How many actors get
to beat up George Clooney on film? OK. So the plot called for Bruiser - Scott L. Schwartz' character in Ocean's Eleven - to fake the punches. But he did land one which
Clooney's Danny Ocean didn't expect.
Schwartz reprised
his small role of Bruiser in the two subsequent Ocean films, which also starred
Brad Pitt and a cast of celebrated
character actors. But it's the Philadelphia
native's directorial debut with “Changing
Hands” which brings him to this year's Atlantic
City Cinefest, which runs Oct. 14 to 16. In addition to screening “Changing
Hands,” Schwartz will receive the Lifesaver
Award for achievement in film.
An action thriller,
“Changing Hands” tells the story of a gun, and the path it takes
on its journey through different hands. From stolen roots, to unscrupulous
trades, to robberies and assaults, this film follows the twists and turns of
the travels of the gun.
"Working on `Ocean's Thirteen,’ I helped Steven Soderbergh overcome a problem in
filming and he said to me, 'you should direct. You would make a great
director,'" said Schwartz, who also wrote the script and co-stars.
"When Soderbergh tells you that you should do something, you listen to
him."
Directing a film was a total learning
experience, he said. "Without of the help of my friend and colleague Michael Candelori, I would have been
totally lost. In virtually every scene, he educated me in the art of film
making." The visit to
Atlantic City will be like coming home as he often frequented the shore growing
up.
Schwartz grew up in
Northeast Philadelphia. After college he became a professional
wrestler, trained by Walter
"Killer" Kowalski. He wrestled initially as Giant David, and later changed his name
to Joshua Ben-Gurion -The Israeli
Commando. He wrestled in Japan, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand,
American and Western Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Guam, Hawaii as well as 40 states and
every province in Canada.
"I never wanted
to be an actor," he said. While wrestling in California, he was
approached by an agent who had seen him wrestle on television. He told him
he thought he should try acting. He did.
Because of his size, agility, ability to carry out dialogue, and mean
looks, Scott got a lot of roles as a bad guy. In addition to the
three Ocean movies, Schwartz appeared in “Fun with Dick and Jane,” “Starsky
and Hutch,” “Scorpion King,” “Spider-Man,” “Flintstones
in Viva Rock Vegas” and “Fire Down Below.” A bunch of TV shows,
too. To find out more
about “Changing Hands,” visit www.changinghandsfilm.com.
During Scott's free
time, he visits children's hospitals throughout the world, signing autographs,
posing for photos. He focuses on children with life threatening
illnesses. His interest began in 1998 when Scott lost his sister Beth to lung cancer. At that time
doctors told him that a happy, upbeat attitude of the patient is a key factor
in battling this tragic disease. More on that can be found at http://scottlschwartzchildrensfoundation.wordpress.com/
The 9th annual Atlantic City Cinefest
will present more than 50 feature, short and documentary films. The film
festival will serve up a mix of comedy, drama, horror and science fiction, many
from New Jersey filmmakers.
As with
last year, films will be screened in the resort's Arts District at Dante Hall Theater and the Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University,
both on Mississippi Avenue.
The
festival opens with the East Coast premiere of “Bad Frank,” starring Howell, New Jersey's Kevin Interdonato, Tom
Sizemore and last year's honoree, Brian
O'Halloran, also from New Jersey. First time director, Mendham’s Tony Germinario, wrote the drama, with
Red Bank's Peter Dobson producing. The film, made
entirely in New Jersey, centers on Frank Pierce,
who leads a seemingly normal life, but when a disturbing past re-emerges and
something precious is taken from him, his mask of sanity loosens and unearths
the urge to be violent once again.
Dobson
stars in and produced the short, “The
Demo,” which precedes “Bad Frank.”
For more
details, visit atlanticcitycinefest.org. Tickets are $40 for a Weekend Pass;
$25 for a day pass and $5 for a single block of films. Purchase them at the
door, through
www.atlanticcitycinefest.org
or through Stockton University. Ticket go on sale by mid-month.
Atlantic City Cinefest celebrates the art form of
independent moviemaking. The festival has hosted Kevin Smith, Terry Winter,
Robert Downey, Sr., Scott Rosenfelt, William Forsythe, Dominique Swain and
Brian O'Halloran during the first eight years. Presented by Downbeach Film
Festival, the Cinefest shows movies at Dante Hall Theater, 14 N.
Mississippi Avenue and the Noyes Arts Garage, 2200 Fairmount Avenue. Both venues are managed by Stockton University.
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