‘Cause Saturday Night’s The Night I Like/Saturday Night’s Alright, Alright, Alright
The worst question one can ask themselves upon waking is, “Where am I?” Followed closely by, “Who is that next to me?” Happily for me, I knew the answer to #1 and could skip #2. Unfortunately, there’s a third question: “Why am I in pain?”
You should see the other guy(s).
I will say, the number of ways people will attempt to bring up your black eye — and the number of humorous answers you can give — border on the infinite. But what I was really hoping was that my shiner would provide some fodder for discussion at that afternoon’s “Critics Panel.”
The panel was supposed to tie in with Gerald Peary’s documentary on film criticism, For The Love Of Movies: The Story Of American Film Criticism. Panelists included Peary himself — film critic for the Boston Phoenix and professor at Suffolk University, the aforementioned Elvis Mitchell, and…me. For the record, the local OKC newspaper guy was supposed to be “the third man,” but he had to bail (to cover the Twilight: Eclipse premiere in L.A., the poor bastard). I just turned out to be the nearest warm body.
Peary’s movie is pretty informative and entertaining (even if it’d be nice to get somebody other than Harry Knowles as the face of internet criticism…just sayin’), and the panel went well, I think, with my wise-a*s contributions providing a wholly unnecessary counter to his and Mitchell’s informed commentary.
I don’t know if anybody recorded it. We did continue the discussion with GreenCine’s Aaron Hillis on his podcast. Ignore the bathroom noises.
My official festival duties over, I was free to enjoy the final night of the festival. The Rock and Roll Dreams of Duncan Christopher is a light-hearted yet earnest look at the world of competitive karaoke…and Dungeons & Dragons. It would go on to win Best Okie Feature, with film villain S.I. (for Simply Irresistible) making several appearances around the fest, and stealing every one.
The Duncan Christopher screening also produced another deadCENTER first: a Chris Gore sighting. Ten years, and it only took CineVegas’ cancellation to get him to Oklahoma.
The closing night film is always the time to catch up with everyone and enjoy a few beers to toast a fest well done. The movie, Richard Garriott: Man on a Mission, tells the story of one of the first self-funded space tourists (who also happens to be the guy who created Ultima:Online) and played well to the assembled crowd. It was, as it is every year, a warm and beautiful night.
The calm before the storm...of alcohol.
But the closing night film is only the appetizer to the festival after party, which is itself merely a perfunctory tug job compared to the sloppy happy ending of the after-after party.
Read more of Pete’s adventures at the 2010 deadCenter Film Festival in Part Five…
