role models

When I was a kid, I only wanted to grow up to be like two people: Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray in Ghostbusters, 84) and Chris Knight (Val Kilmer in Real Genius, 85). I know, pretty sad considering they are both only make-believe characters from films. Two incredible, amazing and absolutely classic films. It didn't matter to me that they weren't real people. I grew up with these two loveable assholes. Sadly enough, I'm probably more like them both now than I like to admit. The truth of the matter is - Real Genius and Ghostbusters are still phenominal films, despite how old you get. And though I may not have the PhDs of Mr. Knight and Dr. Venkman, I like to think I have their spirit...unfortunately.

Here's the tribute to my two all-time favorite movie characters (and the "real men" who played them):

Smart People on Ice

Kent: "You're all a bunch of degenerates!"
Chris Knight: "Oh, really? Well, what about that time I found you naked with that bowl of Jell-O?"
Kent: "You did not!"
Chris Knight: "This is true."
Kent: "Yeah, well it was hot and I was hungry!"

Chris Knight: "This? This is ice. This is what happens to water when it gets too cold. This? This is Kent. This is what happens to people when they get too sexually frustrated."

Chris Knight: "Look at it this way. Considering the type of people you are and the environment you're in, this may be the only chance you ever have in your entire lives to have sex!"

Chris Knight: "Have you ever seen a body like this before in your life?"
David Decker: "She happens to be my daughter."
Chris Knight: "Oh. Then I guess you have."

Chris Knight: "So, if there's anything I can do for you, or, more to the point, to you, you just let me know."
Susan: "Can you hammer a six-inch spike through a board with your penis?"
Chris Knight: "Not right now."
Susan: "A girl's gotta have her standards."

Chris Knight: "Self-realization. I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, when he said, 'I drank what?'"

Mitch: "The weirdest thing just happened to me."
Chris Knight: "Was it a dream where you were where you see yourself standing in sort of sun-god robes on a pyramid, with a thousand naked women screaming and throwing little pickles at you?"
Mitch: "No..."
Chris Knight: "Why, am I the only one who has that dream?"

Chris Knight: "You unbelievable bastard."
Professor Hathaway: "Count on it."

Chris Knight: "It's yet another in a long series of diversions in an attempt to avoid responsibility."


Venkman Burn in Hell!

Dr. Peter Venkman: "Ray has gone bye-bye, Egon... what've you got left?"
Dr. Egon Spengler: "Sorry, Venkman, I'm terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought."

Dr. Peter Venkman: "Let's show this prehistoric bitch how we do things downtown."

Dr. Peter Venkman: "Ray, pretend for a moment that I don't know anything about metallurgy, engineering, or physics, and just tell me what the hell is going on."
Dr. Raymond Stantz: "You never studied."

Dr. Raymond Stantz: "Your girlfriend lives in the corner penthouse... of Spook Central."
Dr. Peter Venkman: "She's not my girlfriend. I find her interesting because she's a client and because she sleeps above her covers...four feet above her covers. She barks, she drools, she claws!"

Dr. Peter Venkman: "Mother pus bucket."

Dr. Peter Venkman: "I don't have to take this abuse from you, I've got hundreds of people dying to abuse me."

Dana Barrett: "Do you want this body?"
Dr. Peter Venkman: "Is this a trick question?"

Dr. Peter Venkman: "If we're wrong, we go to jail - peacefully, quietly. We'll enjoy it. But if I'm right, and we can stop this thing, Lenny, you will have saved the lives of millions of registered voters."

Dr. Peter Venkman: "Yes it's true. This man has no dick."

Dean Yeager: "This university will no longer continue any funding of any kind for your group's activities."
Dr. Peter Venkman: "But the kids love us."

Dr. Peter Venkman: "I'll take Miss Barret back to her apartment and check her out...I'll go check out Miss Barret's apartment."

Dr. Peter Venkman: "You're gonna endanger us. You're gonna endanger our client. The nice woman who paid us in advance, before she became a dog."

Dr. Peter Venkman: "I think we can get her a guest shot on "Wild Kingdom." I just whacked her up with about 300 cc's of Thorazaine... she's gonna take a little nap now."

Dr. Peter Venkman: "Where are we?"
Dr. Ray Stantz: "I think we're in the teens somewhere."
Dr. Peter Venkman: "When we get to twenty, tell me. I'm gonna throw up."

Dr. Peter Venkman: "Slow down. Chew your food."

Dr. Peter Venkman: "Well, there's something you don't see every day."

Dr. Raymond Stantz: "Where do these stairs go?"
Dr. Peter Venkman: "They go up."

Dr. Peter Venkman: "I'm fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing. What do you mean "bad"?"

Dana Barrett: "You know, you don't act like a scientist."
Dr. Peter Venkman: "They're usually pretty stiff."
Dana Barrett: "You're more like a game show host."

Dr. Peter Venkman: "Einstein did his best stuff when he was working as a patent clerk!"

Dr. Peter Venkman: "Are we still going out?"

Dr. Peter Venkman: "No studying..."

Dr. Peter Venkman: "So be good, for goodness sake! Whoa! Somebody's coming! Somebody's coming!"

Oh, fuck it - there's too many good lines. Here's the whole script: http://members.tripod.com/~Adam_P_B/ghostbusters/script.html

Best of Kilmer

Top Secret! (84) ****
Real Genius (85) *****
Top Gun (86) ****
Willow (88) ***1/2
Kill Me Again (89) ****
Doors, The (91) *****
Thunderheart (92) ****1/2
True Romance (93) ****
Tombstone (93) ****
Heat (95) ****1/2
The Island of Dr. Moreau (96) ***
The Ghost and the Darkness (96) ***1/2
The Saint (97) ***1/2
Pollock (00) ****1/2
The Salton Sea (02) ***1/2
Wonderland (03) **
The Missing (03) ****
Spartan (04) *****
coming soon: Alexander (04), Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang (05) and A License to Steal (05)

Scott: "You've had your whole life to prepare for this moment. Why aren't you ready?" Kilmer in David Mamet's Spartan

Best of Murray

Meatballs (79) ****
Where the Buffalo Roam (80) ****
Caddyshack (80) *****
Stripes (81) ****
Tootsie (82) *****
Ghost Busters (84) *****
The Razor's Edge (84) ***1/2
Little Shop of Horrors (86) ****
Scrooged (88) ****
Ghostbusters II (89) ***1/2
Quick Change (90) ****
What About Bob? (91) ****
Groundhog Day (93) ****1/2
Mad Dog and Glory (93) ****1/2
Ed Wood (94) *****
Kingpin (96) ****
Larger Than Life (96) ***1/2
Wild Things (98) ***1/2
Rushmore (98) *****
Cradle Will Rock (99) ****1/2
Hamlet (00) ****
The Royal Tenenbaums (01) ****1/2
Lost in Translation (03) ****1/2
Coffee and Cigarettes (03) ****
coming soon: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (04), The Lost City (04) and an untitled Jim Jarmusch project (05)

Ernie McCracken: "It's a small world when you've got unbelievable tits Roy" Murray in Bobby and Peter Farrelly's Kingpin.

"Stand by for Mind Control!"

Evil: "God is not interested in technology... He knows nothing of the potential of the micro-chip or the silicon revolution. He's obsessed with making the grass grow and getting rainbows right... Look at what he spends his time on. 43 species of parrot! Nipples for men!"

The incomparable David Warner as Evil Genius in Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits (81).

Evil: "Good question. Why have I let the Supreme Being keep me here in the Fortress of Ultimate Darkness?"
Robert: "Because you..."
Evil: "Shut up, I'm speaking rhetorically."

Evil: "If you're wrong, Benson, my revenge will be slow and unpleasant. I will turn you inside out over a very long period of time."

Evil: "Suddenly I feel... Very, very good."
Benson: "I'm sorry, Master."
Evil: "It will pass. It will pass."

Evil: "If I were creating the world I wouldn't mess about with butterflies and daffodils. I would have started with lasers, eight o'clock, Day One!"
[zaps one of his minions accidentally, minion screams]
Evil: "Sorry."

Evil: "Now Benson, I'm going to have to turn you into a dog for a while."

Momma's boy

"All that is visible must grow beyond itself, and extend into the realm of the invisible."

Master Control Program: "There's a 68.71% chance you're right."
I've been feeling a little nostaglic lately, so I've chosen to watch two of my favorite films from when I was growing up. The first, Wolfgang Peterson's eternal fantasy The Neverending Story (84) and Steven Lisberger's sci/fi epic, Tron (82). The only thing that is even remotely similar about these two films (other than being totally rockin') is that they were essentially both designed as "kids" movies. Well, as we all know, sometimes things aren't exactly what they seem, as these two films remind me: they are each filled with complexity and human truth, and I can't help feeling that I was more inspired by these films growing up then by any other (even more than Star Wars, 77 - I didn't come to appreciate the original trilogy until I was much older).

