The Young and the Reckless: River's Edge | Sandi Tan, Ione Skye

[KJ Relth] Please join me in welcoming to the Wilder stage, Sandy Tan. Guest curator for this evening. And our very special guest for the next film we're going to see, Ione Skye. [Sandi Tan] Hi. Thank you so much for letting me make you show that crazy movie. [laughter] It was such a beautiful print, I have to say. thank you thank you It was like I just wanted to see it, so I made you guys show it. Thank you. Thank you for projecting it so beautifully. [KJ] Thank you Jim. Yeah, Jim always does such a great job. Let's give a round of applause for Jim. [applause] [Tan] And the other thing I wanted to say before the film but all of you probably know this cuz you all of you, you know, you wouldn't be here... because you're all nerds. You know it's kind of moving to see this because Guillaume Depardieu and Yekaterina Golubeva, the two leads, are no longer with us they died young. They were I guess, you know,  just crystallize in this beautiful crazy film, and in their youthful.... best selves, I guess... [KJ] Best/worst... [Tan] Yes, best-worst. [Relth] So the the film the origin of the film. Do you want to talk about that at all? It's based on a Melville novel that I think was on the the tail end of his greatest novel. And the title of this film is kind of obscure. Do you remember what it stands for? It's Pierre au le... [Tan] In French, yeah... Ambiguities... [Relth] Ya, and X is in reference to the tenth draft. 10th & final draft of the script. [Tan] I'm glad it was the French version that they used, Pola X rather than the English the English title, which would have made it, Pota X. That would be less glamorous. Anyway, thanks for staying for this. I mean, it was a rare screening... I'm glad you were here for it. We're gonna show River's Edge, your first film! [Ione Skye] Yeah, my first film. [Tan] You were 15, right? [Skye] I was 15, yeah. [Relth] Do you want to talk about how how that opportunity came to you? [Skye] Well, I grew up here and my brother was auditioning and acting and stuff... he was older... and I was just in school.... very creative, but had no ambitions to be an actor. Although I loved film. And it worked out that I loved like, um... now I'm blanking on the movie that Dennis Hopper was in that just came out before... ...the really dark, Blue Velvet [!] So it was this was him I liked what I liked is a teen, I was not goth, but I liked film, and I loved that kind of film. Well my brother auditioned for it and said you should audition for this. Actually, I don't know how... He old the casting director, or something or other... I don't know how he wrangled it. I probably wouldn't have but when I read the sides, it's not like I knew... I don't know how I knew, but it felt from his scenes that he used to audition for were really corny. And when I saw this, I was like this is cool. it wasn't exactly how it I thought a teenager spoke, but I could tell that it was dark and edgy. You know, I was already, you know, I don't know... I had no... I shouldn't have been that selective. I had nothing. But, I was like, I'll go for this because it's cool. And it turned out Fred(erick) Elmes, who shot Blue Velvet, shot this. So that was sort of you know between all of that world and  stuff I was in. I pushed myself because I was very shy. So I pushed myself... and every movie that had a bunch of teens it's probably still. All the teen actors in Hollywood kind of go berserk and like there have been some. I can remember. But this was like a lot, everybody, every teen wanted to be in this. [Tan] Yet the lead was an unknown named Keanu. [Skye] Right, I know. [Relth] It's one of his biggest on-screen moments. [Skye] Yeah, like Tim Hunter really had an eye for brunettes. I guess he had you know, Keanu was in Tex... I guess he was in Tex, his other movie or maybe not. No not Tex. [Relth] He had a small role, but that was like '82... [in unison] Matt Dillon [!] [Tan] Because I remember Keanu was in a couple of TV movies. [Skye] That's right. yes, yes. So that's what I was trying to say is his style was very... and also Meg Tilly who was also in... that, that's someone he casts... in Tex. That's what I'm getting confused. I think I was sort of the look he liked or something. [Relth] I'm thinking a little bit... I know that you weren't here to see the film Pola X, which we just watched. But Sandy, I'm curious how you'r memory of River's Edge because i'm not sure when you saw it last. But how that film kind of speaks to what we just watched because there's this certain sort of thread, at least for me there's this thread of nihilism that runs through both of them. It's interesting that they are 13 years apart, yet there's still this youthful listlessness. Or sort of like ambivalence that I think comes through in both of them. Yeah, I think, mmm... I think when i first watched River's Edge, I was a teenager in Singapore, I guess. I watched this fuzzy video tape that was like smuggled to me by a cousin in Florida who went to Blockbuster and taped 3 movies onto a VHS tape and shipped it to me. So it was kind of like it was some... it was like an object from outer space. It was... you know I read a lot about it because I read American Film... all these magazines I think were about this film that was so nihilistic and dangerous for kids and stuff and you know... I was really excited to see it and it could have lived up to my expectations, but everything else since then was disappointing you know. I mean like since like in terms of an American indie film this was what could have set the high bar for American Indies. After that there's a lot of lame, I mean the 80's... the 80's was not very good film. Though you were in like... great films. [Sky] Well the soundtrack also, River's Edge, it's like kind of like I don't  know... there was a level of sophistication. Well grungy and then there was also... I can't remember...  