He's on the short list for an Oscar or two, but George Clooney still is able to joke about the incredible fortune that has come his way this past year. "My career's on its way down," the co-writer and co-star of "Good Night, and Good Luck" said as he walked the red carpet Friday night before receiving the Modern Master Award from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. In reality, the former "ER" star who has made an easy transition to film is on a high -- and much of it is owed to "Good Night, and Good Luck," which is up for six Academy Awards, including best picture.
Mr. Clooney, who co-wrote the original screenplay and directed the film, is up for Oscars in those categories, and he's also nominated for best supporting actor in "Syriana." "I'm plummeting," he joked, flashing his million-watt smile. A segment of the audience that has shown surprising support for the film, he said, is made up of young people, who weren't around in the 1950s for broadcast journalism's early days and have not seen anything like Sen. Joseph McCarthy and the Permanent Sub-committee on Investigations. "It's exciting how well we did with young people, but I was sort of surprised by that," Mr. Clooney told the News-Press outside the Arlington Theatre. "Usually they're almost immediately turned off by the idea it's black and white. But, you know, you show a kid 'It's a Wonderful Life' and they hate it for a second, and then they watch it and they like it."
Sharon Stone was on hand for the Clooney tribute, and she dodged any talk of her role in "Alpha Dog," the film based on Jesse James Hollywood, the accused mastermind behind Nicholas Markowitz's murder in the hills outside Santa Barbara. "We're here opening our film 'Special Thanks to Roy London,' " said Ms. Stone. The late Mr. London was an influential 1980s acting coach, and Ms. Stone is one of about 50 people appearing in that film, which screens at 3:30 p.m. today at Victoria Hall, followed by a question-and-answer session.
Jonathan Wyche and Clint Howard -- Ron's brother -- were on hand to promote their new film, "Planet Ibsen," a fantasy tale of a tormented playwright forced to revisit his past by being trapped inside his archrival's play. Their film screens at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday at the Metro 4. "When I read the script I was impressed, and when I met Jonathan (the director, writer and producer) I was impressed with his focus and felt comfortable that he could pull it off," said Mr. Howard, who co-produced and plays Henrik Ibsen, the film's title character. "It's not mainstream. It's an intellectual art-house movie.
Clint Howard, a lead actor in "Planet Ibsen" where he portrays Henrik Ibsen.Copyright Eric Isaacs 2006 http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=1300
