{"id":5079,"date":"2006-07-05T09:09:37","date_gmt":"2006-07-05T13:09:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=5079"},"modified":"2022-10-10T19:46:46","modified_gmt":"2022-10-10T23:46:46","slug":"movie-fanatics-read-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=5079","title":{"rendered":"Movie Fanatics, Read On"},"content":{"rendered":"

I managed to finish the newest quiz <\/a>from The Professor.<\/p>\n

Fun!!<\/p>\n

1) Does film best tell the truth (Godard) or tell lies (De Palma) at 24 frames per second? (Thanks, Peet)<\/b><\/p>\n

In my opinion, in terms of human BEHAVIOR – the camera tells the truth. If someone is a phony, or lying, or dissembling, or deflecting – the camera will pick up on it. This is why film acting is different from stage acting. It must be REAL – (and even “lies” can be truthful – if you’re lying, then you’re lying … there’s a truth to that) – But if you’re a phony? If you’re a shallow actor, who is just a big fat phony? Or you’re tryiing for effect? The camera will tell the truth about you. You can’t hide from it.<\/p>\n

And yet there’s something not quite “real” about what goes on in the movies. People become somewhat mythic or archetypal when they are photographed … I don’t know how that happens … I just know that it does. Images become solidified, nailed down, chosen … and there’s something inherently artificial about that. I wouldn’t call it a lie, though. I’d call it a myth.<\/p>\n

2) Ideal pairing of actors\/actresses to play on-screen siblings<\/b><\/p>\n

You mean who haven’t already? Or who already have?<\/p>\n

My brain immediately went to the beautiful (and completely believable) brother\/sister relationship portrayed in Holiday<\/i> between Katharine Hepburn and Lew Ayres (his best performance – how much do you just LOVE that brother??) I don’t find Hepburn all that convincing, actually, in a family setting – she seems too isolated and dominating (which is why her most successful family drama, in my opinion, is Lion in Winter<\/i>). Even in On Golden Pond<\/i>, where she was great and everything … she still is too much of a massive presence (in my opinion) to seem like part of a family. I didn’t really<\/i> buy it – although I enjoyed her performance. But there she is in Holiday<\/i> – as the loner eccentric sister – and her sloshy decadent brother just GETS her … in his own slightly sodden way. I completely bought that relationship.<\/p>\n

3) Favorite special effects moment<\/b><\/p>\n

For sheer nostalgia’s sake – I have to say this moment.<\/p>\n

I can’t tell if it’s just because I also remember seeing it in the movie theatre the first time … and the goosebumps are a memory of my OWN awestruck wonder way back then … but who the hell cares. That opening sequence kicks some serious intergalactic ass.<\/p>\n

4) Matt Damon or George Clooney?<\/b><\/p>\n

Clooney. I was never really a fan of his on ER – but then came Three Kings<\/i> and I thought, HUH … and then came O Brother Where Art Thou<\/i> and I figured that I needed to re-assess the dude. Then there was the story from Julia Roberts of the filming of Ocean’s 11<\/i> and how she would come back to her hotel room to find it literally booby-trapped on a nightly basis. The image of Clooney sneaking around – gluing the receiver of the phone down, putting trick snakes in her bathtub, etc. makes me think he would be a huge pain in the ass and also so. much. fun<\/i>.<\/p>\n

5) What is the movie you\u0092ve encouraged more people to see than any other?<\/b><\/p>\n

Only Angels Have Wings<\/i>.<\/p>\n

6) Favorite film of 1934<\/b><\/p>\n

I began scanning the list at IMDB and came across this title<\/a> and wanted to say it was my favorite just BECAUSE. I mean – look at that title!<\/p>\n

Gonna have to go with It Happened One Night<\/i>. One of my favorite movies ever made.<\/p>\n

7) Your favorite movie theater<\/b><\/p>\n

Probably The Music Box <\/a>in Chicago. Beautiful old movie theatre on Southport. I used to live on the street right behind that theatre so I spent many hours there – watching, oh, documentaries about Kazakhstan, I saw Latcho Drom<\/i> there – or we would go to see silent films, midnight double-features, whatever! I saw Harold and Maude<\/i> there for the first time, believe it or not – and began laughing so loudly at the army dude with the missing arm that I had to get up and leave the theatre. I went to go see a couple of different Cassavetes films there when they were having a Cassavetes festival – and I went with a boyfriend of mine <\/a>at the time (hahaha I love how I have LINKS to my own personal life.) who was also a huge Cassavetes freak (still is!) – and I remember that we made out during the closing credits to Faces<\/i>. <\/a>Geeks. You kind of can’t get any geekier than that. We were so swept away by Faces<\/i><\/b>, of all things, that we succumbed to PDA. Totally embarrassing. I saw Crumb<\/i> there – a movie that I kinda still can’t get out of my mind. Uhm – Max? Get off the bed o’ nails and stop eating that piece of string or whatever freako thing it is that you do. Thanks so much. The Music Box also has that old-movie glamour – red carpet in the lobby, little niches and nooks with strange decadent little statues in them … old school buckets of popcorn … and in the theatre, if you look up – you can see a night sky, with stars glittering, as well as clouds moving across. A cyclorama roof. Oh, and there’s a big red velvet curtain that rises before each movie. It’s a celebration. No matter WHAT you see there. You could see Porky’s 12: The Beer-Soaked Aftermath<\/i> there and feel like you were having a celebratory cinematic experience.<\/p>\n

