tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31500146929604680992024-03-18T21:20:30.002-07:00Eddie On Film Specialsho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.comBlogger499125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-41953513187073649112014-12-07T22:01:00.000-08:002015-08-10T12:33:31.915-07:00I read the news today — oh boy<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/638/2004/1600/675213/Lennon-Strawberry-Fields.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 20px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/638/2004/400/308283/Lennon-Strawberry-Fields.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><center><strong>JOHN LENNON<br />(OCT. 9, 1940-DEC. 8, 1980)<br /></strong></center><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/638/2004/1600/267716/Dakota.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 20px 20px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/638/2004/320/967979/Dakota.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/638/2004/1600/170179/20051207time.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/638/2004/320/448541/20051207time.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></br><br /><br /></br><br /><br /></br><br /><br /></br><br /><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /></span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span>sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-44727453330631625412014-02-02T13:02:00.000-08:002015-08-10T12:33:31.956-07:00Philip Seymour Hoffman (1967-2014)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dA4nSjyQ2VKmN1hUowi0ZW01kNrDnD_FjaowSlVHd9xDB_zzPTW1ww8rpBeBzpHqjYrO1cz2ouI7nzQfOnVZqACD_xb7rFx0usFgfFQJ9BBcB_zTyrVLHoF8rtQkhsPJoe_0p3rEM4Y/s1600/philip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dA4nSjyQ2VKmN1hUowi0ZW01kNrDnD_FjaowSlVHd9xDB_zzPTW1ww8rpBeBzpHqjYrO1cz2ouI7nzQfOnVZqACD_xb7rFx0usFgfFQJ9BBcB_zTyrVLHoF8rtQkhsPJoe_0p3rEM4Y/s640/philip.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><span style="font-size: 130%;">Once Philip Seymour Hoffman first registered on my radar screen (as Scotty in Paul Thomas Anderson's <b>Boogie Nights</b>), it seemed as if he never disappeared from my thoughts for long, rather showing up in small roles or large ones. Hoffman's death at 46 takes a talented actor away from us far too soon, but some demons just win in the end.</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"> <br /><br /><b>Boogie Nights</b> marked Hoffman's second film with Anderson following <b>Hard Eight</b>. They would team again in <b>Magnolia</b>, <b>Punch-Drunk Love</b> and <b>The Master</b>, which earned Hoffman an Oscar nomination as best supporting actor, his fourth overall. He also received supporting nods for <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2009/01/unholy-suspicions.html">Doubt</a></b> and <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2006/12/spoonful-of-sugar-makes-history-go-down.html">Charlie Wilson's War</a></b> and won on his first try, his only nomination in the lead category, for <b>Capote</b>.<br /><br />Though his film career only began in 1991, it proved to prolific. Once his fame and reliability grew, even if some of the films he appeared in weren't so great, I never saw him give a bad performance. A cattle call of some of my favorite Hoffman performances:<b> Happiness, The Talented Mr. Ripley, 25th Hour, <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2006/12/going-gently-if-not-very-hapilly-into.html">The Savages</a>, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Moneyball</b> and <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/01/idealism-disillusionment-go-hand-in.html">The Ides of March</a></b>.<br /><br />The performance perhaps closest to my heart was his turn as legendary rock journalist Lester Bangs in Cameron Crowe's <b>Almost Famous.</b> I also loved his work in two less well-known films: <b>Owning Mahowny</b> and <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/02/if-you-want-to-swim-you-have-to-get-in.html">Jack Goes Boating</a>,</b> a role he originated in the off-Broadway production and he also directed the film.<br /><br />He appeared on Broadway three times and received a Tony nomination each time. His first came in the inaugural Broadway production of Sam Shepard's <b>True West</b>, where he and John C. Reilly alternated the lead roles at different performances. He earned a featured actor nod in the star-studded, highly praised revival of O'Neill's <b>Long Day's Journey Into Night</b> starring Brian Dennehy and Vanessa Redgrave. His third nomination came for taking on Willy Loman in a revival of Arthur Miller's <b>Death of a Salesman.</b><br /><br />RIP Mr. Hoffman. <br /><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-48668508170571528492014-02-01T07:10:00.000-08:002015-08-10T12:33:31.970-07:00Maximilian Schell (1930-2014)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjtIxutfQzisCCpA27TGi8ytlAaHHtec735s9U21M2chpku1DhjPQMp5IeILuBfhiapyaureJB5AA9oW7AvGdxuJ2H3WRFDC-6fsLHO6EVRzgQLL9iErkCrVrMWNVyb44-fdSHE_16GY/s1600/maximillian_schell_judgment_at_nuremberg_a_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjtIxutfQzisCCpA27TGi8ytlAaHHtec735s9U21M2chpku1DhjPQMp5IeILuBfhiapyaureJB5AA9oW7AvGdxuJ2H3WRFDC-6fsLHO6EVRzgQLL9iErkCrVrMWNVyb44-fdSHE_16GY/s640/maximillian_schell_judgment_at_nuremberg_a_l.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><span style="font-size: 130%;">Born in Austria in 1930, actor Maximilian Schell fled Hitler in his youth and later in his performing career would win the 1961 Oscar for best actor playing the defense attorney for Nazis on trial following World War II in <b>Judgment at Nuremberg</b>. Schell died this weekened at 83 after a "sudden and serious illness," according to his agent, Patricia Baumbauer.</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"><br /><br />Schell received two other Oscar nominations in his film career as best actor: in 1975's <b>The Man in the Glass Booth</b> and as supporting actor in 1977's <b>Julia.</b> He also received two Emmy nominations for the TV films <b>Stalin</b> and <b>Miss Rose White</b> in the early '90s. He appeared on Broadway three times, the first time in 1958 in <b>Interlock</b>, the same year his first English-language film, <b>The Young Lions</b>, came out. His third appearance came in 2001 in a stage production of <b>Judgment at Nuremberg</b>, this time playing the role of Dr. Ernst Janning whom Burt Lancaster played in the 1961 film.<br /><br />Shortly after his Oscar win, he joined the cast of thieves in Jules Dassin's 1964 <b>Topkapi</b>. The first exposure to Schell's work for many in my generation probably came from silly 1979 sci-fi flick <b>The Black Hole.</b> He also played the erstwhile villain opposite James Coburn in one of the lesser Sam Peckinpah effort, 1977's <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2006/12/cross-of-iron.html">Cross of Iron</a></b>. He appeared in many films and roles for television both in the U.S. and abroad, including a six-episode stint on <b>Wiseguy.</b><br /><br />He also directed, most notably the remarkable 1984 documentary <b>Marlene</b>, where Marlene Dietrich reflected on her life without ever letting herself be seen in her current state.<br /><br />Of all Schell's roles though, I always maintain a soft spot in my heart for his role as eccentric chef Larry London in Andrew Bergman's great comedy <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/from-vault-freshman.html">The Freshman</a></b> with Marlon Brando doing a pitch-perfect parody of his own Vito Corleone.<br /><br />RIP Mr. Schell.<br /><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-75793152348220212882014-01-12T11:30:00.000-08:002015-08-10T12:33:32.015-07:00Love Hurts<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPKG0DFPWBSO_qbQtpeDkKq0NccjdL4HQ3hk-q76MNJuJ9E6roBCj_KHlB9ZxAYcstuz1QWOlYiEprCJD58FC1Tm0MxMmpHYwgoJKyuCgr8ODgzHNkCNO19Tu1TnqRXEs11-IohNWE5w/s1600/AUGUST-OSAGE-COUNTY-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPKG0DFPWBSO_qbQtpeDkKq0NccjdL4HQ3hk-q76MNJuJ9E6roBCj_KHlB9ZxAYcstuz1QWOlYiEprCJD58FC1Tm0MxMmpHYwgoJKyuCgr8ODgzHNkCNO19Tu1TnqRXEs11-IohNWE5w/s640/AUGUST-OSAGE-COUNTY-.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><span style="font-size: 130%;"> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/profile/16358221553807432589">By Josh R</a><br />Why do we always hurt the ones we love? <br /><br /> Anyone who’s been a part of any kind of significant relationship, whether of the familial or romantic variety, has been given to ponder the paradoxical nature of those thorny, forged-in-fire entanglements. As evidenced by the brutal, bruising verbal brickbats the family members of <b>August: Osage County</b> lob at each other’s heads like hand grenades, no one can inflict quite as much damage as one’s nearest and dearest. This axiom may be most commonly applied in reference to human interaction, but it holds equally true when considering a writer and his work.<br /><br /> Anyone who’s ever put pen to paper — or, in this modern age, spent hours staring at a blinking monitor — knows that the peculiar bond between a scribe and his prose can be as complex and as intimate as that of any of the human variety. Many playwrights and novelists have likened their labors to the birthing process, and discuss their work in the same way that parents talk about their children. By that definition, writers who do harm to their own creations can be charged — at least, on some metaphysical plane — with child abuse. </span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"><br /><br />This is not to cast aspersions on the character of Tracy Letts, who has adapted his Pulitzer Prize-winning play for the screen, and whom I suspect is only minimally to blame for what has happened to it (nothing good) en route. Still and all, it begs the eternal question: Why do we hurt the ones we love? As far as selling a book or a play to the movies is concerned, nine times out of ten, the road to perdition is paved with good intentions.<br /><br />Rather than veering too far off course into the realm of psychoanalytic introspection, it may be best to consider the history of the property in question.<b> August: Osage County</b> premiered in the summer of 2007 at The Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. The production subsequently moved to Broadway in the fall of 2008, with most of its original cast intact. It remained ensconced on The Beltway for a year and a half — a rare feat for a non-musical production not featuring a movie or TV star — picking up virtually every major award along the way. I saw the production three times over the course of its run — anyone familiar with Broadway pricing will recognize that this represents a sacrifice — and <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2008/03/mothers-day-of-reckoning.html">reviewed </a> it for this site in 2009. It is not an overstatement to say that, then as now, I regard it as one of the highlights of my life’s theatergoing experience. Admittedly, I am not the ideal person to review the film adaptation, since I cannot approach the material with any kind of objectivity. Nor would I want to. Even if it’s a fundamental part of our nature to hurt the ones we love, it doesn’t follow that we enjoy doing it. <br /><br /> Nevertheless, when the owner and proprietor of this blog calls me up for active duty, I do my best to answer the call. In interest of full disclosure, I must state that while I tried to approach the assignment with an open mind, personal prejudice (did I mention how much I loved the show on Broadway?) has gotten the better of me to some degree. Oddly enough, without that pre-existing prejudice, my response toward the film might have been even less felicitous than it is now.<br /><br /> It’s bad form when reviewers reference other critics’ opinions to reinforce and/or validate their own position. The mere act of doing so suggests lack of confidence in one’s opinion. That said, one of the things I’ve been struck (and depressed) by is the manner in which many non-theatergoing critics have suggested, based solely on their reaction to the film version, that <b>August: Osage County</b> is not, and in fact never could have been, much of a play. The critic for The New York Times, while allowing that that the material may have been “mishandled…(in its) transition from stage to screen,” pondered whether that transition may have “exposed weak spots in (Letts’) dramatic architecture and bald spots in his writing.” On the opposite coast, the scribe for The Los Angeles Times took it a step further in declaring that while he had not seem the stage incarnation, “nothing about this film version makes me regret that choice.” <br /><br /> I suspect many people on the receiving end of years’ worth of glowing testimonials will react in much the same fashion. Anyone experiencing director John Wells’ hamfisted, ultimately rather conventional Hollywood treatment of family dysfunction without a suitable frame of reference may well be given to wonder, “Is this what all the fuss was about?” Advance reports suggested that the filmmakers made a deliberate effort to brighten things up, even going so far as to tack on a happy ending. That’s not the case. While truncated, the play has not been radically revised. In a certain sense, that’s good news. The bad news is that fundamental fidelity to the text doesn’t bring this baby snugly into port. You could rewrite every line and still arrive at something that felt closer in spirit and purpose to what Letts created for the stage than what Wells and company have come up with. As played for cozy camp by a cast of Hollywood heavyweights, the material has not been softened as much as it has been neutered. <br /><br /> For a sharp-fanged predator used to trolling the wild with confidence, this has an effect of bland domestication, despite the fact that its path through the jungle remains essentially the same. What sets the plot in motion is the mysterious disappearance of Beverly Weston (Sam Shepard), the craggy, alcoholic patriarch of an extended clan that includes three daughters, one grandchild and an assortment of in-laws. A noted poet whose output didn’t extend beyond one fledgling success, Beverly has a habit of going missing without so much a heads up to his nearest and dearest. This time, however, his absence has an unmistakable air of finality. No one can be quite certain whether he’s alive or dead, but the likelihood of his coming back seems slim to none. One by one, the far-flung Weston children, two of whom have wisely chosen to get themselves as far away from Mom and Dad as humanly possible, descend upon the family homestead en masse to try to piece together exactly what happened to Dad, and what in hell to do about mother Violet (Meryl Streep), a chain-smoking, pill-popping, cancer-riddled gorgon who shows no signs of becoming more manageable now that her chief antagonist has vanished without a trace. Leading the charge is pragmatic, sardonic Barbara (Julia Roberts, keeping that million-dollar smile firmly under wraps), who isn’t about to let Mom off the hook without answering a few questions. Of course, when you start digging for the truth, there’s no telling what sort horrors you may uncover. As it turns out, there are good and plenty festering away in the crypt of family secrets, and Violet is perfectly willing to invite them out to dance.<br /><br /> Even as I lavished praise upon the play and the production in my original review, I did so with the caveat that <b>August: Osage County</b> was not a revolutionary work of theater, nor even a particularly original one. Borrowing liberally from Eugene O’Neill, Lillian Hellman and Sam Shepard, among others, the play harks back to the classic traditions of American drama while reinvigorating the tried-and-true machinery of melodrama with brazen, jolting theatricality. The chief mistake Wells has made for the purposes of the film version – besides some critically misjudged casting choices — is in his confusion of theatricality with camp. He encourages his cast members to go for the easy laughs whenever they can, and irons out the characters’ idiosyncrasies to the point that their behavior seems almost quaint. When Violet and Barbara literally come to blows in the climatic dinner table scene, it’s like watching Joan Collins and Linda Evans wrestling on the marble foyer at Carrington Manor. It’s outrageous, to be sure, but not particularly shocking. Without the emotional resonance that original stage players Deanna Dunagan and Amy Morton brought to the proceedings, under the skillful direction of Anna D. Shapiro, what you’re left with feels more along the lines of a live action cartoon.<br /><br />While the sins of the director shouldn't be heaped at feet of the playwright, Letts' screenplay adaptation doesn’t help matters much. The clunky efforts at opening up the piece for the screen, taking the action out of doors at select intervals, never feel like an organic extension of the action. The element of claustrophobia that contributed so much to the proceedings onstage, in the rambling Pawhuska, Okla., farmhouse with its shades drawn tight to keep out light and air, has been jettisoned in favor of woebegone glimpses of parched prairies. Certain nuances inevitably fall by the wayside when condensing a 3 hour play into a 2 hour film, and while the cuts do not fundamentally alter the dramatic structure, the action occasionally feels rushed, as if the filmmakers were working on a limited budget and needed to hit all the major plot points before running out of film stock. Some characters have been whittled down to near non-existence (the Native American housekeeper, here played by Misty Upham, has been reduced to a virtual extra), while the participation of others has been severely curtailed so as not to distract from the main event of the Streep-Roberts smackdown.<br /><br />About that smackdown. Judging by the posters for the film, which flaunt a scrunch-faced, teeth-baring Ms. Roberts wrestling a very harassed-looking Ms. Streep to the ground, the battle royal between two living legends already has been designated as the chief selling point for this film. I won’t argue the point. The tattered Baby Jane template still has some blood coursing through its skeletal remains, and I suspect it isn’t just camp-starved audiences who will pony up the cash to see the two biggest female stars of their respective generations going at each other like a pair of fabulously plumed Japanese fighting fish. Both actresses seem to have taken their cues from that WWE poster aesthetic, and while the ham they serve up may be to many people’s taste, the meal as a whole is less than nourishing.<br /><br />At this point, we’re really not supposed to say anything bad about Meryl Streep, since certain things are to be accepted without questioning. Remember that thing they taught us in school about Democracy being the best form of government? Well, even if a few dozen Tea Party crackpots can force a complete shutdown of the entire federal shebang, you can’t fault the model, God dammit. Likewise, I’ve discovered that in certain quarters, if you broach any contradiction to the edict that Meryl Streep is The Greatest Actress Who Ever Was, people will react as if you said something bad about America. I’ve spoken this blasphemy before, and I’ve been unfriended on Facebook for doing it. I’m not exactly sure why certain folks seem to have so little sense of proportion when it comes to Our Lady of the Accents, but this is not to imply that their insistence upon her genius is entirely lacking in merit. Ms. Streep is unquestionably great. She has given some of the best and most memorable performances of the last 30-odd years. That her talent level is through the roof, residing somewhere in the stratosphere, is beyond reproof. I suspect she’s abundantly aware of this.<br /><br />It isn’t that Streep has become complacent as a performer; she doesn’t just coast on her abilities, though at times, she seems to be responding more to her characters as Great Acting Opportunities than as flesh-and-blood human beings. By default, she is undoubtedly the best thing in <b>August: Osage County</b>. Her performance is the most finely honed and easily the most convincing of the bunch, even if the favored mannerisms and inflections are starting to look so precise and polished that they might as well be kept under glass at Tiffany’s. Where the performance loses credibility (and probably, this is the director’s fault as much as hers) is in her rendering of Violet as a lip-smacking Diva turn. Part of the fun of watching Deanna Dunagan onstage was the slow reveal of Violet’s true nature; behind the drug-induced haze and tortured insecurities lie an ineffably shrewd, twisted, Machiavellian mind, sharp as a tack and ready to do battle. By contrast, Streep takes to the screen like she’s warming up to play Eleanor of Aquitaine. When it’s crystal clear from the outset exactly who’s pulling the strings, a vital element of suspense is lost. Frankly, given who’s she up against, it isn’t as though she has much in the way of competition, anyway.<br /><br />Lest anyone misunderstand my intentions, I must duly assert that I am not a snob when it comes to acting pedigree. Range and/or skill set, whether acquired by classical or method training, does not necessarily place one person on a higher pedestal than anyone else. Talent is talent, and I’ve always had a soft spot for performers who can make assembly-line crap compulsively watchable by sheer force of personality. Julia Roberts has her limitations as an actor, and her fair share of detractors (and boy, are they emphatic), but she’s also given some of the great movie star performances of her era. It’s not a knock on Audrey Hepburn to say that she probably didn’t have the chops for Albee, or that Barbra Streisand might have been absolutely disastrous in Pinter. Nor should it be perceived as a negative reflection on Ms. Roberts to say that what is required of her in this context is simply beyond her abilities. Unfortunately, that negative balance takes a lot of the charge out of the material, and gives the mother-daughter skirmish the appearance of a lopsided battle.<br /><br />On stage, Amy Morton’s cornhusk-dry delivery, powerful physicality and searing emotional transparency went a long way towards revealing the deep reserves of anger and pain which informed Barbara’s metamorphosis from defeated, resentful onlooker to fully engaged combatant. While Barbara is nominally the protagonist, she’s not really the hero. That she is very much her mother’s daughter, as damaged and damaging as Violet and with the same capacity for unleashing icy torrents of cold, hard fury, is made abundantly clear as soon as Mama starts turning up the heat. You have to believe, as one character asserts, that in spite of surface appearances, there’s “no difference” between the two. Roberts endeavors diligently to embody the complexities and contradictions of the role, but going to the dark places is not the most comfortable place to be when one has made a career out of flooding the screen with sunshine. She overcompensates by punching up her sassy, feisty Erin Brockovich shtick, but what worked like gangbusters in a miniskirt and push-up-bra does not here dimension make. It’s an uncharacteristically flat, colorless performance. There’s never any risk of Barbara turning into her mother, not does it ever seems as though she is willing or able to take Violet to the mats.<br /><br />No one else meandering through the din makes much of an impression, although a few of the performers — notably Chris Cooper, Margo Martindale and Juliette Lewis, who brings some nice flashes of hysteria to her marginalized role as the most clueless and least functional of the three sisters — are at least better suited to the material. While Benedict Cumberbatch has carved out a nice niche for himself in recent years as the thinking girl’s sex symbol, and Ewan McGregor likely will remain boyishly handsome well into his 60s, their presence here as, respectively, a sad-sack, slow-witted underachiever and an unprepossessing middle-age college professor, defies all measure of reason. Julianne Nicholson, Dermot Mulroney and Abigail Breslin are among those also caught in the cross-hairs, although everyone not named Meryl or Julia is essentially treated as window-dressing. While it’s something we’ve come to expect of the movies, casting so many extremely photogenic performers was probably a mistake. Quiet desperation, romantic neglect and midlife crisis have never looked more red-carpet-ready.<br /><br />That red carpet will doubtless unfurl in the months to come for at least one member, and possibly more, of <b>August: Osage County</b>’s creative team. Tracy Letts may reap some of the rewards for his contribution here. Of course, nominations are nice, and so is the money…but reading between the lines of the playwright’s recent comments to The New York Times, he’s not entirely satisfied with the finished product. A writer’s life is one of compromise when the camera comes into the picture, and based on Letts’ statements, he probably realized that trying to maintain too much control over the film version would have been fighting a losing battle. At least, by doing the adaptation himself, he could still score a few points and protect some of what needed to be preserved. Why do we hurt the ones we love? If <b>August: Osage County</b> is any indication, the answer may be to prevent others from hurting them instead. <br /><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-57815518102218943982013-12-09T05:00:00.000-08:002015-08-10T12:33:32.030-07:00Treme No. 33: This City<p></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><blockquote><strong>BLOGGER'S NOTE</strong>: <em>This recap contains spoilers, so if you haven't seen the episode yet, move along.</em></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenvNkeJWUhaMAA5sNf1TxXg607MXe9wEwEtUQNlicSAsg9seXGDuVnf0yagSbop_YJnEqJYLlFO46yCCg4T40uIGuzcKD2cz28W2u2IuqenGf4ezcJJIqua_2kYfirXgyBHXA5JJKbBA/s1600/0ep33albertmain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenvNkeJWUhaMAA5sNf1TxXg607MXe9wEwEtUQNlicSAsg9seXGDuVnf0yagSbop_YJnEqJYLlFO46yCCg4T40uIGuzcKD2cz28W2u2IuqenGf4ezcJJIqua_2kYfirXgyBHXA5JJKbBA/s640/0ep33albertmain.png" /></a></div><p></p><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426">By Edward Copeland</a><br />Albert (Clarke Peters) seems unusually upbeat, pacing about his doctor's office, glancing out his window and commenting upon the unusually warm December day. He even tells Dr. Powell (Cordell Moore) that he feels as if he's overflowing with energy, but the doctor insists Lambreaux sit down. He describes Albert's mood as the "Indian Summer" effect and reports that the latest scans indicate that his cancer has spread to his liver. Albert shuffles out to the lobby where Davina (Edwina Findley) waits for him. She senses that her father didn't get good news, but Albert stays silent and gives his daughter a pat and a grin as the leave the building. <i>(The credits give the first onscreen indication of the final season's cost-cutting measures as India Ennenga who plays Sofia and Michiel Huisman who portrays Sonny don't have their names present in the credits since they don't appear in this episode.)</i></span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"><br /><br />Antoine (Wendell Pierce) to find all the students gathered in a circle and chattering. Robert (Jaron Williams) informs him that Cherise's boyfriend was shot and the teen girl (Camryn Jackson) was with him at the time. Batiste asks if her boyfriend had been involved in anything bad, but Jennifer (Jazz Henry) tells him that Cherise said no. Cherise isn't in class, hiding at home and frightened. Antoine urges the class to take their seats. <br /><br />After the trip to the doctor's, Albert makes Davina drive him to some of his old haunts from growing up, beginning with the Seventh Ward, though he tells his daughter that no one called it that. "Some called it Creoleville…There were whites here, blacks too. Folks with Choctaw Indian in 'em, French blood too. High yellows," he tells her. Davina asks if this preceded segregation and he answers in the affirmative, explaining it really got bad in the 1960s when a white friend sat with them at the back of the bus and set off the driver who threw them all off. In the middle of Albert's tour, the show interrupts the flow with Toni (Melissa Leo) arriving at the home of the Gildays, the parents of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHAajaGzfPkLWqFzngmkoz4Jcx2byqUEYfAbLYF3CGlv5y47gODOHXcS2aBcrtOzDHbAgy-JQCLy27lGAW5-P8Hbbs1vyx0cNwAk9LBaSH7Idv_gFw0blyD5rSMyD4hoGdT3f4Ld8Edg/s1700/0ep33antoinecharisse.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHAajaGzfPkLWqFzngmkoz4Jcx2byqUEYfAbLYF3CGlv5y47gODOHXcS2aBcrtOzDHbAgy-JQCLy27lGAW5-P8Hbbs1vyx0cNwAk9LBaSH7Idv_gFw0blyD5rSMyD4hoGdT3f4Ld8Edg/s300/0ep33antoinecharisse.png" /></a> the man who died in the Orleans Parish jail. A short scene of Toni at the door before returning to Albert and Davina. We do return to the Gilday home where Toni convinces Mr. and Mrs. Gilday (John Joly, Julie Ann Doan) to let her launch a wrongful death inquiry, including bringing in an outside coroner for an outside coroner. "We can't rely on the coroner's office, not in Orleans Parish," Toni tells the Gildays. This episode, "This City" (written by George Pelecanos, directed by Anthony Hemingway), repeats the exact bizarre cutting technique in the sequence that follows. We see Antoine knocking on Cherise's door, but — instead of just going in and seeing the scene where he talks to the girl and warns her to be aware of her surroundings — we cut to the shortest of scenes where Janette (Kim Dickens) and Jacques (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine) shop for produce at a cart and Janette gets served a cease-and-desist order from Tim Feeny, ordering her not to use Desautel's in the name of her new restaurant. <i>(Granted, drive time might have been needed to account for the different sites Albert points out to Davina, but it's pointless to show both Toni and then Antoine at separate doors and then play the short scenes in the entirety later. The Janette scene really sticks out. She could have been served anywhere, anytime. In fact, the scene isn't even necessary. The information gets conveyed completely in a scene at the restaurant with Davis later. These quick, separated scenes occur a lot in this outing but I'm ignoring them here on out in this no-frills recap. Thankfully, of the final five episodes, "This City" happens to be the only one reminiscent of the worst of Season Two.)</i><br /><br />Delmond (Rob Brown) travels to New York and records with <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/terence-blanchard-mn0000020971/biography">Terence Blanchard</a>, who offers the younger Lambreaux more upcoming work on his tour for the album, but Del hedges, given the latest news on Albert's health and his impending fatherhood.<br /><br />Annie (Lucia Micarelli) attends the Best of the Beat Awards held at the <a href="http://www.houseofblues.com/tickets/searchresults.php?mode=lview&venue=new+orleans&selEventMonth=&goCalendar=Go&caltype">House of Blues</a> on Decatur Street and wins best song. Marvin (Michael Cerveris) congratulates her, but Annie brushes it off as being fortunate while Frey tells her hard work earned her that honor. He also brings up the subject of dumping Bayou Cadillac for his Nashville musicians, insisting that Annie's band will understand. "I'm gonna make this record my way. That's why you hired me," Frey declares when Annie resists firing the musicians before taking the stage to perform <a href="http://youtu.be/K5dYyaQiwS0">"This City"</a> in memory of Harley.<br /><br />In that scene I referred to, Janette informs Davis (Steve Zahn) of Feeny's legal move and the two (mostly McAlary) unleash new, creative vulgar phrases for the businessman. They also discuss the costs with removing Janette's last name from the restaurant's sign, its menu and even her chef's uniform. Janette makes Davis smile though when she informs him that she's going home with him that night.