My
Adventure in
“The Amazing Adventures of Little Batman”
Pt 3:The Premiere of "Little
Batman"
or
( A Bat in Manhattan)
November 31st / December 1st 2007
It had been a few months since I
got to live out one of my lifelong fantasies of driving the
Batmobile for the film cameras. Now the time was coming for me to
take another flight out to New York for the premiere of “The Amazing
Adventures of Little Batman.” The producer, Jordan, had never been
one to do anything half hearted. He was making sure that this would
be a screening for the people involved and their families to
remember. He tried to line up a Batmobile for the appearance but the
one we had used for the film was currently being repaired and would
still be out of commission during the time of the premiere. I had
tried to contact another Batmobile owner in the area, Angelo, a
month prior to the event but never got a response up to the point of
my departure from Los Angeles.
As this was my third back and forth trip cross country in almost
as many months, I was starting to get use to the routine and
strategy of traveling with my Bat gear. I finally managed to get all
of my Bat-stuff to fit into a single carryon porter style case. My
cowl was carefully placed between rolled up tights, T-shirts and
other soft packing to keep it pretty well protected. My cape was
neatly rolled up to fit in the case and I had already confirmed that
an iron would be available at the hotel to give it the proper going
over before the next day’s appearance. Surprisingly enough, as many
times as I’ve taken my stuff through airport security, they had
never once opened my bags to check the contents. I guess they saw
utility belts and cowls all of the time through their x-ray.
Onboard, I sat quietly plugged into my iPod. I had it packed
full of films, TV episodes and audiobooks. This time around I
watched the classic James Bond “Dr. No” and for the first time
finally viewed “Superman Returns.” The latter felt like it ran
longer than the flight but managed to have kept me occupied and it
wrapped up just before we touched down at JFK. As we approached, I
looked towards Manhattan and took in the sight of this city that
always held me in awe every time I looked at it.
Soon after I landed, I contacted Jordan to let him know
everything was on schedule. The Jordan machine was working perfectly
and I was soon picked up by a limo service to take me to my hotel.
The driver was friendly and car was much more comfortable than the
seats on the airplane. We had about an hour drive to our destination
and New York traffic on a Friday night was making sure we weren’t
getting anywhere terribly fast. Nearly a half hour into the drive,
my cell phone rang and I noticed that it was a local number. It was
Angelo and he was telling me that his computer had been down for the
past month or so and he was finally catching up on e-mails. He
simply called to say hello and see what I was up to lately. I told
him that he would never believe it but I was in town, in a limo,
preparing to do an appearance the next day and needed a Batmobile.
He asked me if I would like to use his. What a guy. What timing.
What luck. I told him that I was going to put him in contact with
Jordan so that they could work out all of the specifics such as
place and time. After a bit of phone jockeying between making calls
to him and Jordan everything seemed to fall into place and I was
pulling into the lot of the hotel.
Jordan soon arrived afterwards to help me get checked in and
after I dropped off my things in my room we took off for dinner at
Moscato’s in Scarsdale. I had been there before. It was
on the night after we finished filming my scene back in September. After the filming
was done, and the director, Joe Valenti had gotten his crew to pack
all of the filming and lighting gear away, Jordan took us all out to Moscato’s for dinner. The restaurant staff knew Jordan and treated
him like royalty. I guess it was good to be a regular at a place
like this. Their service was excellent and the food was top notch.
If I had lived in the area, I know I would have instantly become a
regular there as well. It was incredibly good. Sitting with Joe, I
got my first glimpses of the footage shot that day through
the small viewfinder on Joe’s camera. The footage was magic all the
same and I was completely sold on Joe’s expertise on the project.
But that had been in September and it was now the last day of
November. Jordan and I sat in the restaurant alone while we ate and
talked for hours about all things from Batman, the film, Bat-fans
and anything else that popped in our heads. We were excited about
the premiere that was less than twelve hours away and couldn’t
believe our luck that Angelo happened to call me that night. This
project seemed blessed.
Jordan dropped me off and I was armed with my itinerary for the
next day. It was going to be loaded. I managed to iron my cape
before turning in to where I quickly fell asleep. It had been a long
day and the next was going to be longer.