There's something still very "safe" about these movies. Not to mention timeless. they were after all and remain ahead of their time. It's incredibly comforting to watch them now. There's an innocence in the way they were made - maybe it's because they were "kids" movies, or maybe something else was going on at the time. The film market had not been quite so cluttered with mindless "big-budget" action spectles back then. Sure you had your Rambo's and your Rocky's, but to a certain degree, those films could even be described as "kids" movies. Maybe they just didn't use as many four-lettered words back then in mainstream film as they do now. I don't know. What I do know is - they will never make movies like The Neverending Story and Tron ever again. Or the near-forgotten classic The Last Starfighter (84) directed by Nick Castle.

These were very spiritual films. They explored good and evil in complex terms. These quotes from The Neverending Story say it all:

Atreyu: "What is the nothing?"
G'mork: "It's the emptiness that's left. It's like a despair, destroying this world. And I have been trying to help it."
Atreyu: "But why?"
G'mork: "Because people who have no hopes are easy to control. And whoever has control has the power."

That's powerful stuff. Pretty deep for just a "kids" movie. Tron is essentially a high tech version of the Life of Christ. It wasn't always easy to pick everything up in these films as a kid, but now, it becomes very hip, and there's many shades of grey along the way. I don't think that film-makers were quite so condescending to the young back then. Now it seems if you don't have an explosion, stabbing or roundhouse kick every ten to twelve seconds then your movie's not so cool. Kids today are growing up with The Matrix franchise, and (unfortunately) the new Star Wars films in addition to The Lord of the Rings trilogy (which may be the only hope they have).

Centauri: "I'm not here for cigarettes or bubblegum, my boy."
The point is, most kids are not allowed to just be kids anymore. They're forced to keep up with the so-called "adult" idea of entertainment and film-makers do not wish to cater to a young audience if it means losing the big bucks. Sex still sells and there's nothing sexy about Tron (well, Cindy Morgan is still pretty hot and she was also in Caddyshack, 80 as Lacey Underall, and don't get me started on Catherine Mary Stewart from The Last Starfighter).


The Neverending Story author Michael Ende decided that he was unhappy with the film's version of his story, and refused to have his name placed in the opening credits. A small credit appears at the end with his name, and the original Auryn for this film now hangs in an enclosed glass display in none other than Steven Spielberg's office. Maybe he secretly wished that he had made this film. In Tron, the poster in Alan's cubicle reads, "Gort Klaatu Barada Nikto" (a reference to the sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still, 51) and in the "solar sailer" sequence, you'll see, for a brief moment, the silhouette of Mickey Mouse on the ground made to look like part of the terrain (the film was produced by Disney). Peter O'Toole turned down the role of Dillinger/Sark (which went to the amazing David Warner) when he found out he'd be acting against a black screen. Tron was passed over for an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects because the Academy felt it "cheated" by using a computer (talk about ahead-of-it's-time). All I know is, I can always come back to these films. Maybe it's the little boy in me, and maybe they didn't make as much money as say, E.T. (82), but they have become cult classics - which is to say that there's alot of people out there who grew up with these films, and youth will never die. Stay gold Ponyboy, stay gold - oh wait, that was from the wrong movie...

Falcor: "Never give up and good luck will find you."

fire fighter

You may recognize this man. He is actor, Robert Patrick, most famous for his break-through role in Terminator 2: Judgement Day (91), remember the line: "have you seen this boy?" Aside from that well-known film (and his role on the X-Files as Special Agent John Doggett), Patrick has made appearances in many little-seen and under-rated movies. His best performance to date came in 1993, in a film most people either have never seen or do not like to admit that they like: Fire in the Sky. The film recounts the "true story" of a group of men who witnessed the UFO abduction of one of their numbers, as they were driving home in the White Mountains of Northeastern Arizona late one evening on November 5, 1975. An incredible film from start to finish, with an amazing cast: D.B. Sweeney, Craig Sheffer, Peter Berg, Henry Thomas (E.T. anyone?), Noble Willingham and James Garner.

The tension is built so expertly that it is almost unnecessary to even show the aliens. Of course, they do (the amazing special effects were supplied by Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic) and when it finally happens, it becomes something more than just a powerful character study - it becomes a near science fiction classic. If you don't agree with me, name one other film about the subject of alien abduction that comes close to this one? Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind (77) is the only other one. I'm certainly not saying that Fire in the Sky is a better film than Close Encounters, but the two of them make an interesting pair. Even the Whitley Strieber account that was made into a film, Communion (89) with Christopher Walken as Strieber, isn't even half as convincing or emotionally gratifying as Fire is. That's what makes it better than the average film. Fire in the Sky is so well acted and so well filmed, that you can't help not only feeling for the tortured characters - but also believing them.


Robert Patrick has never given a more complex performance. His character, Mike Rogers, is almost like a silent force of nature. He is a well respected man of little words, except when he must finally speak up to prove himself and defend his friends. This is the kind of guy you want on your side in a fight. Patrick plays him so openly and so beautifully (yes, you know I'm going to say it) he should have been nominated for an Academy Award. I'm fucking serious. He is that good in the film. A knockout - riveting job. If the dialogue gets a little predictable in spots, that's okay - remember, it was a true story based on (Travis Walton played by Sweeney in the film) the abductee's own book, The Walton Experience, first published in 1978. As I said, the film is more of a character study wrapped around a police investigation than pure alien propaganda. If you're expecting another dumb film about little green men, or even little "grey" men - then don't bother. If you want to experience a truly terrifying account of something that actually happened in the lives of a few men (and women), then please do yourself a favor and re-discover this film. It's very intense though and not for the faint-hearted. Also, try and see a copy on DVD, the picture is in widescreen (2.35:1) and it greatly improves the viewing experience.

The film-makers really put a lot of detail into the picture. It really does feel like it's been shot in the mid-seventies. The production design is excellent and the score was by Mark Isham (Billy Bathgate, 91, A River Runs Through It, 92, The Majestic, 01 and Spartan, 04 to name but a few). The director, Robert Lieberman is mainly a television director (X-Files) and this was his first foray into the world of feature films. The strangest thing about the movie, may be that it was adapted and co-produced by Tracy Tormé, the son of singer Mel Tormé. Wierd. The incredible cinematography was by the under-rated Bill Pope (Army of Darkness, 93, Zero Effect, 98, The Matrix Reloaded, 03, The Matrix Revolutions, 03, Spider-Man 2, 04 and Team America: World Police, 04).

Watch the scene where Patrick's character confronts the whole town at a meeting, and watch the emotion in his eyes. He plays a haunted man so beautifully, it's almost hard to not feel yourself in his shoes at that very moment. The real Mike Rogers and Travis Walton appear as townspeople in this scene. Also, the scene at the end of the film where Travis and Mike are reunited after several years is touching on many levels. Patrick gives a soulful performance throughout, as a man who has lost something vital in himself after (in his own mind) he did not do anything to help his friend. There is a certain vunerable peace in his eyes at the end. He has come full circle. And so have we. Bravo.
Mike Rogers: "They took him."

Ironically, I titled this post "Fire Fighter," when indeed Robert Patrick plays one in the new film, Ladder 49. Coincidence? Conspiracy? I don't know, I think they're after me...

Good Fortune

Edward Zwick's The Last Samurai (03) may have been a misfire, but Ken Watanabe was a revelation. He is the only thing to recommend about the film, and he deserved his Oscar nomination for it (even if the part was a little under-written). His scene at the end of the film on the battlefield is moving and unforgettable. Watanabe has been acting in film and television since the mid-eighties. Samurai was his first American film and his international break-through. He has recently finished filming Christopher Nolan's anticipated Batman Begins, set for release next year, and he is currently filming Memiors of a Geisha for Chicago (02) director Rob Marshall and producer Steven Spielberg. The good news is, even though most of the "Geishas" in the film are actually not Japanese (Gong Li, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi), Watanabe is the real thing, so he will no doubt be in his element once again as he was in Samurai.

"I would rather be a ghost, drifting by your side..."

This sounds awful familiar. Remember back in the early days of the cinema? Okay, you really only have to go back about 20 years or so to remember when Hollywood studios put non-ethnic people in roles of color. Why were there so many Italian-looking Indians in John Ford movies? You could say the same about Memiors of a Geisha. Where the hell are the Japanese women? Geishas are Japanese. Spielberg even went to Korean actress, Yoon-jin Kim (Shiri, 99) to reportedly woo her into a starring role, but she kindly reminded him that she was not Japanese, and her national pride (and personal politics) prohibited her from taking the role. Way to go Yoon! I love that girl for doing this. She's currently appearing on the TV series Lost and her big break will no doubt come in the very near future. She's incredibly beautiful and a very talented actress (who's obviously not a sell-out).

One more thing about Memiors: am I the only person that thought Chicago was the biggest piece of dogshit since, Shakespeare In Love (98)? Oh, why does Miramax suck so? Anyway, it looks like Marshall's getting another chance as we speak to apply his dandy theatrics to a pseudo-high profile piece of Hollywood white-washing (this time for Dreamworks). The only thing that might save it for me is Michelle Yeoh (who should have won an Oscar for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 00) and Watanabe. It will be interesting to see Gong Li in something again. It's been a while since her famous break-up and infamous falling-out with director Zhang Yimou (Hero, 02). He recently directed his new protegee, Zhang Ziyi in House of Flying Daggers set to be released any day now. Ziyi annoys me. She was excellent in Yimou's The Road Home (99) and the under-rated Korean epic Musa (01) but that's about it. As I said before, the lovely Michelle Yoeh (in addition to Chow Yun-Fat and Cheng Pei-pei) is the only reason to see Crouching Tiger. Well, it was a beautiful film also, and one of the most incredible love stories ever put on film (the scene at the end between Yeoh and Yun-Fat is one of the most powerful pieces of acting I have ever witnessed in my whole life) in any language.

