Preston holds a festival in honor of the movie that put it on the map
More than 350 people attended the Napoleon Dynamite Festival in Preston, Idaho on Saturday and did, well, whatever the heck they wanted to.
The festival was organized as a fundraiser by the Preston School District’s education foundation and featured a variety of “Dynamite” related activities, including a tetherball tournament, a steak throwing contest and a bus tour of the locations seen in the film.
“Napolean Dynamite” was written and directed by Preston resident Jared Hess, who filmed it on a comparatively meager $400,000 budget.
The film was purchased by Fox Searchlight Pictures at the Sundance Film Festival in February for $3 million and has since raked in nearly $45 million.
“I don’t think anyone involved knew how big the film was going to be when they filmed it,” said bus tour guide and Hess’ high school friend Christina Barrington. “But it hasn’t changed us. We all think its crazy ’cause we’ve lived here all our lives. It’s definitely been good for the community – it’s brought us together.”
The festival also featured Uncle Rico’s orange van, Tina, the llama, and cast, crew and extras from the film.
Bracken Johnson, who plays the bully that picked on Napoleon, spent most of his time at the festival posing for pictures.
“Can I get a quick pic?” asked a festival attendee to Johnson. “Take my son by the neck and act like your throwing him into the locker.”
Dale Critchlow, who plays Lyle, the cow-shooting farmer, was scheduled to attend the festival but had to skip-out due to a “cattle emergency.”
Many of the attendees dressed-up as characters from the film and participated in a dance-off and look-a-like contest.
Brigham Young University students and brother and sister Bethany and Andrew Olsen, came to the festival dressed in the actual clothes Napoleon and Deb sported in the dance scene at the end of the film. Bethany says she does baby-sitting for Jared and asked Jared and his wife Jerusha if they could borrow the clothes for the festival.
“I had to come. I love the movie,” Bethany said. “There is not one thing about the film I don’t like.”
During the dance-off, the emcee shared some facts about the film.
“While shooting the auditorium dance sequence in the film, Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite) who didn’t know how to dance, was so nervous he only allowed two other people in the auditorium to watch – Jared Hess and the cameraman,” the emcee said. “He shot the scene in two takes where he just freestyled to the music. But I don’t think he’s as uncomfortable with his dance moves anymore. I’ve seen him dancing all over on TV, on Jay Leno and “The View.”
Krismas Adams, Jared Hess’ mother, said Jared is one of six boys and the character Napoleon is a culmination of Jared’s brothers and friends.
“Oh my gosh, most of the scenes are taken from our family,” Krismas said. “We really had a cow shot in front of our house, and my son James actually called from school three times about getting his chapstick brought to him.”
Krismas said Jared wanted to be at the festival but was in California working on his next film. Jared and his wife Jerusha are currently writing a screenplay with “School of Rock” writer Mike White. The film will be shot in Mexico and will star Jack Black (“High Fidelity.”)
“When the film was shown in the Aspen film festival, Jack Black, who attended, loved it and told Jared he wanted to work with him,” Krismas said.
Krismas said Jared also received a call from Adam Sandler, who “loved the film,” and met with Jim Carey (“Dumb and Dumber”) on a movie set to talk about it.
“When he was with Jim Carey, Jared convinced him to call us at home,” Krisman said. “Unfortunately I wasn’t there, but he [Carey] talked to our 19-year-old son Benji. Benji said he [Carey] was really funny and asked him if he was going to pick up chicks in Preston that night.”
Jared’s stepfather Tom Adams said he’s seen “Napoleon Dynamite” more than 30 times. Tom travels a lot with work and says he tries to catch a show in the various cities he travels to.
“I’ve seen it in Chicago and Kansas City and reaction is the same wherever I see it,” Tom said. “Everyone laughs hard and quotes all the lines.”
Both Krismas and Tom said their favorite “Napoleon Dynamite” moment was watching the audience react to the film for the first time during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City earlier this year
“Jared was so nervous – but the audience loved it,” Tom said. “Some of those theatres had two or three thousand people in them. It was so loud with laughter; I thought the walls were going to come down. You couldn’t even hear most of the lines, ’cause people were laughing.”
Logan resident Paul Norton said he likes the movie and enjoyed the activities at the festival as well.
“Our kids have fallen in love with this film. Our grandchildren go around quoting all the lines-even the 2-year-old does,” Norton said. “It’s [“Dynamite”] fun, it’s off-the-wall. If people understand the humor they’ll love the movie. The movie has done as well as it has ’cause people relate to Napoleon. There’s a little bit of Napoleon in all of us.”
The Education Foundation’s chair Jane Gibby said the festival raised $1,500 dollars.
“It was definitely a success,” Gibby said. “Everyone’s really enjoyed themselves. That is, unless I’m just blissfully ignorant.”
Krismas said she’s proud of Jared and believes he’s made a lasting impact on the people of Preston.
“I think people know Preston best from the Christmas lights and the rodeo,” Krismas said. “But after that – it’s “Napoleon Dynamite.”
-jrsaunders@cc.usu.edu
Andrew Olsen (right) and his sister Bethan Olsen (left), dress up as Napoleon and Deb in the look-a-like contest at the Napoleon Dynamite Festival, held Saturday in Preston. (Photo by Jennifer Wheatley)
A Liger, which according to the Napoleon is “pretty much his favorite animal,” was used during the steak-throwing contest at the Napoleon Dynamite Festival Saturday in Preston, Idaho. (Photo by Jennifer Wheatley)