When word spread that there would be free attendance at the premiere of Hollywood Buddha as well as free screenings on the first Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays of the film's exhibition at a commercial cinema, something was up. Was the independent film, directed, produced, and autobiographically written by Philippe Caland, so terrible that few would pay to see a product that would be slammed by reviewers after its debut on Friday? In a word, Yes. In the beginning of the film, Philippe (played by Philippe Caland) plays a film director-producer-writer who is having trouble with creditors. Five years earlier, he made a film, "Dead Girl," but he has been unable to persuade a film distributor to exhibit his product, which involves necrophilia, even though the lead actress later became famous. Although he asks for yet another extension of his various debts, he is so discouraged by five years of rejection that he has even lost the ability to positively promote his film; he is therefore unable to obtain a loan from those whom he believes might be of help. Meanwhile, he is living in a tent on a Hollywood hills property while builders construct a house for him. The bank, which advanced a loan for the homesite, is about to foreclose because he has not been making regular payments. No matter that the city would never allow him to live in a tent or that no bank would give a loan under such circumstances, Hollywood Buddha continues to strain credulity when disheveled Philippe rents a large Buddha head for $2,000 per month from his guru Jim (played by Jim Stewart) in the expectation that his luck will change. And his luck does change. A next-door neighbor who previously complained about his unfinished house project now showers him with kindness and respect. However, one day, after seeing his guru posing as a Catholic priest, he realizes that the film has quasipornographic film footage of a now-famous actress. Accordingly, he decides to blackmail his way to solvency. Publicity about Hollywood Buddha claims that the film is an exposé about Los Angeles, meaning of course that the story pretends to show some of the nasty ways in which the film industry carries on cutthroat competition. An early poster, featuring Philippe seated on top of the Buddha that he rented, caused quite a stir in the Thai community in Hollywood as culturally insensitive. A polite and respectful people, Thais processed the picture as one of a badly groomed Caucasian wiping his ass on Buddha. What's next in a Caland film? Jesus, Mohammed, or Moses engaging in fellatio? MH
I
want to comment on this film
