By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
Book Your Flights Now: Soderbergh to Make History in West Virginia
As you may or may not have heard last week, Steven Soderbergh’s new film Bubble is set to premiere next month in Parkersburg, W.V. That is not a misprint: Bubble, a class-conflict murder mystery featuring non-professional actors from the Parkersburg vicinity, will roll out the red carpet January 12 in front of the world-famous Smoot Theater.
This is not exactly Cameron Crowe coming back to Elizabethtown, Ky., to show off his latest preening, overlong ass-terpiece. Here we have an Oscar-winner kicking off his new partnership with 2929 Entertainment (the film will premiere on HDNet and DVD the same day), Magnolia Pictures boss Eamonn Bowles promising a “blast” and New York uber-publicist Donna Daniels actually sending out this e-mail yesterday:
Steven Soderbergh, HDNet Films, Magnolia Pictures, West Virginia Film Office, WTAP-TV Parkersburg, Graffiti Magazine & The Parkersburg News-Sentinel
Present The Premiere Of Steven Soderbergh’s
BUBBLE
What: The premiere of Steven Soderbergh¹s new film BUBBLE in Parkersburg, WV
When: Thursday January 12, 2006 at 7:30pm, Arrivals begin at 7:00pm
WHO: Bubble stars Debbie Doebereiner, Dustin James Ashley, Misty Dawn Wilkins, Kyle Smith and Decker Moody, Director Steven Soderbergh, Screenwriter Coleman Hough, and additional guests TBA.
WHERE: SMOOT Theater, 213 5th Street, Parkersburg
YOUR COVERAGE IS INVITED for Red Carpet.
I swear I do not mean this condescendingly, but I cannot decide if the best part of the story is this straight-faced press release soliciting coverage in West Virginia or if it is that the Smoot Theater is finally getting its red-carpet comeuppance. Was this the plan all along, or did theater chains in New York and Los Angeles tell 2929 to take its shuttered theatrical release windows and go fuck itself?
I guess we can never really know, but it does not matter: I think I have a trip down the Appalachian Trail in my future. Consider me RSVP’d.
As a West Virginian, I realize that West Virginia is an unlikely place for such a premier. However, do you need to put it in such condescending terms? Are we really unworthy of such an event? Sounds a bit elitist. I am sure you are not wanting to be smattered with that “unfair” stereotype. Is it so unusual to have premiers of location-specific movies within the location itself? It seems reasonable to note the unusualness of the event, but please refrain from implying that visiting West Virgina will be a hardship on anything other than ego.
I’m also a West Virginian, and I know that our Film office was damn proud to land any of the Parkersburg shoots for Bubble.
Have you guys ever been to the Smoot? It’s gorgeous. One of the best old school venues I’ve ever been to. The premiere will be a blast.
Puh-leez! Visiting this area in West Virginia really isn’t unlike visiting small-to-mid-sized towns in any other state. It’s about bloody time folks outside our area have noticed our beautiful scenery, interesting people, and low business overhead. The film was shot here, so why should the premiere be in L.A.? It’s ok, though, whatever anyone wants to think–just don’t imagine the locals are all tripping over themselves as if this is a huge deal. The theater employees, all volunteers, are making appropriate preparations, but not more attentively than for any of their (terrific) regular events, business as usual. And, yes, the Smoot is gorgeous! Also adored by musicians for fabulous acoustics. I’ll bet there are even–omigosh!–photos online someplace.