Since I knew I was going to be in LA during the week that Iron Man opened, I checked with my contacts at Marvel West to see if I could go to a screening. They came through.
What I didn’t realize was that this wasn’t simply an employee screening, as we have in New York. This was the formal premiere. We’re talking red carpet, banks of reporters, and a reception for cast and crew.
First thing’s first: The movie is great. They did a terrific job of translating the screenplay to the screen (not always a guaranteed endeavor, I can assure you) and Robert Downey, Jr., the first thinking man’s superhero, took Tony Stark to a whole ‘nother level with his deftly brilliant performance. The rest of the cast brings their “A” game, but it’s Downey’s heroic journey that both anchors and elevates the movie. An absolute must-see.
My experience at the premiere was nothing short of surreal.
So there was the red carpet stretching along the sidewalk to the entrance of Grauman’s Chinese theater. On the right hand side were all the various reporters and photographers. The carpet itself was bisected lengthwise, effectively creating two “lanes.” When I stepped onto it, there were quite a few people on the left and no one on the right. Naturally I went to the right. Almost immediately a security guard (there had be to about a hundred of them, all similarly attired in black jackets) said, “Sir, you have to walk on the other side.”
Immediately I twigged to the set-up: The right hand side, nearer the media, was for the movie stars, the director, the people you see interviewed on “Entertainment Tonight.” The left hand side was for mere mortals.
I shrugged, said, “Uhkay,” stepped to the left and continued walking.
I made it about ten feet and suddenly people started shouting, “Peter, over here!”
I turned and looked toward the photographers. Flashes immediately started going off. “Peter, this way! Look over here, please!”
I was stunned. Somewhere on the internet there are probably pictures of me looking as if I’d just been slammed in the face with a 2 x 4. The photographers waved me over. “Uhkay,” I said and accommodated them, feeling awkward and uncomfortable and bewildered.
When they had enough shots (I would have thought one would have done it) I kept walking and encountered another guard who waved me over to the left. “Uhkay.” Back to the left I went. I walked another ten feet and suddenly a camera crew from IGN was shouting, “Peter! Can we talk to you for a few minutes!” “Uhkay.” Back I went and did an interview for IGN about the film. When I was done I looked to the security guard questioningly. He just waved me toward the theater and I kept going on the celebrity side.
When did I become a celebrity? How the hëll did THAT happen?
In the theater I was seated next to Mark Silvestri and his wife, and the crew from BET. I cannot recommend highly enough sitting next to the BET guys during an action film, particularly if you want high octane enthusiasm from audience members.
At the party I met Jeff Bridges briefly, didn’t get anywhere near Gwyneth Paltrow, and never did see Robert Downey. But I chatted with lots of folks, had a great time, and didn’t leave until after midnight.
So this is what the Hollywood high life is like. It could be attractive if I weren’t always concerned that the earth was going to split open and swallow us.
PAD
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Bill, it sounds like Marvel is going full steam ahead with the rest of the Avengers films – Captain America, Thor, Iron Man 2, and Avengers itself. Ant-man is in there somewhere, but nobody seems to know when we could expect it.
To be honest, the last trailer for Incredible Hulk does not inspire confidence. And I’m trying to see how an Ant-Man film could ever be successful, but nothing comes to mind; the character just doesn’t scream box office success.
In the hands of anyone else ant-Man would probably be a disaster but Wright has that magic touch for taking a ridiculous concept and finding the humanity in it. Simon Pegg for the role of Henry Pym, of course.
There could be a cool story in that of a guy who ends up with a a seemingly useless super power that, of course, ends up saving the day. Now, should they make Pym the science super genius he is in the comics? It occurs to me that an awful lot of the Marvel characters are super science geniuses– Reed, the Beast, Peter parker, Von Doom, Magneto, Banner, Stark…heck, even some of the sup par villains are pretty handy at whipping out high tech on a limited budget. guess that’s why I always had a fondness for Nova–finding an alien suit someone left around seemed a more likely scenario for an average Joe like myself.
If Peter’s red carpet experience for Iron Man was surreal, J. Michael Straczynski at the Canne Film Festival for the premier of The Changeling (script by Joe) will be even more so. How soon before the rumors start about Joe hooking up with Angelina Jolie to adopt a third world baby?
When I saw Iron Man, there was something at the end of the credits. (I do not understand why people do not hang around for ALL of the flick when they paid $10 or more for it.)
As for celebrity, I had an itty bitty teeny tiny taste of it myself. Not hard to get that; just write a column that people like. No red carpet, of course. But while I wrote it, comic fans, a few writers, and even a couple of nice Marvel higher-ups recognized my name.
It is surprising when you are recognized. Why? Cuz we are all regular people. Working stiffs. But a little recognition is fun. And on occasion, one of us stiffs get billions of gigaquads of recognition in one big premier night. Have fun, Peter. You earned it.
P.S. As for Iron Man, I have always loved the very evil villain with the impeccable good manners.