tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43228357652255601862012-01-31T23:42:32.363-08:00The Silver Screening Roomseeing genius movie filmsWalter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.comBlogger5941100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-33329201108073341662012-01-31T19:08:00.000-08:002012-01-31T19:08:18.618-08:00Calendaaaaa!!!!Of events!<br /><br />TOMORROW:<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Top 25 Most Anticipated of the Approaching Year (b/c we all know the year doesn't really start until February, right AMPAS?)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>THURSDAY &amp; FRIDAY:</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Hollmann Awards, in two parts.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>MONDAY - FRIDAY</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Casting Coup Month is shortened to Casting Coup Week, with reimaginings of <i>Becket</i>, <i>Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore</i>, <i>My Fair Lady</i>, <i>Mary Poppins</i>, and <i>Chinatown</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>SPORADICALLY</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My own reviews/rankings of the Academy Award Nominees for Acting, Screenplay, Cinematography, Music, Director, Art Direction and Picture. You know, like in the Retros.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>FRIDAY BEFORE OSCARS</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Oscar Predictions!</div><br />&nbsp;I can't wait! Can you? You're gonna haveta!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-3332920110807334166?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-48433033910687430502012-01-24T05:47:00.000-08:002012-01-24T06:44:02.005-08:00FUCKING AHHHHHOr, "The Academy Award Nominees of 2011"<br /><br />Blue = correctly predicted<br />* = predicted bak in April<br />+ = Hollmann Award Nominee<br /><br /><div style="color: blue;">SUPPORTING ACTRESS</div><div style="color: blue;">Berenice Bejo, The Artist</div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">*</span>Jessica Chastain, The Help</div><div style="color: blue;">Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids</div><div style="color: blue;">Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs</div><div style="color: blue;">Octavia Spencer, The Help</div><br />SUPPORTING ACTOR<br /><div style="color: blue;">Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn</div><div style="color: blue;">Jonah Hill, Moneyball</div><div style="color: blue;">Nick Nolte, Warrior</div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">*+</span>Christopher Plummer, Beginners</div>Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close<br /><br />ACTRESS<br /><div style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">+</span>Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs</div><div style="color: blue;">Viola Davis, The Help</div>Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo<br /><div style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">*+</span>Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady</div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">+</span>Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn</div><br />ACTOR<br />Demian Bichir, A Better Life<br /><div style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">+</span>George Clooney, The Descendants</div><div style="color: blue;">Jean Dujardin, The Artist</div>*+Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy<br /><div style="color: blue;">Brad Pitt, Moneyball</div><br />DIRECTOR<br /><div style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">*</span>Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris</div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">*</span>Michel Hazanavicus, The Artist</div>+Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life <br /><div style="color: blue;">Alexander Payne, The Descendants</div><div style="color: blue;">Martin Scorsese, Hugo </div><br />ORIGINAL<br /><div style="color: blue;">The Artist</div><div style="color: blue;">Bridesmaids</div>Margin Call<br /><div style="color: blue;">*Midnight in Paris</div>A Separation<br /><br />ADAPTED<br /><div style="color: blue;">Descendants</div><div style="color: blue;">Hugo</div><div style="color: blue;">*Ides of March</div><div style="color: blue;">*Moneyball</div>*+Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy<br /><br />PICTURE<br /><div style="color: blue;">The Artist</div><div style="color: blue;">The Descendants</div>Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close <br /><div style="color: blue;">The Help </div><div style="color: blue;">Hugo</div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">*</span>Midnight in Paris</div><div style="color: blue;">Moneyball</div>+The Tree of Life<br />+War Horse<br /><br />More to be determined. Love those nods for Oldman and Von Sydow!<br /><br />CINEMATOGRAPHY<br /><div style="color: blue;">The Artist</div>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo<br /><div style="color: blue;">Hugo</div>*The Tree of Life<br /><div style="color: blue;">War Horse</div><br />ART DIRECTION<br /><div style="color: blue;">The Artist</div><div style="color: blue;">Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2</div><div style="color: blue;">Hugo</div>*Midnight in Paris <br />War Horse<br /><br />COSTUME DESIGN<br /><div style="color: blue;">*Anonymous</div><div style="color: blue;">The Artist</div><div style="color: blue;">*Hugo</div><div style="color: blue;">Jane Eyre</div>W.E.<br /><br />EDITING<br /><div style="color: blue;">*The Artist</div>The Descendants<br />The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo<br /><div style="color: blue;">Hugo</div><div style="color: blue;">Moneyball</div><br />MAKEUP<br />*Albert Nobbs<br />*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2<br /><div style="color: blue;">*The Iron Lady</div><br />ORIGINAL SCORE<br /><div style="color: blue;">The Adventures of Tintin</div><div style="color: blue;">The Artist</div><div style="color: blue;">*Hugo</div>*Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy<br /><div style="color: blue;">War Horse</div><br />ORIGINAL SONG<br />The Muppets - Man or Muppet<br />Rio - Real in Rio<br /><br />SOUND EDITING<br />*Drive<br />The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo<br />Hugo<br />Transformers: Dark of the Moon<br /><div style="color: blue;">*War Horse</div><br />SOUND MIXING<br />The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo<br />Hugo<br />Moneyball<br /><div style="color: blue;">Transformers: Dark of the Moon</div><div style="color: blue;">*War Horse</div><br />VISUAL EFFECTS<br /><div style="color: blue;">*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2</div><div style="color: blue;">Hugo</div>Real Steel<br /><div style="color: blue;">*Rise of the Planet of the Apes</div><div style="color: blue;">Transformers: Dark of the Moon</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-4843303391068743050?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-62230673737557249522012-01-24T03:27:00.000-08:002012-01-28T23:18:03.732-08:00CorrectionLadies and gentlemen, I reserve the right to change my mind...especially when I feel I have made a grievous error. When I listed <i>X-Men: First Class</i> as my nominee for Best Makeup, I could not help but feel....odd. Certainly, Azrael was stunning, but I always felt the Mystique makeup was bizarre and the Beast makeup, while better than what Kelsey Grammer was put through, camp. But I could not commit to any of the remaining longlisters, either, and I finally realized why:<br /><br />I had accidentally deleted a contender.<br /><br />You see, I have an Excel spreadsheet for every movie I see, with categories for consideration included. I try to do three categories a day, so I copy all those titles, paste it into another document, and delete them as I narrow the field. And I think I mixed up the makeup sign with the Adapted atserisk, so that the contender I saw between <i>Albert Nobbs</i> and <i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i> was nixed....even though I've been rooting for its makeup nomination since I've seen the film.<br /><br />So I'm changing a nominee, something I've never done before, because the nominees as they are do not reflect my 2011 experience. Instead of <i>X-Men: First Class</i>, the work done to age Jim Broadbent, de-age/transform Oliva Colman and make Meryl Streep into Margaret Thatcher will be honored. Here's the <i>The Iron Lady</i>'s third Hollmann Award Nomination!<br /><br /><a href="http://silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com/2012/01/2011-hollmann-awards-nominees.html">Full list of nominees.</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-6223067373755724952?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-627308636851286972012-01-24T03:07:00.000-08:002012-01-28T23:17:33.855-08:00Last Minute Oscar Predictions!!!Everbody's doooin' the same ol' post noooow<br />(Come on, bloggers, let's predict the Oscars)<br />Come on, come on, let's predict the Oscars with meeee.....<br /><br />PICTURE<br />The Artist<br />The Descendants<br />The Help<br />Hugo<br />The Ides of March - <i style="color: #cc0000;">you say a bit of a stretch, I say...ok, probably, but shut up</i><br />Midnight in Paris<br />Moneyball<br /><br />DIRECTOR <br />Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris<br />Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist<br />Alexander Payne, The Descendants<br />Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive<br />Martin Scorsese, Hugo<br /><br />ACTOR - <i style="color: #cc0000;">warning: I will definitely be wrong about at least one of the following acting noms. there's always one that comes out of nowhere, with absolutely no precursor support</i><br />George Clooney, The Descendants<br />Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar<br />Jean Dujardin, The Artist<br />Michael Fassbender, Shame<br />Brad Pitt, Moneyball<br /><br />ACTRESS<br />Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs<br />Viola Davis, The Help<br />Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady<br />Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin<br />Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn<br /><br />SUPPORTING ACTOR - <i style="color: #cc0000;">no Albert Brooks? I may be crazy, but which precursors have left him off? the industry ones, right?</i><br />Kenneth Branagh,&nbsp; My Week with Marilyn<br />Jonah Hill, Moneyball<br />Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Ides of March<br />Nick Nolte, Warrior<br />Christopher Plummer, Beginners<br /><br />SUPPORTING ACTRESS<br />Berenice Bejo, The Artist<br />Jessica Chastain, The Help<br />Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids<br />Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs<br />Octavia Spencer, The Help<br /><br />ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY<br />50/50 <br />The Artist<br />Bridesmaids <br />Midnight in Paris<br />Young Adult<br /><br />ADAPTED SCREENPLAY<br />The Descendants<br />The Help<br />Hugo <br />The Ides of March<br />Moneyball<br /><br />SCORE<br />The Adventures of Tintin <br />The Artist<br />Hugo<br />The Ides of March<br />War Horse <br /><br />CINEMATOGRAPHY<br />The Artist<br />Hugo<br />The Ides of March<br />Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy<br />War Horse<br /><br />EDITING<br />The Artist<br />Drive <br />Hugo<br />Moneyball - <i style="color: #cc0000;">making this my predicted fifth nom for Moneyball to Ides of March's...five</i><br />War Horse <br /><br />ART DIRECTION<br />Anonymous <br />The Artist<br />Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 <br />Hugo<br />Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy <br /><br />COSTUME DESIGN<br />Anonymous <br />The Artist<br />The Help <br />Hugo<br />Jane Eyre <br /><br />MAKEUP<br />Anonymous<br />Hugo <br />The Iron Lady<br /><br />SOUND MIXING<br />Hanna<br />Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol <br />Rise of the Planet of the Apes<br />Transformers: Dark of the Moon <br />War Horse <br /><br />SOUND EDITING<br />Captain America: The First Avenger <br />Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol <br />Rise of the Planet of the Apes<br />Super 8 <br />War Horse<br /><br />VISUAL EFFECTS<br />Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 <br />Hugo<br />Rise of the Planet of the Apes<br />Transformers: Dark of the Moon<br />The Tree of Life<br /><br />SONG<br />Gnomeo &amp; Juliet - Hello Hello <br />The Help - The Living Proof<br />Hugo - Coeur Volant - <i style="color: #cc0000;">making Hugo my predicted leader with eleven nominations, followed by ten for The Artist</i><br />The Muppets - Life's a Happy Song<br />The Muppets - Pictures in My Head<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-62730863685128697?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-64923023528563753622012-01-17T03:04:00.000-08:002012-01-17T03:04:54.759-08:00All Smile(y)s&nbsp;Home from work, and ready to discuss the BAFTA nominees!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g6OyTKVKRe8/TxVSOaOVfHI/AAAAAAAADnY/VYuWfwmLA2I/s1600/bafta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g6OyTKVKRe8/TxVSOaOVfHI/AAAAAAAADnY/VYuWfwmLA2I/s1600/bafta.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creepy statue. It reminds me so much of:</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t9R7GaazN1Y/TxVSPWe0jrI/AAAAAAAADng/Cnigo0RLQIs/s1600/Picture+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t9R7GaazN1Y/TxVSPWe0jrI/AAAAAAAADng/Cnigo0RLQIs/s320/Picture+2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Full list of them <a href="http://www.bafta.org/film/awards/nominees-winners-2012,2449,BA.html">here</a>, of course. <br /><br />But first, let me say three things about the Golden Globes. One: I'm sorry my post was unreadable, but I've never posted using an iPod Touch before. God, it's hideous! Two: Ricky Gervais was tamer this year; ie, boring. It wasn't the most exciting show, but I guess it was all right. Eh. Three: Seven correct out of eleven. A passing grade, surely.<br /><br />On to BAFTA. I watched the taped nominations just a moment ago (announced by Daniel Radcliffe and Holliday Grainger), and I have to admit that I was thrilled by a number of them! Many of the nominees are either shared by the Hollmann Awards, or just missed the mark. In order of their announcement:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jessica Chastain, <i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Judi Dench, <i>My Week with Marilyn</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Melissa McCarthy, <i>Bridesmaids</i> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Carey Mulligan, <i>Drive</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Octavia Spencer, <i>The Help</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tip o' the Hat: Chastain and Mulligan were also nominated for me, though it was <i>Shame</i> for the latter. I'm down with the Dench nom, she was a warm presence.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But What About...?: Zoe Wanamaker, who was one of the six ladies tipped by the Longlist as the Branch Leaders (individual branches select the longlist finalists in their respective categories, from which the entire Academy votes for the nominees).&nbsp; I was hoping she'd be included so that others could see I'm not crazy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What does this mean?: McCarthy has a lot of support among her peers, doesn't she? The SAGs, the BAFTAs...it's looking more and more likely that the Academy may bite.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR</div><div style="text-align: center;">Kenneth Branagh, <i>My Week with Marilyn</i>&nbsp;</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Jim Broadbent, <i>The Ides of March</i> </div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Jonah Hill, <i>Moneyball</i>&nbsp;</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Philip Seymour Hoffman, <i>The Ides of March</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Christopher Plummer, <i>Beginners</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tip o' the Hat: YES! <i>Ides of March</i> love! Go BAFTA!&nbsp; </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I34MwZ8Ey44/TxVTDLSf7GI/AAAAAAAADno/SCOkgmXrdFk/s1600/Picture+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I34MwZ8Ey44/TxVTDLSf7GI/AAAAAAAADno/SCOkgmXrdFk/s320/Picture+3.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He values your loyalty.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;And even though he's become a fixture at this point, the more recognition Plummer receives for <i>Beginners</i> the better.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But What About...?: There was a slight chance that Longlister John Hurt might have made it for <i>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</i>, but I suppose that was always a longshot.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What does this mean?: We've known for some time now that Branagh, Hill and Plummer are safe. Albert Brooks has missed out now with SAG and BAFTA. Hoffman could sneak in, but I don't expect this Broadbent nom to go anywhere.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Descendants</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Ides of March</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Moneyball</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tip o' the Hat: Those last three titles make me swoon. Definitely the best adapted screenplays of the year. <i>The Help</i>'s inclusion raised my eyebrows, but not critically so.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But What About...?: Oh, BAFTA, BAFTA, BAFTA. Two of your own films left out in the cold in favor of that terribly superficial Hawaii flick? <i>Submarine</i> was one of the best screenplays of the year, adapted or original, witty and moving and realistic and whimsical and masterful. MASTERFUL.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What does this mean?: <i>Descendants</i> and <i>Moneyball</i> are safe. The British contingent just may get <i>Tinker Tailor</i> and <i>Ides</i> the nods they deserve.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Artist</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Bridesmaids</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Guard</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Iron Lady</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Midnight in Paris</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tip o' the Hat: My own longlists included all these titles, so kudos.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But What About...?: What the hell does Mike Mills have to do to get some recognition? Plummer gives a magnificent performance in <i>Beginners</i>, but you know who <i>gave</i> him that character?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What does this mean?: That Kristen Wiig's Oscar nomination for Original Screenplay is safe and secure.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST DIRECTOR</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tomas Alfredson, <i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Michel Hazanavicius, <i>The Artist</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lynne Ramsay, <i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Nicolas Winding Refn, <i>Drive</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Martin Scorsese, <i>Hugo</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tip o' the Hat: Solid list, this one. Ramsay was my sixth choice, just missing the cut. Glad someone recognized her.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But What About...?: You know, actually, this list is fine. Sure, I would nominate Woody Allen and Steven Soderbergh, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. You done a good job, BAFTA.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What does this mean?: Hopefully, some momentum for Alfredson, though Refn is more likely the beneficiary. <i>Drive</i> is becoming a bit of a phenomenon, really, so there's a chance for it in categories outside of Supporting Actor. Like Broadbent and Mulligan, I expect Ramsay's nomination to be a BAFTA thing. Hopefully, I'll we pleasantly surprised.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST ACTRESS</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Berenice Bejo, <i>The Artist</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Viola Davis, <i>The Help</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Meryl Streep, <i>The Iron Lady</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tilda Swinton, <i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i><i></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Michelle Williams, <i>My Week with Marilyn</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tip o' the Hat: First, to my typing skills, which first had me reporting that Swinton was nominated for <i>The Iron Lady</i> and Williams for <i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i>. I want to see those movies now! Second, to the inclusion of Bejo in Lead Actress. She was sixth on my own ballot, so she didn't make it, but my God! The woman is just <b><i>DAZZLING</i></b> as Peppy Miller! And she <i>is</i> the co-lead!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But What About...?: I still love you, Charlize Theron.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--szUcqQoGF0/TxVTPI7pYvI/AAAAAAAADnw/a2uJCGA_pRw/s1600/robbbbed%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="182" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--szUcqQoGF0/TxVTPI7pYvI/AAAAAAAADnw/a2uJCGA_pRw/s320/robbbbed%2521.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WE CAN BEAT THIS THING TOGETHER.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;What does this mean?: That the nay-sayers nay-saying Swinton's nom can nay-say no more.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST ACTOR</div><div style="text-align: center;">George Clooney, <i>The Descendants</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jean Dujardin, <i>The Artist</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Michael Fassbender, <i>Shame</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Brad Pitt, <i>Moneyball</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gary Oldman, <i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tip o' the Hat: Fassbender <i>and</i> Oldman. The right choice.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But What About...?: Gosling for <i>Drive</i>. Love for Mulligan, love for Refn, but no love for the Driver. Oy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What does this mean?: Oh, God, I don't know. Conventional wisdom holds that Clooney, Dujardin and Pitt are safe for the Oscars, and God knows after that. Even if DiCaprio stays in play, there's still a fifth slot, and it would be between Fassbender and Oldman. Certainly it would be better to have both than neither, though, right?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST BRITISH FILM</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My Week with Marilyn</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Senna</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Shame</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tip o' the Hat: We all knew that <i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i> was going to rule at the BAFTAs. Does that change my excitement for every nomination it receives? Not at all.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What does this mean?: <i>Senna</i>'s winning their documentary prize.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST FILM</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Artist</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Descendants</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Drive</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tip o' the Hat: <i>DRIIIIIIIVE</i>!!!!! <i>TINKER TAILOOOOOOOOR</i>!!! TOGETHER AGAIN!!!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4fH6jJD7Z_I/TxVUw_IGr5I/AAAAAAAADn4/U1Lwmth9V_g/s1600/Picture+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4fH6jJD7Z_I/TxVUw_IGr5I/AAAAAAAADn4/U1Lwmth9V_g/s320/Picture+4.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll drink to that!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;But What About....?: Honestly, kind of thought the Brits would go more for <i>Midnight in Paris</i>. Also, those Director and British Film nominees gave me the slightest hope for <i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i>...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What does this mean?: Everyone seems to have some love for <i>The Descendants</i>, with a few exceptions here and there. Hopefully, BAFTA members that overlap with AMPAS will help a film more in need of support, such as <i>Drive</i> or <i>Tinker, Tailor</i>.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-6492302352856375362?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-19466059802796617222012-01-15T13:28:00.001-08:002012-01-15T13:28:52.031-08:00Sulking Tomorrow, Globes TonightWriting from a McDonald's during my lunch break, here are my quick and dirty predictions for tonight's Golden Globes. (film only, please)Picture - Drama: HugoPicture - Comedy/musical: The ArtistDirector: HazanaviciusActress - Drama: Glenn CloseActor - Drama: George ClooneyActress - Comedy: Michelle WilliamsActor - Comedy: Jean DujardinSupporting Actress: Octavia SpencerSupporting Actor: Christopher PlummerScreenplay: Woody AllenScore: HugoSong: life's a happy song<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-1946605980279661722?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-52812686659429805272012-01-11T13:24:00.000-08:002012-01-24T03:27:58.973-08:00The 2011 Hollmann Awards Nominees!Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the nominees for the 2011 HOLLMANN AWARDS!!!<br /><br />The nominees are chosen from a field of 82 films, which were reduced to fifteen semi-finalists in each of the eighteen categories. From those fifteen, ten have been eliminated to bring about the nominees you now see here.<br /><br />Traditionally, I post my nominations the day before Oscar announces theirs. Last year, I went for five days before the Academy, just because I figured I had seen everything I was going to see, and the next couple of days were not going to make a difference. This year, I know that I've seen all that I'm gonna see weeks in advance. That's fine. These awards are a representation of my personal film experience in 2011...and now that I live in a city where the 2011 releases come out in the calendar year, I don't have to wait until the end of January to judge that. I cut it off at the end of December, officially making <i>The Iron Lady</i> my 82nd and final film of the year (and nominated twice here...)<br /><br />We've got a little over a hundred nominees this year, and I'm sure they're all anxious to hear their names called out. Let the games begin:<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i style="color: black;">for <b>BEST VISUAL EFFECTS</b>, the nominees are:</i></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nT_ts7At8VQ/Tw0KpgeR1gI/AAAAAAAADeo/r8F_jp9yI2I/s1600/anonymous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nT_ts7At8VQ/Tw0KpgeR1gI/AAAAAAAADeo/r8F_jp9yI2I/s320/anonymous.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><u>Anonymous</u></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>&nbsp;</b></i>Volker Engel/Marc Weigert, visual effects supervisors</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Engel and Weigert were previously nominated for </i>2012</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sJaRhbvoPs0/Tw0KqF7YvaI/AAAAAAAADew/JmhymLOnoVA/s1600/harry+potter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sJaRhbvoPs0/Tw0KqF7YvaI/AAAAAAAADew/JmhymLOnoVA/s320/harry+potter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2</b></u></i> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Tim Burke, senior visual effects supervisor</div><div style="text-align: center;">Matt Jacobs/John Moffatt/Chris Shaw, visual effects supervisors</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6uQcqMyx36U/Tw0Kqsy9UzI/AAAAAAAADe4/fiU2aZgvB8w/s1600/rise+of+the+apes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6uQcqMyx36U/Tw0Kqsy9UzI/AAAAAAAADe4/fiU2aZgvB8w/s320/rise+of+the+apes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><u>Rise of the Planet of the Apes</u></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Joe Letteri, senior visual effects supervisor</div><div style="text-align: center;">Dan Lemmon/R. Christopher White, visual effects supervisors</div><div style="text-align: center;">Daniel Barrett, animation supervisor</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Letteri previously won for </i>Avatar</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GGm8juUkc98/Tw0Kq8LjQSI/AAAAAAAADfA/_HPUVJhnGNw/s1600/sucker+punch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GGm8juUkc98/Tw0Kq8LjQSI/AAAAAAAADfA/_HPUVJhnGNw/s320/sucker+punch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i><b>Sucker Punch</b></i></u>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">John "DJ" DesJardin, visual effects supervisor</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>DesJardin was previously nominated for </i>Watchmen</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-quyx_upybo8/Tw0Krl07KwI/AAAAAAAADfI/TcQB1RAnhM8/s1600/super+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-quyx_upybo8/Tw0Krl07KwI/AAAAAAAADfI/TcQB1RAnhM8/s320/super+8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Super 8</b></u></i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Russell Earl/Dennis Muren, visual effects supervisors</div><div style="text-align: center;">Paul Kavanagh, animation supervisor </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i>for <b>BEST SOUND</b>, the nominees are:</i></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Drive</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lon Bender/Victor Ray Ennis, supervising sound editors</div><div style="text-align: center;">Robert Fernandez/Dave Paterson, sound re-recording mixers</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i><b>Hanna</b></i></u></div><div style="text-align: center;">Craig Berkey/Christopher Scarabosio, sound re-recording mixers/sound designers</div><div style="text-align: center;">Scarabosio, supervising sound editor</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Craig Berkey was previously nominated for </i>A Serious Man </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Sucker Punch</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Scott Hecker, supervising sound editor</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rick Hromadka, sound designer</div><div style="text-align: center;">Chris Jenkins, sound re-recording mixer</div><div style="text-align: center;">Michael McGee, production sound mixer</div><div style="text-align: center;">Frank Montano, sound re-recording mixer</div><div style="text-align: center;">Eric A. Norris, supervising sound effects designer</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Michael McGee was previously nominated for </i>TRON: Legacy </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i><b>Super 8</b></i></u></div><div style="text-align: center;">Anna Behlmer, sound re-recording mixer</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ben Burtt, sound designer/supervising sound editor</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tom Johnson/Andy Nelson, sound re-recording mixer</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mark Ulano, production sound mixer</div><div style="text-align: center;">Matthew Wood, supervising sound editor</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Anna Behlmer and Andy Nelson were previously nominated for </i>Cloverfield <i>and</i> Star Trek<i>&nbsp;</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood previously won for </i>WALL-E</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mark Ulano was previously nominated for </i>Iron Man<i> and </i>Inglourious Basterds </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i><b>War Horse</b></i></u></div><div style="text-align: center;">Richard Hymns, supervising sound editor</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tom Johnson/Andy Nelson, sound re-recording mixer</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gary Rydstrom, sound designer/sound re-recording mixer</div><div style="text-align: center;">Stuart Wilson, production sound mixer</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Nelson was previously nominated for </i>Cloverfield <i>and</i> Star Trek. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i>for <b>BEST MAKEUP</b>, the nominees are:</i></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A9rUOqZyNXY/Tw0LG9ImPGI/AAAAAAAADfQ/1es6F2iLgqI/s1600/albert+nobbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A9rUOqZyNXY/Tw0LG9ImPGI/AAAAAAAADfQ/1es6F2iLgqI/s320/albert+nobbs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Albert Nobbs</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Matthew W. Mungle, special makeup effects designer</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lorraine Glynn Whelan, key hair stylist</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7dNvjr9LFIU/Tw0LHeuqqjI/AAAAAAAADfY/3Rz32IaclYc/s1600/anonymous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7dNvjr9LFIU/Tw0LHeuqqjI/AAAAAAAADfY/3Rz32IaclYc/s320/anonymous.