It wasn't paparazzi but the star-struck children of exhibs snapping photos of the honorees at the final night gala at ShoWest. VIP's gathered in the "Green Room" -- more of a reception decorated a shimmering chartreuse than a waiting area for talent -- for photo ops with Steve Carrell, Kirstin Dunst, Shia LaBouef, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez and his date, Rose McGowan. LaBoeuf, who was featured in no less than three films showcased at the confab, said his walk through the tradeshow was a crash course in the biz. "It’s incredible, to walk through the (show floor) and it’s not just movies they’re selling, but Junior Mints and the new urinal cake."
But LaBouef, who'd been at ShoWest for days, was the exception; most of the celebs had flown in that evening. Most of the 3000 or so guests were well into their filet mignon before McGowan, Tarantino and Rodriguez made it into the banquet hall. McGowan, at her first ShoWest, confided she'd applied one bit of fashion strategy: "I learned from the TCA’s not to wear a backless dress, ‘cause men get drunk and put their hand in there. Any picture they get of me is me with a horribly shocked expression." Tarantino admitted to having been to exactly one ShoWest before -- when he was working for a tradeshow company before he got into the movie business. "It was the year of Mel Brooks and 'To Be or Not To Be,'" he said, "that's how long ago it was." Rodriguez, decked out in a western tux jacket and his signature "Troublemaker" black hat, said he had been watching double features with his pal Tarantino for a dozen years before it occurred to him "A double feature, what a great idea!" -- which led to the pair's upcoming "Grindhouse." But all conversation stopped when Harvey Weinstein grabbed the directors of the year, along with execs from Warner Bros., to chew over future releases. (D. Cohen)
