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Although originally titled I Shot a Man in Reno, Johnny Cash, who wrote the song with the same name, would not release the rights. Waxman is the writer/director behind this character driven Rashomon road trip. Waxman is quick to admit the Kurosawa connection but also notes that John Cassavetes is a another major influence, "for his personal stories."
Waxman's story begins after one of five friends is shot. The remaining friends then retrace the night to try to figure out what went wrong. As each perspective is revealed, we learn more about each character and the part they played in the nights events.
The dialogue was loose and realistic. Much of the comedy was dark and unexpected, much like Tarantino (Come on, there had to be at least ONE reference.) The pacing was excellent. There was never an unimportant, and needless to say, dull moment. Each character's story took our interest to a new level. If you went to the snack bar, you missed something important.
Vegas' ensemble cast is one any director would die for. The most notable star, Janeane Garafolo (the best thing in Bye Bye Love ) worked well next to the other four lesser knowns, but everybody pulled their dramatic weight. I asked Waxman how he was able to get Garafolo. "I met her at a bar." Figures. After she read the script, she was dying to do it, forgoing other TV projects. Known as a comic, Vegas shows off her strength as a brilliant performer, no matter what the material.
The Saguaro premiere was the first and last time the 16 mm film would be shown. Vegas has been blown up to 35mm for their foreign distributor, but they're still looking for distribution for the U.S. I urged the MGM scout to his screening. Of all the talented filmmakers I met, Waxman appears to have the legs, brains, and creative energy to make it big in this business.
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