<br /><br />When Del returns to New Orleans, he finds his sister quite upset. Albert won't take any more chemotherapy, intent instead on concentrating on his outfit for Mardi Gras and the impending birth of his grandchild, which he insists will be a boy. Davina can't understand why Del isn't more upset, but he tells her that the doctor told them further<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpTYPPYsukcQ7L0UuxDoL7a0PZTHRoAjCoR3ZQLmbJ1KmQSe8S_pGhn4jeS8p8oD3UD85r-HIQxYwkLCT7KWI7IKYzTVLyvgNZ7NHhMWatnC-mGn1Y8cJUyQFOuFpGYugWzn1mbK5Qto/s1700/0ep33ladonnaantoine3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpTYPPYsukcQ7L0UuxDoL7a0PZTHRoAjCoR3ZQLmbJ1KmQSe8S_pGhn4jeS8p8oD3UD85r-HIQxYwkLCT7KWI7IKYzTVLyvgNZ7NHhMWatnC-mGn1Y8cJUyQFOuFpGYugWzn1mbK5Qto/s300/0ep33ladonnaantoine3.png" /></a> chemo might not help much and they should honor Albert's wishes. "We should start preparing for what's inevitable," Delmond says as he takes his sobbing sister in his arms. Antoine stops by GiGi's to give her some child support for Randall and Alcide, but asks LaDonna (Khandi Alexander) why she still gives him that suspicious look now that he holds a regular job. "I've had a habit of doubting you for a long time. Maybe too long," LaDonna admits. As they talk about overcharges for the wiring, a tune playing by Gary Walker and the <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-fabulous-boogie-kings-mn0001341236">Boogie Kings</a> and how Larry has carried the load for far too long when it comes to caring for the boys, LaDonna confesses to Antoine, "I like you better now than when we were married." Antoine smiles. "I had a growth spurt, I guess," he responds as the two do a little dance to the <a href="http://youtu.be/oERH0I3nm7U">"Who Needs You So Bad?"</a> with the bar separating them. During another meeting with LaFouchette (James DuMont) about the high amount of deaths in the Orleans Parish jail, Officer Billy Wilson (Lucky Johnson) stops by to taunt Toni (Melissa Leo) over her inability to nail him in the death of Joey Abreu.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClBXCfsCabc_bCd6kXvQMpy8UsOzHdq7NUDzjPELr-dOmQ6TGW7tiDGoekpHrsY-hPb5tS8ljnVBVoEPng6M-8pIYj4hZKrTo2BVBP-uOfwgrtmZSAfcvRRXnEui-wFoLts4ANKkKOsE/s1700/0ep33daviscjlunch.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:26 10px 10px 26; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClBXCfsCabc_bCd6kXvQMpy8UsOzHdq7NUDzjPELr-dOmQ6TGW7tiDGoekpHrsY-hPb5tS8ljnVBVoEPng6M-8pIYj4hZKrTo2BVBP-uOfwgrtmZSAfcvRRXnEui-wFoLts4ANKkKOsE/s300/0ep33daviscjlunch.png" /></a><br />(<i>One thing I love is when series with disparate casts — or castes — create situations where these characters interact. <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2008/03/im-about-to-egg-tinos-car.html">My So-Called Life</a></b> and <b>Freaks and Geeks</b> stand as just two examples of shows that do this well as does <b>Treme</b>, which creates one of the best in the scene that follows.</i>) Nelson (Jon Seda) takes C.J. (Dan Ziskie) to lunch to meet Davis, proposing he might make a good liaison for them between the local music scene and the jazz center project, though he admits he's rough around the ages. McAlary does his best to be on his best behavior, citing his record label, disc jockey job and musical heritage tour as qualifications. He warns Liguori that he speaks his mind, but C.J. tells him he would expect nothing less. The banker then recalls McAlary's quixotic political campaign (in Season 1) when Davis planned to renamed the New Orleans Hornets the New Orleans Mormon Tabernacle Choir to shame Utah into returning the name Jazz back to the team. Davis also reminds him of his plan of Pot for Pot Holes. Unfortunately, Davis remembers who C.J. Liguori is as well — the banker who is one of the biggest GOP fund-raisers in the state and was involved in the <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/05/treme-no-12-everything-i-do-guhn-be.html">Greendot</a> program. Davis admits to boycotting his bank for 10 years. "I was wondering where that three hundred dollars went," C.J. comments drily while continuing to eat.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAB4lyyd9CwbJwyFTVn_tsadNkP6RwiLMspNVdxFeruzjVX9ro5wQFYsYJQkBG5LR2yEpYFPBPJQlz36YbgiiziXjfziNSoctLn8GKs3vRinExKDZIdFvvWK2StqZtihiiQd_VdHvoak/s1700/0jacks2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAB4lyyd9CwbJwyFTVn_tsadNkP6RwiLMspNVdxFeruzjVX9ro5wQFYsYJQkBG5LR2yEpYFPBPJQlz36YbgiiziXjfziNSoctLn8GKs3vRinExKDZIdFvvWK2StqZtihiiQd_VdHvoak/s500/0jacks2.jpg" /></a></div>Hey <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/twin-peaks-index.html">Twin Peaks</a></b> fans, a club exists in New Orleans called <a href="http://www.oneeyedjacks.net/about/">One Eyed Jacks</a> and Annie goes there to see <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lucero-mn0000306033/biography">Lucero</a> perform (in front of red curtains no less) before hooking up with her occasional boyfriend, its lead singer, <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ben-nichols-mn0000397536/biography">Ben Nichols</a>.<br /><br />Nelson finds Janette's new place, where Davis happens to be, and remarks how much better her food is than what's being served at her old place. She fills him in on the Feeny details and how she's going to try to appeal to his humanity to use her name. McAlary asks Hidalgo how he thinks his chances for being a community liaison for C.J went, but Nelson admits that he thinks Liguori plans to go another way. Davis gulps when realizing he lost a $30,000 job. <br /><br />Murder never stops in New Orleans and when Colson (David Morse) arrives at another crime scene to discover his men fiddling about he also learns the victim is Cherise.<br /><br />Toni tries to get FBI Special Agent Collington (Colin Walker) interested in the Orleans Parish in-custody deaths, but he admits to a full plate. Toni can't contain her anger since no movement has happened on the Abreu case she gave them. "Sphinx move faster than you fucking feds," she spits.<br /><br />No humanity can be found in Tim Feeny (Sam Robards) who tells Janette that he plans to sue over a Times-Picayune article where she extolled fine cuisine over chain-style dining. She can forget about getting her name back as well. He even lets her pick up the tab.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNcRuCTCTgD7JjtVucSuNe5nUAl00nbQiVGCTGd-WlvKR8-QoKkwj5yOcFaR6jHwkMFZj3tDs_ZuhJ0EiZBX7JR_RlpKVocwaDJkJr3iNI2LXy8cT2XxNFQWs9OVZdK6Sd24HSc3HNCU/s1600/0ep33antoinegetsmorebadnews.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:26 26 10px 10px ; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNcRuCTCTgD7JjtVucSuNe5nUAl00nbQiVGCTGd-WlvKR8-QoKkwj5yOcFaR6jHwkMFZj3tDs_ZuhJ0EiZBX7JR_RlpKVocwaDJkJr3iNI2LXy8cT2XxNFQWs9OVZdK6Sd24HSc3HNCU/s200/0ep33antoinegetsmorebadnews.png" /></a><br />"That sweet girl," Antoine says when Colson and Detective Nikolich (Yul Vazquez) question him about his meeting with Cherise two days prior. It turns out her boyfriend had been wearing one of his older brother's shirts and was killed by thugs he had a beef with from the Iberville projects. Nikolich offers the visibly shaken and upset Antoine that if it's any comfort, they've identified the killers and just have to locate them to arrest them for the crimes. "No sir, that's no comfort at all," Antoine responds. <i>(Pierce brings to the table whatever is needed, even if that mostly ends up being Antoine's more comical side, but when he shows us Batiste's other layers, especially in this dramatic scene of devastation, he's even more of a wonder to behold. While so many members of this talented ensemble deserve award recognition, this scene reminds me that Pierce might be the most glaring Emmy oversight in addition to the series itself. Perhaps next year a going-away present.)</i> LaDonna cooks Albert a dinner at his house as the share a dinner date alone. Later, the talk turns to mortality as Albert reminisces about many of his old friends, all gone, and even his late wife, who he admits LaDonna reminds him of in many ways. "When you get right down to it, death is an ordinary thing," Lambreaux admits while lying on his sofa, his head resting in LaDonna's lap.<br /><br />Terry returns to Toni's house to find her doing the dishes. He tries to ask about her day, but she brushes it off, though he tells her about Cherise's murder and tells her they know the killer, but just have to find her. Toni erupts, asking if they'll lose the evidence and screw it up. She finally admits being shaken up by Officer Wilson's taunt and the snail-like crawl of the feds to take any action on the Abreu murder among other cases she gave them. She brings up the Orleans Parish in-custody deaths, but Colson trying to keep the situation calm says precisely the wrong thing by explaining that's the sheriff's department and not under his department's supervision. She blows up and storms up. <i>(After all these years, even when Toni felt scared enough to send Sofia away when the NOPD harassed them, she still maintained her optimistic faith in justice winning out. Toni appears broken. (In the 33 episodes of <b>Treme</b> so far, Melissa Leo always has proved spectacular, but in this brief scene, seeing that tireless champion Toni Bernette break down and admits she feels the system is rigged beyond repair, Leo delivers another amazing piece of work. Morse, who stands calmly and lets her vent without trying to quell her fears or say she's wrong, performs at her level as the sounding board who knows to stay out of her way. One other note: The school Antoine teaches at, Theophile Jones Elie, was called an elementary school when introduced in the second season. The school still bears that name, but I wondered about how the school systems break down in New Orleans, since it seemed odd that 14- and 15-year-olds still would attend an elementary, but Colson describes Cherise as a middle school student. Still unclear, but who knows?)</i><br /><br />Larry (Lance E. Nichols) carries a below-freezing demeanor when LaDonna shows up to give him Antoine's money for the boys. He balks when she suggests taking Randall and Alcide with her. Larry asks if she means to the Residence Inn or the room above the bar. They're best with him and unless she wants to talk about coming home. LaDonna asks him to tell the boys she was there and leaves.<br /><br />That night, outside Theophile Jones Elie, a candlelight vigil takes place for Cherise and all the other young people slain on the streets of New Orleans. Young Jennifer even speaks on behalf of Cherise and all the other young people. "We love this city, but it hasn't loved us back," the teen tells the crowd.<br /><br /><blockquote><b>BLOGGER'S NOTE</b>: <i>I almost got this no-frills update up last night, but my stamina and fingers failed me. Health circumstances this week make a recap of this season's third episode unlikely, but I'll try to return for the fourth episode and the finale.</i><br /></blockquote><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br /><br /><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-67790777162744394642013-12-01T19:02:00.000-08:002015-08-10T12:33:32.075-07:00Treme No. 32: Yes We Can Can, Part I<p></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><blockquote><strong>BLOGGER'S NOTE</strong>: <em>This recap contains spoilers, so if you haven't seen the episode yet, move along. Unfortunately, another hospitalization put the final nail in me finishing this first recap on time and places the remaining recaps in doubt and jeopardy.</em></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAFk_1gUzHv4XCptwMx6DJqNGfldpaPwcnuyIgP4iLFs_WfG5IU73sbMjvO_AbkmAAPEYc4F1g9f9Vjf5QFhDj_tjFPB4j_-Wz4f0tw_B4bEYoSc1SNVa-WTmWsYMaoYOumhF7cTLC_U/s1600/ep22antoineboutte.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAFk_1gUzHv4XCptwMx6DJqNGfldpaPwcnuyIgP4iLFs_WfG5IU73sbMjvO_AbkmAAPEYc4F1g9f9Vjf5QFhDj_tjFPB4j_-Wz4f0tw_B4bEYoSc1SNVa-WTmWsYMaoYOumhF7cTLC_U/s640/ep22antoineboutte.png" /></a></div><p></p><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426">By Edward Copeland</a><br />As we return to our friends in New Orleans more than a year after we last looked in our their lives, it happens to be Election Day 2008, and we see the familiar trappings of any campaign — signs stacked on top of one another, long lines of citizens eager to perform their civic duty, poll workers taking their seats, ballot boxes being unlocked and set up and, finally, the actual process of voting taking place. During this montage, we catch our first sightings of<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMlPE2tfrxYH8eNxrpgXVGSjVSKd1XMfW45cVoL6fkr3FZyDVjY-PI_jJdK-Fte9Z_P9Wx1dsqFIuZSsfvImhpKjtojWHQWIx-wJtNUcZh9LBoF80rAg0-aZL-GBxCAXORWubEIN_7PM/s1700/0ep32davisonair.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMlPE2tfrxYH8eNxrpgXVGSjVSKd1XMfW45cVoL6fkr3FZyDVjY-PI_jJdK-Fte9Z_P9Wx1dsqFIuZSsfvImhpKjtojWHQWIx-wJtNUcZh9LBoF80rAg0-aZL-GBxCAXORWubEIN_7PM/s300/0ep32davisonair.png" /></a> characters we know. Desiree (Phyllis Montana-Leblanc) watches news reports of the expectations of a historic day while Honoré plays at her mother’s feet. Toni and Sofia Bernette (Melissa Leo, India Ennenga) stand in line together, awaiting the college freshman’s first chance to vote in a presidential election. Playing throughout this section of the premiere’s opening, we hear <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlP9x-5pwsM">“Every Man a King,”</a> the campaign song used by Louisiana’s legendary <a href="http://www.hueylong.com/resources/biography.php">Huey Long</a> and currently being spun by DJ Davis McAlary (Steve Zahn) on <a href="http://www.wwoz.org/">WWOZ</a>. As the tune ends, McAlary explains the station’s theme that day aims to play songs of political import. “The polls have indeed opened in our politically calcified and corrupt state and remember, if you want your vote to matter, the question is 'What are you doing here?' To <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/188844-times-are-not-good-here-the-city-is-crumbling-into">paraphrase</a> the great <a href="http://www.neh.gov/humanities/2012/mayjune/feature/lafcadio-hearn-in-new-orleans">Lafcadio Hearn</a>, better to vote once in Ohio in sackcloth and ashes than 10 times in every parish in Louisiana,” Davis tells his listeners, before switching to Allen Touissant’s own version of the song which gives this episode its title, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP3YhOzb74k">“Yes We Can Can,”</a> a song Touissant originally wrote as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSaBFblUd1s">“Yes We Can”</a> for Lee Dorsey in 1970, but which added the extra "Can" when it became a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVxv6AFt7YM">1973 funk hit</a> for The Pointer Sisters. (<i>I swore I did try to avoid going overboard on the background, but I imagine I'll let up as outside forces close in on the time needed for even bare-bones recaps.</i>)</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"> <br /><br />As Toussaint’s “Yes We Can Can” glides us from WWOZ to the Lambreaux residence, Albert (Clarke Peters) sews in his driveway, mystifying his children Delmond and Davina (Rob Brown, Edwina Findley) that he lacks interest in joining their trip to the polls. Del emphasizes that the chance to vote for a black man for president might not come again soon, but his father stoically replies, “You really think that’s going to change some shit?” Though the last time we saw the big chief, chemo had left him bald. Now, his hair has returned and he’s regrown his mustache. After voting, Antoine Batiste (Wendell Pierce) and Desiree come upon a musical garden party of sorts, where John Boutté sings Sam Cooke’s classic <a href="http://youtu.be/gbO2_077ixs">“A Change Is Gonna Come.”</a> Sonny (Michiel Huisman) drops Linh and her father Tran (Hong Chau, Lee Nguyen) off to vote, but Tran questions why he isn’t coming in order to tell his wife how to vote. Sonny<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJF7ViS8laAuDlgamfNwSFeA7shmtN7qcf_q4725AzkdTkUK6rPbbSjY-or9vkEwX7sqF5X_M41PLOSxloz8BJKJb_xVpkhtHPm4SUvL1JvkpAJiPxdmdkJomkees15JzozuHpcqBO3vg/s1700/0ep32electionday.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJF7ViS8laAuDlgamfNwSFeA7shmtN7qcf_q4725AzkdTkUK6rPbbSjY-or9vkEwX7sqF5X_M41PLOSxloz8BJKJb_xVpkhtHPm4SUvL1JvkpAJiPxdmdkJomkees15JzozuHpcqBO3vg/s300/0ep32electionday.png" /></a> explains he isn’t a citizen, so Tran says he’ll tell Linh what to do this time. Tran plans to vote for McCain. “Democrats in Vietnam — they quit, give up. Republicans for me, always,” Tran says. Sonny shrugs to his wife and asks, “McCain?” Linh just grins and replies, “Father knows best.” When Antoine asks <a href="http://jamesandrewsmusic.com/">James Andrews </a>who’s paying him for the gig with Boutté, he tells Batiste that all the gathered musicians are working for free. Antoine decides to go home and retrieve his bone. While Albert expressed disinterest to his children, he sits on his couch and watches the television reports of the long lines that began early on this Election Day. Once Antoine has joined Boutté and the other musicians, they burst forth with “Glory Glory Hallelujah.” When no one watches, Albert himself turns up at a polling station. As the day turns into night, the celebratory atmosphere intensifies as Toni and Sofia join an Obama rally outside Kermit Ruffins’<a href="http://www.wwoz.org/new-orleans-community/music-venues/sidneys-saloon#"> Sidney’s Saloon</a>, also attended by Antoine and Desiree and presided over by Ruffins himself, where all <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNtJRPcPCcw">watch</a> Barack Obama’s acceptance speech from Chicago. “That’s your president, baby,” Antoine tells Honoré. “He looks just like you.” Back at home, Albert again watches alone, still with an uncertain sadness about him. Ruffins blows his trumpet and makes his ways through the crowd shouting, “Yes we can” repeatedly until he gets to the middle of <a href="https://maps.google.com/?q=29.968155+-90.062923+%281200+St.+Bernard+Ave.,+New+Orleans,+LA,+70117,+us%29">St. Bernard Avenue</a> alone, clear of the crowd, and sees the flashing lights of police cars in the distance. Some things remain the same. The entire opening sequence of the premiere (written by David Simon & Eric Overmyer & George Pelecanos, directed by Anthony Hemingway) runs for nearly seven minutes. It’s a beautiful sight to behold and a great beginning to our final hours with our friends in <b>Treme</b>.<br /><br />Following the credit sequence, we slowly pan from a group of chickens gathered behind the back of a small gray station wagon until we see the vehicle’s door ajar while two roosters near the door seem to be attempting to converse with Davis on his knees in front of his mode of transportation, taken out by a very large pothole. McAlary, in a moment that could be lifted from a <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2009/07/herzog-week-stroszek.html">Werner Herzog</a> film, unemotionally says, “Fuck you” to the fowl as if they mocked his misfortune.(<i>In the early years of <b>Treme,</b> I felt Zahn received undue criticism for his portrayal of Davis McAlary, many seeing him as little more than a caricature, but I’ve never thought that to be the case. Perhaps part of my defense stems from being an early fan of Zahn’s work both on stage and in films, but the Davis detractors give neither the character nor the actor who inhabits him the credit each deserves or recognize McAlary’s many layers of emotional depth and serious intent when it comes to the musical heritage of New Orleans. Davis McAlary as a whole exists neither as a cartoon nor a buffoon. Now that I recall, Herzog directed Zahn in <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2006/12/first-facts-then-fiction.html">Rescue Dawn</a></b>, the feature version of Herzog’s documentary <b>Little Dieter Needs to Fly</b>.</i>) Meanwhile, it appears that last season’s tensions between Tim Feeny (Sam Robards) and Janette Desautel (Kim Dickens) reached a boiling point and Janette no longer works at the restaurant which continues to operate using her name, Desautel’s on the Avenue. Not one to give up, Janette currently paints her own sign for a new restaurant she’s about to open on <a href="http://maps.yahoo.com/directions/?lat=29.964910500000002&lon=-90.05677399999999&bb=29.984304498252047%2C-90.0984417988281%2C29.945516501747957%2C-90.01510620117188&o=Dauphine%20St%2C%20New%20Orleans%2C%20LA%2070112&d=Louisa%20St%2C%20New%20Orleans%2C%20LA%2070117">Dauphine Street at Louisa Street</a> in the <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/New_Orleans/Bywater">Bywater</a> area of New Orleans. Only selecting a name for her new eatery stumps Janette. Her <a href="http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/education/culinary-career-path/item/1262-sous-chef-description">sous chef</a> (and lover when last we saw them) Jacques Jhoni (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine) suggests she call it Desautel’s, the only word she’s completed on the sign, but Janette nixes that since it was the name of her first restaurant. She floats the idea of Desautel’s on the Bywater, but Jacques says it summons the image of byproducts and might not be an appetizing image. For now, Janette remains stuck, but Davis’ vehicle does not as a tow truck comes to its rescue, if not McAlary’s. Once the station wagon leaves the scene, the viewer truly realizes what a monster the pothole that ensnared its front wheel is. It must be at least three feet wide, if not more, and who knows how deep, judging by the pooled water flooding to its surface. Davis yells in vain as the tow truck driver vanishes down the road about what should be done about the gaping hole. With no response forthcoming, McAlary surveys the surroundings. We leave New Orleans for a moment to check in on Nelson Hidalgo (Jon Seda), back home in Texas, Galveston to be precise, with his cousin Arnie (Jeffrey Carisalez) in tow, looking for new projects in the wake of <a href="http://www.stormchaser.ca/hurricanes/ike/ike.html">Hurricane Ike</a>. Hidalgo also busies himself cursing at not getting through to one of his brokers, telling Arnie that the elusive man has “Five mil of mine under this guy’s ass and I can’t get him on the phone like he’s just some discount broker? What the fuck is that?” Nelson meets with two businessmen, Jimmy Staunton and Doug McCreary (Patrick Kirton, John Niesler), about getting involved in the demolition game in Texas. McCreary asks how big a slice Hidalgo might like and Nelson tells him he already has 15 crews ready to work and can get more if needed. “You didn’t like New Orleans much?” McCreary inquires. “Work was good, but I’m home now and damn glad to be back in the Lone Star State, believe you me,” Nelson replies. Staunton declares that if Nelson is tight with Bobby (a reference to a character named Bobby Don Baxter, a Texas demolition baron that Nelson enlisted to help tear down the <a href="http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/03/nagin_oks_demolition_of_lafitt.html">Lafitte Projects</a> in Season 3), he’s tight with Staunton. However, in order to get the contracts, Nelson must use the Houston bank that McCreary happens to own. Back in the Crescent City, it first appears as if Davis plans to repair the pothole himself as he wheels a shopping cart out to it filled with buckets and what appear to be supplies. Instead, he uses the cart, buckets and various other tools to create an almost modern art sculpture tall enough to warn motorists and to cover the road hazard. “My work here is done,” Davis proclaims as he walks away. (<i>This section of the episode — and you could include the Galveston scene I’m about to recap as part of it as well — cuts from one short scene to the next in ways that often proved disruptive in many Season 2 episodes but, as in Season 3, they’ve fixed that flow problem so it doesn’t feel as if the viewer constantly hits a road bump for no good reason. They don’t have an underlying connection as the magnificent collection of short scenes in this episode’s pre-credit sequence does, but that segment had Election Day to serve as the cake for which those disconnected moments could be frosted into confectionery perfection, giving us one of the greatest openings of a <b>Treme</b> episode ever in the first of its final five. However, even when they don’t feel superfluous, because of health difficulties and other interruptions that barely allowed me to post this first recap on time and put the timeliness of the remaining four in question, I will be leaving many scenes I deem of lesser importance out of these pieces entirely.)</i> <br /><br />Back in Galveston, Nelson's broker finally returns his call and gets an earful from Hidalgo as to why he hasn't sold his stocks yet. "We are shedding like a thousand points on the Dow in the two days since the election. I can't take anymore," a more subdued Nelson tells his broker on the other end of the line before erupting again, "Get me out of this fuckin' market now!" As Nelson pockets his phone, he joins Arnie at a food stand selling Tex-Mex cuisine where Arnie and Nelson's lunch orders wait on the counter. "What do you think happened?" Arnie asks. "It's Obama, I guess," the erstwhile Republican Hidalgo speculates. "Wall Street doesn't like the guy or something, but this shit started two months ago when they let <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/26638883">Lehman Brothers</a> go under," Nelson declares, pointing at his cousin for emphasis. Arnie asks how much of a hit Nelson has taken so far from the economic collapse. "Between yesterday and today, what I lost about two months ago — about a million four and climbing," Hidalgo replies. "Don't worry. These are on me," Arnie reassures his cousin about paying for lunch. A somewhat clumsy instrumental version of the children’s gospel classic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Little_Light_of_Mine">“This Little Light of Mine”</a> (composed by <a href="http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/l/o/e/loes_hd.htm">Harry Dixon Loes</a> around 1920 and recorded in numerous styles and genres with its lyrics.) plays us out of Galveston and into the Theophile Jones Elie band room. Antoine circles the young teens before urging his budding musicians to stop,<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4o8M_hYVtv03L0d4EwDieLZpp8uAnZEJCmB-s9fdVnhoe5gdgvjMNU9mDLu2Nh-GANSsZV1NXT_A3NIVtbs3b8ki4ljroZdglele_vdCz3HnInyuNFH08ZzTExbk6FmttTbLOsvDJrA/s1700/0ep32bandclass.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4o8M_hYVtv03L0d4EwDieLZpp8uAnZEJCmB-s9fdVnhoe5gdgvjMNU9mDLu2Nh-GANSsZV1NXT_A3NIVtbs3b8ki4ljroZdglele_vdCz3HnInyuNFH08ZzTExbk6FmttTbLOsvDJrA/s400/0ep32bandclass.png" /></a> telling them that the notes emanating from their instruments are "cacophonous — from the Greek word caca." Antoine asks the kids why they aren't coming prepared as they'd discussed and one replies that they are trying. "Not hard enough," Mr. Batiste tells his class. One of the students, Markell (Markell Henderson), admits to missing the former lead instructor, Mr. LeCoeur, who left for a post at a New Orleans high school. Antoine tells the band that LeCoeur isn't coming back and the students have him as their instructor year-round now. As Batiste lectures the kids about coming to class "correct," Cherise (Camryn Jackson) disassembles her saxophone, places it in its case and prepares to leave. Antoine inquires about her destination and Cherise tells him that she has to pick up her little brother, though Jennifer (Jazz Henry) teases that Cherise plans to hook up with her boyfriend. The bell rings for the day, so most everyone exits anyway. Antoine shakes his head and mutters to himself about someone as young as Cherise already having a boyfriend. Then he notices Robert (Jaron Williams) still sitting in his desk, staring down and shaking. Antoine asks Robert what's wrong because he knows it couldn't have been him playing that horn. "It hurts, Mister Batiste," Robert replies, indicating his groin area as his trumpet bounces up and down off his jittery legs. Antoine asks the boy if he's been "pulling on it" and his student offers the additional information that "it burns when I pee. It's sticky down there." <i>Pierce delivers a great empathetic cringe once he realizes what afflicts one of his best students. </i>Antoine inquires as to whether Robert has had sex and the prodigy once nick-named Bear tells of one girl in his neighborhood and "she's been bothering me." Antoine sighs, "They all do." He learns, to no great surprise, that Robert lacks both a family doctor or any kind of health insurance. "Gather your things, boy — your horn, too," Batiste tells his student as he puts his coat and cap on, a grin of wistful STD-related nostalgia crossing his face. (<i>As has been the case throughout <b>Treme</b>’s run, Pierce’s portrayal of Antoine remains the series’ heart and soul. Pierce finds new ways to make Antoine funny and serious, often simultaneously, and reveals new sides to Batiste each season. The show manages to give most members of its ensemble cast moments to shine, but I can’t remember a wasted moment involving Pierce.</i>)<br /><br />We’ve already witnessed changes in several characters’ lives: Janette working on another new restaurant; Nelson feeling the financial impact of the 2008 Wall Street collapse and Antoine becoming the year-round, lead instructor for young band students. The biggest upheaval though may have happened in the life of LaDonna Batiste-Williams (Khandi Alexander). LaDonna and Larry have separated and LaDonna visits with Alcide and Randall (Renwick Scott, Sean-Michael Bruno), her sons by Antoine, on the porch of Larry’s Mid-City home. She asks if the teens if their stepdad treats them well and they tell their mom that Larry even has improved as a cook, though they have breakfast for dinner a lot. “Larry’s a good man and he loves you two like you’re his own,” LaDonna tells the boys, though the oldest, Alcide, immediately fires back with the question, “Then why did you leave?” LaDonna tries to explain to the adolescents that sometimes things<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2b2yR4AxZzaluVxBePNOe8dsvJ6LqbZrZxDNkWOirK0pAYN4I6BHGLCYvWFmqY0SztiBYRC8kHrDR2jrRX2VtRUldZ_lw5FTLtii8C_fbuxk00jCLh8uQFNl5a1AzaEhBA8zGrfggRWE/s1750/0ep32ladonnasons.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2b2yR4AxZzaluVxBePNOe8dsvJ6LqbZrZxDNkWOirK0pAYN4I6BHGLCYvWFmqY0SztiBYRC8kHrDR2jrRX2VtRUldZ_lw5FTLtii8C_fbuxk00jCLh8uQFNl5a1AzaEhBA8zGrfggRWE/s350/0ep32ladonnasons.png" /></a> just don’t work out between people, but she promises the three of them will be together again soon — though she emphasizes that the reunion won’t occur in the house that holds the porch on which they currently sit. Alcide remains skeptical, having heard LaDonna’s promises before, but she insists that once she gets the bar up and running again that she’ll find a home for the three of them. “You finish the school year out here. It’s what’s best for you,” she tells her hardened oldest son. “Until things sort themselves out.” Alcide looks decidedly unconvinced and unmoved while Randall lets LaDonna cradle him in her arms on the porch swing. Antoine reunites unexpectedly with a former member of his Soul Apostles when he finds Sonny working part-time at <a href="http://www.neworleansmusiciansclinic.org/">The New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic</a> that helps professional musicians who catch the sort of STDs that young Robert has. Sonny tells Antoine that he took this part-time job and does some gigs out of fear he’ll spend so much time on his father-in-law’s fishing boat that he’ll speak Vietnamese better than he does. Unfortunately, the clinic can’t help Robert since he not only isn’t a professional musician, but hasn’t reached the age of 15 yet, though Sonny says The Daughters of Charity at Ochsner will help him. “Fourteen and already burned, huh?” Sonny comments. “Yep. The kid’s a prodigy in more ways than one,” Antoine adds before sharing the hardest aspect about being a New Orleans musician to Sonny: “Having to explain to your girlfriend why she has to take penicillin for your kidney infection. The former bandmates erupt in hearty laughter. Even young Robert grins, though that prompts Batiste to swat him and ask, “What you laughing at, boy?”