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Friday, August 25, 1995

Performances in 'Warhol,' 'Girls Town' earn actor kudosBy Brandon Wilson

Summer Bruin Contributor

Besides being a darling amongst critics and garnering a reputation as one of modern cinema's most formidable actors, Lili Taylor has had the rare distinction of receiving her due praise while still in her prime, rather than being recognized years after the fact.

This praise didn't come from the hallowed halls of mainstream Hollywood, but rather from the American independent film world, where Taylor has been allowed to showcase her considerable abilities. Her relentless turn as feminist/felon Valerie Solanas in "I Shot Andy Warhol" and her performance in Jim McKay's new feature film "Girls Town" were the talk of this year's Sundance Film Festival, causing some to rechristen the festival "The Lili Taylor Show." Taylor's work in "Warhol" earned her the festival's best actress trophy, and "Girls Town" won the Filmmaker's Trophy as well as a Special Jury Prize.

"I thought, this is really nice, I like this recognition," said Taylor in a recent sit-down with The Bruin. "But I realized I don't need it either, that I would've been just fine if I hadn't been the queen this year. But it was also very nice to be recognized and acknowledged. It moved me more than I thought it would."

In "Girls Town" Taylor plays one of three high school girls on the cusp of graduation who are jolted by the suicide of a close friend. The actress was joined by Bruklin Harris (of "Zebrahead" and "Juice") and first-timer Anna Grace. In a situation quite unusual in modern filmmaking, the trio had ample time to forge real bonds of friendship to work with on screen thanks to the process director McKay applied to the film.

"The actor's performance for me was always of utmost importance." says the director. "I always felt if it came down to a choice between five more minutes to light the room or five more to rehearse the take, I would choose the rehearsal. But because of how we developed the film, a lot of the work was done before the actors got to the set. They knew the characters well, people we cast in the extra parts quickly fell into place."

McKay also turned an idea for an honest look at women into an outline, called "Girls," which he then planned to develop into a script, during workshops with the actors. "I wrote an outline for the film, then cast those actors, and over the course of a couple of months we improvised and videotaped the sessions and then I transcribed from those videotapes and wrote a first draft for the script. So the actors were literally writers ... It was a little out of control, kind of scary sometimes, but really fun and rewarding. I think it's ultimately responsible for the movie being the kind of movie it is," McKay says.

Taylor and McKay were friends long before the project's commencement in September 1993. McKay approached Taylor with his outline and his proposal to involve the actors in the creation of their characters. "We've been friends for awhile," says Taylor. "He said I'm thinking about doing this thing, and I said absolutely.

"It was amazing to work that way over weeks, specifically just getting on our feet and videotaping all the improvs, it was very special, the whole experience from beginning to end. We all believed in it so much, and I think that faith carried us through." says the actor.

McKay is currently developing a new story treatment which he hopes to direct through workshops in the fashion of "Girls Town." "If I could go back and reshoot scenes, there are a couple of things I would do," says the director. "But I'm really happy with the way the film turned out. I think that the process had a lot to do with it. Normally a cast has a week or two to prep before shooting starts; you can prep on your own, do research, but absolutely nothing can replace this process. They worked on their characters, and they worked together, and they developed a whole language and physicality with one another."

For Taylor, "Girls Town" will be released in the middle of a much deserved break. She'll be seen next fall in Ron Howard's thriller "Ransom," which is of course a far cry from the shoestring budget filmmaking of "Girls Town." But when questions arise about her ability to play both indie and Hollywood roles, Taylor shows no concern about spreading herself thin. She says, "I feel that there's no rules, so I don't buy what people say. I always believed I can do what I'm doing, it can come into fruition, and I can make a living and be happy. And that's what's happened."

Film: "Girls Town," starring Lily Taylor and directed by Jim McKay, opens Aug. 30.