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i><b>Anonymous </b></i></u></div><div style="text-align: center;">Heike Merker/Bjorn Rehbein, makeup department heads</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jmroE5oJylY/Tw0LH1gUbfI/AAAAAAAADfg/ji5c5sc9fTk/s1600/drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jmroE5oJylY/Tw0LH1gUbfI/AAAAAAAADfg/ji5c5sc9fTk/s320/drive.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Drive</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Medusah, hair department head</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gerald Quist, makeup department head</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IaxEs2EoNOI/Tw0LIMhoDGI/AAAAAAAADfo/XtrpLQyrKt8/s1600/harry+potter+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IaxEs2EoNOI/Tw0LIMhoDGI/AAAAAAAADfo/XtrpLQyrKt8/s320/harry+potter+8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nick Dudman, makeup effects designer</div><div style="text-align: center;">Amanda Knight, makeup designer </div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Dudman and Knight were previously nominated for </i>Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wYeLRBQyDzw/Tx6UZl9qoAI/AAAAAAAADqQ/-bwVo9vdRXY/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wYeLRBQyDzw/Tx6UZl9qoAI/AAAAAAAADqQ/-bwVo9vdRXY/s320/Picture+1.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><u>The Iron Lady</u></i></b>&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mark Coulier, prosthetics designer </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Marese Langan, makeup and hair designer</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<i>formerly </i>X-Men: First Class<i>; for more information, see <a href="http://silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com/2012/01/correction.html">this post</a></i>)</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Costume, Score, Actors and more after the jump!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><a name='more'></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i>for <b>BEST COSTUME DESIGN</b>, the nominees are:</i></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8OdYviP1cVk/Tw0MjA-2KGI/AAAAAAAADf4/66DHtfP0x-s/s1600/anonymous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8OdYviP1cVk/Tw0MjA-2KGI/AAAAAAAADf4/66DHtfP0x-s/s320/anonymous.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Anonymous</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lisy Christi</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jAfHMtwaM7U/Tw0MjowdryI/AAAAAAAADgA/971-tImOgYY/s1600/drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jAfHMtwaM7U/Tw0MjowdryI/AAAAAAAADgA/971-tImOgYY/s320/drive.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Drive</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Erin Benach</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YouyunGnunc/Tw0MkOn1OsI/AAAAAAAADgI/iQRWHqMmv24/s1600/hugo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YouyunGnunc/Tw0MkOn1OsI/AAAAAAAADgI/iQRWHqMmv24/s320/hugo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Hugo</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sandy Powell</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YAHY8IePkSM/Tw0MkeFwBlI/AAAAAAAADgQ/kKqXoqwqcDU/s1600/iron+lady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YAHY8IePkSM/Tw0MkeFwBlI/AAAAAAAADgQ/kKqXoqwqcDU/s320/iron+lady.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>The Iron Lady</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Consolata Boyle</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vhx1VFUAmws/Tw0Mk1XrppI/AAAAAAAADgY/BG6Kn_JKfFI/s1600/tinker+tailor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vhx1VFUAmws/Tw0Mk1XrppI/AAAAAAAADgY/BG6Kn_JKfFI/s320/tinker+tailor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jacqueline Durran</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i>for <b>BEST ART DIRECTION</b>, the nominees are:</i></u><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jmg6rquy7og/Tw0NB_2nzII/AAAAAAAADgg/GtdZh2uRcOE/s1600/anonymous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jmg6rquy7og/Tw0NB_2nzII/AAAAAAAADgg/GtdZh2uRcOE/s320/anonymous.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Anonymous</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sebastian T. Krawinkle, production design</div><div style="text-align: center;">Stephan O. Gessler, art direction supervisor</div><div style="text-align: center;">Simon-Julien Boucherie, set decoration&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gMW58s01iL4/Tw0NCXFii4I/AAAAAAAADgo/Wg3CCV8H1a4/s1600/drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gMW58s01iL4/Tw0NCXFii4I/AAAAAAAADgo/Wg3CCV8H1a4/s320/drive.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Drive</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Beth Mickle, production design</div><div style="text-align: center;">Christopher Tandon, art direction</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lisa K. Sessions, set decoration</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V9CuAj3XC1E/Tw0NChHeeUI/AAAAAAAADgw/cPvQodKb-XU/s1600/midnight+in+paris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V9CuAj3XC1E/Tw0NChHeeUI/AAAAAAAADgw/cPvQodKb-XU/s320/midnight+in+paris.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Midnight in Paris</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Anne Seibel, production design/art direction</div><div style="text-align: center;">Helene Dubreuil, set decoration </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f6kM5WUCNWI/Tw0NDqobZ8I/AAAAAAAADg4/mdt_6P0MvR0/s1600/potiche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f6kM5WUCNWI/Tw0NDqobZ8I/AAAAAAAADg4/mdt_6P0MvR0/s320/potiche.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Potiche</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Katia Wyszkop, production design</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-94XyYSnZIh0/Tw0NEKuhkCI/AAAAAAAADhA/RBF0rA7AnHI/s1600/tinker+tailor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-94XyYSnZIh0/Tw0NEKuhkCI/AAAAAAAADhA/RBF0rA7AnHI/s320/tinker+tailor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Maria Djurkovic, production design<br />Tom Brown, art direction supervisor<br /><br /><br /><u><i>for <b>BEST ENSEMBLE</b>, the nominees are:</i></u><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zQC2TshJTBE/Tw0Ncy4ghSI/AAAAAAAADhI/hdzmjqEfTnQ/s1600/carnage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zQC2TshJTBE/Tw0Ncy4ghSI/AAAAAAAADhI/hdzmjqEfTnQ/s320/carnage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><i><b>Carnage</b></i></u><br />Fiona Weir<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zGZHn0maymQ/Tw0Ndcd1awI/AAAAAAAADhQ/aqwI4F6HfT0/s1600/contagion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zGZHn0maymQ/Tw0Ndcd1awI/AAAAAAAADhQ/aqwI4F6HfT0/s320/contagion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><i><b>Contagion</b></i></u><br />Carmen Cuba<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dAdTe1aA_30/Tw0Nd2UW82I/AAAAAAAADhY/Zp6G16Z5tmE/s1600/ides.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dAdTe1aA_30/Tw0Nd2UW82I/AAAAAAAADhY/Zp6G16Z5tmE/s320/ides.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><i><b>The Ides of March</b></i></u><br />Ellen Chenoweth<br /><i>Chenoweth was previously nominated for </i>A Serious Man<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iYAe4uaXXek/Tw0NebEv3KI/AAAAAAAADhg/yNN8PN_Ssvg/s1600/midnight+in+paris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iYAe4uaXXek/Tw0NebEv3KI/AAAAAAAADhg/yNN8PN_Ssvg/s320/midnight+in+paris.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><i><b> </b></i></u><br /><u><i><b>Midnight in Paris</b></i></u><br />Juliet Taylor, Stephane Foenkinos, Patricia Kerrigan DiCerto<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wqLIHnCniRo/Tw0Ne35ux9I/AAAAAAAADho/lHgNEapZSE4/s1600/tinker+tailor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wqLIHnCniRo/Tw0Ne35ux9I/AAAAAAAADho/lHgNEapZSE4/s320/tinker+tailor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><i><b>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</b></i></u><br />Jina Jay</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i>for <b>BEST ORIGINAL SONG</b>, the nominees are:</i></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Gnomeo &amp; Juliet - "Hello, Hello"</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">music by Elton John and Stefani Germanotta<br />lyrics by Bernie Taupin</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Hugo - "Coeur Volant"</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">music and lyrics by Elizabeth Cotnoir, Isabelle Geffroy and Howard Shore&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>The Muppets - "Man or Muppet"</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">music and lyrics by Bret McKenzie</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>The Muppets - "Pictures in My Head"</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">music and lyrics by Jeannie Lurie, Aris Archontis and Chen Neeman</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>Red Riding Hood - "The Wolf"</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">music and lyrics by Karin Dreijer Andersson, Liliana Zavala, Christoffer Berg, Van Rivers and Peder Mannerfelt<br /><br /><br /><i><u>for <b>BEST ORIGINAL SCORE</b>, the nominees are:</u></i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3YJV-pgy6eU/Tw0P3viqIDI/AAAAAAAADhw/3Q36u8ckqmU/s1600/attack+the+block.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3YJV-pgy6eU/Tw0P3viqIDI/AAAAAAAADhw/3Q36u8ckqmU/s200/attack+the+block.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><i><u><b>Attack the Block</b></u></i><br />Steven Price, Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OTTnmP7_ztw/Tw0P30_6L_I/AAAAAAAADh4/EpILBbSEyr8/s1600/drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OTTnmP7_ztw/Tw0P30_6L_I/AAAAAAAADh4/EpILBbSEyr8/s200/drive.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><i><u><b>Drive</b></u></i><br />Cliff Martinez<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E3P9VuqEXa0/Tw0P4eer75I/AAAAAAAADiA/E0Ayw_-7vdI/s1600/hugo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E3P9VuqEXa0/Tw0P4eer75I/AAAAAAAADiA/E0Ayw_-7vdI/s200/hugo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><i><u><b>Hugo</b></u></i><br />Howard Shore<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h-wrySRppUo/Tw0P48IvlBI/AAAAAAAADiI/mqjWp0gKZjY/s1600/super+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h-wrySRppUo/Tw0P48IvlBI/AAAAAAAADiI/mqjWp0gKZjY/s200/super+8.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><u><i><b>Super 8</b></i></u><br />Michael Giacchino<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kYdDJS_A3r4/Tw0P58HstiI/AAAAAAAADiQ/T2gXUVphR9s/s1600/tinker+tailor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kYdDJS_A3r4/Tw0P58HstiI/AAAAAAAADiQ/T2gXUVphR9s/s200/tinker+tailor.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><i><u><b>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</b></u></i><br />Alberto Iglesias<br /><br /><br /><u><i>for <b>BEST EDITING</b>, the nominees are:</i></u><br /><br /><i><u><b>The Artist</b></u></i><br />Anne-Sophie Bion<br />Michel Hazanavicius<br /><br /><i><u><b>Drive</b></u></i><br />Mat Newman<br /><br /><i><u><b>Hanna</b></u></i><br />Paul Tothill<br /><br /><i><u><b>Martha Marcy May Marlene</b></u></i><br />Zachary Stuart-Tothill<br /><br /><i><u><b>We Need to Talk About Kevin</b></u></i><br />Joe Bini</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i>for <b>BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY</b>, the nominees are:</i></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><i><u><b>Beginners</b></u></i><br />Mike Mills<br /><br /><i><u><b>Ceremony</b></u></i><br />Max Winkler<br /><br /><u><i><b>Contagion</b></i></u><br />Scott Z. Burns<br /><br /><u><i><b>Midnight in Paris</b></i></u><br />Woody Allen<br /><br /><i><u><b>Young Adult</b></u></i><br />Diablo Cody</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Cody was previously nominated for </i>Juno </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i>for <b>BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY</b>, the nominees are:</i></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z7OPzB3nbt4/Tw0ksR7bjTI/AAAAAAAADiY/qOBrILsGL6Q/s1600/drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z7OPzB3nbt4/Tw0ksR7bjTI/AAAAAAAADiY/qOBrILsGL6Q/s320/drive.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><u><b>Drive</b></u></i><br />Newton Thomas Sigel<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y8CHPAVbr8E/Tw0ks78zUDI/AAAAAAAADig/hIlpXeVhQak/s1600/hanna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y8CHPAVbr8E/Tw0ks78zUDI/AAAAAAAADig/hIlpXeVhQak/s320/hanna.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><u><b>Hanna</b></u></i><br />Alwin Kuchler<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bR_KfN_-zt0/Tw0ktsyiYkI/AAAAAAAADiw/yxqhBYaqL98/s1600/tinker+tailor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bR_KfN_-zt0/Tw0ktsyiYkI/AAAAAAAADiw/yxqhBYaqL98/s320/tinker+tailor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><u><b>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</b></u></i><br />Hoyte von Hoytema<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Von Hoytema was previously nominated for </i>The Fighter</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lejf5tSxqRk/Tw0kuHO-9JI/AAAAAAAADi4/u9GCAOPRjAQ/s1600/tree+of+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lejf5tSxqRk/Tw0kuHO-9JI/AAAAAAAADi4/u9GCAOPRjAQ/s320/tree+of+life.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><i><b>The Tree of Life</b></i></u><br />Emmanuel Lubezki<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-byg_5ddHm3Y/Tw0ktPj21LI/AAAAAAAADio/y4GhJb-RODo/s1600/kevin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-byg_5ddHm3Y/Tw0ktPj21LI/AAAAAAAADio/y4GhJb-RODo/s320/kevin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><u><b>We Need to Talk About Kevin</b></u></i><br />Seamus McGarvey</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>McGarvey was previously nominated for </i>Atonement</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i>for <b>BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY</b>, the nominees are:</i></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K5-wLxqJcbE/Tw0lDTLhGJI/AAAAAAAADjA/HnNulCfQmeI/s1600/ides.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K5-wLxqJcbE/Tw0lDTLhGJI/AAAAAAAADjA/HnNulCfQmeI/s1600/ides.jpg" /></a></div><u><i><b>The Ides of March</b></i></u><br />George Clooney &amp; Grant Heslov<br />from the play <u>Farragut North</u> by Beau Willimon<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_VecrqXRK8o/Tw0lHI6H0-I/AAAAAAAADjQ/B1B8-K-ZrXs/s1600/moneyball+adapted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_VecrqXRK8o/Tw0lHI6H0-I/AAAAAAAADjQ/B1B8-K-ZrXs/s320/moneyball+adapted.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><u><i><b>Moneyball</b></i></u><br />Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian, story by Stan Chervin<br />from the book by Michael Lewis<br /><i>Sorkin won last year for </i>The Social Network<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vcLkHjjzRtY/Tw0lHr2_DgI/AAAAAAAADjY/wOFr92fHZxU/s1600/submarine+adapted.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vcLkHjjzRtY/Tw0lHr2_DgI/AAAAAAAADjY/wOFr92fHZxU/s1600/submarine+adapted.jpg" /></a><br /><u><i><b>Submarine</b></i></u><br />Richard Ayoade<br />from the novel by Joe Dunthorne<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S3MYxmJAHRQ/Tw0lH-yooFI/AAAAAAAADjg/8RT2gkIPnzw/s1600/tinker+tailor+adapted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S3MYxmJAHRQ/Tw0lH-yooFI/AAAAAAAADjg/8RT2gkIPnzw/s320/tinker+tailor+adapted.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><i><u><b>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</b></u></i><br />Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughn<br />from the novel by John le Carre<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YmGfMNJ5MkE/Tw0lGkrNOFI/AAAAAAAADjI/SIh10uLOo7U/s1600/kevin+adapted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YmGfMNJ5MkE/Tw0lGkrNOFI/AAAAAAAADjI/SIh10uLOo7U/s320/kevin+adapted.jpg" width="205" /></a></div><i><u><b>We Need to Talk About Kevin</b></u></i><br />Rory Kinnear and Lynne Ramsay<br />from the novel by Lionel Shriver<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i>for <b>BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR</b></i><i>, the nominees are:</i></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jqDvvSgU9O8/Tw0lnspMqeI/AAAAAAAADjo/BcdVXlkKIOA/s1600/hogg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jqDvvSgU9O8/Tw0lnspMqeI/AAAAAAAADjo/BcdVXlkKIOA/s320/hogg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><u>Edward Hogg as Robert Cecil</u></b><br /><i>Anonymous</i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jgjhj537lJE/Tw0loH9_7OI/AAAAAAAADjw/NiUJuaEp4RY/s1600/hurt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jgjhj537lJE/Tw0loH9_7OI/AAAAAAAADjw/NiUJuaEp4RY/s320/hurt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><b>John Hurt as Control</b></u><br /><i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy </i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I7idwINoTys/Tw0lork0QkI/AAAAAAAADj4/kUCULyua2N4/s1600/pitt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I7idwINoTys/Tw0lork0QkI/AAAAAAAADj4/kUCULyua2N4/s320/pitt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><b>Brad Pitt as Mr. O'Brien</b></u><br /><i>The Tree of Life </i><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XKjhn1mc2uM/Tw0lpKpYV8I/AAAAAAAADkA/Xvd5--Bv_44/s1600/plummer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XKjhn1mc2uM/Tw0lpKpYV8I/AAAAAAAADkA/Xvd5--Bv_44/s320/plummer.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Christopher Plummer as Hal Fields</b></u><br /><i>Beginners </i><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IVWcC0PBzv0/Tw0lpu6TBsI/AAAAAAAADkI/YiDUF4T6fxo/s1600/strong.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IVWcC0PBzv0/Tw0lpu6TBsI/AAAAAAAADkI/YiDUF4T6fxo/s320/strong.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Mark Strong as Jim Prideaux</b></u><br /><i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy </i><br /><br /><br /><u><i>for <b>BEST ACTOR,</b> the nominees are:</i></u><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oWKjB5gswVI/Tw0mcIQGtYI/AAAAAAAADkQ/0VzVgzCjWO8/s1600/courtney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oWKjB5gswVI/Tw0mcIQGtYI/AAAAAAAADkQ/0VzVgzCjWO8/s320/courtney.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><b>Joel Courtney as Joe Lamb</b></u><br /><i>Super 8</i><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PSvIOaD8SkE/Tw0mcqfRIuI/AAAAAAAADkY/UsTClf4xgk4/s1600/fassbender.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PSvIOaD8SkE/Tw0mcqfRIuI/AAAAAAAADkY/UsTClf4xgk4/s320/fassbender.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Michael Fassbender as Brandon Sullivan</b></u><br /><i>Shame</i><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hSEVtxbSJkE/Tw0mcyvTR0I/AAAAAAAADkg/bBi_wruMeSA/s1600/gosling.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hSEVtxbSJkE/Tw0mcyvTR0I/AAAAAAAADkg/bBi_wruMeSA/s320/gosling.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Ryan Gosling as The Driver</b></u><br /><i>Drive</i><br /><i>Gosling was previously nominated for </i>Lars and the Real Girl<i> </i><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cWQak1Ozjs8/Tw0mdcNOm4I/AAAAAAAADko/bgSglyzizmQ/s1600/ifans.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cWQak1Ozjs8/Tw0mdcNOm4I/AAAAAAAADko/bgSglyzizmQ/s320/ifans.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Rhys Ifans as Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford</b></u><br /><i>Anonymous</i><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ueR4z60_dOY/Tw0mdiDqNiI/AAAAAAAADkw/ppfQjaKLDl4/s1600/oldman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ueR4z60_dOY/Tw0mdiDqNiI/AAAAAAAADkw/ppfQjaKLDl4/s320/oldman.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Gary Oldman as George Smiley</b></u><br /><i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i><br /><i>Oldman was previously nominated in Best Supporting Actor for </i>The Dark Knight<i> </i><br /><br /><br /><u><i>for <b>BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS</b>, the nominees are:</i></u><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b3FViYu0qH8/Tw0m5VZlVOI/AAAAAAAADk4/FbvnU2_QJtU/s1600/chastain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b3FViYu0qH8/Tw0m5VZlVOI/AAAAAAAADk4/FbvnU2_QJtU/s320/chastain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><b>Jessica Chastain as Celia Foote</b></u><br /><i>The Help</i><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-raGwb5N9OVs/Tw0m57zqXvI/AAAAAAAADlA/ziSS2Il6_Z8/s1600/ehle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-raGwb5N9OVs/Tw0m57zqXvI/AAAAAAAADlA/ziSS2Il6_Z8/s320/ehle.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br /><u><b>Jennifer Ehle as Dr. Ally Hextall</b></u><br /><i>Contagion</i><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Mx3lRw6kuc/Tw0m6JPtv4I/AAAAAAAADlI/IB-EK_pm2dk/s1600/heche.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Mx3lRw6kuc/Tw0m6JPtv4I/AAAAAAAADlI/IB-EK_pm2dk/s320/heche.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Anne Heche as Joan Ostrowski-Fox</b></u><br /><i>Cedar Rapids</i><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sFW2oW8jKQ0/Tw0m6bd3dOI/AAAAAAAADlQ/Xxgoc7dK1kQ/s1600/mulligan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sFW2oW8jKQ0/Tw0m6bd3dOI/AAAAAAAADlQ/Xxgoc7dK1kQ/s320/mulligan.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br /><u><b>Carey Mulligan as Sissy Sullivan</b></u><br /><i>Shame</i><br /><i>Mulligan was previously nominated in Best Actress for </i>An Education<i> </i><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-82nK98o-N5g/Tw0m60NB31I/AAAAAAAADlY/MMxFEJ_RDaM/s1600/wanamaker.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-82nK98o-N5g/Tw0m60NB31I/AAAAAAAADlY/MMxFEJ_RDaM/s320/wanamaker.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Zoe Wanamaker as Paula Adler</b></u><br /><i>My Week with Marilyn</i><br /><br /><br /><u><i>for <b>BEST ACTRESS,</b> the nominees are:</i></u><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8upHI9hm7oE/Tw0nk81R9uI/AAAAAAAADlg/eu6q8SyCw5o/s1600/fanning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8upHI9hm7oE/Tw0nk81R9uI/AAAAAAAADlg/eu6q8SyCw5o/s320/fanning.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><b>Elle Fanning as Alice Dainard</b></u><br /><i>Super 8</i><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QySkFqZn934/Tw0nlZpZpbI/AAAAAAAADlo/5S57ppWNY-E/s1600/streep.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QySkFqZn934/Tw0nlZpZpbI/AAAAAAAADlo/5S57ppWNY-E/s320/streep.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher</b></u><br /><i>The Iron Lady</i><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iFob-nEriPY/Tw0nlvjQWjI/AAAAAAAADlw/Armrn_CIZl4/s1600/swinton.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iFob-nEriPY/Tw0nlvjQWjI/AAAAAAAADlw/Armrn_CIZl4/s320/swinton.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Tilda Swinton as Eva Khatchadourian</b></u><br /><i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YzFCu36pcoM/Tw0nmKrgNGI/AAAAAAAADl4/BGNuFTdgc7E/s1600/theron.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YzFCu36pcoM/Tw0nmKrgNGI/AAAAAAAADl4/BGNuFTdgc7E/s320/theron.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Charlize Theron as Mavis Gary</b></u><br /><i>Young Adult</i><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a-MSW_S3UlI/Tw0nmk51FCI/AAAAAAAADmA/V9JCOrJf7hQ/s1600/yun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a-MSW_S3UlI/Tw0nmk51FCI/AAAAAAAADmA/V9JCOrJf7hQ/s320/yun.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Yun Joon-hee as Mjie</b></u><br /><i>Poetry</i><br /><br /><br /><u><i>for <b>BEST DIRECTOR,</b> the nominees are:</i></u><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5s975KWWWmI/Tw0oTA4cvmI/AAAAAAAADmI/yjiy2RxchUk/s1600/alfredson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5s975KWWWmI/Tw0oTA4cvmI/AAAAAAAADmI/yjiy2RxchUk/s320/alfredson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><b>Tomas Alfredson</b></u><br /><i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j8qlhiGyKik/Tw0oTdqfYgI/AAAAAAAADmQ/zf-LXH6X2Ds/s1600/allen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j8qlhiGyKik/Tw0oTdqfYgI/AAAAAAAADmQ/zf-LXH6X2Ds/s320/allen.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Woody Allen</b></u><br /><i>Midnight in Paris</i><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2Q1zVj4hVg/Tw0oTp0M7xI/AAAAAAAADmY/Lk_iVzLEDY8/s1600/hazanavicius.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2Q1zVj4hVg/Tw0oTp0M7xI/AAAAAAAADmY/Lk_iVzLEDY8/s1600/hazanavicius.jpg" /></a><br /><u><b>Michel Hazanavicius</b></u><br /><i>The Artist</i><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d0cNNMYS5Pg/Tw0oUOlsDYI/AAAAAAAADmg/ts13yYszs1E/s1600/refn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d0cNNMYS5Pg/Tw0oUOlsDYI/AAAAAAAADmg/ts13yYszs1E/s320/refn.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Nicolas Winding Refn</b></u><br /><i>Drive</i><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r0ifxbnWSkE/Tw0oUmqiOQI/AAAAAAAADmo/F9bV8oxgq4c/s1600/soderbergh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r0ifxbnWSkE/Tw0oUmqiOQI/AAAAAAAADmo/F9bV8oxgq4c/s320/soderbergh.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><u><b>Steven Soderbergh</b></u><br /><i>Contagion</i><br /><br /><br /><u><i>for <b>BEST PICTURE</b>, the nominees are:</i></u><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5VN6cilDmIw/Tw0o-67nwZI/AAAAAAAADmw/d4yeh1i3SNs/s1600/drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5VN6cilDmIw/Tw0o-67nwZI/AAAAAAAADmw/d4yeh1i3SNs/s320/drive.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><i><b>Drive</b></i></u><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lwR9yGLzpJA/Tw0o_FLKIjI/AAAAAAAADm4/6TpjcTuUFo0/s1600/midnight+in+paris.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lwR9yGLzpJA/Tw0o_FLKIjI/AAAAAAAADm4/6TpjcTuUFo0/s320/midnight+in+paris.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><i><u><b>Midnight in Paris</b></u></i><br /><i><u><b><br /></b></u></i><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PSun_5tnQTs/Tw0o_XMR4HI/AAAAAAAADnA/yeTSMMYmraM/s1600/super+8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PSun_5tnQTs/Tw0o_XMR4HI/AAAAAAAADnA/yeTSMMYmraM/s320/super+8.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><i><u><b>Super 8</b></u></i><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ujwuZLOFLgw/Tw0o_8kwjcI/AAAAAAAADnI/4cvbtms2Bi8/s1600/tinker+tailor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ujwuZLOFLgw/Tw0o_8kwjcI/AAAAAAAADnI/4cvbtms2Bi8/s320/tinker+tailor.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><i><u><b>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy </b></u></i><br /><i><u><b><br /></b></u></i><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3WAP9Zb3lhU/Tw0pAQLD2gI/AAAAAAAADnQ/haemFWWdgUE/s1600/young+adult.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3WAP9Zb3lhU/Tw0pAQLD2gI/AAAAAAAADnQ/haemFWWdgUE/s320/young+adult.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><i><u><b>Young Adult</b></u></i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-5281268665942980527?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-86150954436960454062012-01-09T20:05:00.000-08:002012-01-09T20:05:07.100-08:00Put Out to Pasture (Get It?)You all probably know this already, but I don't dare give you SAG, PGA and WGA and leave the DGA out to dry! I know that when I wrote down my predictions at work, I thought: "Clooney! Hazanavicius! Payne! Scorsese! Spielberg!" And when I got home, I got:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Woody Allen, <i>Midnight in Paris</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">David Fincher, <i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Michel Hazanavicius, <i>The Artist</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Alexander Payne, <i>The Descendants</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Martin Scorsese, <i>Hugo </i></div><br />Well, 3/5 ain't bad, right? Woody Allen's inclusion just delights me. I'm constantly hesitating to predict it because I keep thinking, "It can't be true. It's too slight, too light; it makes me too happy. It can't be real!" But it's <i>real</i>. The film's gotten the big nominations from SAG, PGA, WGA, DGA and the Golden Globes! High-five to us all!<br /><br />Also, David Fincher was nominated for <i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i>, which is starting to surprise in the last legs of the race. SAG didn't bite...but then the Globes nominated it for Actress and Score...then right in a row: WGA, PGA, and WHAM! -- BAM! -- POW! -- the Directors throw it some love! Is this a case of last-minute, for-real gonna happen, or another Nolan/<i>The Dark Knight</i> sitch where the Academy thinks a tad differently? All we can do now is wait...<br /><br />Meanwhile, the Hollmann Award Nominees announce Wednesday. Mark your calendars.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-8615095443696045406?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-46248611648440375362012-01-05T20:17:00.000-08:002012-01-05T20:17:26.748-08:00The Third Guild Was Just WriteKeeping up with the Guild news, today we have the screenwriters chime in with their choices. The WGA nominations are always an occasion for annoyance. As Kris Tapley <a href="http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/in-contention/posts/the-artist-tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-shame-and-my-week-with-marilyn-among-ineligible-contenders-for-wga">pointed out </a>more than a month ago a great number of screenplays are disqualified every year, mostly due to some paperwork issues. I think I remember reading a couple of years ago that many are disqualified are not being written by Guild members. I don't think any other guild has this issue; certainly the DGA doesn't, for non-member Tarantino was recently nominated for <i>Inglourious Basterds</i>. Same screenplay was ineligible for the WGA Awards, and it had been seen as the front-runner up to that time.<br /><br />This year, likely Oscar nominees left off the ballot included <i>Albert Nobbs,&nbsp;</i> <i>The Artist</i>, <i>Beginners</i>, <i>Rango</i> and <i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i>. Mind, I still think a few of those left in the running have good shots at the Big One, and I'll get into that right about.....now.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>50/50</i> - Will Reiser</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Bridesmaids</i> - Kristen Wiig/Annie Mumolo</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Midnight in Paris</i> - Woody Allen</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Win Win</i> - Tom McCarthy, story by McCarthy/Joe Tiboni</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Young Adult</i> - Diablo Cody</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tom McCarthy seems to be beloved by his fellow guild members, doesn't he? He's three-for-three with the WGA regarding his work, but the Academy usually fails to bite. Will Reiser's <i>50/50</i> is a warm, funny, touching film, and I'm quite pleased to see it getting some attention, both here and from the Globes. In my mind, it's between these two and <i>Beginners</i> for that fifth slot.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But let's get to the best choices here. <i>Midnight in Paris</i> and <i>Young Adult</i> represent high points in their writers' oeuvre; certainly this is the best thing Cody's offered us. And, of course, <i>Bridesmaids</i>' most promising shot was always going to be Screenplay, which is much kinder to comedy than the other categories. The evidence is right there: all five of the nominees belong in the genre...or are, at the very least, "light" dramas.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Looking forward to the DGAs to see where <i>Bridesmaids</i> and <i>Midnight in Paris</i> stand. So far, they are the only two to be name-checked by every Guild.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Descendants</i> - Alexander Payne/Nat Faxon/Jim Rash</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i> - Steven Zaillian</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Help</i> - Tate Taylor</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hugo</i> - John Logan</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Moneyball</i> - Steven Zaillian/Aaron Sorkin, story by Stan Chervin</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">No big surprises here, except maybe <i>Dragon Tattoo</i>, which is sitting where I would have expected <i>Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close</i>. Seriously, what's the deal with that movie? Is it dead in the water, or is it going to <i>The Reader</i> us?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The Descendants</i>, <i>The Help</i> and <i>Moneyball</i> now stand as the other three up for all the Big Guilds. Why <i>The Descendants</i>? Why why why? Such an unfocused, inconsistent, tone-deaf movie. <i>The Help</i> is flawed, certainly -- mostly because it more or less gives the Hollywood version of events instead of the complications of the book, in which Skeeter did have a reluctance to be near black men, her mom <i>was</i> unapologetically racist, and Celia Foote would never, ever be able to cook. But it does give more dimension, I feel, to the main villainess and gives her mother more to do. So...cool? <i>Hugo</i> has an all right script, and <i>Moneyball</i>'s greatest strength is the contribution of Zaillian and Sorkin. Good stuff here.