Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon

Sean Penn having a humorous moment. I used to joke that when I asked to Photograph Sean Penn that he didn't try to knock me out. (There was this incident he had with a photographer back in the 90's, he is really a nice guy) Actors are human and they too have bad days.

Six degrees of separation - Studies are now showing we are getting closer and closer in degrees of separation. With the social media people have a bigger chance of becoming friends with those of other people. In some cases it could be a good thing as we discover we have more in common than we originally thought.

A few months ago, Kevin Bacon was on Pierce Morgan and he was talking about how many degrees he was away from Kevin Bacon up until the point that he was on the show. I began thinking about how many degrees I was from Kevin Bacon. Orginally I thought I was two degrees from Kevin Bacon, but I’m actually one degree from Kevin Bacon.

Back in the late 90’s when I was doing the Seattle Film Festival, I met and photographed Sean Penn and his wife Robin Wright Penn. Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon starred in Mystic River. My other connection with Kevin Bacon was when I met Ron Eldard and Julianna Margulies. They met while working on ER and were secretly dating. Ron Eldard starred with Kevin Bacon in Sleepers.

That’s my little Hollywood tidbit for the day. LOL.

I’m thinking about doing some entries on the celebrities I’ve met, befriended, photographed and hung out with, and the Hollywood/Movie experience from 1978 to 2005 which was the last time I was a part of any production.

Vampires

I wouldn't say I'm a big fan of the Twilight series, but I do like vampire movies and I have added the first three films to my collection. I'm not one to go to the theater to see the films especially since they are so popular. The chance of going to a quiet theater are rather slim.

I guess the first vampire movie that really scared me and changed my perception was Blacula. The premise was interesting and when I got older and watched the films they were rather campy, but black people make some scary monsters. LOL.

Scream Blacula Scream was a better film, but I'm partial to it because it starred Pam Grier.

I'll watch the first three Twilight films this weekend. Whenever I buy the next film in any series I go back and start from the beginning. The last two films seems interesting and I like that each sequel is better than the previous one.

I have quite a few vampire films in my collection including the series Kindred: The Embrace which was only on for one season when the lead vampire died in real life.

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J. Edgar

I've been a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio since I first saw him on Growing Pains. His big breakout role was the mentally disabled kid in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Most child actors when they come out with such a great role at such a young age its hard to maintain that status. It's like a drug addict trying to relive that first high.

Leonardo worked with some big stars and when he did Basketball Diaries it just blew me away. I didn't think he would ever be able to top that performance. I was write up until he did the film, The Departed. Before this it was hard to see him as an adult actor. His boyish looks didn't make it believeable. I understand how looking young can have good a bad points. People tend to only see the exterior. So, when he did Revolutionary Road I was hoping it would be a better film, but I was disappointed. Now with J. Edgar this is the film that should finally allow Leonardo DiCaprio to join the Oscar club. He's matured as a person and it was as if Clint Eastwood knew he could pull it off.

There were many reasons I wanted to see this film after finding out Leonardo would have the lead. This was a crucial moment in history, but there was a deeper story that we heard about, but you're not always sure its true. An artist can take come creative liscense such as what Oliver Stone did with JFK, but you don't want to go too far out on the ledge. I had always heard that J. Edgar liked wearing womens underwear under his suit. We don't see that in the film, but we do get an insight on the impact his mother had on him and we see him struggle with his sexual identity.

There are a lot of actors helping Leonardo DiCaprio bring his character to life, but he commands the screen. I just wish the story hadn't been told in flashbacks. I could have done without the narration, but other than that it's a good movie and I'm going to want to add it to my collection.

If you are a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, check out this film and others that you may not have seen. Even though The Beach was not such a great box office success its an interesting film. Romeo and Juliet is also an interesting adaptation of the classic William Shakespeare story of young love from different sides of the class struggle.

