Love And Death On Long Island

Love and Death on Long Island, the 1997 quietly impressive Canadian/British film, comes to the Westhampton Performing Arts Center on Saturday, November 17 t 3 p.m. Dan's Papers They Made the Movie Here Film Festival is proud to present this exceptionally fine film starring John Hurt as a renowned but extremely reclusive British writer who is drawn out of his solitary shell by an obsession with a young American actor, played by Jason Priestley. He had seen him, by chance, starring in a tawdry movie. Deeply intrigued, he travels to Long Island where the movie star has a home. He, of course, finds that Long Island is not at all like London, but he loves it - almost as much as he does the actor.

Love and Death on Long Island is a remarkably sensitive first feature film directed by Richard Kwietniowski. He also wrote the screenplay from a novel by Gilbert Adair. His knowledge of our Long Island is uncanny and the only giveaway that he's not a Long Islander is that his characters refer to the south shore as "the coast." However, this rare film is amazingly observant and credible.

The opening credits are over the Hamptons surf and beaches. John Hurt, as Giles De'Ath, narrates his story, describing the fantasy relationship's beginning. Oddly, he'd agreed to leave his London home for a radio interview and learns that an E.M. Forster novel had been made into a film. Perhaps there is something to those 20th Century gadgets. One rainy day he goes into a cinema where the E. M.Forster movie is being shown, but accidentally sits in the wrong theatre. There, the movie is Hot Pants College II. Aghast, he's about to leave when he catches sight of Jason Priestly on screen and is drawn to him, like lightning to a rod. Soon he is seeking out other movies featuring Priestley's Ronnie Bostock. His engrossment becomes a fixation - he is possessed. He buys movie magazines, clips Ronnie's photos and makes albums and learns all he can about him. Finding the town on the island - he is off!

Chesterton is the fictional name given the town Giles finds himself at sea in until he meets Irving, owner of Chez D'Irv's Diner. With his help, Giles finally meets Ronnie's girlfriend (Fiona Loewi), who is impressed with Gile's intellect and his immersion into moviemaking. At this point, I will only urge you to come see this captivating film that is as eccentric as its central subject - the consumed author.

It is a distinct pleasure to host films like Love and Death on Long Island. I am Guy de Fraumeni, your absent without leave host however, Sarah Halsey and refreshments will await your presence.

Guy-Jean de Fraumeni is the producer, writer, and director of award-winning European Feature films. He has judged the major Film and TV award competitions, including the Oscars, The Emmy's and various film festivals.

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