sight as much as it was ‘completely head over heels gonna get her at any price even if I make a complete fool of myself’ love at first sight. And it would burn for decades. Whether she loved him or not…”

* Not yet picked up for distribution, this film truly has wide appeal. It is thoughtful, heartfelt… and a movie both men and women will enjoy.

* Here’s hoping that Hollywood will step up and give it more than a direct-to-video audience - it deserves it!

* Great score and soundtrack, too!

Second Screening

2007-06-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

We had our second screening last night at the AFI. If anything it went better than the first. The audience was a little more subdued, but seemed more into the film. It's always funny to watch how different audiences react to different things. Before being in front of people started to petrify me I did a number of plays in high school and over the course of the performances every crowd reacted entirely different from the next. Strange phenomenon.

The highlight of the night was meeting some of my favorite character actors. Toni Kalem was there. She's probably best known as Big Puss's wife on The Sopranos, but I remember her best from a brilliant underrated little gem called The Wanderers. Simon Callow and Nancy Allen were also there and it was a real treat meeting and talking to them. I'm also happy to report that I might be finally getting my star-struckness somewhat under control.

Afterwards we all went over to Lenny Von Dohlen's place for a nice little get-together. And it was there, Julie and I met Flavia Colgan, a Democrat activist whom we've both always admired on MSNBC. She's just a brilliant woman and a shooting star in the political and television arena -- and rightly so. I'm no fan of political talking heads on either side of the aisle and while I don't always agree with Flavia I've always found her to be extremely articulate and intellectually honest. A real cut-above the other hacks, and just as fascinating in person.

So, another memorable night.

Move Review: Nancy Drew

2007-06-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

I confess: I liked it. And thanks to this kid it's certainly the hardest I've laughed at the movies all year, including Knocked Up. His name is Josh Flitter and he's just hilarious. He had the whole theatre cracking up at the smallest thing. What a personality.

He reminded me of the reaction I had to Zac Gardner who's in a movie Laura Breckenridge did called Southern Belles. Throughout most of the movie he just stands by his wading pool acting goofy, but absolutely everything he does was also laugh-out-loud funny.

Nancy Drew was a sweet little entertaining film. I didn't once look at my watch. Now, that's a recommendation... It was also fun to see them shoot some of their scenes at the Hollywood High School where we also stole, er... filmed a scene.

The Wedding

2007-06-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

My little brother got married Saturday. Hard to believe he's married. I call him my little brother from a place of affection, not to condescend. He drives a nicer car, has more hair, a real job, and a bigger house then me, who am I to condescend? It was a beautiful ceremony followed by a very relaxed and enjoyable reception. It was also a nice night out with my pretty wife. I actually danced -- if you want to call it that. I have a wide repertoire of three moves: The side to side, the dice throw, and the white man's overbite.

I've been married 18 years. 18 years. It's unbelievable that it's already been that long because it's gone so fast. That was three presidents and four Law and Order's ago. I'm gonna marry her again on our 2oth. If she'll have me. Better see if I can't get me a real job between now and then. Nothing beats having the person you're in love with also be in love with you. Five billion people in the world; what are the odds of that happening? Love's a bit of a miracle, no?

It's Asthma

2007-06-18T22:04:00.000-07:00

I've had a cough for two months now. And it's gotten worse. So, obviously I was sure I had but a few months to live. The dark cloud loomed, I was nicer to people than I normally am (not a high bar), and was trying to get in as much television as possible.

My wife made me go to the doctor. I'm not sure if that was because she was worried about me or because the hacking and self-pity got on her nerves. Man, I love self-pity. You don't do shit and can eat whatever you want. If they had a drug that gave you self-pity, I'd be buying it.

Well, it's asthma. The bronchitis gave me asthma. Canada gave me asthma. Friggin' Canada. Hopefully it won't last forever, but I got me an inhaler today. An inhaler. I have an inhaler now. And it certainly didn't surpise me that along with the inhaler came horn-rimmed glasses and a certificate for a free name change to Poindexter.

First BL Review... I Think

2007-06-18T21:04:00.000-07:00

This was posted today at Indie Film News:

"BEAUTIFUL LOSER" is a WINNER!

WHAT WE HEAR: The film will be screening for potential distributors beginning May 24th. It is a moving story about a guy who, to the rest of the world, seems like a loser, but whose heart and loyalty makes him the best friend anyone could ever want. A really spiritual bent is given to this touching love story about a group of high school kids whose friendships continue through their adult lives.

WHAT WE THINK: This one deserves a wide audience -- it’s thoughtful, heartfelt and a movie both men and women will enjoy. Great original score & songs, too!

I have no idea who wrote this or where it came from, and I'm not 100% sure this is a legit opinion from someone not associated with the film, but I know I didn't write it. (And I sure do agree with the comment about the score and songs.) They won't all be positive reviews, but running across something like this don't suck.

It's interesting the reviewer mentioned the spiritual aspect of the film. It's a major part of the story but few people who have read the script or seen the film have ever mentioned it. Personally, I think the spiritual angle will be a crucial factor in finding this odd little film's audience. It's not an overt spirituality. We worked hard to present this in a way that can be interpreted as spiritual, symbolic, or psychological. Frankly, I have too much respect for my faith to make an overtly religious film when I'm not a religious scholar.

While spirituality isn't a theme of the film, it is used to explore certain themes. The faith of some of the characters is a driving force in who they are and what they do. Just like in real life. Though I'm a Christian, this is not a "Christian film." It's not about what anyone (including me) believes, it's about what the characters believe -- the way it should be -- and this steers us clear of preachiness (I hate films that preach about anything).

The reason this is a major part of the film is pretty simple: The only thing that has ever piqued any intellectual curiousity in me is my faith. I find exploration of the human condition pretty pointless if there isn't something else out there.

We're holding another screening Thursday. I hear some important folks will be there. Wish us luck.

A Night At The Nudie Bar

2007-06-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

Where the music stinks, and they water the drinks, the nudie bar.

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Where the girlies dance in their underpants, the nudie bar.

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Where you see their butt, and their trap stays shut, at the nudie bar.

---Al Bundy

My brother's getting married tomorrow. I'm thirteen-years older than he is; carried him in the back seat home from the hospital, and now he's getting married. How did that happen? I'm also best man. An honor.

Last night was the bachelor party. We stayed at The Standard Hotel and hit the nudie bar down the street. The one on Sunset there that advertises Live Nude Girls -- all of which proved to be true. For five bucks admission and a two drink minimum beautiful girls take their clothes off in front of you. Is this a great country or what?

My brother had a good time. Remained in control. Did nothing he couldn't have done in front of his betrothed. He did keep disappearing for a few minutes and return with glitter pasted to his face, but that could've been anything. By the time we left he looked like a disco ball.

I was the designated driver. The old guy. The chicks were digging me, natch. That's what I like about the nudie bar -- the girls can let themselves go and not be afraid to tell you how much they really like you. They're not constrained by polite society. In the nudie bar a fella can finally discover what the opposite sex honestly thinks of him. Plus I was throwing off my indifferent vibe. I got this vibe that reeks of indifference and the chicks really go for it. Next time we see each other, ask me about it, and I'll give you a taste.

All night the girls were hitting on me: Do you wanna lap dance? Do you wanna private dance? But I had to let them know that it wasn't gonna happen. "I'm sorry ladies, but we can't do this. Not only am I married, but I haven't told an effective lie since I was eleven."

DVD Review: Ghost Rider

2007-06-14T12:29:00.001-07:00

Per some requests (okay, two), here's a FULL movie review posted with the permission of my generous editor. You'll see no one's giving the great Roger Ebert a run for his money:

I enjoyed Ghost Rider. I enjoyed it more than Spiderman 3. I enjoyed it more than most of the films I’ve seen this Summer. The story moves. The stars are good. It has something to say about good and evil. And it has a good sense of humor about itself. My only complaint was that it needed a stronger villain and was a bit anti-climatic.

Johnny Blaze (Nic Cage), and his father are a couple of carny’s thinking they’re something more, thinking they’re motorcycle stunt drivers. With their cheesy tricks they manage to eke out a living but Johnny wants out. He’s fallen in love with Roxanne (Eva Mendes), a girl from the better part of town, and they’ve plotted their escape. But Dad’s been coughing throughout the movie, which can only mean one thing: terminal cancer. And so the Devil appears in the form of Peter Fonda and offers to cure dad in exchange for Johnny’s soul.

Johnny doesn’t know it yet, but he’s agreed to more than his soul. He’s agreed to become Old Scratch’s bounty hunter. Seems some folks sell their souls and back out of the deal and Scratch needs a Ghost Rider to hunt them down. Knowing he’s damned, Johnny gives up Roxanne and becomes a world famous stunt driver Evil Knievel-style. Is he really making all those amazing jumps, or is the Devil keeping him alive for when he’s needed?

Twenty-odd years later (Johnny and Roxanne are played by younger actors in the opening), Johnny desperately wants to find a way out of the deal, but before he can drum up a loophole the Devil comes for his due. Seems Satan’s Spawn (Wes Bentley) and his posse intend to unseat the old man. It’s time to resurrect the Ghost Rider to put this brash young dangerous boy in his place.

The first ninety-minutes of the film cruise by. It’s effortlessly paced and the refreshingly simple story unfolds in an entertaining and humorous way. The actors thankfully never wink in smug self-awareness at the silliness of the story — but the characters do. And that’s a big difference. There’s nothing worse than an actor making fun of the movie (Brando was the king of this), but it can be fun to watch characters just self-aware enough to see the abusrdity of their situation and act accordingly. The best example of this is after Johnny and Roxanne reunite, and he tries to explain his Ghost Rider-situation. It is laugh-out-loud priceless.

After three movies and seven hours of watching Tobey Maguire pass off a dull stare as acting it is so nice to see a real grown up playing a comic book hero. Every year I come to appreciate what Nic Cage brings to the screen more and more. He’s a grown up. He’s a man. He has a personality. And even in fluff like this, he tries. Here he’s working that Elvis Roustabout mojo and even in the most banal scenes remains interesting.

Eva Mendes can act. Who knew? Want to know if someone can act? See if they can rise above bad writing. And she does. She’s completely believable and even funny at times. The entire relationship between the two is contrived to breaking point, but they pull it off. There’s chemistry and charm to spare, and it was that part of the film I most enjoyed.

Peter Fonda may be playing the Devil, but he’s a god. I love Peter Fonda. He is the coolest actor alive right now. This man is pure movie star and without him to pull off the histrionics, all would be lost. Sam Elliott channels Kris Kristofferson’s mentor role from Blade and does what Sam Elliott does best: Look grungy, speak wise, and steal the screen. Another hilarious moment is when Elliott is sewing up Nic Cage and asks him to sterilize the needle.

