Welcome to the 288th Edition of my series. Tomorrow is my birthday and I
will be spending it at Buffalo Wild Wings watching the WWE PPV OVER THE
LIMIT with whoever is able to make it. This week I pay tribute to
Jackie Cooper, Arthur Laurents and Reverent David Wilkerson who all
recently left us. Tomorrow on the show SUNDAY MORNING, there is a
feature on the Miller House in Columbus, Indiana which is my dad's
hometown so check that out if you can. I just started thinking that
maybe I would make for a compelling story on that show with this blog I
have been writing on a weekly basis for over ten years. I think I could
make it pretty entertaining with my speaking ability and such so I may
look to see what I need to do. I will now get on with what I am here to
do and that is to give you your recommendations.
Trumbo (2007):
This is the 28th link on The Chain and this one continues with Donald
Sutherland who was one of the speakers of Dalton Trumbo's work. This is
a documentary that is based on writer Dalton Trumbo who was one of "The
Hollywood Ten" that was blacklisted from making films during the Joe
McCarthy Era when they were believed to have been communists. This
movie takes a look at his life after being blacklisted on his family
life and the channels he had to go through to write films. He used many
fake names throughout this period to write screenplays for films in the
United States. In 1957, he won an Oscar for his movie THE BRAVE ONE
under the name Robert Rich but could not go accept it as he was not
supposed to be writing. Many actors like Michael Douglas, Liam Neeson,
and Joan Allen are used to recite much of his writings. This is based
on a play by his son Christopher Trumbo so I am curious to see how that
is done on stage. Maybe the Muncie Civic Theater can look into this for
the Studio Theater. This is a very good look at Trumbo's life and is
available on Instant Netflix. Next week's link of The Chain will be one
of the actors, actresses, or director of this movie.
13 Going on
30 (2004): I thought this would be fitting for me since I turn 30
tomorrow and I'll even give a shout-out to my friend Ashley, who turns
30 on Monday which I am always proud to say I am older than her even if
only by a day. I have lately become her unofficial photographer for her
music career and hopefully I can become part of her entourage when she
makes it big in the music industry. The title of this film may very
well be the reverse for me but if that is true I enjoy it. This is a
variation of the 1988 comedy BIG. ALIAS alum Jennifer Garner stars as
Jenna who we meet as a 13 year old, played by Christa Allen, who is
trying to fit into the popular crowd not understanding that her real
friend was Matt who cared about her for who she is and alienates him in
her quest to become "popular" and yes I use quotation marks for that
word when applied to a school setting. She then tires of her childhood
and wishes to be 30 and gets that wish which then enters Jennifer
Garner. She must then learn how to live being transported to the age of
30 but then slowly sees the person she became after finally getting
into the crowd she wanted to be a part of. Mark Ruffalo plays the
grown-up Matt who has become a freelance photographer and Jenna looks to
reconnect with him. The two leads really kept this going and there
were some pretty comical moments like Jenna and her new teenage girl
friends singing LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD. I also really like the message
this movie gives. For anyone reading this that is still in grade
school, please listen. Don't try to "fit in" with a crowd that makes
you do stupid things to be part of the crowd like what the Jenna
character did in this movie. Accept the friends you have now that are
there for you and don't alienate them to try to be "popular". High
school popularity no longer matters after high school and there is life
after high school. I'm not anyone's parent or teacher, just someone who
made these mistakes myself and hope I can convince to understand that
popularity is not that important in school.
The Man in the Moon
(1991): Now we take a look at this character driven film that takes
place in '50s Louisiana. Reese Witherspoon makes her film debut as 14
year old Dani who has a beautiful older sister, a pregnant mother, and a
rather strict father. Things begin to change for her when a 17 year
old boy named Court, played by Jason London, moves in and she takes an
immediate liking to him. LAW AND ORDER alum Sam Waterston plays her
strict but very caring father Matthew who must also learn about life for
a 14 year old girl. Witherspoon makes a great debut in this film and
the start of a very successful career. There is not really much I can
explain about the film but it is a beautiful story of growing up.
Apocalypse
Now (1979): This is my Vietnam film for the week which was directed by
Francis Ford Coppola and based on the novel HEARTS OF DARKNESS by
Joseph Conrad. Martin Sheen stars as Captain Benjamin Willard who is
very burned out from the war. Willard is sent on a secret mission to
kill the very decorated American Colonel Kurtz, played by Marlon Brando,
who has defected and lives on an island in Cambodia where he is seen as
a god. In the journey to get there, he has a lot of difficult things
to get through. Robert Duvall is the standout in his part as Lieutenant
Colonel Bill Kilgore. Other young actors like Laurence Fishburne,
Harrison Ford, Dennis Hopper, Frederic Forrest, Sam Bottoms, among
others co-star. Sheen nearly died of Malaria when shooting this film.
The very beginning really does a good job setting the mood for the movie
with the song THE END by the Doors and then goes right to Willard
getting high on drugs. Fishburne lied about his age to be in this movie
as he was only 14 during the start of filming. This is by no means for
everyone and some consider it far-fetched. As a story, it is a bit
far-fetched but I do believe the characterizations were pretty
authentic. This is likely Coppola's most difficult movie he ever filmed
with the weather elements, trying to cast his parts, and the difficulty
he had working with Brando. Fortunately, the finished project became
one of the most important films in history. I actually watched the
Redux version which really seems unnecessary. This was originally a
stage play with Boris Karloff as Colonel Kurtz. Here is another idea
for a Muncie Civic Studio Theater show.
