‘Guns II’ Premiere a Big Draw

The Scene: Monday night’s premiere of “Young Guns II,” Hollywood’s latest retelling of the legend of Billy the Kid. After a screening at Mann’s Chinese Theatre, guests gathered at Roxbury Club, a handsome three-story edifice on Sunset Boulevard. It is a beautiful place, with dark wood and burgundy draperies, but the narrow stairways, tiny hallways and crowded rooms were completely unsuitable for such a big party. The result was the most crowded premiere this year.

The Background: Hollywood has often used the contemporary approach to Billy the Kid. In the 1960s, it was a flick called “Billy the Kid vs. Dracula.” In the ‘70s, it was a musical version with Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge. This retelling is studded with some of the biggest names in the teen-dream Hollywood pool, and outfitted with a soundtrack by Jon Bon Jovi.

Who Was There: The film’s stars Emilio Estevez, Christian Slater, Kiefer Sutherland and Balthazar Getty, as well as Jon Bon Jovi, Patrick Swayze, Julia Roberts, Drew Barrymore, Little Richard, Pat Riley, Richard Grieco, film director Renny Harlin with Laura Dern, Patrick Dempsey, Timothy Leary and more.

Dress Code: Invitations requested Western dress, but most of the women went for revealing gowns, while the men wore the uniform of young Hollywood: expensive jacket over cheap T-shirt, with ponytail and earring in the left ear.

Fashion Statements: Little Richard’s black satin cowboy jacket with white fringe. Another man wore black leather chaps over blue jeans.

Entertainment: Dancing to ‘70s hits. Pleading to gain admittance to the VIP room. Trying to grab a plate of pasta from the overworked staff.

Noted: The evening resembled nothing so much as rush hour on the I-405. Traffic was snarled on Sunset Boulevard for blocks in both directions. Outside, onlookers packed the sidewalk, people abandoned Rolls-Royces and Jeeps for the valets, and several dozen photographers mobbed each new arrival. On the inside, everyone wanted to get into the VIP room, where sharp elbows and lit cigarettes became deadly weapons. The crush was so bad that Timothy Leary got smashed against a lamp, which broke.

Quoted: “Please, people, Elvis has left the building,” moaned one woman trapped on a second-story stairwell.

Triumphs: On the sidewalks, young girls with cameras and autograph books got close-ups of their heartthrobs. Kiefer Sutherland (with girlfriend Julia Roberts) and Patrick Swayze seemed to elicit the loudest high-pitched squeals.

Glitches: It’s an old premiere equation. Too many people and too little oxygen in a too small space equals not too much fun.