11th ANNUAL
JAMES RIVER
FILM FESTIVAL
Virginia’s Festival for the
Independent- Minded |
ALL ADMISSIONS
FREE UNLESS NOTED; DONATIONS ENCOURAGED
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"Willy
Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"
with
director Mel Stuart |
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 Co-sponsored
by For the Love of Chocolate
Mel Stuart’s
screen version of Roald Dahl’s popular children’s
book, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," has to
be one of the most fantastic book-to-screen stories ever.
This psychedelic candyland features the tunes of Leslie Bricusse
and Anthony Newley (“The Candy Man”), Gene Wilder
in one of his more off-beat roles as the mysterious and whimsical
Willy Wonka, Peter Ostrum as our hero, Charlie Bucket, Jack
Albertson as his lovable Grandpa Joe and sumptuous eye-boggling
sets. And if you ever wanted to know what was in the river
of chocolate or why the midgets had orange faces or what an
Everlasting Gobstopper was, festival guest director Mel Stuart
will be present to explain everything you ever wanted to know
about the making of "Willy Wonka"… but were
afraid to ask. It’ll be a scrumdidilyumptious good show.
Stuart’s appearance co-sponsored by For the Love of Chocolate.
(1971, color, 100 mins.)  Byrd
Theatre, 11 a.m. Admission: Adults $5, Children $2.
Tickets are available only at the door.
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Book
sale & signing:
Immediately after the screening and Q&A, copies of
Mr. Stuart’s book, Pure Imagination: The Making
of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, will
be on sale in the lobby courtesy of Chop Suey Books. Plus,
Mr. Stuart will be on hand to sign your copy! If you miss
this opportunity and still want one, visit Chop Suey Books,
1317 W. Cary Street. |
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DOUBLE FEATURE
with director
John O’Brien |
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 "Nosey
Parker"
The third part of Vermont filmmaker O’Brien’s
“Tunbridge Trilogy” centers around rural friends
and neighbors and the city-folk that move there. His previous
films, "Vermont is for Lovers" (’92) and
"Man with a Plan" (’96) won critical praise
and good word-of-mouth from audiences on the festival
circuit for their wit, sophistication, honesty and charm
– rural comedies of manner that recalled America’s
screwballs of the ‘30s. Both films feature non-actors
and drama improvised around a story frame. In "Man
with a Plan," Vermont farmer Fred Tuttle, as himself,
decides to run for Congress and was so credible on film
he very nearly got elected on a write-in. In "Nosey
Parker," real-life dairy farmer George Lyford plays
handy-man/tax assessor opposite actress Natalie Picoe’s
thirtysomething yuppie ex-New Yorker and the pair make
an unlikely twosome. Director O’Brien won a special
jury prize for Outstanding Direction at the 2003 Nantucket
Film Festival and Best Film at the Lake Wobegon Film Festival.
O’Brien will introduce "Nosey Parker" and
engage in a Q&A after the film. (2003, color, 105
mins.) Plant
Zero, 2 p.m. Admission $5 (Good for double feature –
stay to enjoy Vermont is for Lovers!) |
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"Vermont
is for Lovers"
The perfect companion to O’Brien’s latest feature
is his first – which played the JRFF in 1994. Hackneyed
themes like bachelorhood and marriage, rural wisdom and urban
hubris are taken in a fresh direction when George, a New Yawker,
ventures to Vermont to wed Marya on her aunt’s sheep farm.
There he finds as many faults in their relationship as stones
in a pasture. O’Brien’s picaresque tale of love and
life is reminiscent of Ross McElwee’s "Sherman’s
March," only in a different direction. Director O’Brien
will discuss his film after the screening. (1992, color, 100
mins.) Plant
Zero, 4 p.m. Admission $5.
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"Wattstax"
with director Mel Stuart
Co-sponsored
by Plan 9 Music
This
legendary document of a 1972 Los Angeles R&B festival
celebrating the positive steps taken by the black community
since the devastating 1965 Watts riots features the
brightest stars of Stax Records – the Staple Singers,
Rufus and Carla Thomas, Johnnie Taylor, Little Melvin
and the Bar-Kays. Highlights include Isaac Hayes’
performance of “Theme from Shaft” while encumbered
in gold chains. Billed as a “Black Woodstock,”
it was emceed by Rev. Jesse Jackson with contributing
commentary by comedian Richard Pryor. But director Stuart
and crew didn’t stop there; they interviewed scores
of Watts residents about what the music meant to them.
Stuart will discuss his film after the screening. (1973,
color, 100 mins.) Plant
Zero, 8 p.m. Admission $5. Tickets are available only
at the door.
(With purchase of ticket you are invited to stay to
enjoy the sounds of NRG Krysys, starting immediately
after the Q&A.)
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NRG Krysys
Dance Party
Co-sponsored
by Plan 9 Music
Enjoy
the live sweatbox sounds of Richmond’s NRG Krysys
after the screening of "Wattstax" with director
Mel Stuart. Plant
Zero, 10:30 p.m. Admission $5.
The
’60s and ’70s soul and funk grooves of Richmond’s
NRG Krysys have been steaming up the dance floors of
clubs, restaurants and private parties around town since
the summer of 2001. Members Coby “Cold Trip”
Batty, John “J Lo” Gotschalk, Bryan “B
Groove” Harvey, Kevin “Special K” Pittman,
Armistead “Full Force” Wellford, and Todd
“Bad Biggie T” Woodson comprise a Richmond
“supergroup” of sorts as veterans of local
and nationally-known bands such as Love Tractor, The
Fugs, Gutterball, House of Freaks, The Dads, The Red
Hot Lava Men, The Skychiefs, The Nocturnes, and The
Henry Mancini Orchestra, among others.
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