<br /><br /><center><b>TO READ PART II, CLICK <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2012/12/treme-no-32-yes-we-can-can-part-ii.html">HERE</a></b></center><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br /><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-81369557779916046032013-12-01T19:00:00.000-08:002015-08-10T12:33:32.092-07:00Treme No. 32: Yes We Can Can Part II<p></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><blockquote><strong>BLOGGER'S NOTE</strong>: <em>This recap contains spoilers, so if you haven't seen the episode yet, move along.</em></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDiW3jJyQtPcNg5CVstIc_Xs3T7ZfiLOR2-nyH6ecUmewiXEQSigXIGpu6rKYSyBr-g2IBgv5kAbQ408F56Zf2zPjQGnO1p5xpqLJQ4YI4aC4meNVzpU6JDtqfwamQNHD9le7XdRd7vl8/s1600/0ep32annieband.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDiW3jJyQtPcNg5CVstIc_Xs3T7ZfiLOR2-nyH6ecUmewiXEQSigXIGpu6rKYSyBr-g2IBgv5kAbQ408F56Zf2zPjQGnO1p5xpqLJQ4YI4aC4meNVzpU6JDtqfwamQNHD9le7XdRd7vl8/s640/0ep32annieband.png" /></a></div><p></p><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426">By Edward Copeland</a><br />We finally see Annie (Lucia Micarelli) doing what she does best — playing the hell out of the fiddle with her band Bayou Cadillac on <a href="http://youtu.be/4T6XIBIjKck">“Do You Wanna Dance”</a> (with French lyrics, no less) on a Lafayette, Louisiana stage. When the set ends, Annie gets a big bear hug from Michael Doucet, founder of the band <a href="http://www.rosebudus.com/beausoleil/">BeauSoleil</a>, whose group had an album that bore the name Bayou Cadillac. He tells her he loves the name of the band and while Annie worries that he might take offense, Doucet assures her he takes it as a compliment. She tries to spread her exuberance to her manager Marvin Frey (Michael Cerveris), insisting it’s the best show ever and wishing they taped it or the concert in Mobile for a live album. “You might even sell a few copies in Lafayette or Mobile or even New Orleans,” Frey responds unenthusiastically. As Frey and Annie watch Doucet take the stage and Annie imagines being that big in a few years, Frey walks away. “Why do I get the sense that you are trying to tell me something?” Annie asks her manager. Frey tells her that in the music industry, it’s getting harder to survive on the margins. Her album did what it did but once they get north of a certain point geographically, it goes nowhere. “Doing rock ‘n’ roll dance hall tunes en francais in Lafayette?” Frey poses. “What the fuck Marvin? We’re in Lafayette,” Annie replies. “That’s right. You’re in Lafayette. I just thought you were hungrier than that,” Frey tells his client. <br /></span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7ZkBRCNtk_XnSkY_ERxcNxixC9xWz1o8OwsUxkQkGC4oim6ikbBhVbRFKem5_kmYFRHFrTayuNP5F2FTfbN0-9IGD33rArusnUCh9IBtN6BhT5PCqCzULvta0Fhnv9Cy1OHqRedgwtI/s1750/0ep32colsonattonis.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:right; margin:26 26 10px 10px ; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7ZkBRCNtk_XnSkY_ERxcNxixC9xWz1o8OwsUxkQkGC4oim6ikbBhVbRFKem5_kmYFRHFrTayuNP5F2FTfbN0-9IGD33rArusnUCh9IBtN6BhT5PCqCzULvta0Fhnv9Cy1OHqRedgwtI/s350/0ep32colsonattonis.png" /></a><br />Terry (David Morse) looks quite comfortable reading the Times-Picayune sports section in Toni’s living room as he complains about the Atlanta Falcons who will face off against the hometown Saints with a 4-4 record. He fears he’s boring Toni with the football talk, but she surprises him with her pigskin player knowledge. Sofia breezes through the room, as she prepares to return east to school, and notes how comfy Colson seems in the house, asking if the living arrangement is permanent. Her mom informs Sofia that the city demolished Terry’s house. “I was too late getting started. Mold and rot had its way with everything,” Terry tells Sofia, who asks what she should call him now — Terry? Detective Colson? Colson suggests The Tall Guy. Colson inquires of Toni if she’d mind if he’d spend Thanksgiving with her and Sofia in New Orleans. He’d already asked his sons in Indianapolis and they approved, though Colson realizes he should’ve broached the subject with Toni first. Toni insists that both she and Sofia would love to have him there. (<i>Morse has been so great in so many roles since his first splash on <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/st-elsewhere-index.html">St. Elsewhere</a></b>, that he truly was a welcome sight in his recurring role in the first season, even more so once he became a regular in Season Two</i>) Annie seeks advice from ex-boyfriend Davis about Marvin’s advice that she dump Bayou Cadillac in favor of Nashville studio musicians. “I should tell him to go fuck himself, right? Isn’t that what I’m supposed to say?” Annie asks McAlary. While Davis agrees with her problems with Frey, he also admits that his relationship with the Lost Highway record label beats any local label, including his own. Annie thanks him for lending her his ear. “What else are psychically wounded ex-lovers for?” Davis replies before hopping on a bicycle and heading to his own label. He asks Don B. if his Aunt Mimi might be on the premises, but Don says between the two of them, most days he feels as if he’s holding down the fort by himself. He then gives Davis his paycheck, which McAlary complains will go to more than $800 in repairs for the pothole debacle. He also asks Don to admit that most days Bartholomew would pay to keep Davis out of the office. Before McAlary scampers off, Don gives him a demo of “the next big thing” that will come out of New Orleans, which turns out to be a new work by Trombone Shorty.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkfYnG7wKkxWnXj-1Uh-nXq_WKANATw8eauH01vuCOlpBwN12RSuBu8_jgAlX5ks8lmKqzJ6LaI_hSSBucgMtqy8Sxttejpz419M7tr1HT8uKHtVTmgZe2iQoSlbhn_T5h8AmHXKH2ro/s1700/0ep32cj.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkfYnG7wKkxWnXj-1Uh-nXq_WKANATw8eauH01vuCOlpBwN12RSuBu8_jgAlX5ks8lmKqzJ6LaI_hSSBucgMtqy8Sxttejpz419M7tr1HT8uKHtVTmgZe2iQoSlbhn_T5h8AmHXKH2ro/s300/0ep32cj.png" /></a>(<i>Micarelli, the only regular cast member who came to the show with no acting experience, truly grew in her acting prowess over the course of these 36 episodes. Her musical abilities always were present. I wonder if she’ll return exclusively to the world of music or she’ll continue to pursue acting work. I hope she does.</i>) Nelson returns to the Big Easy to check on his remaining investments there and to see if any opportunities remain that might help him rebuild his losses. He checks in with banker and business partner C.J. Liguori (Dan Ziskie) to see if he took a hit, but Liguori admits that most New Orleans businessmen always act more conservatively. In fact, he appears to be <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2009/06/treme-ep-10-ill-fly-away.html">channeling</a> the late, Creighton Bernette (John Goodman), despite the vast differences in Toni's late husband and C.J.'s political leanings, when he responds, "Hold the <a href="http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/">Corps</a> accountable. Down here in New Orleans, we've lost our naiveté. We're several years past believing anything but spit, chewing gum and dumb luck keeps anyone high and dry." Liguori tells Hidalgo to relax and reminds him that most <a href="http://maps.yahoo.com/place/?lat=29.970699&lon=-90.09922&q=Mid-City%2C%20New%20Orleans%2C%20LA&bb=29.990103107115107%2C-90.14089052337647%2C29.951294892884892%2C-90.05754947662354&addr=Mid-City%2C%20New%20Orleans%2C%20LA%2070119">Mid-City</a> properties should turn over soon and he holds pieces of that and that he wouldn't bet against the jazz center, the plans for which sit on Mayor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Nagin">Ray Nagin</a>'s desk. C.J. suggests Nelson get a good meal and a few drinks, but Hidalgo asks if there is anything immediate he could do for Liguori. C.J. informs him of a community meeting in the Treme about the jazz center that he could monitor for them since he'd be less likely to be recognized.<br /><br />Colson arrives at a crime scene where a man lies shot dead in his front yard. He summons one of his detectives, Cappell (Dexter Tillis), to discern what they know. He isn’t happy to learn that neither the young detective nor the<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2f8vMuufmSBjCS7gBLusf9fqADfxcX_VSaT6Zv8glGGCR97fKJjdIvTNO1ApXJs6OFfadS5bDPoudq8XutqL3YvLed7L9IJ4QwNNUASYfb4rW3JWuBDwFiY_lJaxCqps0OPwZXJVjAXU/s1675/0ep32brokencameras.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2f8vMuufmSBjCS7gBLusf9fqADfxcX_VSaT6Zv8glGGCR97fKJjdIvTNO1ApXJs6OFfadS5bDPoudq8XutqL3YvLed7L9IJ4QwNNUASYfb4rW3JWuBDwFiY_lJaxCqps0OPwZXJVjAXU/s275/0ep32brokencameras.png" /></a> silent Detective Silby (JD Evermore), seen at a distance, have bothered to canvass the neighborhood for potential witnesses. Terry notices a surveillance camera above the street. Cappell tells him that it’s unlikely the camera even works. Colson orders Cappell to start knocking on doors while he checks in on any possible security footage. When Colson gets to the office that monitors the cameras, the officer on duty watching them (Carl Palmer) confirms that the camera in question no longer works, as is the case with most of the surveillance equipment in the 6th District. “Why am I not surprised?” Terry sighs. The officer suggests that even though the cameras don’t work, they still serve as a deterrent, adding that even if all the security cameras worked, understaffing would prevent monitoring all of them. Colson asks how many continued to function. The officer guessed that in the 6th District, perhaps 10 to 12. “Out of how many?” Terry inquires. The officer gives him the total of 38. He suggests that Colson talk to the head of IT in Nagin’s office, if he wants to make any progress, but he thanks him for dropping by. He doesn’t get many visitors apparently.<br /><br />Albert works as part of the team rebuilding GiGi’s for LaDonna. She also allows the Guardians of the Flame to practice there, which they do when the rest of the tribe arrives. LaDonna asks Big Chief Lambreaux how late they<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKe6uEcfj0Rwwja5KWZTUyweZ3H6J4pMJ0RyYa3UfFDBxlXFR1bNizwYw5RnoTmfV6_w4QMUXudz6Qz3j_gCWGfjjG4PbMDsBw4CPyAZSe5Yt1aDL-jOoTSWvNUqBGGFKzHINoq9ypOg8/s1750/0ep32ladonnaalbert.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKe6uEcfj0Rwwja5KWZTUyweZ3H6J4pMJ0RyYa3UfFDBxlXFR1bNizwYw5RnoTmfV6_w4QMUXudz6Qz3j_gCWGfjjG4PbMDsBw4CPyAZSe5Yt1aDL-jOoTSWvNUqBGGFKzHINoq9ypOg8/s350/0ep32ladonnaalbert.png" /></a> plan to rehearse, hinting that she’s thinking of other activities, though both she and Delmond watch the Indians go through their paces. Antoine arrives home and tells Desiree about Robert’s STD and Cherise’s boyfriend. Batiste admits that he didn’t sign up to be a father figure when he took the job. Sonny stopped for a quick drink at B.J.’s but when he has to take a leak, he finds the bar’s bathroom out of order. He steps outside to relieve himself but gets promptly greeted by the flashing lights of a patrol car. Sonny insists he consumed a single drink, but that doesn’t concern NOPD Capt. Jack Malatesta (Tony Senzamici). “Son, you can flash your titties if you have ‘em. You can lie down in the street in your own vomit, but one thing you cannot do in the City of New Orleans is pull out your pecker and piss on our hallowed ground,” the officer declares as he shuts the patrol car’s door on Sonny. (<i>One of the great pleasures of <b>Treme</b> always has been its dialogue, especially when it allowed itself longer speeches. I don’t know if David Simon, Eric Overmyer or George Pelecanos gets the credit for that line, but I love it.</i>) Shortly after his arrival in lockup. another man (Garrett Kruithof) get shoved in the holding cell, promptly collapsing, asking for help or a doctor and telling Sonny that he needs his inhaler for his asthma. Sonny calls a deputy for help, saying the man needs a doctor. The law enforcement official asks Sonny if he is a doctor, which Sonny obviously replies in the negative. “Then what the fuck do you know about it?” he spits before walking away, leaving the man writhing on the cell floor.<br /><br />Nelson visits Desautel’s on the Avenue, disappointed that his favorite dishes prove M.I.A. Tim Feeny stops by and glad-hands him and Hidalgo pretends he’s enjoying the pork loin he’s consuming. He asks Feeny if “chef” might be available for a brief chat and Feeny says “he” is. Nelson inquires about Janette, but Feeny just mentions the new chef being a great hire from Atlanta. When Feeny asks the woman serving behind the bar about how long Janette has been absent and she tells him about two months. Nelson pushes the rest of his meal aside and finishes his drink. Colson goes to Deputy Chief of Operations Marsden (Terence Rosemore) and demands a transfer, which Marsden refuses. Terry’s anger grows and he tells Marsden that he’s documented all the attempts to screw him over and jack him up, but he’s not going to quit. Marsden suggests that Colson take his pension and retire. He also reminds him that for all the years Colson served in the 6th District, he can’t quite call himself a virgin.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwzULu1vt90KSm7q81hPQCZGZSu0Q8ogQxGkkBPfuhQ8Yaj8eVZzekW7zn46tyozRl6ffTS8Y42ynY2G8Ifyy2gn0Mxqd0poiDqBf1fQXicni2QPyDPJ5HIW3CBn_Fxn4WwqmCf0BvDU/s1700/0ep32tonisonny.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:26 26 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwzULu1vt90KSm7q81hPQCZGZSu0Q8ogQxGkkBPfuhQ8Yaj8eVZzekW7zn46tyozRl6ffTS8Y42ynY2G8Ifyy2gn0Mxqd0poiDqBf1fQXicni2QPyDPJ5HIW3CBn_Fxn4WwqmCf0BvDU/s300/0ep32tonisonny.png" /></a><br />When Toni gets Sonny out of jail the next morning, she senses something happened. Sonny tells him that nothing to him but shares the tale of the neglected asthmatic. He tells her EMTs eventually showed up after he wasn’t breathing and was blue and tried to revive him, but they were too late — the man was dead. Davis brings a box bearing gifts of liquor to Janette for that night’s opening. “How many times will I get to see you open a new place in my lifetime — six, seven tops,” McAlary proclaims. Janette welcomes the present. She can’t obtain credit from any liquor distributors to make running a full bar possible. She offers Davis a free opening night meal, but McAlary opts for a rain check citing his interest in the community meeting concerning closing the live clubs on Rampart in order to make way for the jazz center followed by <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/troy-trombone-shorty-andrews-mn0001549991/biography">Trombone Shorty</a>’s big show at the <a href="http://www.thehowlinwolf.com/">Howlin’ Wolf</a>. Toni makes a date to talk with sheriff’s department Capt. Richard LaFouchette (James DuMont) to learn more about the man, whose name she learned was William Gilday, who died in his department’s cell. LaFouchette shares the list of in-custody deaths, but Gilday’s name doesn’t appear. Toni asks what the hell is going on over there. “It’s jail, Toni. Shit happens,” LaFouchette responds. (<i>It’s always easier to play a villain, but Melissa Leo amazes with her ability to play such a force of good as Toni as spectacularly as Leo throughout the run of <b>Treme</b>. Of course, as with the rest of the talented cast and show itself, she received no Emmy recognition just as she failed ever to be nominated for her great work on <b>Homicide: Life on the Street</b>. Perhaps that Oscar win for <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/01/second-in-line-to-familys-imaginary.html">The Fighter</a></b> and her recent Emmy win for her great guest spot on the hysterical <b>Louie</b> takes the sting out, despite entertainment awards being honors and pointless simultaneously. Speaking of <b>Louie</b>, while Dan Ziskie always displays a dry wit as C.J. Liguori, since I started watching <b>Louie</b> late I can’t help but picture C.J. as the Southern lawman who requests Louis C.K. reward him with a kiss on the lips for saving him from some thugs.</i>)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMqQAVF9Cr-wg-Q8vTE-ddolNVyzQwCpwPJdm-pJLqkvKM7qhGX4bkluQgiXL8vleRFuaUJwZaKCFm2Yv1ylDM1tchklDGQC0X7dt2eDZFdKTSiueyRXQRBVAPMVrd0DF1o1SY01C5WY/s1700/0aep32nelsondavis.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMqQAVF9Cr-wg-Q8vTE-ddolNVyzQwCpwPJdm-pJLqkvKM7qhGX4bkluQgiXL8vleRFuaUJwZaKCFm2Yv1ylDM1tchklDGQC0X7dt2eDZFdKTSiueyRXQRBVAPMVrd0DF1o1SY01C5WY/s500/0aep32nelsondavis.png" /></a></div><br />Not all characters know each other in the <b>Treme</b> universe, but eventually some do cross paths. In the final season’s premiere, Nelson Hidalgo meets Davis McAlary at the community meeting concerning the idea of shutting down the live clubs on Rampart to make way for the jazz center. After Nelson makes a few comments, Davis realizes that Hidalgo plays for “the other team.” McAlary determines that Hidalgo needs re-education that only D.J. Davis can provide. He takes the Texas businessman into the crowd outside the Howlin’ Wolf awaiting Shorty’s show, where he introduces him to Antoine as “a corporate <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/succubus">succubus</a> who has set up shop in our quaint little village with the intent of harnessing its essence for fun and profit.” Davis attempts to begin his work on Nelson by offering him a joint, but Hidalgo declines and instead offers to get drinks for Antoine and Davis, who kindly oblige. “Why’d you go and call that man a suck-your butt?” Antoine asks McAlary. “He seemed alright to me.” (<i>As I said earlier, Pierce’s Antoine always has served as the heart and soul of the series, but it’s great to see him and Zahn in comic routines with each other or anyone else. It’s not exactly true to the spirit of the definition, but Antoine and Davis function in a way as the <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/yin+and+yang">yin and the yang</a> of <b>Treme</b>, except neither truly exudes pure darkness or negativity</i>.)<br /><br />After a gig with <a href="http://www.billboard.com/artist/301665/ellis-marsalis/biography">Ellis Marsalis</a>, Delmond’s agent James Woodrow (Jim True-Frost) inquires about Albert’s health. Del informs him that the Big Chief’s cancer has gone into remission, so Woodrow asks if Del plans to return to New York anytime soon. Del expresses hesitancy, since Albert needs to remain cancer free for three years. Woodrow balks at the idea of that long an absence, but asks if he’s free to travel to NYC for a few days. <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/terence-blanchard-mn0000020971/biography">Terence Blanchard</a> wants to use him on a recording. When Del gets home, he greets his girlfriend Brandi (Brandi Coleman), who presses Del as to when he plans to tell Albert about his impending grandchild. Delmond admits to being superstitious — “circle of life and all that,” Del says.<br /><br />Antoine greets Troy Andrews aka Trombone Shorty backstage following his final set with Orleans Ave. Andrews asks Batiste how he’s been and Antoine replies, “Fine until after this last set.” Shorty interprets this as Antoine disliking the direction in which Andrews’ music is heading, but Batiste clarifies. Andrews’ new music makes him uncertain where Antoine Batiste is going and considering whether he should pawn his bone right now since he’ll never catch up. Shorty tells Antoine he might have some upcoming gigs he could toss his way, including one on an upcoming film set to film in New Orleans about old-time jazz pioneers. In the club itself, Davis shows Nelson photos on the wall of when Trombone Shorty was a child prodigy. Hidalgo admits to wondering about the name, but misses the larger point of McAlary’s visual illustration. “He is who he is because he comes from where he comes from, not some<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22DHLpQ4tlmux2dFrispBGOuWRetJOjyB7qVyFGMr7Jy7t90NZoFzJ_Bft6sH0h6-zv2bzaIW_ZFwA-0ZDkAwl4q0PipRSLe9jXkovejFwqo_zfTRnQq99vcVP57wuVbLJFqM-wHzTdM/s1700/0ep32janette3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20 ; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22DHLpQ4tlmux2dFrispBGOuWRetJOjyB7qVyFGMr7Jy7t90NZoFzJ_Bft6sH0h6-zv2bzaIW_ZFwA-0ZDkAwl4q0PipRSLe9jXkovejFwqo_zfTRnQq99vcVP57wuVbLJFqM-wHzTdM/s300/0ep32janette3.png" /></a> conservatory of music or performing arts center. He comes from the streets, the second lines, from the funerals and later those shithole three sets-a-night clubs. Music lives where it lives. You can’t fuck with that. You don’t want to fuck with that,” McAlary imparts to Nelson. <i>(Another great piece of dialogue.)</i> As hinted in the last episode of Season 3 when Albert and LaDonna went AWOL during the fund-raiser for GiGi’s, the two definitely became involved and the relationship proves to be the catalyst behind Larry and LaDonna’s impending divorce. LaDonna starts to put on her coat, ready to return to the Residence Inn, but Lambreaux urges her to stay since Davina took a trip out of town for a few days, so LaDonna accepts. She asks Albert if he’s tired, but Lambreaux admits to only being tired of people inquiring if he’s tired or how he’s doing. (<i>Khandi Alexander and Clarke Peters prove to be such a great pairing that it’s a shame it didn’t occur earlier. Alexander plays every range of emotion well, but few do fiery and pissed off as well as she does. In contrast, Peters says so much simply with his face. Albert raises his voice from time to time, but it’s his stoic stubbornness that makes the character so fascinating.</i>) Janette bids Jacques good night and she prepares to lock up Desautel’s on the Dauphine. She has managed to keep Jacques as a faithful sous chef, despite Eric Ripert’s <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/05/treme-no-16-feels-like-rain.html">advice</a>, but you see the sadness in her eyes as Jacques climbs into a woman’s convertible and gives her a big kiss before they drive away. Janette pours herself a drink and sadly imbibes alone, reminiscent of her early days in New York. (<i>Kim Dickens stands as another in this series’ ridiculously talented ensemble who conveys so much without saying a word. The humor and pathos she’s milked so brilliantly from this chef’s journey truly stands as a remarkable achievement.</i>)<br /><br /><blockquote><b>BLOGGER'S NOTE:</b> <i>Full recaps of the remaining four episodes seem unlikely, so I'm aiming for an overall appreciation to run after the finale.</i></blockquote><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-66273966572649920662013-11-30T06:00:00.000-08:002015-08-10T12:33:32.137-07:00Harder to survive on the margins<p></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><blockquote><strong>BLOGGER'S NOTE</strong>: <em>This preview of the fourth and final season of <b>Treme</b> contains mild spoilers for the last five episodes, but nothing too serious. If you fear knowing ANYTHING ahead of time, move along. Also, health problems and other interruptions have put timely recaps in jeopardy. At least part of the first episode will be up in time Sunday, but I can't make promises about timeliness going forward.</em></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTJrOCCdvoViwfk_RU39myHEBRh8iO74V6A4PjCRCNa64MW2VZu6BcRK_ZXVzNzh1_3TssjcOMah2enHNttvgqwez4e0Hs8-z2WAy9LUobC35axpTODqqfDqQz9zwRxustbvCoyMY8Wc/s1600/0ep32time.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTJrOCCdvoViwfk_RU39myHEBRh8iO74V6A4PjCRCNa64MW2VZu6BcRK_ZXVzNzh1_3TssjcOMah2enHNttvgqwez4e0Hs8-z2WAy9LUobC35axpTODqqfDqQz9zwRxustbvCoyMY8Wc/s640/0ep32time.png" /></a></div><p></p><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426">By Edward Copeland</a><br />The headline that I used for this preview of the truncated fourth and final season of HBO's <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/05/treme-no-14-santa-claus-do-you-get.html">Treme</a></b> paraphrases something Marvin Frey (Michael Cerveris), manager of Annie Tee aka Talarico (Lucia Micarelli), says to his client in the Sunday season premiere after she finishes a set with her band. Frey advises Annie that her album has peaked and, if she wishes to continue her ascent to stardom, her act requires big changes. While Frey's statement specifically<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFD5o8eASQ-NqtgGBIwMARxJFRjr9PXLkV5xUC9sj9j6A349kxcv_U_o1-AYpPXF7vR3REntZrehBNZTYnJTcxnv_ft5W4aZj9Rs6HHQc7TyFNTdXH6vSTrxdd9Y1t2TsT_Ww2oNMEGq8/s1600/0ep32marvin.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFD5o8eASQ-NqtgGBIwMARxJFRjr9PXLkV5xUC9sj9j6A349kxcv_U_o1-AYpPXF7vR3REntZrehBNZTYnJTcxnv_ft5W4aZj9Rs6HHQc7TyFNTdXH6vSTrxdd9Y1t2TsT_Ww2oNMEGq8/s200/0ep32marvin.png" /></a> pertains to Annie, it also applies to the unforgivable final season HBO allowed for this great series created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer. Yes, even in the commercial-free universe of pay cable, where subscribers should matter more than ratings, the various TV ratings systems (which grow more imperfect and outmoded by the day as the methods by which viewers watch TV evolve in ways A.C. Nielsen never could have envisioned) still capture the attention of channels such as HBO and <b>Treme</b> never drew an audience comparable to shows such as <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/sopranos-index.html">The Sopranos</a></b>, <b>Game of Thrones</b> or even <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/boardwalk-empire-index.html">Boardwalk Empire</a></b>. I suppose I should commend them for sticking with <b>Treme</b> as long as they did, but that doesn't excuse HBO for the scraps that it threw the series' way for a final season. Despite the burdens of a season half the size of a traditional one (and they received an 11-episode order for season 2) and steep cuts to staff and crew, the people remaining at <b>Treme</b> manage to go out well with few signs on the screen of the behind-the-scenes austerity measures imposed upon them in order to complete the story they never intended to run past four seasons. When I first learned of what HBO gave <b>Treme</b> for Season 3.5, my thoughts went to the citizens of New Orleans and the city itself, whose economy benefited from the series' filming there each year. Hasn't that city suffered enough? I digress. Five episodes remain to spend with the great characters we've met over the previous 31 episodes. We'll join the second line after the last episode airs Dec. 29.</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"> <br /><br />As the card shown above from Sunday's premiere indicates, the final season of <b>Treme</b> picks up 38 months after Hurricane Katrina and the federal flood that followed and devastated New Orleans and neighboring regions. More specifically, the day on which season 3.5 chooses to begin happens to be Nov. 4, 2008 — that historic day that saw Barack Obama elected the first African-American president of the United States. While the U.S. started the process of transition from one president to another, we learn of changes to most of the characters in the <b>Treme</b> universe in the premiere, “Yes We Can Can” (written by Simon, Overmyer & George Pelecanos, directed by Anthony<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVgVDAZCvNiuWh92ZqeK3CMSeHkxbvfsbgSjY8KLdDB6VYqthEbZRMukkh-WYaKY0ZigeR4JQKd72D2zSpDDbhnGd5tywtLhvVHHAehJU28vQs1X47x8y2-bfQzzKk5Mumlhqhm9VOUg/s1700/0predelalbert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVgVDAZCvNiuWh92ZqeK3CMSeHkxbvfsbgSjY8KLdDB6VYqthEbZRMukkh-WYaKY0ZigeR4JQKd72D2zSpDDbhnGd5tywtLhvVHHAehJU28vQs1X47x8y2-bfQzzKk5Mumlhqhm9VOUg/s300/0predelalbert.jpg" /></a> Hemingway), in terms of relationships started and ended, both personal and professional. For those forgetting where we left our friends more than a year ago, LaDonna Batiste-Williams (Khandi Alexander) struggled after her bar GiGi’s got torched in a suspicious, presumed revenge fire; Delmond Lambreaux (Rob Brown) found himself more torn than ever between his New York jazz career and his New Orleans roots, especially after his father Albert (Clarke Peters) began treatment for cancer; Janette Desautel (Kim Dickens) continued to butt heads with Tim Feeny (Sam Robards), the moneyman behind her new restaurant, Desautel’s on the Avenue; Sofia Bernette (India Ennenga) headed east for college as her mom Toni (Melissa Leo) continued to fight the good fight and began a relationship with Lt. Terry Colson (David Morse), who attempted to do the same within his police department; Sonny Schilder* (Michiel Huisman) wore down Tran (Lee Nguyen), the father of Linh (Hong Chau), and made her his bride; Nelson Hidalgo (Jon Seda), back in the good graces of C.J. Liguori (Dan Ziskie) and friends after exile for association with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Thomas">Oliver Thomas</a>, worked on various projects, including a New Orleans city jazz center, a project that Del and Albert already decided not to take part in despite a possible lucrative end; Annie’s burgeoning career led to her breakup with Davis McAlary (Steve Zahn), who gave a “final” performance announcing he was quitting the music industry; and Antoine Batiste (Wendell Pierce) found himself getting into the groove in his job as the assistant band instructor at Theophile Jones Elie Elementary. <br /><br />My return to recapping <b>Treme</b> episodes comes after sitting out Season 3 (and post-episode summaries/reviews of <b>Boardwalk Empire</b> as well) due to worsening aspects of the physical limitations associated with my primary progressive multiple sclerosis. A major impediment to me continuing the recaps stemmed from the fact that my recaps of both series grew so insanely ambitious with research and links supplementing the general summary and assessment of each individual episode. In fact, I got so detailed when referring to neighborhoods and sections of New Orleans that some readers assumed that I either hailed from there or had lived in the city for a sizable portion of my life when I never got the chance to visit the Crescent City back when I was mobile. Thankfully, no one thought I was old enough that I acquired my knowledge of 1920s Atlantic City from first-hand experience. My recaps<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gYMSXho49nMZQh4ZRMHNr7cBcUxFn7Ed0e-f4TwAyfyiDOB7qLI6J3mSAQ0aEC-JPFMmfGxABJQS5lTioTfREFOaqllv5vieV_lSmNVc7Fa63vqMIiMVybf5FzpaFZxby9hrsGDRJ40/s1650/0coyprevu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gYMSXho49nMZQh4ZRMHNr7cBcUxFn7Ed0e-f4TwAyfyiDOB7qLI6J3mSAQ0aEC-JPFMmfGxABJQS5lTioTfREFOaqllv5vieV_lSmNVc7Fa63vqMIiMVybf5FzpaFZxby9hrsGDRJ40/s250/0coyprevu.jpg" /></a> for the final five episodes of <b>Treme</b> won't approach the detail or ambition of my season 2 efforts. (Look at my recap of <b>Treme</b>'s season two episode <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/06/treme-17-carnival-time.html">"Carnival Time"</a> or my recap of <b>Boardwalk Empire</b>'s season 2 episode <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/12/boardwalk-empire-no-24-to-lost.html">"To the Lost"</a> to see how overboard I went.) I regret not being able to recap season 3 of <b>Treme</b> because I felt it turned out to be its best season, especially following season two, which contained individual episodes that proved great and contained truly memorable moments, but had too many episodes undermined by an editing style that seemed geared for children with ADD. In season three, the series largely corrected its flow problems and managed even to find use for some of its characters who had been annoying and pointless such as Sonny. It also introduced a new character in young enterprising reporter L.P. Everett (Chris Coy), a writer for <a href="http://www.propublica.org/">ProPublica</a>, who arrived in New Orleans to investigate the possible murder of a man by police following Hurricane Katrina. Everett's work brought him into contact with a natural ally in Toni and paralleled the internal frustration of Terry trying to delve into the culture of cover-up and corruption throughout the city's police department. While the entire ensemble managed to get their moments in season three, in my eyes, the season really belonged to Morse's stellar work as Colson. As a point of personal pride, when in season two Janette toured the kitchens of various New York restaurants, she began at the marvelous fictional creation Brulard’s, named for its owner and chef Enrico Brulard (a magnificent invention of a character by actor Victor Slezak — I still dream of spin-off where Brulard and Dr. John decide to open a restaurant and club together). Janette bonded best in Brulard's kitchen with actor Paul Fitzgerald's character, who never received a name, referred in credit lists simply by job title as Le poissonnier. In my recap of one of season two's best episodes, <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/05/treme-no-14-santa-claus-do-you-get.html">"Santa Claus, Do You Ever Get the Blues?