SXSW 2010 Day 1: Kick-Ass and Evil, Dale and Tucker
Every film festival wants its Opening Night Film to make a statement that sets the tone for the rest of the festival, and SXSW 2010 opened with the aptly titled Kick-Ass.
The anticipation was high; the crowds enormous. To put it into perspective, someone tweeted that there were 7,000 film bags prepared, meaning 7,000 potential people in line for Opening Night. The line was so long it circled the entire block, and not all badges got in. That's a first in my experience at the Paramount, with 1,200 seats. Even the 2004 special screening of Hellboy did not encircle the block. I suspect the extremely positive reaction from us BNAT11 attendees helped. Or perhaps it was the balls-out promotional work the Lionsgate people are doing, with taxis and SUVs covered in Kick-Ass branding. There was even a Kick-Ass inspired floodlight making a rather amusing statement on the side of a downtown building (pictured above).
I feel sorry for the folks that didn't get in, but know this: Many of the reserved seats were for guests who were also badgeholders. I admit, I line leeched, but I also got to say hello to friends I hadn't seen in a while.
Seeing Kick-Ass deconstruct superhero comics a second time, I am pleased to report that little if anything changed other than the music, While the replacement music was not as perfect as the uncleared score used at BNAT, was still quite fine. The audience certainly enjoyed it.
So it was off to the Opening Night Party at Buffalo Billiards. More line time again, this time friends leeched to me, so karma balanced out.
The music was a bit off, some weird 80s mix, and of course the VIP area was roped off, but there was food, and free drinks, and I got to chat with people I haven't really had a chance to hang out with. It was fun.
But I'm worried. Jason Reitman is stalking me. Not really, but it seems every time I turn around, there he is. Yesterday when I was walking to ACC, I thought I saw a Jason Reitman lookalike hurrying up the other side of the street. But today I found out, it's the man himself. He was in the booth behind me at the Opening Night party. I may have to get paranoid. Or start a Jason Reitman drinking game.
I eventually left to get in line to see Dale and Tucker vs Evil. Remember me saying in the Survival Guide for passes to avoid the Ritz prior to Tuesday? This was another SRO screening. If you want to grump, grump at the people who saw it at Sundance and just had to see it again, taking up spaces newbies to the Dale and Tucker experience. But in all fairness, this is pretty damned funny stuff. The title alone made me want to see it and you know I have a fondness for midnight movies at festivals, but this also has the amazing comedic talent of Allen Tudyk. Tudyk is a guy who can set a whole theater of people into gales of laughter with any sentence and a flick of an eyelid.
But before I get too involved in the movie itself, it was one of the more memorable intros. Jarod Neese of SXSW let us know that as the opening-night midnight screening, we all got a free Miller Light. Then he introduced Eli Craig, the director. He'd clearly been enjoying himself at SXSW. He demanded a terrifying scream to start us off as a few people who saw Dale and Tucker vs Evil at Sundance apparently felt there weren't enough of in the film. Screams achieved. Boobs were also lacking, so Craig was not going to get off the stage until someone showed him some boobs. So a certain Seth Rogan lookalike stripped down from the waist up and did us proud. Thanks, Dan, for manning up and showing us all up, and helping the film get started.
Back to Dale and Tucker vs Evil. I was there for Tudyk, but I got a lot more out of it. This deconstruction of the horror genre turned the hillbilly horror stereotype on its collective ear along with the college kids camping one. 'm not sure what would make a better companion film for it; Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, Feast, or Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. In one sense, Dale and Tucker vs Evil is like sketch comedy, with guys who are so funny no one around them can keep a straight face, but in the best way. It's sure to become a cult classic.
It's now after 4 am, so I think it's past time I got some sleep, don't you? But what to watch tomorrow? Well, if you're really lucky you'll get into the world premiere of Geoff Marslett's Mars at the Ritz (theater 1, so there's a chance). There's also Wake, with The Collector's Josh Stewart at the Paramount, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Micmacs à tire-larigot. So many choices! But for now, I'm going to bed.