CORALINE press junket part 2

sitting on the floor of a swanky Beverly hills hotel,
listening to the soothing sounds of Neil speaking to various and sundry reporters
on the domestic part of his Coraline junket.







Last night was the big industry screening at the Graumann’s Chinese, that venerable old Hollywood landmark. Publicist Maggie won me over with the free popcorn and the clever use of a deck (or ten) of Bicycle playing cards as tokens to get in to the afterparty. (i drew the nine of diamonds, Boss got the eight of hearts) It was Almost as clever as the Fabulous Lorraine using buttons as passes......



The 3-D so well done, it nearly overwhelmed me, in the way that I was feeling dizzily disoriented at even the Real D logo in the very beginning. I am such a 3-D fan. First Beowulf, then this. The technology is spectacular.

about the movie--

A shout-out to Teri Hatcher, girl, you were truly impressive with that buttery honeydripper of a voice for all the incarnations of Coraline’s mother.

also lovely was the fact that there was a cat character (devilishly voiced by Keith David)
that wasn’t a stereo-typical mean kitty. finally!

I could listen to Ian McShane’s Mister Bobinsky’s accent forever. I have been saving the whole of Deadwood for a snowed-in someday, but now I may just get that out of the way to spend more time with Mister Ian.

FRENCH AND SAUNDERS as SPINK AND FORCIBLE. I want to be them for Halloween, both of them, and have jewelled eye glasses on stems, with big glittery ocean-colored gems on me as a costume. I was literally drop-jawed in all their scenes.
Those ladies, worth their weight in gold.

I was moved and frightened at different turns. Without giving anything away, I had to be reminded by the videos playing at the afterparty of the animators moving the little gorgeous puppets, that silicone puppets moved by human hands evoked those emotions in me. I gave a big love-punch to the shoulder of director Henry Selick for fooling me so perfectly. His sense of put-this-here and place-that-there, his is a true director’s heart.




Neil had Fairuza Balk accompany him to the screening, and she was a sparkler, a starlet-y firecracker. My Drew, who years ago told me she was his ultimate Hollywood crush, was a bit gaga. Neil asked him at one point in the evening if he could sort of stay with her, while he got whisked away on a wave of well wishers---the look of love and gratitude on Drew’s face towards Neil, priceless. Here they are together :



Drew left this morning for the Elton John tour, here he is on Captain Fantastic’s star, last night in front of the Chinese Theatre--see Mr. Selick in the background. {Bye honey}



Neil has to move on to another location to do more press. So I shall wrap this up.
Will say this, that man is terrifyingly smart, with one hell of a spicy charming bite. The press is getting their best quotes out of him, as he valiantly strives to give each one a bit of a different story.

I always learn so much, perched in the corner, ticky-tapping on my MacBook.

(not sure if this is a junket leak, but Boss just made me laugh with saying to some reporter that he could now relate to the Jonas Brothers, because of all the tweener age group girls coming over sweetly and asking for his autograph)