It’s Wes Bentley who’s way in over his head as the villain Blackheart. I’m not sure who thought casting the kid enamored with the plastic bag as the antagonist was a good idea, but it’s not. There isn’t a single moment where he’s convincing as any kind of a threat to Ghost Rider and certainly not to Peter Fonda — whom we all know is capable of kicking all kinds of butt both on screen and off because he is The Mighty Peter Fonda. These films can rise and fall on the casting and creation of the antagonist, and this is where Ghost Rider wobbles and almost falls down.

Besides the performances to keep it standing, there’s also its themes of good versus evil. This is a story and world where God is very much alive. Where evil exists. I loved Ghost Rider’s “penance stare;” how he could look into the soul of evil and kill them using the pain of their own victims. I loved the idea of a good man who sold his soul selflessly. Sam Elliott’s character wonders if such an act wouldn’t be appreciated by God; if a person who damns themself for a noble reason is truly damned; or do they in fact walk with God.

Movies just don’t talk about this stuff anymore. Movies today try to philosophize in a world where there is no God — but isn’t that just naval-gazing? If we’re a biological accident and there’s no bigger truth out there, what’s there to talk about? For those of us who believe in the concept of Heaven and Hell, the themes of Ghost Rider resonate. Those themes may be buried in special effects and action scenes, but we’ll take them where we can get them.

Ghost Rider’s worth the rental if only for the actors and the very entertaining first two acts. Granted, act three takes much of the bloom off the rose. This is supposed to be the big showdown, but Nic Cage versus Plastic Bag Boy just isn’t much of a showdown. Now, Nic Cage versus The Mighty Peter Fonda…? That would’ve been something to see. And guess who’d I’d be rooting for…?

Dumb fun. Interesting themes. Wonderful actors. Will definitely see it again.

LOS ANGELES Adam Lamberg Fans

2007-06-13T19:16:00.001-07:00

We are looking for L.A based Adam Lamberg fans.

Please email me at: jjmnolte@hotmail.com

Those of you with Adam Lamberg blogs; please spread the word.

Thank you

Reader Question: Investors

2007-06-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

Slidewhisker writes:

I'm in a film school about to graduate and want to make a movie with a friend of mines script. I woudl direct and we have raised some money from friends and family and was wondering if you took money from friends and family and how much pressure your under to make money on the movie and pay them back.

First off, I did take money from family and also put in much of my own. Secondly no... At this point I feel ZERO pressure about anything in regards to BL. None. Nada. Not a bit. I'm a new man and gaining weight again. The hair stays off but the waistline returns. Damn middle age.

You have to keep in mind that the people who sign on for your film -- this includes, cast, crew, producers, post-production, and most especially investors -- do so based on the script and the budget. They believe, like you, that if that script is properly realized on screen that their investment of time, money, or both will be worthwhile. And this is where the pressure comes in. As the director, your job is to bring that script to life on film in as good of shape or better.

The pressure to do that with BL was unbelievable for two very long years. And with the irreplacable help of all the people involved from day one to today, the movie's better than the script. I don't agree it's so much better as others believe, but I do agree it's better.

As the director you can't do anything more than that. That's your job. That's where you can let everyone down. That's your obligation. That's the pressure. Your job is to realize that script to its potential on screen within the budget allotted.

Once that's done, you can only hope the collective judgement of all those who invested their time and money in that script was correct: That once that script works on screen it will be appealing enough to the right distribution people to pay off on everyone's investment.

So, just don't make any false promises or claims. It's all a risk. Everyone knows that, or should know that. You can't make people buy something. All you can do is come up with a blue print everyone agrees on (the script), and then kill yourself to make the best product you can from that blueprint. After that, all you can do is work hard to get it sold, and hope...

I personally don't believe a film as small and eccentric as Beautiful Loser will ever see the inside of a movie theatre, and I never did. But I hope it's a resume enhancer for all those involved. I hope the investors get their money back. I hope it gets distributed in some fashion because I do believe there's an audience for it. Personally, it's already done more for me than I had hoped (though I very much want my money back).

So, save the pressure for the creative stuff. That's all that really matters anyway. In the end, if you like your own movie and met the obligation of realizing the script, all you can do from there is work hard to get it distributed and hope for the best.

"The Devil And Daniel Johnston"

2007-06-09T15:11:00.000-07:00

This is a documentary you can catch on one of those On Demand channels. Daniel Johnston is a singer/songerwriter who built up a big cult following in the mid-80's and then lost his mind. Today he's obese and living with his elderly parents. He's functional but still a bit off. The movie follows him all through his sad tortured life. It's quite a journey.

Kurt Cobain famously called Johnston the "greatest songwriter ever," but that's all subjective, and while I found some of his songs heartfelt and moving, some were definitely geared more for cult status. But cult figure or not, a lyric like, "following my broken dreams" is still a damn good lyric.

It wasn't his music that made the film so appealing to me: It was The Girl. The One Who Got Away. Daniel met Laurie his first and only year of art school. Nothing happened between them (he was a bit manic even at 20). And I think she had a boyfriend. But he's never gotten over her. We only see her like Daniel does: in a home movie he took way back when. She's certainly cute but what Daniel saw in her only Daniel knows. Even today she inspires his songs; that unrequited love still haunting and driving him decades later.

---

I'm recommending it because I saw it over two weeks ago and haven't been able to get it out of my head.

Bionic Movie Review

2007-06-09T14:43:00.000-07:00

Ocean's 13: The movie's better than the last one (not hard), but nowhere near as good as the first one. 13's a little slow and confusing and you never for a second believe they could pull it off. The one big surprise is that it's the first time I've ever liked George Clooney. He's really relaxed and natural in the film.

For my review, I rewatched the Sinatra one. I love Sinatra, and it's fun to watch all those great actors and personalities together, but the movie really drags for the first hour. And I'm not known as Mr. Sensitive or Mr. Politically Correct, but there's an air woman-bashing in the film. Kind of like The Waitress in reverse. Once the heist begins it picks up and gets better from there, but it's all shot on soundstages and the outdoor shots are small and dark. Of course, Vegas didn't loom in those days to make for big expansive shots, but still...

Sinatra made the film on a lark. He and the Rat Pack would entertain in Vegas all night and then shoot the film during the day; getting little to no sleep and partying too hard. Arguably, there is a lack of pep in the performances, but it's that fifty minute first act that kills it. I would've liked to have seen more Angie Dickinson in the movie, as well. But I say that about movies Angie Dickinson isn't even in.

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Hey, did you hear Paris Hilton is in jail? I didn't know if you knew or not, because she's an absolute nobody and who'd cover it what with us being at war, and the plots to blow up JFK, and...

Reader Question

2007-06-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

Hi. I just found this blog and was wondering, exacly WHEN is the movie coming out? It sounds really interesting. And do you think it'll reach Malaysia? I hope you can reply this.

Thanks.
Jay Dee

Jay Dee, I just don't know at this point. It's a VERY low budget picture, but distribution will be a tireless effort. Anything that happens will be posted here. Unless it's bad. And is that true about the kuala bear?

Bionic Movie Review

2007-06-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

Gracie: I know I kidded about it yesterday (in truth, I hadn't even seen it yet and you actually get the free popcorn on Tuesdays), but the movie was okay. Very predictable but saved by Carly Schroeder who's really wonderful in the title role and Dermot Mulroney who's always good. Still, I'd wait for HBO.

Carly Schroeder also did some Lizzie McGuire episodes and the movie. Quite the talent.

Hello

2007-06-06T14:40:00.001-07:00

So, what have I been discovering since the screening? Well, as I've caught up with the people who worked on the movie over the past week, I've discovered that they're the ones reading this site. I knew a couple did, but not so many. So, now I'm all self-conscious because I thought I was toiling away in anonymity. Now, I'm all freaked out because they now know that at heart I'm a lazy, smart ass, who can't get over himself. And I'm sure at least one of those qualities surprised someone.

So, I need you all to stop reading, or I'm gonna hafta start another blog where I can be myself. Oh, and I was just kidding about all those Glad-Julie's-Working-And-I'm-Not-Posts. That doesn't mean you should tell her about this blog, because she might not get the joke... But that was funny, huh? I mean funny how I acted like I was trying to pretend I liked not working. That whole role play thing...? Funny, right?

Pirates!

2007-06-06T14:22:00.000-07:00

So, I'm Googling myself -- Think how inappropriate that would've sounded just a few years ago...

So, I'm Googling myself with the fervor of a narcissistic stalker and come across this chat room with photos from the movie I never would've released (nobody freak out -- nothing unattractive -- nothing unapproved by the cast -- but some plot-points given away) and someone's talking about their copy of the script.

---

This is a good sign, right? There's interest, right? You can call it piracy, but if I ever get another studio meeting I'll be calling it distribution.

Diary Of A Movie Critic

2007-06-05T14:29:00.000-07:00

Noon: Wake up, crack of...

12:05 - Breakfast: Rocket Pop and a Coke Zero

12:15 - Check Showtimes: Gracie starts at 12:15pm. I can make that.

12:30 - Arrive theatre.

12:32 - Get my free small popcorn, because it is Free Small Popcorn Monday. And I do love my Free Small Popcorn Mondays. As I type this I am singing a little ditty I wrote myself called, Free Small Popcorn Mondays... And it goes like this:

I used to be a bill collector
Now I'm getting paid for Free Small Popcorn Mondays
I spent twenty years at a job I hated
Now I'm getting paid for Free Small Popcorn Mondays
If this movie director thing doesn't work out
I really don't give a shit because of Free Small Popcorn Mondays
**big finish**
I wonder what poor people are doing today...

12:34 - Enter theatre. Oh, darn I missed the previews. Now I scope for idiots: Talkers. Guys with girls too pretty for them who will try to be funnier than the movie. Old ladies with hearing aids. Mumblers in raincoats come to see a movie about pre-college girls who play soccer in 70's style shorts...

12:35 - The movie begins. I simultaneously take notes and eat my Free Small Popcorn Monday popcorn. Don't try this at home...

12:36 - Tune out film to begin writing negative review in head. Movie is pre-judged because it's about girls and soccer.

1:45 - Actually watch movie because cellphone battery died but not before beating high score in Tetris. I rule.

1:46 - Smugly realize I was correct about pre-judging movie.

2:12 - Exit theatre. Throw trash in garbage because I can be a decent sort.

2:19 - Arrive McDonald's drive-thru to treat self because I am a working man now. Two double cheeseburgers for two-bucks. And yes, my Two Double Cheeseburgers For Two Bucks ditty is nearly complete... Thanks for asking.

2:24 - Arrive home.

4:05 - Begin writing review. Don't ask me about the time gap. It's need to know...

