Welcome to the 199th Edition. I'm releasing this one a little earlier than usual with me not having home internet right now and a trip we're taking to a place where there likely is no internet. This week I pay tribute to Eunice Kennedy-Shriver, Les Paul, and Ruth Ford. Starting this week, I am going to try to go more in-depth on what I call "tributes" instead of
La Commare Secca (1962): I start with the debut of director Bernardo Bertolucci. This movie centers around the murder of a prostitute where the police question everyone that was in the park that night to see who the killer was at the time. Each person tells of their connection with the woman and their side of the story playing out some like RASHOMON. This was a good directorial debut that would be the start of a great career.
Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998): The Facebook friend I selected for this week was Tatiana who was in my Spanish class. Andy Tennant directed this variation of the popular fairy tale. Drew Barrymore stars as Danielle, who is a servant to the Baroness played by Anjelica Huston. She then meets the conflicted Prince Henry, played very well by Dougray Scott, and mistakes him for a thief starting a friendship. She then poses as a princess to free one of the servants forming a relationship with Prince Henry who does not want to be king or have a wife chosen for him. Patrick Godfrey plays Leonardo Da Vinci who serves kind of as the Fairy Godmother. Richard O'Brien also has a part as a crooked businessman whose role is small but important. Barrymore was great as Danielle making this a great version of the tale.
The Seven Year Itch (1955): Billy Wilder directed this very daring comedy and co-wrote the screenplay with George Axelrod who wrote the play. At the time, the stage allowed far more freedom but with the censors at the time, much had to be re-written but Wilder dared to challenge these censors in many scenes. Tom Ewell plays the part of Richard Sherman whose wife and kids leave for vacation for the summer but he stays behind and becomes tempted by his neighbor, played very well by Marilyn Monroe. His temptation and guilt lead into many funny situation and fantasies which make this a great comedy but very controversial for its time. one known image is of Marilyn's skirt going up which actually took over 40 takes because she kept forgetting lines so the public really got to enjoy themselves. The dvd has an episode of AMC's show BACKSTORY showing the making of this movie and the trouble it took to put out one of the best comedies of all time. It also shows a screen test by a very young Walter Matthau who Wilder wanted to use as Richard but was deemed by the producers to be too unknown at the time so he took Tom Ewell who originated the role on the stage. Marilyn went through a lot of depression during the filming.
Flicker (2008): This is my documentary for the week which takes a look at artist Brion Gysin who invented the "dream machine". It focuses on the hypnotic effects it has had on many people including rock star Iggy Pop. Many say it gives you a non-drug hallucinogenic feel. It also gives a pretty good insight into Brion Gysin and the work he put into his invention. This was a pretty decent documentary that I found on the free speech network.
Dahmer (2002): I found this one on IFC. Jeremy Renner plays the title character of Jeffrey Dahmer who most of us know was a known serial killer in Wisconsin. This movie was based on the police reports done so a lot of it is rather fictional. It shows moments in his life when he was a very lonely man who lured young men into his home only for them to be his next victim. It also goes in some good flashbacks when he has a dysfuntional relationship with his father, played by Bruce Davison, and what lead up to his first killing. This is more of a character study and if you want a big gorefest, this is not it. It really does not focus on his crimes but more on his life though there are some very disturbing scenes.
Mary, Mother of Jesus (1999): I now pay tribute to Eunice Kennedy-Shriver who was the executive producer of this tv movie based on the Virgin Mary. She is the sister of the late Ted Kennedy who died 15 days before he did not getting nearly as much publicity so is also the sister of JFK and RFK. She is also the mother of Maria Shriver who is married to Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 1968, she founded the Special Olympics which has become quite a big deal and is a great thing for the mentally disabled (is that too politically incorrect). In 1998, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and now let's get to the movie. Penilla August plays the title character in her late years. Melinda Kinnaman plays the young Mary who is portrayed as quite an activist and it leads into her becoming the "chosen one" by god and giving birth to our savior Jesus Christ. Christian Bale plays Jesus in this movie and gives an interesting portrayal of him. This came right before AMERICAN PSYCHO what I feel was his breakthrough into the mainstream but he did some pretty good movies before that though so please take nothing away from that statement. Many may not like this or how Mary was portrayed but it's not like they portrayed her as some mean person, just someone who stands up for what's right but some may not agree.
Great Balls of Fire (1989): This is my tribute to guitar legend Les Paul, who has a song called LOVER which was performed here. He is the inventor of the Solid-body electric guitar getting him into the National Inventor's hall of fame in 2005. He also has a very expensive brand of guitar called the Les Paul guitars. He is known for his many innovations with the guitar and was inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame. For all the guitarists out there, go ahead and idolize your Jimi Hendrix's and Jimmy Page's but he is owed a lot for what is out there today and now onto the movie. I go from a biopic of Mary to one of bad-boy rocker Jerry Lee Lewis who is played very well by Dennis Quaid. This takes place during his rise in the 50s and his near-fall for what is known by many as the first rock 'n roll scandal when he marries his 13 year old cousin Myra who is played very believably by Winona Ryder. Alec Baldwin plays his evangelical cousin Jimmy Swaggart who hated the lifestyle and the type of music that Lewis sang. Lewis did his own singing in the movie but Quaid did some of the piano playing. Lewis had a career that probably could have been much bigger had the scandal not happened like Paul is owed a lot for his piano playing and incorporating it into rock music. This movie is based on the book written by Myra Lewis, his wife, which Jerry hated as well as this movie.
Strange Impersonation (1946): This is my tribute to actress Ruth Ford who plays Jane Karaski who has a very small part but very important for the story. She is the goddaughter of Orson Welles and did some work at the Orson Welles Mercury Theater. She is a former fashion model and acted into the mid-80s before leaving the acting scene. I have no information on why or what she did afterwards and now to the movie. I was not sure what to expect here and enjoyed this b-movie film-noir far more than what I thought. Brenda Marshall plays Nora who is about to get a scientific break-through but her partner Arline, played by Hilary Brooke, is jealous of Nora's fiance and plans an experiment-gone-wrong which leaves Nora disfigured leading into her revenge. The Karaski character that Ford plays is very important to her scheme. The story flows very well but the ending seemed like one of those forced endings that the censorship board forced upon them but other than that, it leads to a great conclusion before the one that should not have been made. I found this on Netflix.
Baby, Take a Bow (1934): I end with Shirley Temple's first starring and feature role where she is the daughter of ex-con Eddie Ellison, played by James Dunn. Eddie really wants to go straight but finds it is really hard but his great daughter Shirley makes it easier. Claire Trevor plays his accepting wife and daughter of Shirley. Shirley then stands up for her father when his former crime associates try to get him back in. This is not her best but something worth checking out and a good musical number sung by Shirley and James Dunn ON ACCOUNT-A I LOVE YOU is a great song and dance number.
0 comments
Post a Comment