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We'll just have to wait and see what the DGA gives us Monday.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-4624861164844037536?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-38889807961247657272012-01-04T06:37:00.000-08:002012-01-05T11:19:19.100-08:00The Longlists: Narrowing the Field<span style="font-size: small;">It's long been a tradition to do a Longlist, the kind BAFTA does, with the semi-finalists in each category. Having yet to catch up with the other 2011 releases, I have decided -- not through impatience, but through honesty -- to keep the eligible films to those I saw during the year. I had ample time to see a lot of films, and not everything can be seen. Besides, these are the <i>Hollmann</i> Awards, which means two things. First, it means that they do not represent all of 2011 cinema, but my own cinematic year. Second, it means I can basically make up the rules as I go along.</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">With the notable exception of Best Picture (for I've already revealed the unranked Top Ten) and Best Original Song (for choices were few), the categories are narrowed down to fifteen contenders. Interestingly, the most difficult categories to pare down were Director and Supporting Actor. Doesn't Chris O'Dowd's contribution to <i>Bridesmaids</i> warrant recognition? How could I ignore the greatness of Steven Spielberg, especially since <i>War Horse</i> made it to my Top 25? Wasn't Wyatt McCallum fantastic in <i>The Myth of the American Sleepover</i>? I could always make up a new rule, but if you're not going to kill your darlings, you may as well not do your own awards. And for heaven's sake, who wants that?!?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">You will also see actors who are currently being campaigned for supporting in the leading categories. This is because I feel that their roles are large enough to warrant a category change. Peppy Miller and Alice Dainard are more than just the love interests who help their guy make it through to the end. They have their own fully-developed arcs. The movie just couldn't exist without them.</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Eighteen categories. It's a lot of text, but I always like the conversations these can spark. Shall we?</span><br /><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><br /><style>@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman";}@font-face { font-family: "Courier New";}@font-face { font-family: "Wingdings";}@font-face { font-family: "Verdana";}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }h2 { margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 18pt; font-family: Times; font-weight: bold; }h6 { margin: 12pt 0in 3pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-weight: bold; }a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: rgb(0, 0, 212); text-decoration: underline; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: rgb(153, 51, 102); text-decoration: underline; }p { margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.font2, li.font2, div.font2 { margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana; font-style: italic; }p.xl24, li.xl24, div.xl24 { margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times; font-style: italic; }span.name { }span.movie { }span.editsection { }span.mw-headline { }span.messagebody { }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }ol { margin-bottom: 0in; }ul { margin-bottom: 0in; }</style><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">BEST PICTURE:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Anonymous</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Beginners</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Contagion</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Drive</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Ides of March</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Midnight in Paris</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Super 8</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Young Adult</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">BEST DIRECTOR:</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xQ_ayImA8GA/TwUNIx5UYyI/AAAAAAAADd4/K5SZsxy-UlI/s1600/director.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xQ_ayImA8GA/TwUNIx5UYyI/AAAAAAAADd4/K5SZsxy-UlI/s320/director.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">JJ Abrams, <i>Super 8</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tomas Alfredson, <i>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Woody Allen, <i>Midnight in Paris</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">George Clooney, <i>The Ides of March</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Roland Emmerich, <i>Anonymous</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">David Fincher, <i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Michel Hazanavicius, <i>The Artist</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lee Chang-dong, <i>Poetry</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Steve McQueen, <i>Shame</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mike Mills, <i>Beginners</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lynne Ramsay, <i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jason Reitman, <i>Young Adult</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Nicolas Winding Refn, <i>Drive</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Steven Soderbergh, <i>Contagion</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Joe Wright, <i>Hanna</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">BEST ACTRESS:</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X5sTM2zid9Q/TwUNHVV8aZI/AAAAAAAADdY/HToXHVgoIHE/s1600/actress.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X5sTM2zid9Q/TwUNHVV8aZI/AAAAAAAADdY/HToXHVgoIHE/s320/actress.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Elena Anaya, <i>The Skin I Live In</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Berenice Bejo, <i>The Artist</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Glenn Close, <i>Albert Nobbs</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Viola Davis, <i>The Help</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Elle Fanning, <i>Super 8</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jodie Foster, <i>Carnage</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Keira Knightley, <i>A Dangerous Method</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rooney Mara, <i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saoirse Ronan, <i>Hanna</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Meryl Streep, <i>The Iron Lady</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tilda Swinton, <i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Charlize Theron, <i>Young Adult</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kristen Wiig, <i>Bridesmaids</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kate Winslet, <i>Carnage</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yun Joon-hee, <i>Poetry</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">BEST ACTOR:</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-okPpi14iZXc/TwUNGvPDwVI/AAAAAAAADdQ/M9Uak9eG4bs/s1600/actor.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-okPpi14iZXc/TwUNGvPDwVI/AAAAAAAADdQ/M9Uak9eG4bs/s320/actor.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Michael Angarano, <i>Ceremony</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Joel Courtney, <i>Super 8</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jean Dujardin, <i>The Artist</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Michael Fassbender, <i>Shame</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Michael Fassbender, <i>X-Men: First Class</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Brendan Gleeson, <i>The Guard</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ryan Gosling, <i>Drive</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Craig Gregory, <i>Submarine</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chris Hemsworth, <i>Thor</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rhys Ifans, <i>Anonymous</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Matthew McConaughey, <i>The Lincoln Lawyer</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ewan McGregor, <i>Beginners</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gary Oldman, <i>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Brad Pitt, <i>Moneyball</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Christoph Waltz, <i>Carnage</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-suY4xqreOS8/TwUNKkoKzzI/AAAAAAAADeY/QBkfAIGAvo4/s1600/supp+actress.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="163" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-suY4xqreOS8/TwUNKkoKzzI/AAAAAAAADeY/QBkfAIGAvo4/s320/supp+actress.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Amanda Bauer, <i>The Myth of the American Sleepover</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cate Blanchett, <i>Hanna</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rose Byrne, <i>Bridesmaids</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jessica Chastain, <i>The Help</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Marion Cotillard, <i>Midnight in Paris</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jennifer Ehle, <i>Contagion</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anne Heche, <i>Cedar Rapids</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rachel McAdams, <i>Midnight in Paris</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Helen McCrory, <i>Hugo</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Janet McTeer, <i>Albert Nobbs</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Carey Mulligan, <i>Drive</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Carey Mulligan, <i>Shame</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yasmin Page, <i>Submarine</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Zoe Wanamaker, <i>My Week with Marilyn</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Evan Rachel Wood, <i>The Ides of March</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5WsuRCYdsqY/TwUNKb6X-FI/AAAAAAAADeQ/l1Gyy-59ewU/s1600/supp+actor.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5WsuRCYdsqY/TwUNKb6X-FI/AAAAAAAADeQ/l1Gyy-59ewU/s320/supp+actor.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Albert Brooks, <i>Drive</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bryan Cranston, <i>Drive</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Benedict Cumberbatch, <i>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Colin Firth, <i>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Laurence Fishburne, <i>Contagion</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Paul Giamatti, <i>The Ides of March</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tom Hiddleston, <i>Thor</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Philip Seymour Hoffman, <i>The Ides of March</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Edward Hogg, <i>Anonymous</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">John Hurt, <i>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Patton Oswalt, <i>Young Adult</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Brad Pitt, <i>The Tree of Life</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Christopher Plummer, <i>Beginners</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mark Strong, <i>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Noah Taylor, <i>Submarine</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>50/50</i> - Will Reiser</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Anonymous</i> - John Orloff</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Artist</i> - Michel Hazanavicius</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Attack the Block</i> - Joe Cornish</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Beginners</i> - Mike Mills</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Bridesmaids</i> - Kristen Wiig/Annie Mumolo</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Ceremony</i> - Max Winkler</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Contagion</i> - Scott Z. Burns</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Iron Lady</i> - Abi Morgan</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Midnight in Paris</i> - Woody Allen</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Myth of the American Sleepover</i> - David Robert Mitchell</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Poetry</i> - Lee Chang-dong</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Shame</i> - Steve McQueen/Abi Morgan</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Super 8</i> - J.J. Abrams</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Young Adult</i> - Diablo Cody</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Albert Nobbs</i> - John Banville/Glenn Close/Gabriella Prekop</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A Dangerous Method</i> - Christopher Hampton</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Drive</i> - Hossein Amini</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i> - Steven Zaillian</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Help</i> - Tate Taylor</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Hugo</i> - John Logan</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Ides of March</i> - George Clooney/Grant Heslov</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Moneyball</i> - Steven Zaillian/Aaron Sorkin, story by Stan Chervin</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Rise of the Planet of the Apes</i> - Rick Jaffa/Amanda Silver</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Rum Diary</i> - Bruce Robinson</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Skin I Live In</i> - Pedro Almodovar</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Submarine</i> - Richard Ayoade</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i> - Bridget O'Connor/Peter Straughn</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i> - Lynne Ramsay/Rory Kinnear</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>X-Men: First Class </i>- Jane Goldman/Ashley Miller/Zack Stentz/Matthew Vaughn, story by Bryan Singer/Sheldon Turner</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u-gBqOim7IY/TwUNIaQdnbI/AAAAAAAADdo/771c6wtrLMA/s1600/cinematography.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u-gBqOim7IY/TwUNIaQdnbI/AAAAAAAADdo/771c6wtrLMA/s320/cinematography.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;">Sean Bobbitt, <i>Shame</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Jeff Cronenweth, <i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Anna Foerster, <i>Anonymous</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Janusz Kaminski, <i>War Horse</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Darius Khondji, <i>Midnight in Paris</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Hyun Seok Kim, <i>Poetry</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;Alwin Kuchler, <i>Hanna</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Emmanuel Lubezki, <i>The Tree of Life</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Seamus McGarvey, <i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Robert Richardson, <i>Hugo</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Guillaume Schiffman, <i>The Artist</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Eduardo Serra, <i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Newton Thomas Sigel, <i>Drive</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Steven Soderbergh, <i>Contagion </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Hoyte von Hoytema, <i>Tinker, Sailor, Soldier, Spy</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">BEST ORIGINAL SCORE</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Basement Jaxx, <i>Attack the Block</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">The Chemical Brothers, <i>Hanna</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Alexandre Desplat, <i>The Ides of March</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Michael Giacchino, <i>Super 8</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Alberto Iglesias, <i>The Skin I Live In</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Alberto Iglesias, <i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Steve Jablonsky, <i>Transformers: Dark of the Moon</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Henry Jackman, <i>X-Men: First Class</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Eric D. Johnson, <i>Ceremony</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Abel Korzeniowski, <i>W.E.</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Cliff Martinez, <i>Contagion</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Cliff Martinez, <i>Drive</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i>Thomas Newman, <i>The Iron Lady</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Howard Shore, <i>A Dangerous Method</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Howard Shore, <i>Hugo</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">BEST ORIGINAL SONG</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Albert Nobbs</i> - Lay Your Head Down</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Footloose</i> - Fake I.D.</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Gnomeo &amp; Juliet</i> - Hello, Hello</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Hugo</i> - Coeur, Mon Volant</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Muppets</i> - Life's a Happy Song</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Muppets</i> - Man or Muppet</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Muppets</i> - Pictures in My Head</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Red Riding Hood</i> - The Wolf</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Submarine</i> - Piledriver Waltz</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>W.E.</i> - Masterpiece</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">BEST EDITING</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Joe Bini, <i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Anne-Sophie Bion/Michel Hazanavicius, <i>The Artist</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Maryann Brandon/Mary Jo Markey, <i>Super 8</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Herve de Luze, <i>Carnage</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Chris Dickens/Nick Fenton, <i>Submarine</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Chris Gill, <i>The Guard</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Dino Jonsater, <i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">William Hoy, <i>Sucker Punch</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Kim Hyun, <i>Poetry</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Jeff McEvoy, <i>The Lincoln Lawyer</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Stephen Mirrione, <i>Contagion</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Mat Newman, <i>Drive</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Zachary Stuart-Pontier, <i>Martha Marcy May Marlene</i></span> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Paul Tothill, <i>Hanna</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Joe Walker, <i>Shame</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">BEST COSTUME DESIGN</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KF6jsYoFQLw/TwUNIrRZcNI/AAAAAAAADdw/62RKBfDc5C8/s1600/costume.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KF6jsYoFQLw/TwUNIrRZcNI/AAAAAAAADdw/62RKBfDc5C8/s320/costume.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Albert Nobbs</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Anonymous</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Artist</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Ceremony</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Drive</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Help</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Hugo</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Iron Lady</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Midnight in Paris</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Potiche</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Shame</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Submarine</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Thor</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>W.E.</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">BEST ART DIRECTION</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D9Elb-ldN9I/TwUNH2qSwoI/AAAAAAAADdg/tnCoqDTZFKk/s1600/art+direction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D9Elb-ldN9I/TwUNH2qSwoI/AAAAAAAADdg/tnCoqDTZFKk/s320/art+direction.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Anonymous</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Ceremony</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Drive</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Gnomeo &amp; Juliet </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Hanna</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Hugo</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Midnight in Paris</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Muppets </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Potiche</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Skin I Live In</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Submarine</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Sucker Punch </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>X-Men: First Class</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">BEST MAKEUP</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AKkg6C8CGC8/TwUNKMlpFJI/AAAAAAAADeI/DU-k5h77bkg/s1600/makeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AKkg6C8CGC8/TwUNKMlpFJI/AAAAAAAADeI/DU-k5h77bkg/s320/makeup.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Albert Nobbs</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Anonymous</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A Dangerous Method</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Debt</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Drive</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Hanna</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Hugo</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Skin I Live In</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Sucker Punch</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Super 8</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>W.E.</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>X-Men: First Class</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">BEST SOUND</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Adventures of Tintin</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Anonymous</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Attack the Block</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Debt</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Drive</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Guard</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Hanna</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Immortals</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Martha Marcy May Marlene</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Sucker Punch</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Super 8</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Take Shelter</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Thor</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>War Horse</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">BEST VISUAL EFFECTS</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fPmKZSYagf4/TwUNK5NvfaI/AAAAAAAADeg/qTmIHj_ZQ-0/s1600/vfx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fPmKZSYagf4/TwUNK5NvfaI/AAAAAAAADeg/qTmIHj_ZQ-0/s320/vfx.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Anonymous</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Attack the Block</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Final Destination 5</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Fright Night</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Hugo</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Immortals</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Rise of the Planet of the Apes</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Sucker Punch</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Super 8</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Take Shelter</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Thor</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Transformers: Dark of the Moon</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Tree of Life</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>X-Men: First Class</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">BEST ENSEMBLE</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-soQ8NimYkvk/TwUNJkAgs8I/AAAAAAAADeA/pJyApnT0834/s1600/ensemble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-soQ8NimYkvk/TwUNJkAgs8I/AAAAAAAADeA/pJyApnT0834/s320/ensemble.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Artist</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Attack the Block</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Beginners</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Bridesmaids</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Carnage</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Ceremony </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Contagion</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Help</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Ides of March</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Midnight in Paris</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Myth of the American Sleepover</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Submarine</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Tower Heist</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-3888980796124765727?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-84858187773581784782012-01-03T11:46:00.000-08:002012-01-03T11:46:01.073-08:00Guilding the Lily (Or a Similar Pun)And now the Producer's Guild has weighed in, with only the WGA (Thursday) and DGA (Monday) left to announce <i>their</i> nominees, followed by Oscar nominations at the end of the month. And the ten are:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Artist</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Bridesmaids</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Descendants </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hugo </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Ides of March</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Midnight in Paris</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Moneyball</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>War Horse</i></div><br />...six of which appeared on my own Best of the Year list, with two making it to the Top Ten!<br /><br />I never gave up on <i>The Ides of March</i>. People are still saying that this PGA nomination, along with the Globes noms, is just a case of the flukes and the Clooney-worship. That at the end of the day, <i>The Ides of March </i>still won't make it in, and it'll be between <i>The Artist</i>, <i>The Descendants</i>, <i>The Help</i>, <i>Hugo</i>, <i>Midnight in Paris</i>, <i>Moneyball</i>, <i>The Tree of Life</i> and <i>War Horse</i>. Doesn't that all seem rather "light" for an Oscar lineup? What a relief that'd be, if we actually got mostly feel-good films in the running!<br /><br />But friends, do not give up hope on the Political Clooney. I didn't bet someone an ice cream dinner that it would get more noms than <i>Moneyball</i> just for shits and giggles. The lack of attention in the SAG Nominations was disappointing, sure, but I still say it has a shot in Pic, Adapted Screenplay, Score, Editing, Cinematography, and maybe a surprise Supporting Actor nod for Philip Seymour Hoffman; <i>Moneyball</i>, meanwhile, I can see for Pic, Actor, Adapted Screenplay...maybe Editing and/or Supporting Actor for Jonah Hill. But otherwise, uh-uh. Forget about Director, forget about Score, forget about Cinematography.<br /><br />Oh, and I know it didn't crack my Top 25 at all, but isn't it great to see <i>Bridesmaids</i> getting so much attention this year?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-8485818777358178478?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-8092208758463165962011-12-31T09:36:00.000-08:002011-12-31T09:36:17.817-08:00And Now the End Is Near: Best of 2011Yes, friends, it's the annual year-end Top 25 Films Countdown. These lists are always fluid, always changing. When I look back at last year's <a href="http://silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com/2010/12/semi-finalists-fifteen-beauties-of-2010.html">Fifteen Honorable Mentions</a> and the <a href="http://silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com/2010/12/ten-for-10-best-of-year.html">Ten Best</a>, I find myself second-guessing the placements of <i>The Runaways</i> and <i>The American </i>(should be higher), <i>Piranha 3D </i>and <i>The Kids Are All Right</i> (should be lower), but I still feel confident that the titles themselves are right. Maybe I would now switch out <i>For Colored Girls</i> and <i>Never Let Me Go</i> for <i>The Runaways</i> and <i>Get Low</i>. But then I remember certain moments of each film and think, "Hm. Maybe not."<br /><br />I've still got so much to see, so much that could still qualify for the Hollmann Awards (dare I limit it to movies I actually <i>saw</i> in 2011?). <i>Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close</i>, <i>Win Win</i>, <i>Rango</i>, <i>Melancholia</i>, <i>Meek's Cutoff</i>, <i>Warrior</i>, <i>Pariah</i>, <i>Jane Eyre</i>, <i>Captain America</i>, <i>The Housemaid</i>, <i>Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol</i>, <i>Margin Call</i>, <i>Coriolanus</i>, <i>A Better Life</i>...these are the films I still <i><u><b>need</b></u></i> to see. It just didn't happen for me.<br /><br />In all, I saw 82 films this year, a pretty good number I think, though nowhere near the hundred-plus that more energetic writers manage to pull off. If I waited until I saw the fourteen listed, of course, I would have 95, which is still close, but....<br /><br />Ach. What of it? There are still only 25 slots, meaning that I had to cruelly, painfully cast off 57 other flicks. Ok, maybe only 51, since there are seven films that I found to be just terrible (<i>Another Earth</i>, <i>Bride Flight</i>, <i>Cat Run</i>, <i>The Descendants</i>, <i>Don't Be Afraid of the Dark</i>, <i>Jack &amp; Jill</i>, <i>In Time</i>, <i>The Robber</i>). Suffice to say, I did have to whittle down, justify positioning, try to remember which ones I enjoyed, which ones fell short. I tried to keep movies I wouldn't watch again, movies I only liked but didn't love, movies that I barely remember, off the list entirely. I tried my best. I'm sure that by next year, I'll have decided that <i>The Big Year</i> really <i>did</i> deserve a mention in my Top Ten. Doubtful, even though I know I'll buy it, but perceptions and opinions change with time.<br /><br />Enough of that bullshit. You want to see the list. Ladies and gentlemen, the ranked list of the fifteen semi-finalists; or, 25-11 of the Top 25.<br /><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><div style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>25. The Iron Lady </b></span></div><div style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>(Number 8 on <a href="http://silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-25-most-anticipated-of-2011.html">25 Most Anticipated</a>)</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SvDp5wMIoRo/Tv8wALlYPXI/AAAAAAAADX8/0JV-kZNjTKM/s1600/iron+lady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SvDp5wMIoRo/Tv8wALlYPXI/AAAAAAAADX8/0JV-kZNjTKM/s320/iron+lady.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Also the last film I saw in 2011. While it may not be the most cleanly put-together film, I found the attempt not just laudable, but sometimes exciting. It makes me want to learn more about the period, more about Maggie and Thatcherism, more about the workings of the British government. Phyllida Lloyd has now caught Meryl at her broadest and at her most realistic. Even Thatcher's BIG scenes ring true. Generally, I liked it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>24. War Horse</b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>(Number 17 on 25 Most Anticipated) </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nrWyT1aWy-w/Tv8wQSSbxMI/AAAAAAAADZU/Hbk4kXKrt_0/s1600/war+horse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nrWyT1aWy-w/Tv8wQSSbxMI/AAAAAAAADZU/Hbk4kXKrt_0/s320/war+horse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Those first ten minutes were rough going, but once that horse went to war, Spielberg worked his magic. The title creature manages to bring hope to those who come in contact with it, a necessity in a time as dire as the First World War. It seems a fleeting hope; war dooms the young, the old, the brave, the fearful. Still, they hold on to this miracle horse that has managed to survive against all logic. Yes, for some it may prove futile, but that horse inspires faith and courage in a time where men shoot blindly in a godless no man's land. Yeah, it got me.