ART…. SOUP, SOUP…ART. If you’re a genuine Lily Tomlin admirer and aficionado like I am, then you would have jumped for joy and celebrated the world premiere 4k restoration of the Lily Tomlin film “The Search For Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe” based on the iconic one person play written for Tomlin by Jane Wagner. The solo show debut on Broadway in 1985, and has since become a major hallmark of the Lily Tomlin legacy. The tour de force performance, in which Lily morphs into multiple characters- both male and female, won Tomlin the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play, the New York Drama Circle Award, and the Drama Desk Award. It played for one year to Sold-Out crowds, then Tomlin embarked on a tour of the US, introducing audiences to Trudy, the bag lady, Agnus Angst, Chrissy, Kate, Lud and Marie, Brandy, Tina, Paul, Lyn, and the rest of the cultural -types in her “Search For Signs” ensemble. Anyone alive during the 1980’s remembers that “The Search For Signs” was THE play to see, and getting a ticket was no easy feat. The film version was released in 1991, directed by the late John Bailey. In my opinion, Lily Tomlin is the gold standard in the art of solo performance. She’s an expert actress who not only has the unique ability to laugh and cry at the same time, Lily literally embodies her characters, and transforms. Seeing the film version on screen is as close as you get to watching Tomlin share her signature piece live on stage. Only in the stage version, she wore a simple uniform, pants and blouse, and she became these people, with her rare gift of mime, plus lighting, sound and music effects. In the movie, Lily masterfully switches from performing on stage to “dressing the characters” in front of our eyes. For example, when she is Trudy, who is the homeless woman, philosopher and narrator of “The Search” you get a glimpse into Lily’s theatrical performance, and then “Trudy” is dressed in rags, with a shopping cart, complete with wearing her wig ” inside out,” to “keep it clean.” One of the best crafted characters is “Kate,” the bored and jaded Socialite, who ends up bonding for a moment with Trudy, the “bag lady,” at the end. It demonstrates a glaring example of America, from street people living in poverty to the privileged and wealthy. The film’s focus is about aliens examining human existence and American society through the lens of Trudy’s Umbrella hat. The universal message is, we are all connected. The music is solid, and boasts well known recordings from “You Light Up My Life” by Joseph Brooks, sung by Debby Boone, Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” to “We’re The Ones” written for the film by Jane Wagner, sung by Toni Childs. A haunting ballad, with searing lyrics about “feeling for the whole human race.” it is the ideal theme song for “The Search For Signs” during the end credits. It’s rare these days to witness a solo performance or comedy concert on the big screen. Audiences will have a chance to see “The Search For Signs” when it’s re-released theatrically next year.

“The Search For Sign of Intelligent Life in the Universe” has always expressed a Feminist sensibility. The trio of Feminists are Lynn, Marge and Edie, and they are friends during the Women’s Movement, and second wave of American Feminists. With references to Ms. Magazine, and a segment featuring Geraldine Ferraro’s first Vice President nomination for a woman in 1984. This piece is ahead of it’s time and yet so timely because the ERA still has yet to be published. In fact, the entire film is more relevant than ever, with the homelessness issue, UFO connection, and the phrase ” I guess I missed out on what makes America great” uttered from the mouth of the rebellious teen Agnus Angst. The film is captivating due to Tomlin’s mesmerizing performance. Jane Fonda is a donor, supporter of IndieCollect, and she introduced the film and conducted the Conversation with Tomlin after the film. Tomlin said she “was pleased with how the restoration had turned out” as Lily had approved and overseen it herself. Rescue Fest screened the 117 version, compiled from different prints, instead of the 108 minute version. While “The Search For Signs” play was revived by Tomlin, the film version has not been available in the original form, and it was thrilling to be able to view it on the big screen, and Lily Tomlin, with her glorious gifts on full display.