Movie reviews, I love film

The Fighter - I didn’t get to see the Fighter in the theater, but I wanted to. When I got a copy I saw it on a small television. I really appreciated this film. I think Christian Bale is an incredible actor as is Mark Wahlberg. The lengths that actors go to for their art is mind boggling. The Fighter is based on a true story so the pressure is always on for the actors to bring the characters to life and be true to the people they are portraying. So many times you get actors that don’t even look like the original people. Of course it depends on who has the rights to the story and the input they may have on the filming.
There’s some great talent in this film. Amy Adams and Melissa Leo give outstanding performances. I never paid attention to Melissa Leo, not noticing that she was the same woman from the series, Treme. Now she is an Oscar winning actress.
The adorable Amy Adams becomes a fowl mouthed barmaid and plays this role quite well. Some of the characters are quirky and seem like cartoon characters at times, but that adds to the realism. We all have those moments where we act a little crazy, where we get playful. I always root for the underdog and this film was worth the second watch and is now a part of my collection.

Joan Rivers - I’ve always thought that Joan Rivers was interesting. I didn’t always find her jokes funny, but like sushi, its an acquired taste. She’s one of those comediennes that you love to hate. I watched a documentary about her life up until she did Celebrity Apprentice. I was in for quite the surprise. Since I had only seen Joan Rivers from time to time on Johnny Carson and perhaps a few other shows, I never knew she had such a fowl mouth. She is over the top in some of her jokes, but she was cutting edge for a female comedienne and paved the way for many others. It’s interesting to see how Joan Rivers killed her career and her fight to come back and continue to reinvent herself. The emphasis has always been on her plastic surgeries, but at 75 depending on the camera angle she looks okay, even though we know don’t see her face move. There are some moments where her eyes water, but we never see a tear roll down her face. I think the documentary gives a good look at what some celebrities have to go through. It’s hard for everyone in the business because its all about the money. As long as you can sell tickets everyone wants to be your friend. The minute you loose that appeal then you begin to descend. In Hollywood you really need to be nice to everyone because the people you screw on your way up are the people you may need on your way down.
A lot of people don’t watch documentaries unless they are recommended. There aren’t a lot of theaters that even show them so we have to rely on Sundance if you are luckily enough to have cable or you have to check out PBS. If you like Joan Rivers, the you must certainly check out this documentary.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye - As is obvious with the title of this blog, I love movies. Drama, Action, comedy, foreign, animation and documentaries. As with everything I do, I have to be in a certain mood to watch a certain program. I prefer to watch foreign films on a Sunday. Sunday’s are my day to relax and I can read the subtitles without having to think about other things that need to be done.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye is the story of the wife of Evangelist Jim Baker, founder and one time head of the PTL. The story is very interesting of the rise of two Christians and their fall from grace and Tammy’s attempts to keep her head above water. We never hear if Tammy had plastic surgery, but she did have some modifications done to her face. Her eyebrows, and eye shadow were permanent. She had many wigs and she used individual eye lashes that she replaced as they fell out. When you first begin to look at the documentary you focus on her eyes. You can see the pain despite the smile she tries to keep. Her acceptance of others and standing by her man. Tammy was just a by stander in the PTL scandal, but she was enjoying the ride. Money certainly changes people to the point they don’t even see that they are doing anything wrong. You sort of get an attitude that it is your right.
The documentary follows the rise and the fall and Tammy’s rise again and being excepted back into a community she so loved. There are some funny moments as in life their should be. There are some embarrassing moments, but nothing is held back. There are some people that didn’t want to be a part of the documentary. It always makes you wonder when someone says no to an interview. Are they afraid they are going to be made to look bad? I mean that can happen whether you agree or not. If you know you’ve done nothing wrong…
Some of the things that happened seem like something from a movie, but this stuff does happen and not just to celebrities. If you’ve ever watched Jim and Tammy Faye Baker you must see this documentary. It is an eye opener. (Pun intended)

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Coming up: The classic, Stand by Me

D's Wonderful World of Cinema

Star Maps - This film stars a young unknown actor by the name of Douglas Spain. Since this film Douglas Spain has appeared in several films including But I’m a Cheerleader and an episode of Criminal Minds or one of those CSI shows.

