Photograph courtesy of Sam & Shawn Calvillo
Two of the young stars of 'The Ugly Kid,' Brendan Ryan Barrett, left, and Todd Bosley, kick back on the set of the movie.
Local filmmakers create an ugly kid
By Shari Kaplan
For a first-time endeavor by independent filmmakers on a limited budget, shot entirely in the Bay Area, The Ugly Kid has turned into something of which its "parents" can be proud.
The film--now playing at the AMC Saratoga 14 Theatre in the El Paseo de Saratoga shopping center--follows Lloyd, the nerdy pre-teen protagonist who wends his way through the pitfalls and pratfalls of elementary school. The gawky boy, played by Todd Bosley (last seen in Little Giants and Jack) gets by with a little help from his friends--and from the owner of a magic shop, played by Tom Arnold. Far from being an ugly kid, Lloyd learns that true ugliness is not inherent in him, but in the kids who enjoy ridiculing him.
"It's not sugar-coated. It's 'real'--it shows what it's really like for kids in school. Adults can identify things from their own school memories, and also what their kids are going through," says Shawn Calvillo of the San Jose area, who along with her husband, Sam, is one of the movie's producers.
"We have four kids, so we're always looking for movies the whole family can see and enjoy. We all liked this," she says, adding that many parents attending the film's screenings said they found the lack of gratuitous violence and profanity a refreshing change.
"There are lots of things kids can relate to, lots of things adults can relate to, and lots that both can relate to," agrees executive producer Mike Arnold, a Saratoga resident who also has four children. "It's not violent, but it's definitely not boring. It's also got some recognizable songs on the soundtrack."
The Ugly Kid is the first endeavor for both Arnold and the Calvillos. The Calvillos also run Panache, a retail optical boutique in Sunnyvale. The three worked closely with screenwriter Hector Barron, who, as a resident of Los Angeles, is one of the few crew members not from the Bay Area.
The movie is loosely based on Barron's own childhood. "Most of us can recall times in our lives when we've been intimidated by bullies, by someone who put us in a bad situation or by someone we liked who didn't like us back," Arnold hints.
Bringing even more local flavor to the movie is the fact that many scenes were filmed in the South Bay: Jiffy Market on Los Gatos Boulevard in Los Gatos, a private residence off Persimmon Avenue in Sunnyvale, Bella Mia restaurant in downtown San Jose and Laurelwood Elementary School in Santa Clara.
For many years, the Calvillos have provided eyewear and optometric services for the stars and crew of major motion pictures, including Mrs. Doubtfire, Interview with the Vampire, The Rock and Nine Months. Through the friends and connections made in Hollywood, they got to know Barron, Tom Arnold and most of the other actors in The Ugly Kid. Mike Arnold, who owns a copier sales and service business, climbed on board after one of his employees, a friend of Sam Calvillo, introduced him to them.
Following very successful airings at the Berlin Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival and other European venues last year--viewers came back for seconds and thirds, Shawn Calvillo say. The movie had its North American premiere earlier this year at the Manteca Marketplace Stadium theaters, where it also did well.
In May, the film travels to Texas, the Calvillos' home state. They're not sure where it will go from there, depending upon popularity, revenue, and whether or not The Ugly Kid catches the eye of a large movie distributor. But it's definitely scheduled to air on HBO sometime this fall, according to Arnold.
Arnold, Barron and the Calvillos enjoyed working together so much that they've already got another project simmering on the back burner. They won't divulge what it is--only that it will be a very different film from The Ugly Kid.
The AMC Saratoga 14 Theatre is at 700 El Paseo de Saratoga at the Saratoga/San Jose border. For current show times, call the theater at 408.871.1441.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
