Like the recent opening for Fox Searchlight's Juno, Columbia Pictures' Walk Hard may have drawn a tightly packed crowd to its world premiere last night because the film offered something that guests find really useful this time of year: a little levity and laughter. "All these movies about death and destruction [are in theaters]," said Columbia's Alison Bossert, who oversaw the event for the studio. "And you're like, 'O.K., I can watch that on the news; I don't need this right now.'"
Even before the comedy began onscreen at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, a stunt got the crowd riled on a closed westbound stretch of Hollywood Boulevard: John C. Reilly, who plays musician Dewey Cox in the film, arrived on a flatbed truck with his movie band for a rendition of the song "Walk Hard" during arrivals.
After the screening, guests got back in their cars for a short drive south to a congested after-party at Social Hollywood. Bossert and event producer Chris Bennaroch had transformed the club into a Hard Rock Cafe-style shrine to Dewey Cox, using movie props that filled glass cases and decked walls. A giant lit-up sign from the film spelled out "Dewey" in the party space. (It had also lit up the red carpet in front of the theater.)One particularly cool touch: Cocktail napkins bore a mock-up sketch (complete with cross-outs and sloppy printing) of lyrics to the song "Walk Hard."
"It's really about Dewey Cox and his life and how much fun is this fictitious character who, to many of us, is now real," Bossert said. "[In planning events surrounding this movie] you can really just let yourself go and be creative and crazy, because it's all part of the fun."
Even before the comedy began onscreen at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, a stunt got the crowd riled on a closed westbound stretch of Hollywood Boulevard: John C. Reilly, who plays musician Dewey Cox in the film, arrived on a flatbed truck with his movie band for a rendition of the song "Walk Hard" during arrivals.
After the screening, guests got back in their cars for a short drive south to a congested after-party at Social Hollywood. Bossert and event producer Chris Bennaroch had transformed the club into a Hard Rock Cafe-style shrine to Dewey Cox, using movie props that filled glass cases and decked walls. A giant lit-up sign from the film spelled out "Dewey" in the party space. (It had also lit up the red carpet in front of the theater.)One particularly cool touch: Cocktail napkins bore a mock-up sketch (complete with cross-outs and sloppy printing) of lyrics to the song "Walk Hard."
"It's really about Dewey Cox and his life and how much fun is this fictitious character who, to many of us, is now real," Bossert said. "[In planning events surrounding this movie] you can really just let yourself go and be creative and crazy, because it's all part of the fun."
Walk Hard's prop-filled party.
Photo: Line 8 Photography
The screening closed a westbound stretch of Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Chinese.
Photo: Line 8 Photography
An unexpected stunt came in the form of a performance from the movie band.
Photo: Line 8 Photography
A giant lit-up sign spelled out "Dewey" at Walk Hard's prop-filled party.
Photo: Line 8 Photography
Props were scattered amid lounge seating, and throughout the space.
Photo: Line 8 Photography
Costumes in cases caused much gawking by guests, as did the celebrities who made the drive from the Chinese to Social Hollywood in droves.
Photo: Line 8 Photography
Framed album covers lined the walls.
Photo: Line 8 Photography
A giant neon guitar emphasized the Hard Rock Cafe-type look.
Photo: Line 8 Photography
A disco ball hung overhead.
Photo: Line 8 Photography
