Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Bambi B on May 20, 2004 at 16:21:23

In Reply to: For the most part I agree with your awards...I do have a few comments though... posted by TWB on May 20, 2004 at 14:40:30:

TWB,

Thank you for your comments.

A couple of responses:

Lewis: there is no doubt we are dealing with a smart, complex personality and as you mention, and he used his fame for very good causes. But, even as a tiny child, thre was something that annoyed me- perhaps it's becuase smart people imitating idiots seemed skewed- I don't know. Somewhere in this thread, I mentioned a client who knew Lewis well over 25 years who made the remarkable remark that Buddy Love was the closest character to Lewis' real life character!

Cruise: Yes, as in all rules there are serious exceptions and I acknowledge Cruise as a hard worker. But then there is one of the most annoying movies I can think of, "Top Gun" to return me to despair.

Liza: I don't doubt her abilities to put on a show for a minute and I think that her best movie role was "Cabaret" where she gets to do that throughout. But, Liza in the movies and as a husband beating celebrity grates on me, especially her maudlin sentimentality.

Years ago a client had Tony Bennett perform at their Christmas party while they were renting Charo's (I forgot her on the list)house and though I never liked that style, Bennett was such a wonderful personal performer I was bowled over. As you suggest, seeing someone in person can make all the difference. I also never liked Barbara Streisand, but I met her in a restaurant in Malibu (through the interior deigner we were both using) and she was completely different in person than her media fueled persona is presented.

Chevalier: Same as for Jolson, I think that he just stayed tuned to a broad old-fashioned music hall style that is not on my frequency. And I believe Patrick that he did well in certian circumstances. But with Jolson, I just can't conceive of any period in which he would be entertaining. that half-speaking-half singing style- well your chalkboard analogy is the best one.

James Dean: He did have a great inner angst that made "Rebel" interesting- and what thinking person didn't object to 50's American Cold war conformity? And he was quite amazing in "Giant" where he went to shite kicker to Citizen Kane. But, the legend building is just too much- as you say from 4 movies. I have often passed the place on HWY 46 in Central California where he met his end and I like to pass the big granite monument at 120MPH as a tribute.

Marilyn: Again many great roles and a wonderful persona, but enough speculation and obsession already- it's been 42 years! if seh were alive today she would be 78- that's food for thought!

I knew an architect in Los Angeles years ago that had also owned a kind of high end interior design store and Monroe bought a big Persian rug from him only a couple of months before her death. The architect told me she seemed so low and listless that he took her to dinner to try anfd cheers her up. He jokingly proposed to her and she accepted in a way he thought was semi-serious!

Garland: Yes, I feel for her tragedy too though I don't know the details. I am not by any means a fan of the Rooney movies, and her last years when she gained weght and lost her colour were pitiful to watch. But she had great entertainer's instincts- and early on the voice had quite a power.

Star Wars: Yes, of course eventually I'll see it to see how it all gets matched up to Episode 4, but if everyone stands around in rooms gabbing about contrived Galactic politics as in Episode 2, I'll wait for it to appear on the Television machine. Also, Anarkin in II goes backk to find his mother years later. If his mother was living all those years as a slave- why hadn't he come back earlier and used his powers to free her? He had to ask the flying junk seller where hshe was sold to! Mum abuse! The next one had better be good or Lucas' principle filmed legacy will be in the rubbish bin- and he'll only have a few billion Dollars to show for all that effort.

Batman too had better find a new track. The constant change of the Batman actor is in my opinion on a great mistake as the viewer can't be expected to care about just whoever shows up in the rubber suit. The Val Kilmer Robin episode was high on my annoying list too- my attorney went on about this railed against what he characterized as thinly supressed homosexuality, but I think that was just his pique with the whole thing. I was just simultaneously bored and had no sympatico with anybody present. I have to admit I haven't seen the entire movie. At least the Burton version had some interest to the character and was not a new violent image from a new POV every 1/8th second. I would enjoy a new Batman that had some of the insight and personlity that the first Spiderman had. Superheroes shown learning and growing into resposibility and a larger humanity could inspire us rather than just assualt us with over-edited CG violence.

There is hope for Hollywood, if they could take their eyes off the bottom line for three seconds.

Cheers,

Bambi B