Thoughts on the Viva Premiere

My film VIVA premiered the other night, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This was a gala Hollywood affair, with the grand sweeping staircase leading up to the stage flanked by giant Oscars. Tosh Berman gave a genius introduction, totally impromptu, which floored the audience, as he made up stories about my S & M director's practices, and how I seduced him with a martini, a negligée, and five strange girls. He told them that everything in VIVA was real, and that it would change their lives forever.

The audience was vocal, and eruptions of laughter came from all sides, in stereo, throughout the entire film. Afterwards, I couldn't get to the food table or the bar, as I was assaulted by people telling me how talented I am, how the color was perfect, how the acting was impeccable, how great my sets are, etc. As the shining faces of strangers loomed into mine, emphatically pouring out the compliments, I kept thinking: I know the costumes and sets are good...I know the acting is good...I know the film is funny...but what else?

In the next couple of days, I tried to figure out why I was feeling disappointed. I'd been influenced lately by a book I've been reading on Andy Milligan (The Ghastly One by Jimmy McDonough), trashy gay horror exploitation director from the 60's and 70's, and the strange insane world he inhabited. He would shock and torment his audiences, make them sick. It's not that I actually wanted to shock people with VIVA, just that I wanted to affect them with the story, and not just the obvious humor and visuals. I wanted them to respond to the nudity, the orgy, the demonic laughter, the rapes, the sublime sex and race car scenes, the nightmarish world of self-absorbed men with their lion pendants, the overall excessiveness.

A couple of responses, it's true, were different. One person at the screening said they were really glad for actor Jared Sanford's raucous laughter, because it relieved the tension. Then when I got home there were a few emails. One guy couldn't sleep, and woke up at 4:45 AM to write about his fevered responses. Another guy said he was laughing madly throughout, but also admitted that it was nervous laughter, in response to the tension and the uncomfortable situations. One more person said he always thought I should make a real horror movie, and now I have. Another person said that if she didn't know me, she would think it was made by someone in and out of insane asylums.

I never know what my next picture is going to be until I get a general audience response from the one I've just finished, and now lots of ideas are swirling around in my brain. I think I'm going to move into straight drama next time, less stylized, tighter story, more direct about the themes. Audiences are masochists and they're brutal, nothing is too strong for them. I see that now. I have a carnival story sort of sketched out, and I have some ideas about its structure, characters and plot that can't fail. More on that next time.

Some comments after the screening:

I thought it was marvelous. It had "that Biller touch"--a wonderful blend of the sumptuous and the preposterous.  I especially envy anyone who stumbles across it by accident.  As with all my favorite films, VIVA offers and alternate reality that I would gladly inhabit--the complete antithesis of pretty much everything else on the marketplace these days. --Marshall

I really enjoyed Viva. The take off of the 70's style acting came across so amusingly. Your attention to all the details of the film is what made it really work. The music and your animation were terrific. I haven't laughed so much at a film for some time. --Robert

Wow, that was... AMAZING!  EPIC! not since POLYESTER have I seen a director transform THAT much from project to project! --Dave

The movie is extremely well done--interesting as well as enlightening!--I guess I missed something in the 70's ha! --Betty

It's a hell of an achievement and one that will force people to take you very seriously as a filmmaker. Obviously, lots of feedback. I'd say THE universal theme was "I have never seen a film like that. Ever!" --John

"Viva" to me is fantasy. But it is a fantasy of someone who lives like those characters in the movie. The social group that I was raised in, were dealing with another sort of crisis... hard drugs, death, etc. The first time I ever saw 'Playboy' was in my Grandfather's house. I have seen hardcore porn in my family's household - but the Playboy thing is really for a particular type of 'man' and that 'man'' wasn't part of my teenage or child world. Saying that I think 'Viva' is a really great film. What makes it great is...basically you! It is your point of view or your attitude that makes that social history interesting. The Orgy scene is incredible. The pacing and shots are awesome. It's really intense. --Tosh

I had to write to tell you how much I enjoyed Viva!  I brought two of my girlfriends out with me and we all were so excited and amazed.  I love the look and feel, I love all of the authentic touches, the wigs, the clothes, the sets-my god! the sets!! One of my favorite scenes is when Rick drops the pack of cigarettes in front of the race car so that there can be a sweet beauty shot of him as he kneels to pick them up.  I am so excited and invigorated by this movie! Absolutely spot on. --Sonya

I had no expectations except that you'd amuse and provoke me at the same time.  In that regard, this is clearly your best work ever.  It not only entertains but also subverts from within, which is my definition of high art. The audience reaction was never universal but always consistently "into" it.  you know? Your work produces (at least in me) a strange, uneasy tension.  I actually laughed so much I hope I didn't embarrass you.  My friend mentioned it to me afterwards. "You sure did laugh."  I said, "It's to lessen the tension."  And I went on to espouse how without the laughter, the painful truths of your work make it hard for me to watch. It's too painful and difficult and soul-challenging not to work on what you want, imho.  in other words, since the process of making films is so difficult, why challenge yourself to only be mediocre? --Dave

The shots of the hors d'oeuvres were so funny! I was married to a professor at the time, and we had parties EXACTLY like that...except, we weren't nude! And it was VERY funny. I was laughing the whole time. And there was a guy behind me that was laughing his head off! --Joyce

I think the fellow that introduced the movie was right, my life won't be the same after seeing VIVA! --Gary