So once again, all eyes are going to be on Mr. Watanabe. He's sure to become a cult icon after his appearance in the new Batman film. His character is named Ra's Al Ghul. You probably wont remember him from the old Adam West series (since he was never on it - his first appearance was in a 1971 Batman comic) but here's the low-down (from unstable.com): "Ra's al Ghul is a megalomaniac who places himself above society's laws and conventions in pursuit of his private vision of a "better world." To that end, he commands a small army of fanatical followers who are adept with both ancient and futuristic weaponry. Despite his great power and lofty goals, however, he will never be successful in taking control of the world...not so long as the Batman has anything to say about it. Very little is known of Ra's al Ghul's background. Ra's al Ghul ("the demon's head" in Arabic) is assumed to be an alias, his real name lost to the mists of time. No one is entirely certain of his age, save that he has lived far beyond a normal human lifespan thanks to the regenerative powers of the Lazarus Pit, a bath of unknown chemicals fatal to others but always able to restore al Ghul to health and life." There's a hell of alot more at that website (check it out if you want to learn more) about the Ra's al Ghul character, and you can start to begin picturing Watanabe in the role.

Lastly, there is a film called The Twilight Samurai (02) that's set to be released on DVD in the coming months. Here's the plot (from imdb): "Seibei Iguchi, a low-ranking samurai, leads a life without glory as a bureaucrat in the mid-XIX century Japan. A widower, he has charge of two daughters (whom he adores) and a senile mother; he must therefore work in the fields and accept piecework to make ends meet. New prospects seem to open up when Tomoe, his long-time love, divorces a brutal husband. However, even as the Japanese feudal system is unraveling, Seibei remains bound by the code of honour of the samurai and by his own sense of social precedences. The consequences are cruel." This film got an amazing response from critics, but has failed to find an audience since the studio has not even released it yet. Nor did they advertise it or have any faith in it, obviously because Zhang Ziyi wasn't in the cast (thank God). The film was nominated for the Best Foreign Film Academy Award but lost out to Denys Arcand's The Barbarian Invasions. This is clearly one to look out for. I know I've been waiting to pick it up. You know that ancient Chinese saying: All good things come to those who wait...or was it Japanese - or Korean? Oh, I guess nowadays (thanks to Spielberg and Marshall) it doesn't really matter.

demon flick


Can't wait for the Warners Exorcist: The Beginning DVD, set for release in the very near future. Unprecedented in the history of modern movie-making, the studio rejected original director Paul Schrader's final cut, and opted to reshoot the entire picture from scratch with a different cast, crew and director. Some of the sets remain the same, but aside from lead actor (and Max Von Sydow clone) Stellan Skarsgard, the Renny Harlin version features an entirley different supporting cast. The studio deemed Schrader's version "too tame" apparently because of it's emphasis on psychological horror, and not blood and gore. The version they wanted, eventually supplied by Harlin and released to theaters, features: a female Holocaust survivor who bleeds profusely from a vagina savaged by Nazis; a small boy ripped apart by hyenas, carnivorous crows who dine on eyeballs and the stillborn birth of a baby covered in maggots. Lunch anyone?

The "Extended Family" of Exorcist Directors:

(William Friedkin, John Boorman, William Peter Blatty (also the writer of the original material), John Frankenheimer, Paul Schrader and Renny Harlin)

Vittorio Storaro did do the cinematography for both versions. Some of the same sets were used, but it's almost a completely different script as well. Trevor Rabin provided the critically lauded score. There's alot of positive stuff to say about the film (even the Harlin version) and the beauty part is: Warners plans to release both versions on the same disc. If this is true, whether you are a fan of the film series or not (Exorcist III is still my favorite) this will be the DVD of the year. For a real treat, visit one of the many websites or chatrooms that talk about the real life horrors that afflicted Harlin while making his version (he was hit by a car during production to name just one) as well as the legacy of the "Exorcist curse," including the death of original director John Frankenheimer, and subsequent pulling-out of his star, Liam Neeson as Father Merrin. Ironically, I think that Skarsgard was the correct choice to play Merrin. He can play vunerable and imposing all at the same time, where I think Neeson is better at playing the heavy (I still wish there was some footage though of Neeson in the role). There's also an excellent and very candid documentary about the whole story produced by the E Channnel, that hopefully will turn up in some form on the DVD. Alas, all of this Exorcist talk makes me want to go watch John Boorman's Exorcist II: The Heretic, just for Richard Burton screaming out "Pazuzu!!!" the name of the demon, over and over again. Priceless.

Best quote I've read concerning Schrader's version of the film: Larry Carroll, a reviewer who was on the legendary Cinecitta Studios set in Rome (made famous by Fellini) had this to say: "Mel Gibson's Jesus flick, The Passion, was also filming on the lot. That's gonna be a weird movie. And I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be sitting in a cafeteria eating lunch, surrounded by priests, Nazis, and Jesus' disciples."
Guess that wont be on the DVD...

farm boy

From rediff.com: "The next Superman is Brandon James Routh. But who in Krypton is Brandon Routh? A 25 year old from Iowa, so far relegated largely to bit roles on sitcoms like Gilmore Girls and Will and Grace, he recently completed his first starring role in an independent film, Deadly, alongside Laura Prepon and Tess Harper. Standing just right at 6' 2", he seems to be the right combination of dishy leading man and wide-eyed rookie, but landing the role amid fevered speculation, he will have some very big red boots to fill. There is a lot in his favour: like any actor (Christopher Reeve, Sean Connery, Mark Hamill, Tobey Maguire) to successfully take over a major motion picture franchise, he is a relative unknown, resultantly easier to slot into the character's mould; he hails from Iowa, like veteran Superman George Reeves before him, the ideal choice for a Smallville All-American farm boy; director Bryan Singer is gushing about him, calling him 'perfect' for the role; and, in a quirky bit of fate, he turned 25 on October 9, mere hours away from Christopher Reeve leaving us. Superman Returns, starring Brandon, will hit screens in June 2006. Bryan Singer seems assured to make fans believe this Iowa-boy can leap tall buildings with a single bound. Of course, Singer, who helmed the hugely successful X-Men franchise, bet the mutant farm on an unknown Australian called Hugh Jackman and made him Wolverine. The rest, as Lex Luthor would say, is the stuff of legend."

No comment on this one just yet, except to say that when I read the name, and saw the picture, I got a little chill. Just a little one. That's probably a good thing...

The one thing I have to say about the production of Superman Returns is, composer John Ottman has the biggest job out of any of them. Singer's usual composer (and film editor, bizzarely enough), has scored a variety of eclectic films such as: The Usual Suspects (95), The Cable Guy (96), Apt Pupil (98), Lake Placid (99), Urban Legends: Final Cut (00), Bubble Boy (01), Pumpkin (02), Eight Legged Freaks (02), Trapped (02), X2 (03), Gothika (03) and the upcoming Fantastic Four (05) as well as Singer's upcoming Logan's Run (05). He has the daunting task of coming up with a score and a theme as good as, if not better than, John William's original Superman: The Movie (78) soundtrack. I think it's impossible. William's Superman score is not only my favorite film score of all time (next to Ennio Morricone's The Untouchables, 87) but it is one of the most under-rated of all William's compositions for film (everyone always credits him for his work with George Lucas and Steven Spielberg).

Everything in it, from the Main Title, The Planet Krypton, The March of the Villains, The Flying Sequence & Can You Read My Mind to the unbelievable Fortress of Solitude. Amazing, yet virtually forgotten. Perhaps this is because the film itself has become slightly under-rated over the years. In any case, in my opinion, this is the "make or break" thing for Singer's Superman. Singer has said, with a "straight face," that the William's Superman theme is the only Superman theme there is. That means that elements of the original (if not the whole thing) are more than likely going to be used for the new film. I have not heard if Williams himself will be contributing or not. I would not want to be in Ottman's shoes right now (or Singer's). I just hope he has the respect to treat this material with the reverence it deserves. I'll say one more thing: at least Singer has enlisted original Superman director Richard Donner as a producer for the new film. That was a class act as far as I'm concerned. Now we'll just see if the film will "sound" as good as I'm sure it's going to look.

Plumber's Helper

Here's the plot of Woody Allen's new film, Melinda and Melinda(from AICN): "Four people in a coffee shop discuss the differences between comedy and tragedy. The woman in the group tells the story of a woman that turns up unannounced to a dinner party, after which two playwrites give their takes (one comic, one tragic) on how they would play out a story from there. We then follow two plot threads with Radha Mitchell playing Melinda in both storylines (hence the title) with different suporting casts."
Here's the cast: Will Ferrell, Radha Mitchell, Amanda Peet, Chloë Sevigny, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, Jonny Lee Miller, Wallace Shawn, Larry Pine, Gene Saks and Zak Orth among others.

