Song Only: Smoke Gets in Your Eyes – The Platters

This film was a remake of another old WWII fav or mine “A Man Named Joe” with Spencer Tracy- an actor that I love and vow to own or tape everything he every made. Spielberg updated the story for 1989 and made it his own. It’s wonderful.

My perfect fantasy of romance is a combination of what the two quirky-funny-sweet characters Pete and Dorinda have. The charisma between Dreyfuss and Hunter is off the charts. The whole cast is great as seen in scenes here:

There are some scenes I can’t find online, one of which is Dorinda whispering in her sleep. She just says grocery list words………eggs……butter…..mayonnaise… while Pete stares at her in his intense, sexy sweet way while smiling. You watch this scene and know these two are made for each other and very content. But it’s really their humor – silliness & sense of fun that speaks to my own heart very deeply – as this is the type of relationship I’ve never had – but always…..wanted.

If you missed this film – made in 1989 – watch Always ~it never gets old – go check it out.

The Cohen brothers are one of my favorite movie makers. They’ve done it again with this one – one that I’ll watch again to find tidbits – too much to chew on viewing only once as usual. Probably the best review was done here:
Roger Ebert’s review

Great choice of a rabbi to cast the “walowitz” character from Big Bang Theory. Everyone cast seems just perfect. Was everyone “high” in 1967?
I loved going back in their (my own as well) world of wall paneling and Avocado green, horrible clashing prints, cars with tail fins & transistor radios. This was a true celebration of that era, that and plus the twisted way the Cohen bros. makes this an anti-pretty MAD MEN look. Fabulous!
And hilarious.

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

While “Death Proof” still remains my all time favorite Tarantino film,  most of his are always always memorable even if I mildly liked it. This one was pretty good for me. The photography, camera angles, were great ~ such an artist.
The fact he wrote this stuff and had 3 (or was it 4?) different languages goin on amazes me. *head spins*

Christoph Waltz was as mesmerizing as Hans Landa. Seriously I see why he won a Golden Globe.

My favorite scene was Christoph and Denis Menochet (fabulous to watch this guy too) in the countryside in the farm scene. I’ve replayed my tape of this three times.
They had light beamed down onto the kitchen table (go rewatch – this is awesome) ~  light bounces up to the two character’s faces – making the tension even more papable plus creating a beautiful almost painting effect.  As the two characters are talking,  you the viewer feel more and more tension knowing people are hidden under the floorboards,  all the while you see a tranquil back drop of the country kitchen and hear cows, birds chirping and are watching a quiet scene knowing soon……well….. (no spoilers)  but that’s the brilliance of Tarantino.

You can google any Tarantino film and see fabulous art made from the stills.
Here’s the scene I was talking about:

His films have a look only he achieves.

I scoured the internet looking for some stills that made an impression on me. I ran across a few that stood out ~ If you’ve never watched a Tarantino film you’ll be surprised at the beauty but don’t be fooled ~ they are over-the-top violent.

Only publicity stills but I liked them better than anything I found with this character – Bridget von Hammersmark; a funny name that made me think he named this character combining Brigitte Bardot and Marlene Dietrich? Works for me. :]

Incredible shot. A man above the rather ugly charicature Hitler creating a gigantic realistic painting of the “real” Hitler. Cool perspective.

For anyone out there that likes this post and the images ~ help me find more. I’ll host them. I would love to find an image of the “eyes under the floorboards” from “the farm” scene.
Any other cool images from this film? – feel free to leave comments/links.

There are certain actors that for some magical reach middle age and also reach the peak of their talent at the same time. One of those people for me was always Bill H. Macy – but another is Stanley Tucci and he’s the subject of this writing.

This revelation came to me recently after watching Julie & Julia where he brilliantly plays Julia Child’s husband, partner and best friend, and the man who gave Julie her last name, Paul Child.

This scene from Julie/Julia shows the great chemistry and fabulous eye contact he possesses. He is one of those actors that really “connects” with the other actors all while being able to steal a scene.

Julie & Julia scene

Stanley was in Road to Perdition which is an all time favorite film of mine. He didn’t have a huge role but it was there I realized how his characters in films are always so well done, always making me think, wait- who is that again?  And he just keeps getting better.

