USA: Alicia Silverstone stars in romantic comedy movie "Blast from the past " with Brendan Foster

Record ID: 489549

  • Title: USA: Alicia Silverstone stars in romantic comedy movie "Blast from the past " with Brendan Foster
  • Date: 8th February 1999
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JANUARY 17, 1999) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALICIA SILVERSTONE SAYING: "I don't look at my career like a plan. It's pretty much what's gonna make me happy. I'm not in any rush to do anything. All I'm in a rush to do is be happy, every day. So, I'm trying really hard to make that happen and I'm not competing with anybody and I'm not, so, I'm very, very happy, and it's simple to make these choices."
  • Embargoed: 23rd February 1999 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA2Z1AV8E3TCW676Z466OT08Z2J
  • Story Text: In her first film outing since her critically and financially disasterous turn as a producer in "Excess Baggage," Alicia Silverstone goes back to the genre of light romantic comedy in "Blast From the Past," co-starring Brendan Fraser, Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek, in a rare comic role.
    Although Silverstone is the star of "Blast From the Past," she shares top-billing with "Gods and Monsters" co-star Brendan Fraser, who plays Adam, a young man who was born and raised in a bomb shelter deep underneath the modern-day city of Los Angeles.
    His unusual situation was brought about when his parents, played against type by Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek, escaped to their elaborate and custom-built backyard bomb shelter during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962.There they were locked in for 35 years: the minimum safe time for the nuclear fallout they were convinced had happened would take to clear.
    The film tells the story of what happens when Adam re-emerges into modern-day Los Angeles and meets up with Eve, a street-wise and cynical young woman who eventually finds herself falling in love with him.The comedy comes from the inevitable clash of cultures between the polite, mild-mannered gentleman of the early 60's who was raised on old situation comedy re-runs, and the profane, high-powered woman of the 90's.
    For Fraser, preparing for his character meant watching hours of television programming from the late 50's and early 60's and immersing himself in popular culture of that time.
    For Silverstone, no such research was necessary.
    This is her first project since she starred in and produced "Excess Baggage," which also co-starred Christopher Walken.Although it failed both commercially and critically, Silverstone still cites it as one of the most satisfying professional experiences of her career.She says she will definitely produce again.In the meantime, she says she's only looking for projects that move her or challenge her, unlike "Batman and Robin," which she now admits was purely a career move and not a creative experience.
    For both Walken and Spacek, "Blast From the Past" was a departure from their usual roles.Neither are known for their work in comedies, although director Hugh Wilson calls both of them very funny actors.Spacek says the closest she has come to a comedy was Bruce Beresford's 1986 film "Crimes of the Heart." Walken claims that, before he came to Hollywood, he played many comedic roles on stage but once he got to Hollywood, he started being typecast as a villain.
    In addition to directing "Blast From the Past," Hugh Wilson was also responsible for the box office hit "First Wives Club." He's recently finished production on a live-action comedy based on the popular cartoon "Dudley Do-Right," again starring Brendan Fraser.
    The studio releasing "Blast From the Past," New Line Cinema, is hoping to repeat its success from last year at this time.In January of 1998, New Line released another youth-targeted romantic comedy called "The Wedding Singer,"
    with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore.That went on to become one of the company's top-grossing films of last year.
    "Blast From the Past" opens in cinemas throughout the United States on Friday, February 12.
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