Kyle Newman’s FANBOYS (trailer) was reportedly going wide to theaters in 2007, but due to some major political red tape with one of the story lines it was set to be shelved. After over 300,000 fans sent letters to the Weinstein Co. asking for release of original content (success of the Stop Dark Weinstein Campaign), it is 2009 and has finally been given a very limited release. Hopefully, this is a temporary placeholder for the film, and it’ll get decent turn out and hit more theaters soon. It is only playing 8 cities, and if you want to fight for a release in a theater near you, please visit the Stop Dark Weinstein Campaign. For more information about the long and grueling war with Weinstein Co. over the film, check out the A.V. Club and their article: Fanboy’s Kyle Newman.
The evolution of FANBOYS and its following proves that good independent stories can hold their own against powerful studio execs.
FANBOYS succeeds in telling a simple story, streamlined by Star Wars inside jokes of course, about a group of friends who set out to see a rough cut of Episode 1: The Phantom Menace at the Skywalker Ranch. The “depressing” cancer sub plot fueled Weinstein’s decision to have the film re-cut, extracting the story line and playing up the campiness. I was lucky enough to catch this film in theaters yesterday, and had that plot line been removed, I’m not sure that the story would have been worth watching at all. This is a must see for any Star Wars guru, or for those who are fond of Judd Apatow-esque humor. Don’t let the hype cloud your expectations- it’s not going to blow you out of the water, but you WILL have a good time.
