I can’t imagine what the Tarantino Film Festival must have been like for those
who braved the heart of it; my trip along its outer fringes was impressive
enough. During the 10-day festival at the Dobie, Tarantino showed more than 30
films from his own collection. The Festival included double bills, kiddie
shows, midnighters, special added encore screenings, an Austin premiere of
Switchblade Sisters, a national premiere, and an all-night, six-film
horror show. Although the series certainly celebrated low-budget American
filmmaking, it included mainstream Hollywood, unusual epics, and Italian genre
films as well. Tarantino introduced each film, most often enthusiastically,
occasionally brilliantly (except for one kiddie matinee he missed because he
was sick). Just the handful of films I saw, piled on one another, whipped me
back to the days when two or three movies were the norm and not the nearly
remarkable exception. A time when what was on film and what was in life ran
together, blending and enhancing. The Chronicle first heard about the Tarantino Festival through those
Austin Film Society stalwarts, two of the unsung heroes of the current Austin
filmmaking scene, Jerry Johnson and Elizabeth Peters (who wrote that swell
piece on the production of Richard Linklater’s subUrbia, the upcoming
film from Eric Bogosian’s play). Among future AFS events, it was mentioned as a
possibility that Tarantino might come to town and show a week’s worth of films
from his personal collection. This didn’t seem likely because when trying to
get in touch with the director/writer/actor, you find out that much of the
time, not even Tarantino’s office seems to know where Tarantino is.
Richard Linklater founded and personally ran the Austin Film Society for
years, working with such other people as Lee Daniel, Dee Montgomery, and Katie
Cokinos, who was director of the Film Society for a half decade. Over the years
the AFS has screened an astonishing array of worthy films. Recently, Linklater
decided it was time to expand the AFS’ mission and create a production fund to
help independent filmmakers. Tarantino, excited about the project and anxious
to help his friend Linklater, has long been a friend of the film society.
Previously, he appeared at the Austin premiere of Pulp Fiction and a
world premiere of Robert Rodriguez’ From Dusk Till Dawn, which Tarantino
scripted and starred in. Both of these raised money for the Film Society
(conflict of interest confession: I am a longtime board member of the Austin
Film Society).
Tarantino came through, enthusiastically expanding the Festival to a 10-day
event. Tarantino and Linklater, facilitated and aided by Johnson and Peters,
created the event with a simple honest motive, to support local independent
filmmaking and to have a good time in the process.
In this issue’s “Screens” section, the Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund
announces its first grants, giving a total of $30,000 to 11 different regional
projects. The logistics involved in an event like this are hard to imagine when
the Festival is effortlessly unfolding in front of you, but behind the screens,
a number of people were working very hard.
The Chronicle has often been accused of being overly enthusiastic about
Tarantino’s work, considering he has only really directed two movies and been
involved in writing four or five others. Pulp Fiction alone makes me
over-enthusiastic about his work; I think it re-imagines the American drive-in
exploitation film by way of the French new wave (two of my favorite styles),
achieving a distinctly American, profoundly religious film. It sends me. But
that is neither here nor there.
One of the best qualities of this community is the way the creative
communities support their own and each other. Benefits are a way of life but so
is a kind of generous creative patronage in which more established talents help
young talents along (which is, after all, the driving idea behind South by
Southwest in all its manifestations — another conflict of interest, for those
who are keeping score). The support groups for this community are also
surprisingly supportive of younger talent. This sense of cooperation and
community is one of the reasons the Austin writing, theater, filmmaking and
media development communities have expanded so dramatically over the last few
years. Johnson and Peters worked hard to make this happen but they knew they
could turn to the Dobie Theatre, to 107.1 KGSR, to the Omni hotel and to the
Chronicle — all the event’s co-sponsors — and get the support they
needed.
On this very evening, Thursday, August 15, there is a benefit reading for Lars Eighner, author of
Travels with Lizbeth,
7-9pm, at Bookstop Central Park. Eighner is a
great writer and a great guy. More like rent parties of old, some of Austin’s
favorite writers will join Eighner to read, including Marion Winik, Lawrence
Wright and Mary Willis Walker.
Sunday, August 25 is the sixth annual Austin Hot Sauce Festival from noon-5pm,
at Central Park, 38th and N. Lamar. The Hot Sauce Festival is free and
co-sponsored by 107.1 KGSR, Shiner Bock, Guiltless Gourmet, and Central
Market.
Tabulation is going on for the Chronicle Best of Austin issue. Coming
in September is our 15th Anniversary. Expect to hear a lot about it. n
This article appears in August 16 • 1996 and August 16 • 1996 (Cover).