Update from the Sundance Film Festival

I’d like to say, “And now a first-hand look at the Sundance Film Festival from GITS ace reporter Kurt Brown,” but I’d be lying… partially. No, Kurt Brown is not a reporter, not for me or anybody else; rather he’s a poet and teacher — and longtime friend. But yes, he does happen to be at the Sundance festival this year (Kurt’s step-daughter-in-law’s boyfriend has a short movie in competition there). And here’s his first report:

Hey Scott, Greetings from the Java Cow coffee shop on Main Street in Park City, Utah, where the weather is cold, the deals are thick and fast, and the stars are always out.

We saw two good pictures so far: “The Killing Room,” a tense psychological thriller starring Timothy Hutton, Chloe Sevigny, and Nick Canon (Canon was in attendance); plus “The Thriller in Manilla,” a boxing movie about the three fights between Frazier and Ali, focusing on the third and final (bloody) fight in Manilla where they beat each other to a pulp and had to call off the fight in the fourteenth round. Tonight, we go to see another boxing move: this one about Mike Tyson, and Tyson purportedly will be there to introduce the film. I’m going to wear iron earmuffs, in case he’s hungry.

You never know.

UPDATE: Yes, an update on this update. More from Kurt Brown who’s hob-knobbing his way through the snowy streets of Park City, Utah at the Sundance Film Festival:

Hi Scott. Last night we went to see that movie about Mike Tyson (entitled simply: “Tyson”). It was a good film, too, but Tyson isn’t as fascinating a character as Ali or Frazier. Iron Mike is a more sympathetic character, to be sure, a boy-bear from the bad streets of Brooklyn, all heart, no head. But the film centers around two long interviews interspersed with fight footage, told chronologically with some silly effects I could have applied with my iMovie program. “The Thriller in Manilla” was a more sophisticated film, also using archival fight footage, but in a much more interesting way. Anyway, Tyson came out at the end with his manager, both dressed in tuxedos, and answered questions from the audience. We had a great seat, not far from where he was standing at a microphone. Again, you felt you wanted to give him a hug and tell him everything was going to be alright. He seemed to be a big, confused boy who had been used and abused, who went on a frightening roller coaster ride with the world.

One funny thing: the audience was told to turn off cell phones, of course, and the house darkened for the film. The INSTANT the film was over, while the credits were still running, I could see‹all over the theater, like small candle flames‹the illuminated faces of people bending to their cell phones as they texted intently in the semi-darkness. This included Barry [Kurt’s step-daughter-in-law’s BF], who was sitting next to me. We’ve become slaves to our cell phones.

Another funny sight: a free shuttle bus at the base of Main Street, stopped for a light, bounced and rocked, while jubilant shouts emanated from it. Inside, we could see a crowd on its feet (the bus was packed) , jumping up and down, dancing, crawling over the seats‹young revelers from “happy hour” already blitzed. Every shop and restaurant on Main Street was full, with lines of people at every door waiting to get in. It looked like Bourbon Street in New Orleans. There were scads of cameras slung over shoulders, sound booms and mics, interviews taking place. I didn’t see any stars, but Barry saw Christy Brinkley outside the music tent (I was inside listening to the Gin Blossoms). One of Barry’s friends, who has a film in the festival lineup, threw a party for his cast and we went for a few minutes to see all the posing and publicity shots in front of a wall of sponsor logos. Lots of snowbunnies stuffed into lycra, and handsome young men brooding and bored.

We’re going to see two more films today. Including Barry’s three-minute animated short. I think I’ll start a chant when it’s over: “Barrrrry! Barrrry!”

My battery is about to run out. More tomorrow. Kurt