5:20 - Wash dishes, make bed, pick up stuff wife can never know about used during time gap, brush teeth, jump in shower: All that shit normal people do in the morning...

5:32 - Sit at desk. Continue writing review. Hear wife's keys hit the front door.

5:33 - Implement George Costanza Plan Alpha: Act annoyed and frustrated at desk so wife believes I'm working hard and not enjoying self. You know, like it was a real job.

6:00 - Finish review. Read it over. Reconcile myself to the fact that when someone writes a review like this about Beautiful Loser I'll have it coming...

6:01 - Begin television watching.

11:32 - Bed.

Noon: Wake up, crack of... Get that warm feeling knowing I don't have to work today...

Uh, Oh...

2007-06-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

On IMDB's movie buzz meter, BL dropped 8% from last week to 6040.

We're doomed... Doomed...

My personal ranking collapsed even further. Maybe that screening didn't go as well as I thought...

The Sopranos:

Hey, are you guys watching The Sopranos? Don't you just love that A.J. has become Tony's worst nightmare? Tony always said he wanted to keep AJ out of the family business, but you know his son becoming a whiney little sniveling punk is the worst possible scenario. I loved how we were led to believe that little sociopath would walk in his father's footsteps only to wind up a basket case all-about-me-crybaby.

Man, I'm gonna miss that show.

Recent reviews:

Knocked Up -- dug it

The Good German -- yeech

The Waitress -- isn't quirky really just irony gone retarded? That being said, I think Keri Russell's going to be a major movie star.

Mission Impossible III -- really dug it.

The Da Vinci Code -- yeechier

This has been a movie reviewing moment...

Reader Mail

2007-05-31T08:01:00.000-07:00

Love me my reader mail. Especially when it's all about me.

Reader TytianaCS asks:

1. How do you turn a work of yours into a manuscript?

I honestly don't know the answer to this because I've never written prose. Well, I have but it's astonishingly awful and there was never any desire on my part to show it to anyone. There are a lot of websites that should be able to help you with this, and an extension course at a university could be of enormous benefit. It's not only a way to learn the next step, but also to make some contacts and meet other people. Writers need to be able to commiserate. It's a lonely profession.

I love going to classes. I wish I could afford to go back. I wish I could go back to high school and not waste four years of a free education ditching class to drink beer and smoke cigarettes behind the Kickapoo Food Mart... Actually, that's bull shit; I'd do it again. Hell, I'd do it this afternoon if my wife would let me.

2. How do you motivate yourself to stay constant with writing that one particular piece? I've started many projects but hardly ever finish them.

If you're not having fun writing it, it's probably not going to turn out all that well. I have two scripts that died on page 40 and one that died on page 10. I started them for the wrong reasons -- usually because I thought they'd be commercial -- and couldn't finish them because commercial or not, I didn't like them.

Just last year I tossed aside a clever concept in favor of this little romantic comedy. I grinded through the clever one for six months and couldn't get past page 40. The romantic comedy was a lot of fun to write and if I can it's the film I'd love to direct next. But guess which one would be more attractive to the money people?

I think I've completed 8 or 9 scripts by now and those have been stories I just wanted to tell. Some are pretty bad, most aren't commercial, but they were all fun to write and I had to get them out of my system.

What may help is telling you that no matter how much energy I have towards a script the first draft is always difficult. Getting those hundred pages down is the worst. That's the real work. But once I trudge through that and the re-writing and polishing begins I'm a pig in mud. I could finesse a script forever.

You just have to have the discipline to get that story down the first time so you have it. From there you just tweak away. But that's me. I know a lot of writers who love that first draft but hate the rewriting.

Another thing that helps is a muse. Think of someone you want to impress. Think of someone you can't wait to show your story to. Write for that person. Who do you want to dazzle? I always write to impress my pretty wife. Some I've written towards a producer friend of mine. A couple for a director I know. The last couple have been with some of the actors I've stayed close to in the hopes we can do something again. That's what you call a muse. In other words: Your Inspiration.

And again I would encourage you to take a night course. There are classes all about completing whatever it is you're working on; courses designed specifically towards the goal of getting it done.

3. Where would I be able to send my finished manuscript and know that it will be read over and not tossed aside? I don't expect them to be read, page for page or thoroughly but I would like for them to be considered.

First off, when you finish something I'd be happy to read it. Prose is not my field -- I don't even read fiction -- but just so know even if it's On The Road-quality I wouldn't know what to do with it. But I could at least give you an opinion. And it would be an honest one.

Whatever kind of story you're writing, look for who publishes them, look for who manages the writers who are getting published, find out their submission policies (usually a query letter that asks for a short description of your story), and follow them.

When I first came out here I called every agency on the agency list and as soon as someone picked up the phone, I said, "Hi, I have a script about a serial killer who discovers people worst fear of dying and makes it come true. I was wondering if you might be interested in taking a look at it?" Out of a hundred-plus phone calls and I got around fifteen reads. Which was very exciting. The mistake I made was that at the time the script was a piece of shit and I did myself more harm than good and am probably still on every big agencies Hack-Writer-Do-Not-Read-List.

The way to not get tossed aside is to grab them on page one and never let go. It's as simple as that. That's the key to storytelling. You want the Reader turning pages to find out what happens next. Stephen King and John Grisham are solid-but-not-great writers but they're amazing storytellers. James Patterson is the worst writer in the world but he can tell a whale of a story. Story is King.

I'm always reading a couple of books at a time but stick with biographies and non-fiction. But it's still always about the story. Real life is infinitely more interesting than anything anyone can make up. Story. Story. Story.

Hope I've been helpful. And thank you for inquiring about my health. To be honest with you, if narcotics involved in the cure I kinda like being sick.

Screening

2007-05-30T10:54:00.001-07:00

We had our first official screening last night. The picture still needs color correcting and the sound in the theatre was pretty bad, but it was the first screening of the final cut with the completed sound mix for about ninety people. It was a hastily put together screening but a lot of the cast and crew were able to make it.

The screening went very well. I was more nervous about having to address the theatre beforehand than I was about the reaction to the film. I always get very nervous in front of a crowd. I don't remember what I said but have little doubt I was charming.

Everyone said they liked the movie but they've said that before at our test screenings when it wasn't true. You can tell what people really think of the film by the energy in the lobby afterwards. It doesn't matter how complimentary people are, if the lobby is funereal and people talking in hushed tones clam up as you, The Failure, walk by, it's a bomb. But the mood last night was very upbeat and even elated.

And I could tell the movie was playing well. I can't really articulate where the instinct comes from to know how it's playing, I just measure the pints of flop sweat that run down my back. Last night there was none. It was just fun. You could tell everyone was into the story and it got a lot of laughs. It did take about ten minutes for the film to gel, but after that it was fine.

There are two jokes in the movie my wonderful producers were sure would flop. Well, one killed. It got the biggest laugh of the night. The other layed there like a turtle dying in the sun. So, we traded "told ya so's"

Most surprising was the reaction from the 10 to 14 crowd. A number of younger kids were really enthused by it. That they were able to follow the story is quite a credit to the structure we created, and that the story would appeal to kids that age wasn't ever something I considered. It's a small sample that means little, but when I saw parents bringing young kids I groaned at the thought of the restless sounds they would create. But there was none of that.

Here's a little irony for you: The screening was at the AFI building in Hollywood. Two years ago when it was just me and The Hot Little Script Supervisor trying to make this movie one of the first things I did was go to the AFI to post a notice for a cinematographer. And last night there we were screening that insane pipe dream in the exact same building.

Not everyone was there, so we'll have other screenings after the film is finished finished, but so far so good. I don't know how in the hell you sell an oddball little film like this, but for now the people that matter most seem to feel it was worth the effort. And to be honest, that's all I really care about. Anything after is gravy. If I wanted to get rich I'd be a porn star.

Pirates

2007-05-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

The new Pirates movie stinks. I was first in line Friday at 8:30 am and as excited as a kid who found dad's Playboys. But it was a mess. And I've been too bitterly disappointed to say anything until now.

Happy 100th Duke!

2007-05-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

Every year the Harris Poll asks Americans who there favorite movie star is, and John Wayne is the only actor ever to make that list pothumously. Even more astounding is that he's made it every year since. This year he was number three (!) beating out George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Johnny Depp, Mad Mel, Harrison Ford, Clint, and Will Smith. Truly an extrordinary achievement no one will ever come close to equaling.

John Wayne's been my favorite actor for decades. I was lucky enough to have been alive when he was still making films and went to see a few. Even near-seventy he held the screen like no other. I consider The Searchers to be the greatest film ever made and Wayne's performance to be the greatest ever committed to film. Both Spielberg and Scorsese make it a point to screen The Searchers before beginning one of their own. And no wonder, it is a masterpiece of storytelling, theme, and performance.

I had the opportunity a few years ago to go to Monument Valley where Wayne and John Ford made their greatest pictures together. The Navajo Indians own the valley and adore these two men. They've named places of honor for both and remain grateful to this day for their friendship and respect. It's quite a thing to see pictures of John Ford and John Wayne in places of honor in American Indian owned businesses and homes.

There's a shot of Wayne in Beautiful Loser. A great shot of him and Gail Russell from Angel and the Badman. Had to have the Duke in the movie. Had to.

Happy Memorial Day

2007-05-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

Should any of my six readers have family members or have themselves served or are serving in the armed forces to protect this grand country of ours, thank you for your service and sacrifice. It is unimaginable the horrors we and the world would be facing without the brave volunteers who make up the United States Military.

New Medicine

2007-05-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

This new cough medicine is fantastic. I feel great. My throats still hurts and I'm still coughing, but I feel great. Curious as to why, I looked at the bottle, and discovered I have enough codeine in me to kill Courtney Love.

And that is how you spell "codeine." I looked it up. It appears as though the "'i' before 'e' except after 'c'" rule can mean even if the 'c' is a few letters down. Who knew?

Anyway, I'm stoned.

Hope For Ugly, Jobless, Uncharasmatic Men

2007-05-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

It's in The Sun, so it's gotta be true (plus they put a "u" in humor, so you know it's important):

In a recent study, sociologist Diane Felmee found only a third of women said looks were the first thing that attracted them to a man. Most preferred a sense of humour or financial and career success.

Yes, I know I'm 0 for 3, but the article's not done...

Researchers at Newcastle University also believe ugly men exist as a way of repairing our gene pool. Women would rather date men with good genes, who can fight disease easily, than a classically beautiful man.

Did I mention my bronchitis is just about cleared up?

Pirates Friday!

2007-05-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

Pirates III on friday. Loved the first one. Liked the second one. And they're paying me to go. Got a free popcorn coupon too. *tee hee* Taking the wife. She took the day off. We were gonna go on a trip this long weekend but then looked at the check book. And I thought I had lung cancer.

