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Cinematical - At any large film festival, it’s easy to get caught up in the buzz and the biz of it - most of the time, the press screenings are really press and industry screenings, which means that the person sitting next to you is not some fellow ink-stained wretch who will watch the film and have to write a review but, rather, an acquisitions person who will watch the film and, perhaps, write a check. This doesn’t just lead to seat-hopping and movie-jumping as the acquisitions people shrug No, not for us and leave so they can continue their quest; it also leads to getting caught up in an atmosphere where questions of commerce can come more readily to mind than questions of art.
So it was with the Toronto screening of Me and Orson Welles, where my feeling warmed and charmed by Richard Linklater’s recreation of 1930’s literary New York came on the heels of a much more pointed question — namely, who the hell is going to see it? Starring Zac Efron as a young would-be actor who’s recruited for a bit part in Orson Welles’ 1937 Mercury Theater production of Julius Caesar, the film skews young in energy and execution, but unless teens are lured into caring about old-timey theater by Efron’s name, it’s unlikely they’ll go; older audience members, who have the advantage of actually knowing, and caring, who Orson Welles is might be put off by the presence of Mr. Efron, who they know solely from their childrens’ repeated viewing of High School Musical… [Full Story]
September 12th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Anyone questioning the strength of Zac Efron’s ability to draw a wide, diverse audience for a period movie has not followed the media; and I’m not talking about teen magazines. Interviews on TV talk shows around the world and publications from Elle to Rolling Stones created a strong fan demographic of women ages 25 - 60+. We follow his development because of his charming personality, charisma and his expression of “old fashioned” positive values and attitudes…the beautiful package is a great bonus. His young fans will go to anything with his name on it, but his growing fan base is shifting to a mature audience that has enjoyed watching the talented young man evolve into a sexy, inspiring leading man. Don’t underestimate the power of 40+ women. Famous young leading men have always attracted older women.