"Night of the Hunter" is showing Friday night at the beautiful Landmark Loew's Jersey in Journal Square, Jersey City, NJ.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91IAwfdRX6A
ahhhh can't wait.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
"The Elephant Man"
Just saw "The Elephant Man" as part of the Anne Bancroft retrospective at Lincoln Center. I am kind of ambivalent about David Lynch; I love some things he does and get really annoyed at some things he does, often in the same film or even in the same scene. I learned to love him as a person from his brief cameos in "Twin Peaks" ("SORRY COOP! CAN'T HEAR YA!"), and as a film-maker I am conflicted. Some films (like "Blue Velvet" and "Mulholland Drive") are endlessly interesting, some (like "Lost Highway") I have no patience for, and some (like "Fire Walk With Me" and "Eraserhead") have moments of terror and brilliance combined with a ton of missteps.
"The Elephant Man" was a very tasteful, beautiful, and sad biopic of John Merrick, better known as the Elephant Man, a famous "freak" from Victorian England known for his enormous and dangerously deformed head. (Apparently his real name was actually Joseph Merrick... look up "Joseph Merrick" or "The Elephant Man" on IMDb to see photos of the man.) The make-up for the film was apparently based on actual casts of his skull (which Michael Jackson bought?) and look just like the actual photos. As usual in Lynch films, the sound design was unbelievable. A handful of scenes were incredibly touching and a few were scary and memorable -- my favorite scene was the one in which Merrick's "owner" locks him in the cage with the baboons. There were just enough genuine David Lynch stylistic touches to whet my appetite, but the plot was linear and the film was largely narrative and I could follow along, which was a great and unexpected surprise for a Lynch film. All the performances were stunning, and the make-up was truly perfect. The film was not without complaints, but pouring Lynch's style over a linear story creates a great final product.
"The Elephant Man" was a very tasteful, beautiful, and sad biopic of John Merrick, better known as the Elephant Man, a famous "freak" from Victorian England known for his enormous and dangerously deformed head. (Apparently his real name was actually Joseph Merrick... look up "Joseph Merrick" or "The Elephant Man" on IMDb to see photos of the man.) The make-up for the film was apparently based on actual casts of his skull (which Michael Jackson bought?) and look just like the actual photos. As usual in Lynch films, the sound design was unbelievable. A handful of scenes were incredibly touching and a few were scary and memorable -- my favorite scene was the one in which Merrick's "owner" locks him in the cage with the baboons. There were just enough genuine David Lynch stylistic touches to whet my appetite, but the plot was linear and the film was largely narrative and I could follow along, which was a great and unexpected surprise for a Lynch film. All the performances were stunning, and the make-up was truly perfect. The film was not without complaints, but pouring Lynch's style over a linear story creates a great final product.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
an excerpt from Len Deighton
___"There are four stages of a love affair. First there is the stage of being in love and liking it." Her voice was muffled by my shoulder. "That's this stage."
___"How long's it likely to last?"
___"Not long enough," said Sam[antha]. "The other stages soon follow."
___"What stages?" I said.
___"There's being in love and not liking it," said Sam. "That's the second one. Then there is not being in love and not liking that. And finally there is not being in love and liking that. You are over it then -- cured.
___"Sounds great," I said.
___"You have to be make-believe tough," Samantha said. "I'm serious and it makes me sort of sad. If people in love synchronized their movements through these stages..." She snuggled deeper into my shoulder. "We'll stay at the first stage forever. No matter what calls us away, we'll stay up here on the moon. O.K.?"
___"O.K."
___"No. I'm serious."
___"Looks like we're first here on the moon," I said.
___Sam said, "Just think of all those poor dopes down on earth who can't see that great sun."
Len Deighton, Funeral in Berlin, page 82.
___"How long's it likely to last?"
___"Not long enough," said Sam[antha]. "The other stages soon follow."
___"What stages?" I said.
___"There's being in love and not liking it," said Sam. "That's the second one. Then there is not being in love and not liking that. And finally there is not being in love and liking that. You are over it then -- cured.
___"Sounds great," I said.
___"You have to be make-believe tough," Samantha said. "I'm serious and it makes me sort of sad. If people in love synchronized their movements through these stages..." She snuggled deeper into my shoulder. "We'll stay at the first stage forever. No matter what calls us away, we'll stay up here on the moon. O.K.?"