The Return of Frank James
(1940): This is my tribute to the late Jackie Cooper who co-stars as
Frank's little buddy Clem. Fritz Lang directed this sequel of the 1939
film JESSE JAMES. Henry Fonda reprises his role as Frank James who
learns of Jesse's assassination by James Gang members Bob and Charlie
Ford. He then returns to take revenge on his brother's murder in this
revenge western. If you are looking for historical accuracy, this is
not it besides maybe the theatrical reenactments from the Ford brothers.
Most know that Frank James never sought any vengeance for the murder
of his brother. Gene Tierney makes her film debut as a female reporter
and John Carradine plays Bob Ford. This is mostly of interest to
western fans and it was a pretty fun fictional story though my favorite
portrayal of the James brothers would come in 2007 in THE ASSASSINATION
OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD which is likely the most
accurate portrayal of Jesse James and Frank James who was in his last
days in this film.
Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931): This
is my silent film of the week and F.W. Murnau's last movie. This is
about a fisherman in the Bora Bora Lagoon named Matahi who falls in love
with Reri. However, Reri is chosen to be the holy maid and becomes as
the title says "tabu" so she cannot be touched or the lover will die.
They love each other so much so they run away but must adjust to a more
civilized society. This was a great way for the legendary Murnau to go
out and is a great love story.
Batman: Under the Red Hood
(2010): This is part one of a Neil Patrick Harris series that I know
will have two parts but possibly four parts. There is already a
franchise boot being planned but I think this is the only reboot that is
really needed. This is a great animated superhero movie that holds its
own with just about all the Batmans out there right now. Batman goes
up against one of his biggest challenges of the title character Red
Hood. Red Hood is part vigilante and part criminal who unlike Batman,
killing is an option. When the Joker gets into the fold, he sees
familiarity in Red Hood and learns the disturbing truth. There is great
use of flashback to Bruce Wayne's younger life. Neil Patrick Harris
does the voice of Dick Grayson who was once Robin as a youngster but now
uses the name Nightwing. Anything else I say gives this away so I'll
stop now. This is great for anyone who love the superhero genre and
this is available through Instant Netflix.
Anastasia (1956):
This is my tribute to Arthur Laurents who wrote the screenplay for this
film. Many remember that animated movie from the 90s which was very
good but yes it has been made into a movie in the past. Yul Brynner
plays opportunistic Russian businessman Bounine who is looking for
someone to pass as the grand duchess Anastasia who is thought to be
dead. Ingrid Bergman plays the destitute and suicidal Anna who is taken
in by Bounine when he believes she resembles Anastasia. He then
coaches her in order to pass her off and the more she learns of the part
the more people believe she may be the real person. They must then
pass her off the the Empress, who must then decide if she is the real
person. This is actually based on a true story but I'll leave it to
everyone to do the research. This was a very compelling story with good
performances. This is available on Instant Netflix. My mom had the
pleasure of getting to see Yul Brynner in a stage version of THE KING
AND I and will never watch another version since seeing that version.
My friend Sean actually did a wood painting of Brynner and Deborah Kerr
for the film version of THE KING AND I which I bought for my mom. Sean
is an artist on the rise and hope he can hit it big like Ashley in her
singing.
The Cross and the Switchblade (1970): This is my
tribute to the late Reverend David Wilkerson whose autobiography this
film is based upon and who Pat Boone plays in this movie. Boone plays a
reverend who had it in mind that anyone can be saved, even gang
members. He goes around letting everyone know that Jesus loves them and
had a lot of guts going face to face with these gang members to try to
save them. A young CHIPS alum Erik Estrada plays Nicky Cruz who was
pretty much the leader and the toughest to convince to find God but
Wilkerson never gave up. Boone did pretty good in his part and it was
great seeing this true story of a man who had to have a lot of bravery
to do what he did. This movie has been shown a lot in juvenile
detention centers. This is also available on Instant Netflix.
Godzilla
& Mothra: The Battle For Earth (1992): I end this week with these
two Japanese icons battling it out once again in this Toho film. I'll
give a brief history of these icons. Godzilla is a metaphor for the
atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and was the result of nuclear
bombings. Since the beginning, there have been rather various ways in
which Godzilla has been created and has been portrayed in different ways
but here was the giant, destructive lizard. Mothra is a giant moth who
usually starts out as a larva and becomes the moth and has done battle
with some of the biggest monsters and is usually the heroic one. In
this film, Godzilla is created as a result of us destroying the world
and Godzilla is the result of it. When a team of archaeologists search
to find the cause of happenings, they meet two very little girls which
are referred to as Cosmos and are the ones who communicate with Mothra.
Here, they give their services by bringing Mothra out of her egg.
Mothra has her hands full however with another monster named Battra.
This is for those who enjoy this genre of film. I'm not going to go
into the human characters since they are not usually as important in
these movies except that their carelessness is what brings upon monsters
like Godzilla. This is a pretty decent entry into the Toho series.
Special effects are not CGI-like but I feel these take more effort than
CGI. This is also available on Instant Netflix.
Well, that is it
for this week, tell me what you like and what you do not like. Stay
tuned for next week which so far includes more Neil Patrick Harris, Kim
Griest, Meryl Streep, Michael Caine, and many others.
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