The movie started half an hour late, producer Judd Apatow came on stage and introduced Bill Hader, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride Ken Jeong and screenwriters Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg. Apatow quickly introcuced the film and then everyone got off stage and the show began.
Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) and his dealer Sol(James Franco) go on the run after Dale witnesses a Cop murder someone.
Stoner comedies often lack an important element in order to appease studio suits who are afraid of actually showing people smoking weed in the movie. Dude where is my Car doesn't even count as a stoner comedy since all the pot smoking in that flick is done by a dog and they don't even call it weed (they call it shibby).
Pineapple Express is the greatest stoner/action comedy of all time. Sure it's probably also the first, Cheech & Chong never had a bodycount after all. The action doesnt really come in till later in the film, but once it does it doesn't stop. It was so funny.
SNL's Bill Hader does a great cameo right off the bat. Franco is hilarious as the dealer. Craig Robinson from the American tv show The Office is great as one of the guys chasing Dale and Sol. Danny McBride from The Foot Fist Way is a classic asshole as the indistructable Red.
The crowed loved the movie and responded loudly throughout. Afterwards Judd Apatow returned with everyone else to discuss the film and take questions from the audience.
When Apatow was trying to get Seth and Evan's script for Superbad made(a tough sell, kids buying booze) he gave them a writing asignment for an idea he had. In True Romance, Brad Pitt's charecter is freaking out on crack but its only a short scene, Apatow thought it would be great to follow that guy around for a movie, and Rogen and Golberg built the story from there. Judd now laughs about it because Pineapple Express is actually a harder sell than Superbad.
Seth and Evan are my idols, Canadian screenwriters that are making it big in Hollywood. Although Seth Rogen has dual citizenship, Evan Goldberg has had trouble working legally in the US. I asked Even Goldberg if he had worked out his work visa issues with the United States. He thanked me and said he had been waiting for someone to ask him that. He said he has worked under 3 different visas, once as Seth's "asistant", once as Judd's "assistant", Judd said he had to write a letter saying "Evan Goldberg is the only person in the world who can do this job".
I followed up asking if there was still room for other Canadians in Hoolywood to which he replyed "no, I took the only spot". The last question sombody asked Seth about Kevin Smith and Zack & Miri Make a Porno. Seth said it was great working with Kevin and that he is a huge influence on what he does. Judd closed saying Kevin Smith was an influence on all of them. As everyone left the stage I got a chance to shake Evan's hand and tell him he's awesome. I saw him again on the outside of the theatre getting into his ride, somone offered him a toke, he took it saying "I wrote this movie and you are the firt person to offer me weed since I got back to Canada". He was waiting for the rest of his entourage so I quickly asked him to autograph my copy of Creative Screenwriting. He did, really cool of him. What a great movie, and a great time. I got to meet one of my idols, and he was really cool.
No comments:
Post a Comment