The next morning I was showered, shaved and ready to be picked up by
another limo service that was going to take Jordan and me to
Manhattan. I had my luggage already packed with the exception of my
cape that was on a hanger. I wasn’t coming back to the hotel and
would fly out shortly after the premiere. The limo came up with
Jordan inside and we were on our way. Jordan was dressed in a tux
and looked the part of a movie producer. He wasn’t messing around.
This was going to be a red carpet and black tie event. The ride was
smooth and we arrived into Manhattan much quicker than I even
thought. It was still very early in the morning. The film was going
to be shown at 10am and we needed to be there well before others
arrived so that Jordan could check and prepare on the proceedings
and I could change into my costume.
The Marquee
We pulled to the theatre and as I
got out of the car I was shot with a gust of cold air. It was the
first of December in Manhattan and it was about 38 degrees. My thin
California blood was no match for this stuff. Fortunately the sky
was quite clear and there had been no snow. We made our way through
the theatre and I was directed to an adjoining bar where the theatre
also catered parties. This was where I would find a room to change
and later wait in the bar out of sight of the movie goers as I
wouldn’t want to attract attention. I was suppose to make a much
more dramatic entrance. While I waited in my costume at the bar and
soaked in the older wooden architecture and classic fixtures that
adorned it, one of the theatre’s staff asked me if I wanted anything
from the bar while I waited. I said, “A large fresh orange juice,
please.”
While there was quite a bit of activity going on at the theatre
half of the place, the bar was peaceful and quiet while I sipped my
orange juice. This was a very surreal moment. Somewhere in New York
City that was the inspiration for Gotham City, there was a Batman
standing at a bar drinking an orange juice. It just seemed right.
After a bit, Jordan came over and told me that Angelo was down
the block with the Batmobile and everything was a go. As we walked
down to the parking area, Jordan gave me the instructions that he
and his family which included that star of the film, his son
Preston, would be in the Rolls limo while I was to follow in the
Batmobile. At first we thought that I would get a moment or two
earlier to get familiar with Angelo’s Batmobile before trying to
drive it through the busy streets of Manhattan but we were now
pressed for time.
Angelo was standing next to the Batmobile that was parked along
the curb a few blocks away and out of sight from the theatre. The
Rolls was close by. I had never met Angelo before, between phone
conversations we had before it seemed like we were already old pals.
It was funny how the internet, the communication age and Batman had
introduced me to so many wonderful people from all ends of the
country. I got into the driver’s seat and looked at the dash and the
shifter. This was completely different from Dan’s Batmobile that I
drove back in September.
No two seem to be the same
Angelo leaned over the door to try and give me quick
instructions but as he did, I could see the Rolls start to pull away
with Jordan and his family. I was suppose to follow them and had no
idea how to work my way around the streets to get back to the
theatre if I lost them. I asked Angelo to get in the passenger seat
and tell the instructions as we went along. The gear shift was
automatic but a bit tricky if you weren’t used to it. It had no
distinct markings and I seemed have difficulty getting it shifted
from reverse and into drive with my gloved hand and lack of lower
peripheral vision. The steering was very easy but the visibility was
difficult with the cockpit style seating, the huge bat fins along
the sides of the car, the center canopy blocked any hope for
conventional rear view mirror and the cowl was no help. Still, I
adapted and we made easy pursuit of the Rolls that turned down a
block ahead of us. They were going around quite a few blocks to
approach the theatre across its front threshold as opposed to across
the street or on a corner. I followed as Angelo sat in the passenger
seat with needed instructions as they hit me. But once I had gotten
into drive I was pretty good and once I realized that other drivers
seemed to be shocked enough to see Batman driving a Batmobile on the
streets of New York they gave quite a bit of birth and leeway.
People were starting to wave from other cars while others held out
cell phones to snap a quick picture. I asked Angelo if he minded
stepping out of the car once we made our final straightway approach
to the theatre about two blocks away. He said he had figured as such
so that Batman would arrive solo and once we got within distance, he
got out at the corner. I was still within reasonable distance to the
Rolls and it seemed we would be arriving together. I soaked up the
fleeting experience as much as I could and didn’t really notice the
chilly air that was whipping around me in this open top Bat-vehicle.
