Day 1, March 12: KICK-ASS PREMIERE
I arrived at the Paramount Theater around 5:00 pm very pumped up and excited for the KICK-ASS red-carpet world premiere. In a short span of one hour the lines expand for blocks. I talked to guy behind me who is an experienced pass holder. He reassured me that we would get in. Laurie Coker, my True View associate also reassured that admittance shouldn’t be a problem. It was exciting to see the massive crowds of press and photographers around the press row surrounding the celebrities walking through whom I could not actually see from where I was standing. Right around 7:00 pm, we received the crushing blow to the gut that the theater was full. I was not going to watch the film I was most anticipating!
Same night: THE WHITE STRIPES: UNDER GREAT WHITE NORTHERN LIGHTS
I left the theater broken hearted but wiser. It would not be easy to get into these films. Not that I ever thought it would be but I was willing to settle for the crappiest seat in the house for the world premiere of a comic book based movie. As I was leaving to figure out my next move, I saw a few people already forming the line for the next film which would be a concert documentary film on rock band known as The White Stripes. After a couple of cold beers at Bikini’s—yes, I know I’m shameless but it did cheer me up for obvious reasons—I returned to the line at the Paramount which really had not grown much in the time I was gone. Well, the line grew eventually but not to the size it had for KICK-ASS. I would actually get into this film!
THE WHITE STRIPES: UNDER THE GREAT WHITE NORTHERN LIGHTS is a remarkable concert documentary film which chronicles the band’s tenth anniversary tour through Canada. Jack and Meg White choose some very small and obscure locales in this country for their concerts. Their purpose in doing this is to get closer to their fans and not let the luxuries of larger venue shows take away from their performances. The Stripes perform shows in a bowling alley, parking lots, city busses, and a retirement home ending with the anniversary celebration at the Savoy Theater in Nova Scotia. The performances captured are amazing, electric, passionate, and sometimes poignant. Director Emmett Malloy does an incredible job capturing these lovely moments and fiery performances on film. Malloy combines footage in black and white as well as in color. The look is very vintage similar to classic concert films such as THE MONTERREY POP FESTIVAL. I highly recommend this film for fans of THE WHITE STRIPES and hard rock music in general. THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FOUR)
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