___"O.K."
___"No. I'm serious."
___"Looks like we're first here on the moon," I said.
___Sam said, "Just think of all those poor dopes down on earth who can't see that great sun."
Len Deighton, Funeral in Berlin, page 82.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Casablanca re-cast
I am showing "Casablanca" (with my personalized intro and outro) this Wednesday night on the NYU University Channel (channel 14, I believe, for people on CampusCable) at 8 pm. In honor of that momentous occasion, here is something for you to debate: the contemporary cast for a hypothetical remake of "Casablanca" if it was made this year. Marisa and I spent a shift at work a few months ago working on this, and I just found the Post-It it was written on and decided to streamline it and make a few changes.
"CASABLANCA" RE-CAST! (Warning: LOTS of photos to load!)
+ Rick Blaine
It took me a little while to think of this, but as soon as I did it was a no-brainer. Even though he doesn't have a lot of big-screen movie experience, I think the success of "Mad Men" and all of the awards they get every year qualifies him as a big enough star to sell this project. He has a definite Humphrey Bogart look and is used to wearing double-breasted suits and accessorizing with cigarettes and tumblers of Scotch. I give you Jon Hamm.
+ Ilsa Lund
Again, it took me a few rounds to get to her in my head but once I found her she is perfect for the role. We needed someone foreign (Bergman is Swedish, this actress is French) and someone pouty and with so-called "Classical Beauty" but also someone who can handle some serious drama. I don't think there will be any objections to Eva Green.
One more picture of Eva, because she is so lovely.
+ Captain Louis Renault
This was the one that I had the hardest time with. Claude Raines' portrayal is so iconic and so charming and so unique. His is probably the most memorable performance from the original film (and he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor that year). Even though the character is French, Raines is so British that I cannot conceive of Renault any other way. I originally thought Simon Pegg (but he is too goofy), settled on my beloved Ricky Gervais (eventually decided he would come across as too depressing, like in The Office and Extras), and finally found the PERFECT actor, Martin Freeman. I am so relieved that I found someone satisfactory for this!
+ Victor Laszlo
This character has to be foreign and handsome but completely humorless. Josh Brolin is my favorite current actor and I was hoping to get him into this movie, and this was the best place I could put him. However, he is just too American for this. I thought about Peter Sarsgaard, whom I also love, and Ewan McGregor, whom I love a little less... and I thought a long time about Jude Law, but he is ultimately a little bit too charming as well. However, this is kind of an easy part that mainly requires stoicism, so I am going to grant the part to my original choice, Jonathan Rhys Meyers (I hope that is spelled right).
+ Major Strasser
This was by far the easiest one. No other options here, no runner up. It is a shame that this great actor is going to get typecast as a Nazi officer, but that is up to his agent, not up to me. Strasser can only be played by soon-to-be Best Supporting Actor Christoph Waltz.
+ Ugarte
This is a minor character, true, but Ugarte and his exciting arrest really set the tone for the whole film. Remember the manic, desperate performance by Lorre and his bugged-out eyes. There is no one who could play this but my beloved Steve Buscemi.
+ Sam the Piano Player
I need someone who is funny and charismatic and likable and can play the piano and sing. I know exactly where to go. Dooley Wilson is being replaced by Mos Def.
+ Carl the Waiter
The maitre d'hotel at Rick's cafe has to be big and round and jovial and middle-aged and, again, super charming and lovable. Like Fred Flintstone, or Babe Ruth, or... Walter Sobchack. That's right. John Goodman. (I think I found the only known picture of John in a tuxedo to help you imagine him in Carl's tuxedo from the movie. Amazing, right?)
+ Sascha the Bartender
The Russian bartender has to be lanky and snarky and a little bit sarcastic and quick-tongued and I would like to hear anyone try to object to John Turturro. "I love you, but he pays me!"
+ Signor Ferrari
Ferrari is a little bit obnoxious and a little bit of a blowhard and definitely large in size. We are continuing the parade of the Johns with a slight variation: we are removing the "h" to cast Jon Lovitz. The picture with the suit and the cigar should convince any skeptics that Lovitz can fill in for Sydney Greenstreet.
+ Yvonne
Yvonne is the patriotic French woman who had some kind of relationship with Rick. She drinks too much and even flirts with the enemy while wasting her time at the bar of Rick's Cafe. In her most memorable scene, she tearfully shouts aloud the lyrics to "Le Marseillaise". So we need a beautiful brunette who is French and knows the words to the French national anthem. It is pretty obvious that the right choice is Audrey Tautou, and if you don't believe me, watch her recent romcom "Hors de Prix" (aka "Priceless"), in which she wears slinky dresses and drinks too much at hotel bars, just like the minor character Yvonne.
+ Annina (the Bulgarian refugee)
Again, this is a pretty small role with only a handful of scenes, but we need a beautiful young brunette who is just waiting for her breakout role. I'm giving it to Mary Elizabeth Winstead not only because I know she can handle it, but because she NEEDS to work in a good film sometime soon. Pleeeeaaase.
