In tandem with an appearance at a Texas Day Film celebration sponsored by AFI Dallas - celebrated Director Peter Bogdanovich elected to screen a sloppy director's cut of Texasville - a film that bombed at the box office a couple of decades ago.
"Bog" obviously never heard of the expression "let sleeping dogs lie".
The overly-long - big yawn of-a-sprawling desert mess - was served up to an eager audience by way of a poor quality laser disc - which required a couple of tacky intermission breaks.
The much-anticipated event - ballyhooed by the press and film buffs alike - turned out to be an embarrassment to the aging Lothario - and resulted in a fall from grace.
The "jerry-rigged" (Bog's expression, not mine) presentation signalled to many that Bogdanovich's once-illustrious career was now on a downward spiral.
Occasionally, when a film turns out to be a stinker at the box office, a director is inclined to blame the studio for the unhappy end scenario that befell the project.
Typically, filmmakers point an accusing finger at the "suits" that backed (then later, sabotaged) the production.
"They didn't like me. So, they buried the film," is an oft-used excuse to explain away the truth.
Believe me, if a studio thought they could make big bucks on a film , they would tap into all the well-oiled machinery at their disposal, to promote, sell - and ultimately - shoot for a hefty profit.
Bogdanovich demonstrated - by virtue of his deceitful conduct at the screening - that he runs wild with the pack of snake-oil salesman he wrinkles up his snotty nose at.
At the screening, for instance, he had the audacity to allege that the reason Texasville was a failure (financially and critically) was due to the fact there was a change in administration at the studio.
For this reason - an agreement to run "The Last Picture Show" for a month prior to the release of the sequel "Texasville" (for the sake of continuity, he alleged) - was not honored.
Then, on the heels of this remark, he really put his foot in it.
"They released Texasville on Yon Kipper, so no one would trot down the theatre to catch it," he quipped.
His reasoning?
"Only Jews read. So, of course, fans of the book would miss it because they had to observe the Jewish Holy holiday."
Then, he foolishly stated for the record that he proceeded to delete all references to the well-received "Last Picture Show" in the sequel, to prevent confusion in the minds of an audience he previously claimed didn't exist because of studio shenanigans.
Hogwash!
Angry over the fact he got snubbed by the studio big-wigs, I expect that "Bog" took the action he did to get back at the studio for stabbing him in the front and back.
I witnessed the man's mean streak on the red carpet last week when he levelled it at me personally, so I have no qualms speculating about the obvious.
In a deceitful ploy to pull the wool over the eyes of filmgoers that afternoon, he then spouted off about comments he alleged friends like "Orson Welles" uttered up when "Texasville" was first released.
Unfortunately, when a has-been like "Bog" drops a name these days, it falls with a thud.
Did the director - prone to delusions - honestly expect film buffs to believe that "Orson" compared Texasville to a "gift at Christmas"?
If so, Santa should be strung up by the ba**s and tar 'n feathered!
Surely, he didn't expect any sane individual to accept without question, the misguided auteur's boastings that Orson applauded him for transforming what he first perceived as a "dirty script" into a gem of a film?
Bogdanovich also asserted to his rapt audience that Annie Potts confided that her role in the Texas - um - pot-boiler (!) was the best she was ever given a stab at.
Poor baby, the pickings must be slim!
His shocking lack of discretion astounded me, too.
"When we first shot "The Last Picture Show", Cybill and I were so in love," he gushed.
The way he said it, the talented actress came off like another notch in his belt, though.
Did he really think he'd be able ride off into the sunset with the leading lady (or even a ranch hand, for that matter) unless he was a trendy director with some clout and stature in the industry?
Let's face it, the man is obviously no great stud in the sack, by any stretch of the imagination.
As to Texasville - well - an impromptu remark at the end of the screening said it all, folks.
"The dog was quite good."
If you read between the lines, the message was crystal clear.
For the first time ever, it suddenly dawned on Bogdanovich that the rest of the boring saga was anything but!
Actually, the screening was a bit revealing for me in some respects, too.
I forgot what a talented actor Jeff Bridges truly is.
And, how much Cybill's irrating voice grates on the nerves.
As to Bogdanovich, well, he's overrated.
Hildegard Knef said it best:
“Success and failure are greatly overrated. Failure gives you a whole lot more to talk about."
Amen!
