- Title: USA: THE NEW BARRY SONNEFELD MOVIE "MEN IN BLACK" HAS ITS LOS ANGELES PREMIERE
- Date: 7th June 1997
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JUNE 25, 1997) (RTV) THEATRE MARQUEE OF "MEN IN BLACK" PREMIERE ACTOR WILL SMITH IN CROWD OF ARRIVALS PAN FROM SMITH TO DIRECTOR BARRY SONNENFELD CAMERAMAN RIP TORN TORN SAYING, "WELL YOU GOT BARRY SONNENFELD WHOSE GOT A WONDERFUL ACTION AND HUMOUR IN ALL HIS FILMS LIKE "GET SHORTY." THEN HE'S GOT TO DEAL WITH THESE "GET THE AL
- Embargoed: 22nd June 1997 13:00
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- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES/ FILM lOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA2SCHHQYRG3U4NF7LGFX3ZSBBR
- Story Text: The new Barry Sonnenfeld movie "Men In Black" had its Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday (June 25).
"Men in Black" is the story of a highly-secretive government agency assigned the task of keeping unregistered aliens out of the United States (U.S.) ... aliens of the extra-terrestrial kind, that is.
Tommy Lee Jones plays "K" - an agent from an unofficial government organisation who teams up with a rookie New York policeman played by Will Smith - who becomes agent "J".
Together, the men set out on the trail of a vicious alien named Edgar, who, after crashing-landing in a cow pasture, takes on the human form of an unsuspecting farmer - played by Vincent D'Onofrio.
Using his human guise, the alien travels to New York City and launches his plan to destroy Earth.
Director Barry Sonnenfeld combines the elements of humour and fantasy in "Men in Black" which served him so well in "The Addams Family" and its sequel "Addams Family Values." Another of his directing credits is the hugely-popular John Travolta film "Get Shorty." Sonnenfeld said Smith and Jones worked well together on and off the set. "Will just thought Tommy was the funniest guy he'd ever met. Tommy's so dry and so sarcastic and so witty, bitingly witty, that Will would, we would often wait, give us a minute because Will would be crying with laughter." Smith said he felt his role had a lot in common with the character acting which children often include in their games. "I always wanted to be a cop or something like that and this is like a next level police officer, " he said. "We're like the border patrol, except we patrol a different kind of border," he added.
Jones said the movie was all about finding a definition for the word "alien".
"Men in Black" utilized the talents of the top special effects and creature-creators in Hollywood.
Rick Baker, whose creations appeared in films such as "The Nutty Professor," "An American Werewolf in London," and "Batman Forever," served as the alien make-up effects artist.
Steven Spielberg is the film's Executive Producer.
"Men in Black" is based on the popular underground comic book series created by Lowell Cunningham.
The film opens in the U.S. on July 2nd. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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