The cinematographer is going to be Roger Deakins. But I still need a director.
Any comments or criticisms?
"CASABLANCA" RE-CAST! (Warning: LOTS of photos to load!)
+ Rick Blaine
It took me a little while to think of this, but as soon as I did it was a no-brainer. Even though he doesn't have a lot of big-screen movie experience, I think the success of "Mad Men" and all of the awards they get every year qualifies him as a big enough star to sell this project. He has a definite Humphrey Bogart look and is used to wearing double-breasted suits and accessorizing with cigarettes and tumblers of Scotch. I give you Jon Hamm.
+ Ilsa Lund
Again, it took me a few rounds to get to her in my head but once I found her she is perfect for the role. We needed someone foreign (Bergman is Swedish, this actress is French) and someone pouty and with so-called "Classical Beauty" but also someone who can handle some serious drama. I don't think there will be any objections to Eva Green.
One more picture of Eva, because she is so lovely.
+ Captain Louis Renault
This was the one that I had the hardest time with. Claude Raines' portrayal is so iconic and so charming and so unique. His is probably the most memorable performance from the original film (and he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor that year). Even though the character is French, Raines is so British that I cannot conceive of Renault any other way. I originally thought Simon Pegg (but he is too goofy), settled on my beloved Ricky Gervais (eventually decided he would come across as too depressing, like in The Office and Extras), and finally found the PERFECT actor, Martin Freeman. I am so relieved that I found someone satisfactory for this!
+ Victor Laszlo
This character has to be foreign and handsome but completely humorless. Josh Brolin is my favorite current actor and I was hoping to get him into this movie, and this was the best place I could put him. However, he is just too American for this. I thought about Peter Sarsgaard, whom I also love, and Ewan McGregor, whom I love a little less... and I thought a long time about Jude Law, but he is ultimately a little bit too charming as well. However, this is kind of an easy part that mainly requires stoicism, so I am going to grant the part to my original choice, Jonathan Rhys Meyers (I hope that is spelled right).
+ Major Strasser
This was by far the easiest one. No other options here, no runner up. It is a shame that this great actor is going to get typecast as a Nazi officer, but that is up to his agent, not up to me. Strasser can only be played by soon-to-be Best Supporting Actor Christoph Waltz.
+ Ugarte
This is a minor character, true, but Ugarte and his exciting arrest really set the tone for the whole film. Remember the manic, desperate performance by Lorre and his bugged-out eyes. There is no one who could play this but my beloved Steve Buscemi.
+ Sam the Piano Player
I need someone who is funny and charismatic and likable and can play the piano and sing. I know exactly where to go. Dooley Wilson is being replaced by Mos Def.
+ Carl the Waiter
The maitre d'hotel at Rick's cafe has to be big and round and jovial and middle-aged and, again, super charming and lovable. Like Fred Flintstone, or Babe Ruth, or... Walter Sobchack. That's right. John Goodman. (I think I found the only known picture of John in a tuxedo to help you imagine him in Carl's tuxedo from the movie. Amazing, right?)
+ Sascha the Bartender
The Russian bartender has to be lanky and snarky and a little bit sarcastic and quick-tongued and I would like to hear anyone try to object to John Turturro. "I love you, but he pays me!"
+ Signor Ferrari
Ferrari is a little bit obnoxious and a little bit of a blowhard and definitely large in size. We are continuing the parade of the Johns with a slight variation: we are removing the "h" to cast Jon Lovitz. The picture with the suit and the cigar should convince any skeptics that Lovitz can fill in for Sydney Greenstreet.
+ Yvonne
Yvonne is the patriotic French woman who had some kind of relationship with Rick. She drinks too much and even flirts with the enemy while wasting her time at the bar of Rick's Cafe. In her most memorable scene, she tearfully shouts aloud the lyrics to "Le Marseillaise". So we need a beautiful brunette who is French and knows the words to the French national anthem. It is pretty obvious that the right choice is Audrey Tautou, and if you don't believe me, watch her recent romcom "Hors de Prix" (aka "Priceless"), in which she wears slinky dresses and drinks too much at hotel bars, just like the minor character Yvonne.
+ Annina (the Bulgarian refugee)
Again, this is a pretty small role with only a handful of scenes, but we need a beautiful young brunette who is just waiting for her breakout role. I'm giving it to Mary Elizabeth Winstead not only because I know she can handle it, but because she NEEDS to work in a good film sometime soon. Pleeeeaaase.