What's worrying me about Pirates III is that they have to go and find Jack Sparrow. I heard it takes an hour. Johnny Depp is the whole movie. That's gonna be a long hour. Didn't anyone on that film see Jedi? There's a reason they unfroze Han Solo right away.

I'm going to the 8:30 am show. It should be empty, so I can remove my clothes.

The Alarmist Part II

2007-05-23T17:45:00.000-07:00

Remember that post about being an alarmist? Here's what happened:

I had the bronchitis. Went to the doctor. Got medicine. Took medicine. Cough wouldn't go away. Googled cough. Discovered I had lung cancer. Refused to go to the doctor to avoid lung cancer being confirmed. Wife forced me to go to doctor today. Doctor says I have upper respiratory infection.

Here's my question: Why the hell didn't Google tell me that? Nowhere in any of the eight sites in which my trembling fingers input my symptoms did a single one say upper respiratory infection. No. Where. Not. A. One. I picture the Google boys chuckling as they sit in their evil lair that tracks everything as I enter, "dry cough."

I said, "No, doc, it's cancer. Get it out."

He laughed at me. And the Chinese never laugh.

See, here's the other problem: I think life should be a movie. And I like to think of my life as a movie, with me as its star. Its hunky, nimble, wily star. But in the movies those who cough are doomed. Name me a movie where a character coughed who didn't eventually die. So, naturally when I cough, I figure I got me about 87 minutes to live.

The good news in all my Googling is that I did discover that after you've stopped smoking for 15 years your chances of getting lung cancer are the same as if you never smoked. I think I quit around 1992 or 1993. At least I quit smoking regularly. You know, a pack a day. I did sneak them after I supposedly quit. Had to. My wife was worried about my health (I had a job then). I only snuck a couple a day though, the mouth wash made me nauseous. I smoked Newports. Newpies. The only white man in Milwaukee who did. Great cigarette. You kids thinking about smoking? Try you some Newps. I don't know why I'm going on. Most of you probably stopped reading in disgust when you hit the Chinese joke.

BL Screening

2007-05-23T17:40:00.000-07:00

The reason tomorrow's screening was cancelled is because we lost the film. I had it last, but gave it to Steven. Steven says he never got it but he said that about my blowdryer and we found that on top of his fridge.

Yes, Steven looked on top of his fridge, but it's not there. Rest assure we'll find it. Hopefully by Tuesday.

Shrek The Third

2007-05-18T15:59:00.000-07:00

Everyone's slamming the movie but I really enjoyed it. It was funny, fast paced, imaginative, had very little Orlando Bloom, and did I mention it had very little Orlando Bloom? It was a major improvement over 2.

---

I can't tell you if kids will like it because I went to a 9:30 am show and was pretty much alone. Which I like because it allows me to remove my clothes.

Friday

2007-05-18T15:54:00.000-07:00

I love Fridays. I don't have a job and I love Fridays. Imagine what it's like to be me. Imagine what it's like to not have to work but still get that it's-Friday thrill.

It's like Heaven. With TV.

An Alarmist

2007-05-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

Woody Allen once described himself as an alarmist instead of a hypochondriac, explaining that an alarmist doesn't always think he's sick, but when he is it's fatal. That's me. And the internet doesn't help. If you go to those Web MD-type sites no matter what symptom you type in it comes up cancer:

Tummy ache: Stomach Cancer.

Ear ache: Brain Cancer.

Stubbed toe: Caused by dizziness due to malignant tumors in the lungs.

Well, that's not 100% true. Once I typed in my symptoms and it didn't say cancer. But I never did find the jellyfish that stung me.

Bl News

2007-05-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

There's some rumblings. Not all I can share right now. (No, nothing about distribution... Yet.) But there's momentum and focus and a website coming soon.

I must say that after watching the film at the conclusion of the sound mix, I'm quite proud of it. It's a lovely little well-paced story with excellent performances, a strong ending, and a number of effective moments. It's eccentric, for sure, but that makes it unique; probably less attractive to mass audiences, but it will find a niche.

Know I wouldn't say I was proud of the film if it weren't true. I haven't said I was proud of it in the past. Because I wasn't. And while the sound elements (especially the score) were great additions they weren't going to make the story better. What made the difference there was a round of editorial changes we made a few months ago. Other than to work on the film, I hadn't watched the film since those changes and didn't expect them to have the effect they did. Imagine my surprise at suddenly having a film I was proud to have been a part of as opposed to the one I was feverishly working on for a year hoping to make it suck less.

It's the story I wanted to tell, the themes I wanted to explore, and the emotions I wanted to create. It's not a perfect or great film -- and the mistakes are mine -- but I look forward to people seeing it and whatever success it has completely going to my head; up to and including cocaine and adultery.

"How It's Made"

2007-05-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen that show on the Discovery Channel called "How It's Made?" It's this little half hour program that picks four of the most banal objects it can find and shows you how they're made from raw material to out-the-door. In these little 6 minute segments it will take you inside the making of rubber gloves, tooth picks, firemen jackets... Whatever. And it's absolutely fascinating.

It also reaffirms my faith in mankind. (I know, I know, I'm supposed to say "humankind" but I've had a couple beers and am feeling reckless) I mean, we really are an amazing and complex species. When you watch the ingenuity that goes into creating radiator hoses and soda bottles you just have to sit back in awe at what we're able to do when we set our minds to it.

I once saw a two hour documentary beside itself that a cute little dolphin knew a few pieces of sign language. Sign language? Whip-de-friggin-do. Let's fry that little useless sucker up so we have something to eat while we watch the miracle of man mass-producing thumb tacks.

28 Weeks Later

2007-05-15T09:41:00.000-07:00

28 Weeks Later is a terrific horror film I highly recommend. For the last hour I completely forgot I was supposed to review it, stopped taking notes, and just hung on to the arm rests. I liked it better than the original and that hasn't happened with a sequel in a long time. Though Mannequin 2: On The Move was a close call.

For a well-reviewed horror sequel, 28 Weeks Later didn't do very well at the box office, but I think the critics actually hurt the film. A lot of them tried to turn the movie into an allegory about the Iraq War. Polemics don't do well at the box office. No one wants to pay ten bucks to see reality and since all of what Hollywood pumps out is liberal, that automatically alienates 50% of the audience. No, the critics did this film no favors.

But I didn't see the allegory. If there is an allusion to Iraq it's a decidedly illiberal one saying half measure won't work and are only making things worse. It will require relentless brutality to end this threat. A lot of critics also said the film makes the American military look trigger-happy. What I saw was a military not trigger-happy enough. The restrained rules of engagement are what cause the chaos.

Bottom line: I don't think the film's about anything other than trying to scare the pants off the audience. Which it does.

Another reason to see it is Imogen Poots (pictured here) who plays Robert Carlyle's daughter. This girl's gonna be a star. Remarkable talent with a strong screen presense and unique beauty.

Star Meter

2007-05-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

My Star Meter on IMDB Pro just shot up 29% to 85,315.

That means I'm the 85,315th most powerful person in Hollywood right now. So, don't fuck with me.

"I Get It!"

2007-05-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

I don't watch television. At least not prime time network television. I do like those true crime shows on A&E, Discovery, and Court TV, but other than that television bores me. I used to watch some television. But after Seinfeld and Married With Children were cancelled that was it. Probably the last one hour drama I watched was the original Law & Order, but I gave up on that years ago.

However, I do watch The Sopranos. For me The Sopranos is the Holy Grail of writing. A lot of people grouse about bad episodes or slow seasons but I have found it consistently brilliant. I see two and three new movies a week and the only one that's come close to The Sopranos in the writing department this entire year was The Lives Of Others. That's how great I think this show is. How superior.

Now that we're down to the final episodes it's been fascinating to watch how unfinal they've been. How for the last six episodes things have been happening like they did in every prior season with no sense of momentum towards any kind of conclusion. But that's the brilliance of the program; real life seldom feels like a third act -- it just doesn't work that way.

*********SPOILER IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED SUNDAY'S EPISODE******

Last night Tony killed Christopher. What a perfectly Sopranos moment because we all saw what the tree had done to that child's car seat, and once again we somewhat empathized with evil.

After the murder, Tony finds himself shockingly relieved Christopher's gone and eager to get others to share his relief by expressing his indignation over the car seat. Unsuccessful and needing to think through his lack of grief, Tony heads for Vegas and lives vicariously through Christopher: He takes drugs and hooks up with one of Christopher's girls. Along the way his luck turns around and he wins at gambling again. Later, under the influence of peyote he sees the lighthouse he saw in his hallucinations of Hell when he was in a coma after being shot and proclaims, "I get it!" And now everyone's trying to figure out what that means. Here's what I think.

This show is and always has been about Tony Soprano's desire to find happiness. The conflict keeping him from happiness has always been between the good in him and the evil necessities of the job. For a few seasons we hoped he might choose good. We hoped he might take that bundle of cash and fly off with his family like those ducks he so desperately envied for the simpleness of their existence. But more and more Tony's gone the other way. He's chose evil to retain his status and lifestyle. He's murdered friends and relentlessly cheated on his wife.

Tony's surprised lack of grief and palpable relief at murdering Christopher taught him something and that's what he "got." He figured out that the conflict between good and evil has been the source of his unhappiness. And now he understands that choosing one over the other will end this conflict.

Think about it: He killed a young man who was like his son only to discover it removed a thorn in his side and a pain in his ass. And now he's in Sin City, high on drugs, and committing adultery with a woman of unreal beauty. He enters a casino, sees the Devil grinning at him and has a miraculous winning streak. And guess what? He's happy. Life is good.

And, so, he gets it. He gets that what's made him unhappy wasn't the adultery, but being conflicted over it. He gets that what made him unhappy wasn't murdering Christopher, but trying to deal with him. For six years we've watched a man struggle to find happiness and I think this means he's found it. It lies in completely letting himself go. He's learned that his conscience will now allow him to do what's necessary to remove the conflicts.

The song playing before Tony killed Christopher was "Comfortably Numb." Tony's finally achived that. In the soul of a sociopath.

This is Frustrating...

2007-05-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

I don't have a lot of contacts in the industry. Certainly, not enough to always be sure a script of mine gets in the right hands. I've written a lot of bad scripts that shouldn't go anywhere but what's frustrating is that I wrote a good one a few years ago that just needed the right buyer.

Logline is king out here. If you have a good concept like Ghostbusters or Spider-Man or Saw you'll sell the script. Even if it's not good, the concept is good enough someone will still buy it and then have it rewritten. But you have to have access to the right people to pitch it to and I don't know anyone who makes horror films.