It looks like this.<\/a><\/p>\n

8) Jean Arthur or Irene Dunne?<\/b><\/p>\n

Oh, why. Dennis – WHY are you making me make an unmake-able choice?? I can’t do it!<\/p>\n

I’m leaning towards Irene Dunne. She is one of my favorite actresses – and can we please talk about her 10 minute silent scene in Penny Serenade<\/i> when she bumblingly tries to give her new adopted baby a bath, as her husband (Cary Grant) and all the men from the newspaper shop stand around watching? It’s such an amazing scene … you can feel her growing panic … and she finally snaps and starts screaming and crying “WHY ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT ME? I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M DOING!” … but as the scene goes on, it just gets funnier and funnier and funnier. Dunne was Cary Grant’s favorite leading lady, and it’s easy to see why. She was an actress of such substance, intelligence, reality – her work has barely dated at all.<\/p>\n

But … er …. Jean Arthur was in Only Angels Have Wings<\/i> so … I just … love her for that. Jean Arthur has a sort of ditzy baffled charm – kind of reminiscent of Jennifer Aniston at Aniston’s very best. You know those moments (in Friends<\/i> mostly) when Aniston is CLINGING to the SHREDS of her dignity in the middle of some ridiculous situation that makes her look really really stupid? But she stands there, spluttering, insisting that she is a DIGNIFIED PERSON? It is so funny when it works – and Jean Arthur is so good at that. Watch her in Only Angels Have Wings<\/i>. I mean, she’s also great in her other films – I particularly liked her in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town<\/i> opposite Gary Cooper – and then she did another really wonderful little movie called The Talk of the Town<\/i> with Cary Grant again and Ronald Colman (in one of his better performances). I mean, Jean Arthur was in a ton of classic films – but those are the ones I have real affection for. She has some moments in Talk of the Town<\/i> – when she is running around, and lying to everyone, and getting busted constantly – which make me laugh out loud every time I see them. She’s a wonderful comedienne – and a GREAT foil for Cary Grant.<\/p>\n

But I’m gonna have to go with Irene Dunne. I do so under gentle protest, because I don’t want to have to choose!<\/p>\n

9) Favorite film made for children<\/b><\/p>\n

I have an intense fondness for the movie Bug’s Life<\/i>. For many reasons. One: because of Cashel. We watched that movie together many times, when he was still a diaper-wearing fat-wristed Brooklyn baby, shoving Cheerios in his mouth as he sat on my lap, and I was the babysitting aunt. I can recite the movie by heart. (“HARRY! DON’T LOOK AT THE LIGHT, HARRY!” “Ican’thelpitit’ssobeeeeeeautiful…”) But also: I just think it’s a really nice film, with a cool message. I like it a lot. I think it’s my favorite of the Pixar films, actually.<\/p>\n

10) Favorite Martin Scorsese Movie<\/b><\/p>\n

Probably Goodfellas<\/i>.<\/p>\n

11) Favorite film about children<\/b><\/p>\n

I never pass up a chance to push the film Children of Heaven<\/i>. Please! I beg those of you who haven’t seen it! SEE IT! Magical film with an ending that made the audience burst out clapping – at least when I saw it.<\/p>\n

But then I also want to say Night of the Hunter<\/i>. Sure – it’s about Mitchum and Lillian Gish … but it’s really about those kids. And I can’t think about Mitchum’s voice saying, off screen, “Chiiiiiiiiildren …” without my blood running cold. Never has innocence seemed so threatened.<\/p>\n

12) Favorite film of 1954<\/b><\/p>\n

On the Waterfront<\/i><\/p>\n

13) Favorite screenplay written by a writer more famous for literature than screenplays<\/b><\/p>\n

The Big Sleep<\/i>. Based on book by Raymond Chandler. Screenplay by William Faulkner. Didn’t have to think about this one at all. In my humble opinion, there can be no valid contest on this one.<\/p>\n