Douglas Spain plays an aspiring actor that sells his body on the side for his father. The front of the prostitution ring is selling maps to the stars homes in Los Angeles. It’s rather quirky with an array of interesting characters.

I’ve been trying to watch films in my collection that I’ve recently been able to have transferred to DVD. I love film so it doesn’t matter if it’s the best quality as long as the picture is as clear as possible and you can understand or read the subtitles.

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Songs in the Key of Life - In my opinion this is Stevie Wonder’s best album. This album had a story that everyone could relate to and learn from. I learned a lot about black history. We all know how rare it is that we buy an album or CD and only listen to a few of the songs. Now with the Internet and iTunes you can download just the songs you want and forget the rest. There have been many great songs that never get air play. The promoters decide which song is going to make people run out and buy the album. A lot of times singers are forced to rush projects if they are on a roll so that their fans don’t go elsewhere. They should know by now that fans don’t desert who they like unless what they are producing is crap.

Songs in the Key of Life is a documentary on the process Stevie Wonder when through to put the magnificent album together. The deal he made with Motown which was one of the largest at the time for $13 million. The special equipment created with Stevie Wonder in mind and his work ethic. Because Stevie Wonder is blind, he doesn’t seem to get sleep depravation and works at the weirdest hours.

Meet the people that were a part of the project. The producers and musicians all talk about their experience working with Stevie Wonder, including Berry Gordy, Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, his wife, daughter Aisha and many others.
If you life documentaries and you love music, this is one that you should catch if you haven’t seen it already. You might find a rare copy some where or you can start a campaign to get PBS to run it. I think that is where is was originally run. Luckily a friend had a copy in his collection so I was able to see it many years later. My copy was on VHS and I recently had it transferred to DVD. You have to love technology.

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Classics

I recently watched two classic films, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Hustler. I had never seen either of these films all the way through. I had seen bits and pieces and was familiar with both films, but I was never a big fan of Elizabeth Taylor and a movie about pool… I was still a baby when The Hustler was released and just a kid when Who’s Afraid of Viginia Woolf? was made. It was a very controversial film for its time. Both movies were filmed in black and white.

Who’s Afraid of Viriginia Woolf? Stars Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Sandy Dennis and George Segal. I love the dialogue in this film. Although I had figured out the underlying story which still makes you keep guessing. There’s lots of drinking and a lot of sexual innuendo from all of the characters.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I decided to purchase the film. I wanted to see it since there were so many raves on it after Elizabeth Taylor’s death. I had seen a few of her films because she stars with some actors I liked and I had begun collecting their films. She is exceptional in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and I liked her in A Place in the Sun.
Next on my list would be to see Cleopatra. I’m sure I saw it when I was a kid, but I need to see these films as an adult to get a better appreciation for them. I know the story behind Cleopatra as far as movies go, but I’d like to watch it.

I’m not sure when I became a fan of Paul Newman, but I remember one of the first films I had seen was Cool Hand Luke. I can’t say how many times I had seen it when I was growing up. Once I added it to my collection as an adult I started researching other films he had done and that’s when I had to see Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The collection began to grow, but The Hustler was never on the list.

Recently I found it at a price that I thought was reasonable and now I have it to watch whenever I like. I love movies and watch them often. The Hustler is an interesting film. Even though it centers around pool, it’s about hustling in general. People hustling people to make money through cons and sex. Whatever it takes to survive. A hustler is like a person that lives from paycheck to paycheck except they can go a period of time when there are no funds coming in.

If you love film as much as I do you’ll enjoy both of these films. It’s great story telling and the cinematography is great. I am a visual person and that along with great editing is what makes a film.



