Sally Field brought her mother to the Nicolas Cage fete on Saturday night . . . and may have wished she hadn't.
Just prior to Cage's receiving the Piper-Heidsick Independent Vision Award, and before the sit-down, clips-and-interview session began, a movie moment came up on the screen of the Egyptian Theater just to get things started on the right note.The lights went down as the audience watched an infamous scene from "Vampire's Kiss," in which Cage munches on a live cockroach. If that wasn't enough, 90 minutes later the evening wrapped up with a grotesquely violent sequence from David Lynch's "Wild at Heart."
Subtlety has not been the Sundance Film Festival's strong suit this year, and the Cage event merely set the tone. With films about mobsters, drug addicts and, of course, vampires, Park City screens have been filled with unsettling volumes of blood and guts.
On the other hand, this has certainly been a star-studded year. In addition to Cage and Field, Robert Redford has been more prominent than in some years. After his annual press conference last weekend, Redford showed up at the Cage tribute and has been spotted around town at various functions.
Jerry Lewis was in Park City overnight to help introduce the comedy-drama "Funny Bones," in which he plays a veteran comedian whose son is suffering from big-time flop sweat. He mugged for photographers after the Tuesday evening premiere, while Oliver Platt (Porthos in the most recent version of "The Three Musketeers") and British standup comic Lee Evans, who have the lead roles, talked with reporters.
In a press conference the next day, writer-director Peter Chelsom ("Hear My Song") acknowledged that Lewis plays an extension of himself in "Funny Bones," but praised the actor's professionalism and serious acting ability. He also related a number of humorous stories about working with Lewis.
One of the film's sight gags has Lewis' character, a superstar American comic, traveling to the small town of Blackpool, England, and when he arrives at the airport we see a long string of luggage following him from the plane. Chelsom said that when Lewis arrived in Blackpool to shoot the scene, the only difference was that he had more luggage.
French actress Leslie Caron ("An American in Paris," "Gigi"), who has a supporting role in "Funny Bones," was asked why she doesn't make more movies these days, and her answer was succinct: "They don't ask me."
Among the other celebrities in town to promote festival films:
- Director Mike Newell ("Four Weddings and a Funeral," "Into the West" - both previous Sundance opening-night films) and actor Alan Rickman (who played memorable villains in "Die Hard" and "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves") were on hand for the premiere of "An Awfully Big Adventure." (Which one critic called, "An awfully big disappointment.")
- John Turturro (winner of the first Independent Vision award in 1992), Griffin Dunne and Illeana Douglas (here last year for "Grief" and a short film she directed) were present for "Search and Destroy."
- Gabriel Byrne (who was here two years ago for "Into the West"), Suzy Amis (here last year with "Two Small Bodies") and Stephen Baldwin (also here last year, for "Threesome") did interviews for "The Usual Suspects." (Baldwin also appears in the competition film "Fall Time.")
- Jimmy Smits (TV's "NYPD Blue," "L.A. Law"), Edward James Olmos (who won a Golden Globe last weekend for the TV movie "The Burning Season") and Esai Morales ("Bad Boys," "La Bamba") helped launch the premiere of Gregory Nava's Latino ensemble drama"My Family."
- Sarah Jessica Parker ("L.A. Story," "Honeymoon in Vegas"), Paul Mazursky (an actor in this film, but best known as the director of "Down and Out in Beverly Hills," "Enemies: A Love Story") and supermodel Naomi Campbell came in for "Miami Rhapsody."
- Karen Black ("Five Easy Pieces," "Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?"), who appears in Trent Harris' "Plan 10 From Outer Space."
- Julie Hagerty (the "Airplane" movies), veteran character actor Wallace Shawn and writer-director/actor Tom Noonan and his wife actress Karen Young, the four costars of the competition film "The Wife."
- Peter Riegert (the straight-faced police detective in "The Mask"), for "Coldblooded," another competition film.
- Sheryl Lee (who was here last year for "Backbeat"), for the competition films "Homage" and "Fall Time."
There were even a few recognizable faces - Field, Robert Wuhl ("Batman," "Cobb"), Michael Rapaport ("Zebrahead," "Higher Learning") - roaming the streets of Park City who had no films to promote.
There's no question that the Sundance Film Festival has become a place to rub shoulders with Hollywood movers and shakers, those who can get a new film financed or a finished film out in the marketplace.
