Movie Guys: Get your indie kicks at ‘Buffalo 66’

Friday, Aug. 14, 1998 | 9:52 a.m.

* Grades: Jeff, B; Dave, B+.

* Starring: Vincent Gallo, Christina Ricci, Anjelica Huston, Ben Gazzara, Rosanna Arquette and Mickey Rourke.

* Director: Vincent Gallo.

* Screenplay: Vincent Gallo and Alison Bagnall.

* Rated: R for violence, strong language and brief nudity.

* Running time: 110 minutes.

* Playing at: ACT III Sunset Station.

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* Synopsis:

In this dark romantic comedy, writer/director Vincent Gallo plays Billy Brown, an emotionally disturbed ex-con who forces a naive teen (a bleach-blond Christina Ricci) to act as his adoring wife for his football-crazed parents. During the chain of events, Billy plans on killing the Buffalo Bills' place-kicker, who missed the winning field goal that cost the team the Super Bowl -- leading to his imprisonment because of a complicated arrangement with his bookie. During it all, he discovers love in strange places.

Dave: In recent years, one could argue that independent films have fallen to the mainstream side. Movies such as "Fargo," "Slingblade" and "The English Patient" have become the expectations of indie film fans. Granted, a friend of mine claimed that she felt the indie genre reached a maturity that has caused underground filmmaking to gain such attention, which may seem like a valid point. Studios have tapped their way into a creative outlet that has been ignored for decades.

I believe these studios have bullied their way into indies for the simple reason that there is money to be made, and they press their politics and money upon aspiring filmmakers to the point that the creative process becomes secondary. However, every now and again, a film may squeeze by and remind us what independent filmmaking is all about. "Buffalo 66" is that film.

Jeff: Behind this remarkable film is Vincent Gallo, writer, director, actor, musician, a jack-of-all-trades. When does this guy have time to sleep? Gallo had layered his movie with the most undesirable characters. Billy Brown (played to perfection by Gallo) has just spent five years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Upon his release, he has only two tasks he must complete: First, he must trick his parents into believing that he is happily married to Layla (Christina Ricci), a dancer he kidnaps and threatens to kill if she doesn't cooperate.

His second obsession is to find a former Buffalo Bills field goal kicker who missed a game-winning kick, which cost Brown a bundle to a bookie (Mickey Rourke) who, in return for a clean slate, had Brown take the wrap for a crime he didn't commit. He's looking to get even. Gallo has created characters filled with obsession and low self-esteem, which puts them in situations in which anything can -- and will -- happen in this black comedy, which was all the rage at this year's Sundance Film Festival.

Dave:

Gallo's innovative direction and solemn dialogue (which he co-wrote) earns him immediate respect as an incredible talent. Familiar to viewers of Calvin Klein ads (he was a model) he has dabbled in the recording industry and starred in such films as Abel Ferrara's "The Funeral" and Keifer Sutherland's "Truth or Consequences, N.M.," Highly experimental within the linear context and filled with cold and gritty images, Gallo uses every extreme of indie filmmaking in "Buffalo 66."

He gets beautiful performances and interesting characters, and validly places them within the slums of their environment. Ricci, the china-doll actress who has been spreading her acting wings in movies such as "The Ice Storm" and this summer's "The Opposite of Sex," brings out the sincerity in Gallo after his continuous empty threats and violent behavior. She even entertains us with a somber tap-dancing number that seems to be the filmmaker's daydream.

Jeff:

The most interesting choice by Gallo is the pairing of Anjelica Huston and Ben Gazzara as Billy's neglectful parents. Huston is inexcusable as a mother who prefers to watch taped Buffalo Bills games than converse with the son she hasn't seen in five years. Gazzara plays your typical cigar-smoking, dirty undershirt-wearing father who is more interested in impressing Layla with his dreams of being a crooner than paying attention to his son.

This is parental abuse as Billy sits at the family dinner table, shaking, his knees knocking together (with the camera spinning around the table), vying for attention. Billy only wants to be part of a family, something his parents want nothing to do with. "Buffalo 66" is a remarkable in-depth character study of the most dysfunctional people you can find.

