New Beverly Cinema &

The New Beverly theater here in Los Angeles, California is a revival film house that plays 35mm film print and is owned by Quentin Tarantino. This is really awesome, since there are few places that play film print. There’s going to be a generation that doesn’t get to see this and I feel bad for them. Film print is glossy and has depth to which digital projection will never get to. What technicians don’t understand is that the flicker of film cells is like the flicker of firelight in a cave as you tell a story. This is natural to the rhythm of your own body. Funny how we spend so much time getting centered and calm we quickly dismiss the only visual representation of serenity. The REASON why you have so many douche-fucks use their phone in theaters these days is because it doesn’t hold anyone’s attention. Flickering is hypnotic.

New Beverly also plays older movies. I got to see my favorite movie of all time there (“The Apartment”). And I got to see my other favorite movie years ago (“Some Like It Hot”).  Beautiful print.

Whenever I go, there are fellow cinephiles. Film fans who watch film as rabidly cinema insane as myself. As I stand there, I start to get a level of contempt for some of these people. I’m not sure why. Maybe, it’s just the conversation that people have in line. It was the same when I was at a lighting/grip house buying equipment. Lots of young faces ,I guess, who want to be the next Tarantino. Film students. Teachers. Some production folk. They talk about miniscule projects whilst I bite my tongue having worked on yearly blockbusters.

I can assure you now…none have worked on the biggest movie of 2015. And it’s narcissistic of me to say, but…I feel a sense of superiority because I do work with film. Lucky to get that opportunity.  I’m scrubby so very few know the projects I work on. I’m under the impression that some of these folk probably do insignificant projects. Yeah, it’s cocky of me. And maybe it’s a little bit of the paranoid part of me. But I feel a lot more integrated into the business than most of them. More than likely, they believe I’m just a scrub. Can I just be happy that I work on these projects and let the others brag openly about their stupid projects? Yes. In fact, I should just worry about my next short movie. If I were to talk to others about my project I’m sure others would roll their eyes about how insignificant my little project would be. That’s the nature of the business. Today’s production assistant is tomorrow’s power producer. It only takes one project. To go up or down. Case in point:

I was listening to Bret Easton Ellis podcast with guest James VanDerBeek. He was Dawson on a hit show called “Dawson’s Creek.” After the success of that show and “Varsity Blues” he started to take chances on small projects that tested his range. He was in a Todd Solondz movie where he was sodomizing another guy (cut from movie) which led an executive to realize he could do “Laws Of Attraction.” Prior to that, he was in a project called “Texas Rangers” which went belly up. It lost so much money it knocked VanDerBeek off the short list of bankable stars. Keep this in mind, prior to that fiasco…he could say yes to a project and studios would throw $75 million into it. Now…they could barely launch “Laws Of Attraction” with his name attached. That was ONE project away. That’s how quickly you can be tossed into dumpster. Consider Will Smith and his constant paranoia about failures. “After Earth” nearly capsized his career, in spite of the fact that he’d been an insane money-maker since “Independence Day.” Shit, he was HUGE after “Bad Boys.” He was consistent and sturdy in the box office. ONE project after over a decade of hits turned him in poison. This is why stars get wishy washy about what they do. Not sure the logic behind it, but I guess people run like hell from bad juju. We’ll see how “Focus” does. Will Smith’s newest movie. I’m pretty sure it’s going to fail. A few things…it’s an interracial relationship they’re trying to play down in trailers (for which confuses people). Smith plays a cad. I think they want to see Smith play American hero. I hate to say it, but you should probably wrap him in an American flag as he blasts away aliens or illegal immigrants with a pulse rifle. The story looks confusing as fuck. Grifting is such a touchy weird subject. The last time it was even close to being interesting was a long forgotten movie called “Matchstick Men.” I’m sure the movie is going to be good, but it’s not going to make money. And, unfortunately, that’s all studios remember.