Although this year marks the 40th anniversary of 鈥淎 Christmas Story,鈥� it wasn't the first holiday classic filmed in Northeast Ohio.
鈥淭he Gathering鈥� starred Ed Asner as a man trying to reconnect with his family at the holidays in the face of a terminal illness. The 1977 TV movie was not quite as cheery as a leg lamp, but it won the Emmy for Outstanding Special and has become a tradition on home video 鈥� especially in Chagrin Falls and Hudson, where several portions of the movie were filmed.
Its director, Randal Kleiser, will be back in Northeast Ohio on Dec. 2 presenting two of his other films at the Cleveland Cinematheque: "Big Top Pee-Wee" and "Grease."
Filming 'The Gathering' in Chagrin Falls
鈥淚 remember my parents took me to Chagrin Falls when I was a kid,鈥� Kleiser said in an interview with 精东影业. His mother鈥檚 college friends, Nan and Ed Osborne, lived in the small village.
That visit inspired Kleiser when he was choosing locations to film "The Gathering." He recalled that the area had a downtrodden reputation in the late 1970s, but the film's producer trusted Kleiser鈥檚 instincts.
"When I was asked to direct 'The Gathering,' I remembered that town," Kleiser said. "I said it would be great to start the movie off right by Chagrin Falls because it's so beautiful in the winter time, especially with all the icicles.
"So, we went there and shot exteriors. It was February when we shot, but the town put up all the Christmas decorations. And we put a note in the newspaper, 'Please come out into the streets with packages and dress like Christmas and wander around.' The town really supported us."
Although set in New England, "The Gathering" made good use of the Western Reserve. Many portions were shot in Hudson at .
鈥淲e got to take over that house and shot there and put out fireworks in the front yard,鈥� he said.
A Travolta double feature
鈥淭he Gathering鈥� was Kleiser鈥檚 first assignment after 鈥淭he Boy in the Plastic Bubble鈥� starring John Travolta. The success of the two TV movies led to what would become his first feature film and biggest hit, 鈥淕rease.鈥� Looking back, the director said, he鈥檇 change nothing about the classic musical.
鈥淲e did shoot one scene that was cut,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he studio wanted an explanation of why Rizzo threw the milkshake on Kenickie. So, we filmed a scene where they had an argument outside the Frosty Palace, and it didn't make any sense and it was cut.鈥�
He鈥檒l present the 1978 film at the Cinematheque and answer questions. Kleiser said he's also happy to sign copies of his books 鈥� 2019鈥檚 鈥淕rease: The Director鈥檚 Notebook鈥� and a book of portrait sketches, 鈥�,鈥� released this year.
鈥淔or the last 40 years, I have been around so many other movie directors that I have secretly been drawing them,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 also write about the directors and my experiences meeting them or loving their films.鈥�
The only one to actually notice Kleiser drawing is also the one on the cover: Cincinnati-native Steven Spielberg.
鈥淗e said, 鈥楾hat looks like me,鈥欌�� Kleiser said. 鈥淟ater on, when I was finishing the book, I called him and said, 鈥楬ey, you remember that picture I drew of you? Can I put it on the cover?鈥欌��
Paul Reubens, 'a comedy genius'
In 1988, Kleiser directed Paul Reubens in 鈥�.鈥� The sequel to 鈥淧ee-Wee鈥檚 Big Adventure鈥� has grown in stature over the years 鈥� something which surprised Kleiser. He saw the film again after Reubens passed away in July.
鈥淗e was really a comedy genius,鈥� Kleiser said. 鈥淲e brought giraffes and hippos and all these things out to the Disney ranch and set up camp and just worked for weeks and weeks.鈥�
Although a flop on release, it did provide Benicio Del Toro with his first role in a major film.
鈥淲hen I was producing the surfing movie 鈥楴orth Shore,鈥� Benicio came in to audition,鈥� Kleiser said. 鈥淗e wasn't right for any of the parts, but I thought, 鈥楾his guy's going to be a star.鈥� I said to him, 鈥楾he next movie I do, I'm going to send you the script and find a part for you.鈥� He chose to play the dog-faced boy, which is funny because years later he played the Wolfman.鈥�
A five decade-long career
Kleiser鈥檚 directing credits include 鈥淭he Blue Lagoon,鈥� 鈥淲hite Fang,鈥� and 鈥淗oney, I Blew Up the Kid.鈥�
He also directed the short "Foot Fetish," which aired on 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥� in 1980. The stop-motion picture featured two shoes getting intimate and was inspired by last-minute shoe-shopping on the way to the beach.
鈥淚 improvised this whole thing with the shoes moving around and鈥� having a baby,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was just one take. I really hadn't thought of what I was going to do. I just was intrigued by this and, as it happened, it turned out fantastically.鈥�
Looking back on his career, Kleiser said the two films he鈥檚 most proud of are the English comedy 鈥淕etting It Right鈥� and 鈥淚t's My Party,鈥� about the AIDS crisis. Kleiser called it a 鈥渧ery personal movie鈥� 鈥� a trait which he advises young filmmakers to consider.
鈥淭he best kind of movie to make is a film that comes from your personal life," he said. "Something about some emotional moment in your life that's painful to talk about. A deep secret. Anything like that will really, really resonate."