</a>" (written by Lolis Eric Elie, directed by Alex Zakrzewski), I decided to christen Fitzgerald's character as Paul. To my delight, when he turned up in New Orleans at Janette's new restaurant, he had a name and it happened to be Paul. I'd love to think I had a hand in that, but I'm not deluded enough to assume such a thing. It pleased me nonetheless and I wish I'd been able to note it when it occurred.<br /><br />What makes this final stretch of <b>Treme</b> particularly interesting are how some episodes seem to have an overlying theme in a way that previous installments didn't. While episodes might revolve around a common event or day such as Mardi Gras or Thanksgiving, a couple of these final five delve specifically, though subtly, into overarching topics. As I referred to earlier, few signs on-screen indicate the steep cuts made for the final season. You spot them when some regulars' names only appear in episodes in which they appear and in the relative absence of bigger names such as Elizabeth Ashley's wonderful Aunt Mimi, who appears but once and briefly.<br /><br />Whenever I try to describe <b>Treme</b> to nonviewers, a pat description defies me. No television antecedent that's not really dependent on plot springs to mind as a comparison. <b>Treme</b> proves to be neither about the journey nor the destination while telling its tale of a community and its culture in the aftermath of a disaster, but, in the end, Katrina really isn't its point either. Miraculously, <b>Treme</b> works and, this late in the game, I finally realized the closest comparison to its type of storytelling. It came not from television, but a movie: Robert Altman's <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2006/03/nashvilles-rise-onto-my-top-10-all.html">Nashville</a>.</b> It also focused on a musical community with a large cast of characters, some of whom met, some who didn't, and didn't contain what anyone could call a conventional plot, yet it's one of Altman's masterpieces. Of course, <b>Nashville</b> comes to a climax of sorts and covers a very specific period of time. That thought prompted memories of another essentially plotless, though quite different, great film that by coincidence took place in our bicentennial year: Richard Linklater's <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/from-vault-dazed-and-confused.html">Dazed and Confused</a></b>, only it contained no big finish. As for television, I still can't think of a <b>Treme</b> antecedent and that's probably a good thing. I expect someone to correct me in comments and come up with a similar TV example and I'll be suitably red-faced for that series not occurring to me, but until then I welcome that in my mind <b>Treme</b> stands as one-of-a-kind.<br /><br /><b>Treme </b>premieres on Sunday night on HBO at 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central.<br /><br />*As far as I recall, Sonny's last name never was mentioned or seen on the show itself, but a book solved that mystery. <b>Treme: Stories and Recipes from the Heart of New Orleans</b> by Lolis Eric Elie, former story editor for the series, presents recipes belonging to various characters from <b>Treme</b> and it reveals Sonny's last name as Schilder when providing his dishes.<br /><br /><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-86298245567434112312013-11-23T21:01:00.000-08:002015-08-10T12:33:32.150-07:00Jennifer Dawson (Nov. 24, 1970-April 27, 2006)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='645' height='398' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyKHcECVkLYqtDgBJfRvOrgop49shpYWwHeNep4EPSVo3xPd7F8pswY29buKm3GFh5R2e7YFWgA_RCWMSnxaQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-77249713903116176042013-10-16T13:00:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.195-07:00Bouncing to a TV near you (plus a personal announcement)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFbXLEQJboam_5Gj9_AU4bfZojI5x3vmQ5g8pBiLVTripLrhMhqPXYo4BW8jEtfuooNpftkOmd17JGeNCypBmmd69rXCWdhYLwbCCtqUHXAwh91-3aIOQFH7sMss_5-yUizmqIdIXYMk/s1600/bigfreedia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFbXLEQJboam_5Gj9_AU4bfZojI5x3vmQ5g8pBiLVTripLrhMhqPXYo4BW8jEtfuooNpftkOmd17JGeNCypBmmd69rXCWdhYLwbCCtqUHXAwh91-3aIOQFH7sMss_5-yUizmqIdIXYMk/s640/bigfreedia.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><span style="font-size: 130%;"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426">By Edward Copeland</a><br />At 11 tonight Eastern time on a network I didn't realize even existed, let alone that I had until recently, a new series <strike>debuts</strike> (<b>BLOGGER'S NOTE</b>: <i>Like Rick Blaine in <b>Casablanca</b>, I was misinformed. In this case, not about the waters, but that tonight's episode is the premiere. When I first learned about the series through an interview on MSNBC's <b>The Cycle</b>, Toure indicated the show's debut hadn't happened yet. I immediately did an AT&T U-Verse search and it didn't show an episode airing until tonight and gave no episode number. Because I wanted to switch the time I recorded it, I changed the settings just now and discovered that tonight's episode happens to be the third. A check of the the fuse website shows its premiere took place Oct. 3, which I'm fairly certain preceded the MSNBC interview.</i>) that should be of interest to any fan of New Orleans' plethora of contributions to musical styles as well as fans of David Simon and Eric Overmyer's <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/treme-index.html">Treme</a></b>, soon to end its too short run on HBO with an abbreviated five-episode fourth season that premieres Dec. 1. <b>Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce</b> airs at 11 p.m. Eastern/10 p.m. Central on Wednesdays tonight on <a href="http://www.fuse.tv/">fuse</a>. This new show's connection to <b>Treme</b> and an announcement by myself concerning the HBO drama comes after the jump.</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"> <br /><br />Jazz hardly stands as the sole musical genre born in the Crescent City, but as <b>Treme</b>'s Davis McAlary (Steve Zahn) declared once, New Orleans' music scene tastes and has a recipe much like its gumbo: Lots of ingredients end up in the mix. One of the newer forms to spring forth from its club scene (and a particular favorite of Davis) goes by the name of bounce. <b>Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce</b> (which I haven't seen) promises to take viewers deeper into the culture and origins of that sound with one of its giants, Big Freedia, as our guide. The specific connection to <b>Treme</b> stems from Big Freedia's appearances in two of the second season's best episodes — "<a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/05/treme-no-12-everything-i-do-guhn-be.html">Everything I Do Gohn Be Funky</a>" (written by Simon, directed by Tim Robbins) and "<a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/05/treme-no-14-santa-claus-do-you-get.html">Santa Claus, Do You Ever Get the Blues?</a>" (story by Overmyer and Lolis Eric Elie, written by Elie, directed by Alex Zakrzewski). Big Freedia took part in the constant attempts by Davis to enter the music industry, in this case by trying to recruit local artists to contribute tracks for a compilation CD so Davis can showcase his own work. Big Freedia got to take part in the priceless scene where Davis reluctantly takes his delightful Aunt Mimi (Elizabeth Ashley — even more priceless and delightful herself) to a club because she insists on seeing this bounce music for herself before agreeing to help finance her nephew's plan.<br /><br />Speaking of <b>Treme</b>, my announcement. Provided that my fingers and hands hold up, I'm planning to recap the final episodes of <b>Treme</b>. Don't expect them to be as detailed as they were for season 2, but I'm going to try. I feel I owe it to the show, especially since my health problems prevented me from recapping season three, which turned out to be the series' best season. Keep your fingers crossed for me and hopefully my <b>Treme</b> recaps shall return for five more times in December.<br /><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br /><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-14403764779119271472013-10-09T21:00:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.208-07:00Better Off Ted: Bye Bye 'Bad' Part III<p></p><span style="font-size: 130%;"><center><strong>BLOGGER'S NOTE</strong>: <em>This contains spoilers for the entire series, so if you belong to that group<br />that STILL has yet to watch <b>Breaking Bad</b> in its entirety, close this story now. If you missed Part I, click <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-ride.html">here</a>. If you missed Part II, click <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/09/sirota-already-did-it-bye-bye-bad-part.html">here</a>.</em></center><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAgwe65XoNziM81XyE0ApBIAWETGcseKJBYxNY4qJ68LUvv4yDSAtu3JKvhUIWrVF7H1DeRcZmjXf5XU4WlcHQxdpXKQ_wK3C2qrTurnS5njRJI-wEATgSRpq7lCVHA3bscuZ4B08GEY/s1600/0tednotdead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAgwe65XoNziM81XyE0ApBIAWETGcseKJBYxNY4qJ68LUvv4yDSAtu3JKvhUIWrVF7H1DeRcZmjXf5XU4WlcHQxdpXKQ_wK3C2qrTurnS5njRJI-wEATgSRpq7lCVHA3bscuZ4B08GEY/s640/0tednotdead.jpg" /></a></div><br /><center><i>"Schrader's hard-on for you just reached Uncle Miltie proportions."<br /></i><br /><b>— Saul Goodman to Mike Ehrmantraut</b> ("Buyout," written by Gennifer Hutchison, directed by Colin Bucksey)</center><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426">By Edward Copeland</a><br /><a href="https://www.google.com/#q=playing+to+the+back+of+the+room+definition">Playing to the back of the room</a>: I love doing it as a writer and appreciate it even more as an audience member. While I understand how its origin in comedy clubs gives it a derogatory meaning, I say phooey in general. Another example of playing to the broadest, widest audience possible. Why not reward those knowledgeable ones who pay close attention? Why cater to the Michele Bachmanns of the world who believe that ignorance <i>is</i> bliss? What they don’t catch can’t hurt them. I know I’ve fought with many an editor about references that they didn’t get or feared would fly over most readers’ heads (and I’ve known other writers who suffered the same problems, including one told by an editor decades younger that she needed to explain further whom she meant when she mentioned Tracy and Hepburn in a review. Being a free-lancer with a real full-time job, she quit on the spot). <b>Breaking Bad</b> certainly didn’t invent the concept, but damn the show did it well — sneaking some past me the first time or two, those clever bastards, not only within dialogue, but visually as well. In that spirit, I don’t plan to explain all the little gems I'll discuss. Consider them chocolate treats for those in the know. Sam, release the falcon!</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"> <br /><br />In a separate discussion on Facebook, I agreed with a friend at taking offense when referring to <b>Breaking Bad</b> as a crime show. In fact, I responded:<br /><br /><blockquote><i>“I think <b>Breaking Bad</b> is the greatest dramatic series TV has yet produced, but I agree. Calling it a ‘crime show’ is an example of trying to pin every show or movie into a particular genre hole when, especially in the case of <b>Breaking Bad</b>, it has so many more layers than merely crime. In fact, I don't like the fact that I just referred to it as a drama series because, as disturbing, tragic and horrifying as <b>Breaking Bad</b> could be, it also could be hysterically funny. That humor also came in shapes and sizes across the spectrum of humor. Vince Gilligan's creation amazes me in a new way every time I think about it. I wonder how long I'll still find myself discovering new nuances or aspects to it. I imagine it's going to be like <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2009/07/it-looks-like-big-tylenol-though-not.html">Airplane!</a></b> — where I still found myself discovering gags I hadn't caught years and countless viewings after my initial one as an 11-year-old in 1980. Truth be told, I can't guarantee I have caught all that ZAZ placed in<b> Airplane!</b> yet even now. Can it be a mere coincidence that both <b>Breaking Bad</b> and <b>Airplane!</b> featured Jonathan Banks? Surely I can't be serious, but if I am, tread lightly.”</i></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRVnMOHynT6jblW_kUPp7CvRTEqfrFgz-1RvuA9Ivj3I9qD4BDcNNIvEZrZqrZJ9_5svluoxEzu8eNbdg1Ygtq2L_ZGLxHohDBbprXv53iEhW6JB5__MzkGzUduLiV7Z3UfRu0oAGqos/s1700/0airplane.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRVnMOHynT6jblW_kUPp7CvRTEqfrFgz-1RvuA9Ivj3I9qD4BDcNNIvEZrZqrZJ9_5svluoxEzu8eNbdg1Ygtq2L_ZGLxHohDBbprXv53iEhW6JB5__MzkGzUduLiV7Z3UfRu0oAGqos/s500/0airplane.png" /></a></div><br /><center><i>“He’s all over the place! Nine hundred feet up to 1,300 feet — what an asshole!”</i><br /><b>— Jonathan Banks as air traffic controller Gunderson</b> in <b>Airplane!</b></center><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjc4mL5azt3BVsGoyytfLTO-S3tgJx27WFUte_lVGpmRsTNgfIKrhUj6vO2HF73VGxZ2ic-NBniJr7ycoWG5unsqZbZsG3kBw4dk3S3EY8XfgQ72rMiVh6G0hk6LSmPC2A22AiEJdCh3k/s1700/0wayfarer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjc4mL5azt3BVsGoyytfLTO-S3tgJx27WFUte_lVGpmRsTNgfIKrhUj6vO2HF73VGxZ2ic-NBniJr7ycoWG5unsqZbZsG3kBw4dk3S3EY8XfgQ72rMiVh6G0hk6LSmPC2A22AiEJdCh3k/s300/0wayfarer.png" /></a><br />The second season episode “ABQ” (written by Vince Gilligan, directed by Adam Bernstein) introduced us to Banks as Mike and also featured John de Lancie as air traffic controller Donald Margulies, father of the doomed Jane. Listen to the DVD commentary about a previous time that Banks and De Lancie worked together. Speaking of air traffic controllers, if you don’t already know, look up how a real man named Walter White figured in an airline disaster. Remember Wayfarer 515! Saul never did, wearing that ribbon nearly constantly. Most realize the surreal pre-credit scenes that season foretold that ending cataclysm and where six of its second season episode titles, when placed together in the correct order, spell out the news of the disaster. <b>Breaking Bad</b>’s knack for its equivalent of DVD Easter eggs extended to episode titles, which most viewers never knew unless they looked them up. Speaking of Saul Goodman, he provided the voice for a multitude of <b>Breaking Bad</b>’s pop culture references from the moment the show introduced his character in season two’s “Better Call Saul” (written by Peter Gould, directed by Terry McDonough). Once he figures out (and it doesn’t take long) that Walt isn’t really Jesse’s uncle and pays him a visit in his high school classroom, the attorney and his client discuss a more specific role<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbaoNJKLjw7aMFihdXqF5m7Jfy-zbVXuYPufsvtd0a6Ub9KUTyJTsRveeAroflKNIjGHWEWASCAmSKDeXpWBcKOIOcbuI4ntOTtNdCKl0PRUSN119zwNQJfYGCNgy-RGWp4F29KFJ6fQ/s1700/0saul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbaoNJKLjw7aMFihdXqF5m7Jfy-zbVXuYPufsvtd0a6Ub9KUTyJTsRveeAroflKNIjGHWEWASCAmSKDeXpWBcKOIOcbuI4ntOTtNdCKl0PRUSN119zwNQJfYGCNgy-RGWp4F29KFJ6fQ/s300/0saul.jpg" /></a> for the lawyer, with Saul referencing a particularly classic film without mentioning the title. “What are you offering me?” Walt asked, unclear as to Goodman’s suggestion for an expanded role. “What did Tom Hagen do for Vito Corleone?” the criminal attorney responds. “I'm no Vito Corleone,” an offended and shocked White replies. “No shit! Right now you're Fredo!” Saul informs Walt. Now, Walt easily knew what movie Saul summoned as an analogy there and I hope any reader easily can as well. It happens to be the same one referenced visually at the top of this piece when poor Ted Beneke took his fateful trip in season four’s classic “Crawl Space” (written by George Mastras & Sam Catlin, directed by Scott Winant). Gilligan from the beginning repeatedly told of how his original pitch for <b>Breaking Bad</b> was the idea of turning Mr. Chips into Scarface and he referred to Brian De Palma’s version of <b>Scarface</b> often, actually showing Walt and Walt Jr. watching the film together in the final season with the elder White commenting, “Everyone dies in this, don’t they?” — possible foreshadowing for how <b>Breaking Bad</b> would end, though it didn't play out that way. The show achieved homage more openly in casting key<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0Udd9lcCylrtEj6YW1ccMfecE-zT9O_5egHR39V_oIXNMZjjCoVhkKfGyWXAD1Zam63Qj2D_PGTdDQABTBqCOP4pdFOcpcRMQcaYzpDz8dLJyzJdH6iiJjLC-K43oH4xsXyAFnfqDco/s1600/0tio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0Udd9lcCylrtEj6YW1ccMfecE-zT9O_5egHR39V_oIXNMZjjCoVhkKfGyWXAD1Zam63Qj2D_PGTdDQABTBqCOP4pdFOcpcRMQcaYzpDz8dLJyzJdH6iiJjLC-K43oH4xsXyAFnfqDco/s200/0tio.jpg" /></a> players from the 1983 film itself: Mark Margolis as Tio Hector Escalante and Steven Bauer as Mexican cartel chief Don Eladio. Of course, the entire series implies the reiterated refrain of De Palma’s film “Don’t get high on your own supply” because, while Walter White never used his blue meth literally, it certainly juiced him up and, as he told Skyler in the last episode “Felina” (written and directed by Gilligan), it made him feel alive. Unfortunately, I doubt any surviving cast members of 1939’s <b>Goodbye, Mr. Chips</b> remain with us so <b>Breaking Bad</b> might have cast them in appropriate roles, but many of the 1969 musical version still abound and what a kick it have been to see Peter O’Toole or Petula Clark appear as a character. Apparently, in 2002, a nonmusical British TV remake came about, but they needn’t have dipped that far in the referential well. Blasted remakes. As far as <b>Scarface</b> goes, I still prefer Howard Hawks’ original over De Palma’s anyway.<br /><br />As I admitted, some of the nice touches escaped my notice until pointed out to me later. Two of the most obvious examples occurred in the final eight episodes. One wasn’t so much a reference as a callback to the very first episode that you’d need a sharp eye to spot. It occurs in the episode “Ozymandias” (written by Moira Walley-Beckett, directed by Rian Johnson) and I’d probably never noticed if not for a synched-up commentary track that Johnson did for the episode on <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/category/features/slashfilmcast/the-ones-who-knock/">The Ones Who Knock</a> weekly podcast on <b>Breaking Bad</b>. He pointed out that as Walt rolls his barrel of $11 million through the desert (itself drawing echoes to Erich von Stroheim’s silent classic <b>Greed</b> and its lead character McTeague — that one I had caught) he passes the pair of pants he lost in the very first episode when they flew through the air as he frantically drove the RV with the presumed dead Krazy-8 and Emilio unconscious in the back. Check the still below, enlarged enough so you don’t miss the long lost trousers.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESDG-OoldHTT0QYd3Hw464aEfQoxB4e-LPEBO1ytOE-ykHkaXIBEDz2wNosSIMd4xdwWKs_x6R4V383OzhMeQmWIk5MYQAqXWqaj5Yl_3lqei1P4J5Ss1YX7eRbJf-JvLK5Mp4qkxKQs/s1600/0passingpants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESDG-OoldHTT0QYd3Hw464aEfQoxB4e-LPEBO1ytOE-ykHkaXIBEDz2wNosSIMd4xdwWKs_x6R4V383OzhMeQmWIk5MYQAqXWqaj5Yl_3lqei1P4J5Ss1YX7eRbJf-JvLK5Mp4qkxKQs/s640/0passingpants.jpg" /></a></div><br />The other came when psycho Todd decided to give his meth cook prisoner Jesse ice cream as a reward. I wasn’t listening closely enough when he named one of the flavor choices as Ben & Jerry’s Americone Dream, and even if I’d heard the flavor’s name, I would have missed the joke until Stephen Colbert, whose name serves as a possessive prefix for the treat’s flavor, did an <a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/429350/september-26-2013/americone-dream-product-placement?xrs=share_copy">entire routine</a> on <b>The Colbert Report</b> about the use of the ice cream named for him giving Jesse the strength to make an escape attempt. One hidden treasure I did not know concerned the appearance of the great Robert Forster as the fabled vacuum salesman who helped give people new identities for a price. Until I read it in a column on the episode “Granite State” (written and directed by Gould), I had no idea that in real life Forster once actually worked as a vacuum salesman. <br /><br />Seeing so many episodes multiple times, the callbacks to previous moments in the series always impressed me. I didn’t recall until AMC held its marathon prior to the finale and I caught the scene where Skyler caught Ted about him cooking his company’s books in season two’s “Mandala” (written by Mastras, directed by Adam Bernstein),<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlC0z05MpCmXEj1v0uWRSIFwjgkklZomcvEmvJfmCCvJkSy1xrKa__t5c7nGZeKpCTJo5u65hAjpQHuDCx9e8wIJ6k21psgysxjjA1ncghKFRMyTD2LdXlCqTexut3CKS6cIKIc3lHkeA/s1650/0gotme.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlC0z05MpCmXEj1v0uWRSIFwjgkklZomcvEmvJfmCCvJkSy1xrKa__t5c7nGZeKpCTJo5u65hAjpQHuDCx9e8wIJ6k21psgysxjjA1ncghKFRMyTD2LdXlCqTexut3CKS6cIKIc3lHkeA/s250/0gotme.png" /></a> Beneke actually raises his hands and says, “You got me” — words and movements that return in season four’s “Bullet Points” (written by Walley-Beckett, directed by Colin Bucksey) when Hank tells Walt about the late Gale Boetticher and speculates jokingly about whether the W.W. in Gale’s notebook stands for Walter White. In the same episode, Hank discusses his disappointment (since he assumes Gale was Heisenberg) that he never got his Popeye Doyle moment from The French Connection and waved goodbye to Alain Charnier. Walt reminds Hank that Charnier escaped at the end of the movie, but in “Ozymandias,” Hank imitates Gene Hackman's wave anyway when he gets the cuffs on Walt and places him in the SUV. Film references and homages abound throughout the series. I don’t recall any to Oliver Stone off the top of my head (except, of course, that he wrote De Palma's <b>Scarface</b>) and I hope there weren’t given that filmmaker’s recent hypocritical and nonsensical <a href="http://j.mp/1abdvyK">whining</a> about <b>Breaking Bad</b>’s ending where he called it “ridiculous” among other sleights. If that’s not a fool declaring a nugget of gold to be pyrite. (“IT’S A MINERAL, OLIVER!”) I'd also like to commend the nearly subliminal shout-outs to two great HBO series that received premature endings in the episode "Rabid Dog" (written and directed by Catlin). You can see the <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2008/03/welcome-to-fking-deadwood-can-be.html">Deadwood</a></b> DVD box set on Hank's bookshelf and, though the carpet cleaning company's name might be Xtreme, the way they design their logo on their van sure makes the words <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/treme-index.html">Treme</a></b> stand out to me.<br /><br />I wanted this tribute to be so much grander and better organized, but my physical condition thwarted my ambitions. I doubt seriously my hands shall allow me to complete a fourth installment. (If you did miss <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-ride.html">Part I</a> or <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/09/sirota-already-did-it-bye-bye-bad-part.html">Part II</a>, follow those links.) While I hate ending on a patter list akin to a certain Billy Joel song, (<i>I let you off easy. I almost referenced Jonathan Larson — and I considered narrowing the circle tighter by namedropping Gerome Ragni<br />& James Rado.)</i> I feel I must to sing my hosannas to the actors, writers, directors and other artists who collaborated to realize the greatest hour-long series in<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSzy6i4ASJO_si2ie63j3WvrvA4czrooFcXg6-FpdGWgMDkZI4g4bzZCH19Fu4v1qNewAte1Et2ISKAG0JksGFxd70KQMUeMOYr4wrKD4DongfeBpIMDh_xfEjAPJC8HrFicvQPV_ggc/s1700/0badgerskinny-pete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSzy6i4ASJO_si2ie63j3WvrvA4czrooFcXg6-FpdGWgMDkZI4g4bzZCH19Fu4v1qNewAte1Et2ISKAG0JksGFxd70KQMUeMOYr4wrKD4DongfeBpIMDh_xfEjAPJC8HrFicvQPV_ggc/s300/0badgerskinny-pete.jpg" /></a> television history. I wish I had the energy to be more specific about the contributions of these names in detail. In no particular order and with apologies for any omissions: Vince Gilligan, Michelle McLaren, Adam Bernstein, Colin Bucksey, Michael Slovis, Bryan Cranston, Terry McDonough, Johan Renck, Rian Johnson, Scott Winant, Peter Gould, Tricia Brock, Tim Hunter, Jim McKay, Phil Abraham, John Dahl, Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Charles Haid, Peter Medak, John Shiban, David Slade, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Sam Catlin, Moira Walley-Beckett, Gennifer Hutchison, J. Roberts, Patty Lin, Anna Gunn, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, RJ Mitte, Bob Odenkirk, Steven Michael Quezada, Jonathan Banks, Giancarlo Esposito, (because I have to put them as a unit) Charles Baker and Matt Jones, Jesse Plemons, Christopher Cousins, Laura Fraser, Michael Shamus Wiles, (also need to be a unit) Lavell Crawford and Bill Burr, Ray<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyniPe9rc-kKc6meVvlI-YPoVspaDAkRqxz59mQi3L7vTj8_fkq6-F5stRazoElPeIoS1xO0qjYtxNa4zA_sorv2CUn4JySBJpW99DIvLW1KnLclHU3npB27Eh4Y6Xo-uLOaiKz-OQ4Vw/s1700/0huellbillburr.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyniPe9rc-kKc6meVvlI-YPoVspaDAkRqxz59mQi3L7vTj8_fkq6-F5stRazoElPeIoS1xO0qjYtxNa4zA_sorv2CUn4JySBJpW99DIvLW1KnLclHU3npB27Eh4Y6Xo-uLOaiKz-OQ4Vw/s300/0huellbillburr.png" /></a> Campbell, Krysten Ritter, Ian Posada as the most shit-upon child in television history, Emily Rios, Tina Parker, Mark Margolis, Jeremiah Bitsui, David Costabile, Michael Bowen, Kevin Rankin, (another pair) Daniel and Luis Moncado, Jessica Hecht, Marius Stan, Rodney Rush, Raymond Cruz, Tess Harper, John de Lancie, Jere Burns, Nigel Gibbs, Larry Hankin, Max Arciniega, Michael Bofshever, Adam Godley, Julia Minesci, Danny Trejo, Dale Dickey, David Ury, Jim Beaver, Steven Bauer, DJ Qualls, Robert Forster, Melissa Bernstein, Mark Johnson, Stewart Lyons, Diane Mercer, Andrew Ortner, Karen Moore, Dave Porter, Reynaldo Villalobos, Peter Reniers, Nelson Cragg, Arthur Albert, John Toll, Marshall Adams, Kelley Dixon, Skip MacDonald, Lynne Willingham, Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, Mark S. Freeborn, Robb Wilson King, Bjarne Sletteland, Marisa Frantz, Billy W. Ray, Paula Dal Santo, Michael Flowers, Brenda Meyers-Ballard, Kathleen Detoro, Jennifer L. Bryan, Thomas Golubic, Albuquerque, N.M., AMC Networks, University of Oklahoma Professor Donna Nelson and a list of crew members and departments I’d mention but, unfortunately, my hands aren’t holding out. Look them up because they all deserve kudos as well because <b>Breaking Bad</b> failed to have a weak link, at least from my perspective. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjA0Y0ggplkUuiki-HVvjE6mVHKMXytCQv0APQhijn2ddmkHFMJU5IBT2FTpbtZg6h_p-O7afLJ50g-cwMO8kThNgSC7CurWm5r-0-hhQN58Ruqjv34SvHnILtTGrrRpD8mYFoN1_uaj0/s1575/0gus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:25 10px 10px 25; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjA0Y0ggplkUuiki-HVvjE6mVHKMXytCQv0APQhijn2ddmkHFMJU5IBT2FTpbtZg6h_p-O7afLJ50g-cwMO8kThNgSC7CurWm5r-0-hhQN58Ruqjv34SvHnILtTGrrRpD8mYFoN1_uaj0/s175/0gus.jpg" /></a><br />In fact, the series failed me only twice. No. 1: How can you dump the idea that Gus Fring had a particularly mysterious identity in the episode “Hermanos” and never get back to it? No. 2: That great-looking barrel-shaped box set of the entire series only will be made on Blu-ray. As someone of limited means, it would need to be a Christmas gift anyway and for the same reason, I never made the move to Blu-ray and remain with DVD. Medical bills will do that to you and, even if tempting or plausible, it’s difficult to start a meth business to fund it while bedridden. Despite those two disappointments, it doesn’t change <b>Breaking Bad</b>’s place in my heart as the best TV achievement so far. How do I know this? Because I say so.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidd3SjBTyncdwvUU6s8hslkQE5_mBsV4-bzVIAwuFAdaSKgHxgEd_aAmwIz2dliH-egbbY7OjJooZbHzVn6-3VxdExUd_6BvipJ3Ta30m5DjEdhgfCxzahm6X7HhS-cUfYffn9pLVkE40/s1600/0junkyard.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidd3SjBTyncdwvUU6s8hslkQE5_mBsV4-bzVIAwuFAdaSKgHxgEd_aAmwIz2dliH-egbbY7OjJooZbHzVn6-3VxdExUd_6BvipJ3Ta30m5DjEdhgfCxzahm6X7HhS-cUfYffn9pLVkE40/s640/0junkyard.png" /></a></div><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span>sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-53930445149705656092013-10-03T06:00:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.253-07:00Sirota already did it: Bye bye 'Bad' Part II<p></p><span style="font-size: 130%;"><center><strong>BLOGGER'S NOTE</strong>: <em>This contains spoilers for the entire series, so if you belong to that group<br />that STILL has yet to watch <b>Breaking Bad</b> in its entirety, close this story now.</em></center><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguEHEqabk75hOLxRbW3AmnOiOIA4tqX5ZjtjcmkkgvaEqupomnG4rEePqHUPTNwRIns0i175JwlCapIxEKGo5b4RDLBkbJ3JHjln-2o9FKDp4nCSEm5OV1d8I3ESCezxtrQlQgxPqs4BU/s1600/0chemo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguEHEqabk75hOLxRbW3AmnOiOIA4tqX5ZjtjcmkkgvaEqupomnG4rEePqHUPTNwRIns0i175JwlCapIxEKGo5b4RDLBkbJ3JHjln-2o9FKDp4nCSEm5OV1d8I3ESCezxtrQlQgxPqs4BU/s640/0chemo.png" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426">By Edward Copeland</a><br />When envisioning the epic farewell I felt I must write upon the conclusion of <b>Breaking Bad</b>, I didn't anticipate an important section of the tribute would begin with a <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2006/04/in-praise-of-south-park.html">South Park</a></b> reference to <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2007/06/best-season-ever_05.html">The Simpsons</a></b>. (If, by chance, you missed Part I, click <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-ride.html">here</a>.)</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"> <br /><br />Now, anyone with even a smidgeon of understanding of the basic tenets of comedy knows that if you need to explain a joke, you've failed somewhere in the telling. Despite this rule of humor, forgive me for explaining the title of the second part of my <b>Breaking Bad</b> tribute, but I can't assume that all <b>Breaking Bad</b> fans reading this also hold knowledge of specific <b>South Park</b> episodes. Way back in that animated series' sixth season in 2002, poor Butters' alter ego, Professor Chaos (six years before any of us knew Walter White and his inhabiting spirit Heisenberg), finds every scheme he devises greeted by some variation of the episode's title: "The Simpsons Already Did It." I just spent a long way to travel to the point of my headline, which refers to the great columnist David Sirota's article, posted by Salon on Sept. 28, the day before "Felina" aired, titled <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/09/28/walter_whites_sickness_mirrors_america/">"Walter White's sickness mirrors America."</a> (If you didn't understand before, I imagine you comprehend now how explaining a joke tends to kill its punchline.) In his piece, Sirota posits:<br /><br /><center><i>"Maybe <b>Breaking Bad</b> has ascended to the cult firmament because it so perfectly captures<br />the specific pressures and ideologies that make America exceptional at the very moment<br />the country is itself breaking bad.