suziwong said:
please put with the photos.. thanx
Okay--you're the boss!
(Craig thinks he is, but we know better. )
There's only the brief mention that Steven attended--that's it!
'Hustle & Flow' premiere. The stars are out.
Hundreds of fans make for quite a cast of characters in Downtown roll-out
July 7, 2005
(Memphis): As he waved to hundreds of screaming fans Wednesday night before the local premiere of his made-in-Memphis movie "Hustle & Flow," writer-director Craig Brewer was resplendent in a Girbaud denim suit, gold Versace sunglasses and straw cowboy hat.
But the most significant part of Brewer's wardrobe was easy to miss, especially by fans craning their necks for a glimpse of Terrence Howard, Elise Neal and the other stars who walked the red carpet that ran along Third Street outside Downtown's Peabody Place.
In honor of the men he described as "my two mentors," Brewer, 33, wore a 3-carat diamond ring that belonged to Sam Phillips on his right pinky finger and a gold watch he inherited from his late father, Walter Brewer, on his left wrist.
The ring was a gift for the night from the family of the Sun Records founder who discovered Elvis, Howlin' Wolf and Johnny Cash. Phillips bought the ring in 1957 and wore it almost every day until his death on July 30, 2003. "Hustle & Flow" is dedicated to Phillips.
"Sam's thing was individuality in the extreme," said Phillips's son, Knox Phillips, 59, who attended the premiere. "That was the lesson he preached and that was the life he lived. I think Craig's film illustrates this today better than any work I know of."
Almost a year to the day after shooting began, "Hustle & Flow" -- the story of a North Memphis pimp who finds redemption through rap music -- debuted Wednesday night on three screens at Muvico's Peabody Place 22 cinema during a Hollywood-style premiere attended by more than 800 politicians, entertainers, media representatives, crew members and other invited guests.
Hundreds of fans also showed up, hoping for a glimpse of celebrity. They thronged Peabody Place, inside and out, pressing against police barricades, lining the parallel red velvet ropes that formed a path for the stars to the Muvico theater, and bouncing to the music of the Bo-Keys, the Stax-inspired "Hustle & Flow" soundtrack band, who performed on a stage on Third Street.
Police Lt. Tony Rosser of the Entertainment District Unit estimated 5,000 to 6,000 fans were on hand. The well-behaved crowds began gathering about 5 p.m. and dispersed at close to 9 p.m., by which time the celebrities were inside the theater for the late-starting screenings.
Many of the police officers working crowd and traffic control were on overtime, their salaries paid for by Paramount rather than the city.
The fans screamed support for each star. "Who is that, Beyonce?" asked 17-year-old Chantelle Bonds as Memphis actress Elise Neal emerged from her limousine in a glamorously revealing knit halter top worn with a tiered skirt.
The celebrities included "Hustle" stars Howard, Neal, DJ Qualls, Taraji P. Henson, Taryn Manning and Paula Jai Parker; "Hustle" producers Stephanie Allain and John Singleton; score composer Scott Bomar; cinematographer Amy Vincent, whose work on "Hustle" was honored with an award at the Sundance Film Festival; the Atlanta rapper Trina;
Germantown resident and action star Steven Seagal; and such Hollywood honchos as Paramount Pictures vice chairman Rob Friedman, Paramount Classics co-presidents David Dinerstein and Ruth Vitale and MTV Films executive vice president David Gale.
Friedman confirmed that Brewer's next movie, the $8 million "Black Snake Moan," likely will shoot in Memphis in September, despite financial incentives offered by Georgia and Louisiana. The film, to be financed by Paramount, will star Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci and Memphis pop star Justin Timberlake.
The Memphis rap scene was well represented at the premiere, with Juicy "J", DJ Paul, Nasty Nardo, Al Kapone, Yo Gotti, Frayser Boy and others in attendance.
"It's going to make everybody in Hollywood want to shoot a movie here," Juicy "J" of the Memphis rap group Three 6 Mafia said of Brewer's film. "They're gonna take the Hollywood sign and put it in Memphis. We don't have mountains, we'll just have to set it out in a field somewhere."
Timberlake attended the private party at Isaac Hayes Music Food Passion that followed the premiere, but did not make a red carpet entrance.
The stars said they were glad to be back in the city where they shot the film that has proved to be the most lauded of their careers to date.
"Living in Los Angeles, it is not so people-friendly," said Henson, who plays a pregnant prostitute in "Hustle & Flow." "Here in Memphis, the people feed you -- they not only nourish your body, they nourish your soul."
Signing an autograph for 13-year-old fan Myron Swift-Parker, the actress added a phrase that could be the theme of "Hustle & Flow" -- "Dream Big."
"A year ago yesterday, I came into town for (a first rehearsal)," said Qualls, a native of Manchester, Tenn., who grew up in Nashville before finding fame in such films as "Road Trip."
"So I flew in yesterday thinking we've really come full circle. There's no way we could have predicted this," Qualls said, referring to the success of the independent film, which won the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award and sold for $9 million to Paramount this year.
Adding an official stamp of approval to the day's events, Wednesday was declared "Craig Brewer Hustle & Flow Day" by joint proclamation of Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton and Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton, who attended the premiere, and "A Day of Recognition for Craig Brewer" by Gov. Phil Bredesen.
But Marvell Thomas -- son of the late music legend Rufus Thomas and a four-decade veteran of the music business -- cautioned against overhyping the film's impact. "This is good for Memphis, but I hope this is not just a blip on the radar," he said.
A joint release from Paramount Classics and MTV Films, "Hustle & Flow" opens July 22 on about 1,200 screens nationwide. A Hollywood premiere will be held July 20.
1) That's "Hustle & Flow" co-producer John Singleton the fans are pumped up over. Hundreds, maybe thousands, took in the view outside the private screening for about 800 guests.
2) Writer-director Craig Brewer's hat was an easy spot, but what about that ring?
3) Some got the red-carpet treatment and the red-carpet eyeballing. The movie opens nationwide to about 1,200 screens on July 22.
4) Hello to actor Terrence Howard at Wednesday's premiere. Other celebrities included DJ Qualls, Taraji P. Henson, Taryn Manning and Paula Jai Parker.