Posted on: Sunday, July 28, 2002
Junket brings 'Crush' stars back to beach
By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Matthew Davis, one of the stars of the upcoming Universal surf film "Blue Crush," sat in the shade of a canvas tent on the manicured lawn of the J.W. Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa at Ko Olina, gamely fielding questions from reporters. As he spoke, his eyes drifted to the contingent of public relations chaperones huddled 20 yards away.
There were five minutes left in the question period, and it had become uncomfortably apparent to star and star-chroniclers alike that all of the important questions had been asked and asked again.
Davis had done his part dutifully, even generously. He carefully considered the questions and gave answers with a skillful blend of the scripted and the spontaneous.
Co-star Kate Bosworth?
"She's great. We had great chemistry."
Hobbies?
"Pool and chess. I also like to do a lot of cocaine. Joking. I'm joking."
Interviews?
"I don't hate them," he said. "It's just kind of awkward. At first, it was like 'Do I want to be mysterious and elusive and all that?' But you get used to it and you get better."
To be sure, Davis and his co-stars got more than their share of practice this week as they and a contingent of about 80 entertainment reporters dropped in for an advance screening of the movie and a few expenses-paid days of surf and sun on two days last week.
Such junkets aren't unusual for movie companies angling to present their product in the best possible light — and sunset at Ko Olina is pretty good light — to the people who write the reviews. And while many of the reporters were reservedly positive about the movie, all were enchanted by the venue.
The "Blue Crush" junket was decidedly less audacious than the red-carpet affair Disney held for the advance screening of "Lilo & Stitch" (perhaps for good reason: the film's opening has been pushed back to Aug. 16), but Universal did spend a considerable, if undisclosed, amount of money hosting the assembled press.
The screening was held Monday at Consolidated's Ward 16 theaters. On hand were stars Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodrigues, Sanoe Lake, Mika Boorem, Faizon Love and Davis, as well as director John Stockwell, producer Brian Grazer, writer Elizabeth Weiss and local and professional surfers who helped with the movie.
The preview audience was wisely filled out with young surf fans, and the film got a vocal, raucous reception — particularly during its stunning surfing sequences.
The stars and director played gracious hosts for the event, though not everybody was so welcoming. When asked to turn off his cell phone during the movie, one of the local surfers shown in the film told a Mainland reporter to kiss his, er, splash pad.
Formal interviews with print reporters were held on Tuesday. Wednesday was reserved for broadcast reporters. In between, cast and reporters were treated to an exhaustive schedule of surf lessons and lu'au.
Reporters, some red-eyed and lobster-skinned from a morning of free surf lessons, were stationed in groups along a series of tents fronting the beach with interview subjects were rotated in and out in 20-minute intervals.
Bosworth, identified as next year's "it girl" by one national magazine reporter, was paired in giggly tandem with Boorem for the interviews.
"The sport of surfing is so mysterious and alluring," said the 19-year-old Bosworth, who learned to surf for the movie. "I'll probably do it for the rest of my life."
Bosworth later admitted to a major childhood crush on MacCauley Culkin, a weakness for blind-date TV shows, and a love for bad old movies.
"Like Xanadu?" asked a reporter, referring to the universally panned disco-skating movie starring Olivia Newton John.
"Oh my God," Bosworth responded. "I, like, don't even know what Xanadu is."
And the rotations continued. Seated together, director Stockwell, a casual surfer, talked of hasty retreat to the beach after a single harrowing ride at Pipeline, and producer Grazer admitted his discomfort at asking Bosworth to take off her wet suit during casting so he could see her muscle definition.
"Professional surfers have a lot of muscle definition," he said. "If she didn't, I would have felt that maybe it wouldn't come together the right way."
With Rodriguez and Lake also paired up for interviews, Davis was left to face the press by himself.
Preparing for love scenes?
"What I like to do is have sex with my leading lady," Davis said. "That usually breaks the ice."
The PR people checked their watches. Three minutes to go.
"Joking," Davis said. "I'm joking."
