Toronto International Film Festival 2014 - Day 7 - TIFF 14 - Featuring - Martin Scorsese, Neil Young, Claudia Traisac, Benicio Del Toro & an appearance by Iron Mike Tyson

DAY 7

The 7th day of TIFF started out with another press conference for me. I got there in time to get an autograph from Guardians Of The Galaxy star Benicio Del Toro when he left his press conference for Escobar: Paradise Lost. His co-star, Josh Hutcherson actually SNUCK OUT of the building. Seriously. Actually, fair enough... I mean he is like the 12th most famous person in a Hunger Games movie ever I think.... so yeah, hes important *rolls eyes*. I was also introduced to Columbian hottie Claudia Traisac, who was the anti-Hutcherson and signed till no one had anything left for her. Every TIFF there seems to be 1 "holy fuck, shes hot, who is she?" girl I learn about... gonna say its Claudia this year.
 
After that, there was a lot of time to kill unfortunately...which sucked since the evening premieres were going to be severely affected by another rain storm coming in.  I went to 1 of the places where celebs sometimes I found in Toronto and instead of getting someone from TIFF, I saw former Boxing legend Iron Mike Tyson instead. Earlier that day Mike had a heated TV interview with a reporter from Toronto least liked station CP24, who asked him a touchy subject & angered the man who once bit off an opponents ear. So after getting blindsided by a Toronto wannabe reporter live on air, no one would be shocked if the champ snubbed everyone. But he actually did stop, roll down his window & sign for 1 fan still. He really didn't have to, but did still.

After a couple hours wasted there, I attempted to go to Infinity Polar Bear premiere to get Mark Ruffalo. Unfortunately a steady rain started falling shortly before it started, then turned into a heavy rain by the time Mark arrived. So there was no chance to get him there. I ventured across the street where the premiere for '71 was with Jack O'Connell, but there was no red carpet, or press pit set up for it. I was pretty confused by that one.... so I ventured off and headed back across town to Ryerson for the premiere of "Revenge Of The Green Dragons". The cast list was nothing spectacular besides Ray Liotta, who did not show, and former Twilight actor Justin Chon, who did show up.  What was drawing everyones attention though, was the potential for 1 of the movies producers to show up for it, Martin Scorsese.

Sure enough the 9 time Oscar Nominated director showed up. After doing the photo pit, Mr. Scorsese came over to a crowd that was small, but deep in experience at getting autographs. What happened next, even the veterans, including some of the very ones who are usually the aggressive ones in a mob, was 1 of the most absurd wrestling matches for position you might ever watch 20 grown men partake in to get some autographs from Martin. Anytime you hear the horror stories of how rude and aggressive autograph hounds are, most of them are blown way out of proportion by people with a sense of entitlement that they should get what they want just because they were there 1st when there is no set order. But this scene, if it was seen by those who constantly bash autograph hounds, would validate all their complaints. It was ugly, and the fact no fights broke out after is solely because of the fact it was a bunch of professionals who all in the end understood the guy beside them was just doing the same thing as them. But it was absurd to witness. LUCKILY, the 1 photo I had for him got signed when 1 of the security guys grabbed it from me when Mr. Scorsese grabbed my pen, but didn't sign my item after the jostling started.  I really am glad I didn't have to work thru that mass of humanity to get my item signed. It is a bad scene when people, often the ones 1st time fans whine about the most in scrums, considered the events that unfolded "ridiculous".
 
After that, I considered calling it a night. But instead, I went on the faint hope the weather would deter most away from trying for 1 more iconic name that was going to be out that evening. Neil Young. The drizzle slowed down enough that some of the hounds gambled on the showing of Human Highway, a film from 1982 that Neil Young and Dean Stockwell co-directed.  Sure enough Mr. Young arrived for the premiere and snuck up behind us. One hound noticed it happen and approached Neil, but went around the barricade to do so and this seemed to upset the Canadian music legend. No autographs would be had outside on the way in.
 
Around back on the way out of the show, the same group were out there that stood out front on the way in, along with a couple more fans. After the show, another Canadian legend came out, Gordon Lightfoot. Shortly after, Neil came out, and signed "1 per" for everyone out there, although in the misty rain that fell, I am sure some of the items did not come away unscathed. I know myself, my signed item was fine, but my 2nd item that I tried to get was ruined by the rain.

Day 7 total - 3 autographs
TIFF Total - 94 autograpjhs
 
A  Claudia Traisac
B+ Gordon Lightfoot
B  Neil Young
B  Martin Scorsese
B- Benedio Del Toro
C+ Mike Tyson
F+ Mark Ruffalo
F  Josh Hutcherson