The cinematographer is going to be Roger Deakins. But I still need a director.
Any comments or criticisms?
Saturday, February 13, 2010
countdown
Finally saw "Boogie Nights" today. I liked it more than I expected, but the "moral" was confusing. Everyone spins out of control and becomes miserable and desperate and unlikable and then they all just get a second chance and end up happy? I'm all for the happy ending, but why judge the characters so harshly for most of the film?
Can't wait to see "THE WOLFMAN" on Monday. Will most likely be disappointed and be angry about the fact that it somehow disrespects the original Lon Chaney, Jr./Claude Raines version, but I am going in with a great attitude.
Just got back from the Diane Birch concert at Skirball. Amazing and breath-taking and great. Best concert I have been to in a long, long time. Probably the best since one of the three Joanna Newsom concerts or two Sigur Ros concerts I have been to. The opening act was some NYU student who was such an atrocious singer that I spent the whole time wincing and pitying the kid's roommate. But Diane was friendly and funny and captivated the whole room. Her four-piece band was also great and everything about the concert was great. The live versions of the songs were in almost every case more exciting than the album versions, and she played a solo version of the the trance song "What Is Love?" (from "A Night at the Rosbury") on the electric keyboard that was incredible as well.
For the record, here is an updated countdown of the Prettiest Women Ever:
Diane Birch
occupation: musician
link
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
occupation: actor
link
Vanessa Victoria Volpe
occupation: writer, student
link
Can't wait to see "THE WOLFMAN" on Monday. Will most likely be disappointed and be angry about the fact that it somehow disrespects the original Lon Chaney, Jr./Claude Raines version, but I am going in with a great attitude.
Just got back from the Diane Birch concert at Skirball. Amazing and breath-taking and great. Best concert I have been to in a long, long time. Probably the best since one of the three Joanna Newsom concerts or two Sigur Ros concerts I have been to. The opening act was some NYU student who was such an atrocious singer that I spent the whole time wincing and pitying the kid's roommate. But Diane was friendly and funny and captivated the whole room. Her four-piece band was also great and everything about the concert was great. The live versions of the songs were in almost every case more exciting than the album versions, and she played a solo version of the the trance song "What Is Love?" (from "A Night at the Rosbury") on the electric keyboard that was incredible as well.
For the record, here is an updated countdown of the Prettiest Women Ever:
Diane Birch
occupation: musician
link
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
occupation: actor
link
Vanessa Victoria Volpe
occupation: writer, student
link
student conference
The schedule for the Student Conference next weekend finally came out!
schedule
I am going Friday afternoon at 2:00 pm. Since my paper is about film noir, I understand why I got put in a panel with other noir papers. However, judging by the other titles, I can't see how my paper will have anything else in common with theirs. My paper is much more about genre categories than about noir, but whatever... Hopefully it will go well anyway. With a moderator like Bill Simon, how could it not?
schedule
I am going Friday afternoon at 2:00 pm. Since my paper is about film noir, I understand why I got put in a panel with other noir papers. However, judging by the other titles, I can't see how my paper will have anything else in common with theirs. My paper is much more about genre categories than about noir, but whatever... Hopefully it will go well anyway. With a moderator like Bill Simon, how could it not?
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
new-ish J.Lew song
This is what happens when you ignore popular and annoying looking kids movies.
I was browsing the internet and Wikipedia of all places pointed out that some of Jenny Lewis' solo work consisted of the "Bolt" soundtrack. I was skeptical and confused, but I looked it up, and Jenny did indeed record the theme song for the Miley Cyrus-voiced CGI puppy movie, an upbeat tune called "Barking At The Moon" (not to be confused with the Black Sabbath song).
The song is actually great. The dog-inspired lyrics are pretty clever and cute. J.Lew can even turn a stupid Disney commission into a beautiful little song.
I've saved you the trouble (and humiliation) of searching for "Bolt soundtrack" on the torrent sites and uploaded the song directly, which you can download HERE. Enjoy!
I was browsing the internet and Wikipedia of all places pointed out that some of Jenny Lewis' solo work consisted of the "Bolt" soundtrack. I was skeptical and confused, but I looked it up, and Jenny did indeed record the theme song for the Miley Cyrus-voiced CGI puppy movie, an upbeat tune called "Barking At The Moon" (not to be confused with the Black Sabbath song).
The song is actually great. The dog-inspired lyrics are pretty clever and cute. J.Lew can even turn a stupid Disney commission into a beautiful little song.
I've saved you the trouble (and humiliation) of searching for "Bolt soundtrack" on the torrent sites and uploaded the song directly, which you can download HERE. Enjoy!
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