- Title: USA: MAKERS OF 'STRIPTEASE' SPEAK ABOUT THEIR FILM
- Date: 22nd June 1996
- Summary: VING RHAMES SAYING WHAT I THINK WE TRY TO DO IN THIS FILM IS PORTRAY A CERTAIN REALITY OUTSIDE OF THE STEREOTYPES OF DANCERS, STRIPPERS, BOUNCERS, WHAT HAVE YOU. I THINK TO A LARGE DEGREE WE DID THAT. AND I JUST HOPE AUDIENCES ARE OPEN TO LOOKING INSIDE PEOPLE AND NOT JUST DEALING WITH THE EXTERNAL PACKAGE (ENGLISH)
- Embargoed: 7th July 1996 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, AND FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVAVZL6G45U4MOXGOKONC0PO6EZ
- Story Text: Demi Moore takes it all - or at least most of it - off for her role in the highly-anticipated new adventure comedy "Striptease." Stars turned out for the premiere on Thursday (June 26)in Los Angeles and the movie is tipped to do well at the box office after plenty of teasing publicity.
Moore plays Erin Grant, a former FBI clerk who has turned to dancing in an exotic topless bar to raise enough money to regain custody of her seven-year old daughter, Angela. Rumer Willis, Moore's real-life daughter plays Angela in her first screen role.
Erin Grant is in the middle of a custody fight with her irresponsible and devious ex-husband Darrell, played by Robert Patrick of "Terminator 2" fame. Somehow, despite the fact that he's a drug user and that he steals wheelchairs for a living, Darrell has been able to convince a judge to give him custody of Angela.
Grant takes the job at the Eager Beaver bar in hopes of raising money to fight an appeal of the judge's decision. But her life becomes more complicated when Congressman David Dilbeck, played by Reynolds, enters her life.
Dilbeck is a hypocritical, womanising politician who regularly frequents the Eager Beaver. When he sees Erin dancing one night, he decides he must have her, even though he risks being recognised and exposed in the media. When the plot turns to murder, Erin's life and custody of her daughter are threatened by the forces of politics and money.
Other cast members include Ving Rhames, from "Mission Impossible" and "Pulp Fiction," who plays Shad, the Eager Beaver's menacing bouncer with some ingenious blackmail schemes of his own.
Armand Assante plays Detective Al Garcia, the man who's swept up into the murder investigation.
The film is the first adaptation of a book by the popular author Carl Hiaasen. Director Andrew Bergman also handled writing chores. Both he and producer Mike Lobell are big fans of Hiaasen's novels and both felt this one was the best to make into a movie.
Bergman has written such successful original screenplays as "Honeymoon in Vegas," "The Freshman," and "Blazing Saddles," but this is his frist screenplay adaptation.
In preparation for the role, Demi Moore worked out extensively and trained with choreographer Marguerite Derricks, a veteran dancer herself. Moore also visited several real-life strip clubs and met the women who do the work. She was surprised to learn how much money and how professional some of these women are.
Burt Reynolds was well-prepared for his role as a sleazy South Florida Congressman because he grew up in the area and his father was a chief of police for 20 years who regularly mingled with local politicians. Reynolds was also prepared for dealing with exotic dancers because years ago he dated one of the premiere striptease artists of the day, Lilly St.Cry. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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