A few years ago I came up with a terrific concept for a horror/thriller: A movie about a killer who makes the worst fears of his victims come true. I mean, that's a money concept. It's intriguing, scary, and in a single sentence you know what the movie's about and want to see it. (Assuming horror is your bag) Now, it's been a while since I've looked at the script, but I remember it as being pretty good. Not perfect, but a rewrite away. Good enough I've been waiting to meet someone who could help as my circle of contacts increase. Well, today I ran across... This.

And all I can say is, shit... Shit. Shit. Shit.

And I knew this could happen. It was too juicy of an idea for it not to get used. I was just hoping it would be by me. And my plot is NOTHING like that one which sounds like Basic Instinct Without Hot Lesbians. But the concept is gone. Shit.

UPDATE: Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

Got Me A Job

2007-05-09T17:27:00.000-07:00

Finally got a job. Actually I've had it for a few months now but wanted to be sure it was permanent before making any announcements. I'm a paid movie reviewer for a local publication. I'm actually given money to go to the movies. Can you believe that? They pay my ticket, gas, parking, and a nice fee for each review.

Better yet, I'm starting to get early screeners in the mail. Soon, I won't have to leave the house at all. Ever. And if I ever get fired I'll make a fortune on the bootlegs.

When I was a moody unemployed teenager -- as opposed to the moody recently unemployed middle-aged balding guy I am now -- my Dad once asked what I wanted to do for a living. I answered, "Watch TV." And ever since at every Thanksgiving he's repeated that story faithfully to torture me. Well, guess what...?

13 Years Later

2007-05-09T17:26:00.000-07:00

I've given it some serious thought. I think OJ did it.

More Wild IMDB Recommendations

2007-05-09T08:26:00.000-07:00

I don't know what crazy criteria they use to recommend movies for those interested in Beautiful Loser, but here are the latest ones from IMDB -- all of which I've seen:

--
Bend It Like Beckham: A soccer film set in not-America. It's a good film, but...?

Something's Gotta Give: Romantic comedy between the 60+ Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. Am I missing something?

The Girl Next Door: An amusing 80's style teen comedy and near-remake of Risky Business that gave me the excuse to post that photo.

While I'm happy to see the IMDB's BL recommendations move up to less obscure and more popular titles, they're still wildly off the mark. Here are some I think hit closer when it comes to theme, tone, style, and story:

Chilly Scenes of Winter: When Turner Classic Movie host Robert Osbourne was asked to screen one obscure film he felt had never gotten its due, he chose this one. I've been in love with it for twenty-five years, seen it a hundred times, will see it a hundred more.

The Pledge: Sean Penn's masterpiece starring Jack Nicholson about a man who loses his soul trying to do a good deed; trying to keep a promise to a grieving mother. Thematically, it's one of the most unique films I've ever seen.

Annie Hall: Everyone steals from Annie Hall. And anyone who says they don't is either a fool or a liar.

Maximum Overdrive: A Stephen King thriller about trucks that come to life and try to kill people trapped in a diner. Kidding-- Not about the movie, about recommending it.

The Big Chill: An obvious generic choice but I'm running out of ideas and my Hot Pockets are done.

New Script Starts Today

2007-05-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

I was sicker than I thought Monday. Today I feel much better. About 85%. Unfortunately The Hot Little Script Supervisor caught it Monday night and as I write this is is next to me on the couch in a Nyquil-coma.

And so now that I'm feeling better and have completed my previous script it's time to embark on a new one. We have a development person at Disney eager to help us. She presented the pitch to her boss and he loved it but because of the tricky concept, he's not willing to take a chance paying an unproven writer. He did say he'd buy it if Harold Ramis pitched it. I think that's a compliment.

But that's how it goes. Four years, two optioned scripts, a movie in the can that doesn't suck, and you still gotta prove yourself. Tenacity is just as key out here as talent. Discouragement -- even when justified -- is of no use.

So, I start a new spec today. But better to do it with people interested at a studio than not, right? And I love starting a new script. Love that blank page and blinking cursor, because that world is mine to do whatever I want with.

Thank you all for the nice get well comments and emails. It was appreciated.

Recovering

2007-04-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

I got sick Monday night. I was on the set, it was about midnight, and it hit; the sore throat, body aches... And we still had a few hours to go. Last time I got sick was on set for BL. It's just the worst.

So, I've spent the last week on Nyquil: the sniffling, sneezing, aching, wake-up-on-the-kitchen-floor-where-you-took-it medicine. Tomorrow I start the methodone to get off the Nyquil.

I spent the whole week on my back in front of the tv. My wife didn't even know I was sick until Thursday, because that's what I normally do.

Home Again

2007-04-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

Got back from Montreal Saturday. The flight was three hours late. The high point was when the Captain got on the PA system to inform us we were running out of fuel. Not a good moment. But we stopped in Phoenix to fill up and then landed safely in Los Angeles.

Before leaving Montreal I saw the film for the first time with all the sound elements in place. It wasn't the revelation everyone said it would be, but it was helpful. It certainly helped it feel more like a movie than it did before. Sound does a lot. The guys who mixed the movie liked it. So, that's two.

I have to admit that for all my eagerness to move on, now that it's pretty much done I will miss working on it. Faced with the actual reality of being done is harder than I expected it to be. It's not that I don't want to let go of the film -- I do! I do! -- it's just that even when it was tough going I was constantly engaged and challenged, and that stimulation will be difficult to wean myself from. It also helps that the movie isn't an embarrassment. Had it been a disaster I doubt I'd be feeling so wistful. It's hard to feel wistful when you're under suicide watch.

So now I turn my attention towards the next project. I just got word from my wonderfully hard to please manager that except for a few tweaks he considers my romantic comedy finally ready to go. I have a lot of energy towards this story and after a year of writing it and a dozen drafts, the timing couldn't be better.

Letters From Montreal Day 6

2007-04-20T16:10:00.000-07:00

Sound mix is done. All went as well as could be expected. It's amazing how when you dig into such detail in a film what you find. Each line, each sound, each this and that makes a huge difference. It's been a fascinating experience to say the least.

So it's one step closer to being done. What remains is color corection and putting it on 35 millimeter. But for the most part the creative work is done and that's a big relief. The creative decisions are where the stress and tension come from. It's nice knowing that's behind us and everyone is happy.

Tomorrow my day is completely free.. I'm in a foreign country for the first time -- I'm in a beautiful city for the first time -- I can't wait to sleep in, watch some television, jump in a cab, and head for the airport.

Letters From Montreal Day 5

2007-04-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

We're ahead of schedule. Things are going so well Scott, Steven, and I sat on the stage all day cracking jokes like the bad kids in the back of the class. The mixer had to quiet us more than once.

The picture sounds great. We watch it today, do any last tweaks, and then we're done.

This week's been a lot of fun. The company doing the mix is called Premium Sound and our sound guys are talented and relaxed -- the perfect combination.

Letters From Montreal Day 4

2007-04-18T19:23:00.000-07:00

Well, we're ahead of schedule, and I deserve all the credit for that. The reason we're ahead of schedule is that I have no idea what I want and rather than look wishy-washy I agree with everything the sound mixers do. The movie sounds bad but we're ahead of schedule.

Actually things are going very well. The two sound mixers -- Peter and Phillip -- are great guys, easy to work with, and very good at what they do. Usually after a first pass they've got 90% of it and the remaining 10% is just a few adjustments. We should finish tomorrow and have friday as a luxury day to obssess over it.

Saturday I don't fly out until late in the afternoon, so I'll use that day to either explore the city or watch pay-per-view, depending on my mood.

Letters From Montreal Day 3

2007-04-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

What do you want from me? I was in a studio all day. I'm not seeing the city -- I'm seeing a cab and a dark studio that could be in Burbank for all I know.

If you want to know about Montreal... Google. Duh.

Letters From Montreal Day 2

2007-04-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know what a sound mix is.

You go in a studio where a guy who can't possibly know what all those buttons are for sits in front of a huge console and mixes all your sound together. He mixes score, dialogue, sound effects, and other noises. He mixes them so you don't notice them. He mixes them so they all come together in a way that makes you feel them rather than get taken out of the movie because something sounds off or strange. You go through the scene again and again and again changing the levels of various things until the scene sounds perfect. We got through the first twenty minutes today. Hopefully tomorrow, we'll move a little faster.

Didn't see much of Montreal today. Just what I caught in the cab from the hotel to the studio. There are posters of Madonna all over the place. She advertises all kinds of stuff. Guess the Canadians haven't heard she's a hundred.

I don't like the soap in the hotel. It smells like my old boss, and I didn't like him. Now I smell like my old boss. Canada sucks.

Letters From Montreal Part 1

2007-04-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm up here in Montreal. Just arrived a few hours ago. Not at all what I expected. It looks like an old European city. An old communist European city. I keep waiting for the secret police to demand my papers. Which would be very cool.

I had to exchange money here. I got $1.07 for a $1.00. I can't figure out if that's a good thing or not. It's like daylight savings time: If we set the clocks back do we get more sleep or less?

There's nudie bars all over, and this is a nice part of town. At least I think it is. I'm at the Ritz Carlton -- which is also old and Eastern European looking. I keep waiting for the secret police to break into my room demanding my papers. Which would be very cool.

And I have papers. Actually I have two sets of papers in the form of two passports, because I spent Friday in the Federal Passport Office getting one and then came home to find the one I ordered 9 weeks ago in my mail box. And yes, it's already on the black market.

There are homeless people in Montreal. Who knew? My sociology professor said that was strictly an American problem. Anyway -- and this is no joke -- one homeless guy was holding a sign that said, "I Need To Smoke A Joint Right Now!!" Give him points for honesty. In L.A. they tell two lies in half the words: Will Work For Food.

Sorry, no pictures to post here. I'm on dial-up and they would take a month to download. We're leaving to have dinner in a few minutes and tomorrow the Sound Mix begins. I have no idea what a Sound Mix is but I'm doing one tomorrow and will hopefully know by the end of the day. Truth be told, if someone would simply demand my papers I'd consider the trip a success regardless of how this sound mix-thing turns out.

Meet Laura Breckenridge

2007-04-12T12:18:00.000-07:00

Because Beautiful Loser was my first script I did a lot of things you're not supposed to. These were unintentional things -- rookie mistakes -- and caused terrible difficulties in the editing process. But there is one thing I did you're not supposed to that was intentional. And the only reason we got away with it was because we were lucky enough to have Laura Breckenridge play Tracy.

In a standard film, especially a romantic comedy, you introduce your main characters in the first act -- the first 22 minutes of the film. This is important because by the time the story kicks in you want the audience with your characters. You want the audience to like your characters and to care about them.