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>23. Shame</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uVyS6XVxVpI/Tv8wVSPhg_I/AAAAAAAADZg/uoSpcjFS_h4/s1600/shame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uVyS6XVxVpI/Tv8wVSPhg_I/AAAAAAAADZg/uoSpcjFS_h4/s320/shame.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A film that I more respected than liked when I saw it, I found myself falling deeper in love with every conversation I had about it. A sterile <i>and</i> dirty picture, with Fassbender's intense, controlled turn boosted by Mulligan's surprisingly loose, painful support. The single-take date scene between Fassbender and Nicole Beharie is riveting, with the growing intimacy implied through the seemingly banal conversation. Sound, editing, cinematography, etc., all working in perfect harmony.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>22. The Muppets</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CV84IprNpfo/Tv8waFERDCI/AAAAAAAADZs/kVb6lCHGruI/s1600/themuppets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CV84IprNpfo/Tv8waFERDCI/AAAAAAAADZs/kVb6lCHGruI/s320/themuppets.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I did find some problems with the ending, but the movie does accomplish what it sets out to do: remind us how much we love and miss those felt vaudevillians. If the subplot concerning the human characters doesn't quite gel, it's because the Muppets themselves are written with such careful depth and consideration. And really, it's all about them, so fuck the humans.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>21. Gnomeo &amp; Juliet</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h4tScDRSKzA/Tv8weepLR2I/AAAAAAAADZ4/xrLlH8pVCls/s1600/gnomeo-and-juliet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h4tScDRSKzA/Tv8weepLR2I/AAAAAAAADZ4/xrLlH8pVCls/s320/gnomeo-and-juliet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Oh, goodness, this is just some of the most fun I've had all year. It's got corny jokes and stupid puns, but it also boasts some clever moments and engaging characters. Sue me. I love it.<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>20. Hugo</b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>(Number 10 on 25 Most Anticipated) </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DJ532Mynr9w/Tv8wiZuRQ1I/AAAAAAAADaE/9YFX_Pmzp24/s1600/hugo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DJ532Mynr9w/Tv8wiZuRQ1I/AAAAAAAADaE/9YFX_Pmzp24/s320/hugo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;The costumes, Sacha Baron Cohen's phone conversations, the score, the 3D work, visual effects, etc., etc., etc. Ben Kingsley and Helen McCrory are the standouts, for me, as you see the light in their eyes when they can finally recall with fondness a time they tried to forget. It is not just about a love of cinema, but about every man's fulfillment of his purpose. Those who do not, suffer; those who do, are greatly rewarded. A beauty.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>19. The Artist</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NAGWX3bdIPM/Tv8woqF8slI/AAAAAAAADaQ/zevhLHpx2oE/s1600/the+artist.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NAGWX3bdIPM/Tv8woqF8slI/AAAAAAAADaQ/zevhLHpx2oE/s320/the+artist.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Like <i>Hugo</i>, there's more to this film than just some metaphorical snogging of a bygone era. Certainly the conceit of a modern-day silent film about an actor threatened by the emergence of sound can initially seem like a gimmicky, one-off artistic exercise. But might it not also be the perfect depiction of the stubbornness and ego of an establishment that prefers to turn a deaf ear to progress rather than make a compromise? Yes, <i>The Artist</i>, the delightful comedy with heroic animals, cigar-chomping producers and tap-dancing finales, somehow managed to symbolize the current climate better than any other film this year.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>18. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">(Number 11 on 25 Most Anticipated)</span></b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VlHFSM9cHZ4/Tv8w7jOH5RI/AAAAAAAADac/XmrsRdzJf0o/s1600/drag+tat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VlHFSM9cHZ4/Tv8w7jOH5RI/AAAAAAAADac/XmrsRdzJf0o/s320/drag+tat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">How surprised I am by this ranking! I hotly anticipated it last year, grew excited as the year went on, started to feel a little suffocated by the insistently "bad-ass" image it forced on the public, heard a few "mehs" from friends and critics I respect....then I saw it. Hooked from the opening credits, I found a mystery that trusts its audience to follow the details, protagonists with palpable chemistry, performances that intrigued and impressed, editing that ratcheted up the suspense until it became almost unbearable, and Enya. Well done.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>17. Hanna</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9tkcEYBYWA/Tv8xAbwi-eI/AAAAAAAADao/FBeQT5nQSd8/s1600/hanna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9tkcEYBYWA/Tv8xAbwi-eI/AAAAAAAADao/FBeQT5nQSd8/s320/hanna.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Yes, sometimes the early bird does catch the worm. A unique treat from earlier this year, <i>Hanna</i> gave me a different Joe Wright than what I was used to. He and his crew, and of course leading lady Saoirse Ronan, manage to create a new world out of the one we already know, one where the lights and noise of the city are a blinding cacophany to a girl raised in isolation. Ronan's sometimes feral innocent is the main attraction, of course, but the sharp editing, dreamy cinematography, fantastical sets -- they're worth it. Also, Cate Blanchett.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>16. Carnage</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5peb5iT4SoI/Tv8xEQ1MKdI/AAAAAAAADa0/g3XTfrJCF1Q/s1600/carnage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5peb5iT4SoI/Tv8xEQ1MKdI/AAAAAAAADa0/g3XTfrJCF1Q/s320/carnage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Stuck in a seemingly endless cycle of false exits, interrupted conversations, ringing phones and vomit, two couples attempt to settle as adults a conflict among their children. Subtly, skillfully directed by Roman Polanski, who allows his actors to go vein-popping nuts without losing credibility. I thought so, anyway. Hard to pick a standout. Kate Winslet gets one line reading that I would hail as best-in-show; God, how I laughed! Yet Jodie Foster and Christoph Waltz really do walk with it, he with ease, she with unexpected violence. Probably not everyone's cuppa, but I'll have some, thanks.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>15. Rise of the Planet of the Apes</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cDcWHPQ4A44/Tv8xJm-S3YI/AAAAAAAADbA/s5pA-jLbYM0/s1600/rise+of+the+planet+of+the+apes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cDcWHPQ4A44/Tv8xJm-S3YI/AAAAAAAADbA/s5pA-jLbYM0/s320/rise+of+the+planet+of+the+apes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">When discussing <i>Apes</i> with friends, it was always brought up how underdeveloped and poorly-written the human characters were. My defense: it's not their story; it's a movie wherein a hyper-intelligent ape becomes a hero by freeing aggressive primates and revolting against humanity. Look at it as a history written by the eventual winners.&nbsp; It can't be accidental, either; Caesar, Rocket and Maurice are too well-developed and expertly-written. It's the rise of the apes from their point of view, and every moment actually had me on the edge of my seat. So help me, Lawgiver, it did!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>14. Submarine</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-igDpqeVwXaE/Tv8xNYKJN9I/AAAAAAAADbM/QfW2WFnoPHM/s1600/submarine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-igDpqeVwXaE/Tv8xNYKJN9I/AAAAAAAADbM/QfW2WFnoPHM/s320/submarine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">And then there's this surprisingly sweet tale of a somewhat pretentious, neurotic, dickish, British 15-year-old. It's been quite a year for young actors, and to a list that already includes Ronan, the <i>Hugo</i> kids, and the cast of <i>Super 8</i>, we can safely and proudly add Craig Gregory -- whose portrayal of Oliver reveals all the unconscious negatives without becoming insufferable -- and Yasmin Paige -- whose portrayal of his crush naturally conveys the pain, vanity and confusion of the age. A unique, promising debut from Richard Ayoade.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>13. Ceremony</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dyGtrQBlkWg/Tv8xRXKfkmI/AAAAAAAADbY/CT2wCD35uaY/s1600/ceremony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dyGtrQBlkWg/Tv8xRXKfkmI/AAAAAAAADbY/CT2wCD35uaY/s320/ceremony.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't know how to explain it. On the surface, it has all the trappings of your Typical Indie Film, with the mature/pretentious/intellectual young guy, the beautiful older woman who for some reason befriends him, the bohemian wedding party, the anachronistic clothing. But there's a deeper level here, one that explores flaky women who never grow up, egoists capable of self-sacrifice, trauma victims who hold on to every wound instead of opening themselves up to healing. And of course, a generation of young people with all the promise and ego of success with none of the humility or self-awareness to actually achieve it. It's a film about the excuses we make so we don't have to move on. And that shit cuts deep.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>12. The Skin I Live In</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kiQGaejov3s/Tv8xVxY-g1I/AAAAAAAADbk/r6sYhKyPDN0/s1600/skin+i+live+in.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kiQGaejov3s/Tv8xVxY-g1I/AAAAAAAADbk/r6sYhKyPDN0/s320/skin+i+live+in.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Winner of the Most Deliciously Shocking Reveal of the Year award.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>11. Albert Nobbs</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pRB21-WJ70o/Tv8xZnok-wI/AAAAAAAADbw/1XZxxcap-cw/s1600/albert+nobbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pRB21-WJ70o/Tv8xZnok-wI/AAAAAAAADbw/1XZxxcap-cw/s320/albert+nobbs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I guess #11 is my slot for quiet character studies that precursors love and critics are lukewarm on. Like last year's <i>Get Low</i>, <i>Nobbs</i> surprised me with its warmth and humor, while still leaving me a tear-wracked mess by film's end. My introduction to Rodrigo Garcia tells me he has a light touch, yet a confident one that knows just what to do with his actors and camera. It doesn't draw attention to itself, but it makes a difference. Count me as one of those hoping it will be recognized for costume and original song. Oh, and Glenn Close's beautiful performance, of course.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And now we move on to the second half: The Top Ten of the Year. These are presented alphabetically, for those of you who follow the Hollmann Awards with great anticipation every year. After all, I must have some sort of suspense. Last year, I had a thing for&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Black Swan</div><div style="text-align: center;">I Am Love</div><div style="text-align: center;">The Social Network</div><div style="text-align: center;">The Fighter</div><div style="text-align: center;">Scott Pilgrim vs. the World</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mother</div><div style="text-align: center;">Easy A</div><div style="text-align: center;">The King's Speech</div><div style="text-align: center;">Never Let Me Go</div><div style="text-align: center;">For Colored Girls</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">...in that order. This year, only five of these films will make it to the Hollmann Awards. Will I once again favor Oscar fare? Will I find room for a foreign language film? Will you find your favorite film of the year among the Ten? There's only one way to find out, isn't there?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Anonymous</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-07Vq1SLetdw/Tv9GrmDcu1I/AAAAAAAADb8/m64OQxpMM_Q/s1600/anonymous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-07Vq1SLetdw/Tv9GrmDcu1I/AAAAAAAADb8/m64OQxpMM_Q/s320/anonymous.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I am an unapologetic fan of the films of Roland Emmerich, and while not all of the actors were quite up to the task, I confess to being spellbound by this period thriller. The arts vs. the government; conspiracies, politics, sex...<i>MURDER</i>??? Give Emmerich and writer John Orloff credit where it's due: they know how to keep an audience entertained. Rhys Ifans' somber portrait of a nobleman hiding his genius is one of the more haunting performances this year; Vanessa Redgrave brought the crazy equally well. Yet I was most caught off guard by Edward Hogg's hunchbacked villain, a pitiable, wonderful creation whose final speech said as much about his character as it did Ifans'. And the efforts of visual effects supervisors Volker Engel and Marc Weigert cannot go unpraised. Meticulous and seamless.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Beginners</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_UJ4-gAGtxU/Tv9GxWs93GI/AAAAAAAADcE/YCWoagavH0s/s1600/beginners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_UJ4-gAGtxU/Tv9GxWs93GI/AAAAAAAADcE/YCWoagavH0s/s320/beginners.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A quiet surprise that has stayed me since I saw it alone in the theater down the street. I love the chemistry between Melanie Laurent and Ewan McGregor; the sensitive handling of Christopher Plummer's storyline; the sidetracking that reveals how McGregor makes sense of what's happening. It's a lovely little love gem.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Contagion</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Number 4 of 25 Most Anticipated)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eyX94WnBJIc/Tv9GyPNdCrI/AAAAAAAADcM/InHQB6LndE0/s1600/contagion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eyX94WnBJIc/Tv9GyPNdCrI/AAAAAAAADcM/InHQB6LndE0/s320/contagion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I just found it very involving. The Matt Damon storyline was heartbreaking; the Jude Law storyline rang true. Laurence Fishburne underplays for once. But it was Jennifer Ehle, an actress that was barely on my radar before, who blew me away. Hers is a simple character, but Ehle's performance is carefully layered and authentic. This isn't just another Movie Scientist. I know that woman. Little nuances in the acting, Scott Z. Burns' script, and Steven Soderbergh's overall handling of it all, brought up unlikely triumphs amid chaos. I teared up a little, I have to say.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Drive</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uzP3_DHDxeI/Tv9GySF_tgI/AAAAAAAADcU/1Ihc_RJK-Mc/s1600/drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uzP3_DHDxeI/Tv9GySF_tgI/AAAAAAAADcU/1Ihc_RJK-Mc/s320/drive.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Heard I should see it, so I caught the midnight. Twelve hours later, I was back in the theater for a second go-round. It was even better. There's an ugly beauty to the film, which is to be expected when a pretty mug like Ryan Gosling gets blood splatter all over his face. Every choice in editing, cinematography and music create a woozy nightmare, a fairy tale gone wrong, where the white knight is sadistic, the damsel in distress is already wed, and the villain is just as human and sympathetic as his victims. Operatic.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Ides of March</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Number 3 on 25 Most Anticipated)&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q4HTTwsCPWQ/Tv9Gyn9Nr-I/AAAAAAAADcc/D5W-H6UJy98/s1600/ides+of+march.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q4HTTwsCPWQ/Tv9Gyn9Nr-I/AAAAAAAADcc/D5W-H6UJy98/s320/ides+of+march.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A political drama reflecting the problem with politics today -- and it ain't just our leaders, folks. It's also the bright-eyed optimists who seek to canonize their candidate, ignoring the fact that people in power are all rather corrupt, and as for politicians....! It took me back to my marathon of 1964 political films, with the sophistication, wit and honesty of <i>The Best Man</i> and pieces of <i>Seven Days in May</i>. Sharp dialogue, epic score (really, it's a big score for such a small story, but it works), quiet Philip Seymour Hoffman. Quiet<i>er</i>, anyway.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Midnight in Paris</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Number 1 on 25 Most Anticipated)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MN-g2nfONwo/Tv9GzW1sv2I/AAAAAAAADcs/zO2Gn8FqUMI/s1600/midnight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MN-g2nfONwo/Tv9GzW1sv2I/AAAAAAAADcs/zO2Gn8FqUMI/s320/midnight.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I needed this. It was magical and lovely.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Super 8</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8I1jr6zzXEw/Tv9Gzq5W1yI/AAAAAAAADc0/OzILyt-vT8k/s1600/super+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8I1jr6zzXEw/Tv9Gzq5W1yI/AAAAAAAADc0/OzILyt-vT8k/s320/super+8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">You know, I understand the flaws of the film. It's uneven, it's beats are incomplete, the finale doesn't quite make sense if you think about it. I understand all that when I hear others talk about it -- but it hasn't bothered me yet while watching it. I've surrendered myself to a love story between two adolescents, an ensemble of best friends that I recognize, an ode to move magic (quite a theme this year). Then there's Giacchino's score, which some call manipulative; I call it "effective...appropriate". And the confrontation between father and son kills me.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Number 9 on 25 Most Anticipated)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OAwKAG39hSE/Tv9G0OkdzOI/AAAAAAAADc8/OEizjmMINAo/s1600/tinker+tailor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OAwKAG39hSE/Tv9G0OkdzOI/AAAAAAAADc8/OEizjmMINAo/s320/tinker+tailor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thrice I've seen this now. Deliberately-paced, boasting the best ensemble of the year, <i>Tinker Tailor</i> is quiet, grey, and surprisingly thrilling. It's a film of loyalties and infidelities, whether towards one's country, friends, or marriage. It's a film of a lost generation, trying to keep their heads high as the victors of a world war while checking over their shoulders during a cold one.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We Need to Talk About Kevin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d5WSskL42lY/Tv9Gy21DkSI/AAAAAAAADck/xBWMV99MDHw/s1600/kevin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d5WSskL42lY/Tv9Gy21DkSI/AAAAAAAADck/xBWMV99MDHw/s320/kevin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nightmarish and hypnotic. Eva isn't Joan Crawford, but she isn't exactly mother of the year, either. Did she birth Satan's spawn...or did she push him there through years of obvious dislike and distance? It's nature vs. nurture -- or non-nurture, rather -- and the ever-incredible Tilda Swinton once again crafts an unforgettable human being haunted by mistakes she may or may not have made. The bold cinematographic and editing choices give us an insight into Eva's fractured state of mind. A surreal and sickening masterwork.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Young Adult</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2vVnfZedCvU/Tv9G0cL4mLI/AAAAAAAADdA/MyITwRnca9U/s1600/young+adult.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2vVnfZedCvU/Tv9G0cL4mLI/AAAAAAAADdA/MyITwRnca9U/s320/young+adult.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Diablo Cody's strongest work yet. Charlize Theron beautifully sketches in the depression, self-doubt and anger that fuels Mavis Gary's destructive path back to her high school boyfriend, now married with a kid. A painfully funny character study. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-809220875846316596?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-61238329770598167882011-12-25T13:41:00.000-08:002011-12-25T13:41:00.360-08:00This Christmas...Will be the Best ChristmasIt would be remiss of me to let this day pass without any mention from me. Christmas is, after all, my favorite holiday. I admit, however, that despite my constant playing of songs both traditional and not so (truly, Chicory Tip's "Merry Xmas Everybody" is a forgotten gem), I am not at my most Christmasy this year.<br /><br />Christmas, more than most other holidays, is all about tradition. The songs, the decorations, even the movies, are all important aspects of the day not just because of their thematic relavence, but also because of the history and memories we associate with them. There's watching <i>A Christmas Story</i> for 24 hours with the family...hanging up each ornament on the tree with my sisters, from my Godfather Drosselmeyer purchased at a makeshift Christmas shop at the performing arts center to my older sister's "Baby's First Christmas" ornament from the late '70s....baking and decorating cookies with mom, using the same cookie cutters we've had for about twenty years....<br /><br />And this year, I've broken with tradition. I'm in Los Angeles with my best friend, and in thirty minutes, I'll be on my way to work...til midnight. And one is apt to think, "Oh, poor me, Christmas is ruined, it's not Christmas at all, boo hoo...." And indeed, I've been like this for most of this week. Dreading Christmas because it would remind me of what I'm missing and what I have to do instead.<br /><br />But then I started talking to my co-workers. To the married father of three who has to work the late shift on Christmas Eve. To the woman who has had to work the past three Christmases, wishing she could be with her family. To the guy who moved here to pursue his dream, leaving behind his friends, family and girlfriend, and now has to catch a few minutes on the phone in order to spend Christmas with them.<br /><br />And you know something? I'm pretty lucky. Not only do I live with my best friend, who's also here for Christmas, but I made friends at work. I have a little community to call home in my apartment complex. The class I graduated with, some of the best friends I'll ever have...they're out here, too. I'm getting double my pay, too, which is certainly a plus. And I get to do for others what I've been having them do for me for years. I'm giving them a chance to spend Christmas with the real miracle workers.<br /><br />In <i>Hugo</i>, Georges Melies says to a little boy who visits his film set, "If you ever wonder where your dreams come from, look around: this is where they're made." People need the movies, and I am proud to help provide that service. You've cooked, bought presents, put up with the fam...let me handle the popcorn, the hot dogs, the entertainment. Christmas, after all, is a time to spend with those you love. And I don't know about you, but I love Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Hoyte von Hoytema, Janusz Kaminski, Diablo Cody....you get it.<br /><br />So Merry Christmas everybody! Or as Burl Ives would say:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oke4ZUhPDtw?fs=1" width="459"></iframe> <br /><br />Have a holly jolly Christmas<br />It's the best time of the year<br />I don't know if there'll be snow<br />But have a cup o' cheer<br /><br />Have a holly jolly Christmas<br />And as you walk down the street<br />Say "hello" to friends you know<br />And everyone you meet<br /><br />Oh, ho, the mistletoe, hung where you can see<br />Somebody waits for you<br />Kiss her once for me<br /><br />Have a holly jolly Christmas<br />And in case you didn't hear<br />Oh, by golly!<br />Have a holly jolly Christmas this year!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-6123832977059816788?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-75168321308929703782011-12-15T06:41:00.000-08:002012-01-03T11:47:35.344-08:00On Her Majesty's Foreign Press AssociationAnd once again, I stayed up to watch the announcement of the Golden Globes nominees. Maggie Smith is continuing to rake up the nominations for her performance in <i><strike>Gosford Park</strike> Downton Abbey</i>, while Woody Harrelson cracks wise in the most charming of ways and we learn that Irma Bunt is the President of the HFPA.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GlLMCV4qXkw/Tun7GjDKC4I/AAAAAAAADW8/VcuiyGzAx4M/s1600/bond+villain%253F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GlLMCV4qXkw/Tun7GjDKC4I/AAAAAAAADW8/VcuiyGzAx4M/s200/bond+villain%253F.jpg" width="142" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WkG12T6c_-o/Tun7HA-LhiI/AAAAAAAADXE/VpGfFcPrq-Y/s1600/BUNT%2521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WkG12T6c_-o/Tun7HA-LhiI/AAAAAAAADXE/VpGfFcPrq-Y/s200/BUNT%2521.JPG" width="166" /></a></div><br /><br />But, most importantly, the Awards race got a little more exciting. Let's say it with music, shall we?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">ORIGINAL SCORE</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Artist</i> - Ludovico Bource</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i> - Trent Reznor</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hugo</i> - Howard Shore</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>War Horse</i> - John Williams</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>W.E.</i> - Abel Korzeniowski</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">ORIGINAL SONG</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Albert Nobbs</i> - Lay Your Head Down<i> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Gnomeo &amp; Juliet</i> - Hello, Hello</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Help </i>- The Living Proof</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Machine Gun Preacher </i>- The Keeper</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>W.E. </i>- Masterpiece</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Madonna's earworm song from her hilariously camp <i>W.E.</i> would be my choice, if just for some love to go that film's way, were it not for the presence of the Elton John/Lady Gaga duet from <i>Gnomeo &amp; Juliet</i>. In the unlikeliest of places, I have found one of the best songs of the year. It's always the weird ones, though, isn't it?: <i>Jennifer's Body</i>, <i>Walk Hard</i>, <i>The Odessa File</i>...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Remarkably, none of the songs from <i>The Muppets</i> got in. Actually, as we shall soon discover, <i>The Muppets</i> was ignored completely. I can kind of understand it, I guess - as much as I love the film, it works best as a nostalgia factory. Once one starts thinking about that ending...and the human characters...and since it's the humans that do most of the singing....Still, one would have thought that the spirited nature of the film would get it recognized in Musical/Comedy. Alas, there was no room among these nominees:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST PICTURE - MUSICAL/COMEDY</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>50/50</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Artist</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Bridesmaids</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Midnight in Paris</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My Week with Marilyn</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You know, I guess I <i>would</i> have trouble labeling <i>My Week with Marilyn</i> a drama. It's such a lighthearted romp, a fun film that only now and then addresses the tragedy of Marilyn Monroe. Not the most profound of films, but I did enjoy it. Hell, I enjoyed all of these films! Come to think of it, this is one of the strongest slates I've seen in this category. Nicely done!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST ACTOR - MUSICAL/COMEDY</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jean Dujardin, <i>The Artist</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Brendan Gleeson, <i>The Guard</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Joseph Gordon-Levitt, <i>50/50</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ryan Gosling, <i>Crazy Stupid Love</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Owen Wilson, <i>Midnight in Paris</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The nods for Dujardin and Wilson were, I felt, inevitable, but I am pleasantly surprised by the presence of Gleeson! An unfairly overlooked performance, surely. Then again, he was also nominated for <i>In Bruges</i>, so I don't know why this caught me off guard (HA!) as much as it did. Cheers for Gordon-Levitt, while Gosling was nominated for doing great work in a film that ultimately failed to match its stars in quality. Actually, excitingly, Gosling is a double-nominee this year:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST ACTOR - DRAMA</div><div style="text-align: center;">George Clooney, <i>The Descendants</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Leonardo DiCaprio, <i>J. Edgar</i> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Michael Fassbender, <i>Shame</i> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Ryan Gosling, <i>The Ides of March&nbsp;</i> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Brad Pitt, <i>Moneyball</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Oh, wait, first: Fassbender getting recognition for Shame is always a good thing, and I once again must confess that I am both mildly pleased and agog to see DiCaprio continuing to get recognition for his performance. I like his performance, but it <i>is</i> a little uneven. And in a not-very-good movie.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But this was supposed to be about Gosling's double-header. True, I would have preferred to see him honored for <i>Drive</i>, but I'm totally down with a nominations for <i>The Ides of March</i>. Yeah, I've learned to be satisfied with just one...wait, what?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST SCREENPLAY</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Artist</i> - Michel Hazanavicius</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Descendants</i> - Alexander Payne, Jim Rasche, Nat Faxon</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Ides of March</i> - George Clooney, Grant Heslov</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Midnight in Paris</i> - Woody Allen</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Moneyball</i> - Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST DIRECTOR</div><div style="text-align: center;">Woody Allen, <i>Midnight in Paris</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">George Clooney, <i>The Ides of March</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Michel Hazanavicius,<i> The Artist </i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Alexander Payne, <i>The Descendants</i><br />Martin Scorsese, <i>Hugo</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">AHHHH! My beloved <i>Ides of March</i> is finally getting some traction this season! A subtle, sophisticated, brilliant reflection of the our political landscape (hope? change? they're all politicians, honey), it looked for a while that it might be slipping by the wayside. Certainly its shut-out at the SAG Nominations was cause for distress. Will the Globes' attention encourage more Academy members to check it out? I do hope so. Also, it should be noted: <i>The Artist</i> is doing rather well so far, and Spielberg was left out of director, a surprise considering the Globes' reputation for courting the famous. Even stranger considering the Drama slate:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST PICTURE - DRAMA</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Descendants</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hugo</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Ides of March</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Moneyball</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>War Horse</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But I guess the Globes <i>are</i> stricter on the five-wide for the Director category than in the Drama category. <i>Somebody</i> had to be left off. Still, the eyebrows raise slightly at Clooney getting in over The Beard. They also raise slightly at <i>Hugo</i> as a drama. I guess I see that. The kid's not exactly the happy-go-luckiest of children, is he? But there are a large number of lighter moments, plus, you know, family fare. I mean, if <i>Alice in Wonderland</i> was a comedy....</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Okay, enough of the dilly-dallying. What else was there?