Happy 40th SIFF Part Seven

(Guests at one of the parties I attended during SIFF)

Life. Flashed Before Your Eyes. May 13 - June 6.

This was the 25th anniversary of SIFF. Paul Schell was now the Mayor of Seattle. I appeared in the Fool Serious Guide To Familiar Faces.

(Films for the festival had been expanded to the Pacific Place Cinema)

The program was bigger, but the pages had a matt finish. Some of the films that I saw were: The Red Violin (DDDD) Canada, Italy, UK and Austria. Run Lola Run (DDDDD) Germany, Get Bruce a documentary on Bruce Valance (DDDD), Creature one of my all time favorite documentaries. About a guy who gets a sex change and goes home to see his family (DDDDD) It’s a touching story. Beefcake (DDDD), Better Than Chocolate (DDD), The Adventures of Sebastian Cole (DDD), Desert Blue (DDDD) including the next batch of rising stars Kate Hudson, Christina Ricci, Sara Gilbert and Casey Affleck. It‘s a story of young kids in a small town with nothing to do. Freak Talks About Sex (DDDD), The Loss of Sexual Innocence (D), Saturn (DDDDD) I really enjoyed this film which starred Scott Caan. I could really relate to it. The Secret Life of Girls (DDDD) I had photographed and met Linda Hamilton and Majandra Delfino stars of the film, but unfortunately none of the pictures came out. It does happen from time to time. Twin Falls Idaho (DDDD), Following (DDD)Great Britain, Get Real (DDDD) Great Britain, Besieged (DDDD) Italy, Of Freaks and Men (DDD) Russia,

(Actor Douglas Spain on the boat. You may recognize Douglas Spain from But I'm a Cheerleader and Star Maps.)

There was a party on a boat and there I met several people in the film industry as we cruised around Lake Washington. From the Mayor’s Film and Video office we received a complimentary journal. Donna James was the director at the time.

(Sean and Robin were leaving the Egyptian theater when I took this picture. There is a story that goes behind my meeting with the couple.)

SIFF allowed me many networking opportunities. I met a lot of interesting people and I created some lasting friendships.

Here is my new rating system. DDDDD highly recommend. DDDD It should be watched. DDD Entertaining DD So, so if you like the stars. D Just out of curiosity watch it.
(I like all movies. Even those that most people don’t like, it makes for great conversation.)


Check out my other blogs:
http://ArtbyDlonzo.blogspot.com
http://dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com



Thanks for stopping by, and do come back again or become a follower. Remember to keep an open mind.

Happy 40th SIFF Part Six

May 21 - June 14, 1998 “Do You Like To Watch?”

(My best friend at the time was a big Star Wars fan, in fact I never would have seen any of the films if it hadn't of been for him. Yoda had his own space on a shelf.)

Paul Schell was now the new Mayor. Some of the films that I saw included This Is My Father (DDD) which was the opening night film. The Brandon Teena Story (DDDD), Kiki’s Delivery Service (DDD), The Governess (DDDD), Carried Away (DDDD), Melting Pot (DDDD), Uncut (DD) Canada, Lawn Dogs (DD) Great Britain, Metro land (DDD) Great Britain/France, Wilde (DDDDD) Great Britain, Manly Love (D) Spain, Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss (DDD), Burn (DDDDD), Dead Man’s Curve released as The Curve (DDDD), God Said Ha (DDD), God’s And Monsters (DDDDD), Henry Fool (DDD), High Art (DDDD), Homo Heights (DD), The Last Days of Disco (DDD), Mr’ P’s Dancing Sushi Bar (DD) USA/Vietnam, The Opposite of Sex (DDDD), Relax It’s Just Sex (DDD)

(This is me playing around. I think I used this image in Four One One.)

A few of the films I’ve never seen make it to VHS or DVD so the rating of the film may have changed on the foreign films if I had been able to watch them again.
I believe this was the year that I met Brendan Fraser, Thomas Jane and several Canadian film makers.

(Brendan Fraser at one of the film parties. He was promoting the film Gods and Monsters.)

There are many places in Seattle that I had made a point to visit in between films and parties. The Gravity Bar,Pioneer Square, The Broadway Market, Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market, Seattle Art Museum and Volunteer Park.

Seattle was becoming like a second home and during SIFF, I felt like a celebrity. I had a driver at my disposal and was able to attend some of the private functions. I had even been included in The Fool Serious Guide To Familiar Faces. That was quite an honor. The people I met while attending SIFF were just so nice and some of us are still friends today.



Here is my new rating system. DDDDD highly recommend. DDDD It should be watched. DDD Entertaining DD So, so if you like the stars. D Just out of curiosity watch it.
(I like all movies. Even those that most people don’t like, it makes for great conversation.)


Check out my other blogs:
http://ArtbyDlonzo.blogspot.com
http://dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com


The Seattle International Film Festival will celebrate it’s 40th year in May of 2014. I’ll review some of my favorite films. And talk about my experiences from 1993 - 1999. Continuing with part seven by the end of the week.

Thanks for stopping by, and do come back again or become a follower. Remember to keep an open mind.

The Tony Awards

When I remember I like to watch the Tony Awards so that I can see what plays I'd like to see. Watching the Tony's reminds me of trips to New York. When I was younger I always wanted to see Pippin' with Ben Vareen, but that never happened. When I was in high school I always thought about winning a Tony, then that switched to an Oscar, but I went another route, but the dream always remains with me. Although some people make think its too late to see those dreams come true, I don't believe that. You may not be right for a certain role, but there are other ways to still meet those goals. One can write, produce, design costumes or be a set designer.

