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Melbourne Insider: the talk of the Hollywood town
Thursday 22 July 2010, 9.25 AM
By The Team | Posted in Events
Noticed those queues of people outside city cinemas? Locals will know this means one thing: it’s Melbourne International Film Festival time again. This month’s Melbourne Insider takes a look at our city’s passion for popcorn, our love of that moment when the lights go down, and our fascination with flickering images.
So straighten your skivvy, get comfy in your directors chair and let’s roll the tape.
One of our hot tips for MIFF is the opening night film, The Wedding Party, starring Adam Zwar (of SBS’s Wilfred fame). You can read all about Adam’s filmic experiences in today’s City Weekly (Thursday 22 July).
Adam’s first film was a short called My Night with Ava, based on the true story of Ava Gardner’s Melbourne romance with a male journalist. (Ava was here in 1951, filming On The Beach.)
FYI, the rumour that Ava described Melbourne as ‘the perfect place to make a film about the end of the world’ is untrue. Another journo – who wasn’t in Melbourne and clearly had no idea what he was talking about – made that up.
And besides, it’s clear Ava liked something (or someone) Melburnian!
FYI, the rumour that Ava described Melbourne as ‘the perfect place to make a film about the end of the world’ is untrue. Another journo – who wasn’t in Melbourne and clearly had no idea what he was talking about – made that up!
Obviously, Ava liked something (or someone) Melburnian – and she wasn’t alone. Melbourne is a favoured location of film makers.
The Wedding Party was shot in Melbourne, Tim Burton spent a whole week here when his exhibition opened at ACMI, both Robert DeNiro and Clive Owen have been hanging out here in recent weeks, shooting a new thriller, The Killer Elite. So while we’re quoting (NOT misquoting) film heroes, here’s what Tim Burton had to say about Melbourne’s ACMI:
‘…what I love about this place (is) the interactive nature of it. It’s not as stand-offish as the museum experience. People who don’t normally go to a museum would go to the show.’
Tim Burton: The Exhibition features more than 700 Burton creations, from paintings to puppets and from costumes to cars. (That’s right, there’s a Batmobile on display.) The exhibition closes on Sunday 10 October.
And Robert De Niro, what did he have to say about Melbourne?
‘It’s a terrific city, even in winter, not like New York, which is cold and slushy.’ And: ‘Melbourne is a real city, it’s got different cultures, it’s got a good energy, good restaurants, it’s a great city – good place to be.’
You talkin’ to us? Aw shucks, Mr De Niro…you’ve got that right for sure. And our film festival kicks international celluloid butt!
The Wedding Party screens at the Melbourne International Film Festival tonight at 8pm, Saturday 31 July at 7pm and Tuesday 3 August at 7pm. (Thursday 5 August session is sold out.)
LINKS:
Melbourne International Film Festival
Tim Burton: The Exhibition
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