Welcome to the 208th Edition of my blog which is also the FOUR YEAR ANNIVERSARY. I cannot believe I have stuck to this for so long. After years of trying to watch all the movies on AFI's top 100 lists, I came up with an idea to actually put out a blog of ten different movies. I can't really write a detailed review like some so I came up with this and it has come a long way. I rack my brain each week trying to come up with what I want in the blog but having people read it is worth it. I want to thank many people like Jerry, Jeremy the Critic, Shelley, Elizabeth, Royce, the Critic Wannabe, Mitch, Tony D, Tony F, Ben, Freddie, Jenny, Jeff, Clifford, filmarcade.com, and many others. This week, I pay tribute to August Coppola (Nicolas Cage's father). I also have two selections from the Random Myspace Profile selection process, next week will have three, possibly four.
Monty Python: Almost the Truth- The Lawyer's Cut (2009): This was a six-part documentary that was recently on the IFC channel which has the five surviving Python members reflecting on their time with Monty Python from their times before they formed the group, to their groundbreaking tv shows, and into their rise in film. This is a very informative and entertaining documentary which shows a lot of clips. I guess if you don't like them, then you won't like this min-series. It also has other actors, comedians and various other people who were fans of them to reflect on their times. This is also available on Netflix.
Fatal Attraction (1987): Michael Douglas stars as Dan Gallagher who has a good job, a good wife and a cute daughter but when the family leaves and he is home alone, he takes on an affair with a seemingly nice woman named Alex Forrest, played very well by Glenn Close. Dan pretty much forgets the affair but Alex sure does not and will do whatever she must to get back the man she loves. Alex is clearly crazy and goes about her anger the wrong way but Dan was not the most likable person himself. However, his wife and daughter were innocent in the whole thing and were very good to him. This was a great stalker film directed by Adrian Lyne. It brought back memories for me when the daughter is watching the Nickelodeon classic YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON TELEVISION.
Up in Smoke(1978): This is a selection from the Random Myspace Profile selection process and for this one I chose my myspace friend Tabitha. This is the debut film for the comedy duo of Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong and become unknowing members of a marijuana smuggling plot where they have a van made of hemp. This one is considered by me and most other people to be the best of the Cheech and Chong films and has music numbers sung by Cheech Marin. Stacy Keach plays the incompetant detective trying to stop the smuggling. Tom Skerritt has an interesting part in the beginning. This was a great drug movie with the big joint, the meeting of Cheech and Chong and the great finale. They were really two people trying to pursue a music career.
Adaptation. (2002): This is my tribute to Nicolas Cage whose father August Coppola recently passed away. I maintain that Nicolas Cage is good at what he does but just not always making the right choices but this was the right choice. Spike Jonze directed this movie which I didn't like as much as I did BEING JOHN MALKOVICH but still enjoyed this very much. Nicolas Cage plays real-life screenwriter Charlie Kaufman who is struggling to adapt a screenplay of the novel THE ORCHID THIEF written by author Susan Orlean. Meryl Streep plays Orlean where we see her interest in plant collector John Laroche, played very well by the underrated Chris Cooper, who Orlean wants to write a book about. We switch between the struggles of Kaufman who turns to his twin brother Donald, also played by Cage, for help. We then see Susan and John together with their attempts at her novel. They soon encounter each other where unexpected things occur and the things Charlie did not want in his screenplay actually happen to him in his struggles. There really is no better way to explain this complicated plot where the real screenplay was actually written by none other than Charlie Kaufman and his fictional twin brother Donald. Co-stars of the movie include Tilda Swinton, Cara Seymour, Doug Jones, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ron Livingston, Brian Cox, among other unexpected cameos. Much of the characters in the film are real people and Susan Orlean actually makes a cameo in the film. This does require a lot of attention but was quite worth it to me.The Love Bug (1968): This is part of the Random Myspace Profile Selection process and for this one I chose Andrew. This is a racing movie that centers around washed up racer named Jim Douglas, played by Dean Jones, who just can't win who then finds a car that seems to have a mind of its own and he begins to win races believing that it is him winning instead of the car. Buddy Hackett is funny as Tennessee who is Jim's mechanic who sees that the car has human qualities which he then names Herbie. David Tomlinson plays Thorndyke who does what he can to get that car and stop Jim from winning the race. Michelle Lee plays Thorndyke's employee and love interest to Jim. This is a live action Disney film which had a car that was really snubbed an Oscar nomination which I felt the Academy discriminated just because he was a car. If you never thought cars had feelings, think again.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931): I found this adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic on TCM and watched it for the Horror Movie Madness again so I was glad to see this one come up. Fredric March plays the title characters in this one in the classic story where Dr. Jekyll wants to prove that in every person is a good side and evil side and believes that he can expose the good side to make people much better. He wanted to experiment on someone but no one volunteered so he tries it on himself becoming the evil Mr. Hyde and does things that Jekyll would not do. Rose Hobart plays Muriel Carew which is Jekyll's fiancee but her father is finding him hard to approve for his daughter. Miriam Hopkins is good as Nightclub singer Ivy Pierson who Mr. Hyde targets for many reasons. The Mr. Hyde persona was done very well where he was very scary looking and March did a good job playing both people. There was also some very good special effects that still look pretty good in a time when computers did not exist and no one had CGI. This movie was made a little before the Hollywood code came around and got away with a lot but would later get some things cut like a lot of Hopkins' work. This is a very good adaptation of the classic and is worth a view.