With Tracy I didn't want to do that. I worried that if I did, the movie wouldn't work. The central conceit of BL is that a normal good-looking guy is unable to get over a girl after twenty years. The audience has to believe that without even thinking about it. If they don't there's no movie. And I knew that if the audience was to believe, it would depend on the girl. If the audience loved the girl, they would never question Reggie's devotion. If the audience felt his loss, they would buy his still carrying a torch after two decades.

So, how do you do that? How do you get the audience to fall in love with the girl? Looks aren't enough. Pretty girls are a dime a dozen. It has to be more than physical. Besides, the women in the audience have to get it. A pretty girl may be enough for the guys, but it's not going to impress the women. There had to be more to Tracy, and I felt very strongly that the more had to be revealed differently than in the standard 22 minute crash course.

When you fall in love with someone -- I mean really fall in love with someone -- it starts with the physical attraction and grows from there. It's about discovering that person. It's about loving every new thing you learn about them, and wanting to learn more. It's about feeling priviledged this person chose you to share themselves with. That combination is like a drug. And that's love. At least that's how it's been between me and the script supervisor for twenty-plus years.

This discovery process was how I felt the audience might just fall in love with Tracy. She would slowly reveal herself throughout the film, each time displaying a different facet of her personality that would hopefully make her more accessible, special, and enchanting with each scene. The risk, however, is that this would take a while, and that by minute 22 the audience still wouldn't know a whole lot about her. And it's hard to like someone you don't know. But you can be fascinated by them. You can be intrigued and infatuated. But if you withold too much information the audience might not be interested in her at all. So, what's the alternative to information...? Intelligence.

I felt that if upon their first look at Tracy that if the audience saw a strong intellect in her eyes they'd bite. Because who isn't interested in intelligent people? Who doesn't want to know more about how smart people tick and think?

So, what I wasn't looking for was the standard high school girl-crush material. I didn't want the prom queen. Or, the nerd. Or, the best friend. Or, the brain. What I wanted was that quiet pretty girl we all went to school with. Not the shy pretty girl. Shy isn't interesting. Quiet is interesting. Quiet is a display of confidence and ease with one's self. That's someone worth knowing. And you know the girl I'm talking about. She's the one you went to school with for years and then one day... Wow, she's kinda cute. But by then it was too late for you because she'd filled out over the Summer and all the other guys were noticing her too. See, that's God's way of punishing you for being shallow and looks-oriented.

So, I knew what I wanted in a Tracy and the casting process began. I saw a hundred of 'em. Every pretty young woman between 18 and 25. And even a few closer to 40 who refused to smell the coffee and update their headshots. Some of the girls were teriffic. Some may have worked. But it hadn't happened yet; that bolt of lightening that tells you the search is over. Then one day a tape came in. It was an episode of Related -- which I'd never heard of. From the WB Network -- which I'd never watched. And it starred Laura Breckenridge -- who I'd never heard of. (Is it "whom" or "who?")

Anyway, I watched the tape and didn't see Tracy. Not even close. I certainly saw a talented actress, but not Tracy. Steven Wolfe thought I was insane, but I just didn't have enough experience to see beyond. Steven urged me to meet with Laura, so we did, and then I saw Tracy. I saw her immediately. Because Laura has a strong intellect. She's a very smart young woman and you can see it in her eyes. You don't even have to talk to her. It's just there. And I knew that if she already had that quality, it would come across on screen. It's called presence, and it's rarer than gold.

Now, I can't remember if it was Laura I told that story to or someone else, but I told someone and they asked me why my only reaction to the Related episode was indifference, At the time I couldn't articulate it. But I've since figured it out. In that particular episode Laura's character has a role in a school play where she has to get naked. The entire show revolves around her conflict over whether to do it and her concern over doing it with her Dad in the audience. In the end she does it and finds it quite liberating. But this is something Tracy would never do.

It's not a moral issue, Tracy's just a completely different person. She might go to a play. But she would never be in one. She certainly wouldn't ever get naked in one. And she sure as hell wouldn't get naked in one in front of her Dad. Had that Related epsisode been about Laura's character killing someone and eating their raw spleen, I wouldn't have had as hard of time as the naked play.

Laura's wonderful as Tracy. Perfect. After all the thinking and planning and writing and re-writing and worrying about whether or not the audience will believe a man could never fall out of love with her, Laura solves that in her first shot. You look at her and you get it. You completely understand how there would be no force on earth capable of extinguishing a torch carried by the man who came thisclose to winning her. You don't have to meet Ava Gardner to understand how she could ruin Sinatra. You just gotta look at her. And thanks to Laura's performance, it's the same with Tracy.

Laura's obviously a lovely woman, but there's more to it than that. It's creating a presence and something in the eyes. It's acting and performance. It's talent and hard work. What Laura brought to the role was astounding. Some of my favorite lines in the movie are throwaways she brought to life in ways that surprise me every time I hear them. My single indulgence was refusing to take out a Tracy joke no one finds in the least funny but me. Every time we came across it, I get the eye from our producer Scott. But I repeat my confidence that someday someone besides me will laugh.

Laura's a total pro and was a pleasure to work with. She's also an amazing looper. Not only was she faster than everyone else at dubbing her lines, she embarrassed second place. She's like the Rain Man of looping.

Music. Is. Done. Canada? Maybe.

2007-04-12T09:35:00.000-07:00

Score? Done. Songs? Done. Done. Done. Done. That sound you hear is me being unchained from the oar. What a job.

But well worth it. It was a long year of searching and debating and experimenting and frustration, but last night we all left the music editor's office uniformly pleased with the choices.

Sunday I leave for Canada. That is, if I get the passport I applied for 9 weeks ago in time. If it doesn't arrive today, I have to go in tomorrow for a personal appointment and spend another $200 for a second application. Which means that by the time I get back the original passport I applied for nine weeks ago will most likely be in the mail. So, I'll now have two passports and be out $400.

And I will get my money back. Oh, yes, I will. I don't care if the buyer has explosives strapped to his chest. I will get my money back.

The Future Is Now

2007-04-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

Sunday at church the kid in front of me for Communion did something with his tennis shoes that turned them into roller skates. Just like that. One second he's walking, the next gliding. Today they announced the driverless car.

It's finally happening. Just like it was supposed to. The future has really arrived. I was sure it was all a lie. After all, we should've had flying cars years ago. I've been chapped about that since 1999. But now it's really happening. We'll be travelling to different cities in clear plastic tubes any day now.

Grindhouse

2007-04-07T18:18:00.000-07:00

At the tender age of twelve I was finally allowed to ride the city bus on my own. So, of course it was off to the movies. My allowance was two dollars a week -- slave wages, even for forgetting to take out the garbage -- and after packing three peanut butter sandwiches; every Saturday I would tell my parents I was going to the museum, and hop on the thirty-one bus for the 6 mile trip to second street in downtown Milwaukee. It was there that sat The Grand Theatre. It even had a balcony. And it was there I saw some of the greatest crap to ever hit the screen. Movies so bad they're not even out on DVD.

Bus fare was thirty-five cents there, and thirty-five cents back. Twenty cents for a Coke. Ten cents for a Three Musketeers bar. And a buck for admission. That left me destitute but well-fed and with a full afternoon of cheap horror, terrible sci-fi, Mexploitation, sexploitation, blacksploitation, and chop-socky ahead of me. Look up bliss in the dictionary and it's a picture of me as a boy munching a peanut butter sandwich in the balcony of the Grand Theatre.

That was grindhouse. Grindhouse was all about sticky floors and using plot-points to achieve one of two goals: Violence or bare breasts -- but when truly inspired, both. The movies were awful. Even then we knew they were awful. But it wasn't about that. It was about the crowd who yelled at the screen. It was about being out on my own. It was about the rare gems that quieted the crowd: the reissues of Pam Grier or Bruce Lee; the Shaft trilogy, and movies I still worship like The Outfit, The Stone Killers, or Dirty Mary Crazy Larry. It was also about the coming attractions and getting excited about what we'd see the next week. I would dream about those trailers and count down the days to when they would become reality. What a time that was.

Unfortunately, it didn't last very long. After a year we moved to the suburbs where the buses won't come. Seven years later my very first apartment was intentionally four blocks from the Grand. But by then the weekend double features were gone, it cost two bucks to get in, and they had closed the balcony. Things also ran much smoother. The prints were cleaner, no more missing reels, and if you yelled at the screen they tossed you out. Me and my peanut butter sandwiches still went every weekend though. And every once in a while we'd get lucky. Every once in a while they'd show a real shitty movie.

Tarantino's Grindhouse works very hard to recapture the feel of those afternoons. He and Robert Rodriguez both contributed a film, but it's the stuff in-between that really took me back: The coming attractions, advertising, and lame cards announcing The Feature Presentation. Rodriguez's Planet Terror was pretty fun. Tarantino's Death Proof was pretty disappointing, and absolutely nothing like a grindhouse film. It's forty minutes of girls talking with an okay car chase. Grindhouse films were many things, with many flaws, but they were never talky. I suggest you wait for DVD.

Taxes

2007-04-07T18:14:00.000-07:00

Just finished my taxes. Kept the cheating to a bare minimum. Feds owe $224. State owes me $47.

Sometime's being poor is a beautiful thing. Maybe I won't join that militia.

Another Quick Movie Review

2007-04-05T12:20:00.000-07:00

Blades Of Glory: You know, except for his fall-on-the-floor-laugh-out-loud-brilliant impersonation of George Bush, I've yet to find Will Ferrell an appealing screen presence. But he's really good in BOG, and the film's funny and sweet. Good cast. Good script. A very pleasant surprise.

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Tomorrow: Grindhouse.

Meet Keith David

2007-04-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

Back when I wrote the script I didn't know I was supposed to gear my characters towards a specific actor or actor-type. Screenwriters are advised that by doing this they have a better chance of selling their script because someone will say, "Oh, this is perfect for Bruce Willis." or some such thing. Well, I didn't know that. And even though I know that now I still don't do it. Which may explain my savings account.

Even trying to dream cast the film in my head, I was never able to figure out who would work. Except for Keith David. I always felt Keith would make a good Morgan Adult. I was well aware of Keith's work because he's one of those actors who pops up on screen in a lot of films and always elevates whatever he's in. And as a fan of Ken Burns' remarkable PBS documentaries I was also very familiar with Keith's rich voice and turn of a phrase.

What's great about Keith is that he's not a "type." When you see him on screen you never know what you're going to get. Is he the bad guy? Is he the best friend? Is he the moral center of the film? When Keith answers the door and finds a desperate Jennifer Connelly willing to do anything for drugs in "Requiem For A Dream," you have no idea if she's saved or doomed. When you see Keith in that sleep chamber at the beginning of "Pitch Black" you have no idea what kind of man he is. And this keeps you watching. It keeps you on edge.

