“Remember the Daze” of High School in a 24 Hour Window

Young Hollywood came out to the Egyptian Theatre to support "Remember The Daze", a fresh look at the high school years. The story, based on writer/director Jess Manafort’s own experiences growing up in Alexandra, VA., is a glimpse into the teenage wasteland of suburbia 1999 that takes place over 24 hours, and the teenagers who make their way through the last day of high school in the last year of the past millennium.

The indie film is Manafort’s directorial debut. She allows for a fun vibe, as all the characters mingle together and present a genuine high school feel. It’s not easy to label leads, as the ensemble cast is over 10 members strong.

The stand-outs include: Alexa Vega and Stella Maeve as pre-frosh and Marnette Patterson as the peppy cheerleader. Melonie Diaz and Aaron Himmelstein steal their scenes bringing an authentic and rich tone. John Robinson brings innocence to the screen, while Chris Marquette seems to be having so much fun that we want to follow him everywhere he goes.

Many of the scenarios are cliché, but that theme fits right in as being  "so high school".  The production design on this modest-budgeted film tells the story minimally; as the cinematography stays low-key for the most part, save for some occasional high-energy visuals. 

The Night

Energy was high at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood and the cast came out to celebrate Manafort and the film. In addition, super stars Emile Hirsch and Emmy Rossum arrived to support their fellow 20-something thespians.

The red carpet was packed with smiling faces and sexy outfits. Inside, the theatergoers packed in tight for a fast-paced, fun, teenage ride. The film played well. Most of the audience was only a few years away from high school. But the real kicker was hearing the reaction from viewers who were several decades past their high school years and enjoying the look-back. Evidence that this story is truly multi-generational.

Let the Celebration Begin

Spirits were high as the cocktails poured. The after-party, located at trendy Central in Hollywood, was presented by Nylon and Barefoot Wine among others.

The crowd danced to the music and as the stars arrived there were more smiles and hugs to go around. One of the stars, John Robinson, noted, "It was like summer camp [on-set].  A bunch of kids getting along real well. Working together. Having fun". It’s clear that tone hasn’t changed. He added, "It was great to let us improv. There’s a lot of moments that came out of that."

But for some, the experience was even closer, co-star Chris Marquette revealed, "I got to work with my brother [Sean Marquette] and that was cool. He called me, I had some free time. I met with Jess, she was awesome, and we did it". Chris, who is real-life older brother to Sean, got to play the older brother on celluloid as well. It was a smart decision as their chemistry is fun, light and obvious.

Marnette Patterson was delighted to play the cheerleader character, "It was definitely a change for me, which I enjoyed. I played against my normal type which was fun and a challenge."

Aaron Himmelstein, who unwittingly romances Patterson’s cheerleader character, praised both the film and the opportunity: "From the second I read it, I fell in love with the story. Great character introductions and a great, fun tone.  For my character, I had very concrete needs and goals and so it let me really focus on that and let the moment-by-moment just flow by naturally".

 

Spy Kids star Alexa Vegas also changed her appearance for her role. From the "little girl" to a beautiful, young woman. With her bravery and range, expect her opportunities to skyrocket.

Vegas plays an up-coming high school freshman in the film, opposite Stella Maeve.  For Maeve, already very accomplished at her young age, this marks her second collaboration with auteur Manafort. Their first was Manafort’s NYU student film, a short called "Liminality" starring Stephen Baldwin. 

The two girls have nothing but love for each other. Director Manafort explained, "We’ve worked together. She’s very talented. I wrote the part for her because I knew she could do it."  Maeve added, "I love working with Jess. She’s amazing. I want to be in all her movies. We’re a team".

Next up for Maeve is the Gotham-set "Harold" where she stars opposite Oscar winner Cuba Gooding, Jr, Ally Sheedy and rising star Nikki Blonsky.

Entourage star Joshua LeBar was in the crowd enjoying the atmosphere and may have summed up the experience best. "It’s a really good coming of age story. It really took you back to high school.  A lot of people can relate to that".