James Franco is a man of many talents. He’s not only an actor and an artist, he’s also an author.
Franco has been making the rounds to various book stores and talk shows, not only promoting his latest movie, 127 Hours, but also his first collection of short stories, Palo Alto. In some ways the book sounds like the written version of his art work, including a story titled Killing Animals which conjures up images of Franco’s first exhibit. Not to mention, both his art work and his first book, which both focus on the often angst-filled teen years, have been described as unsettling.
On October 13, Franco signed copies of Palo Alto for fans at Barnes and Noble in New York City. One of our readers, Denise, attended the signing and said he was very friendly and “looked everyone right in the eye and smiled that killer smile”. You can see a few of Denise’s photos from the event below:
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In addition to promoting his new book, James also has a controversial new movie in theaters today. 127 Hours, directed by Danny Boyle, stars Franco as hiker Aron Ralston, who amputated his own arm after he became trapped in a Utah canyon.
The controversy stems from the movie’s graphic realism that has audiences fainting, but the movie’s amazing location surely makes up for the gruesome factor.
The entire film was shot in Moab, Utah, not far from where Aron was trapped. There are plenty of opportunities to explore the red rocks and deserts of Moab, without risking your life as Aron did. The Moab Adventure Center gives Hummer tours, guided hikes, bike tours, and rafting tours through Moab daily. If you want to walk in Aron or James footsteps without risking your life (or limbs) we’d recommend the Arches Fiery Furnace Hike through the Arches National Park. The guided day hike starts at only $77 per person and lets you see the best of Moab, without getting stuck in the desert alone.
James has been on several talk shows this week defending the film and its amputation scene. On Wednesday night he tried to explain the profound impact filming the scene had on him, but Jay Leno was more interested in knowing how many prosthetic arms it took to shoot the 3-minute scene. Check out a clip below:
The same night, James attended the film’s premiere, along with his director and co-stars, in Los Angeles where it has been reported an ambulance had to be called because a woman fainted. Check out these premiere photos too:
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Have you read Palo Alto or have you seen 127 Hours? Let us know what you think of James Franco’s latest projects!
[Thanks to James and Denise for the photos and additional information]
Thanks for the great article! A point of clarification: James’ only public bookstore appearance for PALO ALTO: Stories was on October 20 (not 13) at the Barnes & Noble TriBeCa store in NYC. He signed 400 books in about 2 hours! We promoted the event in advance, and even gave away copies of the book on Twitter. James was also on Today and Ellen this week, we let his fans know that in advance as well. We love your site and appreciate all the great tips and coverage you provide. Are you Following us? Hope so! 🙂