In my opinion the most condescending thing you can say about an actor is that they are "a natural." It takes a lot of work and training and preparation to look natural. And so when Keith gives off that vibe to keep you guessing, it's intentional. And it's rare. Very few can do it. And it was perfect for Morgan because when Keith arrives suddenly the audience isn't as sure about this character as they were watching him as a teenager. Which is exactly what I was going for.

The first day we shot with Keith was in my home. And I was intimidated. Until Keith arrived. He works his butt off, sings with that remarkable voice between takes, and has an amazing library of jokes at his disposal. He does challenge you as a director -- but in that respectful way that improves each scene and offers choices in the editing room.

Casting Keith was complete serendipity. Imagine my surprise learning Steven's partner, Josh Silver, was Keith's manager. And now Josh is my manager -- and a better manager one could never ask for.

There are so many actors in this film whose work I've admired for years. To have the honor of working with them and getting to know them a bit was something I never expected to happen. And Keith did for BL what he does in everything: He elevated my script and made the movie better.

NOTE: The young man in the photo with Keith is C.J. Sanders who played young Ray Charles in the film Ray. A remarkable actor with a big future.

Reader Question

2007-04-04T12:23:00.000-07:00

.............................................................................................................................

Gina worms her way into my heart by asking yet another question about me:

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Say you were making this movie in the '30s, the '40s, or the '50s -- pick your favorite decade for classic films -- and you could cast absolutely anyone you wanted. Which actors would be appearing in "Beautiful Loser"? (If you want, you can stick to the adults; it might be easier than casting the teens.)

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I would choose the forties. Let's say 1948. Then I would offer any role he wanted to John Wayne - The Greatest Movie Star In The History Of The World. Should he decline, this would be the line-up.

Reggie Adult: Dana Andrews. There was always a melancholy feel about him. If you've seen The Best Years Of Our Lives or Laura, you know what I mean. I think he's a terribly underrated actor with a unique quality that was never properly exploited.
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Bonnie Adult: Barbara Stanwyck for two reasons: First: She was an intelligent brilliant actress. Second: So, I could hit on her.

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Morgan Adult: Sterling Hayden. He could play a man with a secret. You never knew what you were getting when he appeared on screen. He could be the good guy or the bad guy. I like that quality. Keith David has that quality. It's hard to find.
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Diego Adult: No brainer: Errol Flynn. I'd probably hit on him too, but am comfortable enough with my sexuality to admit tha-- er, make that joke. LOL! No, really: LOL!

Score is Done!

2007-04-04T12:10:00.000-07:00

We do have a few time tweaks to finish, but all have listened and the love is mutual. James Covell did a magnificent job. And not just with the score. Also with me.

James was infinitely patient suffering through my learning curve. It is one thing to know what you want, it is entirely another to speaka-da-language. My fumbling around for the first couple drafts caused him much more work than he normally would've had to do. But he remained gracious throughout and his lovely wife Karen even brought cookies.

Couple songs to go and then all the music is finished. I still don't feel like it will ever end. I just feel like were closer to it never ending. ... I know that didn't make any sense. But it is a good example of what I put the composer through for six months.

Meet Cynthia Gibb

2007-04-02T18:20:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned in previous posts, Cynthia walked in for the reading and nailed it. It was love at first sight. She was marvelous. Unfortunately until the wonderful, splendid, lovely, perfect Caker came along we were not able to cast Cynthia because we couldn't find someone who looked like her. So, as all things happen in filmmaking, it came down to the last minute. We had to ask Cynthia if she would take the role with only a few days to prepare. You can imagine my anxiety waiting for that answer.

Cynthia plays Bonnie Adult, and I never made any secret of the fact that Bonnie was my favorite character in the picture. I can't explain why without giving away plot points and risking being crushed by a tree, but Bonnie's got a lot going on. I found her to be the most complicated character in the film, the most interesting, and the hardest to define. Which is why it was with this character I was less than helpful as a director.

There is no actor I let down more than Cynthia. Even though I instinctively understood Bonnie, the art of articulation failed when it came to translating that instinct. Because of that she was forced to go through take after frutrating take as I grappled to find it. And many times Steven would have to step in and help. But she was a total pro. She never complained or stopped trying. And she got it -- mostly in spite of me. I loved Bonnie on the page. I love her even more now.

Cynthia also created one of the more fetching moments of the film. There's this shot of her in a particular sequence where she looks right into the camera and smiles. It's killer. I've had a crush on her ever since. **Just don't tell the script supervisor.**

Back On The Set

2007-03-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back on a movie set for the next few nights. However, I'm not directing this time. I'm the assistant director. So, instead of working with the actors, my job now consists badgering the DP to stop tweaking the lights.

There was a group of people who came on board to help make Beautiful Loser when it was just me. Before I had even heard of Sneak Preview. When it was an insane pipe dream. Noah Suchoff was one of them, and he's directing a 25 minute short for a small production company.

After a year, it's fun to be back on set, helping out a friend and only beginning to repay what I owe him. He wrote a good script and knows what he wants as a director. It should be a terrific short.

45 Hits A Day!

2007-03-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

We're now averaging 45 hits a day at this site. Just 6 months ago it was 41. Something's happening out there.

Looping Is Done

2007-03-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

All the actors are now done looping the dialogue that wasn't up to technical specifications due to background noise, or whatever... I was a little nervous about losing the quality of the original performance, but what we got was either better or just as good. Can't ask for more than that. It has to be difficult for an actor to come back a year later and jump back into the moment without other actors to play off of, or any rehearsal. I don't know how they do it.

This also means I am done directing actors -- which is a shame because I was just starting to get the hang of it.

Now we move on to finishing the score and finding a few more songs. The score's amazing, but I swear I've listened to more bad songs the past six months than Bobby Brown's bodyguards. You gotta move a ton of gravel for that fleck of gold. (I used the word "gravel" to keep the site family-friendly. If you know what I mean.)

IMDB Makes No Sense

2007-03-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

Because I'm shallow, I check my IMDB page everyday hoping to push my STARmeter up from 126,328 to 125,000. That way I can forward my status as the 125,000th most powerful person in Hollywood to everyone at my old high school who voted me most likely to become an alcoholic.

But what kills me is that for Beautiful Loser (number 23,685 with a bullet!) there are a bunch of movies listed list under: "If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends..."
And these are the recommendations:

Something New: Kenya McQueen, a corporate lawyer finds love in the most unexpected place when she agrees to go on a blind date with Brian Kelly, a sexy and free-spirited landscaper.

Lord Love A Duck: A bright satirical comedy about an innocent high school girl granted her wishes by a student prodigy. A broad satire of teenage culture in the sixties, its targets ranging from progressive education to beach movies.

Steven: When young Steven and his fundamentalist christian parents show up to protest the local Gay Pride Parade, Steven decides that he may be playing for the wrong team.

And one I've actually seen called, The Squid In The Whale which is populated with the most unlikable group of characters I've seen in a movie in a long time.

Am I missing something?

Alejandra Question #5

2007-03-27T15:42:00.000-07:00

5) When can we expect to see Beautiful Loser and where? (festivals??)

I don't know the answer to this question. I don't ask about this stuff. It's the least of my concerns, because I know it's in good hands. If this film's only exposure is on a midnight cable access channel in Bangkok two years from now it will be because our Executive Producer, Steven Wolfe got it on there. The man knows what he's doing and never gives up.

But he can only work with what he's got. Any kind of distribution -- festivals, DVD, etc... -- will depend on the final product. If people in the distributing business think that by putting money into getting Beautiful Loser out there they will make them money, they'll do it. If they don't, they won't.

And if people do like it that will be because the cast and crew did a marvelous job telling my story. If people don't like it, that will be because my story didn't work. When it comes to movies, it always comes down to the story. The free market is supposed to protect you from the bad ones and let in the good ones. So, we're gonna find out pretty soon what the market thinks of this one.

Autographs

2007-03-27T11:26:00.000-07:00

Unless you've been told different, the autographs are in the mail. And when I say "in the mail," I really mean "in the mail." I'm only clarifying that because the phrase "in the mail" can mean many different things. For instance, when I tell my creditors it's "in the mail," that can either mean "how did you get past my caller ID?" or that it's "not in the mail," but in most cases, both.

The Bundys

2007-03-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

My wonderful mother sent me an Amazon gift certificate for my birthday. I was worried she'd send me money and I'd have to use it to pay bills, but thankfully no. So, in the mail today? The greatest show ever: Married With Children: seasons 4 & 5. The Jefferson years have finally arrived.

This is the long way of saying: Blogging will be lite.

Mini Movie Review

2007-03-26T12:38:00.000-07:00

Shooter: I'm sorry, but when it costs me $3.29 for a gallon of gas, you're just not gonna convince me our government has gone to war over oil. You may convince me that we should, but not that we have.

Other than that, the movie's confusing and tedious. I've heard it's a thinking man's action film. Well, I was thinking during it. Thinking about what I would have for dinner, this cuticle that's been giving me trouble, how I wished someone would shoot me...

Alejandra Question #4

2007-03-26T10:26:00.000-07:00

4) Did the thought that you might never end the process (of the movie) ever crossed your mind?

Yes. But only because it will never end. Never. Ever. End.

Quick Movie Reviews

2007-03-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

Today, I'll review movies with a plea for truth in advertising:

I Think I Love My Wife, should've been titled: I Think We Should've Done A Rewrite.

The Wind That Shakes the Barley should be remembered as: The Movie That Numbed My Buttocks.

Alejandra Question #3

2007-03-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

3) How was it like to tell people what to do?

I'm glad I'm not the only one who was under the mistaken impression that this is what a director does. And just in case you 're wondering, but too polite to ask: No one kisses your butt either.

To be perfectly honest, everything I learned about directing I learned from Errol Flynn. Before he became a movie star, Errol led a very exciting life in exotic places. I don't remember all the details, but somewhere in South America he managed to talk his way into running a cocoa plantation, even though he had never stepped foot on a cocoa plantation before in his life (Like my ill-fated and doomed affair with our script supervisor, Errol had one with the plantation owner's wife). So, what do you do when you're in charge of an operation you know nothing about? You do what Errol Flynn did: You bluff. You tell everyone, "Carry on."

My first ever experience on a movie set was as the director of BL. I had and still have no idea what I'm doing. So, whether it's actors, crew, the DP, the editor, or the composer; I simply answer questions and then get the hell out of their way with a very directorial sounding. "Carry on." And it works.

In the end, everyone usually comes up with something better than I would've, so that's what we put into the movie. This has kept cast and crew happy because they enjoy having creative input, and it's kept me from having to completely expose my raging ignorance and insecurities. It's what's known as a two-fer.

