Pierson discusses Best Picture, severed fingers, cyberterrorism

Debra D. Bass

Friday, April 11, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

So what does John Pierson think of the "year of the independent film" at the Oscars?

"I would have voted for 'Jerry McGuire.' People thought I should have been jumping up and down for 'The English Patient' winning (Best Picture) as an independent film, but it's not like it was 'Welcome to the Dollhouse.'"

"Dollhouse" was the tale of an ugly duckling in junior high who endures the excruciating trials of being an unattractive junior high student without emerging as a beautiful swan in the end.

What does a guru do?

"The whole idea is to be in a position where you take something of art and find its audience and along the way ensure that the artist is paid accordingly for their work."

In the case of Michael Moore's documentary about trying to interview the CEO of General Motors, "Roger & Me," Moore scraped together $160,000 in bingo money from Flint, Mich., and Pierson helped sell the film for $3 million.

Can independent film become popular without becoming mainstream?

One minute he's heralding the increasing quantity of independent film, the next he's grumbling philosophically about the increasing lack of quality of independent film.

"Independent film has gone through the roof and beyond. It's had some tremendous impacts. Some of the impact was bad, but I'll leave you to figure that out."

How do would-be overnight-success candidates pitch ideas to Pierson?

If you can think of it, it's probably been done, including an "all-too-realistic severed ring finger (with ring still attached) that looked all the more real accompanied by a slab of salami." It was an offbeat attention grabber from an Italian-American filmmaker.

But don't try this at home, please:

In a recent ploy, Pierson has been taken cyberhostage. The letter from the polite cyberterrorist read: "Be cool, don't call the FBI."

It seems this calculating filmmaker plans to hold Pierson's name and company hostage on the Internet until Pierson agrees to read his 80-page script. At which point, the cyberterrorist believes, Pierson will fall in love with his masterpiece and make him a deal. If Pierson doesn't love it, he promised to go away and never infringe on his cyber-rights again.

Of course, Pierson has to pass a small test on the manuscript before the cybernut will release his name. I know you're wondering what Pierson thinks.

"I love tests," he says.

* Pierson FYI:

* In 1979, he helped launch the first film festival to celebrate American independent film, appropriately titled "Mavericks."

* He receives about 450 films annually these days and swears that he watches nearly every submission from start to finish. Some are as short as a few minutes and others as long as two hours. Many are partly shot and the filmmakers are looking for money to finish the film.

* He insisted on leaving his mark at UNLV; also his name, phone number and business address. He hoped to prod filmmakers with merit, who've pieced together some footage, to contact him in the future: John Pierson, Grainy Pictures, 44 Market St., Cold Spring, NY 10516.