I ran accross this Levi ad from the 80′s.  Omg – he’s fantastic looking. Can he act too?

501 ad

Then last night I watched “The Lovely Bones” directed by Peter Jackson. After I was blown away with Tucci in this film, I read review after review of why many critics didn’t like this film and I was stunned.  I liked it a lot, in fact compare it to “Little Children” (2006) in it’s creepy yet haunting and well acted story. “TL Bones” is creepy and fantasy-like at the same time. It’s a huge story and a wonderful book and hard to put on film. Ebert thought it was deplorable. Some critics say the film is all over the place.  All I can say is, the prose and horror at the same time is haunting. Tucci is brilliant. His eyes, his eyes, his eyes – he is unforgettable in this.

Interview-quick trailer-The Lovely Bones

And then I just read his wife had just died of cancer during the shooting of it.  Amazing.

Now I am off to look for Blind Date which Tucci stars and directs.

Just by seeing this I kinda love it already.

I just downloaded the haunting soundtrack by Clint Mansell (The Wrestler, The Fountain, Definitely Maybe)

This is a small movie that you have to look for. It only lasted one week at one of my local theatres, pushed out for more summer blockbusters. I found it online yesterday only to arrive at the threatre and it wasn’t posted as playing. After asking, it was there, hidden. About 20 people ended up inside which made us very happy – lots of elbow room.

I loved this and will buy and add it to my sci-fi collection. I liked Roger Ebert’s ( <-- click )review. The film goes beyond a good tale ( a nicely written one too) into deep questions about loneliness, isolation & morality. Sam Bell played by Sam Rockwell is fantastic. The gentle voice of Gerty is Kevin Spacey (whom became forever endeared to me after K-PAX which I've watched about 10 times) and he does a first rate job as the computer.

Some cool facts about this film: A. This is the first film by David Bowie’s son, Duncan Jones. Joey (real name) pursued a PhD degree at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee but left before completion to attend London Film School, where he graduated as a director. B. This film is going to be part of a trilogy. (You get that feel at the end of this one)

Duncan and David Bowie at premiere of Moon.

To hear one of my favorite tracks click here and listen on youtube. Very beautiful~
click here
When the violins start about half way I want to cry. ~

Billy Wilder is in my top 5 favorite directors. I mostly love his work in the mid to late 50′s but his earlier film noir work was brilliant as well. Double Indemnity was nominated for 7 Oscars and probably didn’t win due to the war where as the voters chose sentiment over murder between two lovers. Regardless, this film is a wonderful tribute to venetian blinds and early Los Angeles (where many noir films were born) aka mentions of several beloved L.A. landmarks.

I remember La Brea being mentioned, also Los Feliz. And of course the scene on top of the hill overlooking the Hollywood bowl complete with a real live performance was included. Billy uses L.A. as a character much like Woody Allen used New York in so many films.

I love the view from the Glendale street in the opening scenes where a Spanish style home is described as being a popular style about 10 years previous and the sum of 30 thousand made to sound like a million by today’s standards. This was 1944.

Fred MacMurray, very cool and handsome, smoked cigarettes in the macho sexy way men did in their day.
If you notice, there were at least two scenes where both McMurray and Edward G. both struck matches with their finger nails. My dad would have been proud. I recently watched Kate Winslet smoke nervously in Revolutionary Road and was once again struck by actors struggling with trying to look natural while they lite a cigarette. Then watch actors in the 40′s and 50′s and the effortless way without thinking way they held their smokes. No comparison. Doesn’t anyone study these films?

Barbara Stanwick was the perfect tough girl. Her sultry voice and great screen presence made a perfect vamp. The names are comic book-like. Even Walter Neff sounds geeky by today’s standards. I love the narration – a typical Billy Wilder trademark.

The movie begins as a narration while a man is dying and entering his murder confession into a newfangled gadget that records speech. What will they invent next?

I’ve always loved the last words Keyes says to Walter and the last scene in the film…..and Walter’s perfect reply.

Walter Neff: Know why you couldn’t figure this one, Keyes? I’ll tell ya. ‘Cause the guy you were looking for was too close. Right across the desk from ya.
Barton Keyes: Closer than that, Walter.

(pause while Keyes lights Walter’s cig)
Walter Neff: I love you, too.

[end]