- or should I say last night? -
I was finally able to take a little time to watch
"The Curse of the Sunset Starlet", my latest kickstarter reward.
I received it a few weeks ago, but school was in full-tilt boogie, pre-midterm, mode, so my head needed time to get past that rush.
The delay was a good move on my part.
I really did need a little time to reacquaint myself with Lori Precious and her lovely butterfly-wing portraits and the backstory to this film.
After all, it's been more than a year since the project began.
The listing of my name on the page of thanks has been about that long, too.
Filming was completed during a one-week rush last June, then began the arduous task of editing, with a change of personnel along the way.
Time just went rolling along while the magic happened.
It has all been worth the wait, because magic has been imbued into this finished product. Sally Kirkland and Kathleen Wilhoite were fabulous as the footloose mother-starlet, Gigi, and her grown daughter, Zarianne. Zarianne is a divorced mother of two teens, trying to bring in some extra money through her art. She is to have a show in two weeks, but only if she has at least eight butterfly-wing portraits for the gallery. She is trying to finish just one more when who should appear to her wondering eyes?
No, not Santa Claus. Her dying mother, out of money and out of places to go. The last time her mom appeared, the children had not yet been born.
Estranged is definitely an apt description of their relationship.
The daughter, giving in to her children's wishes, allows Gigi to stay.
Along the way, the daughter learns that maybe she can have a relationship, as an adult, with her mom. Even though there is no substance to their bond, perhaps it can be something they both agree upon.
As Zarianne says of the sunset moth, its brilliant wings have no pigment, but the broad range of hues are the result of optical interference, a matter in which "the light and the eye agree on a color."
Definitely a different perspective on love, but appropriate for two people bound together by genetics alone.
The "COTSS", as Ms. Precious abbreviates it, is now going the rounds of the film festival circuit. It has already screened at the Charlie Chaplin Theatre in Hollywood! Here's that news:
Update #41
Jan 29 2013
Screening
1 comment
Hi All
I screened Curse of the Sunset Starlet at the Charlie Chaplin Theater in Hollywood across the street from Paramount Studios. It was a full house of about 175 cast, crew and contributors. I'm happy to report that it was a huge success! Cloris Leachman was at the screening and she stood up after it was over and said "it was perfect from beginning to end" and joked that the only way it would have been better would be if she had been in it. WOW coming from an actress who has won more (9!!) Emmy's than any other actor (plus an Oscar) I was thrilled.
Sally loved it---it was her first time seeing it. She said the fake murder scene was one of her favorite scenes from her 53 years of acting.
Some of the other comments:
"a real movie with lyrical power. "Poetic" seldom defines a film, but it's the perfect description for yours"
"you've produced something very compelling and distinctive"
"it's a really special little film with a strong point of view"
On to submitting to festivals! Im hoping to send out DVDs next week.
Thanks for all your help getting us to the finish line!
Lori Precious
My response had been:
fliss on February 13, 2013
Lori, what fabulous responses to your work! I know that must be so very gratifying after such a struggle to get the film completed, with you having to learn so much along the way.
Very good! I am so proud of you!!
I do wish it much success - break a leg, y'all!
See you at the Academy Awards!
