Tag Archives: Christopher Walken

“Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress. When I get fed up with one, I spend the night with the other.” — Anton Chekhov

It’s his birthday today. Anton Chekhov, letter to actress (and wife) Olga Knipper January 2, 1901 “Describe at least one rehearsal of Three Sisters for me. Isn’t there anything which needs adding or subtracting? Are you acting well, my darling? … Continue reading

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December 2022 Viewing Diary

The Whale (2022; d. Darren Aronofsky) I thought it was appalling, and not for the obvious reasons. His body is viewed as literally a movie monster, with all these horror-movie shots of his gigantic ankles, etc.) It felt tired and … Continue reading

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April 2022 Viewing Diary

When I first got the Raging Bull gig, I began a re-watch of all the Scorsese-De Niro movies – at least the ones clustered around that period. I grew up on these films. These movies were huge to me as … Continue reading

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The Key to Streetcar Named Desire is Stella, and Don’t Let Anyone Tell You Different: A Review of Who Am I This Time? (1982)

A re-post, because I’ve got love and theatre on the brain. Is it not monstrous that this player here, But in a fiction, in a dream of passion, Could force his soul so to his own conceit That from her … Continue reading

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R.I.P. Tony Scott

Dennis Hopper on shooting the scene with Christopher Walken in True Romance: Everywhere I go, all over the world, I was just in China making a film, I was just in South Africa making a film, I made a film … Continue reading

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The Books: The Actor’s Chekhov: Interviews with Nikos Psacharopoulos and the Company of the Williamstown Theatre Festival, on the Plays of Anton Chekhov, edited by Jean Hackett

Daily Book Excerpt: Theatre Next book on the acting/theatre shelf is The Actor’s Chekhov : Interviews with Nikos Psacharopoulos and the Company of the Williamstown Theatre Festival, on the Plays of Anton Chekhov , edited by Jean Hackett Amy Irving, … Continue reading

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It’s Christopher Walken’s Birthday. Let’s Misbehave.

In honor of his birthday, let’s enjoy his show-stopping number in Pennies From Heaven. I love how the cinematography here is old-school dance cinematography from the days of Astaire and Rogers and Cyd Charisse: Full body captured, including the feet … Continue reading

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Who Am I This Time? (1982); Dir. Jonathan Demme

Is it not monstrous that this player here, But in a fiction, in a dream of passion, Could force his soul so to his own conceit That from her working all his visage wann’d, Tears in his eyes, distraction in’s … Continue reading

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Some Island snapshots

— “I cannot imagine how a casual reference to Suetonius and Petronius Arbiter can be construed into evidence of a desire to impress by an assumption of superior knowledge. I should fancy that the most ordinary of scholars is perfectly … Continue reading

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Acting Chekhov: a compilation of quotes.

All excerpts below from The Actor’s Chekhov: Nikos Psacharopoulos and the Company of the Williamstown Theatre Festival, on the Plays of Anton Chekhov – a book I adore. It’s extensive interviews with all of the actors who were “regulars” at … Continue reading

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