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Films non stop

The Town - This film which stars and was directed by Ben Affleck is quite good. Films about bank robberies are always tricky. It’s based on a true story, but still, you see one bank robbery… you know how that goes, but that’s not always true. From the Inside Man, To Set it Off, films about bank robberies can be interesting depending on how it is done. Remember Dog Day Afternoon?

In The Town the robbers are bold and inventive in their approach to getting what they want. I really enjoyed this film. The film also stars Jeremy Renner and Blake Lively.
I found out recently Jeremy Renner played Jeffery Dahmer in the film Dahmer and he was quite good in the role. It’s funny how people go unnoticed and then all of a sudden you had seen films that had done that the face just didn’t stick out at all.

That was the case when I met Josh Evans. I met Josh at the Seattle International Film Festival when he was promoting the film Inside The Goldmine. It was sort of artsy with a lot of dialogue like that of Quentin Tarrantino. Josh wrote, directed and stars in this film. I learned a lot about Hollywood and getting films made while doing SIFF. Josh Evans is part of a legacy he still needed a name to get his film made. Drew Barrymore got attached and though she is only on the screen for a couple of seconds it was all that was needed to get the film made. Once a film is made then you need distribution and an audience to buy tickets. Film festivals help films get noticed.

I watched The Doors for the first time this weekend and to my surprise Josh Evans appears in the film as the manager of the group. There were many actors in this film giving incredible performances. I’m guessing the only reason I never saw this film before is because I really didn’t know who Jim Morrison was. I don’t recall hearing much about him after all I was only a kid in the 60’s. Val Kilmer gives an incredible performance as Oliver Stone gives his take on the troubled singers life.
Crispin Glover pops up as Andy Warhol. I think Andy Warhol has been portrayed by more actors than any other person. Mimi Rogers takes the screen briefly taking those iconic photographs. There’s Michael Madsen as one of Andy Warhol’s discoveries.
The music, the cinematography all come together to tell an amazing story not only about Jim Morrison, but of the 60’s and 70’s. Kevin Dillon, Kyle Maclachlan, Frank Whaley and Meg Ryan round out the lead cast.
The one thing I liked about this DVD set was the extras. It is rare that you hear anyone talk bad about a director or what they didn’t like about the film. It took a long time to get this film made because a lot of people had to sign off on it. Even after they signed off there were still things they didn’t agree with. In the end they all enjoyed working on the project and I’m sure they’ve learned something about the world of make believe.

RED - Retired, Extremely Dangerous. The film stars Bruce Willis, Mary Louise Parker, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren. It’s about a group of ex CIA agents that know just a little too much and they need to be retired permanently.
A few scenes were shot in New Orleans and it was quite interesting to see what they did. It’s always fun to see people go from any point in the city and always end up in the French Quarter in a flash. Once again, the magic of movie making.
The film has its moments and is very entertaining. I think John Malkovich steals the film.



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Coming up: Filming in New Orleans, The Social Network, The Trial, The Fighter




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Disturbing Images

I’ve seen my share of films that have some disturbing images, but recently I saw some films that triggered those memories.

One of the first films that I thought was gross was the film Xtro. I’ve never seen this film again and I’ve never even seen it advertised on DVD. It is possible it could have been renamed. It was an alien type picture. I’m sure you guessed that from the title. I have no clue what it was about, but the scene that stays in my head is where a woman is on her kitchen floor and she gives birth to a full size alien creature.

The next film that would keep me awake at night was Friday the 13th, the original with Kevin Bacon before Footloose and the game six degrees of Kevin Bacon. The ending scene when Jason comes out of the water was just horrifying. I remember one of the movie magazines decided to make that image their cover so I had to see it whenever I was in a store for an entire month. And you know when you try not to look at something it seems to be in your face even more.

Another film that had a disturbing image was I spit on your Grave. There is a scene when the victim begins to get revenge and she castrates one of her attackers in the bathtub.

I also must not forget Blacula. Black people make some ugly and scary looking vampires. Especially to a kid of 11 or 12 years old.

