Rob Newton Interview: Lawrence Blume, Director, “Tiger Eyes”

Award winning and best selling author Judy Blume is appearing tonight at Cape Ann Community Cinema. See for more information see: Judy Blume at Cape Ann Community Cinema Monday Night!!!

Since her first novel was published in 1969, Judy Blume has written nearly thirty more books, appealing to children (“Freckle Juice”), teens (“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.”), and adults (“Summer Sisters”) and varying widely in the topics she so smartly covered with them. However, none has made the trip to the big screen, until now. Blume’s 1981 novel “Tiger Eyes,” about a teenage girl named Davey who is transplanted into a New Mexico mountain town after the sudden loss of her father, is the first, and is now in theaters. But why such a long wait for a Judy Blume movie, and why this one, and why now? Lawrence Blume, Judy’s son––and the director of the film––had some answers to these and other questions that her legions of fans want to know.

“Many producers have pondered adapting ‘Tiger Eyes’ over the years,” the junior Blume told North Shore Movies. “There were some false starts, and some things that didn’t work out.”

If things had worked out, Blume may not have been able to realize his dual dreams of adapting the book himself (he read all of them either in process or as they were released) and working with his mother on producing that adaptation.

“Making a film out of the book is something I’ve wanted to do since I read it in high school,” Blume says of the project. “The timing is perfect, and the deal was hard to resist. Yes, we had to make-do with a tiny budget [from a European producer] and just 23 days in which to shoot, but we had full creative control.”

For some, working on such an important project with one’s mother would be a situation far from ideal, but for Blume, it was just the opposite.

“The collaboration was joyful,” he says. “She is an unbelievably fertile artist, and it was amazing to have her to collaborate with. She was with me for nearly every shot, next to me in the director’s chair. It was incredible to be able to turn to her after a shot and say ‘This is the direction I’m going with Willa [Holland, who plays Davey], to have her there, saying ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ or ‘you are going off the rails.’ Directing is lonely, so to have someone who knows the story as intimately or more so was great.”

To read Rob Newton’s full interview from online NorthSHoreMovies ~

Tiger Eyes film Lawrence Blume

Judy Blume at Cape Ann Community Cinema Monday Night!!!

Judy Blume, award winning and best selling author (Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret) is appearing Monday night at Cape Ann Community Cinema to introduce Tiger Eyes, followed by a Q & A.

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Have you checked out our plans to upgrade upon the successful completion of our Indiegogo campaign? With 2 weeks to go, we have reached 25% of our $30,000 goal, and we really need your help in getting the rest of the way. We are not rich Hollywood stars who would rather tap their fans than reach into their own pockets to see a project through. We are just crazy kids with a dream, one which we hope you are enjoying, too. Check out what we’re raising money for, and how you can help. Your donation to this essential campaign is tax-deductible, and we have a dozen different thank-you gifts, ranging from bumper stickers to private movie parties to complimentary admission to the Cinema for a whole year. The full menu of premiums is listed on our Indiegogo page. This campaign ends July 22nd, and if we reach our goal, we can be up-and-running with the new gear just after Labor Day.

Again, the full inventory of our needs and plans can be found onour Indiegogo page. This campaign ends on July 22nd.

If you haven’t bought your tickets to see best-selling author Judy Blume come present “Tiger Eyes” (the first big-screen adaptation of one of her books) on Monday, July 8th at 7:30pm, please do it soon. She will host a Q&A after the movie. You can read my interview with her son, Lawrence (the film’s writer, director, and producer) here. Order your tickets (while we still have some) atwww.CapeAnnCinema.com.

Thanks again––and see you at the movies!

Rob Newton
Creative Director
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