The inaugural IndieCollect’s” Rescue Fest mission is “Saving The Future Of Indie Film”  at Laemmle Monica Film Center, and the opening night unveiling of “The Search For Signs” took place on Friday evening December 6th.  IndieCollect Restorations continued at the Academy Museum’s Ted Mann Theater, December 13th-14th,2024 under the title “Present Past: A Celebration of Film Preservation.” Sandra Schulberg is the President of Indie Collect,and her motto is: “Rescue, Restore and Reactivate”.  Sandra is the daughter of the late Stuart Schullberg and she spearheaded the restoration of his  documentary, “Nuremberg: Its Lesson For Today.” She is the Founder of IFP,(Independent Film Project), co-founded First Run Features, and New Day Films. The Board of Directors/Festival Hosts include Chaz Ebert, Peter Conheim, Ted and Vanessa Hope, John Ptak and Margaret Black, Catherine Wyler, Jill Godmilo, Gerald Herman ,Michael and Pam Hausman,  Gregory Nava,  Ann Hu and Warrington Hudlin, to name a few.  The opening night Chairs included Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner, Greg Laemmle, Steve Buscemi, Joe Berlinger, Jon Kamen, and Elias Savada.The opening was dedicated to “The Men and Women of the Academy Film Archive.” These included  Ed Carter, Former Documentary Curator. It was Carter who found the original negative for “The Search For Signs” in November 2021.  Carter is a hero who “rescued”  the negative incompletely labeled,  from the  collection of materials in the Academy’s Film Archives from Deluxe Labs. it was discovered on a panel of elements to be de-accessioned Also being acknowledged, Randy Haberkamp, Former Executive Vice President of Library, Archive,Sci-Tech, worked on the project,  Michael Pogorzelski, Former Academy Film Archive Director, Josef Lindner, Former Preservation Officer, Lynne Kirste, Former Special Collections Curator, Melissa Levesque, Former Nitrate Curator, Sean Savage, Former Senior Archivist, Mike Brostoff, Former Head of Cataloguing, Brian Drischell, Former Associate Director, and Fritz Herzog, Former Collections Curator. Both the editor Carol Littleton, and “The Search For Signs” producer Paula Mazur were in the audience to witness the restoration.

Rescue Fest 2024 presented 10 Films, Dialogues and VIP Guests. Besides “The Search For Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe” the first annual Rescue Fest presented several indie films and documentaries including “F.T.A.” produced by and starring Jane Fonda, directed by Francine Parker, this Kino Lorber distributed doc was filmed in 1972, during the height of the Vietnam War, and features Fonda, Donald Sutherland, and Holly Near, who entertained 60,000 with a musical revue called “Free The Army.” Other diverse films such as “Nationtime” directed by William Greaves,  this film was “lost for nearly 50 years” until rescued by IndieCollect, this engrossing history lesson takes the viewer inside the 1972 National Black Convention, narrated by the late Sidney Poitier, the indie film features Jesse Jackson, Harry Belafonte, Coretta Scott King, Betty Shabazz, Amiri Baraka, and Bobby Seale. Chaz Ebert moderated the Q and A with Liani Greaves. Other titles include “Tokyo Pop,” “Thousand Pieces of Gold,” “Northern Lights,”   “Thank-you and Goodnight,” “The Atomic Cafe,” and “Shadow Magic.” One of the highlights  at the Laemmle Monica is “The Story of a Three Day Pass” a 1968 film directed by Melvin Van Peebles, features a biracial couple. Mario Van Peebles introduced the film.  The films that screened at the Academy Museum were “Solomon Northrup’s Odyssey,” also spotlighting a post-screening dialogue with Van Peebles, and a double bill of “Hairstory” a 2000 film directed by LaTanya Richardson, and “A Question of Color,” from 1993, directed by Kathe Sandler. It feels assuring to have a festival in LA, California, from a New York based non-profit, that’s dedicated to adopting orphan films that would otherwise be lost and forgotten. This first Rescue Fest won’t be the last.  For more info, please visit… IndieCollect.Org.