The Anti Christ is a bizarre film that stars Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Rampling The visuals in this film are stunning at times. There’s not a lot of dialogue and a good bit of sex. There is this one scene where the wife cuts off her husbands penis after bringing him to orgasm. Talking about being cruel.

The Killer Inside Me stars Casey Affleck, younger brother of Ben. I’m not sure why he hasn’t done more mainstream films, but perhaps he’s happy with the obscure stuff. There is a scene in which his character attacks Jessica Alba’s character and it is brutal. I had to turn my head. He just keeps hitting her in the face until she is unrecognizable.

It reminded me of Jared Leto’s scene in Fight Club, in that instance it was a fight so you were expecting blood. This was totally unexpected. I guess also it was the fact that he was hitting the woman the way you would hit a man. It made me cringe.


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Oprah's Last Show

Oprah’s last show had a personal touch to it. She talked to her audience and shared moments. She stood for the entire show. There were no guests, but there were many celebs in the Audience.

Since I don’t have cable I can’t watch OWN. The upside is that my evenings are free. I don’t have to rush home to watch Oprah at 4PM. I’ve been trying not to watch as much television, but there are some shows with useful information, The Doctors, and The Nate Berkus Show.

I also like watching the PBS channels. I happen to have three of those.

It’s weird that Oprah’s contract would end mid week. They could have completed the show on a Friday. They are now running reruns. That’s always good, I can watch those shows where I didn’t get home in time. Some of the shows are worth watching again and again.

You can’t say Oprah went out with a bang, but Oprah’s surprise spectacular was great. Beyonce gave a great performance. I was thinking Patti Labelle would come out to sing Somewhere Over The Rainbow and she did. Doing the moves only Patti can do.
There were many memorable moments.

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Coming Up: Thoughts from an Artist Part 2, What happens next?, Cutting back, Entering contests

River Phoenix

My Own Private Idaho

Sometimes I’ll watch a film and it will trigger a memory about an actor and I’ll feel like watching one of their films. That was the case recently when I watched Sneakers which starred Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier and River Phoenix. It made me think of some of River Phoenix’s earlier work, The thing called Love, Stand by Me, Running on Empty, Mosquito Coast and My Own Private Idaho.

River Phoenix was like James Dean. There was something about him on screen that you were just draw to him. He really got into his roles and perhaps that could have been the downfall. Artists of any magnitude are a misunderstood people. Everyone has a different way of getting into their creative frame of mind.

The thing called Love makes me think of James Dean. River Phoenix’s performance is exceptional. I often wonder what things would have been like if he were still alive. Would he have been offered the parts that went to Leonardo Dicaprio? I think River would have been a great Howard Hughes. He brought a lot into the characters that he played on the screen.

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Tom Hanks Double Feature

I have to be in a certain mood to watch certain movies. There are films that I watch at least once a year and then there are those that I watch every three, four or longer before I see them again. I had been wanting to watch Cast Away, but its such a long film and all I remembered was Tom Hanks being on a deserted island talking to a soccer ball. The only reason I went to see the film was because it was Tom Hanks. I don’t think I would have seen this film if it had been any other actor.

Tom Hanks was on a role and he commands the screen when he does the right film. There were a few comedic roles that I didn’t care to see, but it really didn’t have to do with him. It had more to do with his co star. I was never a big fan of Shelly Long or Meg Ryan. I did however like Bachelor Party, Big, and Forest Gump, but that was mostly Tom Hanks.
There are certain comedies I like and some I don’t. I was also never a big fan of war films.
Watching Cast Away made me think of what I would do. It also reminded me how life sends us a curve ball and some people are forced to make decisions they wouldn’t normally make on their own. It’s important to go with ones heart. If you believe in something make it your cause no matter what anyone else says. I enjoy films that make me think. Of course there are times we want to watch a film to escape our own mundane lives.

