Weinsteins Apologize: Please Don't 'House-Hump'

Dan Mirvish, the director of Open House, has this to say to the world:

"OPEN HOUSE is a fictitious real estate musical and I would hate to think that our audiences are taking it as serious lifestyle advocacy. I would urge all our viewers - especially our younger fans on MySpace - to respect the law and maintain their decorum when shopping for a home."

Wha?

Oh, there are articles in GQ and in the L.A. Times that describe people attending open houses to steal drugs, or having sex during open houses on people's beds. That happens in this real-estate musical he directed that stars Anthony Rapp.

We hadn't seen the articles. And we hadn't heard of the movie, which is being distributed by the Weinsteins.

But in case this apology seemed like damage control--after all, the movie Open House might be boycotted by real-estate brokers!--Weinstein, Mirvish and friends are quick to turn their P.R. nightmare into the only press they're likely to get.

"We're getting ready to launch a videogame," Mr. Mirvish says in the press release, "based on the premise of 'sexy swiping,' and we're talking to theater companies about a stage adaptation of the film.

Also:

To see a clip of Kellie Martin and James Duval "house humping" go to this iFilm page: http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2679783?htv=12

Full press release after the jump.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 30, 2006

Weinstein Co. filmmaker denounces housing crimes LIFE IMITATES ART IN REAL ESTATE SEX AND DRUGS

Culver City - In response to recent articles in the L.A. Times and GQ magazine, veteran independent film director Dan Mirvish, whose film OPEN HOUSE is being distributed on The Weinstein Company's Wellspring label, today decried some alarming trends in real estate which may have been influenced by people who have seen the film. "OPEN HOUSE is a fictitious real estate musical and I would hate to think that our audiences are taking it as serious lifestyle advocacy. I would urge all our viewers - especially our younger fans on MySpace - to respect the law and maintain their decorum when shopping for a home."

Mirvish was reacting to recent media reports that have detailed the practices of "pharming" - which involves stealing prescription medicines from open houses - and "house humping" - wherein couples have sex in an open house. Both behaviors are portrayed in the real estate musical film OPEN HOUSE and are referred to in song as "sexy swiping," which involves both having sex in an open house and then stealing things, including prescription pharmaceuticals.

The March 19 Sunday's Los Angeles Times' Real Estate section's cover story was entitled "An Opening to Theft: An Open House Leaves Valuables at Risk - Even the Contents of Your Medicine Cabinet." The article quoted White House Office of Drug Control Policy spokesman Tom Riley as referring to this practice as "pharming." The March issue of Gentlemen's Quarterly (GQ) magazine has an article headlined "Have You House Humped Yet?" detailing the recent trend in people having sex in open houses. MySpace also has an active group devoted to house humping.

"The film has been a huge success, and the DVD is turning into something of a cult hit," noted Mirvish. "We're getting ready to launch a videogame based on the premise of 'sexy swiping,' and we're talking to theater companies about a stage adaptation of the film. So as the project turns into something of an indie film franchise, I wanted to remind our fans that it is a satire and not to be taken literally."

OPEN HOUSE stars Anthony Rapp (RENT) and Oscar®-nominee Sally Kellerman as off-kilter real estate agents at a series of open houses on a Sunday afternoon. Kellie Martin and James Duval also star in the film as a young couple who have sex in open houses and then steal items and put them in the next house. During one scene in particular, they open a medicine cabinet and steal Viagra, Percodan, Darvon and medical marijuana. "I have tremendous respect for the real estate profession, and I would hate to think that our movie was responsible for popping the housing bubble," added Mirvish, one of the founders of the Slamdance Film Festival.

For more information on OPEN HOUSE, please contact Bugeater Films at 323-304-3593 or go to http://www.OpenHouseMovie.com or http://www.myspace.com/openhousemovie. To see a clip of Kellie Martin and James Duval "house humping" go to this iFilm page: http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2679783?htv=12 -- # # # --