14 May - Day 8
Kim Bassinger revived the fans
The festival opening film, Luc Besson's The Fifth Element, is a box office hit.The studio Gaumont claims that top budgets in France are around $17 million, yet for Luc Besson's film they forked out $80 million. It looks like it will be paying off. In France alone, 400,000 movie-goers in one week (comparable to Independence Day and Jurassic Park). After five days at the cinemas in the US, The Fifth Element has brought in over $17 million and is expected to attain $25 million by the end of the week.
The fans resurfaced today to see the pretty Kim Bassinger walk the steps with Curtis Hanson, director of L.A. Confidential (in competition), also starring Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito. They all drove up in period cars to resonate the atmosphere of the film. A thriller adapted from James Ellroy's book, set in the 50's.
Kim Bassinger is the only woman in the film and plays the role of a prostitute, a Veronica Lake character. This is her first time back on the screen in three years, arriving in Cannes with a babe in arms. James Ellroy, also present for the screening, considered L.A. Confidential to be a just compromise that both he and Hanson could identify with. Danny DeVito was busy making films on the streets of Cannes, claiming that he always carries a small camera around with him so as to capture real situations.
Funny Games, also in competition today, was declared by viewers as violent, a carnage, extreme, disturbing, a sort of Orange Mechanic. The film was directed by Austrian Michael Haneke.
Two directors were in the news, Woody Allen and Martin Scorcese. Allen is leaving Miramax and has sold the US distribution rights for his next film Deconstructing Harry to Fine Line Features ($10.5 million). Martin Scorcese attacked Chinese authorities for having retained directors Zhang Yimou et Zhang Yuan from the festival. China has also been attacking Socrcese's who intends to release his Dalai Lama film Kundun in the US and Britain. The film was made in Morocco and used only unknown Tibetan actors.There was also a buzz for Tim Burton who is making a Superman to be incarnated by Nicolas Cage.
Cannes Junior is a jury made up of eight 7 - 14 years old which will also bestow a prize at the end of the festival. Speaking about young people, 144 of them were invited to a special screening of Camera in Space filmed from Mir by the Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev.
The line up for 15 May
Official Selection: Al Massir ( Destiny) by Youssef Chahine (Egypt)
The Sweet Hereafter by Atom Egoyan (Canada)
Les Marches du Palais by Bernard Dartigues (France, out of competition)
A Certain Regard: Sunday by Jonathan Nossiter (USA)
Directors Fortnight: Suzaku by Naomi Kawasi (Japan)
Taafe Fanga by Adama Drabo (Mali)