The second feature was The Green Mile. Normally, I would stay away from a film based on a Stephen King novel or short story. I was not impressed with Cujo or Pet Cemetery. When the Langoliers made it to television I was disappointed, but the Stand changed my mind on adaptations of his work. I had listen to parts of The Green Mile on cassette when my sister-in-law was listening to it. I wanted to see how it would play out on the big screen and I must say it was done quite well. The cast was excellent. Tom Hanks, David Morse, James Cromwell, Sam Rockwell, Michael Duncan, Bonnie Hunt and Patricia Clarkson to name a few. For me when you wait a long time to watch a film it adds to the excitement of trying to remember what’s going to happen. Remembering the first time you saw the film and whether you shared the experience with someone or if you went alone.

For many years I preferred to go to the movies alone because I liked watching movies and sometimes no one wanted to see what I was interested in viewing. Back then films weren’t coming out on VHS after one week at the movie theater. I made a wise investment in my movie collection. I love movies so its not important that I have Blu- Ray or DVD. Of course if I could afford it I’d probably get it, but I can’t. I still watch VHS tapes from time to time because the film may not be available on DVD or the price is just too high for a film that I can still watch on VHS.

Tom Hanks has given a plethora of films and incredible performances. Cast Away and The Green Mile are excellent, but his body of work shows a broader range and that he isn’t afraid to take on a role that he knows he can breathe life into.

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Sounder

I had this film in my collection for many years. I bought it by accident because I saw the title and just assumed it was the original. This is a remake which is directed by Kevin Hooks who played the young boy in the original. I had no idea they had remade this film and why? I’m not crazy about remakes unless they are going to do a better job. Cicely Tyson was great in the original. I remember we went to see this film as part of a school field trip. It was something they felt it was important for us to know. On the surface the film didn’t stick with me because I really didn’t remember much about the film except that the Dog was named Sounder and even that had escaped me. The film was about determination and not giving up. Paul Winfield who played the father in the original, also makes an appearance as the school teacher.

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Tickets

A friend that I met ten years ago at a film festival party sends me some of his movies from time to time when he is finished looking at them. Since I love film, I never pass up any movies regardless of what they are about. Watching film is very inspirational and I admire anyone that can do something I haven’t done yet.

Tickets is an interesting film that is set on a train in Italy. It brought back memories of my train ride from Milan to Pordenone. The film follows several characters and their slight interaction as the story captures them from different points of the train ride and their connection.

Each segment had a different director. I was not familiar with any of the stars that appeared in the film, but it was quite entertaining. Riding a train in Europe is quite the experience. You get to see people from all over going to their next destination or returning home. There are many languages being spoken from time to time. The scenery can be breath taking depending on how long of a ride you’re taking.

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Movies as they relate to me

David Lynch - Whether or not I saw a film had nothing to do with the director in most cases, but I do realize there were certain names affiliated with a film that would make me want to see them.

Most films I saw was mainly because of a star or the premise, but Irwin Allen was a name that stood out for me and so I wanted to see the films where his name appeared in the credits. The same went for Dino De Laurentis.

I sat in front of my computer looking for CBS to see the turn around on television shows and I stumbled across Twin Peaks. I was not a fan of the series, but I liked some of the stars and I had seen most of David Lynch’s films. Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart. A lot of it had to do with the stars that he worked with. Since I saw Making Love I was a fan of Michael Ontkean. It had taken a long time for him to surface again after making such a controversial film.

I watched some of Twin Peaks and I realize I like the quirkiness of his characters. It reminds me of some of the characters I’ve created. David Lynch taps into the surreal or our dream state and brings it into reality.

I like David Lynch, David Cronenberg, and David Fincher to name a few.

Last night I decided to watch a film I hadn’t seen in years, Philadelphia which starred Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. Tom Hanks won an Oscar for his portrayal of a gay lawyer with AIDS.
The film brought back a lot of memories of friends that were a part of my life and are now gone on to a new life.
The film holds up, but there are a few scenes that make the film dated.

