10.11.00

The Chicago International Film Festival has begun! So far I have enjoyed, "Best in Show", "Gimme Shelter", and "The Sound and the Fury". I am, however, disturbed by what appears to be a weird group dynamic, mass hysteria sort of thing. Let me explain.

At film festivals, it's common for directors and sometimes actors to introduce the film, and then hang around for questions afterwards. It's a wonderful treat and one of the best things about going to a film festival. I've seen a lot of extraordinarily talented people talk about their work with sincere and downright visceral passion. It's amazing.

I love movies and I love hearing people talk about making movies.

Anyway, what happens in this sort of environment (where most everyone in the theater is like me; sittin' there, lovin' movies) is the audience gets a little worked up. They're starstruck, awestruck and eager to please. And I mean seriously eager to please. They get kind of squirmy, kind of anxious and as soon as the film begins, there is no place for this energy to go and they overreact to every damned thing on the screen. If there's a mildly funny joke, they are HOO HOO HOOing through the next five minutes of dialog and if a small child or dog makes an appearance, a collective AWWWWWW resounds throughout the auditorium. There's much gasping and oohing and ahhing and more laughing and it's all because someone involved in making the film is sitting there. I swear to God, it's like 500 people trying to kiss ass all at once.

It completely spoils the experience for me. Luckily, this phenomenon only lasts fifteen, twenty minutes tops. Less if the movie is good and people are able to forget there's royalty among them.

I'd write more, my invisible internet friend, but I have many more films to see (and swanky cocktail parties peppered with celebrities to attend)! I'll be busy during the next week or so, but I'll try real hard to bring you festival updates.

Man, I LOVE this time of year.

And for those of you counting at home, I haven't smoked in two weeks, one day, 6 hours, 3 minutes and 21 seconds.