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR</div><div style="text-align: center;">Kenneth Branagh, <i>My Week with Marilyn</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Albert Brooks,<i> Drive</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i>Jonah Hill, <i>Moneyball</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Viggo Mortensen, <i>A Dangerous Method</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Christopher Plummer, <i>Beginners</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Plummer and Branagh: all present and correct. Brooks here and not at the SAG. Advantage: Globes. Hill, surprisingly (to me at least) makes it into Globes <i>AND</i> SAGs! Delightfully, a nomination for the overlooked <i>A Dangerous Method</i> finally happens, and for its strongest aspect, too. Mortensen's Freud nearly steals the show, a hell of a feat considering the competition within the film. Globes, you are baller this year!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS</div><div style="text-align: center;">Berenice Bejo, <i>The Artist</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jessica Chastain, <i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Janet McTeer, <i>Albert Nobbs</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Octavia Spencer, <i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Shailene Woodley, <i>The Descendants</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">...And then you throw curveballs like this. Of all the groups that I expected to nominate Melissa McCarthy for <i>Bridesmaids</i>, I thought I could depend on the same group who nominated Tom Cruise for <i>Tropic Thunder</i> to deliver. It's always the ones you trust who surprise you.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST ACTRESS - DRAMA</div><div style="text-align: center;">Glenn Close, <i>Albert Nobbs</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Viola Davis, <i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rooney Mara, <i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Meryl Streep, <i>The Iron Lady</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tilda Swinton, <i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Just a few days ago, my roommate and I were discussing the Oscar race. He was predicting Tilda for a SAG nom, then an Oscar nom. "No, no," says I, "I don't see that happening. I think Tilda's doomed to be that one-time-only fling." "But they love her!" he insisted. "Only the once," I countered.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, perhaps this doesn't mean anything. The Globes did nominate Swinton before it was the cool thing to do (<i>The Deep End</i>). But when I see an actress nominated for a Golden Globe...and a SAG Award...and winning the NBR...well, I just gotta look at all the evidence and say, "Hot damn. There's a contender if ever I saw one."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BEST ACTRESS - MUSICAL/COMEDY</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jodie Foster, <i>Carnage</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Charlize Theron, <i>Young Adult</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Kristen Wiig, <i>Bridesmaids</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Michelle Williams, <i>My Week with Marilyn</i> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Kate Winslet, <i>Carnage </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Williams will easily win this, won't she?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Final thought: This spells ever more disaster for the <i>Tinker Tailor</i> camp. We are not amused.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-7516832130892970378?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-70451094704315427922011-12-14T07:13:00.000-08:002012-01-03T11:49:45.039-08:00All Baggy and SAGgyI can't believe so many of us get up before sunrise for ten minutes' worth of talking, only caring about the last three, fully aware that we can see a nice, typed press release within the next fifteen minutes on the computer. Yet there we were, watching the SAG Award Nominations live on TNT.TV, tweeting about it, reading Julian Stark's <a href="http://julianstark-moviesandotherthings.blogspot.com/2011/12/live-blogging-2011-sag-nominees.html">live-blogging</a>, (I, too, have been sucked into <i>Charmed</i> while awaiting the announcement...though that was last year), chatting with the other awards-obsessed. It's the first mass of many this season, what with the Golden Globes announcing tomorrow and the Oscar noms in January, and the Hollmann noms before <i>that</i>....hopefully, even the 1957 ones (gulp!).<br /><br />How did it all go down, you may ask? Well, let's take a look-see. First off, I did some predictions in the brief time I had beforehand. They were:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">ENSEMBLE</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Artist</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Bridesmaids</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Descendants</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">ACTOR</div><div style="text-align: center;">George Clooney, <i>The Descendants</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jean Dujardin, <i>The Artist</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Gary Oldman, <i>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Brad Pitt, <i>Moneyball</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Michael Shannon, <i>Take Shelter</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">ACTRESS</div><div style="text-align: center;">Glenn Close, <i>Albert Nobbs</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Olivia Colman, <i>Tyrannosaur</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Viola Davis, <i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Meryl Streep, <i>The Iron Lady</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Michelle Williams, <i>My Week with Marilyn</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">SUPPORTING ACTOR</div><div style="text-align: center;">Kenneth Branagh, <i>My Week with Marilyn</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Albert Brooks, <i>Drive</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nick Nolte, <i>Warrior</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Christopher Plummer, <i>Beginners</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Max von Sydow, <i>Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">SUPPORTING ACTRESS</div><div style="text-align: center;">Berenice Bejo, <i>The Artist</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jessica Chastain, <i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Melissa McCarthy, <i>Bridesmaids</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Octavia Spencer, <i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Shailene Woodley, <i>The Descendants</i></div><br />And how did I fare in my predictions? Read on, for you are about to witness the pleasant surprises and faint discouragement of the SAG Awards....<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DczB0ymCVTE/Tui7yJ8Mb-I/AAAAAAAADWU/oG6QeDc5qXk/s1600/bejo+supporting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DczB0ymCVTE/Tui7yJ8Mb-I/AAAAAAAADWU/oG6QeDc5qXk/s200/bejo+supporting.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Berenice Bejo, <i>The Artist</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jessica Chastain, <i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Melissa McCarthy, <i>Bridesmaids</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Janet McTeer, <i>Albert Nobbs</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Octavia Spencer, <i>The Help</i></div><br />Whoa-ho! Janet McTeer! Hers is a name I've been hearing bandied about hither and thither all season, with some claiming she steals the film straight out from under Glenn Close. For some reason, I haven't taken the whisperings seriously, but now... Of course, as Andrew says, a SAG nom is <b><i>not</i></b> an Oscar nom. Still, her appearance here after her nomination (<i>sans</i> Close) at the Indie Spirits gives her some steam. More to the point...they included her at the expense of a pretty young female, practically unheard of in awards season! Did the SAG voters also see <i>Cat Run</i> and reminded of how MILFy McTeer can be? Or was it already getting too hot for 'em with Bejo/Chastain back-to-back?<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WyqIMrJi3Hg/Tui70DTzODI/AAAAAAAADW0/xQDiKsEqlQc/s1600/plummer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WyqIMrJi3Hg/Tui70DTzODI/AAAAAAAADW0/xQDiKsEqlQc/s320/plummer.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"This is all going to mine...I am going to win this thing."</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Kenneth Branagh, <i>My Week with Marilyn</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Armie Hammer, <i>J. Edgar</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jonah Hill, <i>Moneyball</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nick Nolte, <i>Warrior</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Christopher Plummer, <i>Beginners</i></div><br />Remember the scene in <i>Cleopatra</i> when Burton is getting all weird and is all...<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RlL_iwxPnxY?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />That's how the Hammer/Hill noms struck me. PFF, BROOKS; PFF, VON SYDOW!!! Of course, now that I think about it, did <i>Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close</i> screen in time for the SAG deadline? Maybe that was my error... Anyway, it doesn't matter <i>now</i> since I lost my faith, but my first instinct when I saw <i>J. Edgar</i> was, "My God! Armie Hammer! It may...just...<i>happen</i>!"<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">FOR BEST ACTOR</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-34w5wiIhLZY/Tui7zKN-C7I/AAAAAAAADWk/z7wRsZrWvUI/s1600/dicaprio+lead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-34w5wiIhLZY/Tui7zKN-C7I/AAAAAAAADWk/z7wRsZrWvUI/s320/dicaprio+lead.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Tell Gary Oldman he can suck it."</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Demian Bichir, <i>A Better Life </i></div><div style="text-align: center;">George Clooney, <i>The Descendants</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Leonardo DiCaprio, <i>J. Edgar</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jean Dujardin, <i>The Artist</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Brad Pitt, <i>Moneyball</i></div><br />It was Bichir instead of Shannon for that last-hope-for-indie slot. And it was DiCaprio instead of Oldman for that crown-jewel-performance slot. I don't think Bichir will repeat come January, but this does give DiCaprio a slight edge, <i>non</i>? I am sad about Oldman not getting in: his George Smiley is one of the better performances I've seen this year, a tightly-coiled, quiet, beautiful piece of work enlivened by the slightest turn of the mouth, twitch of the eyebrow, angling of the head. But, you know, I like DiCaprio's work in <i>J. Edgar</i>, too. I really do. I kind of like that whole film, actually, despite how messy, plodding and unfocused it is.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">FOR BEST ACTRESS</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bQ8TiYFwl9Y/Tui7yhxGCMI/AAAAAAAADWc/WmQdqLtCEvA/s1600/davis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bQ8TiYFwl9Y/Tui7yhxGCMI/AAAAAAAADWc/WmQdqLtCEvA/s320/davis.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Ain't you tired of this still for me? Ain't there other stills to use?"</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Glenn Close, <i>Albert Nobbs</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Viola Davis, <i>The Help</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Meryl Streep, <i>The Iron Lady</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tilda Swinton, <i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Michelle Williams, <i>My Week with Marilyn</i></div><br />SWINTON! The first time since <i>Michael Clayton</i> that she's received individual recognition, and the second time ever! This bodes well for her, methinks...and I had her written off, too! Really, what is there to say? <i>Nobbs</i> and <i>Iron Lady</i> have yet to come out, I haven't seen <i>Kevin</i>....<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">FOR BEST ENSEMBLE</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sRg6thKMpIs/Tui7zppA4EI/AAAAAAAADWs/gBSI8d_-nN0/s1600/Midnight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sRg6thKMpIs/Tui7zppA4EI/AAAAAAAADWs/gBSI8d_-nN0/s320/Midnight.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Here's to a great cast getting recognition. Except for Alison Pill, Tom Hiddleston, Corey Stoll, Mimi Kennedy, Nina Arianda..."</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Artist</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Bridesmaids </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Descendant </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Help </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Midnight in Paris</i></div><br />Oh...way to <i>Sophie's Choice</i> me, SAG. Ignoring (or perhaps just missing?) the ensemble work of <i>Tinker Tailor</i> in favor of Woody Allen's latest, among his greatest, <i>Midnight in Paris</i>? I applaud this surprise, this pleasant, wonderful, Christmas surprise.<br /><br />So, there you are. Full list <a href="http://www.sagawards.org/media-pr/11213">here</a>, and so on and so forth. May the best actor (of this lineup) win.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-7045109470431542792?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-92186048758658161582011-12-05T22:32:00.001-08:002011-12-06T01:04:21.851-08:00Casting Coup Tuesdays: The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey<div style="color: #990000;">Let's start out small, intimate, with but two characters to cast.</div><div style="color: #990000;"><br /></div><div style="color: #990000;">It had to have been many years ago -- before middle school, certainly --&nbsp; my mother read us a picture book called <i>The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey</i>. It's very short, probably only a couple dozen pages, including illustrations, but it never fails to knock me out. Susan Wojciechowski and illustrator PJ Lynch pack so much subtlety, beauty, hurt and hope on every page, he who comes out dry-eyed is missing a piece of their heart. Truly.</div><div style="color: #990000;"><br /></div><div style="color: #990000;">So, the story! It's about a carpenter who does not deal with people, shuts himself away from the world, unhappy and alone, hating Christmas. One day, a widow and her son arrive with a proposition: to recreate a beloved Nativity set. Toomey reluctantly acquiesces, little realizing that the widow's son is keeping a watchful eye, with vocal opinions on how to make the perfect Nativity display. Of course, there's more to Toomey than meets the eye; secrets are uncovered, connections are made, and the reader is left weeping with joy and the spirit of Christmas.</div><div style="color: #990000;"><br /></div><div style="color: #990000;">I actually once wrote and appeared in an adaptation for my church's Christmas service, playing the role of the son. We used the Nativity set from home as a prop, since the resin figurines were modeled and painted to look like woodcuts. Even better, Lynch's illustrations in the book are an exact match for our family set. We've had that set forever, long before the book came out in 1995, a great coincidence that tied me closer to the story.&nbsp;</div><div style="color: #990000;"><br /></div><div style="color: #990000;">Some of you may have heard of the film version, a straight-to-DVD release that came out in 2007. Tom Berenger starred with Joely Richardson, and it features an appearance by one Miss Saoirse Ronan. I have yet to see the film, partly because I haven't been able to find out, and partly because I have my own idea of what Jonathan Toomey and the Widow MacDowell look like. Let me share it:</div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">WIDOW MACDOWELL</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: <span style="color: #990000;">The widow who hires Toomey to recreate her Nativity set. A sweet woman, a good mother and Christian, her kindness helps to warm Toomey's heart.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5a7H52oqG7c/Tt3Wrd0awZI/AAAAAAAADWM/W2gB4pq5Pcg/s1600/widow+macdowell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5a7H52oqG7c/Tt3Wrd0awZI/AAAAAAAADWM/W2gB4pq5Pcg/s320/widow+macdowell.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: <span style="color: #990000;">BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (</span><i style="color: #990000;">No Country for Old Men</i><span style="color: #990000;">), Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Actress (</span><i style="color: #990000;">Two Family House</i><span style="color: #990000;">), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (</span><i style="color: #990000;">Gosford Park</i><span style="color: #990000;">, </span><i style="color: #990000;">No Country for Old Men</i><span style="color: #990000;">)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z-DX-t6umNM/Tt3Wq9kXzLI/AAAAAAAADWE/Ncq8kEfNLEk/s1600/macdonald+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z-DX-t6umNM/Tt3Wq9kXzLI/AAAAAAAADWE/Ncq8kEfNLEk/s320/macdonald+widow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Kelly Macdonald (<i>Finding Neverland</i>, "Boardwalk Empire")</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000;">The widow is a young woman, I think, with warmth and kindness overflowing. Macdonald, who I've been a fan of since 2001's </span><i style="color: #990000;">Gosford Park</i><span style="color: #990000;"> exudes that quiet, gentle beauty needed for the role.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">JONATHAN TOOMEY</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: <span style="color: #990000;">A gruff carpenter who tries to ignore the Christmas season. At first put off by the widow and her son, he grows closer to them as the set nears completion. Of course, he also keeps a mysterious photograph in his desk...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aA4v_6mC2Fc/Tt3WqpmNeWI/AAAAAAAADV8/LZ_M271X1ms/s1600/jonathan+toomey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aA4v_6mC2Fc/Tt3WqpmNeWI/AAAAAAAADV8/LZ_M271X1ms/s320/jonathan+toomey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: <span style="color: #990000;">Academy Award/Golden Globe/SAG Award Winner/BAFTA Award/Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (</span><i style="color: #990000;">The Fighter</i><span style="color: #990000;">)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GZfyEJuqWDI/Tt3WqLixkNI/AAAAAAAADV0/e8RYrignhaI/s1600/bale+toomey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GZfyEJuqWDI/Tt3WqLixkNI/AAAAAAAADV0/e8RYrignhaI/s320/bale+toomey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Christian Bale (<i>Pocahontas</i>, <i>Flowers of War</i>)</div><div style="color: #990000; text-align: center;">Besides his ability to sport a masterful beard, Bale is a strong performer able to tell everything about a character with his eyes and physicality alone, a great skill for a role like Jonathan Toomey. I would compare it to his quiet, noble turn in <i>3:10 to Yuma</i>, really. </div><div style="color: #990000; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #990000;"><br /></div><div style="color: #990000;">Any of you read the book? Anyone convinced to? It's quite lovely, and available for purchase <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Miracle-Jonathan-Toomey/dp/B001U9517C/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1323161572&amp;sr=1-2">on Amazon</a>. </div><div style="color: #990000;"><br /></div><div style="color: #990000;">As for music, how about a John Denver tune? I really think it could apply to Toomey's backstory, carving of the figurines, growing closeness with the boy. It's also a helluva beautiful song:</div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_kAGM3sDOy4?fs=1" width="459"></iframe> <br /><br /><div style="color: #274e13;">The season is upon us now<br />A time for gifts and giving<br />And as the year draws to its close<br />I think about my living<br /><br />The Christmastime when I was young<br />The magic and the wonder<br />But colors dull and candles dim<br />And dark my standing under<br /><br />Oh little angel, shining light<br />You've set my soul to dreaming<br />You've given back my joy in life<br />You' ve filled me with new meaning<br /><br />A savior king was born that day<br />A baby just like you<br />And as the Magi came with gifts<br />I've come with my gift too<br /><br />That peace on earth fills up your time<br />That brotherhood surrounds you<br />That you may know the warmth of love<br />And wrap it all around you<br /><br />It's just a wish, a dream I'm told<br />From days when I was young<br />Merry Christmas little Zachary<br />Merry Christmas ev'ryone</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-9218604875865816158?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-56374248544847854552011-12-05T04:04:00.001-08:002011-12-05T04:39:20.105-08:00Hollmann Holiday Extravaganza: IT BEGINSYou're still here, are you?<br /><br />Yes, it's been an unusually long absence -- my last post was a full month and ten days ago -- but oh! The things I have been doing! Working long hours (even Thanksgiving) at my current place of employment, catching up with all the films out in theaters (or on DVD), keeping abreast of the awards season, watching the films of 1957 for my next Oscar Series (even <i>that</i> was delayed as <i>Tammy and the Bachelor</i> sat unwatched for a week and a half). It's been a month of blood, sweat and tears, but December is here and I am ready to embrace the Holiday Season.<br /><br />Yes, I'm a few days late, but I've always tried to keep the tradition of Hollmann Holiday Extravaganza alive! This year, join me celebrating my favorite time of year with some stories, music and (oh, of course) MOVIES. <br /><br />Consider this an <span style="font-size: small;">overture</span>:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GPG3zSgm_Qo?fs=1" width="459"></iframe> <br /><br /><div style="color: #38761d;">Christmastime is here</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Happiness and cheer</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Fun for all, what children call their favorite time of year</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br /></div><div style="color: #38761d;">Snowflakes in the air</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Carols everywhere</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Olden times and ancient rhymes of love and dreams to share</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br /></div><div style="color: #38761d;">Sleighbells in the air</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Beauty everywhere</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Yuletide by the fireside and joyful memories there</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br /></div><div style="color: #38761d;">Christmastime is here</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Families drawing near</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Oh that we could always see such spirit through the year</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br /></div><span style="color: #38761d;">Oh that we could always see such spirit through the year.....</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-5637424854484785455?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-76620854317766626022011-10-25T12:30:00.000-07:002011-10-25T12:30:33.728-07:00Casting Coup Tuesdays: Rosemary's BabyI asked, you voted, and last Tuesday, I did it: I watched <i>Rosemary's Baby</i> for the very first time.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5du9FE3ix7A/TqP838QjX4I/AAAAAAAADRw/7TNUTOoqYYo/s1600/opening.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5du9FE3ix7A/TqP838QjX4I/AAAAAAAADRw/7TNUTOoqYYo/s320/opening.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La la la laaaa la la la la la....</td></tr></tbody></table>There really was no telling which way I would go. I've always <i>read</i> that it's a classic, but I knew a lot of people that either couldn't finish it (too dull) or just plain didn't like it (too dull). Still, I'm in love with the horror genre, it's a part of cinema history, and I follow Mia Farrow on Twitter. Besides, you lovely people (out there...in the dark....) kindly asked it of me.<br /><br /><br />Let me start at the end, for <i>Rosemary's Baby</i>'s is perfect. I love it because I hate it so much, because I should have seen it coming (that Polanski!), because a part of me <i>did</i> see it coming but hoped for the best, because I fell in love with Rosemary.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8j3PHTTjr6I/TqP83Sxp5wI/AAAAAAAADRo/bllU5gaHb_U/s1600/MIAAAAA.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8j3PHTTjr6I/TqP83Sxp5wI/AAAAAAAADRo/bllU5gaHb_U/s320/MIAAAAA.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wouldn't you?</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Certainly if there's a film that puts you completely in the headspace of its protagonist, <i>Rosemary's Baby</i> is it. Farrow is in every scene; I believe the only <i>shots</i> without her are from her P.O.V. We, too, doubt what is real and what is a nightmare; we, too, delude ourselves into thinking that she's going to have it under control. And so that ending, inevitable though it may be, causes the floor to just drop out from under you. I swear I felt my heart sink. It's not just that she's impossibly beautiful, or that hurts to see innocence like that lost, to see a good Catholic girl put through all that. No, it's that Farrow makes Rosemary such a lively, relatable <i>person</i> -- not a character, but a <i>human being</i>. It's probably the best thing I've ever seen from Farrow, and I was already a fan.<br /><br />Then there's Ruth Gordon, who won the Oscar for her portrayal of loud, nosy, elderly Minnie Castevets, Rosemary's neighbor. I'm reminded of when Goldie Hawn told Taraji P. Henson that a great supporting actress is one that, every time she re-appears, we realize we've missed. That's Gordon here. Every time she appeared on screen, I got excited, and I have to say it's mostly due the wonderful characterization she brings. I lived near and worked in Boca Raton, Florida, for 22 years -- do you know how many Minnies, how many elderly, shrieking, kindly-yet-badgering, nosy, heavily-made-up, New Yarrrrk biddies I've known? ALL OF THEM. While the makeup and costumes certainly help, Gordon's whole physicality is perfect. My absolute favorite shot of the film has Guy bringing the Castevets over to congratulate Rosemary on her pregnancy:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fxJPoekeQVE/TqP84FTxBuI/AAAAAAAADR4/1mE3OBgXYzk/s1600/ruth.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fxJPoekeQVE/TqP84FTxBuI/AAAAAAAADR4/1mE3OBgXYzk/s320/ruth.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Naaaaaaaoooooowwwww, that'th what I kawl gud nyooooth!!!"</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Minnie enters first, raising her fists triumphantly before moving in for the embrace, all in one smooth glide. It's a very typical reaction that becomes unsettling when put into full context. It's this same familiar approach throughout the film that makes Minnie such an intriguing character.<br /><br />Let me not solely credit Farrow and Gordon for this, though. Polanski's kept everything grounded in reality. The cinematography isn't distractingly Spooky, the decor and costumes are not overly-stylized to emphasize Good and Evil, the actors aren't playing wizened or sinister. While the score is the only indication of any eerie-ness, it bookends the film with a tender lullaby. Polanski comforts us with the familiar before invading our space with his witches and demons. It makes the horror more palpable, and worse -- more <i>possible</i>. It <i>can</i> happen here! <br /><br />Because that's what horror is, isn't it? The familiar becoming strange? John Carpenter's <i>The Thing</i> isn't just horrifying for the effects, but for the idea that the people you're surrounded by twenty-four hours a day are not who you think they are. The <i>Elm Street </i>movies are popular because you can no longer escape in your dreams. The original <i>Black Christmas</i> posits that even at home under police surveillance, you are not safe.<br /><br />And ahead of the pack is the film that made us believe that it's not the <i>weird</i> neighbors we need to worry about. Spooky, kinky, haunting: <i>Rosemary's Baby</i> is a masterpiece. Five out of five black cats.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ux3SqSN61r8/TqP83BojccI/AAAAAAAADRg/Mhs7TJruB0E/s1600/fab.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ux3SqSN61r8/TqP83BojccI/AAAAAAAADRg/Mhs7TJruB0E/s320/fab.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And ten out of ten Castevet Curls</td></tr></tbody></table>&nbsp;Now for the main event: The Casting Coup!<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />I have to say, this wasn't the easiest. Laura Louise, Hutch, Minnie and Rosemary were difficult to cast, whereas Sapirstein, Roman and Guy were all rather obvious. Still, once I finally decided...it all made sense. Read, enjoy, adore.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">GRACE CARDIFF</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: Hutch's neighbor. She gives Rosemary a book entitled <i>All of Them Witches</i>. Take the hint, Ro.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ubmEbRFvG00/TqYuKfk-anI/AAAAAAAADSI/F2kQlwqnGcs/s1600/grace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ubmEbRFvG00/TqYuKfk-anI/AAAAAAAADSI/F2kQlwqnGcs/s320/grace.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hanna Landy (<i>Harlow</i>, <i>In Like Flint</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eqY-R5SuWQU/TqYvQloBxQI/AAAAAAAADUM/n4eX9zd5sPI/s1600/peterson+grace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eqY-R5SuWQU/TqYvQloBxQI/AAAAAAAADUM/n4eX9zd5sPI/s320/peterson+grace.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cassandra Peterson (<i>Pee Wee's Big Adventure</i>, <i>Elvira: Mistress of the Dark</i>)<br />A significant cameo requires a talented performer who's an able chameleon. Peterson is underrated as an actress, and wouldn't it be a stitch for the Movie Macabre Maven to help in the fight against the devil.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">DR. C.C. HILL</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: The first OB/GYN Rosemary visits, as recommended by her friend Elise. Dr. Hill is the one who informs Rosemary of her pregnancy. He also wants a second blood test and does not believe in witches.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor - Musical/Comedy (<i>The Heartbreak Kid</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QznrBQS8hiA/TqYuLD4azCI/AAAAAAAADSY/1FKBoVML8p8/s1600/hill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QznrBQS8hiA/TqYuLD4azCI/AAAAAAAADSY/1FKBoVML8p8/s320/hill.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Charles Grodin (<i>Midnight Run</i>, <i>Beethoven</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FO-bq63L1OA/TqcLpZz7m_I/AAAAAAAADUk/685KfuDFAWo/s1600/hill+hill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FO-bq63L1OA/TqcLpZz7m_I/AAAAAAAADUk/685KfuDFAWo/s320/hill+hill.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Dule Hill (<i>Holes</i>, <i>The Guardian</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">ELISE DUNSTAN</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: Rosemary's best friend, who hasn't seen much of her pal since the pregnancy. She suspects Sapirstein of being a quack.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DzAelaaUfUs/TqYuKNjQsZI/AAAAAAAADSA/ES6VRS6BmzU/s1600/elise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DzAelaaUfUs/TqYuKNjQsZI/AAAAAAAADSA/ES6VRS6BmzU/s320/elise.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Emmaline Henry ("I Dream of Jeannie", "The Red Skelton Hour")</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wn0RymVp3Lg/TqYvO_aNCBI/AAAAAAAADTk/5Ezb52siq7k/s1600/blanchard+elise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wn0RymVp3Lg/TqYvO_aNCBI/AAAAAAAADTk/5Ezb52siq7k/s320/blanchard+elise.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tammy Blanchard (<i>Rabbit Hole</i>, <i>Moneyball</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">MR. NICKLAS</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: The landlord. Relieved to sell the late Mrs. Gardenia's place to a couple like the Woodhouses, though rent control always disappoint him.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nzP5DM6y_Ic/TqYuMqwaTQI/AAAAAAAADS4/Vzi9QclcWkg/s1600/nicklas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nzP5DM6y_Ic/TqYuMqwaTQI/AAAAAAAADS4/Vzi9QclcWkg/s320/nicklas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Elisha Cook, Jr. (<i>The Maltese Falcon</i>, <i>House on Haunted Hill</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Indie Spirit Nominee for Best First Screenplay (<i>What Happened Was...</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HN8HbyzcIQ0/TqYvQfTh0dI/AAAAAAAADUE/8Jun-rvapAA/s1600/noonan+nicklas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HN8HbyzcIQ0/TqYvQfTh0dI/AAAAAAAADUE/8Jun-rvapAA/s320/noonan+nicklas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tom Noonan (<i>Synecdoche NY</i>, <i>The House of the Devil</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">LAURA-LOUISE MCBIRNEY</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: Minnie Castevets' best friend. Giggly and excitable, she takes care of Rosemary after the birth.