Posts
To spice things up a little (actually, in truth I didn’t realise that it
was actors only) I decided to pick films in which someone who died in 2016 had a prominent
role in making the film because there’s more to movies than just acting (I hope
you don’t mind Brigit!). Make sure to check out - http://wanderingthroughtheshelves.blogspot.co.uk/
It has been a bad year for celebrity deaths, we’ve lost great and
important people from the world of acting (Alan Rickman, Gene Wilder, Carrie
Fisher) music (David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Prince, George Michael), sport
(Muhammed Ali, Johan Cruyff, Arnold Palmer), politics (Fidel Castro), literature
(Harper Lee).
It’s a while since I’ve seen this one, but I chose it because it features
music from an artist who died last year. Three of Leonard Cohen’s songs feature
in Mr Mccabe and Mrs Miller these are
The Stranger Song, Winter Lady, and Sisters of Mercy. An interesting thing
to note about Leonard Cohen is how often films now use his songs in their
soundtrack compared to 30 or so years ago.
Strangely enough, Mr Mccabe and
Mrs Miller is a double pick because Vilmos Zsigmond not only was the cinematographer for
Mr Mccabe and Mrs Miller but he was
also the cinematographer for Deliverance. I was reminded of this movie having watched
Dazed and Confused a few days ago in
which the film makes reference to the ‘squeal like a pig’ scene. Vilmos
Zsigmond died on the first day of the year.
Gene Wilder also died last year, there are many great films to chose from –
Blazing Saddles, The Producers, Young Frankenstein, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate
Factory. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was childhood favourite of mine
(along with Small Soldiers, Jurassic Park, Wizard of Oz, Men in Black) where
Gene Wilder’s layered performance as Willy Wonka outclasses the camp, crazed genius
interpretation of Johnny Depp.
I like your theme within a theme here. I haven't seen McCabe and Mrs. Miller, but I have seen the other two. I think once is enough for Deliverance lol.
ReplyDeleteHaha. Yeah. It's not for casual viewing.
DeleteLove the path you took! Movies really are so much more of a collaboration than those in front of the lens so it's nice to see other facets highlighted.
ReplyDeleteMcCabe & Mrs. Miller isn't a film I have an especially high regard for despite it starring my favorite living actress, it's just so hopeless and grungy but Cohen's music does add an important layer to the overall feeling of the film.
Deliverance is a tough watch after the mid-point but again as with McCabe the look is vital to its success and you couldn't get much better than Zsigmond.
Willy Wonka!! Talk about a perfect meeting of actor and part! Just a joyous film even with its occasional lapses into darkness. It's aged extremely well too, a young child today can be just as enraptured by it as when it came out all those years ago. Like Judy Garland if he'd done nothing else but this he'd have an enduring legacy.
Though the underlying theme for this week is sad it's been fascinating looking at the different entries since save one title match even if the same performer , and we have a match!, was chosen a different film of theirs was selected giving it a great variety and a chance for many new recommendations. I went one over but I couldn't decide between these four favorites.
ReplyDeleteThis Happy Feeling (1958)-When her boss makes a pass at a party in the Connecticut countryside New Yorker Janet Blake (Debbie Reynolds) dashes into the rain just as Bill Tremaine (John Saxon) is passing and offers a ride to the subway. When she misconstrues a comment Bill makes as a come-on she jumps out and makes her way to the nearest house which belongs to retired star Preston “Mitch” Mitchell (Curt Jurgens) which he shares with his live-in housekeeper, the tippling Mrs. Early (a hysterical scene stealing Estelle Winwood). Stuck and soaked to the skin she stays the night in his guest room but when Mitch’s lady friend, the droll Nita Hollaway (a standout Alexis Smith) stops by in the morning she assumes the worst. Mitch sets her straight and hires Janet as his secretary beginning a charming romantic comedy with Debbie falling for Curt while John falls for her and she being pulled one way and another while Alexis makes caustic remarks from the sidelines. Little known Blake Edwards comedy is a hidden gem and a first-rate showcase for Debbie’s special magic.
Sense and Sensibility (1995)-When the Dashwood sisters Elinor and Marianne (Emma Thompson & Kate Winslet) and their mother are forced to move out of their home by their brother’s rotten wife they move to a cottage on their cousin’s estate in the English countryside. There Marianne becomes enamored of the dashing Willoughby (Greg Wise) while the more sedate Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman) pines for her. Meanwhile Elinor yearns for the unavailable Edwards Ferrars (Hugh Grant). There’s so much more in this top flight Jane Austen adaptation directed by Ang Lee but this is a great example of Alan Rickman’s versatility. Best known as the suave but ruthlessly evil Hans Gruber in Die Hard he is the complete opposite here and makes both characters fully formed people.
Me, Natalie (1969)-Natalie Miller (Patty Duke) is an average looking Brooklyn teen who has a developed a complex from her mother always telling her she’ll be beautiful someday so don’t worry about being plain now. Her traditional father’s no help, he’s bribed a nerdy family friend (Bob Balaban) to marry her so she can be the housewife he thinks is all she should or can be. Encouraged by her jovial Uncle Harold (Martin Balsam) she breaks free. Renting an apartment from the dotty Miss Dennison (Elsa Lanchester) in Greenwich Village she embarks on a sometimes rocky journey of discovery where she finds that being comfortable with herself is more important than how she looks. Somewhat heavy with late 60’s trappings but aside from The Miracle Worker this is Patty Duke’s best big screen performance. Al Pacino makes his screen debut in a short scene at a dance.
Silver Streak (1976)-While traveling to his sister’s wedding on the Silver Streak train easy-going George Caldwell (Gene Wilder) falls smack dab into murder and intrigue when he becomes smitten with Hilly Burns (Jill Clayburgh) the secretary of seemingly innocuous Professor Schreiner. When he thinks he sees a dead body thrown from the train it’s the start of a wild ride both on and off the train during which he partners up with escapee Grover Muldoon (Richard Pryor) who gets him in and out of one crazy situation after another. Mix of comedy, slapstick, thriller and adventure was the first and best pairing of Wilder and Pryor.
Have to admit SIlver Streak is a Wilder film I haven't heard of. Sounds pretty good though. Sense and Sensibility is oe I haven't seen either. Have been planning to do so for a while.
DeleteDefinitely some inspired choices as I love all 3 of those films. I wanted to go for filmmakers originally as greats such as Abbas Kiarostami, Michael Cimino, and Curtis Hanson died last year as well. What a shitty year it was.
ReplyDeleteYeah. Was a pretty bad year for losing great artists. Sometimes you forget about a few but then you are brutally reminded.
DeleteLove your theme within theme! I'm surprised this is the only time Willy Wonka popped out.
ReplyDeleteSame. Haha
DeleteI like WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY*. I haven't seen DELIVERANCE and I've never even heard of MR. MCCABE AND MRS. MILLER.
ReplyDelete*CHARLIE is the remake.
Haha. So it is.
Delete