For the love of film...

2008-07-04T09:56:00.002-05:00

This is quite a fascinating interview with Meryl Streep. She tells us why she was attracted to taking the role in her new film, Mamma Mia (a sweet story about her children post 9/11), how critic Pauline Kael hurt Streep with her comments, and the roles of women in cinema and society.

A legend lightens up

2008-07-04T09:52:00.003-05:00

Here is an interesting column on one of my favorite actors, William Holden. He may not have had the range of some of today's best actors, but what he did with some of his most significant roles was exemplary; Sunset Boulevard, Stalag 17 and one of my favorite films of all time, The Bridge on the River Kwai.

The poignant case for William Holden

A take-off on Adelaide's Lament from Guys and Dolls

2008-07-04T09:46:00.003-05:00

A comment at the Film Experience Blog:
Cengiz's Lament (in the style of Adelaide's Lament from Guys and Dolls) - Love it!

It says here:
The average unhappy movie-goer
Basically insecure
Due to some long frustration may react
With psychosomatic symptoms
Difficult to endure
Affecting the upper resperatory tract.

In other words, just from waiting around for that lovely little Joan Allen
A person can develop a cold.

You can give him wherever you figure where Jessica Alba lurk
You can give him a shot of Hillary Swank, but it just won't work
If he's tired of getting the fish eye from the Box Office clerk
A person can develop a cold.

It says here:
The movie-goer remaining unhappy
Just in the legal sense
Shows a neurotic tendancy, see note: (See note? OH!!! SEE NOTE)
Chronic organic symptoms
Toxic or hypertense
Involving the eye, the ear, the nose, and throat.

In other words, just from worrying if the Musical is on or off
A person can develop a cough.

You can feed her all day with the Horror A and the Comedies
But the medicine never gets anywhere near where the trouble is.
If he's itching to break into song and dance, but the beat's too tense
A person can develop a cough.

And furthur more, just from stalling, and stalling,
And stalling the movie trip
A person can develop la grippe.

When they finally get Michelle Pfeiffer
And he can hear church bells chime
The popcorn is extra buttered
And the mood sublime
Then they get off at Renee Zellwegger for the fourteenth time!
A person can develop la grippe,
La grippe.
La post nasal drip.
With the wheezes
And the sneezes
And a sinus that's really a pip!

From a lack of a good movie
And a feeling he's starting to mold
A person can develop a bad, bad cold!

That's what I want: Joan Allen, Musicals and Michelle Pfeiffer. And I sang for it.

Emma Thompson Tackles the Proust Questionnaire - Cinematical

2008-06-25T08:44:00.000-05:00

Emma Thompson Tackles the Proust Questionnaire - Cinematical

Best Web Sites for Movie Fans

2008-06-24T06:19:00.001-05:00

PC Magazine: Best Web Sites for movie fans

Alexander Mackendrick on Sweet Smell of Success

2008-06-18T08:24:00.003-05:00

Film In Focus: Alexander Mackendrick on Sweet Smell of Success -- Includes a PDF link in right column to the famous 21 Restaurant scene

Warren Beatty receives AFI Life Achievement Award

2008-06-17T10:33:00.003-05:00

LA Times - The Envelope: Warren Beatty receives AFI Life Achievement Award -- Beatty and fellow actors attend ceremony at Kodak Theatre for 36th annual award.

A longtime Democrat, Beatty was praised by former Sen. George McGovern for staging a huge political concert for his presidential campaign in 1972. "I know many good people across this land," McGovern said. "Warren is one of the greats."

Clinton received a long standing ovation late in the evening. He talked about meeting Beatty in 1972 when he was a campaign worker for McGovern and how Beatty helped Clinton sway a young woman's vote by taking a walk with her on the beach in Florida.

A personal note: I came close to meeting Beatty in 1972 when he spoke for McGovern at a rally near my home. His passion was inspiring.

Going, Gently or Otherwise, into That Good Night

2008-06-11T15:48:00.003-05:00

Oregon Live: Going, Gently or Otherwise, into That Good Night - Remembering the life of Paul Newman, who is suffering from lung cancer.

Rate The Classics

2008-06-10T13:53:00.000-05:00

Golden Age of Hollywood - Rate The Classics

Foster on Film

2008-06-09T15:56:00.001-05:00

Excellent site -- Foster on Film:

Films With Limited Release Find a Home on the Web

2008-06-09T06:44:00.001-05:00

NY Times: Films With Limited Release Find a Home on the Web

LOS ANGELES —The nonprofit Tribeca Film Institute in New York is joining Amazon.com to create a digital marketplace for films and videos that have been stuck in archives with limited circulation or have been otherwise unavailable through conventional retail and Web outlets.

