Short Cuts
Screen Debut
Fri., Oct. 27, 1995
A frequent host to Hollywood film shoots and home to numerous film festivals
and promising independent filmmakers, it's no surprise Austin has become a
hotbed of the movie industry. Equally important as a city on the cutting edge
in multimedia, Austin's community -- a number of highly creative computer game
companies, CD-ROM developers, and Internet mavens -- redefines itself almost
daily, bringing technology as we've known it to an unprecedented artistic
level. We hope "Short Cuts", our new film/multimedia news column
appearing in this space weekly, will bring the razzle-dazzle surrounding
Austin's nationally recognized industries to the page -- and keep you informed
as well.
Two feature films are shooting in Austin this month. Twentieth Century Fox's
Courage Under Fire, directed by thirtysomething mastermind Edward Zwick, stars
Meg Ryan as a Desert Storm veteran awarded a posthumous medal of honor,
and Denzel Washington, who is investigating the incident that caused her
death. The project began filming Oct. 16 and will spend 12 weeks in the
Austin/El Paso area. The War at Home, under the direction of Emilio
Estevez, is coming to town for seven weeks on October 31. Estevez's third
directing effort tells the story of a Vietnam vet's homecoming. Nora
Ephron, acclaimed novelist-cum-director (Sleepless in Seattle) also visited
recently to scout locations for her next film.
Texas' most gruesome family is hosting a two-day reunion just in time for
Halloween. The original cast of the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre will be
dining on barbeque, not bodies, at Scholz Garten on Saturday, Oct. 28, 8-10pm.
Take a seat at the Leather family table along with the hitchhiker (Edwin
Neal), Sally (Marilyn Burns), writer Kim Henkel, and others
-- tickets are $15. Later, Dobie Theatre will present a midnight screening of
the original film followed by a costume contest and a question-and-answer
session. The film's new sequel, The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, will
open for a week run at Dobie the Friday night before. Call Paul Partain at
266-3958 for tickets to the supper; tickets to the screenings can be purchased
at Dobie.
The Austin chapter of the Association of Video and Filmmakers is holding their
monthly meeting Oct. 30 at 8pm at the Electric Lounge (302 Bowie). Organized as
a film community "town meeting" and moderated by the Chronicle's
own Marjorie Baumgarten, AIVF hopes to bring together all local film groups
including the Austin Film Society, the Texas Film Commission, and in*situ to
become acquainted and to discuss the direction Austin is headed as a national
film center. Fillmmaker George Ratliff (Plutonium Circus) will also be in
attendance.
On Location
Two feature films are shooting in Austin this month. Twentieth Century Fox's
Courage Under Fire, directed by thirtysomething mastermind Edward Zwick, stars
Meg Ryan as a Desert Storm veteran awarded a posthumous medal of honor,
and Denzel Washington, who is investigating the incident that caused her
death. The project began filming Oct. 16 and will spend 12 weeks in the
Austin/El Paso area. The War at Home, under the direction of Emilio
Estevez, is coming to town for seven weeks on October 31. Estevez's third
directing effort tells the story of a Vietnam vet's homecoming. Nora
Ephron, acclaimed novelist-cum-director (Sleepless in Seattle) also visited
recently to scout locations for her next film.
Midnight Buzz
Texas' most gruesome family is hosting a two-day reunion just in time for
Halloween. The original cast of the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre will be
dining on barbeque, not bodies, at Scholz Garten on Saturday, Oct. 28, 8-10pm.
Take a seat at the Leather family table along with the hitchhiker (Edwin
Neal), Sally (Marilyn Burns), writer Kim Henkel, and others
-- tickets are $15. Later, Dobie Theatre will present a midnight screening of
the original film followed by a costume contest and a question-and-answer
session. The film's new sequel, The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, will
open for a week run at Dobie the Friday night before. Call Paul Partain at
266-3958 for tickets to the supper; tickets to the screenings can be purchased
at Dobie.
Sounding Board
The Austin chapter of the Association of Video and Filmmakers is holding their
monthly meeting Oct. 30 at 8pm at the Electric Lounge (302 Bowie). Organized as
a film community "town meeting" and moderated by the Chronicle's
own Marjorie Baumgarten, AIVF hopes to bring together all local film groups
including the Austin Film Society, the Texas Film Commission, and in*situ to
become acquainted and to discuss the direction Austin is headed as a national
film center. Fillmmaker George Ratliff (Plutonium Circus) will also be in
attendance.