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
For festival information, phone 328-FILM (328-3456); for ticket information, phone 322-1700. All theaters and auditoriums are in Park City, except the Tower, which is in Salt Lake City (876 E. 900 South), and the Sundance Screening Room, which is at the Sundance Resort in Provo Canyon.
FRIDAY, JAN. 27
Egyptian: "Angela" 4 p.m., "Shallow Grave" 7 p.m., "Nadja" 10 p.m.
Holiday I: "Dorothea Lange" 4 p.m., "Out of Ireland" 7 p.m., "Shorts Program V" 10 p.m.
Holiday II: "Heavy" 4:20 p.m., "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" 7:20 p.m., "Unzipped" 10:20 p.m.
Holiday III: "A Litany to Survival" 4:40 p.m., "Party Girl" 7:40 p.m., "The Garden of Eden" 10:40 p.m.
Prospector: "Living in Oblivion" 3 p.m., "The Four Corners of Nowhere" 6 p.m., "The Basketball Diaries" 9 p.m.
Library: "The Doom Generation" 3:30 p.m., "Fall Time" 6:30 p.m., "The Basketball Diaries" 9:30 p.m.
Sundance: "Native Cinema I" 4:30 p.m., "An Awfully Big Adventure" 8 p.m.
Tower: "Safe" 6 p.m., "A Pure Formality" 8:30 p.m., "Tie-Died" midnight
SATURDAY, JAN. 28
Egyptian: "Ballot Measure 9" 10 a.m., "The Basketball Diaries" 1 p.m., "The Wife" 4 p.m., "Once Were Warriors" 7 p.m., "Words Upon the Window Pane" 10 p.m., "Mute Witness" midnight
Holiday I: "No Loans Today" 10 a.m., "Ecological Design" 1 p.m., "Rhythm Thief" 4 p.m., "Shorts Program I" 7 p.m., "Shorts Program II" 10 p.m.
Holiday II: "Parallel Sons" 10:20 a.m., "Fall Time" 1:20 p.m., "Tie-Died" 4:20 p.m., "The Silence of Neto" 7:20 p.m., "A Night in Nude" 10:20 p.m.
Holiday III: "Naked Jane" 10:40 a.m., "Picture Bride" 1:40 p.m., "Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls" 4:40 p.m., "Native Cinema II" 7:40 p.m., "Growing Up" 10:40 p.m.
Prospector: "Shallow Grave" 9:30 a.m., TBA noon, "The Young Poisoner's Handbook" 3 p.m., "Cradle Song" 6 p.m., "The Silences of the Palace" 9 p.m.
Library: "Window to Paris" 9:30 a.m., "Homage" 12:30 p.m., "Cold Blooded" 3:30 p.m., "To the Starry Island" 6:30 p.m., "No Mercy" 9:30 p.m.
Sundance: "Frank and Ollie" 2 p.m., "Picture of Light" 4:30 p.m., "Before Sunrise" 8 p.m.
Tower: "The Secret of Roan Inish" 2 p.m., "Exotica" 6 p.m., "Shallow Grave" 8:30 p.m., "The Doom Generation" midnight
SUNDAY, JAN. 29
Egyptian: Documentary Grand Prize Winner 11 a.m., Dramatic Grand Prize Winner 2 p.m., Documentary Audience Award Winner 5 p.m., Dramatic Audience Award Winner 8 p.m.
Holiday I: "Family Members" 11 a.m., "Family Portrait Sittings" 2 p.m., "Diaries" 5 p.m.
Holiday II: "Frank and Ollie" 11:20 a.m., "In the Heat of the Sun" 2:20 p.m., "Amnesia" 5:20 p.m., "Native Cinema I" 8:20 p.m.
Holiday III: "Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter" 11:40 a.m., "Picture of Light" 2:40 p.m., "Shorts Program III" 5:40 p.m., "Two Crimes" 8:40 p.m.
Prospector: "Back to Back, Face to Face" 10:30 a.m., "Soul Survivor" 2 p.m., "Mouvements du Desir" 4 p.m., "Exotica" 7 p.m.
Library: Dramatic Filmmakers Trophy Winner 10:30 a.m., Documentary Filmmakers Trophy Winner 1 p.m., Freedom of Expression Award Winner 4 p.m., "BEG!" 7 p.m.