Those who have seen it, claim it is Allen's best film since Sweet and Lowdown (99) (and one of his best period). The general consensus seems to be that anything is better than his last film, Anything Else (03). It follows a similar type of story logic as his undisputed masterpiece, Crimes and Misdemeanors (89), and I've been hearing serious Oscar hype for Radha Mitchell (as Melinda, and Melinda). Will Ferrell is in more of a supporting role, but again, I've heard that this is the funny-man's best performance to date (he essentially plays the Woody Allen role in this film). The film will be released early next year. I'm excited. I love all of Woody Allen's films. I'm not sure why, but I tend not to question these types of things.

He's already attached to star in something else (in addition to writing and directing) that will be coming out next year as well. Expect support from Scarlet Johansson, Emily Mortimer, Rose Keegan, James Nesbitt, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Brian Cox just to name some. The unusual thing about it is, he's filming the whole thing in London. He rarley sets his films outside of New York. Kate Winslet apparently backed out of this new project to be with her family (?). For a director who releases a film every year, it's good to know that he's still willing to experiment with different casts and new kinds of material. There's even a new book out called, Woody Allen and Philosophy: You Mean My Whole Fallacy Is Wrong? by Aeon J. Skoble and Mark T. Conard.
Favorite Woody Allen accolade: In 1995, chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#89).

Words of Wisdom:
"If my film makes one more person miserable, I'll feel I've done my job."
"For some reason I'm more appreciated in France than I am back home. The subtitles must be incredibly good."
"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work, I want to achieve it by not dying."
-Woody Allen

I don't need to bore you with a long tribute to Allen's genius as a writer and as a director, not to mention: actor, comedian, philosopher and musician. If you don't "get" his films, then don't worry about it. But out of all the directors I've been influenced by over the years, I still keep coming back to his films the most. Maybe it's because they're funny, sometimes sad and always inspired. He doesn't claim to be anything that he isn't. His best work is part tribute (to his favorite directors: Fellini, Bergman, etc.) and part improv. Like the great jazz musician he is, he's been riffing off the same joke for nearly forty years, and the beautiful thing about it is: the joke's never on us, it's always on him.

Essential Allen:
(this list specifies his feature films as director and writer)
Take the Money and Run (69) ****
Bananas (71) *****
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex
But Were Afraid to Ask (72) ****1/2
Sleeper (73) *****
Love and Death (75) ****
Annie Hall (77) *****
Interiors (78) *****
Manhattan (79) *****
Stardust Memories (80) ****
A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (82) ****
Zelig (83) ****1/2
Broadway Danny Rose (84) ****1/2
The Purple Rose of Cairo (85) ****
Hannah and Her Sisters (86) *****
Radio Days (87) *****
September (87) ****
Another Woman (88) ****
New York Stories (segment "Oedipus Wrecks") (89) ****1/2
Crimes and Misdemeanors (89) *****
Alice (90) ****
Shadows and Fog (92) ***1/2
Husbands and Wives (92) ****1/2
Manhattan Murder Mystery (93) ****
Bullets Over Broadway (94) ****
Mighty Aphrodite (95) ****
Everyone Says I Love You (96) ****
Deconstructing Harry (97) ****1/2
Celebrity (98) ***
Sweet and Lowdown (99) ****1/2
Small Time Crooks (00) ****1/2
The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (01) ****
Hollywood Ending (02) ***1/2
Anything Else (03) **

"Not only is there no God, but try finding a plumber on Sunday."

The latest on director Darren Aronofsky and the Watchmen (from aintitcoolnews):
"As soon as he finished work on THE FOUNTAIN, which does indeed look to be back on track and in pre-production now, it looks like Aronofsky will be finally bringing Rorshach and Nite Owl and Dr. Manhattan and The Comedian and all the other amazing characters from this classic book to life. I think he might well turn out to be the exact right choice, and I’m pleased to see that the studio is taking a chance on a guy who hasn’t made a giant budget action film yet, but who has proven himself to be a striking visualist with a strong sense of material. He’s also a long-time comic fan who has tried to get projects like FRANK MILLER’S RONIN and BATMAN: YEAR ONE off the ground."

Here's the low-down on the material (from Aronofsky.Net):
"For those unaware, Watchmen is a very popular graphic novel (fancy talk for a comic book), written by the great Alan Moore. Watchmen is a mature book portraying a world where super-heroes are a part of everyday life. The book is a murder mystery that illustrates Moore's thoughts on everything from politcs to the state of comic books in America. I am personally thrilled that Darren has undertaken this project, as I have found Watchmen to be, not only the most important graphic novel ever made, but one of the most important pieces of literature I have ever read. If you've never read Watchmen, you NEED to purchase it immediately."

Lastly, a statement from The Hollywood Repoter:
"According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount Pictures has picked up feature rights to DC Comics limited series Watchmen. Darren Aronofsky will develop and direct the project, which is being written by David Hayter. Watchmen, created by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, was released as a 12-issue comic book in 1986 and is one of the most critically acclaimed series in the genre. The comic is a crime-conspiracy story that provided the first realistic look at the behind-the-heroics lives of superhero archetypes."

And, if you're wondering, just what in the hell is The Fountain? Here's something else from The Hollywood Reporter:
"Rachel Weisz is set to join "The Fountain" for director Darren Aronofsky, where Hugh Jackman has already been cast in the leading role. Shooting is expected to begin in November. Weisz steps into a role which Cate Blanchett was originally going to play when Brad Pitt was attached to star. The movie was originally going to start shooting in 2002 but has been delayed due to budget concerns and script rewrites. Much of the story is being kept under wraps, but it is known that it follows one man's journey in the present as well as 500 years into the past and future, while dealing with the themes of love, death and immortality. Aronofsky wrote the screenplay with Ari Handel."

Brad Pitt went "mountian man" for his role in The Fountain and sported a burly, unkept beard (before he ditched the project), so we'll soon see how well Jackman lets his face grow long. And if you're wondering who Darren Aronofsky is: see Pi (98) and Requiem for a Dream (00) (pictured with actress Ellen Burstyn) and you'll see what all the fuss is about. He's also reportedly set to direct (before Watchmen) a live-action adaptation of Kazuo Koike's graphic novel series Lone Wolf and Cub, that centers on a disgraced samurai who's turned into an assassin for hire as he attempts to clear his family's name. An orphaned three-year-old boy is his only companion. The novels were already made into a prolific 6 film series in the seventies by director Kenji Misumi, starring Tomisaburo Wakayama as the "Lone Wolf" of the title. He was the brother of the series producer, actor/director and immortal Zatoichi star, Shintaro Katsu.

Terry x 2: Separated at birth?

Whew! I know that was alot, but we have to get caught up on this stuff. When Watchman explodes, it's going to be the film of the year. Terry Gilliam was going to adapt it at one point, in addition to Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's Good Omens. Of course, you know how Terry can be (if not, see Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe's documentary Lost In La Mancha, 02) but the good news for him is that he has a number of "actual" projects in production and development: The Brothers Grimm (05) with Matt Damon and Heath Ledger is already in the can, and Tideland (06) based on Mitch Cullin's novel is filming now with the great Jeff Bridges. Grimm will more than likely be released sometime next year, with Tideland to follow in 2006. For more info on Gilliam, check out the excellent online fanzine: www.smart.co.uk/dreams. Is it possible that Good Omens might actually still become a Gilliam film? Read the premise, and tell me if this does not sound like the film Terry Gilliam was born to direct:
"This is the comedic British epic that ensues when the baby that is the Anti-Christ is switched at birth. As the end of times approaches, a demon and angel must team up to sort out the whole mess... including finding the Anti-Christ, who is now an 11-year-old boy."

Only time shall tell...

street fighting man

The skinny on Sin City (05), directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez (from imdb):
"A collection of interweaving stories all based in the corrupt, crime infested hell-hole that is Basin City. Heavily influenced by film-noir, the main storylines concern a hulking brute called Marv (Mickey Rourke), who is seeking the murderer of a beautiful woman who was killed while asleep in bed with him; an ex-photographer called Dwight (Clive Owen) who accidentally kills a hero cop and has to cover it up; and a soon-to-be-retiring policeman called Hartigan (Bruce Willis) who is incarcerated for a crime he didn't commit. All based on the brilliant graphic novels "Sin City", "The Big Fat Kill" and "That Yellow Bastard", written and illustrated by Frank Miller."
The film also stars: Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Elijah Wood, Maria Bello, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Clarke Duncan, Carla Gugino, Josh Hartnett, Michael Madsen, Jaime King, Brittany Murphy and Nick Stahl. Can you believe that cast?

Here's a quote from UnderGroundOnline: "Sin City works on basically every level. Visually speaking, Miller's use of negative space and choice to render his sequential noir in black and white make for some of the most striking and memorable images in comics history (see the scene of Marv in the rain for particularly strong examples). Sin City is a mean, ugly story about a brutal man and Miller never shies away from showing the gruesome results of Marv's handiwork. At the same time, however, it's by no means a gratuitous splatterfest. Still, make no bones about it, Sin City is a story for mature readers only."
The trade says: "Tarantino filmed a scene in the final segment featuring Clive Owen, Benicio Del Toro and Brittany Murphy."
This is shaping up to be the film event of the decade.