Last nights show was quite entertaining. The Oscars should take note. Hugh Jackman was good as this years host. There were some great performances by Patti Labelle who still looks good at 70 years old. There were performances from plays I hadn't even heard of. Aladdin, Bullets Over Broadway, Hedwig and the angry inch and Beautiful.  James Monroe Inglehart sang his heart out and won his first Tony. I kept thinking how much he reminded me of Ted Ross who starred in many stage plays and movies including Mistral Man and The Wiz. Sophie Okonedo, and Kenny Leon won their first Tony's for the revival of A Raisin In The Sun written by Lorraine Hansbury. It also won for best revival. Audra McDonald won her sixth Tony, for her performance as Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, she is the first actress to win six. Her speech was very touching. Bryan Cranston won for All The Way and Neil Patrick Harris won for Hedwig and the angry inch. I never saw the film, but I may have to look for it and check it out. Alan Cummings performed a scene from the revival of Cabaret.

While I was watching the award show I kept thinking which performances I'd love to see ZACH theatre take on. Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Hedwig and the angry inch, Beautiful and Aladdin would make a great family show.

I see the Tony's as a great night for the men to be fashionable. Unlike the Oscars where everyone is in a basic black Tuxedo. Alan Cummings chose a black and white design which looks as if it could have come directly off the runways of fashion week. There were suits and even some with sharkskin.
Going to the theatre has always been about elegance and last night it showed.
Jennifer Hudson sang a song from the upcoming musical Neverland.

There are a lot of stage actors that have appeared on television for a short period of time and you wonder where they are. It was good to see Anika Noni Rose who is currently starring in the revival of A Raisin In The Sun. I don't recall ever seeing a stage production. I recently saw the film which I had not seen since I was really young. I do have a copy of the play that I picked up.

Thanks for stopping by and do keep an open mind. Come back again.

Happy 40th SIFF Part Five

May 15 - June 8, 1997 “Everything You Are About To See Is True”

(This was the cover of the program. Below is my interpretation of this cover because I thought it was interesting.)

Gary Locke was Governor and Norman B. Rice was still Mayor. There were a few celebrities I was meeting for the first time and some I had met before. I was also making new friends, but at the time I had no idea how long the friendships would last.

(This was one of my favorite films from 1995, based upon this article in the New York Post.)

Some of the movies that I saw were, East Side Story, License to Kill, I met Tara Fitzpatrick, who directed, produced and wrote, Scratch The Surface (DDDD) a documentary on the modeling industry.
Sick: the life & death of Bob Flanegan Super masochist (DDD) This film is everything the title implies. If you were every curious about sadomasochism this is the film to watch. Be warned it isn’t for the weak. Shall We Dance? (DDDD) Japan, this is the original not the remake with Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere. Lillies (DDD) Canada, Different for Girls (DDD) Great Britain, The Full Monty (DDDD) Great Britain, The Pillow Book (DDDDD) Great Britain, this has become my all time favorite Peter Greenaway film. This is the epitome of the art of film making. Dogs are Colorblind (DDD) Israel, Black Circle Boys (D)

 Breaking Up (D) this would be the second time that I would meet Russell Crowe and Salma Hayek. I would also witness Dan Ireland making a deal wit Salma Hayek to star in a film.

Defying Gravity (DDDD), Dream With The Fishes (DDD) I met David Arquette.

 A Gun, A Car, A Blonde (DD), In The Company of Men (DDDD), The Myth of Finger Prints (DDD), Somewhere in the City (D) I believe this is the year I met Sandra Bernhard.

Star Maps (DDDD), Still Breathing (DDD) I met Brendan Fraser, Twisted (DDD), The Watermelon Woman (DDDD). Twin Town (DDD) Wales



Here is my new rating system. DDDDD highly recommend. DDDD It should be watched. DDD Entertaining DD So, so if you like the stars. D Just out of curiosity watch it.
(I like all movies. Even those that most people don’t like, it makes for great conversation.)


Check out my other blogs:
http://ArtbyDlonzo.blogspot.com
http://dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com


The Seattle International Film Festival will celebrate it’s 40th year in May of 2014. I’ll review some of my favorite films. And talk about my experiences from 1993 - 1999. Continuing with part six next week.

Thanks for stopping by, and do come back again or become a follower. Remember to keep an open mind.

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

I try to see the performances at ZACH as early as possible so if someone asks if I've seen the show I can be truthful. I wasn't really expecting anything, but to see a good show. I had seen two of the performers, Jaston Williams and Beth Broderick in previous performances at ZACH.

Once again, the set design team out did themselves. The stage had a lot of depth as a three story home was in front of us. We see the long foyer, living room and the stairs leading upstairs.

Immediately the audience is laughing as Jaston (Vanya) sits in a night shirt drinking coffee, then enters Lauren Lane (Sonia) and its a hilarious roller coaster ride. I must say Lauren steals the show and her performance just continues to escalate as she is the adopted child who feels invisible. When she is invited to a costume party she then embodies Maggie Smith as the witch who is nominated for an oscar... you had to be there. LOL


If you are in need of a good laugh, this is the performance. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike runs until June 22, 2014. I may have to try to see it again if I can. The play revolves around Chekhov characters and plays.

There's a little something for everyone with Michael Glavan playing Spike who spends a lot of time in his underwear and gyrating on stage. Carla Nickerson as Cassandra, has some great moments that garner applause from the audience. Cassandra is the house keeper that is part psychic and part voodoo practioner. Morgan Macinnes plays Nina, the young neighbor who Masha finds as a threat. Masha is the successful, somewhat selfish sibling that has to deal with becoming an aging actress and wanting to be the center of attention.

I was not expecting to get a message from the play, but things happen that way. As the family on the stage thinks about family and holding on to a family home it made me think about my own situation. It's a great show which I highly recommend.

Thanks for stopping by and do come back again. Keep an open mind.