> >Joseph>I echoed the same sentiments, however, I thought Lily Tomlin > >was the stand-out. Has she ever won an Oscar in the past? She is so > >underrated. I > >heard that she had this SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE filmed but I > >don't know where to look for this. THE PLAYER is really Hollywood at its > >gutter-worst and I love the way Altman skewered just about anyone. I > >thought the ensemble cast in THE PLAYER is as ideal and as the cast in THE > >HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS is as disappointing (all were miscast in my opinion > >except Glenn Close who was nearly incandescent as Ferula). > > Franklin> I'm unfamiliar with the "Search For Signs", but vaguely > recall hearing the name from somewhere?? If you learn more, kindly > share. As to the rest - agreed.
I had the pleasure of seeing 'The Search For Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe: A Cosmic Soup Opera' in Seattle when Lily was testing it out before taking it to New York. One of the funniest, most intelligent, well written pieces I have ever seen. Lily and Jane Wagner really created an extraordinary comment on modern life with this one. Populated with wonderfully drawn characters, all played by Lily the chameleon Tomlin (What does a chameleon see when it looks in a mirror? Another mirror!) and full of pointed and funny observations on the foibles of humanity. I have a hardcover copy of the script around somewhere. I think it was filmed so if you run across it, get it. It's well worth seeing. > > >Joseph>And don't get me started in GOSFORD PARK. I thought it was > >brilliant and although some people say that nominating GP is > >recognition enough, I think > >its even better than my favorite IN THE BEDROOM. The camera angles, pans, > >the superb born-to-play-their parts cast were as inch-perfect as the > >people who inhabited that world in the not-too-distant past. I thought > >Ryan Philippe is a disaster waiting to happen but I was pleasantly > >surprised he pulled it off (peripherally related: Reese Witherspoon's > >performance in THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST was lovely and her accent > >was not to be faulted but I have this wish that I want to see someone else > >play her role -- an English woman along the likes of Kate Beckinsale). > > Franklin> Calling all "period" film buffs: GO SEE/RENT "GOSFORD > PARK", two or three times if necessary (you won't be alone) - ah, > nuance and it's subtle,baffling, alluring attractions! To Colin I will say that if you left before the last hour of 'Gosford Park', you missed the best part of the movie, imo. I like Altman too and I liked 'Gosford Park' but I thought it was a tad too long on exposition. It took way too long to get to the murder for my taste. Helen Mirren doesn't really get a chance to shine until the very end. Emily Watson is great and Maggie Smith is as well. Alan Bates is almost unrecognizable and gives a brilliant performance. M*A*S*H was the first R-rated movie I ever saw at the tender age of 16. It was at the United Artists theatre in Chicago. What a funny, biting film! And I agree that the television series doesn't begin to compare. And I don't 'get' Alan Alda either. I love 'Nashville' although I find the ending to be very upsetting. I'd like to hear anybody's thoughts on it. Why Barbara Jean? I loved Barbara Harris in this movie. And some of the songs that the actors wrote are a hoot! To me this one is the prime example of Altman's ability to weave a multitude of stories and characters together. 'Short Cuts' comes close to being as successful on that level although there are some things about that movie that I didn't like at all. I thought some of the female nudity was gratuitous. But I loved seeing Annie Ross! She must have done something to make her voice so raw in that one. When I saw her with Jon Hendricks a few years ago, she didn't sound anything like that! 'The Player' really does do a wonderful job of skewering the Hollywood star-maker machinery. I saw the re-constructed 'Touch of Evil' a year or so ago (re-edited using Orson Welles' written instructions) and the long beginning shot in that movie kinda dwarfs Altman's beginning of 'The Player', imo. Another one I love is 'Cookie's Fortune'. Kind of a different one for Altman. Tells a pretty straight-forward, albeit quirky, story. It was great to see Patricia Neal onscreen and Glenn Close and Julianne Moore were both fun to watch. I was in a production of 'Salome' in college (played Jokannon aka John the Baptist) so the church production that Glenn Close's character directs was especially funny for me. I'll have to > check out "In the Bedroom" if only because of the personal status you > assign it. Also, have yet to see "The Importance of Being Earnest", > though several friends whose taste and talents I respect highly have > also recommended it as a "must see". It's now on the list of TTD > (things to do). > And speaking of Oscar Wilde, I played a butler in this one back in college! This is a delightful, perfectly cast version of the play. Dame Judy as Lady Bracknell, Colin Firth as Jack/Ernest, Rupert Everett as Algernon, Reese Witherspoon as Cecily - what better actors to play these parts? The same producers did 'An Ideal Husband' a few years ago and it was also wonderful. Rupert Everett seems to be the perfect modern-day mouthpiece for Oscar Wilde. And Julianne Moore and Cate Blanchett are two of the most talented actresses of this generation, imo. > > > Franklin> Judy Davis! What a gal! She was amazing playing Judy Garland in 'Life With Judy Garland', a tv movie that was adapted from Lorna Luft's book. She was also pretty convincing as Lillian Hellman in 'Hellman and Hammett'. Much as I hate to say it, she was probably a lot closer to what the real Hellman was like than Jane Fonda was in 'Julia', much as I love that particular movie. Judy was also good as George Sand in 'Impromptu'. I wonder if she likes playing parts based on real people's lives? > > That is why some of the most popular actors, who are lauded as being > "great" have spotty filmmatic experiences - the real creative force, > standing between a horrible, mediocre (arguably worse than horrible) > and outstanding performance is the Director... Although I think what you say is true with some actors, I do think there are truly brilliant people who can sometimes transcend the material they have to work with and even a mediocre or bad director. Meryl Streep comes to mind as does Bette Davis. I watched the HBO film 'Wit' last weekend which is practically a one-woman tour-de-force from Emma Thompson. I was amazed by that performance. I haven't seen Russell Crowe in too many movies but he seems to be another actor with true brilliance. Daniel Day-Lewis also comes to mind. Sir Anthony Hopkins has played everything from Richard the Lionheart to Hannibal the Cannibal to Richard 'Tricky Dicky' Nixon (not to mention Titus Andronicus) and scored high marks in each of those roles. Speaking of 'Titus', Jessica Lange is another truly fine actress, imo. I love movies. Maybe I don't discuss them quite as in depth as Franklin & Joseph but I love to talk about them. Mark E. in Seattle
