-Good luck tonight, Miss Mars.
-Thank you, Tommy.
You are perfect.
-How is it in there?
-Too early to tell.
-We're about to be clotheslined.
-By whom?
Sheila Weissman.
Miss Mars, I'm Sheila Weissman.
I remember you. How are you?
We agreed that interviews
would be done inside the gallery.
I want to ask her if she knows
how offensive her work is to women.
-Cute.
-Let's go.
Photography is becoming
a high-priced commodity.
And there is suspicion
in some circles in the art world...
...a feeling that we're running
out of salable paintings...
...and photography
is being pumped up.
That an artificial market
is being created...
...and photography is just a hype.
These are not easy
questions to answer...
...but here in this gallery...
...there is a fabulous exhibit
of violent and sexy photographs.
Aren't you doing
a fashion hustle?
Recycled photographs, really.
Does anyone have
anything positive to ask?
Do you consider yourself
a serious artist?
-I'm very serious about my work.
-Serious by what standards?
-By my own standards.
-Isn't that an elitist position?
Honestly, I think
I'd better take the Fifth.
You can do better than that,
Ms. Mars. Really.
Fellas, come on.
Give us a break here, huh?
She'll see you later, I promise.
I loved your questions.
We have to mix
with the real people now.
-Is there a back door?
-You are a sensation.
You're the right
number of minutes late.
Traffic was terrible.
We are going to sell
pictures like crazy.
Now, who shall we work on first?
The art world is
being asked to consider...
...these provocative pictures
as salable art.
We'll be examining
these questions tonight...
...and meeting people on all sides...
...of what is rapidly
becoming a major controversy.
I don't know when I've seen
more hostile reporters.
If they don't stop drinking,
I'm gonna throw their asses out.
-Have you seen Doris Spenser yet?
-No.
What I think Laura is saying
with her work...
...is "Okay, America.
Okay, world. You are violent.
You are pushing all this murder on us.
So here it comes right back at you.
And we'll use murder
to sell deodorant...
...so that you'll just get bored
with murder. " Right?
Oh, my God, I don't believe this.
Just a minute. Let me think.
Do you have to do it now?
-We want to question certain people.
-I understand.
This will spread like wildfire.
It'll wreck the opening.
-Can't you give us an hour?
-A half-hour.
Really, that's so gross.
I hear you did some work in Negev.
I didn't have a chance
to take enough pictures...
...so I'm going back in two weeks
to shoot the border war.
-And if she goes, I'm going with her.
-She will too.
Like hell you will.
-Whatever happened to beautif ul?
-Well, it certainly isn't here.
That is tragic. Absolutely tragic.
You really think so?
Yes, I think it's really tragic
that this is the kind of junk...
...that's passing for art these days.
That's a completely
different conversation.
-Don't you think it's a hype?
-I don't understand...
Hype, hustle, rip-off.
Are you a critic?
Do you know the artist?
What's her name?
Laura Mars.
I know her fairly well.
Well, if you see her,
will you point her out to me?
I'd be interested to find out...
...what kind of f rustrated
voyeur type this chick is.
She's nothing like that at all.
She's very old-fashioned.
Sort of like Grandma Moses.
Laura.
Ex cuse me. Could I
steal you away for a moment?
Are you her?
Her stuff is really disgracef ul,
don't you think?
Doris Spenser's
been horribly murdered.
There's a detective here,
and he's asking people questions.
Oh, shit!
Everything happens to me.
Murdered.
Something about her eyes.
What did you say about her eyes?
Something sharp.
Let's get you a drink.
Laura?
Come on, darling.
It's all right, Billy.
Tonight at the
Elaine Cassell Gallery in Soho...
...fans awaited
the famous and wealthy...
...for the opening
of Laura Mars' Photo Exhibit.
But the