Maybe now they'll finally give Rourke some respect...

What the fuck were they thinking?

Here's a quick review of Stephen Sommer's Van Helsing (04):
"shark sandwich: shit sandwich."
Catch my drift? It borders on the so-bad-it's-good formula, but they really thought they were making something legitimate. It stinks. I started out having a good time, just because it was sooo baaad, (and the intro is pretty fun) but then it turned on me. I began dozing off and finally I had to shut down, go upstairs and take a 45 minute nap. It started sucking the life out of me - not bad for a vampire movie. This has to be one of the worst films I have ever seen. Stephen Sommers who gave us not only The Mummy (99) and The Mummy Returns (01) (in addition to writing both films plus The Scorpion King, 02) but he also directed Deep Rising (98). Remember that movie? I didn't think so. Look, I don't want to be a jerk about it - I only paid two bucks for the rental (I had a dollar credit, and I used it - thank God) but this is an awful piece of shit. I wish I could be more poetic about it, but stay the hell away from it. It's not even mildly diverting, and Kate Beckinsale (when's she gonna leave her husband) is only good for about two minutes - then you've seen (and heard) too much of her. I wish I could say the film-makers did something new or interesting with this genre, or at the very least paid tribute to the original (the only) Van Helsing: Peter Cushing (thank-you very much) but I don't think they even finished watching the original Tod Browning Dracula (31) before they started rolling on this one, or any of the Universal horror films on which it is semi-based. "James Whale? Who's that? Is he that guy in the yellow rain slicker on those fish-stick commercials?" Do yourself a favor, watch the Hammer Dracula (58), also known as The Horror of Dracula with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing instead. You wont regret it. If your friends ask you if you saw Van Helsing, just nod and politely change the conversation.

I thought for a second I was really enjoying this scene, when I began feeling a tingling sensation - but it turned out my leg just fell asleep.

Confrontationist

A History Of Violence, based on the graphic novel by John Wagner (Judge Dredd) and illustrator Vince Locke, will follow an ordinary family's life after the father receives unwanted national attention for a seemingly vigilante self-defense killing at his diner and his previously unknown past is dredged up. Ed Harris and William Hurt will both appear in David Cronenberg's adaptation of the graphic novel. Harris will play the bad guy who comes looking for Viggo Mortensen, while Hurt will portray Mortensen's long-lost brother. The Cooler star Maria Bello will star as the wife of Viggo Mortensen. The screenplay has been written by Josh Olson.

Cronenberg is also set to adapt the Martin Amis novel, London Fields, about a psychic who has succumbed to a series of false premonitions and contends with one that could be her final vision. Feeling compelled to patronize a London dive bar, she encounters two different men, one of whom might be her killer. The screenplay has been adapted by Roberta Hanley and the author himself. It has yet to be cast.

This is not the first time that Cronenberg has adapted contemporary fiction to film. Most notably, J.G. Ballard's novel Crash (96) starring James Spader, Holly Hunter, Elias Koteas and Deborah Kara Unger. Crash was a sensation at Cannes and remains one of the most discussed films of Cronenberg's career. The under-rated and flawless Spider (02) was based on Patrick McGrath's novel, and features an Oscar-worthy Ralph Fiennes as the title character. This may actually be Cronenberg's most mature film to date. Naked Lunch (91) of course, was originally written by William S. Burroughs and The Dead Zone (83) was by Stephen King. Cronenberg's intense visual style is best suited to more academic material. Given the pedigree of his latest projects, they will no doubt become instant classics.

David Cronenberg: "I think of horror films as art, as films of confrontation. Films that make you confront aspects of your own life that are difficult to face. Just because you're making a horror film doesn't mean you can't make an artful film."

how soon is now?

Here's the scoop (from mi6.co.uk):
"Today's edition of the Sunday Mirror, a UK tabloid, has named British actor Dougray Scott as the successor to Pierce Brosnan as James Bond #6.
The paper reports: He has beaten an army of rivals including Hulk star Eric Bana plus fellow Brits Clive Owen and Ioan Gruffud to take over cinema's most famous role from Pierce Brosnan. Scott, 38, will be the seventh (sic) actor to play Bond on the big screen and is set to make his first appearance in the 23rd Bond film (sic), due for release next year. Bosses at Eon Productions chose Dougray after deciding they wanted a return to a brooding Bond in the mould of original star Sir Sean Connery."

There's only one problem with all of this: although Scott's stats put him at 6', the guy can't possibly be any taller than 5'5". To put it another way, he's a shrimpo! Now, that hasn't stopped him from appearing large on screen before, his presence has always filled any film he's been in with a certain imposition, but Bond? Not that height has anything to do with it - I'm sure they'll even it all out, but still...

All things considered, (if the report is true) I'm glad he got it. I like this guy. He's Scottish, so he'll make a tough Bond. He's usually the best thing about a bad movie. He's got a good, hard edge about him and he'll make a fine franchise header. I only hope he doesn't go down the drain with the whole series. There is no hope (or future) for Bond. It's hopelessly out-dated, over-played and under-cooked. The title of the new film should be: "No Hope For the Hopeless." No director in town can save it (especially not Tarantino). Some people have said that a Connery appearance would be just the thing to liven it all up (maybe as a villain?) but at this point, Sir Connery (isn't he the King of Scotland as well? He should be) can't even save a sinking ship.

In any case, go Dougray! I believe in the final analysis, he's tough enough to survive even Bond, James Bond. After about a half dozen really great and under-rated performances, he's earned his place in the sun. I just hope there's no solar ecilpse due any time soon, that's all...
What to Watch: Twin Town (97), Regeneration (Behind Enemy Lines, 97), Ever After (98), Mission: Impossible II (00), Enigma (01), Ripley's Game (02), To Kill a King (03)
Coming Soon: Dark Water (05)

the son and the heir...

THE GREAT ONE

Jackie Gleason wrote the original story and music for this little-seen masterpiece directed by the great Gene Kelly: Gigot (62). Gleason plays a kind-hearted mute janitor who befriends a little girl, who is the daughter of a prostitute. Sound interesting? Well, it has nearly been forgotten for the past forty years, and to this day, many people have never heard of it. Unfortunately, it is very hard to find, even on video. Occasionally, it will be played on cable, but it is long overdue for a re-release and re-evaluation. Gleason proved that he could mime with the best of them: Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd (there is little to no dialogue in the film). Never were his talents more on display than in this sad, funny little film. Gleason swore somebody must have had it out for him after he was denied recognition from the industry for this, his most ambitious film. He may have been right - the film contains probably his best performance (and that's saying something - he gave so many). It is an intense and emotional experience, one that if you are fortunate enough to see one day, will haunt you forever. Beautiful.

Jack Brown's lament

Jack Brown (Richard Pryor): [Talking to stuffed animals] "You know why there's a party downstairs? Do you fellas? Because it's goodbye for you guys. They're not gonna sell you anymore. They got a new toy to sell. It's called a Jack Brown. Me. The wind up asshole. And I'm gonna take over all the stores of America next Christmas. All the kids will be hollering for me. They're not gonna want no teddy bears like you. No they won't and they won't want no sad pandas and no tigers or leopards or lions or dumb rabbits. The kids will want a Jack Brown Wind Up. "Mommy I want a Jack Brown Wind-up! Susie has one that can play basketball! And Otto has one that can drive a Cadillac, and he's real cute too and I wanna pinch his nose!" I've sold out to Moorehouse, you know. My life is over. I'm gonna wind up in this room with all you toys for the rest of my life."

U.S. Bates (Jackie Gleason):"You're pretty strong for a little lady and you have a lot of hair on your lip. We don't like our waitresses to have hairy lips. So I'll tell you what, shave. Oh, and after you shave, you're fired."
-The Toy (82) directed by Richard Donner

advanced scene study

"You guys have it real easy. I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and your going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you."

-Herman Blume (Bill Murray) in Rushmore (98)

scene study

"So I jump ship in Hong Kong and make my way over to Tibet, and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas. A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So, I tell them I'm a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald ... striking. So, I'm on the first tee with him. I give him the driver. He hauls off and whacks one -- big hitter, the Lama -- long, into a 10,000-foot crevasse, right at the base of this glacier. Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga ... gunga, gunga-galunga. So we finish the 18th and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, 'Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know.' And he says, 'Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness.' So I got that goin' for me, which is nice."

-Carl Spackler (Bill Murray) in Caddyshack (80)

Classic Newman

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (69)

Butch Cassidy: "Kid, the next time I say, "Let's go someplace like Bolivia," let's GO someplace like Bolivia."

The Verdict (82)

Frank Galvin : "I changed my life today. What did you do?"

The Hustler (61)

Fast Eddie: "I don't rattle, kid. Just for that I'll beat you flat."

Hud (63)

Hud Bannon: "I'll remember you, honey. You're the one that got away."

Cool Hand Luke (67)

Luke: "Well that oughta be easy for a genuine son of a bitch."

The Sting (73)

Henry Gondorff: "Sorry I'm late. I was taking a crap."

Slap Shot (77)

Reggie Dunlop: "She's a lesbian!"

