SXSWorld
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For the Love of Movies: Ain't It Cool News Celebrates 15 Years by Scott Weinberg his year, SXSW will help celebrate the 15th anniversary of Ain't It Cool News, the always informative, often provocative website created by Harry Knowles. Recently, Knowles shared some of his thoughts about the site and its history. T As you think back over the last 15 years of Ain't It Cool News, what are your three proudest moments? And what do you regret to some degree? Harry Knowles: Proudest moments: 1. My THERE AND BACK AGAIN reports from Lord of the Rings, which were the fi rst full set reports and real indications of what those fi lms were going to be. Although, really that expands to the entire cov- erage of the evolution of the project, from the point where everyone said I was lying about Peter Jackson working on those fi lms. Breaking almost every casting story on that fi lm and being fi rst to see the footage, all the way to having each of the fi lms play in subsequent Butt-Numb- A-Th ons in advance of release. 2. Th e Ain't It Cool News Comedy Central pilot. One of those "things of legend" now, but wildly ahead of its time, still is today ... Sadly my continued health concerns crippled the project's fate as much as any- thing. Perhaps it is something to revisit. 3. Th e evolution of Quint (aka Eric Vespe) on AICN. He started when he was 14 and has blossomed into one of the online world's leading voices for cinema. Beyond that, just watching everyone that started with AICN becoming successful with their lives is awesome. Th ere's Kevin Biegel writing for the Farrelly Brothers, Scrubs and South Park, before becoming the creative force behind Cougar Town. Joe Hallenbeck founding LaLaLand Records. Drew McWeeny striking out as a screen- writer with his writing partner Scott Swan (who also wrote on AICN). D. Campbell MacKinlay (aka Cartuna) has been running an animation company in Toronto, directing a show of his own creation. Even Andy Howell (aka Copernicus) becoming a great astrophysicist and actually delivering a theory on the very spot in the Vatican where Copernicus delivered his greatest work. Honestly, the proudest thing of all is that through the 15 years of the site, we've all remained close friends. As for the moments of regret, I honestly don't have any. To me, the mistakes one makes in life are the things that give you character. Getting a story wrong is a mistake; nothing that costs a life. In 15 years, AICN has never been sued. Th at is good enough for me. Name your top fi ve fi lms, at this moment. HK: Th e Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), King Kong (1933), Th e Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Barbarella, All the President's Men Does it bother you that over the years, AICN has been criticized both legitimately and somewhat unfairly? HK: Not an ounce. We've never lost our enthusiasm and passion for cinema. Th e writers at AICN love fi lm, and that's something rather refreshing in a realm that bitches and moans about bitching and moaning. 48 SXSW ORLD / M ARCH F ILM- I A 201 1 Harry Knowles at SXSW 2008 Why do you think SXSW strikes a chord with so many people? HK: It is the magic of bringing the world's techies, fi lmmakers and musicians together for intermingling and a celebration of each fi eld's best. Th at it all happens in Austin is what makes it perfect. If you look at the AICN regulars, past and present, you see a lot of guys who've gone on to "bigger" jobs as journalists, fi lmmakers, etc. It's a "cast of characters" that the online movie world knows well. How crucial is it to surround yourself with the best? HK: I've looked for people who LOVE MOVIES. I've also strived to fi nd people from diff erent backgrounds, genuinely unique characters, to give them the liberty to fi nd their voices, and to put them next to the most amazing fi lmmakers and sets in the world to see what their experience is. Th at they all became leaders in their own fi elds ... I'm not sure how that came to be, other than the fact that I recognized how passionate these people were, not just regarding movies, but life in general. Speaking for right now, what do you think AICN represents? With so many movie sites out there, how do you strive to remain unique? HK: I believe we represent the most passionate site out there, where fans and fi lmmakers and our writers can interact. We realize that there are no correct or wrong opinions when it comes to fi lm. We write with breathless enthusiasm and talk to our audience instead of above them. What movie have you fi nished most recently, and how was it? HK: Just fi nished watching Bambi on Blu-ray. Sigh. Bliss. ■ The Ain't it Cool News' 15th Anniversary Panel will be held on Monday, March 14 at 3:30pm. For updated the latest schedule information, check sxsw.com or get SXSW GO, the SXSW 2011 mobile app, at sxsw.com/mobile. KEN HITCHCOCK