Wrapping up #FLIFF13 Day #12 of 25 with two more shorts programs of 13 films followed by an evening with the legendary Tab Hunter, including a Lifetime Achievement Award presentation. Tally so far: 40 screenings including 29 feature films, consisting of 21 narratives and eight documentaries, along with nine shorts programs totaling 47 films. There were also seven shorts outside of shorts programs. Total number of films so far = 83. I started at Muvico Pompano for the eighth time in nine days with the PSYCH 101 Shorts Program of six films: THE GAME from director Larelle Bossi, a World Premiere from Australia. Two old men play chess and pontificate. THE INJURIES TO TIM DALE, a World Premiere from US director H.W. Moss. Stills set to narration. Slightly perverse. JACK AND PAUL, another World Premiere from US director Jayce Bartok. He wrote The Cake Eaters, directed by Mary Stuart Masterson and starring Kristen Stewart. I saw that film here at the 2007 Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, my first. He also directed the short film SUNBURN, which I saw yesterday, and is one of the best Ive seen here. This one was an adaptation of Thomas Moores stage play Talk Therapy. PAIN STAKING, from US director Adolfo Martinez Perez. A bit like the feature The Favor (wherein a guy asks his best friend to bury a body for him). In this case, its more personal. REFLECTIONS, from UK director Ashley Pegg. Sweet and dark episode in a teenage boys life as his family confronts a girl and her father after a prank gone bad. SILENT TREATMENT, from UK director Mark Lobatto. This is the US Premiere. Little dialogue, odd and quirky meet cute. Then it was PSYCH 202 with seven more short films: THE BURNING HOUSE, from Philadelphia-based directors Scott Ross and Karl Beyer. This was the World Premiere. Yuppie, burned out of his house, ends up homeless on the street. It was fun seeing a lot of my old neighborhoods. THE CUTLASS, from director Darisha Beresford. The US Premiere of the festivals only film from Trinidad and Tobago. Powerful and haunting tale of kidnap and rape. GOODFRIENDS, from US director Jerod Ra’Del Hollyfield. Mentally disabled kids try to make it in the work world. SECOND KISS, from US director Robbie Norris. Christmas Eve reunion between a guy and girl. Their first kiss was at age 10. SOCIAL MEDIA ANONYMOUS, from US director Jason Berger. #cute #film #about #twitter #facebook #pinterest #etc #addicts SOCK MONKEY STORIES, from Virginia filmmaker Marcus Wolf. This will be my second time seeing this fun short film. Perfect for kids and those who cant figure out where those missing socks go when they enter the dryer. WHISPERS OF LIFE, from Canadian director Florian Halbedl. Suicidal gay teen gets a lesson in why life is worth living. Then I headed back to Cinema Paradiso in Fort Lauderdale for an evening with Tab Hunter. The evening began as Hunter walked the red carpet with his partner and guests. We moved into the Cinema for a montage of Tab’s career and onstage interview with film scholar & historian Foster Hirsch, interspersed with numerous clips of his illustrious movie and television career. Tab was presented with FLIFFs Lifetime Achievement Award. All then headed out into the courtyard for a meet & greet with autographs and photos. See the Albums for pictures of all the above. Tab Hunter was one of Hollywood’s last golden boys and one of televisions first, as well as a successful recording artist. His first starring role, at the tender age of 19, was opposite Linda Darnell in the romantic South Seas adventure Island of Desire. An instant success, Tab went on to star in over 40 major motion pictures, including Battle Cry, The Pleasure of His Company, That Kind of Woman, Gunman’s Walk, They Came to Cordura, Ride the Wild Surf, The Loved One, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, and the Academy Award-nominated Damn Yankees. A few of Tab’s leading ladies include Sophia Loren, Natalie Wood, Gwen Verdon, Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner, Debbie Reynolds, Kim Basinger, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Multi-talented Tab also enjoyed a very successful recording career that culminated with one of the top records of the rock and roll era. His recording of Young Love zoomed to number one on the charts worldwide (knocking Elvis out of the top spot) where it remained for six weeks. Its said that Warner Bros. Records was created as a result -- he was under contract with Warner Bros. Pictures at the time, who were upset at his success on the Dot Records label, owned by Paramount. WB didnt have a label, so they created one. Tab subsequently starred in his own television series for NBC, was nominated for an Emmy for his performance opposite Geraldine Page in Playhouse 90’s Portrait of a Murderer, and guest starred in dozens of television shows. He also appeared on Broadway with Tallulah Bankhead in Tennessee Williams’s The Milk Train Doesnt Stop Here Anymore. Tab’s film career took off once again in the 1980s/90s as he starred in such films as John Waters’ Polyester, Grease 2, and the cult comedy-Western Lust in the Dust. Turning to producing, Tab teamed up with Allan Glaser to produce Lust in the Dust and Dark Horse. Tab can now also add best selling author to his list of credits. His recently published autobiography TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL became a national best seller. The book chronicles his career and personal life, including how he had to hide, then proudly came out as one of the few (now) openly gay leading men in Hollywood. It garnered critical praise from the NEW YORK TIMES, WASHINGTON POST, VANITY FAIR, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, NEW YORK POST, GOOD MORNING AMERICA, LARRY KING LIVE, CBS SUNDAY MORNING, and dozens more.
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 04:44:48 +0000
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