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oBZlNxWZOUY/TqYuL4y4-mI/AAAAAAAADSo/HK0onytIzJU/s1600/laura+louise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oBZlNxWZOUY/TqYuL4y4-mI/AAAAAAAADSo/HK0onytIzJU/s320/laura+louise.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Patsy Kelly (<i>Please Don't Eat the Daisies</i>, <i>The Naked Kiss</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aHD0cd4GxZQ/TqcLqP9DvAI/AAAAAAAADUw/j3EzohGrlhg/s1600/mcClurg+laura+louise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aHD0cd4GxZQ/TqcLqP9DvAI/AAAAAAAADUw/j3EzohGrlhg/s320/mcClurg+laura+louise.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Edie McClurg (<i>Ferris Bueller's Day Off</i>, <i>Back to School</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">TERRY GIONOFFRIO</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: Lives with the Castevets, who took her in when they found her homeless on the sidewalk. Befriends Rosemary in the laundry room, but soon finds herself back on the street....after falling out of a window.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKEpdJspZaY/TqYuOXoI3HI/AAAAAAAADTY/Vy1fqhrL_h0/s1600/terry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKEpdJspZaY/TqYuOXoI3HI/AAAAAAAADTY/Vy1fqhrL_h0/s320/terry.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Angela Dorian, aka Victoria Vetri (<i>Group Marriage</i>, <i>Invasion of the Bee Girls</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d-UQ7dF2JKA/TqYvP8z0gKI/AAAAAAAADT8/zNkBTJz3lac/s1600/german+terry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d-UQ7dF2JKA/TqYvP8z0gKI/AAAAAAAADT8/zNkBTJz3lac/s320/german+terry.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lauren German (<i>The Texas Chainsaw Massacre</i>, <i>Hostel: Part II</i><br />I remember thinking, "Whoa-ho! That Terry sure looks good for a recovering drug addict." So when I started thinking of this coup, I thought, "I need someone who looks like they've been through the wringer, but still beautiful. Like that hitchhiker in the <i>Texas Chainsaw</i> remake. Someone like her." Then I realized: why would I get someone <i>like</i> her when I could just <i>get the real deal</i>?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">DR. ABRAHAM SAPIRSTEIN</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: A renowned oncologist who Rosemary sees for a reduced price. After all, he's close friends with the Castevets. Advises Rosemary to avoid books and pills, and instead rely on Minnie's special herbal drink.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Awful Truth</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kYJ6Jonupm8/TqYuN2aduqI/AAAAAAAADTQ/6vHS0QWblD0/s1600/sapirstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kYJ6Jonupm8/TqYuN2aduqI/AAAAAAAADTQ/6vHS0QWblD0/s320/sapirstein.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ralph Bellamy (<i>The Wolf Man</i>, <i>Pretty Woman</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay (<i>The Last Picture Show</i>), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Screenplay (<i>The Last Picture Show</i>), DGA Award Nominee for Best Director (<i>The Last Picture Show</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Director (<i>The Last Picture Show</i>, <i>Paper Moon</i>), WGA Award Nominee for Best Adapted Drama (<i>The Last Picture Show</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oT9x9CegEr8/TqYvPNQtO2I/AAAAAAAADTs/RqNJnOZThcw/s1600/bogdanovich+sapirstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oT9x9CegEr8/TqYvPNQtO2I/AAAAAAAADTs/RqNJnOZThcw/s320/bogdanovich+sapirstein.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Peter Bogdanovich (<i>Infamous</i>, <i>Humboldt County</i>)<br />Proving himself as able an actor as he was writer/director, Bogdanovich's dry approach to the craft suits a frank, sensible man like Sapirstein.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">EDWARD "HUTCH" HUTCHINS</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Elderly author of adventure stories, Rosemary's first friend in New York, a neighbor of the Woodhouses back at their old place. When he visits a pregnant Rosemary, he becomes concerned about her health: not only is she <i>losing</i> weight, but he seems to recognize Roman.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7e7sMbJRDN8/TqYuLjChfvI/AAAAAAAADSg/vWn2DxN8-fw/s1600/hutch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7e7sMbJRDN8/TqYuLjChfvI/AAAAAAAADSg/vWn2DxN8-fw/s320/hutch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Maurice Evans (<i>Planet of the Apes</i>, <i>The Jerk</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award/BAFTA Award Winner for Best Actor (<i>Kiss of the Spider Woman</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor - Drama and Musical/Comedy (<i>Kiss of the Spider Woman</i>, <i>Children of a Lesser God</i>, <i>Broadcast News</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (<i>Into the Wild</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QAMIYrTCXqo/TqcLp78BOTI/AAAAAAAADUs/sSDghO6BTJk/s1600/hurt+hutch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QAMIYrTCXqo/TqcLp78BOTI/AAAAAAAADUs/sSDghO6BTJk/s320/hurt+hutch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">William Hurt (<i>Alice</i>, TV's <i>Too Big to Fail</i>)<br />I had my list of preferred fatherly actors. I kept those that could tell someone they look like death without insulting them. And then I kept those that would believably fight Satan. As it turns out, Hurt was the man.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">ROMAN CASTEVET</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Seventy-nine-year-old neighbor to the Woodhouses. Nice old guy, traveled the world, apparently dying. Also, the son of a warlock; he holds Black Masses in his apartment.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oCmJfxl0xM8/TqYuM1Qfa4I/AAAAAAAADTA/52mZUCgvLe0/s1600/roman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oCmJfxl0xM8/TqYuM1Qfa4I/AAAAAAAADTA/52mZUCgvLe0/s320/roman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sidney Blackmer (<i>High Society</i>, <i>How to Murder Your Wife</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (<i>Hairspray</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FJX_xYI0o8A/TqYvRBZHztI/AAAAAAAADUU/qOhUKYMihtI/s1600/stiller+roman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FJX_xYI0o8A/TqYvRBZHztI/AAAAAAAADUU/qOhUKYMihtI/s320/stiller+roman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jerry Stiller (<i>Hairspray</i>, <i>Zoolander</i>)<br />It's strange, but this was almost obvious to me. <i>Of course</i> Stiller would play a servant of Satan, it makes so much sense. He's an old guy, he's a native New Yorker (just like Roman), he can run the gamut from warm to sleazy to just plain mean. He's also someone the audience immediately recognizes and trusts; even if they don't always play nice guys, audiences always trust sitcom actors.&nbsp; </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">GUY WOODHOUSE</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Rosemary's husband, a struggling actor obsessed with his career. So obsessed, he's willing to do <i>anything</i> to succeed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Director (<i>A Woman Under the Influence</i>), Best Original Screenplay (<i>Faces</i>) and Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Dirty Dozen</i>), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Film (<i>Shadows</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Director (<i>A Woman Under the Influence</i>), Best Screenplay (<i>Husbands</i>, <i>A Woman Under the Influence</i>) and Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Dirty Dozen</i>), WGA Award Nominee for Best Original Screenplay (<i>Faces</i>, <i>A Woman Under the Influence</i>) and Best Original Comedy (<i>Minnie &amp; Moskowitz</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xF_jvJsy8lc/TqYuK74YTTI/AAAAAAAADSQ/W6ND_qd7RtM/s1600/guy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xF_jvJsy8lc/TqYuK74YTTI/AAAAAAAADSQ/W6ND_qd7RtM/s320/guy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">John Cassavetes (<i>Machine Gun McCain</i>, <i>Opening Night</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dedxbFIvLwU/TqYvPVsQkrI/AAAAAAAADT0/qkGCLQ6nx4o/s1600/duplass+guy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dedxbFIvLwU/TqYvPVsQkrI/AAAAAAAADT0/qkGCLQ6nx4o/s320/duplass+guy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mark Duplass (<i>The Puffy Chair</i>, <i>Humpday</i>)<br />I think Duplass could be just freeking outstanding in the role. An affable, everyman type, it would make Guy's struggle credible. The guy's a fantastic actor, and used to working within the realms of naturalism and improv. He's not bad-looking, either. Getting a nice Guy makes the role more compelling. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">MINNIE CASTEVETS</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: Roman's wife, a busybody who grows her own herbs for use in food, drink, and good luck charms. Takes a special interest in Rosemary, but seems genuinely fond of her, not just in your typical manipulate-to-become-the-mother-of-the-antichrist type.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Rosemary's Baby</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Rosemary's Baby</i>, <i>Inside Daisy Clover</i>), WGA Award Nominee for Best Comedy (<i>Adam's Rib</i>, <i>The Marrying Kind</i>, <i>Pat and Mike</i>, <i>The Actress</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AanHqXMdcFg/TqcNxCkBPJI/AAAAAAAADVE/1qYahfpb9N4/s1600/minnie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AanHqXMdcFg/TqcNxCkBPJI/AAAAAAAADVE/1qYahfpb9N4/s320/minnie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ruth Gordon (<i>Harold and Maude</i>, <i>Voyage of the Rock Aliens</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6t7dN1cuWHI/TqcLqiE8CqI/AAAAAAAADU8/bqy0SwYgaW0/s1600/roberts+minnie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6t7dN1cuWHI/TqcLqiE8CqI/AAAAAAAADU8/bqy0SwYgaW0/s1600/roberts+minnie.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Doris Roberts (<i>Christmas Vacation</i>, <i>Grandma's Boy</i>)<br />I don't believe I've seen her in anything but "Everybody Loves Raymond", and that's all I need to see to know. That role alone demonstrated her versatility, her quiet, subtle approach to the New York busybody. Like Stiller, she's someone who the audience would automatically trust based on her sitcom work.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">ROSEMARY WOODHOUSE</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: A lapsed Catholic who so wants to have children with her handsome husband. Well, she gets pregnant, but slowly realizes that that strange dream she had of the black mass and the mysterious creature may not have been a dream at all.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actress (<i>John and Mary</i>/<i>Rosemary's Baby</i>/<i>Secret Ceremony</i>, <i>The Purple Rose of Cairo</i>, <i>Hannah and Her Sisters</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actress - Drama and Musical/Comedy (<i>Rosemary's Baby</i>, <i>John and Mary</i>, <i>Broadway Danny Rose</i>, <i>The Purple Rose of Cairo</i>, <i>Alice</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WW49T0K15N4/TqYuNfo9dwI/AAAAAAAADTI/Ii-NZPJtNa8/s1600/rosemary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WW49T0K15N4/TqYuNfo9dwI/AAAAAAAADTI/Ii-NZPJtNa8/s320/rosemary.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mia Farrow (<i>A Wedding</i>, <i>The Omen</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N6zTTC9rmjA/TqcLoz959pI/AAAAAAAADUc/TYijreBvmM0/s1600/chastain+rosemary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N6zTTC9rmjA/TqcLoz959pI/AAAAAAAADUc/TYijreBvmM0/s320/chastain+rosemary.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jessica Chastain (<i>The Debt</i>, <i>Take Shelter</i>)<br />It's not just because she resembles Mia Farrow. Chastain is probably the best thing to happen this year, with seven performances that convey sexuality, purity, fear, humor...she's got all the tools, is what I'm saying, and she's still fresh enough for the mainstream audience not to have too much baggage with her. With the Castevets, you want someone you trust; with Rosemary, you want someone you don't necessarily know, and Chastain's versatile roles have so far kept her from typecasting.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-7662085431776662602?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-24338029379042672512011-10-18T13:59:00.000-07:002011-10-18T13:59:33.974-07:00Casting Coup Tuesdays: DraculaLet's flashback all the way to my childhood -- say, third grade, probably second. I had FINALLY discovered cinema proper, thanks to my local library and the Universal Studios MONSTERS Classic Collection. (Remember those ads? "Classic monster titles...with a haunting new look...at a price...TO DIE FOR!") I put this movie on...and a sense of deja vu came over me. I seemed to have a vague memory of posters at my grandmother's house...a book with photographs...my parents watching a movie in the middle of the night.... Although I hadn't realized it when I first got the film, the 1931 <i>Dracula</i> was as permanent a part of my life as my surname. Yes, Nana <i>did</i> have reversible posters of the Universal Monsters. And yes, our only copy of the novel <i>was</i> illustrated with photos from the film (including deleted scenes!). I still know that it was Aunt Barbara who bought me the VHS for my 10th birthday. I have memories of being Bela Lugosi for Halloween when I was eight -- not Dracula, but <i>Lugosi</i>. There's even a copy of the shooting script at my house!<br /><br />Suffice to say, <i>Dracula </i>impacted me in a significant way. It was the first film I really fell in love with, making it pretty much responsible for my film degree, blog, and L.A. residence. I've never read the novel -- I find it difficult to get into those journal entries. Curiously, too, I haven't seen a great many other Dracula films. Not Coppola's, not Hammer's, not Warhol's. It's a curious blind spot, though perhaps I just have trouble picturing anyone but Lugosi in the role.<br /><br />Still, that doesn't mean I'm unwilling to try. Indeed, <i>Dracula</i> is also the movie I most wanted to remake when I was younger, <i>because</i> admired so much the original. This is a reason I've never had a problem with remakes: I understand that it's not always an attempt to make a better movie, but to be a part of your favorite movie. It doesn't always succeed, but God love whoever tries.<br /><br />In other words, God love me. Let's give it a whirl: <br /> <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">MARTIN</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: A cockney attendant of the sanatorium. Frequently loses track of both Renfield and common sense.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AazXg-AgbsA/Tp3miRR6GCI/AAAAAAAADQE/8pnr0UQKnBg/s1600/martin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AazXg-AgbsA/Tp3miRR6GCI/AAAAAAAADQE/8pnr0UQKnBg/s1600/martin.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Charles Gerrard (<i>Journey's End</i>, <i>A Political Party</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P4IW9Nshgq0/Tp3mhBCCTQI/AAAAAAAADPc/jSRUiy6SFm8/s1600/frost+martin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P4IW9Nshgq0/Tp3mhBCCTQI/AAAAAAAADPc/jSRUiy6SFm8/s320/frost+martin.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Nick Frost (<i>Hot Fuzz</i>, <i>Attack the Block</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">LUCY WESTON</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: A friend of Mina's, she finds herself beguiled by the Count when she meets him at the opera. She later dies mysteriously, only to be seen throughout the city luring away children.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqDpw4Yl1k4/Tp3miPPhWZI/AAAAAAAADP8/ojpZDRkDcPA/s1600/lucy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqDpw4Yl1k4/Tp3miPPhWZI/AAAAAAAADP8/ojpZDRkDcPA/s1600/lucy.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Frances Dade (<i>The Constant Nymph</i>, <i>Daughter of the Dragon</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe/SAG Award/Hollmann Award Nominee/BAFTA Award Winner for Best Actress [Drama], SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (<i>An Education</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7lx5vCk0IGU/Tp3mjHV2n6I/AAAAAAAADQU/z1fEZslDVyk/s1600/mulligan+mina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7lx5vCk0IGU/Tp3mjHV2n6I/AAAAAAAADQU/z1fEZslDVyk/s320/mulligan+mina.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Carey Mulligan (<i>Never Let Me Go</i>, <i>Drive</i>)<br />Yes, Mulligan, if only to get her back to that engaging flirtiness she brought to <i>Pride &amp; Prejudice</i>. Besides, you wouldn't expect someone like Mulligan to buy it so early on, would you? </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">DR. SEWARD</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is Head: Runs Seward Sanatorium, property that neighbors Carfax Abbey. Becomes concerned when his daughter Mina starts exhibiting the same symptoms as Lucy. Eventually, he calls upon his old friend and colleague Van Helsing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w75pwMcMclE/Tp3mjhhoKpI/AAAAAAAADQk/khzLsLFzSso/s1600/seward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w75pwMcMclE/Tp3mjhhoKpI/AAAAAAAADQk/khzLsLFzSso/s1600/seward.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Herbert Bunston (<i>The Lady of Scandal</i>, <i>The Richest Girl in the World</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b0shuNzAGTw/Tp3mh9EBtXI/AAAAAAAADP0/jHh1j_EqqFM/s1600/hinds+seward.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b0shuNzAGTw/Tp3mh9EBtXI/AAAAAAAADP0/jHh1j_EqqFM/s1600/hinds+seward.JPG" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ciaran Hinds (<i>The Rite</i>, <i>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</i>) </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">RENFIELD</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: A real estate agent who visits Transylvania to close the Carfax Abbey deal with Dracula. And then he is turned into a crazed, bug-eating servant of the count. He winds up in Seward Sanatorium, where he tries to warn the others of the evil powers of the vampire.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jBTpX2mBZSE/Tp3mjWkcIwI/AAAAAAAADQc/Sb6UsLTeiuA/s1600/renfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jBTpX2mBZSE/Tp3mjWkcIwI/AAAAAAAADQc/Sb6UsLTeiuA/s1600/renfield.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Dwight Frye (<i>Frankenstein</i>, <i>Bride of Frankenstein</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Queen</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (<i>Frost/Nixon</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TmSLxKC3IFI/Tp3mj0qIDaI/AAAAAAAADQs/eL_ADb6Duyk/s1600/sheen+renfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TmSLxKC3IFI/Tp3mj0qIDaI/AAAAAAAADQs/eL_ADb6Duyk/s320/sheen+renfield.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Michael Sheen (<i>The Twilight Saga: New Moon</i>, <i>Midnight in Paris</i>)<br />Sheen's amazing versatility fits here, where he can play both straight-laced and utter bonkers. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">JONATHAN HARKER</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Fiance of Mina. Doesn't believe in all this vampire hokum, just thinks everyone's acting weirder than usual.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1YU_oBT9MhU/Tp3mhaY9SZI/AAAAAAAADPk/2lweshZb-HM/s1600/harker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1YU_oBT9MhU/Tp3mhaY9SZI/AAAAAAAADPk/2lweshZb-HM/s1600/harker.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">David Manners (<i>The Mummy</i>, <i>The Black Cat</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8rNLmYbrOgI/Tp3mlpHrPrI/AAAAAAAADRM/WclB4BQlXNE/s1600/whishaw+harker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8rNLmYbrOgI/Tp3mlpHrPrI/AAAAAAAADRM/WclB4BQlXNE/s320/whishaw+harker.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ben Whishaw (<i>I'm Not There</i>, <i>Bright Star</i>)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">MINA SEWARD</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: Seward's beautiful daughter, engaged to Harker. After Lucy's death, Mina, too, starts to fall under the spell of Dracula. Her nightmares and trances begin to worry her, though, and she soon entrusts herself to the care of Van Helsing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sEhLXiG8tzk/Tp3miz13yTI/AAAAAAAADQM/ZpPLcfo0S00/s1600/mina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sEhLXiG8tzk/Tp3miz13yTI/AAAAAAAADQM/ZpPLcfo0S00/s1600/mina.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Helen Chandler (<i>The Last Flight</i>, <i>Christopher Strong</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aB4NYa_v6vY/Tp3mlDTl5bI/AAAAAAAADRE/mNf79rdA1Jg/s1600/watson+lucy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aB4NYa_v6vY/Tp3mlDTl5bI/AAAAAAAADRE/mNf79rdA1Jg/s320/watson+lucy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Emma Watson (<i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</i>, <i>My Week with Marilyn</i>)<br />She's getting better with each film. Like Mina, she has a lovely innocence about her...but surely that snog in the penultimate Harry Potter film shows she possesses an untapped carnality, as well. Perhaps she can go there when Mina's under the spell... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">VAN HELSING</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Austrian colleague of Seward's who believes in vampires. The hero of the story, Dracula's only real equal in mental strength.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_oeC6NR4C4U/Tp3mk0KsADI/AAAAAAAADQ8/RsH5JA-uJCg/s1600/van+helsing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_oeC6NR4C4U/Tp3mk0KsADI/AAAAAAAADQ8/RsH5JA-uJCg/s1600/van+helsing.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Edward Van Sloan (<i>Frankenstein</i>, <i>The Mummy</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Documentary (<i>Encounters at the End of the World</i>) <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OmK6gLOAXpw/Tp3mhg8nCnI/AAAAAAAADPs/9HMP8hQ-Igk/s1600/herzog+van+helsing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OmK6gLOAXpw/Tp3mhg8nCnI/AAAAAAAADPs/9HMP8hQ-Igk/s1600/herzog+van+helsing.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Werner Herzog (<i>The Grand</i>, <i>Cave of Forgotten Dreams</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">DRACULA</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: The King of the Vampires!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K9v8JSqcEdE/Tp3mg94X7qI/AAAAAAAADPU/wZ6pObrd7Ys/s1600/dracula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K9v8JSqcEdE/Tp3mg94X7qI/AAAAAAAADPU/wZ6pObrd7Ys/s1600/dracula.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bela Lugosi (<i>Son of Frankenstein</i>, <i>Plan 9 from Outer Space</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6YND18IIyN0/Tp3mkQrt6UI/AAAAAAAADQ0/iM7IR21DeC0/s1600/skarsgard+dracula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6YND18IIyN0/Tp3mkQrt6UI/AAAAAAAADQ0/iM7IR21DeC0/s320/skarsgard+dracula.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Alexander Skarsgard (<i>Straw Dogs</i>, <i>Melancholia</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;">With that foreign accent and those ivory good looks, doesn't he look like an undead count already? Not to pigeonhole him with the whole "True Blood" thing, but there's a reason. There is a reason.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-2433802937904267251?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-17881839027590965332011-10-11T09:27:00.000-07:002011-10-11T09:27:50.600-07:00Casting Coup Tuesdays: The ExorcistI remember seeing <i>The Exorcist</i> in the middle of the afternoon with my family in high school. All I could think about afterward was <i>that face</i> and the line, "Fuck me Jesus." My parents weren't strict, but there were certain films we were not allowed to see at certain ages, so imagine my surprise when such a scene was considered appropriate viewing for my fourteen-year-old self. (Then again, Mom and Dad were always willing to break their own rules if they felt it was a quality film -- thus <i>Ed Wood</i> in elementary school and <i>Rocky Horror</i> in middle school). There was much of the movie I forgot over the years, but those graphic images of Regan masturbating with the cross never left. It was weird. It was scary. It was <i>horrifying</i>. So, of course, it had to be one of the greatest horror flicks of all time.<br /><br />As it turns out, it's considered more than just one of the greatest horror flicks, but one of the greatest films all around. Winner of two of its ten nominations at the Academy Awards, number two at the box office, considered for placement among AFI's 100 Greatest Films (both the original and the anniversary), and still rated in the Top 250 by IMDb Users, the film's got legs. Almost forty years later, it still has the potential to shock and amaze. <i>How did they do that?</i> one wonders, usually followed by a <i>Oh my God oh my God what's happening aaaaaccccckkkk!!!! </i><br /><br />Last year, <i>The Exorcist</i> returned to select screens for a one night engagement. My best friend/roommate and I were only two of the twelve people in the theater. It was even better this time around. I finally appreciated the sound design, the cinematography, the writing, the performances. Jason Miller in particular startled me as Father Damien Karras, the priest-psychologist dealing with the death of his mother, his loss of faith, and a possessed 12-year-old -- it just <i>hurts</i> so much to watch him. Meanwhile, we brought a friend with us who had never seen it before. Needless to say, she was clutching the armrests, covering her eyes, and I think I heard her praying. That's fine: so was I.<br /><br />The film is lightning in a bottle, often imitated, never duplicated. Yet here we are, doing a Casting Coup for a film that is already pretty perfect. Why?<br /><br /><i>Because we can!!!</i><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">SHARON SPENCER</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: Chris's assistant. Keeps the MacNeils' life in order and cares for Regan while Chris is on set. Understandably upset when things take a turn for the demonic, she nevertheless remains.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KRtd4FxWbIk/TpNm6U9iotI/AAAAAAAADPI/oWe6qiUJ4Hc/s1600/sharon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KRtd4FxWbIk/TpNm6U9iotI/AAAAAAAADPI/oWe6qiUJ4Hc/s1600/sharon.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Kitty Winn (<i>The Panic in Needle Park</i>, <i>The Exorcist II: The Heretic</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XNog-y2_03g/TpNm4-7o3rI/AAAAAAAADO4/tZNWx7Cz80I/s1600/maeve+sharon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XNog-y2_03g/TpNm4-7o3rI/AAAAAAAADO4/tZNWx7Cz80I/s320/maeve+sharon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Stella Maeve (<i>Transamerica</i>, <i>The Runaways</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Oddly magnetic presence in <i>The Runaways</i>, with a natural, modest performance that sometimes stole the show away from some the more mannered co-stars. Not on purpose, she just seems so natural and chill. I appreciate comfort like that, especially in assistants and babysitters.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">FATHER JOSEPH DYER</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: A Georgetown priest, he counsels Karras after the death of his mother. He remains good friends with Karras, and quite an entertainer besides: he plays piano at one of Chris's parties, as he's helping out on the set of her film.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1x7Vi76LLg4/TpNm2xQXP8I/AAAAAAAADOg/g4zm6ukQwoU/s1600/father+dyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1x7Vi76LLg4/TpNm2xQXP8I/AAAAAAAADOg/g4zm6ukQwoU/s1600/father+dyer.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Father William O'Malley (real priest, but he also wrote the song "Twinkle Twinkle Little Me", one of the great Christmas songs; great actor, too)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDHFBd5uSB8/TpNm2tvkqcI/AAAAAAAADOc/LFgHWvTlEcY/s1600/cranston+dyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDHFBd5uSB8/TpNm2tvkqcI/AAAAAAAADOc/LFgHWvTlEcY/s320/cranston+dyer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bryan Cranston (<i>Little Miss Sunshine</i>, <i>Drive</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Truly would not have thought of this if it hadn't been for my two viewings of <i>Drive</i>, but damn Cranston is impressive. So why such a small role? Because it's an important one, and Cranston is a phenomenal character actor. Also, I don't know any real priests off the top of my head.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">BURKE DENNINGS</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Chris's director and friend, an eccentric little Englishman who likes to loosen up with a drink. Things take a turn for the weird when, while staying at the MacNeils' to look after Regan, his body is found at the bottom of the steps outside her window. Almost like he was hurled out of her room...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wXahjN2uFoI/TpNm19eezvI/AAAAAAAADOU/Tx3e_vGTQ8A/s1600/burke+dennings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wXahjN2uFoI/TpNm19eezvI/AAAAAAAADOU/Tx3e_vGTQ8A/s1600/burke+dennings.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jack MacGowran (<i>Cul-de-sac</i>, <i>Age of Consent</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OyIfVIvpY8M/TpNm3sPMOJI/AAAAAAAADOs/B7W1ib1dEag/s1600/izzard+burke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OyIfVIvpY8M/TpNm3sPMOJI/AAAAAAAADOs/B7W1ib1dEag/s320/izzard+burke.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Eddie Izzard (<i>The Cat's Meow</i>, <i>Valkyrie</i>) </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">LT. WILLIAM KINDERMAN</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Aging policeman investigating Burke's death. Understands that there's a connection between a weird girl, a dead director, and a desecrated church. Kindly and wise.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>On the Waterfront</i>, <i>The Brothers Karamazov</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>12 Angry Men</i>, <i>Come Blow Your Horn</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oaSaMbXJO_E/TpNm4YrdzMI/AAAAAAAADO0/9Y0IUWXvQik/s1600/lt+kinderman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oaSaMbXJO_E/TpNm4YrdzMI/AAAAAAAADO0/9Y0IUWXvQik/s1600/lt+kinderman.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lee J. Cobb (<i>Exodus</i>, <i>How the West Was Won</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award Winner for Best Actor (<i>Scent of a Woman</i>), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Actor (<i>Dog Day Afternoon</i>/<i>The Godfather: Part II</i>), DGA Award Winner for Best Director - Documentary (<i>Looking for Richard</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor - Drama (<i>Serpico</i>, <i>Scent of a Woman</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LbyaKSXAPLk/TpNm5Pcik9I/AAAAAAAADO8/1Zn7bKabAkk/s1600/pacino+kinderman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LbyaKSXAPLk/TpNm5Pcik9I/AAAAAAAADO8/1Zn7bKabAkk/s320/pacino+kinderman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Al Pacino (<i>The Godfather</i>, <i>Cruising</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pacino still gets to play lawmen, so I figure this might be a good way to retire that. It's an interesting role that would give him a chance to underplay. He's so great at that.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">REGAN MACNEIL</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: Chris's daughter, a nice twelve-year-old girl who becomes possessed by a demon named Pazuzu.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee/Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actress (<i>The Exorcist</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wAPwrpmyKQk/TpNm5QOqjzI/AAAAAAAADPA/7lBZst3d8hY/s1600/regan+macneil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wAPwrpmyKQk/TpNm5QOqjzI/AAAAAAAADPA/7lBZst3d8hY/s1600/regan+macneil.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Linda Blair (<i>Hell Night</i>, <i>Repossessed</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zj26KqJ2OGg/TpNm6quAdQI/AAAAAAAADPM/3lJ4JI5Q74g/s1600/shipka+regan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zj26KqJ2OGg/TpNm6quAdQI/AAAAAAAADPM/3lJ4JI5Q74g/s320/shipka+regan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Kiernan Shipka (<i>Carriers</i>, "Mad Men")</div><div style="text-align: center;">Well, she's already dealt with some very adult themes on "Mad Men". Just add a cross! Ok, tasteless joke aside, she really does have a natural presence, and she looks like she could have come from my Chris MacNeil. Speaking of...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">CHRIS MACNEIL</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: Regan's mother, a divorced actress living in the Georgetown area so she can shoot a new picture. While not a religious woman, Chris has no fucking clue what else to do, especially since the doctors and medicos have no idea what's up with Regan.