<br />The most obvious way to see that is to look at how Walter White’s move into the drug trade<br />was first prompted, in part, by his family’s fear that he would die prematurely for lack<br />of adequate health care. It is the kind of fear most people in the industrialized world<br />have no personal connection to — but that many American television watchers no doubt do.<br />That’s because unlike other countries, Walter White’s country is exceptional for being a place<br />where 45,000 deaths a year are related to a lack of comprehensive health insurance coverage.<br />That’s about ten 9/11′s worth of death each year because of our exceptional position<br />as the only industrialized nation without a universal public health care system<br />(and, sadly, Obamacare will not fix that)."</i></center><br />Aside from the fact the Sirota misses the mark a bit concerning Walt’s original motives for entering the meth-making business and makes it sound as if his family encouraged the idea and raised money concerns <i>before</i> he even started to cook (more specifics on that later), Sirota’s piece covers ground that I always planned to discuss as well. Sirota might not be the first person to voice this hypothesis, but I’ve only seen and read his article (post finale, as I purposely tried to avoid other pieces to make mine my own as much as possible). I also saw the funny package envisioning how Walter's tale would play out if <a href="http://www.eatliver.com/i.php?n=9956">set in Canada</a>. Health care costs in the U.S., significant in <b>Breaking Bad</b>, secured itself as a crucial aspect of my retrospective since the first half of season five given that I’ve<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfPSG5CMS-DgWOGFEy0cV_0uK-Vk7t82Ssh52lUhRIcwXcJHW48tzcuinI77UEFn-QWsbxe9M-xdBONHDijga2zb9836C_62GlebBCiqIwlNGSqlFxSrlLbasHisBwjS9l7gvAo3zmJE/s1600/0talkingpillow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfPSG5CMS-DgWOGFEy0cV_0uK-Vk7t82Ssh52lUhRIcwXcJHW48tzcuinI77UEFn-QWsbxe9M-xdBONHDijga2zb9836C_62GlebBCiqIwlNGSqlFxSrlLbasHisBwjS9l7gvAo3zmJE/s200/0talkingpillow.jpg" /></a> existed as a permanent patient for nearly the exact same time period as <b>Breaking Bad</b>’s television run. Unfortunately, my experiences give me much in the way of first-hand knowledge on the subject through which to view the series' take. While Sirota argues that Walt began his criminal career to pay for his exceedingly costly cancer treatments and White indeed used his ill-gotten gains toward those bills, he never expressed a desire to make a load of money to keep himself alive. Walter White already resigned himself to the idea of his impending death. The meth money’s only purpose originally, according to Walt, merely meant leaving behind a nest egg for Skyler, Walt Jr. and his as-of-then unborn child. He said as much in the great scene from the first season episode “Gray Matter” (written by Patty Lin, directed by Tricia Brock) where the entire family gathers at Skyler’s behest to stage a pseudo-intervention of the health care variety, passing around the “talking pillow” to take the floor and address Walt as to why he should accept the Schwartzes’ offer to pay for his treatments. The scene turns particularly grand<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BP9SBoRGGSiNzyAkkzo9VVSvTHTXTACrzEonRM2ejGNr3UZckL-Av7yTazpmdcy-kPxaZmG8vkRobGt4Uk80dSWmVqlpj2lnecqJsktDS3_o2j5BJ1QwoW26bxGFbFcDPwwyz0SF7B4/s1700/0talkingpillow2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BP9SBoRGGSiNzyAkkzo9VVSvTHTXTACrzEonRM2ejGNr3UZckL-Av7yTazpmdcy-kPxaZmG8vkRobGt4Uk80dSWmVqlpj2lnecqJsktDS3_o2j5BJ1QwoW26bxGFbFcDPwwyz0SF7B4/s300/0talkingpillow2.jpg" /></a> when Marie surprises (and pisses off) her sister by agreeing with Walt about not wanting to suffer through the chemo treatments and succeeds at changing Hank’s mind as well. A wonderful example of how the show (as all the best dramas do) successfully mixed levity with tragedy. <i>One of the funniest moments in the history of <b>The Sopranos</b> came in its fourth season episode “The Strong, Silent Type” (story by David Chase, written by Terence Winter, Robin Green & Mitchell Burgess, directed by Alan Taylor) when Tony’s crew attempts a drug intervention on Christopher with disastrous and hilarious results. The night that episode aired, the premiere of “The Grand Opening” episode of <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/curb-your-enthusiasm-index.html">Curb Your Enthusiasm</a></b> (directed by Robert B. Wiede) followed it, with Larry David’s own singular attempt at an emergency intervention for his new restaurant’s chef (Paul Sand) who had <a href="http://tsa-usa.org/aMedical/whatists.html">Tourette syndrome</a>. My stomach hurt from laughing so hard that night. What makes interventions so easily comical?</i> When Walt agrees to treatments and uses his meth money to pay (while lying to Skyler that he accepted Elliot and Gretchen’s offer to help), what motivates him isn’t (at least consciously) a sudden desire to fight the cancer but the need to live longer and build up a bigger bequest for his family. While the insanity of medical costs floats around the series at this time, this isn’t where <b>Breaking Bad</b> truly takes aim on our broken system.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWhzV4n9jZo7zKb98f8o-CuMzTHyDNK8_xIzfRrY_SVHn7esE0y09pe5TNbHYxXO8vMqIqRxd5kCxHtg0NJmpQecv32fWtjThuQOQcwS742oYTekoyOqU2wJDAerwNzng4WJv4S1EBWdY/s1700/0walttest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWhzV4n9jZo7zKb98f8o-CuMzTHyDNK8_xIzfRrY_SVHn7esE0y09pe5TNbHYxXO8vMqIqRxd5kCxHtg0NJmpQecv32fWtjThuQOQcwS742oYTekoyOqU2wJDAerwNzng4WJv4S1EBWdY/s500/0walttest.png" /></a></div><br />As I wrote in my sole previous piece on <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2009/04/doing-wrong-for-right-reasons.html">Breaking Bad</a></b> prior to this post-series wake/celebration, I came to the series late and only began watching it live in the third season that premiered March 21, 2010, and ended with Gale Boetticher opening his apartment door to an emotionally fragile and gun-wielding Jesse Pinkman on June 13. As<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuPz4_9gPWIivsN7WNSBDiA1Zf4Z-Ik5JtS0jXp_9VFx3RX07zOUn-dER8TgckA8wWHC8-8TAovzoTkFRDJsgLQDTcA9hryWiW_iZ_2WvhP79dZpfMhhnFkjyr_nYwjuUjzmuBzO4R-A/s1700/0jesseaftertuco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuPz4_9gPWIivsN7WNSBDiA1Zf4Z-Ik5JtS0jXp_9VFx3RX07zOUn-dER8TgckA8wWHC8-8TAovzoTkFRDJsgLQDTcA9hryWiW_iZ_2WvhP79dZpfMhhnFkjyr_nYwjuUjzmuBzO4R-A/s300/0jesseaftertuco.jpg" /></a> proved to be the case with each season of <b>Breaking Bad</b>, each new season topped the one that preceded it, even though no bad seasons or mediocre episodes exist. <b>Breaking Bad</b> tackled the high price of medicine, if not as an overriding concern, or motivation, in the first two seasons not only through the obvious costs of Walt’s cancer treatments, but also when Heisenberg first appeared and marched into the headquarters of the psychotic Tuco, demanding not only advance payment for his “product” but reparations as well to cover Jesse’s hospital bills from Tuco beating poor Pinkman within an inch of his life. For myself (and, admittedly, this came from overidentifying with someone losing the use of his legs, albeit not because of an assassination attempt by vengeance-seeking lookalike cousins), the series’ most direct discussion of the flaws in this country’s health care system came in the hospital scenes dealing with the aftermath of Hank’s shooting. In the early days, when Walt coughed up cashier’s checks for cancer bills<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIuvL_NZnKhFoSKZK_O0DXA5g7sEnKF2PyCICZOUD5IBRU-Yx-v9uSv0RxY2Ha8XyqUQaAXiJFTS2m-RavyBGWWES-6S6ksp0YDWNQB3X0wL6jN_c3piGYzHH6Qbrcf7w9zfInHtH_50/s1600/0marieaid.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIuvL_NZnKhFoSKZK_O0DXA5g7sEnKF2PyCICZOUD5IBRU-Yx-v9uSv0RxY2Ha8XyqUQaAXiJFTS2m-RavyBGWWES-6S6ksp0YDWNQB3X0wL6jN_c3piGYzHH6Qbrcf7w9zfInHtH_50/s320/0marieaid.png" /></a> since his health insurance coverage through his school district didn’t approach the needed benefits to pay for his treatments, viewers saw some of the costs, but we never received a final bill, especially after Walt went the surgical option, handled by Dr. Victor Bravenec, played by Sam McMurray. McMurray also played Uncle Junior’s arrogant oncologist, Dr. John Kennedy, in the classic <b>Sopranos</b> episode “Second Opinion” (written by Lawrence Konner, directed by Tim Van Patten), where Tony and Furio used some not-so-friendly persuasion on the golf course to convince Kennedy to treat Junior right. (When McMurray showed up on <b>Breaking Bad</b> as an oncologist, part of me wondered if his character wasn’t Kennedy, having relocated under a new name to Albuquerque out of fear of mob repercussions, unaware that his new patient might be deadlier than anyone in that northern New Jersey crew could be.) Back to Hank. We know the extra needed to get Schrader on his feet again. That even came up again in the final eight episodes: $177,000. Pretty pathetic that a loyal public servant such as Hank Schrader, whose job constantly required him to put his life on the line, didn’t get the kind of catastrophic coverage he required when he needed it. For all the times, she could annoy him and cause him grief with that little kleptomania problem, Hank Schrader could not have chosen a better mate than the former Marie Lambert. Marie might only work as an X-ray technician, but she spoke the truth as she yelled at the various people in the hospital that Hank had to begin work on regaining the use of his legs immediately because a delay of even two weeks would be too late. I actually cried when I watched the episode where Betsy Brandt spoke those lines as Marie because I’d yelled those words myself at people in the hospital when I went in there in May 2008. (For those unfamiliar with my personal plight, click <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/08/not-my-usual-kind-of-post.html">here</a>.) I already had limited use of my legs because of my primary progressive multiple sclerosis. Two weeks stuck in bed can do irreparable damage to a marathon runner. Quite some time ago, I was able to make contact with Ms. Brandt and shared my tale with her about how I wish that I’d had someone like Marie back then to fight on my side. She graciously wrote back, “Edward, Marie would have definitely been your champion…and we all need a champion at times.”<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCVQWm2GsLSZ4do3PjQKAOtEawAMvkDoNWrEH8CD8epD1aVUT7AcD40X9ONMXqOLsIDKHFOcurClqDf6Z2UIBZq31rq42OJ01Q64iJf9-OSdWF9fV5X-BCPhlobLoyDPFXr9OJr9xLOk/s1700/1hankrehab.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCVQWm2GsLSZ4do3PjQKAOtEawAMvkDoNWrEH8CD8epD1aVUT7AcD40X9ONMXqOLsIDKHFOcurClqDf6Z2UIBZq31rq42OJ01Q64iJf9-OSdWF9fV5X-BCPhlobLoyDPFXr9OJr9xLOk/s500/1hankrehab.PNG" /></a></div><br />So much more to say. Who knows when I will get them posted? As I posted on Facebook, odds are this is psychosomatic or coincidental, but my M.S. symptoms have spread to parts of my body they had avoided before since <b>Breaking Bad</b> ended. Perhaps sheer force of will held them at bay until I saw the series until its conclusion. I haven't written all I planned to yet, but this makes for a good stopping point for Part II.<br /><br /><center><b>IF YOU MISSED PART I, <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-ride.html">CLICK HERE</a>. FOR PART III, <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/10/better-off-ted-bye-bye-bad-part-iii.html">CLICK HERE</a>.</b></center><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br /><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-79907732456215250852013-09-30T21:00:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.266-07:00From the Vault: Natural Born Killers<p></p><span style="font-size: 130%;"> <blockquote><b>BLOGGER'S NOTE</b>: <i>I originally wrote this review (with some additions for this event) upon <b>Natural Born Killers</b>' original 1994 release. I'm re-posting it for <a href="http://seetimaar.wordpress.com/2013/09/04/oliver-stone-blogathonsept-15-oct-62013/">The Oliver Stone Blogathon </a>concluding Oct. 6 at <a href="http://seetimaar.wordpress.com/">Seetimaar — Diary of a Movie Lover</a></i></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihxt36RBqBQoMRXkltPSWobTOWc-u7XDrqF2ZFYRjTLRX6nTXmrj0yNBp5Yg6-K__kWESRFwp4Q4Uiz2d_7_Cxt73Lrjc4mf9lTpkzL48Bp9E0pgAX0gjAgQvGL-9yJ2Dz9J3nn3Ej5N0/s1600/nbk9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihxt36RBqBQoMRXkltPSWobTOWc-u7XDrqF2ZFYRjTLRX6nTXmrj0yNBp5Yg6-K__kWESRFwp4Q4Uiz2d_7_Cxt73Lrjc4mf9lTpkzL48Bp9E0pgAX0gjAgQvGL-9yJ2Dz9J3nn3Ej5N0/s640/nbk9.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>As Mickey Knox lies on his motel bed, watching various violent films while images of Josef Stalin appear in the window behind him, he asks, "Why do they keep making all these fucking movies?" Good question, Mickey, but perhaps you should pose your query to the director of <em>your</em> movie because no amount of Oliver Stone's rationalizations will make <strong>Natural Born Killers </strong>original or worthwhile. </span><span class="fullpost";span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br />Forget <strong><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/from-vault-doors.html">The Doors</a></strong>. This film from the ever-controversial and increasingly dull (in all senses of the word) director marks the most extreme example yet of Stone spanking the monkey perpetually perched on his back. Quentin Tarantino* originally wrote the screenplay for <strong>Natural Born Killers</strong>, but Stone and co-conspirators David Veloz and Richard Rutowski butchered Tarantino's script to the point that he's now credited only with its story.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwl5_0Rwe_qmxfUEe30YOpdK2yZI1AvdTUuOKO_pTjcIfIL91N2okcut0zzQcMiVwJdFs75M8U_OCU2EYb2HMWm5FS1fvNx1HGfCWcAdov6iIDgmSawPEkivRx6Blgk6KlbcyYWNJHPM/s1700/nbk5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:25 10px 10px 25; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwl5_0Rwe_qmxfUEe30YOpdK2yZI1AvdTUuOKO_pTjcIfIL91N2okcut0zzQcMiVwJdFs75M8U_OCU2EYb2HMWm5FS1fvNx1HGfCWcAdov6iIDgmSawPEkivRx6Blgk6KlbcyYWNJHPM/s300/nbk5.png" /></a><br />The film contains two halves: The first hour deals with a murder spree that companions Mickey and Mallory (Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis) undertake; the second chronicles the duo's incarceration and a live TV interview with Mickey by the host (Robert Downey Jr.) of a fictional tabloid TV series. The problems with<strong> Natural Born Killers</strong> accumulate at such a rapid pace that a thorough dissection of the film could end up as a thesis instead of a review. Stone, using what I assume must be either black magic, hypnotism or extortion, still manages to keep many film writers in his thrall to the point that they can't admit what a botch he's produced with <strong>Natural Born Killers.</strong> It's not that Stone can't be effective. He even made the silliness in the three-hour plus<strong> <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/from-vault-jfk.html">JFK</a></strong> entertaining despite the absurd claim that Kennedy was killed in order to stop the president from preventing the Vietnam War and, by extension, the need for Oliver Stone's film career. Stone's point-of-view concerning <strong>Natural Born Killers</strong> doesn't register anywhere near the realm of coherence.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rHfvNRA8Jv2Reizf7MrFx5L78srnJO45CcgZKyJdD2zmeEUkZHHju0yPvBdrVYEYnTKSlXL9e9yuky4Z1Ka2fXNbj2oiOg5dmgykUvjdHYLENTnCiNhC2Y01C2sf89gJ_KWTXAa2GIM/s1600/nbk8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rHfvNRA8Jv2Reizf7MrFx5L78srnJO45CcgZKyJdD2zmeEUkZHHju0yPvBdrVYEYnTKSlXL9e9yuky4Z1Ka2fXNbj2oiOg5dmgykUvjdHYLENTnCiNhC2Y01C2sf89gJ_KWTXAa2GIM/s400/nbk8.jpg" /></a></div><br />The real subject — and I'm merely guessing — of Stone's awful opus aims at media obsession with sensationalism, certainly as timely as ever in the age of Tonya and Lorena, O.J. and the Menendez brothers. The number of usually reliable film fans who praise <strong>Natural Born Killers</strong> as original and fresh when no original idea resides in its empty little head amazes me. As usual, Stone proves as subtle as an 8.0 earthquake and twice as shaky (Exhibit A: See film still above). All the movie's points have been made before and better, from films dating back at least to 1967's <strong><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2006/08/their-nature-is-raw-they-hate-all-law.html">Bonnie and Clyde</a></strong>, 1976's <strong><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2006/03/its-not-satire-its-sheer-reportage.html">Network</a> </strong>and even through the looking glass to 1931's <strong><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/04/this-story-is-laid-in-mythical-kingdom.html">The Front Page</a></strong>, which itself has been remade three times, the greatest being 1940's <strong><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2009/01/leave-rooster-story-alone-thats-human.html">His Girl Friday</a></strong><br /><br />Stone also experiments more with film styles, alternating as he did in <strong>JFK</strong> between color, black and white, 16 millimeter, Super 8, video and even adds animation akin to graphic novels. Unlike<strong> JFK</strong>, these switches serve<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqonahrb7PNCJYW52vQUiA7Ur-vRXKO24foPP0k1cQxg98bZ7HbbIavXL7s-L-AfHmyrPYfv4NOixb38fHYF8eIUOSVydH4wbVSyS1Nkz4ESMXuFGvLcgZVaAh7pze1eCJhNPIUHbvKwY/s1750/nbk4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqonahrb7PNCJYW52vQUiA7Ur-vRXKO24foPP0k1cQxg98bZ7HbbIavXL7s-L-AfHmyrPYfv4NOixb38fHYF8eIUOSVydH4wbVSyS1Nkz4ESMXuFGvLcgZVaAh7pze1eCJhNPIUHbvKwY/s350/nb04.jpg" /></a> no purpose other than to distract the audience. He also trots out other weird devices such as treating scenes with Mallory's monster of a father (Rodney Dangerfield) as if they exist in a TV sitcom, complete with laugh track and bleeped profanity — except for some reason some cuss words get bleeped and others don't. Of course, he can't resist tossing in some mystical Native Americans, just for good measure. It's hard to fault the performers (except for Tommy Lee Jones' inexplicable decision to play a prison warden as if he's imitating Reginald Van Gleason) since saving this mess would have been impossible for the greatest of actors, but at least Downey's wry performance injects some much-needed levity into this often tedious film. Downey appears to be the only actor aware that he's — in theory — signed on to the satire Stone believes he's making, but it's never a good idea to place a satire in the hands of someone without a sense of humor. <br /><br />In the end, it's ironic that <strong>Natural Born Killers</strong> stars former <strong>Cheers</strong> regular Harrelson since a paraphrase of a question Frasier once asked Cliff on that show immediately sprang to my mind while watching this mess: "Hello in there, Oliver. Tell me, what color is the sky in your world?"<br /><br />*<b>BLOGGER'S NOTE:</b> Shortly after seeing <b>Natural Born Killers</b>, I had the <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/from-vault-quentin-tarantino.html">opportunity</a> to interview Quentin Tarantino who was promoting <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/from-vault-pulp-fiction.html">Pulp Fiction</a></b>. He shared his thoughts about how Stone changed his screenplay.<br /><br /><blockquote><i>"Actually, to give the devil his due, he was very cool when I said I wanted to take my name off the screenplay. He facilitated that to happen. He could have caused a big problem, but he didn't. When it comes to <b>Natural Born Killers</b>, more or less the final word on it is that it has nothing to do with me. One of the reasons I wanted just a story credit was I wanted that to get across. If you like the movie, it's Oliver. If you don't like the movie, it's Oliver."</i></blockquote><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /></span><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-48372073873618175432013-09-29T22:00:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.311-07:00What a ride: Bye bye 'Bad' Part I<p></p><span style="font-size: 130%;"><center><strong>BLOGGER'S NOTE</strong>: <em>This contains spoilers for the entire series, so if you belong to that group<br />that STILL has yet to watch <b>Breaking Bad</b> in its entirety, close this story now.</em></center><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxz5CCZmh6FdVOGMUjqg8F853N2PQogdJ2lNt3ILAABV-oVwvYIhyzplJbaojFiva4RGqDHO-SaqR1QK9iRaMOIWrwxROPLO8QpC24xtB-iZzVihQ18PClcLcngJ4v0hBmhywEdo0o9yg/s1600/0mainrv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxz5CCZmh6FdVOGMUjqg8F853N2PQogdJ2lNt3ILAABV-oVwvYIhyzplJbaojFiva4RGqDHO-SaqR1QK9iRaMOIWrwxROPLO8QpC24xtB-iZzVihQ18PClcLcngJ4v0hBmhywEdo0o9yg/s640/0mainrv.jpg" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426">By Edward Copeland</a><br /><center><i>Guess I got what I deserved<br />Kept you waiting there too long my love.<br />All that time without a word<br />Didn't know you'd think that I'd forget<br />Or I'd regret the special love I have for you —<br />My Baby Blue.</i></center><br />Perfection. I don’t intend (and never planned) to spend much of this farewell to <b>Breaking Bad</b> discussing its finale, but it happens too seldom that a movie or a final episode wraps with the absolute spot-on song. <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/from-vault-crying-game.html">The Crying Game</a></b> did it with Lyle Lovett singing “Stand By Your Man.” <b>The Sopranos</b> often accomplished it with specific episodes such as using The Eurythmics’ “I Saved the World Today” at the end of the second season’s “Knight in White Satin Armor” episode. <b>Breaking Bad</b> killed last night with some Badfinger — and how often do you read words along those lines?<br /><br />We first met Walter Hartwell White, his family and associates (or, if you prefer, eventual victims/collateral damage) on Jan. 20, 2008. Viewers anyway. As for the time period of the show, the first scene or that first episode, I’d be a fool to venture a definitive guess. I start this piece with that date because it places the series damn close to the beginning of the 2008 calendar year. In the years since Vince Gilligan’s brilliant creation graced our TV screens, five full years of movies opened in the U.S. and ⅔ of a sixth. In that time, some great films crossed my path. Many I anticipate being favorites for the rest of my days: <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2008/12/robot-love.html">WALL-E</a></b>, <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2009/02/this-is-love-story.html">(500) Days of Summer</a></b> and <b>The Social Network</b>, to name but three. As much as I love those movies and many others released in that time, I say without hyperbole that none equaled the quality or satisfied me as much as the five seasons of <b>Breaking Bad</b>.</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"> <br /><br />For me to make such a declaration might come off as one more person jumping on the "what an amazing time we live in for quality TV" bandwagon. As someone who from a young age loved movies to such a degree that I sometimes attended new ones just to see something, admitting this amazes even me. On some level, early on in this sea change, it felt as if I not only had cheated on my wife but become a serial adulterer as well. In my childhood days of movie love, I also watched way too much TV, but I admittedly held the medium in disdain as a whole, an attitude that, despite the shows I loved and recognized as great, didn’t change until <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/01/lets-not-be-that-careful-out-there.html">Hill Street Blues</a> </b>arrived. However, I can’t deny the transfer of my affection as to which medium satisfies, engages and gives me that natural high once exclusive to the best of cinema or, in those all-too-brief years I could attend, superb New York theater productions, most consistently now. It’s not that top-notch movies no longer get made, but experiencing sublime new films occurs far less frequently than in years past. (Perhaps a mere coincidence, but the most recent year that I’d cite as overflowing with works reaching higher heights happens to be 1999 — the same year <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2006/06/changing-television-and-careers.html">The Sopranos</a></b> premiered, marking the unofficial start of this era.) Granted, television and other outlets such as Netflix expanded the number of places available for programming exponentially, television as a whole still produces plenty of time-wasting crap. However, on a percentage basis, the total of fictional TV series produced that rank among the greatest in TV history probably hits a higher number than great films reach out of each year's crop of new movies.<br /><br />Close readers of my movie posts know that when I compile lists of all-time favorite films, as I did <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/06/edward-copelands-top-100-of-2012.html">last year</a>, I require that a movie be at least 10 years old before it reaches eligibility for inclusion. With that requirement for film, it probably appears inconsistent on my part to declare<b> Breaking Bad</b> the greatest drama to air on television when it just concluded last night. However, I don’t feel like a hypocrite making this proclamation. When I saw any of the 62 episodes of <b>Breaking Bad</b> for the first time, never once did I feel afterward as if it had just been an “OK” episode. Obviously, some soared higher than others, but none ranked as so-so. I can’t say that about any other series. As much as I love <b>The Sopranos</b>, David Chase’s baby churned out some clunkers. <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/wire-season-4-index.html">The Wire</a></b> almost matched <b>Breaking Bad</b>'s achievement, but HBO prevented this by giving it a truncated fifth season that forced David Simon and gang to rush the ending in a way that made the <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2008/03/last-wake-for-wire.html">final year</a> unsatisfying following its brilliant <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2006/12/wire-season-4-in-review.html">fourth</a>. <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2008/03/welcome-to-fking-deadwood-can-be.html">Deadwood</a></b> gets an incomplete, once again thanks to HBO, for not allowing David Milch to complete his five season vision. I recently re-read the one time I wrote about <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2009/04/doing-wrong-for-right-reasons.html">Breaking Bad</a></b>, sometime in the middle of its third season, and though I didn't hail it to the extent I do now, the impending signs show in my protective nature toward the series since this came<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-K7Siv3n65Z4EgD9PKqppVKpOFjmTmbkmA2dc5g7PoSuHoSu0qaHWGU6p93kgonN5lolNx-wQ4gIVRosmXusSfWjbTsaCoCD37QogWUVilsduGVIyaEhY6K9ip6YJ9aQiwphjbDBsnYo/s1700/0ozy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-K7Siv3n65Z4EgD9PKqppVKpOFjmTmbkmA2dc5g7PoSuHoSu0qaHWGU6p93kgonN5lolNx-wQ4gIVRosmXusSfWjbTsaCoCD37QogWUVilsduGVIyaEhY6K9ip6YJ9aQiwphjbDBsnYo/s420/0ozy.jpg" /></a> when it had a smaller, loyal cadre of fans such as myself who almost wanted to keep it our little secret. As the series moved forward, what amazed me — something that amazes me anytime it happens — was <b>Breaking Bad</b>’s ability to get better and better from season to season. That rarely occurs on any show, no matter how good. Programs might achieve a level of quality and maintain it, but rarely do any continue to top themselves. <b>The Wire</b> did that for its first four seasons but, as I wrote above, that stopped when HBO shorted them by three episodes in its final season. <b>Breaking Bad</b> not only grew better, it continued to experiment with its storytelling techniques right up to its final episodes. In this last batch of eight alone, we had “Rabid Dog” (written and directed by Sam Catlin) that begins with Walt, gun in hand, searching his gasoline-soaked house for an angry Jesse, whose car remains in the driveway while he can't be found. Then, well into the episode, we pick up where the previous episode ended with Jesse dousing the White residence with the flammable liquid and learn that Hank had tailed him and stopped Pinkman in the act and convinced the angry young man that the enemy of his enemy might be his friend. Then, in the episode “Ozymandias” (written by Moira Walley-Beckett, directed by Rian Johnson), the amazing first scene (following the pre-title card teaser scene) at To’hajiilee following the lopsided shootout between Uncle Jack, Todd and their Neo-Nazi gang versus Hank and Gomez, lasts an amazing 13½ riveting minutes. The credits don’t run until after the second commercial break, more than 20 minutes into the episode. Throughout the series, despite being on a commercial network, <b>Breaking Bad</b> never shied away from long scenes (and kudos to AMC for allowing them to do so) such as Skyler and Walt’s rehearsal in season 4’s “Bullet Points” (written by Walley-Beckett, directed by Colin Bucksey) for telling Hank and Marie about Walt’s “gambling problem” and how that gave them the money to buy the car wash. The dramas on pay cable that lack commercials seldom provide scenes of that notable length. Fear of the short attention span. With as many channels as exist, I say fuck those fidgety fools. Cater to those who appreciate these scenes when done as well as <b>Breaking Bad</b> did them. That writing surpassed most everything else on TV most of the time and as usual at the Emmys, where I consider it a fluke if someone or something deserving wins, <b>Breaking Bad</b> received no nominations for writing until the two it earned this year (and lost). On <b>Talking Bad</b> following the finale, Anna Gunn compared each new script’s arrival to Christmas morning — and she also worked on <b>Deadwood</b> with a master wordsmith like David Milch. <br /><br /><center><b>THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME THINGS YOU COME TO LEARN ABOUT ME...</b></center><br />Looking again at the initial moments of <b>Breaking Bad</b>, now viewed with the knowledge of everything to come, it establishes much about Walter White even though it occurred before Heisenberg made any official appearance. Watch this clip of our introduction to both Walt and <b>Breaking Bad</b> and see what I mean.<br /><br /><center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="405" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/75470114" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="720"></iframe></center><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRDLuQYTp0Nh7hClAazOEyYPbW_LBdD-NsZDAoD9UrQW7ylgxvpctlqr7B9Aheq8ugXC6nK-PtvdXabXp7wdw36R6y0DVVkPuMnUNR3__BA_CdnRA1CZvVJYhSbZEIPMVUfTelbUnh4s/s1700/0thehat.