Tag Archives: Elia Kazan

September 2016 Viewing Diary

Kicks (2016; d. Justin Tipping) Absolutely loved it. There have been so many excellent first-time directors making features this year. My review for Rogerebert.com. Kiss Me Deadly (1955; d. Robert Aldrich) I love this bizarre paranoid insanely phantasmagorical … film … Continue reading

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Stuff I’ve Been Reading

— Wonderful article by my friend Farran for Film Comment on Tim Holt, who has appeared in a couple of masterpieces, as well as a steady career in B-Westerns (one of my favorite kinds of careers). I love him in … Continue reading

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Supernatural: Season 1, Episode 6: “Skin”

Directed by Robert Duncan McNeil written by John Shiban Dark doubles are a recurring theme in Supernatural. What is more frightening, more eerie, than to think of there being another one of you out there, someone who looks like you, … Continue reading

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Peter Labuza Interviews Me for The Cinephiliacs Podcast: We Discuss John Cassavetes’ Opening Night

I had a great time talking with Peter Labuza for his wonderful Cinephiliacs podcast. You can download the episode here. We get into it! We talk about actors, movies, movie stars, John Wayne, Elvis, Judy Garland, gesture – and then … Continue reading

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Seen Recently: Corman’s World (2011), Imitation of Life (1959), Viva Zapata! (1952), The Skin I Live In (2011), Undercurrent (1946)

Corman’s World directed by Alex Stapleton A great documentary about Roger Corman whose low-budget productions in the 1960s/70s basically acted as film-school and film-experience for a generation of filmmakers who now run Hollywood. The stories are legendary, but here in … Continue reading

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R.I.P. Ben Gazzara

It was my favorite type of career. Long-lasting, diverse, a little bit chaotic, not overly managed, with moments of brilliance, moments of just good workmanship … and you can tell, you can just tell, that his career has been about … Continue reading

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The Books: Real Life Drama: The Group Theatre and America 1931-1940, by Wendy Smith

Daily Book Excerpt: Theatre Next book on the acting/theatre shelf is Real Life Drama: The Group Theatre and America 1931-1940, by Wendy Smith The Group Theatre I suppose it is clear what my theatrical background is. I am always shocked … Continue reading

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The Books: A Player’s Place: The Story of the Actors Studio, by David Garfield

Daily Book Excerpt: Theatre Next book on the acting/theatre shelf is A Player’s Place: The Story of the Actors Studio, by David Garfield I bought this history of the Actors Studio (the only of its kind) when I was heavily … Continue reading

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Happy Birthday, Carroll Baker

In honor of this actress’ birthday, here’s a repost of my review of her autobiography, which was hugely formative in making me who I am today (a large claim, but accurate). Baby Doll, by Carroll Baker When I was about … Continue reading

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On This Day: March 24, 1955

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof opened on this day, in 1955, in New York. Brooks Atkinson, one of Williams’s staunchest critic supporters, wrote: “[The play seemed] not to have been written. It is the quintessence of life.” The performances … Continue reading

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