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award/BAFTA Award Winner for Best Actress (<i>Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress - Musical/Comedy (<i>Same Time, Next Year</i>), Indie Spirit Winner for Best Actress (<i>Requiem for a Dream</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actress (<i>Requiem for a Dream</i>) and Best Ensemble (<i>How to Make an American Quilt</i>), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actress (<i>Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3YxPEsHD6N8/TpNm2WYWjbI/AAAAAAAADOY/zCp4qUHv_mo/s1600/chris+macneil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3YxPEsHD6N8/TpNm2WYWjbI/AAAAAAAADOY/zCp4qUHv_mo/s1600/chris+macneil.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ellen Burstyn (<i>Resurrection</i>, <i>Lovely, Still</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe/Indie Spirit/SAG Award Winner for Best Actress [Drama] (<i>Monster</i>), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actress (<i>Monster</i>, <i>North Country</i>), Indie Spirit Winner for Best First Feature (<i>Monster</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dCZN8AlMGWs/TpNm64LDoMI/AAAAAAAADPQ/l8-_gXMLuVU/s1600/theron+chris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dCZN8AlMGWs/TpNm64LDoMI/AAAAAAAADPQ/l8-_gXMLuVU/s320/theron+chris.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Charlize Theron (<i>The Astronaut's Wife</i>, <i>Young Adult</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Never thought of anyone else for this role. Actually thought while watching <i>The Exorcist</i>: "Damn. Charlize would be great in this."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">FATHER LANKESTER MERRIN</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Priest, archeologist, exorcist. He's dealt with the demon Pazuzu before, most notably while in Iraq, and so is fully aware of the dangerous power he's facing. Merrin charges forward, even with a mouthful of green vomit. Merrin is so awesome.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (<i>Pelle the Conqueror</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor - Drama (<i>Hawaii</i>) and Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Exorcist</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kkVgRDYnyZs/TpNm3XekmjI/AAAAAAAADOo/V4kG0NNfttk/s1600/father+merrin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kkVgRDYnyZs/TpNm3XekmjI/AAAAAAAADOo/V4kG0NNfttk/s1600/father+merrin.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Max Von Sydow (<i>Minority Report</i>, <i>The Diving Bell and the Butterfly</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (<i>The Great White Hope</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor - Drama and Musical/Comedy (<i>The Great White Hope</i>, <i>Claudine</i>), Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>Matewan</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actor (<i>Cry, the Beloved Country</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jC1IohsW-MU/TpNm4AtaFSI/AAAAAAAADOw/Yz9EkGna_tY/s1600/jones+merrin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jC1IohsW-MU/TpNm4AtaFSI/AAAAAAAADOw/Yz9EkGna_tY/s320/jones+merrin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">James Earl Jones (<i>Star Wars</i>, <i>The Lion King</i>)<br />I wound up with a copy of the original screenplay, and while reading it, I kept picturing just Max Von Sydow, now old enough to take on the role without makeup. But that would be silly, I thought. Is there another elderly actor who I would believe as a scholar, a savior, an exorcist with a voice that could cast out the Devil? Of course, the answer is yes. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">FATHER DAMIEN KARRAS</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: The real protagonist of the film. Having just lost his mother, who he feels he neglected, Father Karras begins to doubt his vocation and his faith. How can he be the psychiatrist of the congregation if he himself is plagued with such doubts? Well, he winds up meeting Chris, and assists Father Merrin in the exorcism of Regan MacNeil.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting [?] Actor (<i>The Exorcist</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kPr1xcJRt5g/TpNm3K-QGDI/AAAAAAAADOk/qmtIoT1BAhk/s1600/father+karras.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kPr1xcJRt5g/TpNm3K-QGDI/AAAAAAAADOk/qmtIoT1BAhk/s1600/father+karras.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jason Miller (<i>The Ninth Configuration</i>, <i>Finding Home</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>Revolutionary Road</i>), Hollmann Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Runaways</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EL-QGGF7g7o/TpNm6Hky3UI/AAAAAAAADPE/ZC7XSF3lzTM/s1600/shannon+karras.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EL-QGGF7g7o/TpNm6Hky3UI/AAAAAAAADPE/ZC7XSF3lzTM/s320/shannon+karras.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Michael Shannon (<i>Bug</i>, <i>My Son My Son What Have Ye Done?</i>)<br />Shannon is actually just as magnificent when he dials down the crazy, as in <i>Take Shelter</i> (for the most part, anyway).&nbsp; Like Charlize, his was an automatic no-brainer. If anyone was to take the reins from the magnificent Mr. Miller, it has to Shannon.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-1788183902759096533?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-1907541157026490472011-10-07T17:41:00.000-07:002011-10-07T17:41:04.331-07:00Cry, Little Sister: Shocktoberfest, Week UnSo, what have I been up to with the Shocktoberfestivities? If you follow my Twitter (and really, why wouldn't you?), then you've been seeing my little capsules. Now, that isn't exactly fair for the rest of my readership out there, so let's catch up, shall we?<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">THE LOST BOYS </div><br />From that first shot sweeping into the carnival to an eerie carousel theme, I knew I was in for something fun; I knew I would probably fall in love with the credit "and Dianne Wiest" came up.<br /><br />I don't think I'm alone in believing that horror movies hit a kind of stride during the 70s and 80s. The bad hair, kooky clothes, and love of synth add an extra element of eerie- and otherness, a world where the young heroes are as odd-looking as the punk vampires, a world where watching sweaty men rock the saxophone is what passes for young nightlife. It was a weird decade, is what I'm saying.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dXSWJOm7h6k/To-aG95HJzI/AAAAAAAADOE/56WvBrMnbcw/s1600/lost+boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dXSWJOm7h6k/To-aG95HJzI/AAAAAAAADOE/56WvBrMnbcw/s1600/lost+boys.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Though their women were impeccable</td></tr></tbody></table>&nbsp;Schumacher, so often derided for his insistence on going big, is a perfect fit here. When your finale features exploding heads, a stereo inferno, and blood bursting out of all the plumbing, subtle is <i>so not</i> the way to go. <i>And yet!</i> -- he also gets layered, hypnotic performances out of hunky hero Jason Patric, deliciously evil Kiefer Sutherland and ethereal beauty Jami Gertz (the Coreys, in their first film together, are of course tops, along with under-appreciated Jamison Newlander and Queen Dianne herself, but it's really about those other three). Also give him props for that scary/beautiful moment where the vampires are hanging from the train tracks with Patric in the fog...genuinely unsettling.<br /><br />In the end, I would give it 5/5 black cats.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">HELL NIGHT</div><br />Our follow-up was not as successful. <i>Hell Night</i> apparently wants to go for the moody and the spooky, with long sequences in which our heroes walk around a candlelit mansion to investigate the bumps in the night. Instead, the pacing and poor lighting make it an exercise in curing insomnia.<br /><br />I can get behind the set-up -- four pledges are challenged to stay the night in a "haunted" mansion, where a disfigured killer is on the loose. Yes, killer-in-an-abandoned-estate movies are a dime a dozen, but horror has always been more about the execution (and executions!) than the story. For example, last year we screened <i>The Burning</i>, in which a disfigured killer targets summer campers and their counselors. Been there, done that, but the execution -- a large ensemble, creative deaths, mass murder, actual funny humor, and a largely unsympathetic Final <i>Boy</i> -- set it apart from the rest, and it's among only three Shocktoberfest films that I even remember from last year (the others are <i>Suspiria</i> and <i>The Devil Rides Out</i>). Then there's the man-inherits-haunted-house thriller <i>House</i>, with a typical setup but a disturbing, thought-provoking, atypical execution. Screened on a whim our inaugural year, it's become a standard, and we watch it every year with the equally-awesome <i>House II: The Second Story</i>.<br /><br />Which is all a long way to say that it's not the cliches that bugged me about <i>Hell Night</i>. Actually, <i>Hell Night</i> tries as hard as it can <b><i>not</i></b> to fall into cliches, as it develops its two leads, takes a slow pace, and allows its Final Girl to drink alcohol and bang boys. There are even some genuinely spooky moments! But I'm afraid it's all left me cold. When all but two characters are dead and there are still twenty minutes left, that slow pace starts to feel less a creative choice than a necessity to get the film to feature-length. And while it develops its two leads, the rest of the cast is colorless and annoying, underlit bodies waiting to become swathed-in-darkness corpses. I'm as happy to see Linda Blair as the next guy, but couldn't we get her in a better movie?<br /><br />Still, its heart is in the right place, and the first twenty minutes are fine, so I would have to give it 2/5 black cats.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK</div><br /><i>Elvira</i> answers the age-old question, "How many jokes can you make about one person's bust?" The answer: about 96 minutes' worth. No, that's not fair, there is a plot: Elvira inherits her dead great-aunt's decrepit home and spellbook in a small New England town that has its own Morality Committee; naturally, they don't take to her, nor she to them, but there's bigger fish to fry when dead auntie's evil brother comes looking for that spellbook. The movie never pretends to want to be more than just great fun...and it is! There are some eye-rolling moments, be they in the form of jokes, effects, or that wooden romantic interest, but if you can't embrace camp and kitsch, you probably shouldn't be watching <i>Elvira</i>.<br /><br />Besides, Edie McClurg plays a character named Chastity Pariah. Give it 3.5/5 black cats.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">THE CRAFT</div><br />And if one is going to be pleasantly surprised, Shocktoberfest is the time to do it. What was I epecting from <i>The Craft</i>? Some 90s wackiness? Melodramatics from forgotten stars? Attempts at "cool" moments that played awfully cheesy fifteen years later? Oh, <i>The Craft</i>, you failed to bring me any of this, and instead brought me a <i>legitimately</i> cool, sexy thriller with fully-developed characters, eerie moments, great visual effects...I loved it!<br /><br />Ok, so the film follows impossibly beautiful new girl Robin Tunney as she arrives in LA and attends a Catholic school. Mind, Tunney isn't just your run-of-the-mill gorgeous heroine; she's got some..."abilities", shall we say?...that make a trio of social outcasts take notice. Neve Campbell has burns all along her back that she covers up in layers of clothing; Fairuza Balk is of easy virtue, from a broke and abusive home; Rachel True is black. Together, they are "the Bitches of Eastwick", and they bring Tunney into their teenage coven to complete the circle. Then things get scary/awesome/eerie/unsettling/BAAAHH, because this isn't a group of girls skimming books on Wicca and wearing black nail polish. These bitches are witches.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BqPq4LrSZC4/To-aHCDbEyI/AAAAAAAADOI/U0tNQEPYQc8/s1600/the+craft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BqPq4LrSZC4/To-aHCDbEyI/AAAAAAAADOI/U0tNQEPYQc8/s320/the+craft.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Witches who hate sea life, apparently</td></tr></tbody></table>&nbsp;Then the movie just sort of follows them as they perform their magic. First it seems all they want is for their lives to get better, or for the bully to feel their pain, and that's cool. That's teenage stuff. Then some dark powers are inevitably released and Fairuza Balk's leader goes straight to Crazy Town (and I'm not talking being someones butterfly, sugar, baby). Evil is embraced, and Tunney must stop it!<br /><br />And so far all I've done is summarize, but oh my God! this movie is so awesome! I love that the film sometimes leaves the main character so it can develop the other girls in the circle, refusing to settle for ciphers or stereotypes. I love that there are genuinely disturbing things happening, like beached sharks <i>en masse</i> or snake fingers or MURDER. I love Tunney's line readings, with all the confidence of a great actress and all the awkwardness of a real teenager. I love the lack of judgment on this alternative spirituality, that we even get some real education from the mystical Lirio (Assumpta Serna).<br /><br />Most of all, I love Fairuza Balk's absolutely cray-cray performance as unhappy evil mega-bitch super-witch Nancy. Nancy, you and your movie get 5/5 black cats.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">HALLOWEEN H20: TWENTY YEARS LATER</div><br />On the one hand, I love Jamie Lee Curtis in this film. Laurie Strode is now living under an assumed name, the headmistress of a private school, with a 17-year-old son played by Josh Hartnett in his film debut. Still haunted by Michael Meyers, her worst nightmares are realized when he comes back...to <i>KILL</i>! Curtis is phenomenal in the role, cementing her status as the Scream Queen. Whether a worried mother, sexy lover, frightened escapee or exhausted avenger, Curtis plays every beat magnificently. The famous scene where she actually looks at Michael from the other side of a door is dynamite -- that is a fear that you feel, deep in your bones.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mj-hq8D8bpA/To-aGWK7hBI/AAAAAAAADOA/SABmw7cTJrg/s1600/h20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mj-hq8D8bpA/To-aGWK7hBI/AAAAAAAADOA/SABmw7cTJrg/s320/h20.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like this!</td></tr></tbody></table>&nbsp;On the other hand, the movie is much too short. At under 90 minutes, the film hastily dispatches its characters with little regard to pacing or atmosphere. It's especially surprising given the slow burn pre-titles sequence. It's doubly especially surprising given how much time is devoted to developing Laurie and her son, how fixated it becomes on the sexy shenanigans being setup by the four teens at its center. But we barely get to know who any of these people are before they are quickly, albeit awesomely, knifed out of the story. I wish I'd gotten to know everyone so I could at least <i>feel</i> something. I don't need backstories for everyone, but it would have been nice to get to know everyone a little more. Hell, we barely got any time with third-billed Michelle Williams!<br /><br />Still, it <i>is</i> Jamie Lee's show, and in that respect it's damn respectable. 3.5/5 black cats for you.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL</div><br />Can I just mention the best part of this screening? While watching the end credits of this early 80s-stylized flick, my friend notices the special thanks to eBay. "Wait, eBay was around in the 80s?" he asks. So perfect was the execution, he thought we were watching a genuine shocker from thirty years ago. Writer-director Ti West and his entire production team can take a bow.<br /><br />Actually, take a bow for the film as a whole. This slow burn is leagues away from the doldrums of <i>Hell Night</i>. Made for under a million dollars, <i>House of the Devil</i> has everything I could ever want from a horror flick. It's all very simple, following a college sophomore desperate for money who takes a mysterious babysitting job out in the middle of nowhere during a total lunar eclipse. Oh, and it's all preceded by a title card explaining the Satanism scare of the 1980s. Methinks this does not bode well. Man, all we see for the majority of the film is the girl in the house, watching TV, ordering pizza, listening to music, hearing mysterious noises, being watched from the window, unable to get anyone on the phone...<br /><br /><i>House of the Devil</i> had all the potential to be a boring, pretentious mess of a film, and it just refuses to give in to that. We get to spend some time with Samantha before she even accepts the job -- turning in her paper, hanging with her best friend, trying <i>not</i> to "walk in on" her roommate. That is to say, Ti West and leading lady Jocelin Donahue allow us to identify with Samantha as an actual person, <i>sans</i> exposition, before abandoning her in that remote spookhouse. It makes the tension all the greater, because we -- take note, horror filmmakers -- <i>have sympathy</i> for the character!<br /><br />And speaking of tension, good God! All those windows looking out in pitch blackness is unsettling, constantly gearing you up for some outdoor horror-show or shock! Eliot Rockett's cinematography makes eerie, wonderful use of long shadows and limited lighting.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-haHyStXJYuE/To-b6q3DoUI/AAAAAAAADOQ/uqKMiQ8CQ9A/s1600/the+devil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-haHyStXJYuE/To-b6q3DoUI/AAAAAAAADOQ/uqKMiQ8CQ9A/s320/the+devil.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gah!</td></tr></tbody></table>&nbsp;We become so petrified of what we think is about to happen that the wide shots are the most claustrophobic! Jeff Grace's score is period-perfect, fitting well into the quietly disturbing milieu. And Tom Noonan's off-kilter kindness as the man who hires Samantha makes your skin crawl. Look no further, friends: when it comes to heart-racing, throat-closing, claustrophobia-inducing tension, <i>The House of the Devil</i> has it in spades.<br /><br />Which makes the finale all the more disappointing. Stylistically and tonally, it doesn't fit with the rest of the film. Suddenly we're getting quick cuts, a cliched chase sequence, and an ending that is both obvious and illogical. If only that last scene hadn't happened at all! I'd have had the same caveats regarding editing and the chase sequence, but at least we would have gotten a shocking, unforgettable ending. Alas, such is not the case.<br /><br />SPOILER ALERT <span style="font-size: x-small;">The problem, of course, begins as soon as she escaped the Satanic altar. The scene is still slow and eerie, but once she starts fighting for her life, we are left with the typical movie villains who either attack one at a time or ignore their captor. We also see too much of the demon performing the ritual. Such choices after a methodically-executed 90 minutes are bizarre, too say the least. </span>END SPOILERS<br /><br />I cannot deny the overwhelming love I have for <i>The House of the Devil</i> as a whole, though. It showcases two promising talents -- the filmmaker and his star -- and while the ending is disappointing, it's not completely botched. 4.5/5 black cats to you.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-190754115702649047?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-77634645537203241692011-10-04T12:52:00.000-07:002011-10-04T12:52:41.370-07:00Casting Coup Tuesday: CarrieRemember in <i>Cinema paradiso</i>, how that kid's great mentor ran the local moviehouse and introduced him to cinema and kept all the kisses the Vatican made them cut out? I like to think Andrew was that mentor for me in college. He furthered my knowledge of film noir by introducing our class to <i>Kiss Me Deadly</i>, <i>The Reckless Moment</i>, <i>One False Move </i>and a whole semester of other under-seen classics. He encouraged my love of the bizarre and the campy through screenings of <i>Myra Breckinridge</i>, <i>The Jezebels</i>, and <i>For Your height Only</i>. He introduced me to martial arts films like <i>Master of the Flying Guillotine</i> and <i>The Crippled Masters</i>, my first forays into this little-respected genre. He really is the Mr. Miyagi to my Daniel-san.<br /><br />Among the great things he did for me was add, at the very least, two films to my all-time favorites list. The first is <i>Xanadu</i>, which quickly rocketed up the ladder to get into my Top Ten of All Time (one day I'll list my top 100, but that's for a day when I see enough movies...maybe when I'm 25 or 30). The other is the subject of today's Casting Coup: <i>Carrie</i>, the 1976 film directed by Brian de Palma.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3rotznp5a7w/TotjDhh-hdI/AAAAAAAADN8/hkwH7jkYxlk/s1600/HELEN%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3rotznp5a7w/TotjDhh-hdI/AAAAAAAADN8/hkwH7jkYxlk/s1600/HELEN%2521.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;Starring Edie McClurg as Helen, the unlikeliest of popular girls</div><br />I'm a lover of horror films. It's a genre that can always be tweaked and toyed with, so broad that any number of thrillers or dramas could also be considered horror, in one way or another. Many times, we get a horror film that is big on gore and blood and teens in peril, but not so big on characters and atmosphere and suspense. <i>Carrie</i> delivers on those fronts, but it's always a bit curious because, truthfully, there is no real "horror" until the film's famous climax: the prom. The fact that social outcast Carrie White is telekinetic seems like a bizarre throwaway device -- like Javier Bardem's ability to communicate with the dead in <i>Biutiful</i> -- for much of the film. Rather than get all spooky and <i>weeeeeird</i> about little ol' telekinesis, the film focuses on Carrie the Person, walking on eggshells whether at school with the mean girls or at home with her religious fanatic mother. Ok, the movie does have freaky telekinesis scenes sprinkled throughout, but they grow as Carrie grows...until public humiliation turns her into an unholy monster.<br /><br />I loved <i>Carrie</i> from the first frame. I have the soundtrack, I quote it with friends, I bought the three-pack that also includes <i>The Rage: Carrie 2</i> and the TV movie version with Patty Clarkson, and I watched <i>Snake Island</i> just because William Katt (nice guy Tommy Ross) was in it. Actually, I'm such a huge fan...I even adore the Broadway flop. Yes, I have a bootleg soundtrack -- there was never an official one -- and I play it constantly. It's terrible <i>and</i> amazing, and when <i>those</i> powers combine, Captain Planet can suck it.<br /><br />In my re-casting of <i>Carrie</i>, I kept the musical in mind, and with the exceptions of Billy Nolan and Sue Snell, all the cast members have proven musical chops. As for Megan Fox's desire to lead the recently announced remake...honey, can't you just toss on a baseball cap and rock the Norma Watson? <br /><br /><i>All original cast images come from <a href="http://www.aveleyman.com/">Aveleyman</a>, a great source for screencaps and cast pics.</i><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>BILLY NOLAN</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Who is He:</b> Chris's boyfriend, a thug who helps plan Carrie's humiliation. Billy helps to "collect" the pig's blood.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Originally played by:</b> Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (<i>Saturday Night Fever</i>, <i>Pulp Fiction</i>), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (<i>Pulp Fiction</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor - Musical/Comedy (<i>Get Shorty</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actor (<i>Pulp Fiction</i>) and Best Ensemble (<i>Get Shorty</i>, <i>Hairspray</i>), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>Hairspray</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yso4Qw3PwD0/TgLCpiLwdzI/AAAAAAAAC58/isdABYQ49-o/s1600/billy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yso4Qw3PwD0/TgLCpiLwdzI/AAAAAAAAC58/isdABYQ49-o/s1600/billy.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>John Travolta (<i>Staying Alive</i>, <i>Old Dogs</i>)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>My Choice:</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uxkvS0yrmGA/TgLDHQ_uTrI/AAAAAAAAC6s/GZLkTOxQzYE/s1600/pettyfer+billy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uxkvS0yrmGA/TgLDHQ_uTrI/AAAAAAAAC6s/GZLkTOxQzYE/s320/pettyfer+billy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Alex Pettyfer (<i>I Am Number Four</i>, <i>Beastly</i>)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pettyfer's not a bad actor, he's just more effective as a jerk. In <i>Beastly</i>, at least, and that's fine, that's a career. Look at Christopher McDonald! A role like this really allows an actor to loosen up, too, without any of the restraint of having to be likable.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>TOMMY ROSS</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Who is He:</b> Sue's boyfriend, a track star and academic, an all-around nice guy. He takes Carrie to the prom on Sue's request, hoping to do a nice thing for a misunderstood girl. Then, of course, everything goes to hell.<br /><br /><b>Originally played by:</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yl03G1IpmfQ/TgLCrY9mr-I/AAAAAAAAC6U/9HCf3_p2ij8/s1600/tommy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yl03G1IpmfQ/TgLCrY9mr-I/AAAAAAAAC6U/9HCf3_p2ij8/s1600/tommy.jpg" /></a></div><b>William Katt (<i>House</i>, <i>Jawbreaker</i>)</b><br /><br /><b>My Choice:</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MfSN3BOSpvI/TgLDG3U5dXI/AAAAAAAAC6o/BfDjz05diNw/s1600/overstreet+tommy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MfSN3BOSpvI/TgLDG3U5dXI/AAAAAAAAC6o/BfDjz05diNw/s320/overstreet+tommy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Chord Overstreet ("Glee", <i>The Hole in 3D</i>)</b><br />Unless something happens next season, Overstreet is the poster-boy of nice guy athletes on <i>Glee</i>. I'm always hoping those kids get more work outside the show, and he's great so far.<br /><br /><br /><b>CHRIS HARGENSEN</b><br /><b>Who is She</b>: The resident mean girl, finally punished for making Carrie's life hell. After being banned from the prom, she makes a plan to get Carrie elected Prom Queen so she can exact her revenge.<br /><br /><b>Originally played by:</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J9Pj96FNQpg/TgLCqACnumI/AAAAAAAAC6E/h5p0R9p6x6M/s1600/chris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J9Pj96FNQpg/TgLCqACnumI/AAAAAAAAC6E/h5p0R9p6x6M/s1600/chris.jpg" /></a></div><b>Nancy Allen (<i>Dressed to Kill</i>, <i>RoboCop</i>)</b><br /><br /><b>My Choice:</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FVtukYA41_A/TgLDGMTwflI/AAAAAAAAC6k/m_2fcyDjd2o/s1600/gomez+chris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FVtukYA41_A/TgLDGMTwflI/AAAAAAAAC6k/m_2fcyDjd2o/s320/gomez+chris.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Selena Gomez (<i>Ramona and Beezus</i>, <i>Monte Carlo</i>)</b><br />One of the strongest Disney actresses, actually. While she's hinted at snottiness and being a "bad girl" before, I'd love to see her go all-out vicious. She's so cool.<br /><br /><br /><b>SUE SNELL</b><br /><b>Who is She:</b> At first, she's teasing Carrie with the other girls. But since Sue is a pretty nice girl, she comes up with a plan to help her: persuade Tommy to take her to the prom. Sue also happens to be neighbors with Carrie, so she knows what kind of family the girl comes from.<br /><br /><b>Originally played by:</b> Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Yentl</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actress - Musical/Comedy (<i>Crossing Delancey</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (<i>Traffic</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U7TcNDABDaM/TgLCrHXxDtI/AAAAAAAAC6Q/iHqIu1PEqTI/s1600/sue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U7TcNDABDaM/TgLCrHXxDtI/AAAAAAAAC6Q/iHqIu1PEqTI/s1600/sue.jpg" /></a></div><b>Amy Irving (<i>Tuck Everlasting</i>, <i>Adam</i>)</b><br /><br /><b>My Choice:</b> Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Scott Pilgrim vs. the World</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SryP2d3F5F8/TgLDIfkAUvI/AAAAAAAAC6w/dsovWf51G-c/s1600/wong+sue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SryP2d3F5F8/TgLDIfkAUvI/AAAAAAAAC6w/dsovWf51G-c/s320/wong+sue.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Ellen Wong ("Combat Hospital")</b><br />Her turn in <i>Scott Pilgrim</i> was impressive; now we need to see more of her. Sue is a very different person from Knives Chau, but I feel like we saw a bit of Sue in Wong's final scene. <br /><br /><br /><b>COACH DESJARDIN</b><br /><b>Who is She:</b> Girls' coach...obviously. She tries to educate Carrie and make her feel more comfortable with herself. Coach is even suspicious of Sue and Tommy's plan, not wanting the little outcast to get hurt.<br /><br /><b>Originally played by:</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8HmWZzxYtt4/TgLCqQwFDFI/AAAAAAAAC6I/0RR-PU_2WMk/s1600/coach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8HmWZzxYtt4/TgLCqQwFDFI/AAAAAAAAC6I/0RR-PU_2WMk/s1600/coach.jpg" /></a></div><b>Betty Buckley (<i>Tender Mercies</i>, <i>Another Woman</i>)</b><br /><br /><b>My Choice:</b> Academy Award Nominee/Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress [Musical/Comedy] (<i>What's Love Got to with It?</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HN4GROtXQ0U/TgLDELVV-1I/AAAAAAAAC6Y/PnGxmKQHBFg/s1600/bassett+coach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HN4GROtXQ0U/TgLDELVV-1I/AAAAAAAAC6Y/PnGxmKQHBFg/s1600/bassett+coach.jpg" /></a></div><b>Angela Bassett (<i>Waiting to Exhale</i>, <i>Meet the Browns</i>)</b><br />I immediately felt that she was the perfect woman for this role. First, I'd listen to her no matter what position she held at the school: she's so authoritative! Second, those arms. Of <i>course</i> she's an athletics director. <br /><br /><br /><b>MARGARET WHITE</b><br /><b>Who is She: </b>Carrie's religious single mother. And I mean crazy religious, to a point that Jesus would find excessive. She sees Carrie's period not as, you know, normal, but as a sign that the girl is as cursed as she once was. Because after the blood come the boys, <i>sniffing around</i>.<br /><br /><b>Originally played by:</b> Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress (<i>The Hustler</i>) and Best Supporting Actress (<i>Carrie</i>, <i>Children of a Lesser God</i>), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Foreign Actress (<i>The Hustler</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Carrie</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G_awmkH7Mp0/TgLCqpGhxPI/AAAAAAAAC6M/9nd5ew5DD7U/s1600/margaret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G_awmkH7Mp0/TgLCqpGhxPI/AAAAAAAAC6M/9nd5ew5DD7U/s1600/margaret.jpg" /></a></div><b>Piper Laurie (<i>The Faculty</i>, <i>Another Harvest Moon</i>)</b><br /><br /><b>My Choice:</b> Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress, SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress and Best Ensemble (<i>Good Will Hunting</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yZ3ZoyCSV0Q/TgLDFHVpVqI/AAAAAAAAC6g/uKonfN4J_vw/s1600/driver+margaret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yZ3ZoyCSV0Q/TgLDFHVpVqI/AAAAAAAAC6g/uKonfN4J_vw/s320/driver+margaret.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Minnie Driver (<i>The Phantom of the Opera</i>, <i>Barney's Version</i>)</b><br />I had my Carrie settled, so then I just needed a great actress who looked like she could have birthed my Carrie. I surprised myself by settling on Minnie Driver, but damn it feels so right. She's such an underappreciated actress, and I feel like she could bring the crazy without being unbelievable. I mean, Piper's shoes are tough to fill, but Minnie's up to the challenge. <br /><br /><br /><b>CARRIE WHITE</b><br /><b>Who is She</b>: Our telekinetic heroine, a social outcast whose powers actually give her some confidence, up until the pig's blood fall son her.<br /><br /><b>Originally played by:</b> Academy Award Winner for Best Actress (<i>Coal Miner's Daughter</i>), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actress (<i>Coal Miner's Daughter</i>, <i>Missing</i>, <i>In the Bedroom</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress - Musical/Comedy (<i>Coal Miner's Daughter</i>, <i>Crimes of the Heart</i>) and Drama (<i>In the Bedroom</i>), Indie Spirit Winner for Best Actress (<i>In the Bedroom</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actress and Best Ensemble (<i>In the Bedroom</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lPdf8JDZgNw/TgLCp_GBrLI/AAAAAAAAC6A/FDCZSujPLxk/s1600/carrie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lPdf8JDZgNw/TgLCp_GBrLI/AAAAAAAAC6A/FDCZSujPLxk/s1600/carrie.jpg" /></a></div><b>Sissy Spacek (<i>The Straight Story</i>, <i>The Help</i>)</b><br /><br /><b>My Choice:</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QXJHjy32dHQ/TgLDEYF3wGI/AAAAAAAAC6c/kU_6ZQLDvTg/s1600/browning+carrie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QXJHjy32dHQ/TgLDEYF3wGI/AAAAAAAAC6c/kU_6ZQLDvTg/s320/browning+carrie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Emily Browning (<i>Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events</i>, <i>Sleeping Beauty</i>)</b><br />&nbsp;Because she has that odd kind of beauty that can be believably plained up (like <i>The Uninvited</i> with Elizabeth Banks). She's a neat actress, too, one who plays confidence and distinct lack thereof with equal ease. Look at her in <i>Sucker Punch</i>, ably playing the innocent until it's time to take action. I would <i>love</i> to see her play Carrie.