By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
'Borat' Premiere Unplugged; Kazakh Enemies Suspected
Blame the enemies of Kazahkstan!
Sacha Baron Cohen‘s highly anticipated Toronto Film Festival movie premiere was a bust, despite the actor/writer’s triumphant midnight carriage ride through downtown Toronto. Only twenty minutes into his riotiously well-received comedy/satire, BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHKSTAN, the cinema’s sole film projector broke down.
Baron Cohen, who’d been sitting toward the back of the theatre, stood up and apologised, saying that film had been made from first class “Kazahk horse glue. Festival staff kept the audience of 1200 on edge with promises of a quick restart of the film, which has the Baron Cohen a brazenly naïve TV reporter touring the United States and sharing his version of bringing his version of Kazakh culture to unwitting American subjects. Among Borat’s New York City adventures: kissing horrified strangers on the subway, washing his undergarments in Central Park’s Lake, and masturbating in front of a Victoria’s Secret window display. The crowd loved it it. “This has been the happiest day of my life,” Borat says, in voice over narration. Shortly afterward, the screen went dark.
The film’s director, Larry Charles, and documentary Michael Moore, who’d once worked as a cinema projectionist, attempted to entertain the crowd before Baron Cohen returned, in character, to do a better job of consoling the audience.
”I would like to apologise and also, I will crush you,” he said. demand that the festival programmer give one one of his testicle.”
A spokesman for the Festival announced that another ”Borat” showing is scheduled for tonight, Friday, at midnight at the Elgin Theatre. See the Festival website for details. Borat will be there. No word on the pony.