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:25 10px 10px 25; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRDLuQYTp0Nh7hClAazOEyYPbW_LBdD-NsZDAoD9UrQW7ylgxvpctlqr7B9Aheq8ugXC6nK-PtvdXabXp7wdw36R6y0DVVkPuMnUNR3__BA_CdnRA1CZvVJYhSbZEIPMVUfTelbUnh4s/s300/0thehat.png" /></a> <br />From the beginning, all the elements of Walt’s delusions had planted their roots in his head: the denial of criminality, his conviction that his family justified all his actions (which, compared to what events transpire later, seem rather minor moral transgressions now). One thing I wondered: Did Hank hang on to that gas mask somewhere in DEA evidence? It had Walt's fingerprints on it since he flung it away bare-handed. If Jesse told Schrader where they began cooking, hard evidence for a case existed and things might have turned out differently. Oh, well. No use crying over spilled brother-in-laws at this point. Dipping in and out of the AMC marathon preceding the finale and watching and re-watching episodes over the years (because, among the other outstanding attributes of <b>Breaking Bad</b>, the show belongs on the list of the most compulsively re-watchable television series in history), I always look for the exact moment when Heisenberg truly dominated Walter White’s personality because while I’m not in any way excusing Walt’s actions the way the deranged Team Walt types do, obviously this man suffers from a split personality disorder. You spot it in the season 2 episode where they hold the celebration party over Walt's cancer news and he keeps pouring tequila into Walt Jr.'s cup until Hank tries to put a stop to it, prompting a confrontation that mirrors in many ways Hank and Walt's after Hank deduced his alter ego. It also contains dialogue where Walt apologizes in the morning, saying, "I don't know who that was yesterday. It wasn't me." What caused that split, we don’t really know. We know that Walt’s dad died of Huntington’s disease when White was young and Skyler alluded to the way “he was raised” when he resisted accepting the Schwartzes’ help paying for his cancer treatments in the early days and he has no apparent relationship with his mother. Frankly, I praise creator Vince Gilligan for not taking that easy way out and trying to explain the cause of Walter White’s madness. I find it more interesting when creators don’t try to explain what made their monsters. I didn’t need to know that young Hannibal Lecter saw his parents killed by particularly ghoulish Nazis in World War II who ate his parents. Hannibal's character remains more interesting without some traumatic back story to explain what turned him into the serial killer he became. Since I brought up<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreoldj_Kcc3mRE6dsXFzkpYJ3bwYDt6l-RObMQf1dR9k2gxGmUZmCDIzaw1NSJzEvpZ0XGpXXkentWHL3RR5vslbWm2vrjwKcLQggTH6lQjuoLxxJNbo2y0R6q4w3MwF0eRXcgsU798o/s1700/0Krazy-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreoldj_Kcc3mRE6dsXFzkpYJ3bwYDt6l-RObMQf1dR9k2gxGmUZmCDIzaw1NSJzEvpZ0XGpXXkentWHL3RR5vslbWm2vrjwKcLQggTH6lQjuoLxxJNbo2y0R6q4w3MwF0eRXcgsU798o/s300/0Krazy-8.jpg" /></a> those Team Walt members, while I can't conceive how anyone still defends him, I understand how people sympathized with Walter White at first and it took different actions and moments in the series for individual viewers to accept the fact that no classification fit Walter White other than that of a monster. In the beginning, the series made it easy to feel for Walt and cheer him on. When he took action on the asshole teens mocking Walt Jr. for his cerebral palsy, who didn't think those punks deserved it? While an excessive act, when he fried the car battery of the asshole who stole his parking space, who hasn't fantasized about getting even on someone like that? Even when Walt's acts got more serious, you sided with him, such as when he bawled, sobbing "I'm sorry" repeatedly as he killed Krazy-8. Even the moment most cite as <i>the</i> breaking point as Walt watches Jane die plays as open to interpretation. He looks like a deer in the headlights, uncertain of what to do as much as someone who sees the advantage of letting this woman in the process of extorting him expire. The credit for that ambiguity belongs to the brilliance of Bryan Cranston's performance. However, once you get to that final season 4 reveal of the Lily of the Valley plant, I don't see how anyone defended Walt after that, if they hadn't stopped already. As Hank said at the end, Walt was the smartest guy he ever met, so why couldn't he devise a way to either save himself or kill Gus that didn't involve poisoning a child?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7B-LKNYno2BiDFrtBKJuufv-z0JWg6xl1nnxX6RPHj6ABzm_K1CU0nnVr7vMR_5sNCu0I8g13EW5F80gawnap3bvbeV58kmP67Im6-fgwh6LxT0YHO4SDRIAqp-E8M6SKnM405GPHSTA/s1700/0byejane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7B-LKNYno2BiDFrtBKJuufv-z0JWg6xl1nnxX6RPHj6ABzm_K1CU0nnVr7vMR_5sNCu0I8g13EW5F80gawnap3bvbeV58kmP67Im6-fgwh6LxT0YHO4SDRIAqp-E8M6SKnM405GPHSTA/s500/0byejane.jpg" /></a></div><br />With all that said, Walt, while not redeemed, did rightfully regain some sympathy in the home stretch — surrendering his precious ill-gotten gains in a fruitless plea for Hank’s life, trying to clear Skyler of culpability, ultimately freeing Jesse and, most importantly, admitting that all his evil deeds had nothing to do with providing for his family but were because he enjoyed them, they made him feel alive. Heisenberg probably left that drink unfinished at the New Hampshire bar, but I think the old Walter White returned. The people he harmed deserved it and the scare he put in Elliot and Gretchen Schwartz merely a fake-out to ensure they did what he wanted with the money. He didn’t break good at the end, but he tied up loose ends and then allowed himself to die side by side with his true love — the blue meth he created that rocked the drug-addicted world. <br /><br />Alas, my physical limitations prevent me from giving the series the farewell I envisioned in a single tribute, so I must break this into parts as much remains to be discussed — I’ve yet to touch upon the magnificent array of acting talent, brilliant direction and tons of other issues so, while <b>Breaking Bad</b>’s story has ended, this one has not. So, regretfully, as I collapse, I must say…<br /><br /><center><b>FOR PART II, <a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/09/sirota-already-did-it-bye-bye-bad-part.html">CLICK HERE.</a> FOR PART III,<a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/10/better-off-ted-bye-bye-bad-part-iii.html"> CLICK HERE</a>.</b></center><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span>sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-89443899932552440372013-09-23T17:00:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.326-07:00More than any of us can bear<p></p><span style="font-size: 130%;"> <blockquote><b>BLOGGER'S NOTE</b>: <i>This review originally ran on this blog on Aug. 9, 2006. I'm re-posting it for <a href="http://seetimaar.wordpress.com/2013/09/04/oliver-stone-blogathonsept-15-oct-62013/">The Oliver Stone Blogathon </a>occurring through Oct. 6 at <a href="http://seetimaar.wordpress.com/">Seetimaar — Diary of a Movie Lover</a></i></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGVmT2pjqrm7wGxR8kzcs5eOg2ws4nGIwmudduWJJAFC2Wf_j-wwW-MQPcvR57Qyfd54pmmhIguwSatz24EDPcmYS4JtwPxEfRP2LDzi9HuUzOTTApCuYageaSH9Er7HAEh7xt70HSVE/s1500/15433-1400x891crop0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGVmT2pjqrm7wGxR8kzcs5eOg2ws4nGIwmudduWJJAFC2Wf_j-wwW-MQPcvR57Qyfd54pmmhIguwSatz24EDPcmYS4JtwPxEfRP2LDzi9HuUzOTTApCuYageaSH9Er7HAEh7xt70HSVE/s540/15433-1400x891crop0.jpg" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426">By Edward Copeland</a><br />I finally caught up with Oliver Stone's <strong>World Trade Center </strong>and, as indicated by many reviews, it certainly qualifies as the least Oliver Stone-like film Stone has made (though Oliver can't resist tossing in a couple of ghostly images of Jesus in a light but hey, at least it wasn't a mystical Indian). <strong>World Trade Center </strong>does end up being Stone's best work in quite some time.</span><span class="fullpost";span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br />Like most Stone movies, it contains fat that could be lost easily and in the battle of 9/11 movies, I still prefer <strong><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2006/09/heroism-and-tragedy-of-united-93.html">United 93,</a></strong> even though Stone's film contains good performances. Cage gives his best straight performance in ages. Yes, I loved him in <strong>Adaptation</strong>, but I can't remember the last time he played a dramatic role in a movie that wasn't a time-waster.<br /><br />He's also ably supported by Michael Pena as the fellow Port Authority officer trapped with him beneath the rubble, and Maria Bello as Cage's wife and Maggie Gyllenhaal as Pena's wife, awaiting word on their husbands' fates. If I prefer <strong>United 93 </strong>to <strong>World Trade Center</strong>, it's for one main reason: the emotional wounds of 9/11 remain so fresh, that it seems almost unnecessary to tell personal, albeit true, stories to wring emotion from a viewer. The relative anonymity of the passengers depicted in <strong>United 93 </strong>touched me more deeply than the fleshed-out stories in <strong>World Trade Center </strong>did, especially when they tack on a lapsed paramedic (Frank Whaley) and a former Marine (Michael Shannon) who abandons his office job, throws on his old uniform and marches into Ground Zero to help.<br /><br /><strong>World Trade Center </strong>depicts well the confusion and communications breakdowns on 9/11, where the first responders themselves don't realize that a second plane has hit the second tower until well after they've arrived on the scene of the first tower.<br /><br />As you expect from a Stone production, his production team delivers top-notch technical aspects. While <strong>World Trade Center </strong>as a film comes off as Stone's finest in ages, it's difficult to compete with the real images we saw that day. Paul Greengrass found a way to accomplish that in <strong>United 93.</strong> While Stone's film offers good performances, somehow the personal touch ends up being less emotionally satisfying.<br /><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /></span>sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-8125054260164992112013-09-15T21:00:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.371-07:00From the Vault: JFK<p></p><span style="font-size: 130%;"> <blockquote><b>BLOGGER'S NOTE</b>: <i>I'm re-posting this review, originally written when <b>JFK</b> opened in 1991, as part of <a href="http://seetimaar.wordpress.com/2013/09/04/oliver-stone-blogathonsept-15-oct-62013/">The Oliver Stone Blogathon </a>occurring through Oct. 6 at <a href="http://seetimaar.wordpress.com/">Seetimaar — Diary of a Movie Lover</a></i></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCdH7I8tA6HDouIKHhSpEPi-clnQ59g2_KVreqLqITKK7LVd_CZ_OBWGSxLAwzqcvD2tPDFQEj7MzPOr2YUpg6r-Eov5IXcm0gIoQJM2HEJXHpuPEUBU5IPk-9hgfbG7mhXRggYNk5Oc/s1600/jfk1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCdH7I8tA6HDouIKHhSpEPi-clnQ59g2_KVreqLqITKK7LVd_CZ_OBWGSxLAwzqcvD2tPDFQEj7MzPOr2YUpg6r-Eov5IXcm0gIoQJM2HEJXHpuPEUBU5IPk-9hgfbG7mhXRggYNk5Oc/s640/jfk1.jpg" /></a></div><br />Seldom has reviewing a film proved as problematic as Oliver Stone's <strong>JFK.</strong> So much has been written about what is — and isn't — accurate in this film that I went in desperately trying to view solely on a cinematic basis, ignoring the fact that it concerns that fateful November day in Dallas in 1963. That sort of objectivity ends up being impossible because <strong>JFK</strong> demands evaluation and analysis and obliterates any chance of passive viewing with its strange hybrid of thriller, murder mystery and documentary.</span><span class="fullpost";span style="font-size:130%;"> <br /><br />Kevin Costner plays the lead in Stone's story as New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison, who launched a full-fledged investigation into the conspiracy he believed left both John F. Kennedy and the country mortally wounded. "Fundamentally, people are suckers for the truth," Donald Sutherland's Deep Throat-type character tells Garrison at one point in the film. While it remains to be seen whether Stone's version contains more truth than the preposterous idea that Lee Harvey Oswald (played well by Gary Oldman, part of the film's gargantuan, excellent ensemble) acted alone, fascination with the assassination keeps this three-hour film compulsively watchable.<br /><br />Problems plague the film other than the ones that spark so much debate. Despite allegations that the film comes off as homophobic (I see why that charge has been leveled) or exists as nothing more than propaganda (could be), it fares fairly well. Stone keeps the pace speeding along most of the time except for a middle section that lags. His editing and jump-cuts that mix real footage, re-creations and original material triumph, especially in the film's very good opening segments. The movie stumbles the most when it presents scenes of Garrison's domestic life with his wife Liz (a thankless task given to the usually reliable Sissy Spacek, saddled with dialogue along the lines of "I think you care more about John Kennedy than your own family!") It also doesn't help that Garrison's son (played by Stone's own 7-year-old son Sean) never ages though the film covers more than half a decade.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T9W5jJ2KOK6CgqLnU5xToycwqdx4m4FXm6z4sTZcndnS93h5BQBmpDgq_KG4OEDZrf-7gmIfWa8d1KVhHDA8W_GAsez37cMqSWTYVCt2GKRO6Y4Xee8GobClz78NdDGA4NzUJ40hn_c/s1800/jfk.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T9W5jJ2KOK6CgqLnU5xToycwqdx4m4FXm6z4sTZcndnS93h5BQBmpDgq_KG4OEDZrf-7gmIfWa8d1KVhHDA8W_GAsez37cMqSWTYVCt2GKRO6Y4Xee8GobClz78NdDGA4NzUJ40hn_c/s600/jfk.png" /></a></div><br />Other demerits include John Williams' score, which nearly overpowers important scenes such as Sutherland's magnetic spinning of key elements of the "conspiracy" so that it makes sense as he's sharing it, and, it should really go without saying, Costner himself. While he manages to be fairly consistent with his Southern accent, he still can't emote effectively. He's a star, not an actor. Much of the popular opinion about the real Garrison refers to him either as someone seeking publicity or a crackpot. Regardless, Costner can't convey his obsession or possibly unstable nature. In his overrated <strong>Dances With Wolves</strong>, his lack of acting skills presented a similar problem. Both <strong>JFK </strong>and <strong>Dances</strong> would have been better served if they'd cast a performer capable of portraying people losing control. Lt. Dunbar tries to commit suicide and then asks to be placed on the frontier, but Costner couldn't pull off that conflict any more convincingly than he pulls off Garrison's drive for the truth.<br /><br />Thankfully, able supporting performers abound to pick up the slack, even if they appear for a single scene. Actors deserving particular praise include Ed Asner, Kevin Bacon, John Candy, Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Joe Pesci, Sutherland and Tommy Lee Jones, who gives a good performance despite the possible perception of his character as an offensive stereotype. Structurally, the film weakens in its final act by climaxing with Garrison's prosecution of Clay Shaw (Jones). While this conclusion comes naturally to a film focused on Garrison, it seems anticlimactic to the film's real subject — dealing with the demons of the past. Stone's obsession with the Vietnam era equals Garrison's with Kennedy's murder. Methods separate Garrison's obsession from Stone's. Stone uses cinema as his rosary to drag the audience kicking and screaming into his personal confessional. With <strong>JFK, </strong>that's not altogether inappropriate. Even people born since the assassination grew up with the myths and the facts of Nov. 22, 1963, as part of their lives, though for most of the younger of us, Jim Garrison and his actual prosecution of Clay Shaw was something few of us knew about until Stone's movie.<br /><br />Growing up though with the history of the Kennedy and Martin Luther King assassinations ingrained in our brains shortened our attention span of shock when John Lennon, Reagan and Pope John Paul II encountered bullets in a period of just a few months. The explosion of the space shuttle Challenger seemed to affect us for only an hour or two instead of the lifelong effect JFK's assassination had on an earlier generation. <br /><br />Personally, I don't know if I buy the revamped Garrison theory that Stone offers. I don't see how anyone can believe Oswald acted alone or all the shots came from behind — watching the Zapruder film enlarged on the big screen makes the "back and to the left" motion of Kennedy's head unmistakable. However, Stone can't quite pull off the idea that the reason Kennedy was killed was so the Vietnam War could happen.<br /><br />In that respect, <strong>JFK</strong> plays like a murder trial where only the prosecution presents its case. I'm certainly no apologist for Oliver Stone and I think most of his films grow weaker on subsequent viewings. Indeed, his tendency to pass off fabrication as fact can be troubling when most viewers can't tell the difference. Reservations aside, <b>JFK</b> holds one's attention firmly and deserves a look.<br /><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /></span><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-71526301699509940082013-09-15T07:00:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.383-07:00From the Vault: The Doors<p></p><span style="font-size: 130%;"> <blockquote><b>BLOGGER'S NOTE</b>: <i>I'm re-posting this review, originally written when <b>The Doors</b> opened in 1991, as part of <a href="http://seetimaar.wordpress.com/2013/09/04/oliver-stone-blogathonsept-15-oct-62013/">The Oliver Stone Blogathon </a>occurring today through Oct. 6 at <a href="http://seetimaar.wordpress.com/">Seetimaar — Diary of a Movie Lover</a></i></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMjyHc3C3EPCPkLG6AvwAUCbtCRj_RGwGw3bShGoabRV_jNyHrv8zZk68zs8BQFBd6gcAaMV33IPr_XBCwQZ9-B-pQSstHs0_ahyHd6sBrzix6xXp5O3WzlxqRKDh_01zAjvOZRvkEa4/s1600/large+the+doors++blu-ray6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMjyHc3C3EPCPkLG6AvwAUCbtCRj_RGwGw3bShGoabRV_jNyHrv8zZk68zs8BQFBd6gcAaMV33IPr_XBCwQZ9-B-pQSstHs0_ahyHd6sBrzix6xXp5O3WzlxqRKDh_01zAjvOZRvkEa4/s640/large+the+doors++blu-ray6.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>The music was great. The man was out of control. The movie leaves a lot to be desired, namely a narrative. The film to which I refer goes by the name <strong>The Doors</strong>, though it should really be called <strong>Jim Morrison </strong>since the script by director Oliver Stone and J. Randal Johnson doesn't bother to depict the other band members with any depth.</span><span class="fullpost";span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br />Then lack of character development proves to be the major problem with this film. Near the beginning of the film, a 5-year-old Morrison vacations with his family in 1949 when they see the aftermath of a car wreck involving Navajos. The movie refers to the incident time and time again, apparently to explain why Morrison sets out on a path to self-destruction.<br /><br />Alex Cox produced a much-better illustration of drugs sucking the life out of a talented individual in his 1986 film <strong><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/11/embodying-dementia-of-nihilistic.html">Sid & Nancy</a>.</strong> Stone makes no secret of his admiration of Morrison, which makes me wonder how <b>The Doors</b> would have turned out if made by someone who <em>didn't like </em>Morrison since the resulting film comes off as spending 2 hours and 15 minutes with a truly repellent individual.<br /><br />Val Kilmer does look and, in the live performance scenes, sound like Morrison, and his performance can't be faulted. Morrison comes off as a zonked-out prick and, since Stone worships him, you have to think that's an accurate portrayal. Then again, who's to say? The film creates a Morrison without any depth. It doesn't play him as a tortured artist or, in many ways, even a human being. He's just a doomed curiosity trapped in an extremely long music video — film as a hallucinogen, if you will.<br /><br />The other members of The Doors may as well be cardboard cutouts for as much time and energy the film spends exploring them as individuals. Poor Kyle MacLachlan, trapped in a blond wig as Ray Manzarek, gets little more to do that sit at the keyboards, look concerned and occasionally defend Morrison in a DeForest Kelley-as-Dr. McCoy tone with lines such as, "<em>Dammit,</em> Jim's an artist." <br /><br />The result comes off as even more despairing for the characters of Robby Krieger and John Densmore (Frank Whaley, Kevin Dillon), the other two members of the band. I don't know where Morrison and Manzarek met them. One scene, Ray suggests to Jim that they form a band. In the next, suddenly Krieger and Densmore complete the foursome.<br /><br />Stone again finds himself trapped in the era of his obsession, namely the mid-1960s to the early 1970s, and, while the look rings true thanks to brilliant and stunning cinematography by Robert Richardson, the stilted dialogue borders on laughable, making me wonder if secret giggles lurk beneath the lines. On the plus side, Stone makes no assertions connecting the band to U.S. presence in Vietnam.<br /><br />In many ways, the film reminds me of <strong>Tron,</strong> Disney's 1982 film about life inside a video game. That film looked great, but at its core offered nothing more than good graphics. <strong>The Doors </strong>stimulates visually, but doesn't engage the mind at all. In the end, it becomes nothing more than a meaningless assault on the senses about people who made good rock and roll between the sex and the drugs. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Vf8BN18BQFlWefhgn9d1wUZPipGU67v_CvHyBkPM5oB1PzKrPPP5sxHVGi5-yHckcMKZSg7GBYNqNN8H_FaAdM-HAHcTHrmr6hm1519duz4P7k7BQAOn8x0bV7YwlXDq3s1Xq7Q93ow/s1650/meg-ryan-the-doors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:26 10px 10px 26; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Vf8BN18BQFlWefhgn9d1wUZPipGU67v_CvHyBkPM5oB1PzKrPPP5sxHVGi5-yHckcMKZSg7GBYNqNN8H_FaAdM-HAHcTHrmr6hm1519duz4P7k7BQAOn8x0bV7YwlXDq3s1Xq7Q93ow/s250/meg-ryan-the-doors.jpg" /></a><br />Stone, usually reliably opinionated, seems to lack a point of view here. He's neither defending Morrison nor chastising him. More importantly, the film lacks what much of Stone's work lacks — structure. When you go back and look at much of his body of work, <strong>Platoon, Wall Street </strong>and <strong>Born on the Fourth of July</strong> all fail to hold up on subsequent viewings, usually because of a lack of structure. <strong>Talk Radio</strong> remains the Stone film that holds up best because of its built-in structure of the radio broadcast. In <strong>The Doors,</strong> except for occasional reminders of the year, structure does not exist, just a drifting, mind-altering montage of events leading up to the inevitable discovery of Morrison in the bathtub. The most glaring example comes in a scene with Meg Ryan as Pamela, Morrison's "ornament." Jim finds Pam shooting heroin with another man and. in a rage, frightens her into a closet where he locks her in before setting the door ablaze. That's it. We hear no more about it. Twenty minutes later, Pam shows up at a recording studio. In the film's context, it's unclear that it's even the same time period as when he lit the fire and nothing explains her escape. <br /><br />There are moments of fun, such as Crispin Glover's cameo as Andy Warhol and Stone's own brief ironic appearance as Morrison's UCLA film professor accusing Jim of being pretentious. <br /><br />The Doors produced great music, but this film doesn't attempt to look behind the talent. Instead, it just shows an unpleasant man marching to his own beat on the way to his doom.<br /><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /></span><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-2257350066899536412013-08-08T18:30:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.435-07:00Karen Black (1939-2013)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7iOaT6IojAxDkMzOJ5_hmFZDqAijZuCly02GW8aQJu0u4XbyUHtsNaDu5nlGD-9o1WtIzynbCuYPdBEa66WiVEm0mRi5cfoP2hFinrZNDaV5Dg_4IgCKtxEr7GXELRR9kvLPYIPGMyRA/s1600/a8connie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7iOaT6IojAxDkMzOJ5_hmFZDqAijZuCly02GW8aQJu0u4XbyUHtsNaDu5nlGD-9o1WtIzynbCuYPdBEa66WiVEm0mRi5cfoP2hFinrZNDaV5Dg_4IgCKtxEr7GXELRR9kvLPYIPGMyRA/s640/a8connie.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 130%;"><br />Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, Karen Black occupied a singular place in movies, hovering in that rarefied atmosphere that placed her somewhere between character actress and star. It landed her roles in many of the decade's classics as well as some of its silliness (such as <b>Airport 1975</b>) As the '80s came along, more of her work came on television and in low-budget horror films, but her early work kept her a recognizable name. Black died today at 74 after a battle with ampullary cancer diagnosed in 2010.</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoR7QnXkvThbrPCzsrfw1nzR8MBLcdJBRpUzoA2_053TuuEvzeKUd38bzxsujgSU3_mU-iKJIRhCthf3eakV-1NaMI8YFl9uUPnYnZ1z5mcB5zbVsLgz019uwKATbs9xaURACyPNYjGs/s1800/a85easypieces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:25 10px 10px 25; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoR7QnXkvThbrPCzsrfw1nzR8MBLcdJBRpUzoA2_053TuuEvzeKUd38bzxsujgSU3_mU-iKJIRhCthf3eakV-1NaMI8YFl9uUPnYnZ1z5mcB5zbVsLgz019uwKATbs9xaURACyPNYjGs/s400/a85easypieces.jpg" /></a><br />Born Karen Ziegler in Park Ridge, Ill., the actress attended Northwestern University before heading east and attending The Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg. She appeared in several off-Broadway plays and as an understudy in the 1961 comedy <b>Take Her, She's Mine</b> starring Art Carney before making her starring debut in 1965's <b>The Playroom</b> whose cast also included Bonnie Bedelia and Richard Thomas. Her second feature film made a mark for many people when she joined the cast of Francis Ford Coppola's 1966 comedy <b>You're a Big Boy Now</b> starring Elizabeth Hartman, Geraldine Page, Rip Torn and Tony Bill, among others. She made lots of episodic television appearances until she gained noticed in the small role of a hooker named Karen who drops acid in a cemetery with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in 1969's <b>Easy Rider</b>. Her counterculture journey continued the following year when she played the role of Rayette, the country-music loving waitress who becomes crazy in love with the alienated Robert Dupea (Jack Nicholson) in Bob Rafelson's <b>Five Easy Pieces</b>. The part earned Black her sole Oscar nomination as supporting actress. <br /><br />Black teamed with Nicholson again the following year, only Nicholson sat in the director's chair as she starred opposite Bruce Dern in <b>Drive, He Said.</b> She soon followed that by assuming the part of the Claire Bloom surrogate Mary Jo Reid or The Monkey opposite Richard Benjamin in Ernest Lehman's adaptation of Philip Roth's comic novel <b>Portnoy's Complaint.</b> In 1974, she joined Zero Mostel when he brought his Tony-winning role from Eugene Ionesco's <b>Rhinoceros</b> to the big screen co-starring Gene Wilder. That same year she assumed the role of Tom Buchanan's mistress, Myrtle Wilson, in Jack Clayton's version of <b>The Great Gatsby</b> starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow and the film won Black a Golden Globe for best supporting actress — and she did it in two dimensions! Finally, she completed 1974 by playing the scrappy stewardess trying to fly a crippled jumbo jet whose flight crew got taken out when a small plane crashed into its side in the funniest of the <b>Airport</b> movies, <b>Airport 1975</b> (which I'll always love for having Gloria Swanson playing herself dictating her memoirs into a tape recorder as the plane is going down). <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbm69ghIEM_nYhtHlnRqn7wsx2XFoDxEAFrpSZoMBcetWLgrw0tYLxROMBWvOLAcnKIOUunzcrArLHMhiLbIx67YR9nl0P3gX2_TU4DL54w593SEAJ0T6yF1zWN8UaI5yfhFFstc0Rbc0/s1700/a8familyplot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:25 25 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbm69ghIEM_nYhtHlnRqn7wsx2XFoDxEAFrpSZoMBcetWLgrw0tYLxROMBWvOLAcnKIOUunzcrArLHMhiLbIx67YR9nl0P3gX2_TU4DL54w593SEAJ0T6yF1zWN8UaI5yfhFFstc0Rbc0/s300/a8familyplot.jpg" /></a><br />Black found herself busy again in 1975, beginning with the cult classic horror film <b>Trilogy of Terror</b> where she starred in three shorts all based on stories by the recent passed Richard Matheson. She also co-starred in John Schlesinger's film of the Nathanael West classic novella <b>Day of the Locust.</b> Her epic piece for that year though involved her first collaboration with Robert Altman in his masterpiece <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2006/03/nashvilles-rise-onto-my-top-10-all.html">Nashville</a></b>. Black played country superstar Connie White, filling the bill for another ailing star Barbara Jean (Ronee Blakeley), during events surrounding the political campaign of Replacement Party candidate Hal Philip Walker. In 1976, Black worked again with <b>Nashville</b> co-star Barbara Harris and frequent co-star Bruce Dern as well as William Devane to appear in what would be the final film of the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock's darkly funny tale of crooks, con men and kidnapping, <b>Family Plot</b>. In 1982, she returned to Broadway under Altman's direction as part of the ensemble of <b>Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean</b>. Altman's impossible-to-see film version featuring Black came out later that same year. Aside from some notable television appearances, most of her post-1982 career has been in horror and science fiction, but Karen Black delivered so much great work when her career was hot, she won't soon be forgotten. RIP Ms. Black.<br /><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-25594708094834803872013-07-30T13:30:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.448-07:00Eileen Brennan (1932-2013)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_U7rw18TSpJLzisiPrs4DwzSG1ZtzI_OJqJJWFoVgmPKGhKjELMCUQYYfqqatKUIHSkxO-WD5CsjZ_rPaNOmaQC_mjlzIBMgft-X21T7s1fqoyi1t3svmP_YyI12QyGNsMZxjwjSHBY/s1600/eileenmain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_U7rw18TSpJLzisiPrs4DwzSG1ZtzI_OJqJJWFoVgmPKGhKjELMCUQYYfqqatKUIHSkxO-WD5CsjZ_rPaNOmaQC_mjlzIBMgft-X21T7s1fqoyi1t3svmP_YyI12QyGNsMZxjwjSHBY/s640/eileenmain.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 130%;">Eileen Brennan, one of our most treasured character actresses, particularly when it came to roles with a comic spin, lost her battle with bladder cancer Sunday at 80. Her death was announced today. The prolific actress turned in many memorable performances, but probably will be best remembered as Capt. Doreen Lewis in the 1980 comedy <b>Private Benjamin</b> opposite Goldie Hawn and the subsequent television spinoff where Lorna Patterson took over for Hawn. The role of Capt. Lewis earned Brennan her sole Oscar nomination and three consecutive Emmy nominations, one of which she won.</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9MSHsP78TdnfS6UHc6yU06UVHZ8sbNFtdvf-c3_y_RkBRO1CXcr8TO-NnuWZbG_QvIfOcugRIXm6mJnBJ33N_r3JMvTptcIBJ-WAC7afLKxuf6axprpTeik4KedD_5ojHqaHxn77zsM/s1600/genevievemexico.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:26 26 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9MSHsP78TdnfS6UHc6yU06UVHZ8sbNFtdvf-c3_y_RkBRO1CXcr8TO-NnuWZbG_QvIfOcugRIXm6mJnBJ33N_r3JMvTptcIBJ-WAC7afLKxuf6axprpTeik4KedD_5ojHqaHxn77zsM/s200/genevievemexico.png" /></a><br />After moving from her native California, Brennan performed some stage work with the Mask and Bauble Society at Georgetown University in Washington before returning west and beginning her film and television career. In 1966, she made her first television appearance in a production of Maxwell Anderson's play <b>The Star Wagon</b> where she starred opposite Orson Bean and whose cast included Dustin Hoffman and Marian Seldes. The next year, she made her film debut in Bud Yorkin's 1967 comedy <b>Divorce, American Style</b> with a cast that included Dick Van Dyke, Debbie Reynolds, Jason Robards and Jean Simmons. She was a regular on the first 14 episodes of <b>Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In</b> in 1968 and put in guest appearances on the TV series <b>The Ghost and Mrs. Muir</b> and <b>The Most Deadly Game.</b> With 1971 came the release of her second feature film and a true classic. This showed more of Brennan's abilities on the dramatic side of things as Genevieve the waitress in Peter Bogdanovich's <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/10/person-cant-sneeze-in-this-town-without.html">The Last Picture Show</a>.