Dave:

In the wake of it all, Billy's manhunt for revenge is overshadowed by the blind faith that Layla offers. Only her curious love for him can save him from making a crucial mistake that will ruin his life. In a bizarre twist of fate, Gallo has you wondering how this tale will end -- either extremely bad, or extremely fortunate. However the characters' fates turns out, you are left with an impressive film that defines every element of the indie scene.

VIEWPOINT

One of the questions that we get asked all the time is: "How do you get to see movies before anyone else?" Well, there are two ways: 1) Press screenings that the studios set up for critics to see privately. 2) Sneak previews that are used to generate positive buzz about their films with an audience. As film critics, we need to see the movies early so we can write our reviews and meet our deadlines. Sometimes it just doesn't work out that way. Such is the case with "The Avengers."

The $70-million action-adventure opens today -- without any press screenings or sneak previews. Why? Perhaps it's because the film's distributor, Warner Bros., knows it has a potential flop on its hands. The signs are all there: The film is dumped onto screens at the end of summer, the stars are unavailable to promote the film and poor test screening results were seen on renegade reporter Harry Knowles' "Ain't it Cool" website. A Warners spokesperson was quoted as saying, "(Warner Bros.) decided that we wanted the press and audiences to discover the movie together." Other films that the press and audiences were supposed to "discover" were box office and critical bombs including "The Scarlet Letter" and Norm MacDonald's "Dirty Work." Does this automatically mean "The Avengers" will be a bad film? Not at all. But, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck ... it's probably "Howard the Duck."

MOVIE BUZZ

Paramount beams up "Trekkies":

Paramount Pictures has paid $1.25 million for the rights to distribute a documentary about "Star Trek" geeks ... uh, fans. The film, called "Trekkies," features interviews with "Trek" crew members Kate Mulgrew, Leonard Nimoy and Brent Spiner. But does the film embrace the fans or ridicule them? One Paramount exec says that " 'Star Trek' fans love it. It's not condescending. It's a celebration." Uh-huh, and if you believe that, we've got some property on Rigel IV for sale.

"Willlmaaaaa!":

Briton Mark Addy, best known as the "pudgy one" in "The Full Monty," will play Fred Flintstone in Universal Pictures' prequel to "The Flintstones." The new film, called "Viva Rock Vegas," focuses on newlyweds Fred and Wilma Flintstone as they visit the Stone Age version of Las Vegas. No other casting has been announced, but we'd love to see "NewsRadio's" David Foley as a young Barney and Ashley Judd ("Kiss the Girls") as Wilma.

What a doll!:

Galoob Toys announced plans to produce a series of dolls based on Kate Winslet's character in "Titanic." The toy company wanted to make dolls resembling Leonardo DiCaprio as well, but the actor refused. We guess Leo was afraid people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between him and the doll.

NAME THAT FLICK

"Flies! Flies! Poor puny things. Who wants to eat flies? ... Not when I can get nice fat spiders." Our winner this week is Larry Strannix, who correctly guessed that it was spoken by Reinfield in the 1931 classic "Dracula." Way to go, Larry! Stay away from our necks!

Now, for this week -- who said this and in what film: "The last miracle I did was the 1969 Mets. Before that, I think you have to go back to the Red Sea." Does it sound familiar? If you think you know, call The Movie Guys Hotline at 225-9026 or e-mail us at movieguys5@aol.com. Be sure to spell your name and leave your daytime phone number, and if you're the first correct caller/e-mailer, we will print your name right here in our column for the entire Las Vegas Valley to read.

See you next week!

THE MOVIE GUYS, starring Jeff Howard and Dave Neil, appears every Friday in the Sun (additional material provided by Thomas Feeney). You can also read their capsule reviews of movies in Las Vegas Weekly magazine and watch their reviews every Friday on Channel 3's 11 p.m. newscast. Plus, check them out online at: www.lasvegassun.com/sun/sunlife/movies.