There was no heater that I knew of nor did I really care. This was
an incredible thrill. The Rolls made it past the last light before
it went red so I had to wait just a little longer before I pulled up
from behind. I sat and looked to my left. I could see the Empire
State Building a few blocks away. I was in awe. What a moment.
The light changed and I made my way across to the
theatre and was greeted by a dozen or so paparazzi that converged
around the car snapping away. Jordan thought of everything. I stayed
in the car and idled as I waited for the Rolls to eventually pull
away. There was no hurry. I saw Jordan and his family get out of the
limo and walk along the red carpet with photographers and video
cameras around them. Preston waved to the people along the way and
to the cameras. The kid was a natural. Here he was showing up in a
tux for the premiere of his starring whole in a short film and his
name was up on the Marquee in big letters. He was barely five years
old and he was getting to play Batman for the cameras and drive a
mini Batmobile and act in a mini Batcave surrounded by all those
great props. What a lucky kid. That would be one childhood memory I
hoped he would never forget.
Jordan and Preston stepping out in style
Once it seemed that we would be
parked there for a bit, I stepped out of the car and took the time
to pose for the cameras and with people who wanted a picture with me
and the car. Angelo had arrived shortly behind on foot and was
snapping away. He was such a great guy. He had no idea that less
than twenty four hours prior that this would be going on and now he
was in the middle of it and really helped put the icing on the cake.
I was called over to the
red carpet and I made my way to it and took my turn along the
paparazzi path. It was really too much and my head was starting to
swim with people calling out in different directions and suddenly
finding a video camera and microphone in front of me at one point. I
was even introduced to a man who was suppose to be my body guard but
I assured the people that whatever I needed was already ready to go in
my utility belt. That got a good laugh. I don’t know if I ever saw
the body guard crack a smile.
Director Joe Valenti
Making my way to the carpet
A Bat and his bodyguard
"Hey, is youse taking pictures of the Bat?"
No quite turning blue yet from the cold
When I finally entered the lobby
of the theatre, I was instantly grateful to the warmer air. I saw
that they had placed a large size backdrop of the cartoon Gotham
skyline and bat signal that was featured on the Batman TV series’
ending credits. They used it for the cast and crew to be interviewed
by what seemed to be an E! Channel type of setting for a premiere. A
lovely blonde host came up and started to interview me for the
cameras. This was very Hollywood and very fun. Soon after, everybody
wanted us to take pictures in front of the backdrop with Jordan,
Preston and the director, Joe Valenti. The others eventually moved
on as I continued to do photo ops with more people as they arrived.
The Wachtell family
As the time got closer, I made my way into the movie theatre
where they were all seating. The place was packed with people that
had gotten there well before we had. I saw all of the little cast
members seated about in their tuxes or suits with the girls in
dressy evening gowns. It was a great sight to see. I could see a
table set up near the front of the house below the screen covered
with what looked like a bunch of Oscars. Jordan was pulling out all
of the
stops.
Don't let the empty seats fool you. When the lights went down
it was packed!
I had a seat that was reserved for me and after some of the
picture taking had died down and people settled into their seats,
Jordan went to the front near the screen and introduced the picture
as a labor of love and to sit back and enjoy. Other than only a very
few short clips that were sent to me in the months prior, this was
the first time I was going to really see the film. I watched and got
lost into the next twenty-five or so minutes like I was five years
old again. The sets, props and film work were beyond my expectations
of what this little film was going to be capable of pulling off. The
kids’ performances were innocent and filled with the charm and
cuteness that one would find in a kindergarten play. It was a fun
filled adventure that didn’t take itself too seriously but delivered
everything and more that Jordan promised me back in July when he
first made contact to pitch this idea to me. It was a good feeling
to see it with people young and old that made it happen.
Settling in
The awards are set up for later
The film ended with a huge round of applause but the event was
not over. Jordan once again took center stage and thanked everybody
involved and proceeded to start handing out their Oscars to all of
the kids and everybody else who was there and was in the picture.
