Flickering Blue premieres at Studio 28

Grand Valley students and Hollywood movie professionals combined talents last summer to produce Flickering Blue. The movie, shot on location in Grand Rapids and Lansing and including many members of the community, will be premiered at Studio 28 on November 20.

The star of the show, actor James Karen —;;;;; a familiar face from scores of movies and TV shows —;;;;; will be in Grand Rapids for the premiere. Karen, who turns 80 this month, will also speak to students on November 20. Media are welcome to attend (details below).

The world premiere of Flickering Blue takes place at 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 20, at Studio 28, 1350 28th St. SW. The public is welcome to attend. Admission is $5, free for cast and crew members. A reception with Karen will follow the screening.

A documentary about the making of the movie will also be shown. The behind-the-scenes short was produced by GVSU film/video senior Ted Harrison.

Flickering Blue was produced during the summer as part of Grand Valleys Summer Film Project, directed by John Harper Philbin, associate professor of communications at GVSU. In addition to several actors from the Screen Actors Guild in Chicago, dozens of local people were used as extras in the film. Karen, whose 55-year acting career includes such movies as Wall Street, Behind Enemy Lines, and Poltergeist and TVs The Practice, came to West Michigan in June to take the lead role.

A crew of more than 20 GVSU film/video students shot the 23-minute film with the assistance of Hollywood cinematographer Jack Anderson, veteran of such films as Pretty Woman and TV series Mad About You and Third Rock From the Sun.

Flickering Blue, written by Canadian Angelo Eidse, tells the story of a lonely 80-year-old man who turns off his TV set and ventures out of his apartment on a walk through the city in an attempt to reintegrate into society. Many scenes were shot in downtown Grand Rapids and Lansing.

Flickering Blue is the Summer Film Projects ninth annual production. Last years The Freezer Jesus won the Grand Jury Award for Best of Festival at the 2003 Kalamazoo Shorts Film and Video Festival, and was selected for the 18th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, held this week.