The Color of Money (86)

"Fast" Eddie Felson: "You gotta have two things to win. You gotta have brains and you gotta have balls. And you got too much of one and not enough of the other."

The Hudsucker Proxy (94)

Sidney J. Mussburger: "Yeah yeah, sure sure."

Hombre (67)

John Russell: "We all gotta die, it's only a matter of when."

Twilight (98)

Harry Ames: "I also remember a movie your husband made. He shot 12 guys with a 6-shot revolver. I ain't gonna argue with that kind of marksmanship."

Nobody's Fool (94)

Sully: "Don't expect much from yourself at the beginning. I couldn't do everything at first, either."

Road to Perdition (02)

John Rooney: "I'm glad it's you."

Other Newman films worth checking out:

Somebody Up There Likes Me (56)
The Long, Hot Summer (58)
The Left Handed Gun (58)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (58)
Sweet Bird of Youth (62)
Harper (66)
Torn Curtain (66)
Winning (69)
Sometimes a Great Notion (71)
Pocket Money (72)
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (72)
The Mackintosh Man (73)
The Towering Inferno (74)
The Drowning Pool (75)
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (76)
Quintet (79)
Fort Apache the Bronx (81)
Absence of Malice (81)
Harry and Son (84)
Fat Man and Little Boy (89)
Blaze (89)
Mr. & Mrs. Bridge (90)

This list is not meant to represent all of Newman's films, only the ones that I personally feel are the most interesting pictures he's appeared in.

requiem for a gunfight

Kevin Costner: you either love him or hate him. I love him. But that has not in any way swayed my opinion of his most recent film, Open Range (03). I'm also a lover of the western film, which is the only true American art form: the western. Costner has played in his share of westerns over the years. Most notably in two films for director Lawrence Kasdan: Silverado (85) and Wyatt Earp (94). I love both of these films. Silverado is a straight western, a throw-back to the good-ol' days when names like Budd Boetticher and Anthony Mann were not met with blank stares. It's more of a tribute film, to the classic oater. It is in it's own way a classic. Wyatt Earp is a little long-winded. Okay, it's very long-winded. Parts of it flirt with brilliance however, and you cannot compare it with sheer entertainment westerns like Tombstone (93). Dennis Quaid is the best "looking" Doc Holliday on film of all time, even if Val Kilmer is the most enjoyable. What Costner brings to any film, and especially a western, is his natural charm and grace amongst scenic locales. Let's face it, he was born to play cowboys. Yes, he reminds me of Gary Cooper in that way, but I feel that Costner is a better actor than Cooper ever was, and certainly as gifted behind the camera as he is in front of it. He has the Oscars to prove it.

Now, let's get something out of the way, before we continue. The Postman (97) directed by and starring Costner may be his weakest film to date. There are things I like about it, concepts and choices that a director must make, but it is not a passable film. It is more of an interesting failure if anything. Waterworld (95), directed by Kevin Reynolds is not a bad movie. Once again, when a film gets that kind of reputation as being over-budget and over-inflated, the populace begins to speak before it thinks. If you've seen the film and don't like it, than so be it. It's not for all tastes. It's a sci/fi fantasy adventure and one things's for sure, for better or worse, nothing's ever been done like it before or since. I like the film. I would not have liked it as much (maybe not even at all) if Costner were not in it. There. I said it. Now, let's get on with Open Range.

What makes a great gun-fight? Above anything, it's the story behind it, and the characters involved in it. I will not spoil the pleasure of watching this film unfold for you, but I will tell you that the trust the film-makers put into every aspect of this film is what makes it so genuinely satisfying. Open Range is Kevin Costner's best film. His best as an actor and his best as director. I have compared his Oscar-winning Dances With Wolves (90) with Open Range over and over in my mind, but the truth of the matter is, when you get right down to it, Dances With Wolves is too grueling a film. Don't get me wrong, I don't hold that against it, it's an incredibly powerful and moving experience - but that's just it: it has to be experienced, and not enjoyed. Open Range is about small, personal human emotion, and in it's own way, it is a masterpiece. It's a true western, where Dances is more of a historical drama. Let there be no bones about it, Open Range is a great western, and once more, it may be one of the best of all time. There are so many simple pleasures in the film. The honesty of the performances, the beauty and simplicity of the story. The tremendous build up to what is the greatest gun fight in the history of film. That's right. High Noon (52) has it's place in cinema history, but Open Range contains the most realistic, exciting and important gun battle ever put on film. Don't believe me? See it for yourself.

I've watched alot of gun fights in film. Nothing comes close to the accuracy and focus of the choregraphy of the final gun fight in Open Range. The way the guns are fired, the way the bodies fall, the way the sound is captured, the way you are left feeling after watching it. Very few films have actually made me hold my breath for an extended amount of time, but if you have any heart at all beating in your chest, it will no doubt skip a beat watching this incredible moment in film history. See the film, do not just rent the DVD and skip to the end. As I said before, it's the build up that makes it all worthwhile. The technical precision of the scene is what you will marvel at, but it's the force of the story and the competence of the director that make it a classic. Last I heard, Kevin Costner was set to star in and direct a new western called, Horizon. If this is the case, he will have a hard act to follow after his most recent film.

I love how he takes the time to focus on a tea pot during the final credits (you'll understand the relevance after seeing the whole film). Not many directors would take the time to think about something like that. Costner obviously put alot of thought into this one. Robert Duvall gives his best performance since Lonesome Dove (89) and I can't remember a better performance given by Annette Bening. Michael Gambon is perfect as the bad guy and the late Michael Jeter is unforgettable in this, his last feature film. Even if you are not a die-hard western fan, you still may enjoy the film. It has pure moments of beauty and violence in equal measure. It's also what any great film should be: entertaining to the last. Regardless, it is already recognized in some circles for the masterpiece that it is, and until the Costner-haters get over themsleves, it will nevertheless continue to grow in reputation. It does afterall contain, the greatest gun-fight in the history of western film. And that's all she wrote.

Charley Waite (Costner): "Men are gonna get killed here today, Sue, and I'm gonna kill 'em."
Last lines:
Charley Waite: "Let's go get our cows."

Marlon: "If we're gonna waste the dude, we oughta get paid for it. I mean, that's the American way, ain't it?"

Keanu Reeves as Marlon James, River Phoenix as Devo Nod and William Hurt as Harlan James in Lawrence Kasdan's extremely funny (and surprisingly tender), I Love You to Death (90).

Tracey Ullman played Rosalie, the patient and loving wife of a notorious philanderer, Joey Boca, played by Oscar-winner (for A Fish Called Wanda, 88, and Kasdan regular) Kevin Kline. Joan Plowright played Rosalie's suspicious (and vindictive) mother, Mama Nadja. Rosalie is pressured by her mother and friend Devo, into hiring two cut-rate hitmen to dispose of her cheating husband, Joey. Things don't go exactly as planned, but all works out well in the end (it is a comedy, remember?) which reminds me of that old adage: You get what you pay for. The cast is remarkable in this often under-rated black comedy masterpiece. And it's based on a true story.

Rosalie: "They look like drug addicts."
Devo: "Well, they are drug addicts."
Rosalie: "Oh my God. You hired drug addicts?"
Devo: "Who'd you expect me to hire? The Red Cross?"
Nadja: "They seem like very polite boys."
Rosalie: "I don't like having drug addicts in my house."
Nadja: "Oh no, Rosalie. Don't think of them as drug addicts. Think of them as killers."

Marlon: "Whose this?"
Harlan: "The Guy"
Marlon: "The Guy?"
Harlan: "You know, Joey"
Marlon: "Oh THAT guy"

Marlon: "If we keep shooting Joey, don't you think he might get suspicious?"

Museum Quality


Katherine Deneuve has been the muse for many of the world's greatest directors. Men like: Jacques Demy (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, 64), Roman Polanski (Repulsion, 65), Luis Bunuel (Belle de jour, 67, Tristana, 70), Francois Truffaut (Mississippi Mermaid, 69, The Last Metro, 80), Jean-Pierre Melville (Un Flic, 72) just to name a few. There's a reason she has worked almost exclusively with the world's most important directors, and it goes beyond surface beauty. Yes, Deneuve is beautiful (now more than ever), but she is also a very gifted actress. Her older sister Francoise Dorleac (who appeared with her in Demy's The Young Girls of Rochefort, 68) was killed in an automobile accident in June of 1967. She's collected numerous international accolades over the years and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in 1992 for Regis Wargnier's Indochine (who also directed her in East-West). In addition to the films above, you might want to check out these classic Deneuve performances: Hustle (75), The Hunger (83), Indochine (may be her best performance, 92), My Favorite Season (93), Les Voleurs (Thieves, 96), Place Vendome (98), Pola X (99), Time Regained (99), East-West (99), Dancer in the Dark (00), 8 Women (02) and Les Liaisons dangereuses (mini-series 03) to name but a few. She is currently starring in two French productions set for future release, one is by one of her regular directors, Andre Techine, called L'Emprise and co-stars Gérard Depardieu. She will always be one of the cinema's true beauties. Like most of her films, she is a classic.





"I'm lucky. I'm getting older with some directors who are getting older."
- Deneuve

badass

Davis (Steve Martin): "That's your problem: You don't see enough movies. All of life's riddles are answered in the movies."
from Lawrence Kasdan's Grand Canyon (91).

