Seperate Lies

The ubiquitous Julian Fellowes now adds ‘Director’ to his list of accomplishments in the film world. And yes, this is the same fellow (sorry, I couldn’t help it) who has been acting for a quarter century (mostly as distinguished characters on British TV and a few James Bond pictures) won the Oscar for writing ‘Gosford Park’ in 2001 (where he also picked up an Associate Producer credit) and most recently wrote ‘Vanity Fair.’

He writes and directs his new film ‘Separate Lies,’ starring Tom Wilkinson who has an amazing range of film credits from ‘Shakespeare in Love’ to the ‘Full Monty’ to ‘Girl with the Pearl Earring’ to the bad guy in ‘Batman Begins.’ I love actors like him because he allows himself to play all kinds of roles. Also starring is Emily Watson (Gosford Park) and Rupert Everett (Stage Beauty). Everett gets huge points for starring opposite Catherine Deneuve in the French mini series of Dangerous Liaisons. Lucky devil.

‘Separate Lies’ opens at the Grand Friday Oct. 28th.

Mirror Mask

Calling all Jim Henson fans and everyone else who actually is a fan but just doesn’t realize it. The man who brought us the Muppets and the unforgettable voice of Kermit the Frog, Sesame Street, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth – the list keeps going – left this world fifteen years ago, but his legacy lives on. The Jim Henson Company just celebrated their 50th anniversary last month, and also just released their most recent film, ‘Mirror Mask’ which opens at the Grand Friday the 28th.

For anyone interested, ‘It's Not Easy Being Green : And Other Things to Consider’ was also released last month, a collection of quotes from Henson and his Muppet friends.
http://www.henson.com/ for more info on Mr. Henson and ‘Mirror Mask.’

“My hope still is to leave the world a little bit better for my having been here” – Jim Henson

I would say that is one of the main reasons for being an artist, and why we appreciate one such as him.

American History Month

This fall we have two films slated, each of which is a re-telling of historical events from 20th Century American history. ‘Good Night and Good Luck,’ written and directed by George Clooney, with a very strong cast including Clooney, starts us off with a close look into the Guilty by Suspicion era of Joe McCarthy, when certain people in power misused their positions to further their own twisted agenda. Thank goodness that’s all behind us!

Clooney managed to get this film together for an amazingly small $7.5 million and the cast and crew worked for scale. That alone makes the film noteworthy. Oh but there's so much more...
There is a decent interview with Clooney at Cinema Confidential - http://www.cinecon.com/news.php?id=0510142

Fast forward ten or so years to Truman Capote, the author of ‘In Cold Blood,’ a perfect novel for Halloween season, and one I can’t seem to put down. I’m scared. ‘Capote’ stars Philip Seymour Hoffman (Boogie Nights, Big Lebowski etc.), who, according to my mother, got the voice of Truman Capote dead on. Just enough time to finish the book, rent ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ (Capote originally picked Marilyn Monroe to play the role of Holly Golightly but Paramount instead chose Audrey Hepburn - good choice) and try not to feel like I’ve seen some of this on a Seinfeld episode. (was that reference a stretch? Oh well, at least I didn’t mention Vampires!)

Vampire Season

It's vampire season and I could not be happier. Especially with my newest find - the 2004 Legacy Collection dvd with FIVE vintage vampire films, including the until now elusive Spanish Dracula. They make it easy to compare the original Lugosi version with the Carlos Villarias (I call him Mr. Smiles - you'll see) and I must say that Lupita Tovar steals the show as Eva (Mina). Even if you don't go bats during October like I do, this is still something to rent for film history reasons. The great surprise is that the Spanish Dracula actually lives up to the legend. The acting is excellent. I recommend.

Here's the weird thing about the Dracula story that I have always suspected - Van Helsing is the same guy in every screen and stage version of this story. He always looks exactly the same, and I now believe it is the same 'actor' playing every role over the years. The only logical conclusion is that the 'actor' playing Van Helsing is actually a real vampire. Why the charade? To keep us from suspecting him! Except for Anthony Hopkins in Coppola's version because he's a zombie. Hugh Jackman doesn't count either because it ruins my theory. Otherwise I'm sure I'm right.

For the Horror fans out there - be on the lookout for the asian triptych "Three... Extremes." The 2004 Hong Kong/Japan/S.Korea production is getting American release. Grrrrr scary.

Hitchcock Lecture

Part of our fall film series on Hitchcock was a lecture given by noted film scholar and Hitchcock expert Dr. William Rothman. Last Thursday's lecture was an in-depth look at the Master of Suspense. Being a long time student of film, I saw the lecture as very in depth indeed, perhaps at times too much so for the casual Hitchcock fan. I suppose I have trudged through so many pages of French theory that I am a bit immune to certain directions a professor will go with a lecture.

