Blue Chips

WAITING in line, Stephanie Bryan and junior Sean Cattie anticipate the premiere of "Blue Chips."

HITS BLOOMINGTON

Proceeds donated to library endowment and basketball scholarship

By Mike Nichols and Wendy Potasnik

IKKI HUDSON, N manager of Showplace Cinemas, felt a little "blue" the day after Valentine's Day. About 45 minutes before "Blue Chips" premiered, Hudson paced the already spotless linoleum floor, looking for trash. Her heels clicked against the tiles as she pushed toward the concession counter to watch employee Aaron Little stack paper cups and popcorn tubs. Hudson walked into her office, sat in a swivel chair and listened to the phone ring. After one month of preparation, she wanted this night to be perfect.

Along with the 1,500 people who attended that night's screenings, Hudson waited to see the premiere of Paramount's "Blue Chips," a movie where basketball turned into big business and free throws equaled dollar signs. The Hoosiers and Coach Bob Knight were a big part of this movie directed by William Friedkin, whose works included "The Exorcist," "The French Connection" and "Rampage." "It would have been impossible without Indiana University," Friedkin said. "I always felt that if I did a sports film, I'd use real athletes and real footage."

Friedkin asked Knight

what he could do to repay him and the University for their generosity. Knight's reply brought $80,000 to the library fund and a $150,000 basketball scholarship from the proceeds at the Showplace Cinemas premiere. Actor Nick Nolte also spent considerable time with Knight to hone the role of Pete Bell early in 1993. "Nick likes to validate a character," said Nolte's longtime assistant Bill Cross, who also appeared in the movie as Coach Bell's assistant. "There's a Bob Knight influence in the character with mannerisms, but it is not Bob Knight as a whole," Cross said.

Former IU player Matt Nover was also an integral part of the film. "Matt was a natural actor," Cross said. Friedkin said Nover knew what it was all about as he ad-libbed the very first day. Friedkin believed in using real people in his movies to add authenticity.

And that's exactly what Friedkin did in making "Blue Chips." Friedkin said he did not script the games because he wanted them to be authentic. "I didn't want it to be exhibition, I wanted it to be real," Friedkin said. "We forgot we were filming a continued

SHOWPLACE employee Andrew Ault cleans in preparation for the "Blue Chips" premiere.

movie." He said the players felt as if they were just playing on new teams. "I've found it enriches the film. You want it to be seamless and those details make it work," Friedkin said. One of those details included the use of Knight as the coach of the Indiana team in "Blue Chips." "To a great extent, Coach Knight is acting. He comes to work with his own emotions, strengths and weaknesses and he has to put all that aside to motivate," Friedkin said, "and that's what an actor does." Because of NCAA regulations, the athlete-actors in the film could not be paid for their work in the movie. This contradicted the characters they played in the movie who were paid excessive amounts to play basketball. "Basketball belongs as it was originally conceived as a recreational sport. In the 80 years in between it has turned into big business," Friedkin said. "The whole corporate mentality is going to usurp the game." Friedkin examined the ethic involved in college athletics, where the wealthiest school got the cream-of-the-crop athlete.

Tickets to the premiere and reception cost $100, $60 for the showing — only students could see the film later that evening for $10. Approximately 1,500 people attended the first night's screening. With all the excitement, Showplace employees were busy at work. But almost all of the students working that night said they planned to see the movie. "They've told us if Bob Knight comes in we can't flock around him," senior Jill Lawson said. She worked behind the concession counter during the premiere. But for some employees, this warning would not get in the way of meeting the General. "If Bob Knight does

come up to me, I'll whip out my ticket for an autograph," junior Tonya Raver said. Raver said expectations from the managers were high. "They told us to do our best — perfection," Raver said.

Sophomore Aaron Little said even though he was not a native Hoosier, it was an honor to work the night of the premiere. "It's just amazing how big basketball is around here," Little said. "Everyone knows everything about Indiana basketball, and because some of last year's IU senior players and Coach Knight are in the movie, the support is unbelievable. We don't have a lot of down time, because we have to make sure that everything is perfect," Little said. "We've got to prepare ourselves for the worst." "I've played basketball since I was in the third grade ... that's why it's so important to me," Hudson said as she welcomed the final moments of the project that encompassed a month's worth of preparations.

And with the 20 ushers, 10 concession workers, 50 pounds of popcorn and all six theaters opened, "Blue Chips" was ready for its Bloomington premiere.

When the student showing ended around midnight, streams of enthusiastic, chatty students filtered out of the theaters and into the parking lot. Seniors Sasha Moeller and Alix Dowling said they enjoyed watching the movie in an auditorium. As she stood in a maze of headlights and taillights, Dowling said she agreed with the movie's message about the corruption of college athletics. "You have to have a good work ethic and dedication [to play basketball]," she said. "But I don't think collegiate players should get paid. They're in school to get an education, and I think that's good enough." •

WITH his hands full, Bloomington resident Tom Dukes brings refreshments back to his family shortly before the first screening.

COACH Knight and Director William Friedkin speak to the audience who paid either $60 or $100 each to see the premiere. More than $200,000 in proceeds were donated for a library endowment and a basketball scholarship.

Robb Hill

Robb Hill