14) Walter Matthau or Jack Lemmon?<\/b><\/p>\n

Walter Matthau.<\/p>\n

15) Favorite character name<\/b><\/p>\n

Sugarpuss O’Shea. Barbara Stanwyck’s character name in Ball of Fire<\/i><\/p>\n

16) Favorite screenplay adapted from a work of great literature, either by the author himself or by someone else<\/b><\/p>\n

“Great” literature, huh? Does Ordinary People<\/i> count as “great literature”? I don’t think it does – but I read the book – and I am amazed at the effectiveness of the adaptation to the screen.<\/p>\n

Oh – and I also REALLY enjoyed Emma Thompson’s adaptation of Sense & Sensibility<\/i>. Yummy.<\/p>\n

17) Favorite film of 1974<\/b><\/p>\n

Chinatown<\/i>.<\/p>\n

18) Joan Severance or Shannon Tweed?<\/b><\/p>\n

This question so kicks ass. heh heh I’m gonna go with Joan Severance just to be totally contrary.<\/p>\n

19) jackass: the movie– yes or no?<\/b><\/p>\n

Sure! Why not?<\/p>\n

20) Favorite John Cassavetes Movie<\/b><\/p>\n

Opening Night<\/i>. I still haven’t got up the nerve to actually write an essay about what that movie means to me – it’s daunting – but I’ll get to it some day. It’s almost like I look at that movie and see my whole damn life.<\/p>\n

21) First R-rated movie you ever saw<\/b><\/p>\n

I saw Dog Day Afternoon<\/i> while babysitting – I was 12. Life-changing moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

22) Favorite X-rated film (remember that, while your answer may well be a famous or not-so-famous hard-core film, the “X” rating was once also a legitimate rating that did not necessarily connote pornography)<\/b><\/p>\n

heh. I’ll say Midnight Cowboy<\/i>.<\/p>\n

23) Best film of 1994<\/b><\/p>\n

Forrest Gump. JUST KIDDING. I despise that film.<\/p>\n

Hmmm. Many good films that year. In terms of sheer enjoyment, I’d probably have to go with Pulp Fiction<\/i>.<\/p>\n

24) Describe a moment in a movie that made you weep<\/b><\/p>\n

The last moment in Field of Dreams<\/i> gets me every time<\/i>. “Dad?” Oh shit. Just typing that and I felt all choked up.<\/p>\n

25) Ewan McGregor or Ewan Bremner?<\/b><\/p>\n

Oh please. Ewan McGregor always and forever.<\/p>\n

26) One of your favorite line readings (not necessarily one of your favorite lines) from this or any year<\/b><\/p>\n

Diane Keaton saying, “This was a great night for me” in Something’s Gotta Give<\/i> – after they sleep together. You want to see great screen acting – and a great screen ACTRESS – watch<\/i> her say that line.<\/p>\n

However, other favorites:<\/p>\n

Cary Grant – and how he says, “Peabody? What Peabody?” in Bringing up Baby<\/i><\/p>\n

Barbara Stanwyck and how she says, “I love him because he gets drunk on a glass of buttermilk” in Ball of Fire<\/i><\/p>\n

Anything Kenneth Mars says in ANY MOVIE EVER. The man is a scary GENIUS and we all just have to BOW DOWN and accept it.<\/p>\n

27) What, if any, element in a film, upon your hearing of its inclusion beforehand, would most likely prejudice you against seeing that film or keeping an open mind about it? <\/b><\/p>\n

A certain scrunchy-faced thin-fat actress.<\/p>\n

28) Favorite Terry Gilliam Movie<\/b><\/p>\n

Fisher King<\/i>. That’s another movie that I really need to write a big huge post about.<\/p>\n

29) Jean Smart or Annie Potts?<\/b><\/p>\n

Annie Potts was in the classic Corvette Summer<\/i> so I will have to go with her.<\/p>\n

30) Is it possible to know with any certainty if you could like or love someone based partially on their taste in movies? If so, what film might be a potential relationship deal-breaker for you, or the one that might just seal that deal? <\/b><\/p>\n

If someone is able to watch What’s Up Doc<\/i> with a stone-face, and not laugh once, then I would really really question whether or not we were compatible. Same with Bringing Up Baby<\/i>. Silly screwball movies are a great litmus test for compatability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I managed to finish the newest quiz from The Professor. Fun!! 1) Does film best tell the truth (Godard) or tell lies (De Palma) at 24 frames per second? (Thanks, Peet) In my opinion, in terms of human BEHAVIOR – … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[347,399,1445,1165,491,306,550,1396,1157,488,1259,536],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5079"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5079"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5079\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":179400,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5079\/revisions\/179400"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}