The Full Monty (1997): I found this great British comedy on IFC which stars Robert Carlyle as unemployed steel worker Gaz who is able to form a group of five other people unemployed to do a one-night strip show to make money and for him to pay alimony. What adds to the comedy is that these are six men that are pretty out-of-shape that are planning to go all the way. This has been written as a musical which I have not seen yet. Tom Wilkinson also co-stars as one of the six. This was a very well-done comedy
The Badlands (1958): I found this western variation on THE ASPHALT JUNGLE on TCM. Alan Ladd and Ernest Borgnine star as a couple of ex-cons just released from prison. Ladd plays the Dutchman who wants revenge on the people who had him falsely imprisoned and Ernest Borgnine plays McBain who wants to go straight but finds it is not easy. McBain reluctantly joins the Dutchman in his scheme to steal gold. This was a pretty decent low-budget western with Borgnine great in his role.
Animal Factory (2000): I end the Four-Year Anniversary with this independent prison drama directed by Steve Buscemi. This is a novel written by Edward Bunker who some may remember as Mr. Blue in RESERVOIR DOGS and even has a cameo in this movie as well as director Buscemi. Edward Furlong stars as Ron, a 21 year old going to prison for marijuana charges and finds that prison is not an easy place to survive. Willem Dafoe plays a long-time inmate named Earl who takes Ron under his wing and even protects him some. This movie has quite an independent all-star cast with a bit part from Mickey Rourke where he plays a cross-dressing inmate named Jan the Actress which was a pretty good performance. Tom Arnold even has an interesting role which diverts from his usual. Other people in this film include Danny Trejo, Seymour Cassel, Mark Boone Junior, and many others. This is a pretty moving film about prison which really works with the friendship between Furlong and Dafoe.
Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you love and what you hate and stay tuned for next week which features zombies, multiple personality disorder, baseball.
FUN LITTLE FACTS
Dan Aykroyd (Monty Python) plays Boolie in the 1989 film DRIVING MISS DAISY. My Facebook friend Judy played Boolie's mother and title character Daisy in a production at the Muncie Civic Theater in the 90s.
Dan Aykroyd (Monty Python) is apparently filming DOROTHY OF OZ where he will be the Scarecrow. My Facebook friend Corey played the Scarecrow in a Muncie Civic Theater production. Other friends in this production include Marty, Ryan, Lindsey, Gary, Lisa, Katie, Missy, Lauren, my mom Ruth Ann, and I'm sorry if I miss anyone.
John Cleese (Monty Python) plays R but later known Q in the later part of the Pierce Brosnan era of James Bond and hopefully in the Daniel Craig era at some point. Robert Carlyle plays the nearly indestructable villain Renard in the 1999 James Bond film THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH.
John Cleese (Monty Python) plays Sherlock Holmes in a 1973 episode of COMEDY PLAYHOUSE called ELEMENTARY, MY DEAR WATSON. My Facebook friend Sean played his rival Professor Moriarty in a Muncie Civic Theater version.
Eric Idle (Monty Python) played Drosselmeier in the 2004 animated film THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSEKING. I played the role in a version at Cornerstone Center For the Arts in Muncie which also featured my facebook friends Kelsey, Esther, Marisa, Kendall, and Chris.