Each child paraded down the aisle as their name was called and gave
a little speech in the microphone that was provided at their height.
Their speeches were often short and consisted mostly of a simple
“thank you” but their excitement was apparent. The paparazzi were
once again in position and took a flurry of pictures as each kid got
their moment in the spotlight. Finally, I was called up to take my
turn. I certainly felt like the tallest kid in class but felt I was
very much well fitted with my age group at the time. Besides, I was
the only kid there wearing a cape. I think I may have said something
to that effect when I stood and gave my little speech but honestly,
I can’t remember a thing that came out of my mouth. Thoughts and
words had really become a blur in the wave of emotions and
sensations that the experience had become. But I’m certain it
consisted of what an amazing job Jordan did of pulling it all
together beyond anyone’s dreams, how well Joe directed it and how
great the kids performed.
Mr. Producer
The eloquent star
A regular Bruce Wayne
Jordan and Joe should be very proud
Shaking hands with the man who made it possible...him, not me
Did I thank my mother?
The ever present press
Everybody was quite pleased
With the amazing cast. I'm the tall kid in the back.
What a great father and son!
A few more for the press
Two Batmen
The amazing Angelo and I get to take a moment for a pic
After the official proceedings
were through, the awardees were all urged to come back up to the
front for photo ops together. After the flashes slowed down and the
theatre finally thinned down considerably, I got the opportunity
once again to really thank Angelo for coming through. I then got the
occasional moment to privately let Jordan and Joe know how well they
did with the picture. Even then Jordan wanted to know if there was
anything we needed to do differently with the short before
eventually going to Youtube and I told him not to change a thing.
There was still some more meet and greet and photo ops but the time
was coming closer to an end. But after talking to a few of the
photographers, they wanted to get some more pictures of me outside
where there was a small vacant area across from the theatre. So we
went out there and I did some more pictures in the broad daylight
view of passing by motorists and pedestrians. From the shouts and
various cheers that came from the cars and sidewalks I could tell
that New York loved Batman.
Nobody seemed too surprised
But the time was drawing to an
end where I needed to get out of my suit and pack it for my pending
flight out of JFK that afternoon. I said goodbye to the
photographers and the cast members’ families, made my way back to my
changing room and slipped into my street close, warm coat and trusty
Batman ball cap that Jordan gave me. I hooked up with him and his
family while they made their way to a little café down the street.
Along the way, we came across Angelo at the parking lot with his
Batmobile where we proceeded to take a few quick pictures with it. I
thanked him one more time since this was the first time he finally
saw me as myself and said goodbye one last time. What a guy.
I enjoyed a great meal with Jordan and many other people that
were involved in the film or were simply friends to the people
involved. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic bunch and I had the time
of my life. It was a great wrap up of the experience and nice to
enjoy it with those involved as just Scott. The food was stellar and
the talk was varied but it was distinctively New York and New Jersey
East coast tinged and it was stimulatingly refreshing for this
former Southern Florida boy who just spent the past twenty odd years
in Southern California. I loved it and didn’t want to leave
immediately but I had a plane to catch and truth be told I missed my
wife, Vickie terribly and wished she had been there for this.
I got up from the table and said goodbye to all but particularly
Jordan. He had invited me into a pet project of his that made long
lasting memories that not only I would never forget but also those
who involved in it as well. He will always have a special place in
my heart as really one of the truly good guys out there that really
followed their heart and it was in the right place; for the kids and
their kids.
I carted my porter suitcase out to the street, up to the corner
to hail a cab. Did I mention that I loved New York? In less than
a minute I was seated in the back of a cab and on my way. The driver
said it was flat rate to go there and asked when I needed to be
there. I told him the departure time and he said that we had plenty
of time so I asked if we could take a more scenic trip. He was great
and said no problem. On my way out, I stared into the streets and up
at the buildings. Over the bridge I finally got to look out and see
for the first time, the Statue of Liberty. What a journey this had
really been.
Thank you Jordan, Joe, Angelo, Dan, the cast and crew of “Little
Batman” and the wonderful people of New York.