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Do IT this week: Layering
Filmmaker is in Northeast Ohio promoting his latest movie, 'The Family That Preys'
By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer
Published on Thursday, Aug 28, 2008
Filmmaker Tyler Perry passed through Northeast Ohio this week, promoting his newest movie — and making contact with his fans.
On Wednesday morning, he did broadcast interviews and a small news conference with print reporters, all in service of The Family That Preys — yes, with an ''e'' not an ''a'' — which opens nationwide Sept. 12.
The movie stars Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard as two longtime friends whose lives are complicated by the doings among their children. The cast includes Sanaa Lathan, Rockmond Dunbar, Taraji P. Henson, Cole Hauser and Perry himself. Perry — whose credits include Meet the Browns, Why Did I Get Married, Madea's Family Reunion and TV's House of Payne — also wrote, directed and produced The Family That Preys.
On Tuesday night, he introduced a preview of the movie at the Cinemark Valley View, took questions from the audience and even offered brief impressions of Madea, the feisty woman he has played onstage and onscreen, and singer Aaron Neville. He urged the audience to tell people about the film, ''whether you like it or not.''
Promotion and word of mouth are key for his productions, because he does not allow critics to review his movies before they open.
And he stayed for the Valley View screening, to see how the local audience reacted.
''It was my first time seeing this film with an audience,'' he said Wednesday. ''I've seen it with the staff and the crew, and with the Hollywood folk, and this is a much different vibe. [Hollywood people] don't laugh at anything. They don't smile. They just sit there lookin' like somebody just died throughout the whole film.''
At Valley View, he said, ''I heard the reaction to everything. I was like, 'Wow.' It was really cool. . . . They got things last night that I didn't even get. So I was really blown away by it.''
And he likes Northeast Ohio audiences. He said the planned DVD release of his play The Marriage Counselor was recorded in Cleveland.
Look for more with Perry in Enjoy on Sept. 11.
Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and in the HeldenFiles Online blog at http://www.ohio.com. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.
Filmmaker Tyler Perry passed through Northeast Ohio this week, promoting his newest movie — and making contact with his fans.
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