Hundreds Turn Out To Meet ""The Green Mile"" Writer/Director Frank Darabont At DVD Signing

20-Jun-00

Not green and not quite a mile, the line at Dave's Video, The Laser Place in Studio City, California stretched completely around the store as hundreds of fans waited for nine hours - from 4pm until 1am on June 13, 2000 - to meet ""The Green Mile"" writer/director Frank Darabont. Darabont was there to sign DVDs of the Best Picture Academy AwardÆ nominee which debuted from Warner Home Video. Also on hand was Sherry Vrooman, Special Events Coordinator for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation, which will receive a portion from each DVD sale.""This is the coolest DVD signing I've ever been to,"" one fan said. Everyone lined up at 4pm outside the Studio City store for the 6:30pm signing. Initially scheduled to be there for two hours, Darabont stayed for six hours and finally met the last fan at close to 1am. The director graciously took the time to speak with every person in line, offer advice to young director/screenwriters, pose for photos, sign DVDs, posters, magazines and whatever else the crowd brought to him.Several fans with video cameras asked Darabont to sign them - one asked Darabont to shoot him and his friends. Darabont obliged, then focused the camera toward himself and said, ""This has been A Frank Darabont Film.""Virtually everyone who stepped up said that ""The Shawshank Redemption"" was their favorite all-time movie. John McCauley from Agoura Hills, California kiddingly asked Darabont to sign McCauley's five month-old baby, Sean. ""I couldn't get daycare but I'm a huge fan and wouldn't miss this,"" said McCauley.Linda Lukas, Vice President of Dave's Video, The Laser Place and host for the event noted, ""most people when they sign try to finish quickly - not Frank. He really likes the connection with movie fans."" Ruben Ontal, a Los Angeles city worker, arrived three hours early to be the first fan in line. Ontal, who attends every signing at Dave's Video, The Laser Place said, ""I only collect good movies, and 'The Green Mile' is definitely good.""Impressed by how genuine Darabont was, Chris Parrish of Studio City commented, ""It's amazing how much time he took to talk to everybody and how he drew them out. Everyone loved him."" One of the last to meet Darabont was a woman who was close to having a baby. Darabont joked, ""were you pregnant when you came in here?""As the evening drew to a close Darabont, who is writing six days a week to finish the screenplay for his next project, shook the stiffness out of his hand and said, ""The only other time I signed my name this much was on my mortgage application."" Then he announced happily, ""This was my one night out this week and it was great!""The Green Mile is available for VHS rental and for sale on DVD, priced at $24.98 SRP, with these special features: an exclusive ten-minute behind-the-scenes documentary titled ""Walking The Mile,"" original theatrical trailer, widescreen format, subtitles and DolbyÆ Digital 5.1 sound. The film will also be available on VHS with Spanish subtitles.