Eddie Izzard (Monty Python) does the voice for Reepicheep in the 2008 film THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN. Tilda Swinton plays the White Witch in that and the 2005 THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE.
MARVEL FRANCHISE
-Tim Roth (Monty Python) plays Emil Blonsky in the 2008 film THE INCREDIBLE HULK who was the Hulk's rival and has a big showdown at the end.
-Nicolas Cage (Adaptation) plays the title character in the 2007 film GHOST RIDER and apparently working on a sequel.
-Doug Jones (Adaptation) plays the Silver Surfer in the 2007 film FANTASTIC 4: THE RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER and is apparently in the works for a movie for the Silver Surfer.
-Willem Dafoe (Animal Factory) plays the villain Green Goblin in the 2002 film SPIDER-MAN.
-Mickey Rourke (Animal Factory) plays the villain Jigsaw in the upcoming sequel to IRON MAN.
RESERVOIR DOGS FRANCHISE
-Tim Roth (Monty Python) plays Mr. Orange
-Steve Buscemi (Animal Factory) plays Mr. Pink
-Edward Bunker (Animal Factory) plays Mr. Blue
Meryl Streep (Adaptation) was at one time considered for the role of Alex Forrest in this week's feature FATAL ATTRACTION which would ultimately go to Glenn Close. They are good friends.
Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction) does the vocie Mary Todd Lincoln in the 1992 tv documentary LINCOLN. My facebook friend Jessica played the role in a high school production years ago which takes place after the assassination of her husband Abraham Lincoln.
Tom Skerritt (up in Smoke) plays the role of Duke Forrest in the 1970 film MASH. My Facebook friend Thom played the part in a production at Lee's Theatrical Productions. Other Myspace and Facebook friends in our production include Sam, Bill, Wes, Rhonda, Ben, Kellin, Kayla, Sammy, Ashley, Chad, and Trevor.
John Cleese (Monty Python), Eddie Izzard (Monty Python), John Cusack (Adaptation uncredited) and Steve Buscemi (Animal Factory) were in the 2008 film IGOR.
JEKYLL/HYDE franchise
-John Malkovich plays Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the 1996 film MARY REILLY
-Fredric March plays the parts in the 1931 feature film of the week.
-My facebook friend Matt played the role in last year's version at Muncie Civic Theater of JEKYLL AND HYDE: THE MUSICAL
-Rose Hobart (Jekyll and Hyde) plays Muriel Carew in this week's 1931 feature. My Facebook friend Katie plays the equivalent Emma Carew in the musical version.
-Miriam Hopkins (Jekyll and Hyde) plays Ivy Pierson in this week's 1931 feature. My Facebook friend Nikki played Lucy which is the same character with a different name in the musical version.
-Edgar Norton (Jekyll and Hyde) plays Poole, Dr. Jekyll's servant, in the this week's 1931 feature. My Facebook friend Joe played the part in musical version.
-Halliwell Hobbes plays General Carew, The father of Muriel, in this week's 1931 feature. My Facebook friend Bob played the equivalent Sir Danvers Carew in the musical version.
-Other Facebook friends in last year's JEKYLL AND HYDE: THE MUSICAL at Muncie Civic Theater that were chorus or played characters not in the 1931 film include Edward, Lisa, Neil, my mom Ruth Ann, Julia, Bethany, Melissa, Jeff S., Kathy, and Jeff R. Sorry if I missed anyone
John Malkovich (Adaptation uncredited) was considered for the role of the Green Goblin in the 2002 film SPIDER-MAN that would ultimately go to Willem Dafoe (Animal Factory)
Nicolas Cage (Adaptation) was originally cast as Randy "The Ram" Robinson in the 2008 film THE WRESTLER but backed out and the part would ultimately go to Mickey Rourke (Animal Factory) who would go onto be nominated for his first Academy Award. Thank you Nic as I am seriously grateful for your decision.
Buddy Hacket (Love Bug) plays Marcellus in the 1962 film THE MUSIC MAN. My Facebook friend Marty played the part in a production at Muncie Civic Theater.
Fredric March (Jekyll and Hyde) plays Mark Twain in the 1944 film THE ADVENTURES OF MARK TWAIN. My Facebook friend Gary played the part in the recent musical BIG RIVER at the Muncie Civic Theater
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