Ripvanryan Digressions of a Listless Film School Drop Out
Sundance '09: Day 1 8:27pm, January 17, 2009
On Friday morning, traffic from Salt Lake City to Park City was surprisingly light. According to the Sundance Film Festival Guide, the highly coveted lots G and F near the Festival Headquarters would fill to capacity by 11am, so the girlfriend and I made sure to arrive before 10. Surprisingly, G and F lots were almost completely empty. We walked to Festival Headquarters (the Salt Lake City Marriott) to pick up my press credentials prior to an 11:30am screening of THE KILLING ROOM. After being inadvertently steered into the area for “cast and crew credentials” (a cramped, two-desk cubbyhole with two overworked volunteers printing credentials and cramming them into clear plastic covers with a harried, almost demonic ferocity, as a long-awaiting crowd of cast and crew grumbled and fidgeted), I finally found the Press Office, and received my credentials in two shakes. (Oh, those poor, sorry bastards in cast and crew.) I put in a request for tickets to THE ONLY GOOD INDIAN later that afternoon and booked over to Prospector Square for my first movie.
THE KILLING ROOM was pretty good, a high-stakes psychological shocker about four civilians enmeshed in a creepy-ass government experiment. I dug the mood, the plot was pretty involving, and it was a hard movie to tear my eyes away from. I’d RSVPed for THE KILLING ROOM party later that evening, and I was stoked. Director Jonathan Liebesman, Nick Cannon (DAY OF THE DEAD), and Shea Wigham (ALL THE REAL GIRLS) were on hand to answer questions:
After THE KILLING ROOM, the Press Office let me know that THE ONLY GOOD INDIAN was sold out, so the girlfriend and I took a few walks up and down Main Street, killing time and scoping for celebrities. I saw Dominic Monahan (Charlie from LOST) walking in the midst of an entourage of 14, speaking in sarcastic British tones (I didn’t catch exactly what he said; he just slurred a few words and his minions twittered). I saw Mekhi Phifer standing outside a restaurant, being totally cool to a fan:
What was most stunning was the lack of people cruising Main. I’ve seen so many Sundance photos featuring a Park City bloated with people, like a tick about to burst. This year seemed decidedly different. With plenty of time to kill, we decided to drive back to Salt Lake to eat at one of our favorite local haunts. As we drove out of the F parking lot, we asked Cletus the attendant if we could return later that evening without paying.
“No, you can’t. You’d have to pay again” he said.
“We’re planning on coming back around nine,” I said. “What time do you start to get busy?”
“To be honest,” he replied, “this is my first year. But the boss told me that after 5…(dramatic pause)…it gets crazy.”
We returned at 9pm to find the F parking lot about half full. Whatever, Cletus. After taking a shuttle to Main Street, I was surprised to see the streets still decidedly less-than-packed:
After waiting outside the Rock Star Café to get admitted to THE KILLING ROOM party, the bouncer at the front door told me that I wasn’t on the list. Well, that wouldn’t be so bad normally, but the bouncer said it in that total bouncer way, you know that I mean, it’s like he’s saying, “So, I’m sure that you know that I barely got my GED, and we’re both aware that I don’t make as much money as you, and when I’m with my wife I can’t even come unless I take her from behind and dry-fire an empty 9mm into the back of her skull as I get close, but for the next 10 minutes, I’m in complete control of your life.” You know how they are.
So, I wasn’t on the list. Bummer. Either way, I liked Liebesman’s movie. We stopped briefly at a bar on Main Street called The Spur. It was packed. We tried to cram our way toward the bar, but it was a bitch:
I was getting sweaty and anxious. This dude was at the bar ahead of us, and finally the barkeep started giving him some love, and right before he ordered, he cranked around and asked, “What are you guys having?”
“A beer and a shot,” I said.
He turned back to the bar and conducted some personal business. I shot my girlfriend some raised eyebrows. He turned back around, handing us each a beer and a shot.
“Enjoy your festival,” he said, and vanished. He looked like someone I should have recognized; not an actor, per se, but someone working behind the scenes. In any case, it was a nice reprieve after Fuckstick McBouncerton gave me the thumbs down.
Soon after, we cruised across the street to a screening of GRACE at the Egyptian, where Laura and Mandi, director Paul Solet’s publicists, were generous enough to leave a couple of tickets. Grace was a literal scream, as Sundance audiences are unaccustomed to straight-up horror films and strongly overreact at the sight of gore. Reportedly two people fainted at last night’s midnight screening, and sources confirm that both of them were men. Disturbing, to say the least. Paul Solet and a few cast members hung around to answer questions:
And yeah, Jordan Ladd looks to be all of 5’0”:
Tonight I’m catching a midnight screening of SPRING BREAKDOWN, a sassy comedy for girls. Still jealous, Mr. Disgusting?
Wish I could make it this year. :( If it is there this year the Turning Leaf lounge has free booze. It will get busy mid-week where its just stupid to walk anywhere.
You have to be logged in to comment! If you don't have a Zombie Army account register now for free! Your account allows you to post comments, upload videos and images, access or our forums, write personal blogs, and maintain your zombie army profile.
