Day
8 - September 8 Running
out of gas, leaping from the trees
"Therapy
is as common as gasoline," says psychologist Dr. Parks (John Ritter)
to his new patient Alex (William H. Macy) in today's competition
entry Panic That line may be comforting in Los Angeles where
the film is set, but it elicited wry laughter here in Deauville
as the gasoline situation grows critical. Cabs are impossible to
find, the pumps are dry, truckers are blocking the roads, deliveries
have slowed nationwide because fuel currently costs so much people
who drive vehicles for a living can barely break even. Local restauranteurs
are concerned that Parisians won't be able to fill their tanks to
drive here for the closing weekend.
Panic is the story of a guy with two jobs: running a mail
order business out of his house and, uh, killing people. The family
business is contract killing, but Alex is intent on changing jobs.
His parents - played by Donald Sutherland and Barbara Bain - wouldn't
approve of a switch. To further complicate matters, Alex falls for
a 23-year-old- flake played by Neve Campbell. And things really
come to a head when Alex gets a highly problematic asignment to
rub someone out.
Sundance darling Chuck
and Buck was the tenth and final film in competition. The
story of a 27-year-old man-child who's never outgrown his affection
for his childhood best friend, the movie is a like-it-or-hate-it
affair. It's shot on digital video and has an unappealing look about
it that is partly but not completely overcome by the story.
Harrison
Ford is here with What Lies Beneath. At his press conference
this morning, Ford was asked whether, given his non-acting years
as a carpenter, he had lent a hand in building the sets for the
film. Ford's very sincere-sounding answer: "No, unfortunately, I
no longer contribute anything so useful." Ford was also asked what
he thought of the most recent Star Wars film. He fielded
the question by saying that the early films were about the characters
whereas the latest one is about laying the groundwork and providing
a surface to contain special effects. Asked if he and Michelle Pfeiffer
are old friends because they seem so comfortable together on screen,
Ford replied, "I had never met Michelle before we made this movie.
She's an incredibly talented actress. The first scene we shot together
was full of intimate marriage stuff and she had all sorts of little
devices to make it seem as if we'd lived together for years. You
can both be experienced actors but never achieve that fit."
The unqualified treat of the day was the tribute to Asia's biggest
star, Chow Yun-Fat, who came with director
Ang Lee to present their Chinese-language martial arts extravaganza
Crouching Tiger,
Hidden Dragon. Zowie! What a movie, thanks in great part
to fight choreographer Yuen Wo Ping, who also gave The Matrix
its distinctive moves. Chow told the capacity crowd, "Thank you
to the people of France for giving me a lot of support throughout
my career."
Crouching
is the story of the mayhem that ensues when a 400-year-old sword
is stolen. The story takes place under the reign of what I would
call the Clang Destiny - as in the clanging of swords. People in
North America are about to mistake Lars Von Trier's Dancer in
the Dark for a musical, but nothing can beat the razzle dazzle
moves on display in this kick ass martial arts movie in which women
of three generations do all the ass kicking. It's gorgeous and imaginative
and not to be missed, even if you've never tried an Asian film before.
Tomorrow morning at 11, the jury will screen the 8 short films in
competition. Advance buzz says the caliber is way up there. Certainly
there are few festivals that take short films seriously enough to
give their makers transatlantic plane tickets and three nights in
a four-star hotel. Scary Movie also premieres tomorrow with
Keenan Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Carmen Electra
and Shannon Elisabeth in town.
"Therapy
is as common as gasoline," says psychologist Dr. Parks (John Ritter)
to his new patient Alex (William H. Macy) in today's competition
entry Panic That line may be comforting in Los Angeles where
the film is set, but it elicited wry laughter here in Deauville
as the gasoline situation grows critical. Cabs are impossible to
find, the pumps are dry, truckers are blocking the roads, deliveries
have slowed nationwide because fuel currently costs so much people
who drive vehicles for a living can barely break even. Local restauranteurs
are concerned that Parisians won't be able to fill their tanks to
drive here for the closing weekend.
Harrison
Ford is here with What Lies Beneath. At his press conference
this morning, Ford was asked whether, given his non-acting years
as a carpenter, he had lent a hand in building the sets for the
film. Ford's very sincere-sounding answer: "No, unfortunately, I
no longer contribute anything so useful." Ford was also asked what
he thought of the most recent Star Wars film. He fielded
the question by saying that the early films were about the characters
whereas the latest one is about laying the groundwork and providing
a surface to contain special effects. Asked if he and Michelle Pfeiffer
are old friends because they seem so comfortable together on screen,
Ford replied, "I had never met Michelle before we made this movie.
She's an incredibly talented actress. The first scene we shot together
was full of intimate marriage stuff and she had all sorts of little
devices to make it seem as if we'd lived together for years. You
can both be experienced actors but never achieve that fit."