</b> She even earned a BAFTA nomination as best supporting actress, quite a feat given the spectacular assemblage of female performers Bogdanovich gathered for his film. Along with her many episodic TV appearances, around the same time she appeared in the memorable <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/01/those-were-days.html">All in the Family</a></b> installment "The Elevator Story." In 1973, she had roles in two significant films: <b>Scarecrow</b> starring Gene Hackman and Al Pacino and that year's Oscar winner for best picture, the delightful caper comedy <b>The Sting</b> opposite Paul Newman and Robert Redford.<br /><br />Brennan appeared in both of Neil Simon's 1970s film spoofs, usually attached by the hip to Peter Falk, in <b>Murder By Death</b> and <b>The Cheap Detective</b>. She guest-starred in a particularly memorable episode of <b>Taxi</b>, "The Boss's Wife," and earned an Emmy nomination as lead actress in a comedy series (the same year she won supporting actress for <b>Private Benjamin</b>). To get even with her husband, Mr. McKenzie, once a year, Mrs. McKenzie (Brennan) picks an employee of the Sunshine Cab Company to have an affair with, resulting in her husband's anger and the worker's firing. Louie (Danny DeVito) delights in the annual ritual — only this time she picks De Palma. Guest appearances on <b>Newhart, thirtysomething</b> and <b>Will & Grace</b> also brought Brennan Emmy nominations. Back on the big screen, she brought the game piece Mrs. Peacock to life in <b>Clue</b> and reprised Genevieve in the 1990 <b>Last Picture Show</b> sequel <b>Texasville.</b><br /><br />RIP Ms. Brennan. When you appeared on screen, I knew that whatever I was watching would be getting a lift.<br /><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-56746609523024405252013-07-22T12:30:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.493-07:00Dennis Farina (1944-2013)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-y4GmQYIGZHlEzPSoFXkyoGdSMK_34QJV6lclbpMQpmUl9Hq9BV1c8dyZBFzfq7nc7vbPSvi5CTDGp5VEZXXm1P1EV1zhPakB_8m_eZjx5scXx734bNXC7xZXAb6ETSdb4XKNlhcSE4/s1600/farina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-y4GmQYIGZHlEzPSoFXkyoGdSMK_34QJV6lclbpMQpmUl9Hq9BV1c8dyZBFzfq7nc7vbPSvi5CTDGp5VEZXXm1P1EV1zhPakB_8m_eZjx5scXx734bNXC7xZXAb6ETSdb4XKNlhcSE4/s400/farina.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 130%;"> Dennis Farina tended to be typecast as a cop or a crook — and having served 18 years on Chicago's police force before turning to acting had a lot to do with that, but like so many who come to performing from other lines of work, you'd hardly notice the difference. By the premature end of his 31-year acting career, just seeing his name brought a smile to my face because I knew that he'd provide some good moments in the movie or TV show I was about to watch, even if the production itself didn't turn out to be that great. He garnered two acting nominations in his film career, both for <b>Get Shorty</b>. The American Comedy Awards nominated him as Funniest Supporting Actor in Motion Picture and he joined the other members of the ensemble up for the 1995 Screen Actors Guild Cast Award, including James Gandolfini.</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqRMJLbiXfI-TcMGAXUl9dvpnzb2OfK0ZIDhZE0p6ZEuzOXlUtQzzQuQh-zvYbcLkufkirqHfRRQqKwRIU8LbwCzyl4VBlth4ktiYfhLYeA0_pbJFeZdfP3OGkXEZqTrGSfmM1zrvrWM/s1700/MidnightRun55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqRMJLbiXfI-TcMGAXUl9dvpnzb2OfK0ZIDhZE0p6ZEuzOXlUtQzzQuQh-zvYbcLkufkirqHfRRQqKwRIU8LbwCzyl4VBlth4ktiYfhLYeA0_pbJFeZdfP3OGkXEZqTrGSfmM1zrvrWM/s300/MidnightRun55.jpg" /></a><br />Farina made his film debut in 1981 in Michael Mann's often overlooked gem <b>Thief</b>. He did many guest shots and small roles in movies until he teamed with Mann again as the original screen incarnation of the FBI's Jack Crawford in <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/08/manhunter.html">Manhunter</a></b>, based on Thomas Harris' novel <b>Red Dragon, </b>which introduced the world to Hannibal Lecter. That same year, Mann gave Farina the short-lived starring role in the 43-episode run of the period TV series <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/09/crime-story.html">Crime Story </a></b> as Lt. Mike Torello. Atmospheric, vibrant and wonderfully scored — <b>Crime Story</b> couldn't last back then, but imagine if it had premiered a decade or so later on cable. The year <b>Crime Story </b>ended its run, Farina played memorable comic bad guy Jimmy Serrano in the great buddy movie <b>Midnight Run</b>, which just marked its 25th anniversary. Other comic bad guys would follow such as Ray Barboni in the film adaptation of Elmore Leonard's <b>Get Shorty</b> and the hit man Henry De Salvo in the underrated <b>Big Trouble</b>, based on the novel by Dave Barry.<br /><br />On the good guy side of things he played Marshal Sisco, father of Jennifer Lopez's Karen Sisco in Steven Soderbergh's adaptation of Leonard's <b>Out of Sight</b>. He turned up briefly as one of the recognizable faces fighting World War II, in this case as Lt. Col. Anderson, in Steven Spielberg's <b>Saving Private Ryan</b>. He also<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_3wsDQVrsSXWMOfEBsfvMK7gIXRl3EY-ZaMtxp6wtk5pUo1v_skUR0l2DZkaDmRClauXUALd-5_3IaPmHdtTuCdS98e3EZVVtci5ONuvhnqQ4DZtFA9LF4IBEllL9_BswocfCne-e6Y/s1700/0ep2acegusbedtalk.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_3wsDQVrsSXWMOfEBsfvMK7gIXRl3EY-ZaMtxp6wtk5pUo1v_skUR0l2DZkaDmRClauXUALd-5_3IaPmHdtTuCdS98e3EZVVtci5ONuvhnqQ4DZtFA9LF4IBEllL9_BswocfCne-e6Y/s300/0ep2acegusbedtalk.png" /></a> put in two seasons as Detective Joe Fontana on <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/09/different-kind-of-cop-show.html">Law & Order </a></b>following Jerry Orbach's departure. His other television work includes the short-lived, quirky detective series <b>Buddy Faro </b>created by Mark Frost, which I enjoyed but ended quickly. Farina also put in a nice turn as an annoying fitness center owner in HBO's adaptation of Richard Russo's novel <b>Empire Falls</b>. Finally, in another case of a series that ended prematurely (and unnecessarily) he landed the great role of Gus Demetriou, right-hand man and aging strong arm for horse racing-obsessed prison parolee Chester "Ace" Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) in HBO's <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/luck-index.html">Luck</a></b>, an ill-conceived partnership between Mann and David Milch whose cancellation got blamed on the unfortunate deaths of three racing horses in the same sort of incidents that happen at real race tracks across the U.S. daily. It's a shame, because the nine episodes of <b>Luck</b> that aired were excellent. HBO should have had the guts to buy either Mann or Milch out and let the series proceed. (My vote would have been to keep Milch).<br /><br />RIP Mr. Farina. Another gone too soon.<br /><br /><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-68224549711723317792013-07-17T04:00:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.505-07:00What he really wanted to do was be an actor<p></p><span style="font-size: 130%;"> <blockquote><b>BLOGGER'S NOTE</b>: <i>This post is part of <a href="http://seetimaar.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/sydney-pollack-blogathon-july-1-22-2013/">The Sydney Pollack Blogathon </a>occurring through July 22 at <a href="http://seetimaar.wordpress.com/">Seetimaar — Diary of a Movie Lover</a></i></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtAXxnRBbxqYIE3o5aLDULbRQyxyveDxnB-_74_smSU9ZYEFO-iEDeNYQFB5DFXmoDetyo7Quo2bO7jHzzonFExPOnSRW5cOkp_1XhLPkFr1GebKXiUZUaG_94DC5UTkWlhgoKAuRL9o/s1600/mellontheplayer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtAXxnRBbxqYIE3o5aLDULbRQyxyveDxnB-_74_smSU9ZYEFO-iEDeNYQFB5DFXmoDetyo7Quo2bO7jHzzonFExPOnSRW5cOkp_1XhLPkFr1GebKXiUZUaG_94DC5UTkWlhgoKAuRL9o/s640/mellontheplayer.png" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426">By Edward Copeland</a><br />For 40 years, from 1965 to 2005, Sydney Pollack directed 19 feature films. His last directing effort appeared as an installment of PBS' <b>American Masters </b>series on the architect Frank Gehry. Prior to that, he directed lots of episodic television. As Pollack reached the end of his life (and beyond it) he produced projects more than he directed and toward the end he also resumed the artistic endeavor where he started, acting more<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCyJd_ENBHScMDSzGdywCtpGJLSUm5eZAbIwqI0MBKZs05SsV4vQt_9LCrQh82ZlYIsc4r96Hl1ECWyHkIqSky_PE6J0p_dF_2YUdIqlo7bjiqePpyHy1rwayv5BurSUW2robkM3Fnxs/s1600/twilight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCyJd_ENBHScMDSzGdywCtpGJLSUm5eZAbIwqI0MBKZs05SsV4vQt_9LCrQh82ZlYIsc4r96Hl1ECWyHkIqSky_PE6J0p_dF_2YUdIqlo7bjiqePpyHy1rwayv5BurSUW2robkM3Fnxs/s200/twilight.jpg" /></a> and more often. When he ventured into show business, he aimed toward acting. His father hoped that Pollack would <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/sydney-pollack-304712">pursue a career </a>in dentistry, but after catching the theater bug in high school in South Bend, Ind., he left for New York following graduation and studied with legendary acting teacher Sanford Meisner at Meisner's Neighborhood Playhouse (The same year he directed the <b>American Masters </b>special on Frank Gehry, he executive produce another episode of the series on Meisner). Eventually, he became an assistant to Meisner and even taught acting to others, though in a <a href="http://memphisactor.blogspot.com/2012/12/sydney-pollack.html">2006 interview </a>with Venice Magazine, Pollack resisted calling the technique he learned and passed on "The Method." "People call a lot of things 'The Method,' but there really isn’t one Method," Pollack said, "but it’s all derived from Stanislavsky. It’s all derived from Stanislavsky, but Stella Adler taught it different than Sandy Meisner and Strasberg taught it differently from both of them, and Harold Clurman taught it differently than the three of them, and Bobby Lewis took it in his own direction, as well. They each took The Moscow Art Theater of Stanislavsky and basic principles, and then developed their own approach. The goal was always the same: to find a way to analyze the construction of truthful behavior within imaginary circumstances."<br /><br />As he acted a lot in television of the 1950s, Pollack's interest turned to directing. While Pollack directed and produced some great and good films (my favorite being 1982's <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2006/12/what-acting-is-all-about-unemployment.html">Tootsie</a></b>, where he took his first substantial acting role since an episodic television appearance on a 1964 episode of the crime drama <b>Brenner</b> starring Edward Binns and James Broderick), after <b>Tootsie</b>, he acted or did voicework in more films and TV shows than his entire filmography. In many ways, I found Pollack more interesting at times as an actor than as a filmmaker, and that's where his career in the arts began, with his single Broadway role in 1955's <b>The Dark Is Light Enough</b> by Christopher Fry and starring Katharine Cornell, Tyrone Power and featuring Christopher Plummer.</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH7_924j5uLZfiGDCeq3Kbyx19Pu2PYVqTRRO8iiblbKtnTqVCfDMPrHmpnF2qiEQr-dsZzm9Yc6OzjMynAAvMI3CaYlIGINah8eBQU5xKmrGBMT9mQqdkczTHoUyrUEe0EMc4MCLw0w8/s1750/warhunt4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH7_924j5uLZfiGDCeq3Kbyx19Pu2PYVqTRRO8iiblbKtnTqVCfDMPrHmpnF2qiEQr-dsZzm9Yc6OzjMynAAvMI3CaYlIGINah8eBQU5xKmrGBMT9mQqdkczTHoUyrUEe0EMc4MCLw0w8/s350/warhunt4.png" /></a><br />Pollack began directing episodic television in 1961 and had ceased television acting in 1964 with that appearance on <b>Brenner</b>. As he jettisoned acting to concentrate on directing, he made a single movie: the 1962 Korean War drama <b>War Hunt</b>. The film starred John Saxon and Charles Aidman, but in addition to Pollack's supporting role, the movie offered appearances by Gavin MacLeod, Tom Skerritt and uncredited work by another future director, Francis Ford Coppola, as an Army truck driver. The biggest name among the ranks (at least he would be eventually) turned out to be a young Robert Redford. Pollack would direct Redford in seven films: <b>This Property Is Condemned, Jeremiah Johnson, The Way We Were, Three Days of the Condor, The Electric Horseman, Out of Africa</b> and <b>Havana</b>. Redford served as one of the producers of <b>A Civil Action </b>which featured Pollack in an acting role.<br /><br /><center><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/70366064?byline=0&portrait=0" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <br /></center><br />The headline at the top of this piece isn't quite true. Pollack return to acting in 1982's <b>Tootsie</b> (aside from a brief cameo in 1979's <b>The Electric Horseman</b>) proved to be quite a reluctant one. He already had cast Dabney Coleman to play George Fields, agent to prima donna/unemployed actor Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) but Hoffman pushed Pollack into taking the role himself, seeing the dynamic they had in their disagreements over the script. Pollack didn't want to leave Coleman in the cold so he cast him in the role of movie's fictional soap opera's director instead. Hoffman's instincts didn't fail him or the film as his scenes with Pollack provide many of the movie's comic highlights. You get that in the scene above, in the scene in the Russian Tea Room where Michael surprises George by showing up as his new alter ego Dorothy Michaels and, in perhaps my favorite scene between the two of them, when Michael shows up at George's home late one night to try to explain the romantic complications, including the fact that the father (Charles Durning) of the woman he loves (Jessica Lange) bought Dorothy an engagement ring. Forgetting for a moment what this all means, Pollack's reaction to news of the proposal comes off as priceless.<br /><br /><center><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/70331609?byline=0&portrait=0" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> </center><br />Following <b>Tootsie</b>, Pollack returned to the directing-producing track for a decade. During this decade he won his two Oscars for <b>Out of Africa</b>, but looking at the projects in that decade on which he worked solely as a producer or executive producer actually look more interesting than most of the movies he directed in that time. Some examples of his producing output from 1982 to 1991: <b>Songwriter</b>, <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2008/10/another-season-another-reason.html">The Fabulous Baker Boys</a></b>, <b>Presumed Innocent</b>, <b>White Palace</b>, (surprisingly) <b>King Ralph </b>and <b>Dead Again</b>. With <b>Tootsie</b>, Pollack displayed a grounded, realistic comic side, but when 1992 arrived and he began to act up a storm, his range<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsfDvYfYAKEfEZYyJMID5SFRYc0j3LNeK-2v8JIxwpgl2q8HUDX-xgqW-kfVLzItB_tVhXaFRcwJcXgBmfKMx_sOr35ml_bprQeqm-C1uz9YWA3r_LKyucg_fowZwsxhrCuEt_riH2XI/s1700/0apollackpoolparty.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsfDvYfYAKEfEZYyJMID5SFRYc0j3LNeK-2v8JIxwpgl2q8HUDX-xgqW-kfVLzItB_tVhXaFRcwJcXgBmfKMx_sOr35ml_bprQeqm-C1uz9YWA3r_LKyucg_fowZwsxhrCuEt_riH2XI/s300/0apollackpoolparty.png" /></a> widened, even if for the most part Pollack got pigeonholed as either a lawyer or a doctor, he played distinct members of each profession. Ten years after <b>Tootsie</b>, he managed roles in three films (and found time to executive produce two movies as well: HBO's <b>A Private Matter </b> and <b>Leaving Normal</b>, which had the misfortune of being too similar to <b>Thelma & Louise </b>and coming out a few months after the other film). The photo at the top of this post shows Pollack in his first 1992 role, Dick Mellon, business lawyer to besieged studio exec Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins) in Robert Altman's <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/04/dark-weird-and-funny-and-with-stroke.html">The Player</a></b>. As Mellon, Pollack plays a no-nonsense Hollywood figure who has seen it all and never changes his vocal tone, no matter how serious the situation becomes, and doles out truisms such as in this exchange with Mill. "Rumors are always true. You know that," Mellon tells Mill. "I'm always the last to hear about them," Griffin sighs. "No, you're always the last one to believe them," Dick corrects his client. Pollack, as in the case of his casting in <b>Tootsie</b>, hadn't been the first choice of the director. Of course, Pollack had helmed <b>Tootsie</b> and opposed casting himself as George Fields. With <b>The Player</b>, Altman tried to cast as many of the character parts with lesser-known faces because his film contained so many star cameos and he wanted to avoid as much audience<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0uebqlSdKkmls1oB8Om_HYcVVvsVEEMhkMGDCwNl1TtpV0rzFgev_KXeBjbr5g4V_E7yV-SjB_TjSKLOsbDmVVP-dl-tdllU59qGJMmpr7-RlAvwsMJEopoLoowysfti68YJk7T-UgQ/s1700/husbandsandwives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0uebqlSdKkmls1oB8Om_HYcVVvsVEEMhkMGDCwNl1TtpV0rzFgev_KXeBjbr5g4V_E7yV-SjB_TjSKLOsbDmVVP-dl-tdllU59qGJMmpr7-RlAvwsMJEopoLoowysfti68YJk7T-UgQ/s300/husbandsandwives.jpg" /></a> confusion as possible. Initially, Altman sought writer-director Blake Edwards, who also started his career as an actor, though he hadn't appeared on screen since 1948, for the part of Mellon, but it didn't work out and he went with Pollack, who only had that one role in <b>Tootsie</b> in 30 years. While <b>The Player </b>offers darker, satirical laughs than <b>Tootsie</b> did and Pollack doesn't get the laughs out of Dick Mellon that he did out of George Fields, he garnered more laughs in his most dramatic, deepest film role yet as Jack, the divorcing best friend of Gabe Roth (Woody Allen) in <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/from-vault-husbands-and-wives.html">Husbands and Wives</a></b>. I wasn't as crazy about the film as others, but Pollack delivered one of his greatest acting jobs, ranging from the at-ease midlife divorced man finding renewed vigor with a twentysomething aerobics instructor (Lysette Anthony) and then turning downright nasty on her at a party when she doesn't meet his standards for intellectual heft. He literally drags her from the soiree and tosses her toward his car, accusing her of being an "infant." It's a scary side of Pollack that we'll see more of in other roles. His third on-screen role of 1992 didn't receive a credit, but the cameo in <b>Death Becomes Her </b>provides what could be Pollack's funniest moments as an ER doctor examining Meryl Streep. The clip below leaves out his character's final punch line.<br /><br /><center><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/70301697?byline=0&portrait=0" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> </center><br />Until his death from cancer in May 2008, seeing Pollack act became a much more common sight than spotting his directing credit. He turned up in legal entanglements again in films such as <b>A Civil Action, Michael Clayton</b> and <b>Changing Lanes</b>. He guided Tom Cruise into the sexual netherworld of the rich and powerful in Stanley Kubrick's final film, <b>Eyes Wide Shut</b>. He took roles in the last two films he directed, <b>Random Hearts </b>and <b>The Interpreter</b>. Pollack even provided the voice for the studio executive in <b>The Majestic</b> and the French film <b>Avenue Montaigne</b>. His final film role was in the romantic comedy <b>Made of Honor</b> where he played the father of the male maid of honor (Patrick Dempsey). On television, he did more voice work on comedies such as <b>Frasier</b> and <b>King of the Hill.</b> He also played a doctor on an episode of <b>Mad About You </b>and had a recurring role as Will's father on <b>Will & Grace</b>. He even played himself on an episode of <b>Entourage</b>, his last TV or movie appearance. Of all his late appearances though, the one that stands out to me also came in 2007 and put him in the role of another doctor. In the batch of the last nine episodes of <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/sopranos-index.html">The Sopranos</a></b>, Pollack played jailed oncologist Warren Feldman, incarcerated with the dying Johnny Sac (Vincent Curatola) in the great episode "Stage 5." This scene I believe gives a great example of how talented Pollack truly could be as an actor.<br /><br /><center><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/70289579?byline=0&portrait=0" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></center><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br /><br /><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-22424440084930614622013-07-14T09:00:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.550-07:00Summer of '88: Die Hard<p></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><center><strong>NOTE:</strong> Ranked No. 47 on my all-time top 100 of 2012</center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidD_RpBPMCtxDKz2VWORmvBzYuAkvbX0Z3KbIYz0ZE24e261guzQoaVQY5XsPU8SzG0FiqkprSqPw4_D6PjtvpLaueO1HRBOJiJrkPechyphenhyphenMHg6SMUNnBWw2OiO2OpIx1gXrLGnOl8GFbs/s1600/y15diehardmain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidD_RpBPMCtxDKz2VWORmvBzYuAkvbX0Z3KbIYz0ZE24e261guzQoaVQY5XsPU8SzG0FiqkprSqPw4_D6PjtvpLaueO1HRBOJiJrkPechyphenhyphenMHg6SMUNnBWw2OiO2OpIx1gXrLGnOl8GFbs/s400/y15diehardmain.jpg" /></a></div><blockquote><i>“People get involved here, and that’s the thing. If people are patronized, if a film is geared toward a short attention span, then it’ll have a short shelf life. Films that involve that audience and embrace that ‘once upon a time’ principle have a chance of lasting…We’re storytellers and we forget that at our peril.” </i> <b> — Alan Rickman </b></blockquote><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426">By Edward Copeland</a><br />That Rickman quote appears on the text commentary on one of the many DVD versions circulating for the movie <b>Die Hard</b>. When <b>Die Hard </b>exploded into theaters in the summer of 1988, I didn't rush to see it. The reviews were mostly mixed to negative, and the action films of that era were low on my priority list (especially since, back then, I had to pay to see movies). When I finally ventured out to see it, it had moved to a dollar theater and a group of my bored friends and I decided to check it out for lack of better options. We arrived late, so it wasn't until seeing the film again on video that I caught the foreshadowing of the airplane passenger advising John McClane (Bruce Willis), as they're arriving in L.A., that the best way to readjust to Earth after a long flight involves removing your shoes and socks and making fists with your toes in carpeting. It takes more than one viewing of Die Hard to truly appreciate how much work and thought went into its construction and composition and to catch all the allusions (not just the obvious ones) to classic films.<br /><center><a href="http://www.slantmagazine.com/house/2013/14/summer-of-88-die-hard#sthash.nwzVgDaU.dpuf ">SEE REST AT THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR</a></center><br /></span> sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-2644028826739191552013-07-01T09:00:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.561-07:00What acting is all about — unemployment<span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><center><strong>NOTE:</strong> Ranked No. 58 on my all-time top 100 of 2012</center><br /><blockquote><b>BLOGGER'S NOTE</b>: <i>This post originally appeared Dec. 17, 2007. I'm re-posting it as part of <a href="http://seetimaar.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/sydney-pollack-blogathon-july-1-22-2013/">The Sydney Pollack Blogathon </a>occurring through July 22 at <a href="http://seetimaar.wordpress.com/">Seetimaar — Diary of a Movie Lover</a></i></blockquote><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi124_YKGkL3EV7oncUsSbig2h2KMbxmRpu5O03_1EO1DFM15_OFC055aZVZsvyF0XeDNdnCdLk0F_CYaI4zVBlfpe3zxdKKcTtzuDqHDkz8u5sEzMUGr4hampNkOLvAJBLiJMp4iEKpHYh/s1600-h/vlcsnap-12937.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi124_YKGkL3EV7oncUsSbig2h2KMbxmRpu5O03_1EO1DFM15_OFC055aZVZsvyF0XeDNdnCdLk0F_CYaI4zVBlfpe3zxdKKcTtzuDqHDkz8u5sEzMUGr4hampNkOLvAJBLiJMp4iEKpHYh/s400/vlcsnap-12937.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195313624765029522" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426">By Edward Copeland</a><br />Film directing isn't often compared to completing a jigsaw puzzle, but that analogy seems most apt in describing exactly what Sydney Pollack accomplished with <strong>Tootsie</strong>, which opened 25 years ago today. What began with a story by Don McGuire and Larry Gelbart and a screenplay by Gelbart became the center of a fight between the film's star, Dustin Hoffman, and Pollack, and ended up with countless other notable scribes (among them Barry Levinson and Elaine May) taking shots at the script. In the end, the final screen credit went to McGuire and Gelbart for story and Gelbart and Murray Schisgal for screenplay, but Pollack's ability to weave the best parts of all those drafts and spin them into cinematic and comic gold deserved a credit all its own. If that feat of wizardry weren't enough, Pollack also turns in a fine supporting role as well, playing Hoffman's character's agent.</span> <span class="fullpost";span style="font-size:130%;"> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUz51tO73JlgYpNaUPk6gTQSpFmVi_Jcv0tpnvNXq4FXyuT432bTXEEWRyvsC8-BLfLGVCq84JcCPGgeFT6iSq-KuzfKW3QPkxXk3qDN4779mELlRWjqEG-OYQbc-M0BBpHCwFchY2As/s270/livetape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUz51tO73JlgYpNaUPk6gTQSpFmVi_Jcv0tpnvNXq4FXyuT432bTXEEWRyvsC8-BLfLGVCq84JcCPGgeFT6iSq-KuzfKW3QPkxXk3qDN4779mELlRWjqEG-OYQbc-M0BBpHCwFchY2As/s270/livetape.jpg" /></a><br />When originally released, while I loved <b>Tootsie</b>, being 13, my 1982 heart still belonged to <strong>E.T.: the Extra-Terrestrial</strong>, released months earlier. However, as the years went by, <strong>Tootsie</strong> grew in my estimation while <strong>E.T.</strong> became almost too schmaltzy to watch, so much so that I haven't returned to it in nearly 20 years. Perhaps my view would change again now. What makes <strong>Tootsie</strong> soar, like many other films, comes from the fact that its greatness proves impermeable to even a picky, critical mind such as mine. I mean, how exactly does "Dorothy Michaels" (Hoffman's drag alter ego) get paid when she doesn't exist and wouldn't have a Social Security number? Of course, the finale, involving an accident that forces the soap to redo a show live at the last minute seemed ridiculous to me even upon first viewing, but why question the logic of a scene that uproariously funny and with a payoff so huge? The brilliant ensemble cast, in addition to Pollack's patch job, holds <strong>Tootsie</strong> together.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqTQHSlKUGpl0VnOd-ZAZDpKCV1aaWFfUswnqNY89i4ihU5QcqVE5vWUQ3pyqQeV5JNmpNli4Ui2XvsDYxigCKknElnHmX5gloBUeyhxBBENXRt8qFg2Z95RUCjAYYxa5rFagjUzwaIk/s198/michael.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqTQHSlKUGpl0VnOd-ZAZDpKCV1aaWFfUswnqNY89i4ihU5QcqVE5vWUQ3pyqQeV5JNmpNli4Ui2XvsDYxigCKknElnHmX5gloBUeyhxBBENXRt8qFg2Z95RUCjAYYxa5rFagjUzwaIk/s198/michael.png" /></a> Hoffman, deservedly, gets a lot of credit for his drag creation, but I don't think he gets the kudos for Michael Dorsey that are due him. It might seem as if Hoffman's reputation for being difficult, makes Michael a cakewalk, but he not only plumbs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOb839MXGOSiwY0JQRFQ12jxPqCJIvWHCcB0wxcoXl8dNZpftwUH6PLaXfeGSYwtj0-5zODTrblvJ_QhyphenhyphenTxC78fmlRHxVjgKgITRTTVSrNl3s59YmTn0aopK4BJK-x8ZXMxzYBO-m53Y/s262/poopsiemichael.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOb839MXGOSiwY0JQRFQ12jxPqCJIvWHCcB0wxcoXl8dNZpftwUH6PLaXfeGSYwtj0-5zODTrblvJ_QhyphenhyphenTxC78fmlRHxVjgKgITRTTVSrNl3s59YmTn0aopK4BJK-x8ZXMxzYBO-m53Y/s262/poopsiemichael.png" /></a> Dorsey's depths for comedy and pathos, but convincingly depicts his transformation from a horny prima donna to a more sensitive man (At one point, Michael acknowledges that he thinks Dorothy is smarter than he is). The opening sequences, depicting his problems as an actor who hasn't had a job in two years, come stocked full of laughs, such as the scene where his agent George Fields (Pollack) explains the reasons he his client can't get work while Michael insists in his own defense "that nobody does vegetables like me" to justify his firing from a commercial where he played a tomato. Hoffman and Pollack don't carry the film alone. Ironically, the weakest link in the cast, Jessica Lange, was the only person to win an Oscar, a consolation prize for losing lead actress in <strong>Frances</strong> that year to Meryl Streep in <strong>Sophie's Choice.</strong> Frankly though, Lange wasn't even the best supporting actress <em>in </em><strong>Tootsie</strong>, though her character provides the key to the film's serious undercurrent of exploring the way men sometimes treat women in all ranges from employment discrimination to out-and-out misogyny, but the message never interferes with the laughs.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacz6i6tJbGNBvM8k93v3HzKnxqQI0lujCeKXkjMj_VViyjSNWvcE3JO2FDLDjctj9lEl5F8PLyDeBLxDnUO1ghd-pTT4HetVF7zuKl_b_mzjcQCJGQhy3QxokZr_KhcYUmxMH1Qs57WE4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-19911.png"><img style="float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px;;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;"src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacz6i6tJbGNBvM8k93v3HzKnxqQI0lujCeKXkjMj_VViyjSNWvcE3JO2FDLDjctj9lEl5F8PLyDeBLxDnUO1ghd-pTT4HetVF7zuKl_b_mzjcQCJGQhy3QxokZr_KhcYUmxMH1Qs57WE4/s200/vlcsnap-19911.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195314655557180626" /></a><br />Teri Garr's great turn as Michael's acting colleague and friend Sandy did earn an Oscar nomination, but she lost to Lange, as did my personal choice for 1982, Glenn Close in <strong>The World According to Garp</strong>. Garr, however, clearly led the field of women in <strong>Tootsie</strong> (hell, I could make a case for Doris Belack as the soap's producer over Lange). Always clandestinely stuffing food into her purse at parties, having Michael "enrage" her for an audition and her go-for-broke rage explosion when she learns Michael has been deceiving her provide some of the film's most priceless moments. The ensemble contains so many great supporting turns by the men in the film, I'm almost afraid to single anyone out. In addition to Pollack, viewers receive the gifts of George Gaynes as the soap's aging star, wholly dependent on cue cards and<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKkXoR19ITb7fnlIfpDPamn8tBZrCBI4daqxDORg5nhSv61C_5C385HjEOhMw9lT-KYyFaxVtKIb1tIrA_Zw59-72hP46NxkvtAx7xi8-nOfsitQLq-Rl7PFcZ2Ct6SHh4tXM4sB7pFg/s326/durning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKkXoR19ITb7fnlIfpDPamn8tBZrCBI4daqxDORg5nhSv61C_5C385HjEOhMw9lT-KYyFaxVtKIb1tIrA_Zw59-72hP46NxkvtAx7xi8-nOfsitQLq-Rl7PFcZ2Ct6SHh4tXM4sB7pFg/s326/durning.jpg" /></a> prompters, who hits on every new cast member; Dabney Coleman doing the chauvinistic asshole character he practically patented in the early 1980s as the soap's director; the great Charles Durning, who earned an Oscar nomination that year, albeit for <strong>The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas</strong> with his single but memorable scene singing and dancing a little "Sidestep," as Lange's widowed father who falls for Hoffman's Dorothy and longs for the days when men and women "were what they were." His proposal scene proves both funny and touching (though the comic gem resulting from this sequence comes later when Michael tells his agent about the offer and Pollack asks him what he said, with genuine happiness that makes him forget about the truth of the situation for a moment. Along with Belack, another fine supporting female in the cast happens to be a young Geena Davis who plays another actress on the soap and shares a dressing room with Dorothy.