That said, I found the lecture very informative and deep. Dr. Rothman’s mastery of Hitchcock’s history and of film theory in general is obvious. But I did feel for those who thought they were attending a light hearted survey of one of film’s auteurs. Perhaps it is possible to be a bit too informed on a subject.

Here are some notes I took during the lecture, which I thought really stood out.

- How Hitchcock was very aware of what he was doing with the camera. “The camera is registering the subjective state of James Stewart in Vertigo, and if the camera would just stop moving, then he could stop feeling that way.” We are not asked to totally suspend our disbelief, but rather to be aware of what the camera on set is doing, to know Hitchcock is behind the camera.

- This is linked to our role as an audience while watching a Hitchcock film – we need to be actively engaged in the film, and to become emotionally involved. His films will seem contrived unless we do so.

- That many film critics have tried too hard to see Hitchcock as an artist who could explain himself outside of his films. French theorists would interview Hitchcock, expecting the artist to appear in the interview. Rather, we should see the artist on screen.

Bergman in soft focus

I think it can easily be argued that Ingrid Bergman is one of the closest attempts the human race has ever come to creating a goddess. (do I ever stop being so dramatic? leave me alone, I need a creative outlet) And I must further say that if ever a girl looked good in soft focus, it was her. 'Soft focus' is when a special filter is placed over the lens which "softens the edges," as
they say. Thankfully, Hitchcock saw that Bergman didn't need too much of it and he went easy with the soft filters.

Half way through today's screening of 'Notorious' I realized I needed to pay better attention to the plot. I couldn't help but get lost in the beauty onscreen, what with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman absolutely dominating my attention. A cinamatographer's dream.

Two films left in the Hitchcock series after today:
The often forgotten film 'Rebecca' with Lawrence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. Wow.
Rounding things out once agin with Cary Grant, this time in VistaVision color in 'To Catch a Thief'. Grace Kelly (ooh la-la) stars opposite Mr. Grant. Be there or be square. (yes, I realize I'm a dork)

Scary Monsters, Super Creeps

It's Halloween season, and for me that means time to pull out the scary literature, poems, and of course, rent at least a few scary movies. This year it will be "Hound of the Baskervilles," "The Raven," (naturally - what Halloween is complete without a little Poe?) and I am drawing up my list of films...

Here's this year's list of creepy films:

"Dracula." (1931) - The original with Bela Lugosi is the classic which I think never gets old. Camp before they knew it was camp.

"Nosferatu" (1922) - German director F.W. Murnau's 'Symphony of Horrors.' Max Schreck plays the vampire as more of a monster than Lugosi's Count. Famous for the expressionistic use of shadows. In 1925 Florence Stoker won her case against this film, and the German courts ordered all prints of 'Nosferatu' be destroyed...

"Shadow of the Vampire" (2000) - John Malkovich and Willem Dafoe in an often very funny re-telling of the making of "Nosferatu."

"Black Sunday" (1960) - Often called 'one of the most evocotive and frightening vampire film ever made.' By Italian director Mario Bava.

"Alien" (1979) - This movie marked the end of my innocence as a child. Well, maybe not that bad, but I had nightmares for a week.

"Halloween" (1978) - John Carpenter ushers in a new era in Horror films. Jamie Lee Curtis stars in the first 'slasher' film, where teenagers have sex, smoke pot, and generally disobey the conventions and morals of the previous generation. Then they all get savagely massacred for being so naughty.

"Scream" (1996) - Why not? Wes Craven pokes fun at himself and the entire genre.

"Spanish Dracula" (1931) - Yesterday I was told that this film is actually available. This is the film which was shot simultaneously with "Dracula." Using the same sets at Universal, a Mexican production team would shoot their scenes at night when the American crew had gone home. Supposedly, it's a far better film. I had given up, but the hunt begins again...

What is it in us that likes to be scared? I don't know, but I have it in spades. Night before last I was pre-screening our first Hitchcock film in our current series, ("Vertigo") and I was scared silly. I love the Grand, but it's spooky here at 3am! Tonight and tomorrow is "Psycho," so if you have the guts, I double dare you to come on in. At least you'll be here at a decent hour, with other people around, you scardey-cats!

Hitchcock - Master of Suspense

This week we begin our fall film series and pay tribute to the undisputed master of suspense with six Hitchcock classics. You may have seen them before, but if not on the big screen… well… then you have seen mini-Hitchcock. Here’s your BIG chance to see BIG Hitchcock!

I am very pleased to have gotten all of these films for the series. They were all the first choice, and we really lucked out. So don’t miss this special opportunity to see these vintage prints. Some of them are unique (only one print in existence.)

We also have a very special guest, Dr. William Rothman, author of “Hitchcock: The Murderous Gaze,” giving a free lecture at UPS on Thursday at 6:30pm.

So join us for thrills and good fun Oct 7-13 at the Grand.
As they would say back in the day – “A doctor will be in attendance…”