If I like and ask for wine from locals in and around the San Francisco Bay Area, here’s an attractive offer.
Francis Ford Coppola has presented an ‘Art and Wine Collection’. Order 24 bottles of wine (an aggregate of reds and whites) and you’ll get a signature on the script of the iconic The Conversation (1974).
Like any of Coppola’s films from the 1970’s, including The Godfather (1972), The Godfather: Part II (1974) and Apocalypse Now (1979), The Conversation is a classic — a must watch, a film to see before you die. This is back when editing didn’t need to be SuperHero-fast and no green or blue screens were to be found anywhere on set. Film grain dominated the aesthetic. Sound design was pure art. And, in this case, most of the films of this era featured unforgettable and nuanced character studies, in this case by lead Gene Hackman — playing a character who is an expert in sound analysis.
Coppola wrote and directed the film that won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and, for curious moviegoers, features many (emblematic) scenes shot in San Francisco.
Needless to say, having a script signature (dated 2020 no less) would be an attractive proposition for any collector.
One caveat: the price.
You will have to purchase the aforementioned blend of 24 bottles of wine that would charge you $800 USD. In a COVID-19 world, this means that this “one-of-a-kind collection” will have a far greater value than success for top buyers. Again, the rarity of such a signed script can mean valuable compilation time. And if you’re running tablecloth calculations, 24 bottles for $800 equals $33 according to the bottle. It’s not bad to see that it’s a high-end brand. The extras are just sauce on top.
In addition to the script, the product description in The Family of Coppola indicates that buyers will also get an invitation for a live online verbal exchange with Francis Ford Coppola. In addition, a virtual code is included so you can download a virtual copy of The Conversation (Apple, Google, Vudu, FandangoNow). So, in general, a package orderly enough to be safe.
Price: US$800 Where: Coppola Family Website
Many years ago, when we covered Napa, Sonoma and other wine regions here at Stark Insider (there is a genuine life, in a pre-pandemic world), I had the opportunity to briefly know the legend itself. Coppola organized a media lunch about wine in its magnificent vineyard as part of the “Day in the Dust Tasting” at Rubicon Estate. He was as kind and generous as you might expect (years later we also met his daughter Gia for an interview during the Palo Alto press tour). At Rubicon’s main entrance, you can also enjoy all kinds of accessories and souvenirs from his movies (I don’t know if they’re still on display today). If you are lucky enough to go, I highly recommend it, I hope that when things return to normal. And I do not forget to enjoy a very hearty and delicious lunch on a beautiful summer day in the wine region. And, of course, let yourself be pampered with equally generous wines.
These are the days.
Culture
WANDERLUST
CINEMA / TECHNOLOGY
STARK FILM STUDIO