Let's not forget that Steve Martin is a tremendous actor (in addition to novelist, playwrite and banjo player). I know he's done alot of crap over the years, and starring in the remake of, The Pink Panther (05) as Peter Sellers immortal Inspector Clouseau, is not going to win him many points amongst the film snobs, but who cares. I love Steve Martin. I'll sit through anything he's in just because he's in it. One of the most over-looked films of his career is Grand Canyon. He gives excellent support to the ensemble, but he is sadly not in the film too much. When he is however, you cannot take your eyes off his damaged character. He knows the man he plays, that's why it comes off so well. This is not something you can simply teach someone how to do. It's a step beyond instinctual acting. I believe it goes into the realm of the subconscious. It's what all great actors are capable of doing. Martin is more than a great actor. That's why it hurts to see him wallow in family-oriented franchise films or films that simply do not require his extraordinary gifts. I know that one day Steve Martin will recieve the credit that he is due, but until then, we have these wonderful Martin performances to examine and enjoy:

The Jerk (79) ****
Pennies From Heaven (81) ****
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (82) ****1/2
The Man With Two Brains (83)
The Lonely Guy (84)
All of Me (84) ****1/2
Little Shop of Horrors (86)
Roxanne (87) *****
Plains, Trains & Automobiles (87)
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (88)
Parenthood (89) ****1/2
L.A. Story (91) ****
Grand Canyon (91) ****1/2
Leap of Faith (92) ****
And the Band Played On (93)
A Simple Twist of Fate (94)
The Spanish Prisoner (97) ****
Bowfinger (99)
Joe Gould's Secret (00) ****

C.D. Bales (from Roxanne): "I have a dream. It's not a big dream, it's just a little dream. My dream - and I hope you don't find this too crazy - is that I would like the people of this community to feel that if, God forbid, there were a fire, calling the fire department would actually be a wise thing to do. You can't have people, if their houses are burning down, saying, "Whatever you do, don't call the fire department!" That would be bad."

Martin's film, Shopgirl (based on his novel) is set to be released sometime this year. It's directed by Anand Tucker, who brought us the little-seen but brilliant, Hilary and Jackie (98). Shopgirl stars Martin and Claire Danes. His play, Picasso at the Lapin Agile is reportedly in pre-production as a film. I read that Roxanne director, Fred Schepisi (Last Orders, 01) was set to direct. If so, it's guaranteed to at least be well-made.

Davis: "The point is there's a gulf in this country; an ever-widening abyss between the people who have stuff, and the people who don't have shit. It's like this big hole in the ground, as big as the fucking Grand Canyon, and what's come pouring out is an eruption of rage, and the rage creates violence, and the violence is real, Mack. Nothing's gonna make it go away, until someone changes something, which is not going to happen. And you may not like it, even I may not like it, but I can't pretend it isn't there because that it is a lie, and when art lies, it becomes worthless. So I gotta keep telling the truth, even if it scares the shit out of me, like it scares the shit out of you. Even if it means some motherfucker can blow a big hole in my leg for a watch, and I'm gonna walk with a fucking limp for the rest of my life and call myself lucky."
-Grand Canyon

Rigby Reardon (Martin in Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid): "I hadn't seen a body put together like that since I solved the case of the Murdered Girl with the Big Tits."

Strong Medicine

Ken Russell's Altered States (80)
Eddie Jessup (William Hurt): "What's whacko about it, Mason? I'm a man in search of his true self. How archetypically American can you get? We're all trying to fulfill ourselves, understand ourselves, get in touch with ourselves, face the reality of ourselves, explore ourselves, expand ourselves. Ever since we dispensed with God we've got nothing but ourselves to explain this meaningless horror of life."

film of the day

Who'll Stop the Rain (78) directed by Karel Reisz.
Ray Hicks (Nick Nolte) is a Vietnam Vet who helps out an old friend, John Converse (played by Michael Moriarty), by smuggling heroine and then trying to push it himself on the elite L.A. slimeball scene. Nolte is a force of nature in this film. He is the ultimate Marine (he played another one in John Milius's Farewell to the king, 89). His final moments on the railroad tracks are some of the most powerful scenes ever put on film. He should have won an Oscar for this role. He has yet to win one, not even for his towering performance in The Prince of Tides (91 - he lost to Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs). Tuesday Weld, Anthony Zerbe (always under-rated), Richard Masur, Ray Sharkey and Charles Haid are all terrific in this little-seen gem from the late seventies. I have never forgotten this impressive film, and neither will you. The DVD is available (and affordable) and I highly recommend it. There is a reference at the end of the film to Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassidy (who Nolte played in the film Heartbeat, 80) that is priceless (and worth investigating on your own if you have any interest). A classic.

Ray Hicks: "All my life I've been taking shit from inferior people. No more."

Getting Better All the Time

Let's face it, it's cool to like Vincent Gallo, even though he is a dick. I wont waste your time by going over all the notorious stuff that he's been discredited as a film-maker for. There's quite a bit. His recent behavior at Cannes for the reception of his new film, The Brown Bunny (03) will go down on his permanent record. Although he has appeared in more films as an actor, it is his distinction as a director that makes him so damn interesting. Not to mention one particular film that he starred in that nobody talks about, beacause it's just too damn good, and god forbid we associate Gallo with something "good."

First off, I don't think that there's anyone who can say something bad about Buffalo 66 (98), Gallo's first feature film as writer/director/star/composer. It's an amazing film. If you don't own it, go out right now and buy the DVD. Seriously. I think what happened was, he just raised the bar so damn high with Buffalo, that anything else after would have had to have been Lawrence of Arabia to get a good review. Well, instead of Lawrence, we got The Brown Bunny. I have not seen this film. A trusted friend who has, tells me that it's as bad as everyone says it is. Not surprising. Gallo, of course is the main attraction, and why shouldn't he be? He's a good goddman actor. That's his problem. I think he's a better writer/actor/composer than he is a director. His music compositions for film are beyond excellent. I think he ranks up there with some of the finest performers of all-time. He's no John Williams or John Barry, but he is leagues above the average independent film composer, and if anything - the soundtracks to his films are usually a treat. Especially one that he starred in but did not direct. Get Well Soon.

Justin McCarthy's enormously under-rated Get Well Soon (01) is about the only film I've ever liked Courteney Cox in. Gallo is extraordinary in this, his best film role to date. His character, Bobby Bishop, is a disillusioned late-night TV talk show host (sounds crazy right?) and he pulls it off with such style and passion that it's hard not to believe him in the role. Jeffrey Tambor (when's this guy going to win an Oscar?) is his agent, in a sly reference to The Larry Sanders Show. Tambor is no Hank "Hey Now" Kingsley in this film, he's more of an Artie (Rip Torn) character, and it shows his incredible range as an actor. My god, this movie has an amazing cast! Anne Meara, Tate Donovan (excellent), Elina Lowensohn (from Michael Almereyda's Nadja, 94) and Reg Rogers, who if you are not familiar with - you should be. Rogers plays the Cox character's insane brother, who's locked away in a loony bin. His performance is one of the best comedic acting jobs I've ever witnessed. This guy's going to win an Oscar one day (or at least he should). He's incredible. I could go on all day about this film. Rent it. If you like it, buy it - there's a nice DVD put out by Lion's Gate (widescreen and all).

There is one Gallo film that has not been released here in the states. Claire Denis' Trouble Every Day (01), in which Gallo plays a tormented man suffering from a disease resembling vampirism. He must consume flesh. It's French and it's artsy, and it looks terrific. And who better to play a vampire? I read about it a few years ago in some magazines and then poof! Nothing. It had a theatrical run in Europe, but nothing here. The DVD's available in a region-free version, but there's obviously something in it that the powers that be in this country's film industry do not want us to see. Yeah, that it's probably fucking great and god forbid Vincent Gallo be associated with something, oh, there I go again...

The good news is, Gallo is set to star in Abel Ferrara's new film, Mary, set for release in 2005. Gallo worked with Ferrara in The Funeral (96) and was again, probably the best thing about the film (next to Walken, Del Toro and Chris Penn). I will see any film that Gallo is in, just because I know that he is a true maverick. He'll do anything to get it right. If it means acting like a jerk his whole life, just to get a scene (or a note) right, then so be it. We need actors and directors like this in this day and age. I'm not comparing him to Brando or Cassavettes, or anyone like that - but when we're constantly being inundated with bullshit films by directors who are waisting their talent (Soderbergh's Ocean's Twelve anyone?) it's good to know that there's somebody out there with the balls to say to the establishment, and let me clear my throat, ahemm..."Fuck you!" He is a true artist, and a true talent - whether you like him or not.

"I'm, Bobby Bishop." - Get Well Soon.

can they help it?

This blurb comes from Cinema Confidential:
The Hollywood Reporter reports that Forrest Whitaker is trying to develop a remake to the 1956 comedy "The Girl Can't Help It," which starred Tom Ewell and Jayne Mansfield. He will serve as a producer and may eye to direct the film as well.