Alejandra Question #2

2007-03-23T06:18:00.000-07:00

2) To make it short... what's Beautiful Loser about? Is it based in any real life experience?

I'm worried about giving too much away. Not because it will spoil the movie for the nine people who will read this, but because if I give too much away our producer will pick up a tree and kill me. He could do that, you know. You haven't met him. I've heard stories. So, here's what I feel safe telling you:

Twenty years after high school, three lifelong friends have discovered that life is not what it promised to be. They’ve discovered that decisions made so long ago have resulted in only regret and the longing for a second chance. Reggie refuses to do anything with his life except dream of Tracy, his first love. His only love. Bonnie thinks she has it all together until a chance encounter brings the first man she ever loved back into her life. And Morgan carries the secret. The terrible secret that will bring them all together in ways never imagined.

Over the course of one fateful day, each is forced to deal with their past. Reggie does what he always does: Thinks only of her. Thinks only of an unrequited love that turned a scrappy, funny, charming young man full of youth’s promise into the walking wounded. Bonnie will be forced to decide between fulfilling the promise of a love that might have been and the family she has now. And Morgan learns that his secret from his past will force him to make a terrible choice if he and his beloved wife are to stay together.

Beautiful Loser is about that moment we all have. That moment we make a decision that sets the course for the rest of our lives. We think about that moment a lot. We think about what we would do if given a second chance. Today three lifelong friends will face that moment and be offered that second chance. At a price.

I know that's absurdly melodramatic; that it sounds like the back of a video box in that pathetic section of Blockbuster where they put all the titles they carry only a single copy of: but I keep picturing the tree.

As far as whether or not BL is based on any real events, I'd just like to say that I'm sick of this question, and that the answer is "no." Why does everyone always ask me this? Everyone always asks the same question. Why? Can't someone just tell a story without everyone thinking it's about him? So, let's just put this to bed now, shall we...?

Just because my lead character wakes up hungover in a gorilla cage at the zoo with his pants around his ankles, doesn't mean it happened to me. Why does everyone automatically think that happened to me? Can't I just put something in a story without getting "the looks?" Without the snide comments and whispering behind my back? Do you people think I haven't noticed that? Do you think you're disgusting little gossip has somehow gotten past me? Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to be thought of like that? So, this will be the very last last time I dignify this question: For once and for all, when I woke up in that gorilla cage my pants were no lower than my knees.

Can we all move on now?

Autograph

2007-03-22T14:34:00.000-07:00

Snoopy

Giggles

Aleka

Alejandra

If you'll email me at jjmnolte@hotmail.com with your address and real names, I'll see Adam tomorrow and get a personalized autographed photo for you.

And don't worry if you miss this today. I'll still get the autographed photo for you under your pen names and mail them when you send your address. I just got back from CVS with the photos. You'll love them. **he's so cute**

Oh, and if someone rings your doorbell and runs, it wasn't me.

Alejandra Question #1

2007-03-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

1) How did you realize you wanted to make a movie?

I had kicked around L.A. as a screenwriter for a couple years and done pretty well for a New Guy. I'd been hired to do an adaptation for this company and they ended up optioning a family comedy I wrote called Down On The Farm, which is about a wealthy spoiled Manhattan family who goes bankrupt and are forced to work on a New Mexico dairy farm for a year. (I only mention that in the hopes that one of my nine readers is a powerful studio exec)

Anyway, the huge plus in all of this was that Dennis Dugan was attached to direct and I got to work with him on rewrites -- which was like getting a PHD in comedy writing. He's directed a bunch of terrific comedies, including Big Daddy and Adam Sandler's upcoming I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. He was great. His wife Sharon was great. We're all still friends. But the production company was not so great. So, without reliving the details, I'll just say that the company and I had a falling out, and I had to completely burn that bridge to extricate myself. This ruined whatever career I had built, but I never regretted it.

That production company was my only contact in Hollywood. All my eggs were in that basket. So, I had two choices: I could start over as a screenwriter or go back to my old job in North Carolina. Neither option was desirable. Making the rounds script-in-hand again seemed intolerable. But the idea of going back and being re-chained to that desk seemed worse. So, I came up with a third option: After four years, I'd finally finished finished writing Beautiful Loser, so, why not make it, right? Why not make a movie? What the hell, right? And that was the first time I ever even considered becoming a director.

Now, never in a million years did I think Beautiful Loser would get made. That Steven Wolfe and Sneak Preview came along to make it happen still feels unreal. So, it didn't start out being about that. I just wanted to try. I was 39 years old and needed to do something insane. Something people would laugh about behind my back (and they did). Something so grandiose and foolish it wasn't a matter of if I would fail, it was only a matter of just how big the ball of flame was I would go down in. My goal was to take it as far as I could -- just to see how far I could take it. And to scrape up a bunch of people who felt the same way.

After twenty years of being a bill collector, I didn't come out here wanting anything other than to experience something different. And it seemed to me that failing miserably at trying to make a film on my own fit that criteria quite well. It was a Hail Mary pass. It was my last shot before conceding. But if you're going to be chained to a desk the rest of your life, it helps to know you at least tried to go over the wall.

And I could still end up chained to that desk. BL could disappear like it never happened and do me no good at all. I may have just held off the inevitable for a couple years at the cost of every penny I ever saved. And I'm okay with that. But for the people who believed in the project, and put their money and Star Power and free time into it, I'm not okay with that. It's very important to me they all come out ahead. And I would love to direct another film. I would love to scoop up every person I was blessed to work with (except for the one's who don't return my phone calls) and do it all over again...

But if I don't, that's alright. Because it was never about that. It was about the trying. It was about giving something everything I had and seeing how it came out. It was about the experience. And I wasn't going to let the experience be ruined by expectations. Nothing ruins an experience more than expectations. There's a lot of people out here made unhappy by expectations. A lot.

But, to finally answer your question: I realized I wanted to make a movie when I realized I wanted an adventure. Making BL hasn't been the hardest thing I've ever done, but it's a close second. It's stressful and scary and exhausting and even humiliating at times. But it's always exhilerating. And that's what I wanted: A memory. Because someday I'll be old. And maybe someday someone will bother to ask me about myself. And if they do I will tell them about this. About the greatest adventure of my life.

Meet Eddie Velez

2007-03-20T18:36:00.000-07:00

Eddie was someone else who came in and read and it was love at first sight. He came in early in the process but again we had to find a young counterpart to match him before we could cast. What Eddie intuitively understood about the role of Diego Adult was the sadness of it. Whereas Giancarlo as Diego Teen has the dashing leading man quality I was looking for, Eddie brought that down to earth. There was a hurt in Eddie's eyes as he read that nailed it. No one else even came in second.

The Diego character is based on one of my favorite actors: Errol Flynn. When Flynn was a young man he was an incredibly charming, rakish, cocky, adventurer. He was everything every young man dreams of being. But as alchohol and scandal and a number of bad decisions overtook Flynn in his later years he became a tragic figure. When I see photos of Flynn post-45 years old they're heartbreaking. It isn't that Flynn looks bad, but the light's gone in his eyes. That sparkle that won Olivia De Havilland in nine films is dimmed. Flynn died at 50. Terrible loss. Irreplacable star. There will never be another. Not even close.

If I had met Flynn on the street in his later years, I wouldn't have thought anything of it. The tragedy comes from knowing who Flynn was. Knowing Robin Hood and Captain Blood. And that's what I wanted from Diego. I wanted a young, dashing, near-cocky young man to contrast the adult who's lost all that. Eddie got it his first read. He got it on film. We were lucky to get him.

Reader Mail

2007-03-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

From Alejandra:

Hi! I wrote to you last year asking for some Adam Lamberg pics... Never fear! That's not the reason why I wrote to you.

As I told you before, I'm mexican (so if my english is not very good, now you know why) and I'm very interested in developing a career in screenwritting... since you just directed a movie, I wanted to ask you some questions. (And because I read that you say that nobody asks things about you and just of the cast... just kidding)

1) How did you realize you wanted to make a movie?

2) To make it short... what's Beautiful Loser about? Is it based in any real life experience?

3) How was it like to tell people what to do?

4) Did the thought that you might never end the process (of the movie) ever crossed your mind?

5) When can we expect to see Beautiful Loser and where? (festivals??)

I hope you can answer my questions, I find you a very interesting, smart and funny person, and nothing would make me happier than you having a lot of success with this film.

Sending my best wishes,

Alejandra

P.S Um... wouldn't hurt to post some Adam Lamberg pics, right? LOL

First off, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to respond. I know you sent this email over three weeks ago. What I'll do is answer each question one at a time in different posts. And it was kind of you to call me "funny" and "smart." I think if we met you'd also find me "hunky" and "nimble."

Movie Reviews

2007-03-16T07:31:00.000-07:00

Here are some quick thoughts on movies I've seen recently:

Black Snake Moan -- It actually works as an exploitation picture. But if you're going to chain a girl to a radiator, I think you have to have the courage of your convictions and not suddenly go from sexploitation to talky stage play that wants to be about something. That being said, I would crawl over glass to someday work with Christina Ricci. I find words attributed to actors like brave and courageous a bit silly -- save those for cops and soldiers -- but Ricci is amazing.

Children of Men - Great world. Loved the world the filmmaker created. Loved the first two acts, as well. But then it all kind of fell apart in act three. You expect the big philisophical questions raised in the film to be answered but in the end you're left with Waterworld; just another dystopian run and hide movie with a different name for "dry land."

Pan's Labyrinth - Ugh. All the characters do in this film is react. Even the bad guy. Very episodic. And when the biggest turning point in the film depends on the discovery of a stolen key for a padlock that could've just as easily been broken, you've lost me.

300 - I was expecting yet another nihilistic plodding battle-to-battle comic book film, but instead found a well-plotted actioner that's actually about something and that contains strong female characters who contribute to the plot. Intentional or not, this is an allegorical play about the War on Terror. Certainly there have been a number of films made about the War on Terror, but this is the first where we're shown to be the good guys.

The Lives Of Others - I'm not a big foreign film fan, but this is the best picture I've seen all year. It comes from Germany and is set in 1984, before the fall of communism. It's a thriller that slowly tightens until you can't bear to watch and also manages to tie together the fates of three people through completely believable, yet still surprising events. It's also a uniquely unromanticized look at communism using the people who most benefit by fascist governments: Loyal government officials and the artists who entertain and propagandize for them.

Zodiac - Jake Gyllenhaal is miscast, but this is still a very very good film. David Fincher is an amazing storyteller.

Beautiful Losering

NEWS: Trailer and Festival Screening

UPDATE: Festival Screening

Festival Screening **SOLD OUT**

Festival Screening

Screening, Monday the 24th

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Festival Screening SOLD OUT