...no really...I do.
For the long and short of it, visit www.thekissmovie.com

The Kiss
Hopefully, it won't be that bad. 8) I'm a huge Billy Zane fan - and I collect all of his movies (as do a LOT of his fans) -so I've already contacted my local distributor to order me a copy. I live in a SMALL town, so I haven't been able to watch it yet. On another note, thank you for having this website, all of the e-mails, and now this forum!

Unfortunately, it's even worse! One scene in particular, at the cafe in Paris...in my cut it was short, sweet and actually worked...that's one of the few scenes I would consider putting on my reel. In the released version, it goes on forever, with horrid dialog about Japanese theatre, that neither Steve nor I wrote. (I mean, sickening bad dialog.) ALSO....please know that neither Steve nor I had anything to do with the excerpts from the book that you hear read as a voice-over in the film. I wanted to kill someone the first day I heard those voice-overs. It's as if they were written by a love-sick 12-year old who just cracked a thesaurus for the first time.

Well, I'm sorry about your vision.... (I don't imagine that it will stop any of Billy's fans from buying it - because we've probably seen worse! Billy is in, to put it nicely, a very eclectic group of movies!) Thanks for responding - it's so refreshing that a busy author/ takes time out to correspond with his fans.

I thought so--too many rewrites from people who can't write. The movie veered all over the place--I'm assuming the good parts were original. The book dialog was jaw-droppingly, Harlequin romance awful. I want to know who wrote "cheesy photo-realism." Was that you? Made me laugh.

I knew it! I had a feeling the kabuki theater line was his too. He's a glib and talky guy. Maybe to take some of the sting out and see how he is with ad libs, rent Invincible or Landspeed. Of course, unlike your screenplay those scripts were really bad and he made them watchable. But he didn't hurt your movie, just lightened up the heavy tone. On the other hand, if you tell me he wrote the voiceovers from the book, I'm going to have to stop having a crush on him. :lol: By the way, I know you hate the movie but I do cherish it. I saw it at the premiere and the other showings here in Boston, got the autograph of your co-writer, and think about it often. Heck, remembering individual lines of dialog this long shows it made an impression on me.

I hope that you get some $$ from the dvd sales, at least?... I'm sorry to say that I haven't bought this book yet - but I'm headed over to amazon now - I'm really curious as to what they've changed!

Okay, I just ordered Ninth-Square, - but cannot find "the Kiss". What's up about Galactic Gigolos? The title cracked me up - should I buy it? Actually, I just went back and I'm ordering it! I'm not sure if you want a lot of people to see "The Kiss" after what they did to it - but I imagine that a lot of Eliza Dushku's fans will order it too - especially if what they're saying about Tru Calling being cancelled is true!

Please, do everything you can to cancel the order of Galactic Gigolo. That was made in the mid-80s...I don't even put it on my resume. (Of course I've taken the Kiss off as well.) The only films of mine that I recommend are the shorts (especially Pretty Girl and Objects), Psychos In Love, and the new one, You Are Alone. (I do have a shorts collection for sale on ebay.) As for anything Billy did in the film...in my version he barely exists. His longest segment is the run down the stairs. And I barely have him saving one word. Which pretty much expresses my feelings. (Of course now, my version doesn't exist.) And yes, if I could make The Kiss disappear, I would. (Though I did honestly learn a lot...things like what should never happen on a movie set.) It's actually not based on any of my books, but was an original script. None of my books have made it to the screen...yet, however I plan on shooting my first, Second Grea-*test*-('") Story, as a feature later this year.

I think that I already own the worst movie ever made - so you're okay there with Galactic Gigolo....I'll keep it in mind that you wanted me to cancel the order - and not hold it against your skills....(The movie that I'm referring to is All-American Murder, which was filmed at my campus-I'm surprised that Christopher Walken didn't hunt down all copies and destroy them!) Well, I guess that explains why I can't find "The Kiss". I'll search out your short stories and order it.

Actually, it's a short film collection. Here's the direct link: http://search.ebay.com/short-film-Gorman-Bechard_W0QQsojsZ1QQfromZR40

I bought it earlier - hopefully, you've received a message about it.I hadn't used Paypal in awhile, but it said that it went through. I'm probably not the best critic - (because I'm afraid that I lean more towards cheap action flicks - ha!--as Marenna can at-*test*-('"))-but, I'm willing to try to expand my horizons!

Whereas I have a lovely degree from Brown University--although it's in math, I can sling semiotics with the best of them. Take me to your art films! Also have many letters from Tom Robbins--I appreciate the outlandish and possibly qualify as outlandish as he seems to appreciate me. So...successful independent director and writer who has a dog named Phoebe Caulfield...in your version you cut out his dialog. Before I get banned from here, may I say you wouldn't know the rare and fine if it was handed to you on a skewer? You want to see a good movie with an excellent script, rent The Believer (which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance). Billy Zane basically got that movie rolling, if you listen to the director's comments on the DVD. He's funny and deft guy with an ear for great dialog. He injected some much-needed levity and personality into your film. To hire him as a hunky clothes horse hung extra is...oh never mind. Okay, yes he can kiss (boy can he kiss), and I suppose that was the draw, but the best scene in the movie is in the art gallery at the end. If he wrote all that dialog, you're a fool to cut it from your version. There's wit, fire, and a believable past relationship there, a feeling of familiarity and affection. It was real. Now maybe you wrote the dialog in that scene instead--if so, great. But if he wrote it, don't be saying that in your version he's mute.

A friend of mine said it best regarding the art gallery scene...she asked if Billy's character somehow became mentally retarded in the years they were separated. I think that pretty much sums it up. (There were two scenes I begged to have re-shot, that was one of them...so obviously we're on different pages.) The art gallery scene is embarassing. Christ! Just look at the baseball cap! I didn't cast Billy. I had very little say in casting, otherwise this would have been a different film. As for what directors say in commentaries, most just kiss ass. They have to, or they won't work again. (Really, now...c'mon.) As for the Believer...good film...but I'm not talking about any other films or performances. I'm talking about The Kiss. End of story. And you've never seen my cut (which in its first 30 minutes was MUCH lighter, and full of personality by way of Eliza, until edited otherwise). So you're in no position to argue. You can't criticize what you haven't seen. (Only the Pope and the religious right are allowed to do that!)