According to the trade, the original followed the story of "a talent agent (Ewell) who is hired by a mobster (Edmond O'Brien) to turn his musically challenged girlfriend (Mansfield) into a big star. Fats Domino, Little Richard, Julie London and the Platters turned in performances in the film as well."

Now, I like Forest Whitaker. Alot. He's an amazing actor and a potenially gifted director. He has chosen films to direct that do not always meet certain expectations of what one might term a "Forest Whitaker film." Projects like: Waiting to Exhale (95) and Hope Floats (98) aren't exactly the first things that come to mind when you think of the man who won at Cannes for playing Charlie Parker in Clint Eastwood's master-work Bird (88), in addition to starring in Jim Jarmusch's cult-sleeper Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (both brilliant performances). The one's that Whitaker directed are good films nonetheless. Not great ones. So, in keeping with his bizarre tradition of directing films that are in direct contrast to his acting persona, he has now turned to a little-seen, rock-n-roll cult comedy from the fifties. And boy, is it really from the fifities.

The original, The girl Can't Help It (56) is actually a very funny movie. And why shouldn't it be, it stars the great Tom Ewell (The Seven Year Itch, 55) and the unbelievably sexy, Jayne Mansfield (this may be her signature role) having alot of fun with their "screen images" in it. The best bit concerns a gag with some ice, you'll know when you see it. But the real joy of watching the film is the obscure cameos and music performances. I got into this film many years back when I was turned on to the late, great Eddie Cochran. He, along with Gene Vincent really make this a true "cult" item. This is why the film is what it is: because of the music. Nobody else ever made music like Cochran and Vincent, so it still holds up today. So how then can they try and re-work this with today's bands and performers? Unless, they just plan to ditch the whole music aspect of the film and center on the love/sex shenanigans. Frankly, that would be disastrous. I hope, if Whitaker goes through with this, they can find a way to make it work. The truth is, even though I like the film, it does not deserve to be re-made - not because it's a classic, but because it was a fun little comedy that served it's time well.

Jayne Mansfield died in a highway accident in 1967, when her car slammed into a tractor-trailer. Eddie Cochran also died before his time, killed in an automoblie accident.

I think Whitaker and company got hip to the original and thought it would be cool to do a re-tread, just because it is very much an underground film. If you're into music, especially early rock-n-roll, then you've no doubt heard of it. This film is a dear friend of mine's favorite movie, and I'm sure he's gritting his teeth over the whole thing. The rest of the movie-going public will no doubt think that it's a new idea when (and if) it comes out, until they read the fine print "based on..." in the credits. Either way, there's little hope for the modern average American film. Especially when the majority of them are just that: average. I would at least like to see a major studio try and come up with something new (not necessarily original) and not this constant barrage of re-makes that have been raping the cinema for quite a while now. The ultimate insult is the Shall We Dance re-make starring Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez. This was already a truly magnificent little film that came out less than ten years ago. It was directed by Masayuki Suo, a name that you will no doubt forget as soon as you've read it. That's unfortunate, because Suo's film is an important film for Japanese cinema. It stars the wonderful, Koji Yakusho from Shohei Imamura's Unagi (The Eel, 97).

The original (and only) Shall We Dance is an amazingly accessible film, and this is largely the reason that Miramax chose to re-make it in the first place. I just wish they hadn't involved the tremendously talented director, Peter Chelsom in this whole debacle. He made one of my favorite films of all time (top 10), Funny Bones (95). His Shall We Dance will be competently directed I'm sure, but who the hell has time for this disingenuous bullshit? Miramax has been giving Hollywood a bad name for quite some time with their bloated big-budget straight-from-the-New-York-Times-Bestseller-list epics, to their latest rip-off of a once decent foreign or independent film. I really have to think twice if I see a film being produced or distributed by Miramax (Takeshi Kitano aside) especially one directed by a guy named Quentin something. Tarantino makes me think of the new Bill Shatner song "Has Been" in title only.

Either way, see all of these films and make up your own mind about them. The Girl Can't Help It (56, man I'm going to hate referring to this movie as "the original" if they go through with the re-make - but I will do it) is not on DVD in region 1 as of yet. The studio will no doubt keep it on the shelf until the new version surfaces. I can wait. And I can also tell you which one I probably wont be buying...

Honor Among Thieves

"Today's movie villains often remind us of James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart and that's as cool as it gets. There's something comforting if they're hip and cool. They're not entirely real, or not entirely threatening, so it might be a little easier to swallow if they remind us of traditional movie villains." - Paul Thomas Anderson, director of Hard Eight (97) starring Philip Baker Hall.

I like P.T. Anderson. I think that he's talented in all the right places. I think he's got it where it counts. He's more than a good director, I think he could end up being one of the all-time greats. Sure, I think he's a little smug. I've read some of the interviews he's done, and Magnolia (99) and Punch Drunk Love (02) are two of the most pretentious American films since, well, since Magnolia and Punch Drunk Love. But he stands by his films. He makes them with conviction and he has a clear vision. He does not make movies for the public. He makes them for himself. I can respect that. Robert Altman springs to mind when I think of this type of film-making. Anderson may owe quite a bit to Altman, and Cassavettes, and Scorsese and well, you get the point.

The truth of the matter is, his first two films, Hard Eight, followed by Boogie Nights (97) are two important films. Not just for American films either. If you haven't seen Boogie Nights since the theater, you might want to check it out on DVD. It's an amazing film. It's actually one of my all-time favorites. It unfolds like a great Spielberg movie (I said, "a great" one) in that it seems at times like it must have taken a hundred different directors just to make the one film. His creative energy and artistic drive are the main forces behind it's strength as a film. Sure, the characters are marvelous (I can't think of another mainstream contemporary drama with this many likable characters - even for the porn business) but that's only the beginning. And unlike sir Spielberg, he actually writes his own films. Every line.

Reynold's should have won the Oscar. I love Robin Williams (he won that year for Good Will Hunting) but frankly, he's given better performances and he will no doubt go on to give even better ones - he already has: Mark Romanek's One Hour Photo (02). The Academy should have realized that this was Burt Reynolds at his all-time best. He gives a monumental performance. Just one among many in the film. Anderson loves deploying the father-son device in his films (something that I will explore later) and Reynolds succeeds at it. But, you've probably already seen Boogie Nights, so you know what I'm talking about. It's the other P.T. Anderson masterpiece that you may not have even heard of.

If you don't know what Hard Eight is about, than I wont spoil it for you. All that you need to know is, the great Philip Baker Hall plays Sydney, an old-school gambler with quite a few "hidden" talents. He teaches the young and dumb, John (played by a marvelous John C. Reilly - before he became a household name) the finer art of "beating the house." The scenes where the old pro teaches the young turk all the tricks of the trade are priceless. What's also priceless, are the other smaller performances. Samuel L. Jackson plays a scary hood named Jimmy, in one of his most under-rated performances. Philip Seymour Hoffman should have been nominated for his five minutes or so on screen. He must be seen to be believed. I can actually stomach Gwyneth Paltrow, as Clementine, in this film. I think she was amazing in just about everything she did, pre-Oscar win. She gives a fine performance in this film. It's a shame she was not recognized for this one. I'd like to say that the Academy was awarding her for her work here when they eventually gave her the Oscar, but I don't think anyone in Hollywood has ever seen this film. That's part of why watching it is so great: it really seems like a new discovery, no matter how many times you see it.

This film belongs to another era. It really does seem like watching an old Scorsese or Altman film from the seventies. Anderson loves that decade and it really comes through in is love for "older" male characters. The way that Sydney starts off as potentially harmful to John, then becomes his friend and mentor, and eventually his father-figure and savior is one of the greatest character arcs I've ever had the pleasure of watching in a film. It reminds me of how protective Jack (Burt Reynold's character) in Boogie Nights is to all of his "children" in that film. Both Jack and Sydney are introduced in about the same way. Each man seems at first to be manipulating a younger character, when in fact, they are just seeking someone to fulfill that estranged father/son bond. Of course, Anderson leaves all of that on the back-burner and actually lets you figure this all out for yourself. Go figure, a director who lets an audience think? What will they think of next?

Philip Baker Hall should be as famous as any of the other actors in the film now, but sadly, he is still mainly known as "that guy," in whatever role he pops up in from time to time. I recently saw him on an episode of the new William Shatner (fucking brilliant!) show, Boston Legal. He is such a good actor. Always giving, and never getting in the way of the purpose of the scene. What a professional. I suppose that's why he's so good in Hard Eight, he gets to play the "ultimate professional." I wish I could go back in time and personally drop off a copy of this film to everyone who votes for Oscar nominations. I can't say that Hall will never win one, but I can say that he should have won one for this. In fact, this is not the first time he's been snubbed by the industry. And there is a very good reason I draw a line connecting Anderson to Altman.

Hall starred as President Richard M. Nixon in Altman's nearly forgotten, Secret Honor (84). This was made during one of Altman's more "experimental" phases as he was prone to directing alot of theater on film, and producing more smaller projects for televison. Secret Honor stars only one performer, and it is this performer that gives the performance of his lifetime. A true tour-de-force. Fortunately, you will be able to see this incredible film experience once again, as the Criterion Collection DVD is set for release this month. If you have any interest in exploring the boundaries of film and film acting, I suggest you