Short Cuts

"I just got off the phone with Ron Howard," squealed head geek Harry Knowles when I called over to Ain't It Cool world headquarters (http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com). I was checkingin with Knowles to follow up on the progress of the "Open Letter to Ron Howard" (http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=3046) that he posted on his movie tipsters Web site on Saturday after reading Michael Corcoran's "Inside/Out" column in the Statesman and discovering that Universal Pictures was leaning toward scotching its EDtv premiere at the Paramount Theatre in favor of some newer and more "state of the art" multiplex theatre. EDtv is directed by Howard and stars Matthew McConaughey, and the Austin screening on Wednesday, March 17 is to be part of the SXSW Film Festival and a benefit for the Austin Film Society's Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund with Howard, McConaughey, and producer Brian Grazer in attendance. Well, Knowles was righteously upset and sat down to write an impassioned letter to Howard convincing him of the magic that happens at Paramount screenings and citing a multitude of examples. "Ron, I know this is a bit of a roundabout way to reach you. That it's a fairly public place. That there are more than the two of us reading this. But you see ...

I don't care. I feel passionately about this," wrote Knowles while inviting Howard to call him for more details (although it's hard to imagine that any were left out). Well, Howard replied within 24 hours but only got Knowles' answering machine. But Howard called back on Tuesday while killing time backstage at the Rosie O'Donnell Show as McConaughey was performing the chicken dance onstage. It turns out that Howard is a fan of Knowles' site and supports the desire to screen at the "magical" Paramount. A final decision was yet to be made by press time. We'll keep you informed as more details become available -- but then again if you want your updates delivered at the speed of megabytes, you might just check out Ain't It Cool News...

In the feast or famine department, there can never be too many benefit premieres. The Film Society has also announced a premiere of the new film Wing Commander by Chris Roberts of Digital Anvil. The Thursday, March 11 screening is being sponsored in conjunction with the Paramount Theatre and the $20 tickets will benefit equally the Paramount's equipment fund and the AFS Free Cinema series. Details about this event are also forthcoming; call AFS at 322-0145 for more info...

QTIII is upon us, beginning this Friday, Feb. 19 and continuing through next weekend. See the "Film Listings" section for details on the different programs and ticket availability. One of the offshoots of Tarantino's appearance is the booksigning for

---

What It Is ...

What It Was: The Black Film Explosion of the '70s in Words and Pictures at Book People on Monday, Feb. 22 at 6:30pm. This highly coveted book (I know because it keeps wandering from my desk) is a densely illustrated compendium of blaxpoitation film art along with knowledgeable text. The authors Gerald Martinez, Diana Martinez, and Andres Chavez will all be at the signing. Someof the films What It Was covers will be screened during QTIII...

It is with great sadness we note the passing of Dewey Winburne, a local multimedia entrepreneur, an inspirational teacher at the American Institute for Learning (AIL), and one of the original driving forces behind the SXSW Interactive Festival. His enthusiasm and knowledge will be missed. For those who wish, the family has established a trust fund for his son Isaac; contributions can be sent to the Isaac Winburne Trust, care of Jim Crosby, PO Box 1868, Austin, TX, 78767.