I’ve seen some great films that haven’t gotten a large release or haven’t made it to DVD. The Users with Jacklyn Smith and Tony Curtis has never come to DVD. It took a very long time before Bad Boy Bubby made it to DVD. Chain of Desire hasn’t made it to DVD. I’ve never seen Last Exit to Brooklyn on DVD as well as Love and Human Remains.
I really enjoy movies, it’s a great escape and it can also be inspiring.

Here are a few film recommendations: The Experiment with Adrien Brody and Forest Whitaker, Primal Fear with Richard Gere and Edward Norton, Love Come Down with Larenz Tate and Deborah Cox, Far North, Antichrist with Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsburg, Gilda with Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford and Little Man Tate with Jodie Foster.

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Primal Fear

This film has a list of stars including Richard Gere, Edward Norton, Frances McDormond, Laura Linney, Maura Tierney, Andre Braugha and Jon Seda and others.

I've a;ways enjoyed this film and I usually watch some films once a year depending on the length and time that I have. Sometimes I'll watch a few movies over the weekend since I have become addcted to a few television shows. I don't do cable so I don't record anything to watch later.
From time to time I might make an acception and watch a show the nect day on the Internet if it is available.

Primal Fear is one of those investigative dramas that centers on a trial of a teenager who appears to have multiple personalities. There are lots of twists along the way.
The performances by all of the actors is great, but Edward Norton sets the bar high for himself. He's done a few films where he has given great performances, but sometimes its hard to top certain performances.
My favorite Edward Norton films are American History X, Fight Club and I like The Score.
Recently he made a film called Stone in which he acts opposite Robert DeNiro again. It'a another film with several twists and it has a surprise ending.

Thanks for stopping by, keep an open mind.

Gilda

The year was 1946 and I wasn’t even thought about. My parents hadn’t even met.
I’m sure I had read something on the film, but it was not something I was interested in seeing. Rita Hayworth wasn’t really someone I was attracted to. There was something about the actress with blonde hair. Perhaps since films were in black and white that blonde hair was much more enticing. Of course it didn’t hurt that the actresses with blonde hair seemed to have had large breasts. Jean Harlowe, and Marilyn Monroe were at the top of my list, but I remember the striking beauty of Sophia Loren in Two Women. Perhaps I hadn’t seen any of Rita Hayworth’s films.

Recently a friend had copied some movies for me to see and Gilda was on the DVD. What I didn’t know was that he didn’t have the entire movie, but what he did have peaked my interest. I new I wanted to see it. In my research the film was a bit controversial and I am intrigued by those types of films.

The film stars Glenn Ford , George MacCready and Rita Hayworth as Gilda.
The sexual overtones are there on all levels. Even more so than in Casablanca. It seems a little corny at times, but it made me think about a film in which I didn’t like a particular scene and I thought perhaps they got the idea from this film.

In the film, The Crying Game, there is a scene in the bar where the bartender acts as the liaison between the two customers. Some of the dialogue in Gilda comes across in that same manner.
As I’ve written many times before, artists get inspired from others and sometimes they think alike. I’ve done photographs, written poems and even done sketches and then I see something similar and I’ve never even heard of the artist or seen their work.

The cinematography is quite good and the costumes are great as well as set design which of course only takes place in a few places which makes it easy.
Not only does Rita Hayworth have great sex appeal, the film was also considered racy with the song put the blame on Mame where Gilda performs a sort of strip tease without taking off her clothes. Rita Hayworth never sang her own songs, but was very good at lip syncing because you really can’t tell she is not really singing the song.
Gilda is a very interesting film and I’m glad I finally got a chance to see it all the way through.

In Michael Jackson’s This Is It, he uses a sequence from Gilda as well as other black and white gangster films that is truly amazing. It made me think of the film Steve Martin did, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid. It was visually enticing for me. Then Forest Gump took that effect to another level years later.

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