The service, called Reframe, is expected to become active on Monday through an Internet site, reframecollection.org, the institute’s representatives said

Bill Nighy reads

2008-06-07T10:27:00.000-05:00

Film related - a favorite actor - Bill Nighy reads Animal Farm on BB7 Radio

BFI Tribute to Lean

2008-06-07T09:36:00.001-05:00

The BFI's page for thier upcoming tribute to Lean

David Lean, with his glamorous, beautiful worlds, is my hero

2008-06-07T09:32:00.002-05:00

UK Times on line: David Lean, with his glamorous, beautiful worlds, is my hero

On the eve of a BFI retrospective of the great film-maker David Lean, Joe Wright, the director of Atonement, pays tribute to his cinematic idol

[ed note]: He is mine as well. I have watched Lawrence of Arabia more times than I can count, and find something new in it each time.

It led me to read Lawrence's autobiography, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and now even my three year old grandson loves to watch the film for the camel, the "Hut! Hut!" and Laurence getting thrown off.

The Drive- In Theater Turns 75

2008-06-07T09:29:00.001-05:00

The Wired.com - Gallery: The Drive-In Theater Turns 75 - By Wired.com Photo Department

To celebrate the Drive-In's 75th birthday, we asked readers to submit their favorite drive-in photos from around the country. The now-dwindling venues have come to represent an American era of coveted cars and mesmerizing movies. Click through to see our favorite reader-submitted drive-in photos, from California to New Jersey.

Learning lessons from the Universal Studios Fire

2008-06-03T10:57:00.002-05:00

The Guardian UK: David Thomson -- Learning lessons from the Universal Studios fire -- Hollywood is brutal in the way it destroys its past to look to its future

The Road

2008-05-27T12:11:00.001-05:00

The NY Times: Terrific "on the road" article on filming Cormac McCarthy's "The Road."

2008-05-24T10:54:00.000-05:00

For my favorite actor, Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe

Born in New Zealand, Russell has made his home in Australia since he was...

Sent from BlueOrganizer

Trailer for The Edge of Love

2008-05-15T10:45:00.002-05:00

Trailer for The Edge of Love at Cinematical - Keira Knightley, Cillian Murphy, Sienna Miller as Caitlin Thomas, Matthew Rhys (Brothers and Sisters) as Dylan Thomas

Hollywood's top stars face devaluing of A-list currency

2008-05-02T06:17:00.000-05:00

The Hollywood Reporter: Hollywood's top stars face devaluing of A-list currency

Robert Stephens

2008-04-26T08:09:00.004-05:00

In Taste of Honey
Wonderful quote -- On connections between actors: "Chemistry? Chemistry? We're actors, not bloody pharmacists." - Halliwell's Filmgoers Companion

Been Up, Been Down. Now? Super.

2008-04-19T08:50:00.001-05:00

The NY Times, Dave Carr: Robert Downey -- Been Up, Been Down. Now? Super.

Before The Devil knows You're Dead

2008-04-17T06:55:00.004-05:00

Run, don't walk to rent "Before The Devil Knows You're Dead." Sydney Lumet's twisty, devastating thriller stars a great Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, Rosemary Harris and Marisa Tomai. The 84 year old master director still has the touch!

NY Times Review HERE

Studios turn to books, magazines

2008-04-17T06:54:00.000-05:00

Variety: Studios turn to books, magazines -- Majors in hot pursuit of new scripts

Roger Ebert on Charlton Heston, Richard Widmark

2008-04-13T09:12:00.002-05:00

The Chicago Sun-Times: Roger Ebert on Charlton Heston, Richard Widmark

Widmark stayed within a narrower, more realistic range. He told me in 1968 he treasured his work with the great John Ford in "Cheyenne Autumn" (1964) and "Two Rode Together" (1961). "I'm glad I got him as a director at all," he said almost wistfully. We were speaking at the time of the ascendency of James Bond, and he defended his own pure, straight-ahead film noir: "I have this kind of nostalgia for crime films," he said. "I think we've about exhausted the fancy angles and trick cigarette lighters. Hollywood developed the crime film almost into an art over the years, and it hurt me to see all that work thrown away on spoofs and put-ons."

Not quite dead -- See LA Confidential - My pages