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Tag Archives: mirrors
The (Fractured) Male Gaze
I collect mirror moments like a hoarder. Here’s a really good one from this year’s wonderful Fallen Leaves, directed by Aki Kaurismäki.
Alain Delon: Eyes So Deep There’s No Bottom
For the great Alain Delon’s birthday Alain Delon in Jean-Pierre Melville’s “Le Cercle Rouge” FIRST UP: the lengthy (understatement) piece I wrote for Oscilloscope’s “Musings” blog, a piece years in the making (old-timers will remember the birth of the idea … Continue reading
The Male Gaze (Literally)
Wandering aimlessly through Laura’s apartment, his sense of uneasiness growing, as he almost visibly avoids Laura’s portrait, the detective (Dana Andrews) – who may very well be the most naturally taciturn man who ever lived – taciturn to the point … Continue reading
The Female Gaze (literally)
Joan Fontaine’s chilling “mirror moment” in the astonishing Ivy (1947). (Joan Fontaine? Playing an evil woman? Really?? YES.) In this moment, dressed in mourning for her husband – who died somewhat mysteriously – hmmm – she avoids looking in her … Continue reading
“Certainly there have been better actors than me who have had no careers. Why? I don’t know.” — Richard Gere
For Richard Gere’s birthday, here’s an old piece I wrote, one I’m pretty proud of, and one that is practically a rough draft of another more recent piece, one years in the making: Mirror, Mirror: When Movie Characters Look Back … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day
Tagged American Gigolo, drama, Julia Roberts, mirrors, Paul Schrader, Richard Gere
4 Comments
“If you’re creating anything at all, it’s really dangerous to care about what people think.” — Kristen Wiig
Today is the birthday of one of the greatest actors working today. I can’t seem to stop mentioning Kristen Wiig in my writing. I mention her even if she isn’t the main subject. She’s my favorite. I am in awe … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day, Television
Tagged backting, comedy, drama, Kristen Wiig, mirrors
4 Comments
“It’s important not to indicate. People don’t try to show their feelings, they try to hide them.” — Robert De Niro
I haven’t written about the majority of his roles – not for lack of admiration (and in some cases, awestruck wonder) – but here is what I have written: I included his “you talkin’ to me” scene in my gigantic … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Directors, Movies, On This Day
Tagged Martin Scorsese, mirrors, Robert De Niro, Taxi Driver
2 Comments
“I take rejection as someone blowing a bugle in my ear to wake me up and get going, rather than retreat.” — Sylvester Stallone
Old-timers here will remember the Rocky phase that took over for a while. Of course the movies weren’t new to me. As a matter of fact, I know the first movie by heart, practically shot for shot, and there was … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Directors, Movies, On This Day
Tagged mirrors, Rocky, Sylvester Stallone
6 Comments
Backs and Mirrors
If you’ve been around here for a while, you know how I love moments where actors have their back to the camera (back-ting) and moments where characters stare at themselves in the mirror. I started mulling about this 15 years … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies
Tagged backting, Five Easy Pieces, Harriet Andersson, Ingmar Bergman, Jack Nicholson, mirrors
2 Comments
The Female Gaze (literally)
Marilyn Monroe as the troubled broken Nell in one of her best performances in Don’t Bother to Knock. As with so many broken characters in cinema, Nell is drawn – irresistibly – to the mirror. Not for vanity. But to … Continue reading