I remember the composer... so the director I think... I remember he gave me like Balzac and all these kind of heavy books to read or whatever yeah, so I think he had a like a level you know so I don't know what that's saying about it. But it just it kind of had a you know I don't know. [Tan] We were hoping that Tim hunter would show  actually. [Skye] Yeah, but yeah it worked as it was. [Tan] It was also funny because this is a film that introduced so many new words into film lovers vocabulary. I mean like Keanu, Ione, um... Crispin like names we'd never heard before and suddenly they became... ! [Skye]  I know Keanu and Ione. I think they like tried on calling us both to set and like blending our names together like to one name but it didn't stick. But I was like that's corny... but I hope it sticks.  Because that's kind of cool but it didn't, but yeah. [Relth] What was your memory of working, I mean obviously, being a young actor and being able to be even in being a young actor and being able to be in the same room as Dennis Hopper must have been pretty... [Skye] Yeah, we were all very excited. And you know he was sort of cleaned up at that point, and he came in for the table read... I don't think it was like a formal table... we were just all meeting one day in a, I don't know an office, and he had like a briefcase and a suit and you know because we kind of had like, Easy Rider, Out of The Blue... Whatever was in our mind that he would be kind of crazy. But he wasn't. And he's just, he was very nice and yeah I really, I knew him a little bit after. I really liked him personally. But yeah, he was great he was just uh... [Tan] I was reading that they were trying to shoot this around Sacramento. But then they wound up shooting in like La Canada or Upland or no... [Skye] We did yeah, we did, we shot at the American River in Sacramento And that was, I think that's the only time I've ever been, but I've been wanting to go back because it's kind of amazing. And we shot a lot of the houses and stuff in Sacramento. [Tan] Oh really, wow yeah. Skye] But maybe the school and stuff was like La Canada and stuff like that. But yeah, we did go to Sacramento, and yeah that was cool. And stayed in a 'bummy' little hotel, motel... and you know, it was good. [Tan] When was the last time you saw this movie? [Skye] Yeah, probably you know, like maybe ten years ago. It's something... There's a lot of films that I can't watch like, 'Say Anything' for some reason. I make myself watch it isn't that weird.  I don't know why but for some reason not that I don't like it but I feel like it brings back funny memories or something but I can always watch this objectively, River's Edge. I can always watch it as a film lover, and you know, just enjoy it. Whereas some things you just, and like it's when you see yourself as a kid. And you know how it is, like do you like, that's my voice (?!) like you freak... But this I always come watch. But yeah, maybe there was a double-screening I was trying to remember. It was a Gus Van Zant film but I can't remember if it was Drugstore Cowboy or my own Private Idaho... Or something like 10-15 years ago, they did it with this. [Relth] Where was that screening? [Skye] I think San Francisico. And Crispin came. But yeah it was fun. [Tan] Does anyone know where Cripin is? [Skye] His Instagram looks like he's in like Czechoslovakia or something. But I don't know if he really lives there if it's like a whole... [Tan] We became very good friends, and he was great. He was totally, totally out there, but like amazing. His apartment was in the Fauntleroy, that old Hollywood, apartment building. He painted it maybe... dark grey... I don't know it was very cool. But he was, you know he's really a character. [Relth] What was his energy like when he wasn't performing? [Skye] He's stranger than in this movie, in real life... but like so nice You know, really nice and I love, I like strange.. you know. [Relth] I am curious how many of us here are seeing this for the first time... are seeing River's Edge for the first time tonight? Okay! Very good, yeah. [Skye] So this is a weird pre- you know this might be after a bit... but you're gonna, it's really good. [Tan] Actually I'm curious how many people watching  Pola X for the first time? Oh wow, cool that's... [Relth] Yeah I know it's available on DVD you can. It's accessible. It's findable yeah. I didn't have to dig too hard to find it to review it. But this print, I don't know the last... Looking through our traffic records, the last time it's been booked or sent out somewhere. It's been awhile. [Tan] It's beautiful. [Relth] Yeah, it may have played in another city but  I can't remember the last time it played in LA. [Tan] And I hope this one is as beautiful as that. [Relth] We'll see. I think the condition report was favorable. [Tan] Anything else you want us to know before we watch this? [Skye] There'll be more questions after. [Tan] But your husband, Ben you've seen this recently haven't you? [unintelligible...] [Skye] Yeah... there's some comedy. When it came out people were shocked. I remember the cast watched the first screening with an audience. We were laughing. We thought it was amazing and the audience was just like [motions] They didn't... because Crispin was really out there. But we thought it was funny and then, in a way you know... he's amazing. Maybe he's in a different movie in a way, but not really. And it sort of aged where it works out [Relth] Well I think part of the reactions were mixed and specifically, regional reactions were I think mixed. Because this is based on for those of you who don't know, on a true story. It's loosely based on something that actually happened without giving any... spoilers For those who haven't seen it. [Skye] Anyway, it's great. [Relth] Okay, so we're actually going to take a 10-minute break to give you time to  stretch your legs and use the facilities. But we'll be back in ten minutes to start River's Edge. And thank you both so much for being here.