THE AXE by Costa-Gavras
Sipping my bottle of water and snacking on mini-crab cakes during the San Francisco International Film Festival “after party” at Ghirardelli Square down by the wharf made me a little queasy. I’m a bit of black sheep. I attended the opening of the San Francisco International Film Festival by my lonesome and didn’t know what to expect. As I meandered around I grazed on the many fine foods and took invetory of the well-dressed and pseudo-movers and shakers. The monied environment was elegant and a bit of a guilty pleasure...my access to the VIP room not excepted.
A Ghiradelli booth served hot fudge with whip cream. I counted at least fifty types of wine available for tasting. Conversations were lively. In the VIP room, I struck up a conversation with two very striking young women who worked for the company that did the media campaign for the San Francisco International Film Festival.
“So what did you think of the film,” I asked.
“To long.” One said, nipping at her crab cake.
“I didn’t need all that,” said the other one between sips of wine.
“Well, it was the kind of movie that has that existential quality about it…the movie took the audience in full detail through every single murder.” I said.
“It was about a half-hour too long,” said the wine drinker. “Why not have like a montage in the middle and quickly kill the middle three guys.”
“Yea, but I actually liked that Long Days Journey into Night quality of the film.” I said.
They looked at me quizzically as if I was speaking Greek.
“Well, I think I want some water,” said the wine drinker and they drifted away.
As the two women drifted toward the beverages, in the background of where they were standing was Costa-Gavras.
Earlier when the movie, The Axe by Costa-Gavras opened the festival it was followed by what I thought was an ill-advised question and answer session. Even before entering the movie, I noticed while picking up my tickets that Castro Street was crowded with freeks, geeks, and societe. San Francisco has its share of wildly strange folk…this is part of San Francisco’s charm.
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