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9TFa3sQ6FwKFMQ01U15SjBLVK_Pb_TKG_VhDiMTZCcmuR6mFHYdaMHHlOehffcj5hwTXGMOWbH-5bUDMqxNMk9hTwoDEcSpgQVHnisIgXy68FzXiPoQb1NzzTEaURruYSk9aDUeRYjTq/s1600/vlcsnap-11360.png"><img style="display:block; margin:20px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 430px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9TFa3sQ6FwKFMQ01U15SjBLVK_Pb_TKG_VhDiMTZCcmuR6mFHYdaMHHlOehffcj5hwTXGMOWbH-5bUDMqxNMk9hTwoDEcSpgQVHnisIgXy68FzXiPoQb1NzzTEaURruYSk9aDUeRYjTq/s400/vlcsnap-11360.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558935550286901362" /></a><br />The prize for the best of the supporting men though goes to the great Bill Murray, in a role that legend says he improvised completely and I believe it. He plays Jeff, Michael's playwright roommate, and if he truly did come up with all his own dialogue, what a treasure trove he unleashed. (My personal favorite: When he says he wishes he had a theater that was only open when it rained.) Even though <strong>Tootsie</strong> lags a bit when it takes a detour to Durning's farm, it's forgivable since those scenes give the film part of its heft and allows for even more comic grace notes. How <strong>Tootsie</strong> lost to the noble but limp <strong>Gandhi</strong> (including for original screenplay, patch job or no patch job) still baffles me.<br /><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /></span><br /><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-63870933358354603562013-06-26T14:00:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.606-07:00Different ways of playing 'Cards'<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RGzIm4YJPZvR5eEU9v7g4yS05tPiMAMhORrw4WtUSy1pykanQkSbpNFqyBtw5lD6rsm60HpDqmWSucfg5JGLRINPA0uU-7jJaydVLKuf-ptHxYq8XZq0x1dXW0aqgB5mqGzrzbSwYpg/s1600/gamesmain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RGzIm4YJPZvR5eEU9v7g4yS05tPiMAMhORrw4WtUSy1pykanQkSbpNFqyBtw5lD6rsm60HpDqmWSucfg5JGLRINPA0uU-7jJaydVLKuf-ptHxYq8XZq0x1dXW0aqgB5mqGzrzbSwYpg/s640/gamesmain.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 130%;"><blockquote><br /><b>BLOGGER'S NOTE</b>: <i>This post contains spoilers for the three segment British miniseries <b>House of Cards </b>from the 1990s starring Ian Richardson and this year's 13-episode U.S. version made for Netflix, produced by David Fincher and starring Kevin Spacey. If you plan to watch either version and haven't yet, read no further.</i></blockquote><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426">By Edward Copeland</a><br />After giving people time to watch the American version of <b>House of Cards</b> and with its availability on DVD and Blu-ray for those without access to Netflix Instant, I thought enough time had transpired to discuss both the new version as well as the original BBC miniseries, whose first part premiered in 1990. Prior to watching the David Fincher-produced D.C.-set <b>House of Cards</b> with Kevin Spacey playing the wily lead, I felt I needed to see the British version to see how well the differences translated. (Obviously, Britain's parliamentary system of government works quite differently from our legislative branch — which, in its current state, doesn't work at all, but <b>House of Cards </b>exists in the land of make-believe. I lacked either the time or the energy given personal matters to attempt to read the novel by Michael Dobbs that spawned the BBC miniseries.) <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37JVbuoSSJCbnpvqIqy666-bsPZ9XlhxwBcsihEhadCvm6-4QWDRVza_x16dbX3pOXNLSOw7CLGA1dQknDhMAU91Hgf0wxP3SjDBpSpdhqGGud4ZvPRpUffQt_U45n82F8ygzMutkbAI/s1600/xtwofrancises.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:26 10px 10px 26; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37JVbuoSSJCbnpvqIqy666-bsPZ9XlhxwBcsihEhadCvm6-4QWDRVza_x16dbX3pOXNLSOw7CLGA1dQknDhMAU91Hgf0wxP3SjDBpSpdhqGGud4ZvPRpUffQt_U45n82F8ygzMutkbAI/s320/xtwofrancises.jpg" /></a> <br />Though the new version pads out its story to 13 roughly one-hour episodes while the first of the three British <b>House of Cards</b> miniseries told mostly the same story in four episodes of approximately the same length, the U.S. take does hit many of the same plot points except when it comes to the ending, but the makers of the U.S. <b>House of Cards </b>envision it as a continuing series. (I needn't have watched the second and third BBC miniseries, <b>To Play the King </b>and <b>The Final Cut</b>, since the stories in those sequels aren't covered in the first season of the U.S. <b>House of Cards</b>.) Both versions of the political chicanery, whether set here or across the pond, offer solid entertainment and mostly solid performances, though the U.S. <b>House of Cards </b>wins out in terms of production values. Unfortunately, when it comes to the battle of FUs (Francis Urquhart in the U.K., Francis Underwood in the U.S.), the late Ian Richardson wins hands down. Spacey proves capable as usual for the most part, but he burdens himself with an off-and-on Southern drawl that's wholly unnecessary and, at times, a major distraction. When Richardson's Urquhart speaks to the viewer in his well-mannered, upper-crust tone, it always works. When Spacey's Underwood attempts to pull it off while simultaneously putting on a generic son of the South voice for his South Carolina representative, at times it comes off as too cutesy by half.</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"><br /><br />Despite the differences in forms of government, both <b>House of Cards </b>begin with essentially the same kernel of a motivation for our two Francises. In the 1990 BBC version, Urquhart has served faithfully as an MP of the Conservative Party, functioning as their Chief Whip under Margaret Thatcher's reign as prime minister. In its fictionalized view of history, Thatcher's loss of support has led to her resignation and while the Conservatives look bound to keep a weakened majority hold of the British government, Urquhart expects<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_0j-nuKUPX2zc3inA04q5P0zA8ez2eG63fCerSTIdFHpI5WiRuwoHifj22ssqIOITsd1hJKp9Xool1O6Egia7hwqZob1kccwUnAKbQEhKAHqCf4EdD0jLWFaYONXgCed0vwED_hpZoI/s1600/xhalgarrett.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_0j-nuKUPX2zc3inA04q5P0zA8ez2eG63fCerSTIdFHpI5WiRuwoHifj22ssqIOITsd1hJKp9Xool1O6Egia7hwqZob1kccwUnAKbQEhKAHqCf4EdD0jLWFaYONXgCed0vwED_hpZoI/s200/xhalgarrett.jpg" /></a> the new prime minister, Hal Collinridge (David Lyon, whose death at 72 was <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2013/jun/26/david-lyon-actor">announced</a> today), to appoint him to a long-sought Cabinet position and remove him from his duties as whip. Instead, with the slimmer majority, Collinridge decides not to shake up the Cabinet and an angry Urquhart starts maneuvering many people to get his revenge and build his own rise to power. In the 2013 U.S. take on the tale, Underwood long has held the title of Democratic Whip in the House, now the Majority Whip as a new Democratic president (not Barack Obama), Garrett Walker (Michael Gill), takes office. but Walker reneges on a promise to pick Underwood as his secretary of state. This begins Underwood's convoluted maneuvering. One problem that separates the two versions comes down to logic. You see why Urquhart longs to become the prime minister himself, but if you know U.S. history, it seems downright silly for Underwood to leap through all the hoops and commit all the deeds he does just to end up as vice president. When George H.W. Bush won the presidency, he was the first sitting vice president to manage the victory in his own right since Martin Van Buren. Unless Underwood plans to kill off Walker in a subsequent season of the U.S. <b>House of Cards</b>, why does he see that as a plausible path to the Oval Office?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOZdAIPxzXUBA57bNEbY-VH5_soGOw0FGFP6v8h2Nu1-Qvf29mklU_z64054cboNNt_hiq7wKMJRfkS7hPzZY01bKnyvfa9rSmwf0aVnK_5Nh8TiybJRsgL2BW9EelvJ-_48e6a83mpU/s1600/xmanuevers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:26 10px 10px 26; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOZdAIPxzXUBA57bNEbY-VH5_soGOw0FGFP6v8h2Nu1-Qvf29mklU_z64054cboNNt_hiq7wKMJRfkS7hPzZY01bKnyvfa9rSmwf0aVnK_5Nh8TiybJRsgL2BW9EelvJ-_48e6a83mpU/s320/xmanuevers.jpg" /></a><br />What delineates our two Francises (the U.S. version only uses the FU joke once as its expected, vulgar stand-in by some of Underwood's opponents while the BBC call Urquhart FU frequently and affectionately by both friends and foes to his face without a hit of a double meaning) most distinctly comes from the difference in the way Spacey acts the words by Beau Willmon and his writing staff and Richardson's delivery of Andrew Davies' dialogue. Almost everyone appears to be on to what Frank Underwood conspires to do at all times, even if his machinations win in the end since Spacey doesn't take much of an effort to hide his moves from those he attempts to manipulate. In contrast, it takes some time for people to catch on to the lengths that Francis Urquhart will go to to accomplish his means thanks to Richardson's performance, which he keeps close to his vest. Both versions rely on the conceit that the Francises speak in asides to the television viewer about what they think and plan, only Spacey talks to audiences in the same basic tone as most of the other characters. Richardson confides to us, letting us in on secrets that others aren't aware of and it makes his performance much richer and, given the late actor's training, provides Francis Urquhart with an almost Shakespearean air. Urquhart picks off opponents with a variety of means and accomplishes most of this without leaving any fingerprints. The game plan in the U.S. <b>House of Cards </b>differs slightly as no list of vice presidential contenders stand in Underwood's way, but they do match in terms of subject matter. Urquhart must sink health and education ministers while those two issues become legislative hurdles that play a part in Underwood's climb.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNA6_JCZa7qD8Gs1Sr5aW8j2pJFAcNnRQwmNr9gWoNCJ5BQVN2isVSeMXkd7dO7xSaNMaU9LHgSjhto1UySAKc2bm8XdG3ZhQaWaZT1dg3kLJG5dJN0vF4d920TUmZ53SMfF1xwDmjhE/s1600/xreporters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:26 26 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNA6_JCZa7qD8Gs1Sr5aW8j2pJFAcNnRQwmNr9gWoNCJ5BQVN2isVSeMXkd7dO7xSaNMaU9LHgSjhto1UySAKc2bm8XdG3ZhQaWaZT1dg3kLJG5dJN0vF4d920TUmZ53SMfF1xwDmjhE/s200/xreporters.jpg" /></a><br />Both <b>House of Cards</b> include two main women in the lives of their protagonists: their wives and young reporters who become the pols' lovers as well as their tool to help advance their plots. The idea of the female journalist follows fairly closely in both versions (except where they end up in the first installment and the level of their naïveté). In the BBC, the young reporter Mattie Storin (Susannah Harker) takes a long time (too long for her sake) to catch on to Urquhart's true nature and their illicit romance takes on a somewhat twisted father figure complex where the young Mattie tends to call the much older Francis "Daddy" during their dalliances. In the U.S. version, the young woman journalist Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) contains a much more ambitious nature and she uses Underwood as much as he uses her. Both Mattie and Zoe do make colleagues jealous with their scoops and end up booted from their newspapers, only the U.S. version updates for technological changes and makes Zoe's success come via instant blog posts and finds her gaining new employment with an online political publication. Probably due to the way Mattie is written, Harker comes off as a weaker actress than Mara, who has a more fully developed character. The bigger difference presents itself in the portrayal<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mDuCT00JLj-5l8OdnxVN1rxJKf9TiNI2hlkGqvqZEXLPwty8RlcDrxt2_Q6LYfRya0U32NNSg5EfcQ_7lvOx3sxFS9BqtYBH0P3-hm-ZwOh0al0QRsTWuBA6IaSbmlwkSgolUqmj8Qo/s1600/xwives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mDuCT00JLj-5l8OdnxVN1rxJKf9TiNI2hlkGqvqZEXLPwty8RlcDrxt2_Q6LYfRya0U32NNSg5EfcQ_7lvOx3sxFS9BqtYBH0P3-hm-ZwOh0al0QRsTWuBA6IaSbmlwkSgolUqmj8Qo/s200/xwives.jpg" /></a> of the political wives. Elizabeth Urquhart (Diane Fletcher) truly serves as her husband's partner-in-crime. She knows of his affair with Mattie (and other women in the later installments) but approves wholeheartedly because she knows that letting him have his extracurricular activity with Mattie only serves the couple's ultimate goal and doesn't pose a threat to her position. Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) begins that way early in the U.S. <b>House of Cards</b>, but as the series develops she exhibits jealousy. showing up at Zoe's apartment, interfering with part of Underwood's legislative agenda and even leaving D.C. to renew an affair with a former lover, a famous photographer (Ben Daniels). Presumably, the part required beefing up in order to get someone of Wright's caliber to agree to accept it in the first place. Claire also gets her own sideline with story strands involving the charitable foundation that she runs whereas Elizabeth Urquhart basically serves as Francis' adornment at party and sounding board at home but little else.<br /><br />Both versions equip our FUs with henchmen named Stamper to help him carry out the more unseemly parts of his schemes, though the portrayals as well as the job titles come off quite differently in each country. In England, Urquhart's underling, Tim Stamper, comes across as quite a weasel in the hands of actor Colin<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_8uXmT3HPq207YFiOUCmfst7e8TzJ1wyv4cspIxdPOI58wvf8EsN7xNNwJs4K44DiDVRIOgsf98kyefHgYIglBP9QwYWYY9LTgE-a3fectcINq3WaRat5VAlbqrQ9L_pgXK7zZ30AQg/s1600/xstampers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px ; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_8uXmT3HPq207YFiOUCmfst7e8TzJ1wyv4cspIxdPOI58wvf8EsN7xNNwJs4K44DiDVRIOgsf98kyefHgYIglBP9QwYWYY9LTgE-a3fectcINq3WaRat5VAlbqrQ9L_pgXK7zZ30AQg/s200/xstampers.jpg" /></a> Jeavons. Tim Stamper functions as the Assistant Whip for the Conservatives in the House of Commons until Urquhart succeeds at ascending to the position of prime minister and Stamper moves up to Chief Whip. Later, unhappily, Urquhart moves him to the post party chairman. The British Stamper not only gets his hands dirty with delight, he also overflows with ambition himself and it costs him in the end (part of which may have been necessitated by Jeavons' decision to retire from acting after completing the second installment, <b>To Play the King</b>). The American Stamper gets a new first name — Doug — and does show signs of conscience even while he performs Underwood's errands. Doug Stamper serves as the House Majority Whip's chief of staff and holds no elected position. Michael Kelly, who most people will recognize him from many roles on television and in film, doesn't get down and dirty with the same glee that Jeavons does, but Kelly creates a different persona and plays him well. Odds are, depending how many seasons <b>House of Cards</b> continues, Doug Stamper either will turn on his boss or become a liability to him.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWq4XJ3gdDOwvj12AdUKLXYgIDS_XelYyhHOUdlUIIKijB96e3Wix1eNrxCYnWbZuBDFzSXOwx0rNgzROsDIZHK4FpMxij9g9o5iKarzW4OB7P4eS56FACUGvYARG-xCf__EKq0bN6wYk/s1600/xbloodyfingers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:26 10px 10px 26; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWq4XJ3gdDOwvj12AdUKLXYgIDS_XelYyhHOUdlUIIKijB96e3Wix1eNrxCYnWbZuBDFzSXOwx0rNgzROsDIZHK4FpMxij9g9o5iKarzW4OB7P4eS56FACUGvYARG-xCf__EKq0bN6wYk/s320/xbloodyfingers.jpg" /></a><br />The one area besides production design where the U.S. <b>House of Cards</b> bests the British original comes from the actor who portrays Underwood's actual victim and how the U.S. version fleshes out his character in the first place. Before I began this piece, I issued a spoiler warning, but the U.S. <b>House of Cards</b> doesn't make it a secret that Underwood's deviousness takes a lethal turn, thanks to some of its promotional posters, and the very first sequence of the series gives viewers that impression by showing Underwood putting an injured dog out of its misery with his bare hands but making it clear that he isn't doing it to be merciful. In the British take, even though the first installment only consists of four 1-hour installments, it doesn't<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVS6AjXgKhXNvnkYfetl0mmF_pjrYqZ5FrYuszwPWtT6Pz0H2b_Tvn7qXYJUmRLJQF1ONj-z9RLOHbJ3FtTFsOHb2-9LjVkMqvySqdNaZpvMbHD03ceh9sPisM2bL4F5vL8V5fQkp0QRg/s1600/xbritoneil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px ; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVS6AjXgKhXNvnkYfetl0mmF_pjrYqZ5FrYuszwPWtT6Pz0H2b_Tvn7qXYJUmRLJQF1ONj-z9RLOHbJ3FtTFsOHb2-9LjVkMqvySqdNaZpvMbHD03ceh9sPisM2bL4F5vL8V5fQkp0QRg/s200/xbritoneil.jpg" /></a> let the audience know that Urquhart's manipulations include murder. In the BBC version, the first life that Urquhart literally takes with his own hand belongs to Roger O'Neill (Miles Anderson), the P.R. consultant for the Conservative Party whom Urquhart gets to use his girlfriend, Penny Guy (Alphonsia Emmanuel), to seduce Foreign Secretary Patrick Woolton (Malcolm Tierney), one of Urquhart's competitors for the prime minister post. Unfortunately, O'Neill loves Penny as much as he loves cocaine and when she dumps him when she realizes O'Neill used her, O'Neill becomes a wild card that Urquhart can't trust. To make sure nothing comes out that damages FU's plan and reveals his role in the Woolton revelation, Urquhart spikes O'Neill's coke supply with rat poison, assuring Mattie who figures out he did it that he was just putting O'Neill out of his misery.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRN1DzZxa5OFAyozmQgOEwn78r_LO74-Jybl37FqlDJnyxSWtkr1jq5dbKnM8ZZ-BZE_yId4Jh-Amg3dB6PQ-0C4CmRSpFXlcaj2zwmUxkU-Fj_2PcbHXSRbXOT3YLM1m1y-5ZuwC1Pk/s1600/0uspeter.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRN1DzZxa5OFAyozmQgOEwn78r_LO74-Jybl37FqlDJnyxSWtkr1jq5dbKnM8ZZ-BZE_yId4Jh-Amg3dB6PQ-0C4CmRSpFXlcaj2zwmUxkU-Fj_2PcbHXSRbXOT3YLM1m1y-5ZuwC1Pk/s400/0uspeter.png" /></a></div><br />Overall, the American ensemble beats the British one. Granted, the U.S. version provides nine extra hours to fill with juicy parts for actors to the BBC's mere four, so the original lacks the room to develop many characters in depth so it's easy to see how Ian Richardson steals the show. Kevin Spacey, in addition to his aforementioned accent problem, shares time with a lot of great performers in parts large and small. On top of those mentioned already, Sebastian Arcelus, Reg E. Cathey, Kathleen Chalfant, Nathan Darrow, Sandrine Holt, Boris McGiver, Larry Pine, Al Sapienza, Constance Zimmer and Gerald McRaney all put in appearances. We also get three actors familiar to <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/treme-index.html">Treme</a></b> fans in parts of various scope: Mahershala Ali, Lance E. Nichols and Dan Ziskie. The M.V.P. of the entire cast though turns out to be Corey Stoll, so great as Hemingway in<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOmWsxcEkiCQ4qTyWs-3uLQjy-0z3TxyrFBVv2kzPSinFM4yyihk5sfrRbIKkFSdAJSgTBcghn3OKigBefPAUK8VHvFtMMelquW7gxwmEBNbE7GHVksZSbZqKdlE6gxHyZ28RBinl2BU/s1600/0peterchristina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOmWsxcEkiCQ4qTyWs-3uLQjy-0z3TxyrFBVv2kzPSinFM4yyihk5sfrRbIKkFSdAJSgTBcghn3OKigBefPAUK8VHvFtMMelquW7gxwmEBNbE7GHVksZSbZqKdlE6gxHyZ28RBinl2BU/s320/0peterchristina.jpg" /></a> Woody Allen's <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/12/antidote-for-emptiness-of-existence-at.html">Midnight in Paris</a></b>, as the U.S. equivalent of Roger O'Neill. Instead of a P.R. guy, Stoll plays Pennsylvania Rep. Peter Russo, a divorced father of two with a penchant for drugs, booze and sex, despite his deep feelings for and relationship with his chief of staff Christina Gallagher (Kristen Connolly). For those who only know Stoll from <b>Midnight in Paris</b>, he'll be unrecognizable. In the short number of episodes though, he takes Russo through the largest journey of any character in the series, battling to sobriety and attempting to believe in himself, unaware of his status as a pawn in Underwood's game (both Underwoods, actually), until it's too late. Stoll makes Russo the only character that the audience develops any sympathy for at all. Though Russo behaves badly, his mistakes all flow from his personal weaknesses. He doesn't do things maliciously the way that Underwood and other characters do. When he commits wrongs, it's because he can't control himself. Underwood always stays in control, even if unexpected events force him to improvise. You feel bad for Russo when he can't<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMf1dByJ_B1in3TCCTpijTeceD1ijegF2K0gIxN1i17d8IpQ3s8Un5DxwRrxyVi-YSsTHjzis3rD0miNM0pGFLba9ZjNHckFVqNVtf75M6HZ-OUGgHk16oxsflJaF0m9zvC3j_L9Dv6g/s1600/0russomom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float:right; margin:20 20 10px 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMf1dByJ_B1in3TCCTpijTeceD1ijegF2K0gIxN1i17d8IpQ3s8Un5DxwRrxyVi-YSsTHjzis3rD0miNM0pGFLba9ZjNHckFVqNVtf75M6HZ-OUGgHk16oxsflJaF0m9zvC3j_L9Dv6g/s320/0russomom.jpg" /></a> stand up for himself and acts against his own interests and those of his constituents, just to be Underwood's toady and pay him back for covering up an incident when he got caught drunk with a prostitute. You get a sense of where this comes from a in a couple of brief scenes involving Russo and his hospitalized mother (a great Phyllis Somerville) that gives you insight into Russo and makes you feel sorry for the man at the same time it provides some wickedly dark humor. When he begins to turn himself around, you develop a rooting interest for him to succeed (even though having seen the U.K. version first, I figured what fate awaited Russo, though the U.S. changes the manner of his inevitable death at Underwood's hands slightly differently). Though the U.S. <b>House of Cards</b> contains a lot of great acting, no one comes close to turning in a performance as wonderful as Stoll's and no character gets as much development and detail as Rep. Peter Russo.<br /><br />Since the British <b>House of Cards </b>only ran four hours, it had a sole director, Paul Seed, and writer, Andrew Davies. Davies and Seed returned to the same roles on the second installment, <b>To Play the King</b>, but Seed's directing work consists almost entirely of British television. Davies wrote the third and final part, <b>The Final Cut</b>, but Mike Vardy took over helming duties. Similarly, his directing work stayed restricted to British TV. Davies' writing extends to film including the screenplays for <b>Circle of Friends, Emma, The Tailor of Panama</b>, <b>Bridget Jones's Diary</b>, the 2008 feature of <b>Brideshead Revisited </b>and the 2011 version of <b>The Three Musketeers </b>directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. <br /><br />While Beau Willmon had a hand in writing most of the U.S. episodes, he also had a staff of writers who either contributed or turned in their own episodes. On the directing side, Fincher started the series off by directing the first two episodes while James Foley directed the most at 4 episodes and Allen Coulter, Carl Franklin, Charles McDougall and Joel Schumacher helmed two each.<br /><br />In the final assessment, the U.S. <b>House of Cards </b>moves fairly well except at times when it feels as if it stuffed itself with too many character and plot strands and an episode set at Underwood's reunion at The Citadel that, while OK, feels and plays like filler. The U.K. <b>House of Cards </b>comes off as far more efficient, even if most of the characters aside from Richardson's Urquhart prove far less compelling. In the second and third parts, they do at least give him actual adversaries, which make things slightly more interesting, but in the end all the British <b>House of Cards </b>episodes always belong to the great Richardson and his rich and delicious<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEUQc4LZkHt7zv51qqi15zr-MIAptn5fcs4rZ0fstq56HYjOp078msMyT2d7QqL1HuyflO-k3OLrl2sU4pObahVuq24D1yGHHtgZTuxLw5QYt1vRe7TdH9chJ_FpZTREe2TxDHi5R4a4/s1600/endgame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float:left; margin:20 10px 10px 20; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEUQc4LZkHt7zv51qqi15zr-MIAptn5fcs4rZ0fstq56HYjOp078msMyT2d7QqL1HuyflO-k3OLrl2sU4pObahVuq24D1yGHHtgZTuxLw5QYt1vRe7TdH9chJ_FpZTREe2TxDHi5R4a4/s320/endgame.jpg" /></a> performance. One really bizarre viewing experience for me came from the miniseries — which aired in 1990, 1995 and 1996 — incorporating Margaret Thatcher's fictional death. She died in the miniseries as I watched it before she died in real life earlier this year. Part of the subtext is that Francis Urquhart wants to break Thatcher's record for serving as prime minister longer in the post-WW2 era. One other thing that makes the British version slightly better than the American take is that the first installment ends with a great cliffhanger mystery that plays out over the course of the next two parts. The new <b>House of Cards</b> leaves us with reporters hot on Underwood's trail about Russo's "suicide," but it doesn't come off nearly as intriguing as the British version. I'm also curious where the U.S. version goes next. It obviously can't follow the storyline of the British <b>To Play the King</b> since we don't have a constitutional monarch and a newly sworn in Vice President Underwood wouldn't run into conflict with a recently crowned king. Presumably, that tension will present itself with his new boss, President Walker. It's a shame that Ian Richardson isn't with us anymore and that the third British House of Cards installment resolved the Francis Urquhart character. It might have been fun to see U.S. President Francis Underwood face off against British Prime Minister Francis Urquhart. I'd probably root for Urquhart, if only because he doesn't have that corny and awful Southern accent.<br /><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150014692960468099.post-79588993290012262782013-06-19T19:00:00.000-07:002015-08-10T12:33:32.620-07:00James Gandolfini (1961-2013)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOyY-ZIorfbaKWarAr3-yHh1mPvZeRCYQNNIOvRti2DhZg50Dfl10D_coSAil_Bb_lXlpTwvLFljDgvVYd06E94pFmBqZTXgUInLJTl-1_8YTMd2BG7GboeuSmEz5w16XnOaxbTi-KsY/s1600/last.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOyY-ZIorfbaKWarAr3-yHh1mPvZeRCYQNNIOvRti2DhZg50Dfl10D_coSAil_Bb_lXlpTwvLFljDgvVYd06E94pFmBqZTXgUInLJTl-1_8YTMd2BG7GboeuSmEz5w16XnOaxbTi-KsY/s400/last.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 130%;"> <br />Sometimes, when the greatest of our artists mark the upper reaches of their golden years or they've announced an ominous health prognosis, I plan in advance what type of appreciation to write. However, when an unexpected death such as James Gandolfini's occurs at the age of 51, the task proves harder — I expected a lot more to come from this gifted actor, not this sudden, cruel punctuation mark of finality stamped on a career that promised us so much more.</span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size: 130%;"> <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuEro-B31GXc9QVq7aDLI0rb6U4okbdqhyphenhyphen8Cz3xO7SPScv_NfTWza92aaxeNmeQEVjCGtAGfVTADw1bxDJU8mk0G2wR2qD_tUQPP8749PeLpFXyZVcwcnGQ90OwKl5Ot8QYkZTso4bFk/s1600/truerom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuEro-B31GXc9QVq7aDLI0rb6U4okbdqhyphenhyphen8Cz3xO7SPScv_NfTWza92aaxeNmeQEVjCGtAGfVTADw1bxDJU8mk0G2wR2qD_tUQPP8749PeLpFXyZVcwcnGQ90OwKl5Ot8QYkZTso4bFk/s320/truerom.jpg" /></a></div>Before Gandolfini created one of the greatest characters in the history of prime time television when Tony Soprano first entered our lives on Jan. 10, 1999, I'd already noticed his talent in a several film roles prior to that, such as the gangster Virgil terrorizing Patricia Arquette in Tony Scott's <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/from-vault-true-romance.html">True Romance</a></b>. As Vinnie, the ex-boyfriend and father of the title character's unborn baby in <b>Angie</b> opposite Geena Davis, his casting against type made for the best part of the film. He proved adept as part of the comic ensemble as Bear, would-be tough guy working for Delroy Lindo's Bo Catlett in <b>Get Shorty</b>. He worked with John Travolta in an ensemble again, this time of a more serious nature, as one of the homeowners in a small town feeling the effects of a corporation's pollution in <b>A Civil Action</b>. In the same time period, he also appeared in two Broadway shows: a revival of <b>A Streetcar Named Desire</b> starring Alec Baldwin and Jessica Lange, and an original stage version of <b>On the Waterfront </b>where he played Charley Malloy, the Rod Steiger role in the 1954 film.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oPNAvijhn48/UcJhFUfaFFI/AAAAAAAAcSI/-Bh6fGO19iw/s1600/tonycarm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oPNAvijhn48/UcJhFUfaFFI/AAAAAAAAcSI/-Bh6fGO19iw/s320/tonycarm.jpg" /></a></div>Then came <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2005/12/sopranos-index.html">The Sopranos</a></b>. David Chase's creation and HBO's support changed the face of television and led us to where we are today, where even big name filmmakers admit that the quality field has flipped and you find more risk-taking and more things worth watching on the tube than you do on the big screen. Gandolfini's Tony Soprano, paired with Edie Falco's Carmela Soprano, helped lead the way, a couple leading TV into the 21st century much as Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton's Archie and Edith Bunker did the same in the 1970s, though the Bunkers' effect on the medium didn't stick and wasn't as pervasive with such a small number of outlets available on which potential shows could air. The entire ensemble of <b>The Sopranos</b> deserves praise, but this day, sadly, belongs to Tony. Gandolfini, throughout the seven years that series ran, never failed to surprise us by finding new layers and shadings to his psychologically troubled mobster. He also played him to pitch perfection, balancing his frightening, despicable sides with his charming aspects. His coming timing came off as peerless as his dramatic resonance.<br /><br />Some of the films Gandolfini made during his time on the show weren't always the best, but he seldom failed to deliver whether it was his military prison warden in <b>The Last Castle</b>, his philandering husband in the Coens' <b>The Man Who Wasn't There </b>or, most especially, his gay hit man in <b>The Mexican</b>. Perhaps his finest screen work came in <b>In the Loop</b>, the satire about an attempt by D.C. insiders to stop hawks from starting a war. He also did a fine turn in the HBO movie <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/04/when-that-line-started-getting-fuzzy.html">Cinema Verite</a></b> about the making of the landmark TV documentary on the Loud family in the 1970s that could be called the first reality show. His voice also proved perfect in Spike Jonze's film of <b>Where the Wild Things Are</b>. Among recent films, he and David Chase reunited in Chase's feature directing debut <b>Not Fade Away</b>, and he appeared in <b>Zero Dark Thirty</b>.<br /><br />I wish I could have seen Gandolfini's Tony-nominated performance in Yasmina Reza's play <b>God of Carnage</b>. Gandolfini also didn't limit himself to acting, serving as producer and interviewer for two great HBO documentaries related to war: <b>Alive Day Memories</b> and <b><a href="http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2009/11/wounds-you-cant-see.html">Wartorn: 1861-2010</a>.</b><br /><br />Several works lay in various stages of production, so I expect we have some more James Gandolfini performances to anticipate, but not remotely as many as we should. RIP Mr. Gandolfini.<br /><br /><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="edcopeland" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </span><br />sho fiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06394641471714553659noreply@blogger.com0