CAFE SOCIETY PART THREE - Following the unsure reception accorded to my 1st feature "Cafe Society", we have a tendency to came back to New York--somewhat dispirited however still basically optimistic. After al, Roger Ebert had extremely liked the movie. Others had too. it had been as if no one wished to be the primary to come back out and say that they loved it. I sensed (and believe i used to be correct in this) that the finishing of the film was partly to blame--it was still overlength and under-scored musically (by that I mean NOT scored--I tried to try to to with amount records solely that may be a pretty conceit--Woody Allen will it all the time--but wasn't extremely right for this movie).
At that point, Showtime had gotten into the "made of cable" movie business in earnest. one in all the ways in which to try to to this with some potency was to not simply build their own movies, however get already finished movies that had bother securing domestic distribution. the flicks required to possess recognizable solid components, elegant production values and a few variety of "hook" to capture their audience.
And boy, did "Cafe Society" work that bill. Showtime created a handsome provide to debut the film on their channel, promoted it heavily and created the producers happy by a minimum of confirming that they hadn't created a slip-up in creating the film within the 1st place. The film was scheduled for showing, a couple of alterations were created (music was added) which ought to are the tip of that.
But i used to be a young man with a mission and my mission had not been to form a movie for Showtime. It had been to form a kickass
indie film that will be seen in theaters and obtain me noticed. I say that with simply a tinge of embarrassment from this distance. simply a tinge, though. For anyone who goes into the racket should begin with a reasonably healthy ego and inflated sense of egos simply to urge to the beginning gate. I hadn't waited those 5 years since my short film to form my 1st feature and have it air a handful of times at 10PM on cable. No. That would not do.
It took a handful of years, however in early 1997 i would created some cash writing scripts and set that, instead of investing within the stock market (as my currently wealthy friends did back then) i'd pay the money releasing "Cafe Society" in theaters. Or during a theater--one would be all I may afford. I looked around ny (where I lived and where I felt the movie actually belonged) and located a stunning very little theater known as The Screening area down on Canal Street and Varick. stage had a stunning bar/restaurant hooked up to it and therefore the whole issue had a vibe that felt incredibly correct for my movie. What I did not grasp at the time, though, was {that you|that you simply|that you simply} do not just exit and rent a theater. stage homeowners have to be compelled to need to indicate your movie and believe that there is thereforeme profit in them for taking the difficulty to try to to so. a stunning guy named Henry Hersowitz, had opened stage together with his partner. They listened to my proposal, watched the movie and then set that yes--there was one thing doubtless in it for everybody to open "Cafe Society" in ny. however bound things had to be agreed to. For one issue, I had to comply with acquire a minimum quantity of advertising house. and that we had to succeed in gross receipts of a precise variety for them to comply with hold the film over past the initial one week run. Nothing deterred me. I assured them i'd handle it all which we'd be in for a protracted run. Jesus, what happens to our confidence as we have a tendency to grow older?
I employed a publicist, an art director and created up a rigorous schedule. I reached out to any or all news shops with the story i believed would sell--the true story of the Jelke/Ward scandal. Some bit. Others were a lot of fascinated by the story of me releasing my very own movie. I place along a correct premiere using sponsorship from Mercedes Benz and alternative vendors to hide the prices. (Mercedes delievered a 1957 Mercedes to the front of stage for the premiere. I keep in mind a really young Gretchen Mol posing on it on our premiere night). John Harny of the ny Daily News wrote the simplest article--click here to browse it.
And then we have a tendency to opened. the primary reviews I browse were within the tabs because the ny Times hadn't hit the stands nonetheless. They were each poor. Weirdly they additionally each used identical "joke" headline: "So Noir nonetheless therefore Far". I remember, in those pre-internet days, reading them at the newstand on the corner of sixth avenue and fourth street and going right back to bed. It had been the fastest fifty thousand greenbacks i would ever lost.
And then I got a decision from my publicist, Alicia Goldstein. "Congratulations on your ny Times review", she said. I hadn't
even bothered to travel back out for it, therefore convinced was I by the opposite notices that the complete issue had been an enormous miscalculation. however really Stephen Holden's review that Friday morning saved the movie's life. Our gap weekend was really quite busy--and all of that times review. the subsequent week, Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel reviewed it on TV. I want I had the video of it. It created me cry after I watched it. Good cry, not bad.
To total it up, "Cafe Society" had a life beyond what anyone had thought it had been destined to possess when its initial showing. Another little releasing company came along and booked the film in art house theaters in Philly, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and DC. I did interviews galore talking the film up and dutifully saved every and each clipping and review we have a tendency to got. (I've since misplaced the folder completely). however the simplest prize of all--at least for me--came when the ny Times review appeared.
I got a decision Friday afternoon from Henry Hersovitz saying that stage had been known as by Woody Allen's assistant. He browse the review and wished to envision the film. They were thrilled and invited him to come back right down to stage and see the film off-hours. No, that would not work the assistant explained. He had his own theater and required to possess a print sent up for him to envision it. sadly, we have a tendency to had just one print of the film that created letting it disappear for the day incredibly dangerous--especially on gap weekend. Once this was explained, the Woody camp came back with an answer. If we have a tendency to may deliver the film and have the messenger stand by, Woody would watch the film immediately. Jesus, I thought. He should really need to envision this issue. therefore that is what we have a tendency to did. I never heard weather he liked it or not however a couple of years later I offered him a vicinity during a movie and therefore the response I happened from his reps was a polite no with an acknowledgement that he liked my work.
So that was that. My 1st film value me each dime i would initially earned on it and a lot of. to the current day it remains unavailable on DVD and solely rarely turns up on cable. you may decision this a story of disappointment however somehow--I do not know how--I saw the complete issue as a very promising begin to things. What the fuck was wrong with me, you ask? straightforward. To paraphrase Richard Brooks (see previous previous post), I had set that I wished to form movies enough to eat shit unsalted. All things being equal, there was salt on the table at the tip of the day.