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-7763464553720324169?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-22372076812968134712011-09-20T22:14:00.000-07:002011-09-20T22:14:06.597-07:00It's Reader's Choice...Thirty days hath September, and its days are numbered, meaning we're only a little more than a week away from the second best time of the year. Of course, I'm talking about the month of October, or as its known at my place (and coincidentally, at <a href="http://finalgirl.blogspot.com/">Final Girl</a>)...<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6D8LcC5Q5MY/Tnlxt9X-g8I/AAAAAAAADN4/B2z5QDxAYqk/s1600/shocktoberfest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6D8LcC5Q5MY/Tnlxt9X-g8I/AAAAAAAADN4/B2z5QDxAYqk/s320/shocktoberfest.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Times,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>S<span style="color: black;">H</span>O<span style="color: black;">C</span>K<span style="color: black;">T</span>O<span style="color: black;">B</span>E<span style="color: black;">R</span>F<span style="color: black;">E</span>S<span style="color: black;">T</span>!<span style="color: black;">!</span>!</b></i></span></div><br />Yes, it's 31 days of horror movies, sometimes two or three a day, as hosted by my roommate/best friend and myself. We've been keeping it going since Freshman year of college, making this the Fifth Annual and our first in Los Angeles. The beautiful thing is that our daily horror intake won't just be relegated to Netflix and our own collections; this city has the market cornered on revival houses and specialty theaters, and you better believe they've got some thrills in store for us! Then, of course, there are new releases like <i>The Skin I Live In</i> and the "prequel" to <i>The Thing</i> starring the beautiful Mary Elizabeth Winstead.<br /><br />And, naturally, it means four new Casting Coups. And this time, friends, I'm involving you. Ya see, I know what three of my subjects will be, and I've got the posts ready to go: <i>Carrie</i>, <i>The Exorcist</i> and <i>Dracula</i> (from the 1931 film, not the novel or other versions). But while searching for a fourth to do, I figured I'll keep it interesting.<br /><br />I'm going to watch a movie I've never seen before, review it, and cast it. What's more...I'll let you decide what it's going to be! From now until September 30, you have the opportunity to decide a Shocktoberfest film <i>and</i> a Casting Coup Tuesdays entry. You are the decider! And because I love keeping y'all in suspense, I'll make it the last coup on the month, October 25th.<br /><br />Let your voice be heard and the blood be shed:<br /><br /><br /><div class="TWIIGSPOLL"> <script src="http://www.twiigs.com/poll.js?pid=83632&amp;color=reddark" type="text/javascript"></script> <div class="TWIIGSPOLLpolllink" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; clip: auto; display: block; float: none; height: auto; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 10px 0pt 0pt; outline-style: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0pt; position: static; text-align: right; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0pt; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible; white-space: normal; width: auto; word-spacing: normal; z-index: auto;"> <a class="TWIIGSPOLLmorelink" href="http://www.twiigs.com/" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; clip: auto; display: inline; float: none; font-weight: bold; height: auto; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0pt; outline-style: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0pt; position: static; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible; white-space: normal; width: auto; word-spacing: normal; z-index: auto;">poll by twiigs.com</a> </div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-2237207681296813471?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-59607251649269133772011-09-20T18:05:00.000-07:002011-09-20T18:07:33.018-07:00Casting Coup Tuesdays: The Swarm (a DISASTERPIECE)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VqrNa0swfc0/Tnk3vtu2mOI/AAAAAAAADN0/JVcLSmeUpSs/s1600/Picture+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VqrNa0swfc0/Tnk3vtu2mOI/AAAAAAAADN0/JVcLSmeUpSs/s320/Picture+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I love <i>The Swarm</i>. I wish I owned it so I could watch it all the time always, maybe skip around to my favorite moments (but what isn't my favorite moment here?), watch the made-for-TV companion doc where they claim <i>The Swarm</i> is a warning. That would be awesome. As it is, I don't own it, so I have to make do with Netflix Instant Watch, and that's...that's just fine. Because no matter what, I get to bask in the glorious awful that is...<i>The Swarm</i>.<br /><br />How does one describe it? Opening with a bunch of military men marching into a small military base, they find an alarm sounding off, a civilian van outside, and every uniformed man dead. The civilian is entomologist Brad Crane, and he is there to stop the killers of those men: African Killer Bees, brought to Texas by...storms, I guess? And anger? Anyway, Dr. Crane has been warning of the inevitable African Killer Bee invasion for years, and now his warnings have come true! Meanwhile, the small town of Marysville is preparing for their annual Flower Festival, which apparently attracts thousands of people from all over, what with Marysville's varied floral beauties. Of course, bees and flowers mix like chocolate and ice cream, so it's a natural target for the villains of the piece. Plus, they're right next to the military complex! It's only a matter of time!<br /><br />There's so much to love here, from the awful effects to Jerry Goldsmith's genuinely awesome score to those performances. Oh, those performances! Thrill as Michael Caine SHOUTS. EVERY LINE.&nbsp; Marvel at Richard Widmark's boredom. Wonder what the hell Katharine Ross is doing here -- the character does nothing, and Ross sees no reason to give her purpose. Olivia de Havilland and Henry Fonda are the major standouts by sheer virtue of the fact that they give surprisingly sincere, honest, real, GREAT performances. How classy was old Hollywood? So classy they could get into <i>The Swarm</i> and still deliver the hell out of it.<br /><br />I'm always confused by the climax of the film. I dare not spoil it for those of you who haven't seen it, but if you don't care about such things -- or have already seen it -- join me in this thought, will you?: an oil slick? After two and a half hours of preaching about the dangers pesticides have on the environment, the great solution is to cover the Gulf of Mexico with an oil slick and set it on fire? Did BP sponsor Dr. Crane's research? It's absurd.<br /><br /><i>The Swarm</i> is already tapped for a remake, somehow. Can one improve on the audacity, the self-seriousness, the insanity of the original? I doubt it, but God bless 'em for trying. Perhaps they'd consider some of my suggestions?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com/2011/09/casting-coup-tuesdays-swarm.html"><img border="0" height="138" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xXKMqp9ZB1w/Tnk3pQyUw5I/AAAAAAAADNw/4LN6H78xaBo/s320/THE+SWARM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">DEATHS: 10</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">ROMANCES: oh my God...all out of nowhere...I'm gonna say 3, but one of those is a love triangle </span></b></div><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>THE EXPERTS&nbsp;</b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b><br /></b></u></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">DR. ANDREWS</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: The head of the nuclear facility between Marysville and Houston. If this role lasts more than three minutes, I'll eat my hat. Pooh-poohs the possibility of killer bees getting in. Well, who's pooh-poohing now, Doc? <i>Who's pooh-poohing now?!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor [Drama] (<i>Cyrano de Bergerac</i>), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Foreign Actor (<i>The Caine Mutiny</i>), DGA Award Nominee for Best Director (<i>The Great Man</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EaH4IuI4yvo/TnUqqFjOQtI/AAAAAAAADLo/fmNw_juU5ds/s1600/andrews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EaH4IuI4yvo/TnUqqFjOQtI/AAAAAAAADLo/fmNw_juU5ds/s320/andrews.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jose Ferrer (<i>Moulin Rouge</i>, <i>Lawrence of Arabia</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Shakespeare in Love</i>), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Actress (<i>Her Majesty Mrs. Brown</i>, <i>Iris</i>) and Best Supporting Actress (<i>A Room with a View</i>, <i>A Handful of Dust</i>, <i>Shakespeare in Love</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress - Drama (<i>Her Majesty Mrs. Brown</i>), SAG Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Chocolat</i>) and Best Ensemble (<i>Shakespeare in Love</i>), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actress (<i>Notes on a Scandal</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FRwcZ-cXy6U/TnkuHUYhjqI/AAAAAAAADM8/WVQgRKfJkwI/s1600/dench+andrews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FRwcZ-cXy6U/TnkuHUYhjqI/AAAAAAAADM8/WVQgRKfJkwI/s1600/dench+andrews.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Judi Dench (<i>Henry V</i>, <i>Jane Eyre</i>)<br />In my great mission to bring women into the workplace, I have decided that if anyone deserves to have a three-minute cameo, it's Judi Dench. She gets Oscars for small roles, you know. And besides, she's another actor that just likes to have fun: <i>Chronicles of Riddick</i>, anyone? </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">MAJOR BAKER</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Slater's second-in-command. Tasked with compiling a dossier on Dr. Crane, Baker sets about being oh so weaselly, from spying on Dr. Anderson to shit-talking Crane behind his back.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eNA9lZWBeFc/TnUqq5mvu2I/AAAAAAAADLw/J9Exd_e5mFA/s1600/baker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eNA9lZWBeFc/TnUqq5mvu2I/AAAAAAAADLw/J9Exd_e5mFA/s320/baker.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bradford Dillman (<i>The Way We Were</i>, <i>Gold!</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (<i>Chicago</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ftNE5dALIE/TnkuHkGDyfI/AAAAAAAADNA/NlSG2oAdJ-E/s1600/diggs+baker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ftNE5dALIE/TnkuHkGDyfI/AAAAAAAADNA/NlSG2oAdJ-E/s320/diggs+baker.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Taye Diggs (<i>House on Haunted Hill</i>, <i>Brown Sugar</i>)<br />Shades of <i>Equilibrium</i> in his role as antagonist...though Baker is no villain, just woefully misguided. It would certainly be a step outside the norm for Diggs, who usually plays suaver, sexier men than Baker. Perhaps he could actually add a layer of professionalism to the role. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">DR. HUBBARD</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Environmental research. Tasked with coming up with an environmentally sound way to kill THE SWARM. Initially at odds with Dr. Crane, he steps up when he realizes just how large the danger is. Having fought with Andrews on environmental issues before, he elects to visit the nuclear facility in an attempt to evacuate it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CAaREXouQ0Q/TnUqsixvoDI/AAAAAAAADME/YOBb7QSKbOw/s1600/hubbard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CAaREXouQ0Q/TnUqsixvoDI/AAAAAAAADME/YOBb7QSKbOw/s320/hubbard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Richard Chamberlain (<i>The Towering Inferno</i>, <i>Murder by Phone</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor - Musical/Comedy (<i>Moulin Rouge!</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (<i>Little Voice</i>, <i>Moulin Rouge!</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_pUFkHVY5ec/TnkuJxOZEMI/AAAAAAAADNY/C6iVLxDsh0o/s1600/mcgregor+hubbard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_pUFkHVY5ec/TnkuJxOZEMI/AAAAAAAADNY/C6iVLxDsh0o/s320/mcgregor+hubbard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ewan McGregor (<i>The Ghost Writer</i>, <i>Beginners</i>)<br />Has he done a disaster movie yet? Why the hell not? </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">DR. WALTER KRIM</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Immunologist. An old friend of Crane's, Krim is tasked with coming up with an antidote to the bee's venom -- after all, four stings can kill an adult.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor [Drama] (<i>On Golden Pond</i>), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Foreign Actor (<i>12 Angry Men</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ezyj0qtc2CU/TnUqtYG_EdI/AAAAAAAADMM/npDokGxzads/s1600/krim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ezyj0qtc2CU/TnUqtYG_EdI/AAAAAAAADMM/npDokGxzads/s320/krim.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Henry Fonda (<i>The Grapes of Wrath</i>, <i>The Best Man</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award/BAFTA Award Winner for Best Actor (<i>Kiss of the Spider Woman</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor - Drama and Musical/Comedy (<i>Kiss of the Spider Woman</i>, <i>Children of a Lesser God</i>, <i>Broadcast News</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (<i>Into the Wild</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-avRZ9Q2gqI8/TnkuIShMFuI/AAAAAAAADNI/AtyPrNhj5uM/s1600/hurt+krim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-avRZ9Q2gqI8/TnkuIShMFuI/AAAAAAAADNI/AtyPrNhj5uM/s320/hurt+krim.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">William Hurt (<i>Dark City</i>, <i>A History of Violence</i>)<br />No matter what the role, Fonda brought it 100%. Let's honor that tradition with the great William Hurt, probably the greatest living actor. He'd bring those sexy spectacles to the mix, have great banter with the rest of the cast (he always does), and just class it up overall.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">DR. NEWMAN</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Genetics? I'm actually not sure what he's supposed to do, but he sticks with the ensemble all the way through Houston, so he must be important.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uWn01pgDibo/TnUqufz2DWI/AAAAAAAADMY/unFGQqUrr3E/s1600/newman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uWn01pgDibo/TnUqufz2DWI/AAAAAAAADMY/unFGQqUrr3E/s320/newman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Morgan Paull (<i>Patton</i>, <i>Blade Runner</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Namesake</i>), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (<i>Slumdog Millionaire</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D2MtYP_rXZQ/TnkuJm8L6RI/AAAAAAAADNU/KvFdj9izkEk/s1600/khan+newman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D2MtYP_rXZQ/TnkuJm8L6RI/AAAAAAAADNU/KvFdj9izkEk/s1600/khan+newman.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Irrfan Khan (<i>A Mighty Heart</i>, <i>The Darjeeling Limited</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">GENERAL THOMPSON</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Slater's superior in Washington. Very skeptical of both Dr. Crane and the ability of mere bugs to destroy Texas. He doesn't understand the very real threat of...THE SWARM!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nBFov6hCHQQ/TnUqwJEWKbI/AAAAAAAADMo/LfMhvCevfQQ/s1600/thompson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nBFov6hCHQQ/TnUqwJEWKbI/AAAAAAAADMo/LfMhvCevfQQ/s320/thompson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cameron Mitchell (<i>Carousel</i>, <i>Blood and Black Lace</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNPWMqafgAw/TnkuFjKLgFI/AAAAAAAADMw/KP3PJfXJDqE/s1600/amos+thompson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNPWMqafgAw/TnkuFjKLgFI/AAAAAAAADMw/KP3PJfXJDqE/s320/amos+thompson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">John Amos ("Good Times", <i>Coming to America</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>MARYSVILLE</b></u><b>&nbsp;</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">FELIX AUSTIN</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b> </b></i>Who is He: Retired mechanic from Houston. Handy, manly, romantic, he's in competition with the mayor for the love of Maureen Schuester. He'll probably win.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award/BAFTA Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Last Picture Show</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bxFjz1tXqfg/TnUqsEVSmrI/AAAAAAAADL8/1TOsQUR7_nI/s1600/felix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bxFjz1tXqfg/TnUqsEVSmrI/AAAAAAAADL8/1TOsQUR7_nI/s320/felix.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ben Johnson (<i>One-Eyed Jacks</i>, <i>The Wild Bunch</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe/SAG Award Winner for Best Actor [Drama] (<i>Crazy Heart</i>), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (<i>Crazy Heart</i>, <i>True Grit</i>), Indie Spirit Winner for Best Actor (<i>American Heart</i>, <i>Crazy Heart</i>), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actor (<i>Thunderbolt and Lightfoot</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JQsHPWPV1h8/TnkuGXl2n9I/AAAAAAAADM0/i6LRZS9rEg0/s1600/bridges+felix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JQsHPWPV1h8/TnkuGXl2n9I/AAAAAAAADM0/i6LRZS9rEg0/s320/bridges+felix.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jeff Bridges (<i>Starman</i>, <i>TRON: Legacy</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PAUL DURANT</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: A boy whose parents are killed by THE SWARM at a picnic. Ill and hallucinating after a sting, Paul escapes the hospital and throws some molotov cocktails at the nest, just on the outskirts of town. This upsets the African Killer Bees, and they fly out to Marysville. Killing the town. Good one, Paul. Good one.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7UCyK47mG-Q/TnUqu3RqkvI/AAAAAAAADMc/WeoIuwKmlqs/s1600/paul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7UCyK47mG-Q/TnUqu3RqkvI/AAAAAAAADMc/WeoIuwKmlqs/s320/paul.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Christian Juttner (<i>Return to Witch Mountain</i>, <i>I Wanna Hold Your Hand</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p6U-exTD6_k/TnkuGxTVnUI/AAAAAAAADM4/ewIGaAHkI-Y/s1600/courtney+paul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p6U-exTD6_k/TnkuGxTVnUI/AAAAAAAADM4/ewIGaAHkI-Y/s320/courtney+paul.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Joel Courtney (<i>Super 8</i>)<br />You know, this role isn't poorly written, just horribly performed. Now Joel Courtney, absolutely phenomenal in <i>Super 8</i>, he could do this. He could impress us all. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">JUD HAWKINS</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Engineer, in charge of running Marysville's water and electric. His son is one of the men stationed at the base when the bees attacked. Jud arrives to take the body home.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_5ydrQfBUhU/TnUqsxksAwI/AAAAAAAADMI/LmSp-Jw1zLA/s1600/jud+hawkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_5ydrQfBUhU/TnUqsxksAwI/AAAAAAAADMI/LmSp-Jw1zLA/s320/jud+hawkins.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Slim Pickens (<i>Dr. Strangelove</i>, <i>Blazing Saddles</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award/Indie Spirit/SAG Award Nominee for Best Actor (<i>The Visitor</i>), Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>Flirting with Disaster</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9EINmXeJcJw/TnkuI3OJIrI/AAAAAAAADNM/VC0a6BgvHcw/s1600/jenkins+hawkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9EINmXeJcJw/TnkuI3OJIrI/AAAAAAAADNM/VC0a6BgvHcw/s320/jenkins+hawkins.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Richard Jenkins (<i>Step Brothers</i>, <i>Friends with Benefits</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">ANNE MACGREGOR</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: Reporter. Intent on getting the story, no matter the safety of her cameraman. Helps Rita to the hospital when she goes into labor.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Shampoo</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Detective Story</i>, <i>In the Heat of the Night</i>, <i>The Landlord</i>, <i>Shampoo</i>, <i>Voyage of the Damned</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rTS59g_OSAg/TnUqqeftH2I/AAAAAAAADLs/fK4aScylLyY/s1600/anne+macgregor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rTS59g_OSAg/TnUqqeftH2I/AAAAAAAADLs/fK4aScylLyY/s320/anne+macgregor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lee Grant (<i>Valley of the Dolls</i>, <i>Airport 77</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v3-1RSHX4dE/TnkuL4ZaIWI/AAAAAAAADNo/DFgch56ErbM/s1600/williams+anne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v3-1RSHX4dE/TnkuL4ZaIWI/AAAAAAAADNo/DFgch56ErbM/s320/williams+anne.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Vanessa L. Williams (<i>Soul Food</i>, <i>Hannah Montana: The Movie</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">DR. MARTINEZ</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Apparently the only doctor in all of Marysville, he attends to Paul and delivers Rita's baby. It's very clear when he delivers his condolences for the death of her husband that what he really means is, "So...you're single now?"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HAWLoiTU35c/TnUqto5gCjI/AAAAAAAADMQ/hSMchDT3ees/s1600/martinez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HAWLoiTU35c/TnUqto5gCjI/AAAAAAAADMQ/hSMchDT3ees/s320/martinez.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Alejandro Rey ("The Flying Nun", <i>The Ninth Configuration</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ybennIriDaw/TnkuKXmBItI/AAAAAAAADNc/3I-JQ_QHrdE/s1600/rodriguez+matinez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ybennIriDaw/TnkuKXmBItI/AAAAAAAADNc/3I-JQ_QHrdE/s1600/rodriguez+matinez.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Adam Rodriguez (<i>I Can Do Bad All By Myself</i>, "CSI: Miami")</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">RITA</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: Waitress. Pregnant. Husband was killed in the initial bee attack. It's ok, though, because Dr. Martinez is a creep.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress (<i>The Miracle Worker</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress - Musical/Comedy (<i>Me, Natalie</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CYU6Vn_lAX4/TnUqvG9qXPI/AAAAAAAADMg/raGcAA4k-bI/s1600/rita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CYU6Vn_lAX4/TnUqvG9qXPI/AAAAAAAADMg/raGcAA4k-bI/s320/rita.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Patty Duke (<i>Valley of the Dolls</i>, TV's <i>Please Don't Hit Me, Mom!</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Esxy0O051VM/TnkuKhMipEI/AAAAAAAADNg/ifWyPXdda3U/s1600/smollett+rita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Esxy0O051VM/TnkuKhMipEI/AAAAAAAADNg/ifWyPXdda3U/s320/smollett+rita.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jurnee Smollett (<i>Eve's Bayou</i>, <i>The Great Debaters</i>)<br />I swear I haven't even thought of her since I saw <i>The Great Debaters</i> in 2007. Yet for some reason, when I wondered who could fill Patty Duke's shoes, she was the first to pop in my head.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">MAUREEN SCHUESTER</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: School superintendent and the center of a love triangle. Unfazed by dueling suitors, she loses her shit over killer bees attacking the children (who'da thunk?). Also seems to have <i>the second sight</i>, as shown by her eerie comments regarding a train right before THE SWARM destroys it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award Winner for Best Actress (<i>To Each His Own</i>, <i>The Heiress</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress (<i>The Heiress</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4dIDlymSj6g/TnUquAmHkmI/AAAAAAAADMU/ydh7yEOmbFA/s1600/maureen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4dIDlymSj6g/TnUquAmHkmI/AAAAAAAADMU/ydh7yEOmbFA/s320/maureen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Olivia de Havilland (<i>Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte</i>, <i>Airport 77</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress [Drama] (<i>Sophie's Choice</i>) and Best Supporting Actress (<i>Kramer vs. Kramer</i>), BAFTA Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress (<i>The French Lieutenant's Woman</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress - Musical/Comedy (<i>The Devil Wears Prada</i>, <i>Julie &amp; Julia</i>) and Best Supporting Actress (<i>Adaptation</i>), SAG Award Winner for Best Actress (<i>Doubt</i>), Hollmann Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress (<i>A Prairie Home Companion</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SpEEzy8b9XE/TnkuLfIRXdI/AAAAAAAADNk/euOBO689EjQ/s1600/streep+maureen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SpEEzy8b9XE/TnkuLfIRXdI/AAAAAAAADNk/euOBO689EjQ/s320/streep+maureen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Meryl Streep (<i>The River Wild</i>, <i>Fantastic Mr. Fox</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">CLARENCE TUTTLE</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Pharmacist and mayor. He's been in love with Maureen since they were kids, but...come on, man. It's been, like, sixty years. Clearly, she's just not that into you. Much meaner than Felix, anyway.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor - Musical/Comedy (<i>The Absent-Minded Professor</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cvl1mGYT3hM/TnUqrnowDQI/AAAAAAAADL4/evTjRtk3vAo/s1600/clarence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cvl1mGYT3hM/TnUqrnowDQI/AAAAAAAADL4/evTjRtk3vAo/s320/clarence.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fred MacMurray (<i>Double Indemnity</i>, <i>The Apartment</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Fugitive</i>), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>JFK</i>, <i>The Fugitive</i>, <i>No Country for Old Men</i>), Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Feature (<i>The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada</i>), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (<i>No Country for Old Men</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QIFLzwMJu_0/TnkuJWXueBI/AAAAAAAADNQ/K9b9U-ZyfL0/s1600/jones+clarence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QIFLzwMJu_0/TnkuJWXueBI/AAAAAAAADNQ/K9b9U-ZyfL0/s320/jones+clarence.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tommy Lee Jones (<i>In the Electric Mist</i>, <i>Captain America</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><u><b>THE PROTAGONISTS</b></u></i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">HELENA ANDERSON</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: Former town doctor, now army physician. One of the only survivors of the initial attack. Terrible at her job: everyone she cares for dies. Gets stung, but this is often forgotten by the screenplay. Falls in love with Dr. Crane, I guess, somehow.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (<i>The Graduate</i>), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Actress (<i>Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here</i>, <i>Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Voyage of the Damned</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jQHQgNIAVOs/TnUqsfVwwmI/AAAAAAAADMA/Xk5ZyK70lNo/s1600/helena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jQHQgNIAVOs/TnUqsfVwwmI/AAAAAAAADMA/Xk5ZyK70lNo/s320/helena.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Katharine Ross (<i>The Final Countdown</i>, <i>Donnie Darko</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award/SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Junebug</i>, <i>Doubt</i>, <i>The Fighter</i>), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Doubt</i>, <i>The Fighter</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actress - Musical/Comedy (<i>Enchanted</i>) and Best Supporting Actress (<i>Doubt</i>, <i>The Fighter</i>), Indie Spirit Winner for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Junebug</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (<i>Doubt</i>, <i>The Fighter</i>), Hollmann Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Doubt</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RR4fXmdRbr8/TnkuErTNBrI/AAAAAAAADMs/tD7JnU77mKc/s1600/adams+helena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RR4fXmdRbr8/TnkuErTNBrI/AAAAAAAADMs/tD7JnU77mKc/s320/adams+helena.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Amy Adams (<i>Cruel Intentions 2</i>, <i>The Muppets</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">GENERAL SLATER</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: The Army's representative. Wants to spray pesticides, drop a bomb, something to stop these bugs. Finally allowed a free hand, he torches Houston. Nothing works.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>Kiss of Death</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gFEOHCsQTrs/TnUqvnfFuKI/AAAAAAAADMk/Ex8xokpPtII/s1600/slater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gFEOHCsQTrs/TnUqvnfFuKI/AAAAAAAADMk/Ex8xokpPtII/s320/slater.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Richard Widmark (<i>Murder on the Orient Express</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (<i>What's Love Got To Do with It</i>), Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Actor (<i>Deep Cover</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (<i>Mystic River</i>, <i>Bobby</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eanu26fyt6Q/TnkuIDosJlI/AAAAAAAADNE/j5d4s18m2-E/s1600/fishburne+slater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eanu26fyt6Q/TnkuIDosJlI/AAAAAAAADNE/j5d4s18m2-E/s320/fishburne+slater.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Laurence Fishburne (<i>Predators</i>, <i>Contagion</i>)<br />"No one has to weaponize the venom. The bees are doing that." </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">DR. BRAD CRANE</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: To quote Stacie Ponder, "Super Entomologist". Dr. Crane just happens to be on the scene when the killer bees attack the military base, and he just happens to be the foremost expert on killer bees, and he just happens to have been predicting this attack for the past fifteen years. Somehow put in charge above Slater, Crane waits for an environmentally-friendly solution, before realizing the perfect plan: cover the Gulf of Mexico in an oil slick, lure the bees using a sound wave, and torch them. This is the hero, folks.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by: Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor (<i>Hannah and Her Sisters</i>, <i>The Cider House Rules</i>), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Actor (<i>Educating Rita</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor - Musical/Comedy (<i>Educating Rita</i>, <i>Little Voice</i>), SAG Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Cider House Rules</i>), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>Zulu</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-593w29HKZ9A/TnUqrNjSUyI/AAAAAAAADL0/ksozQ5eRmbw/s1600/bradford+crane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-593w29HKZ9A/TnUqrNjSUyI/AAAAAAAADL0/ksozQ5eRmbw/s320/bradford+crane.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Michael Caine (<i>Is Anybody There?</i>, <i>Flawless</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (<i>The Aviator</i>, <i>Blood Diamond</i>) and Best Supporting Actor (<i>What's Eating Gilbert Grape?</i>), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (<i>The Aviator</i>, <i>The Departed</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor - Drama (<i>The Aviator</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actor (<i>The Aviator</i>, <i>Blood Diamond</i>), Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Departed</i>) and Best Ensemble (<i>Marvin's Room</i>, <i>Titanic</i>, <i>The Aviator</i>, <i>The Departed</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ah6-tYAmoR8/Tnk3hHGwftI/AAAAAAAADNs/UHCrtPecVjg/s1600/dicaprio+crane.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ah6-tYAmoR8/Tnk3hHGwftI/AAAAAAAADNs/UHCrtPecVjg/s320/dicaprio+crane.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Leonardo DiCaprio (<i>Shutter Island</i>, <i>J. Edgar</i>)</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-5960725164926913377?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-5191378655431608742011-09-13T15:55:00.000-07:002011-09-13T15:55:39.240-07:00Casting Coup Tuesdays: Earthquake (a DISASTERPIECE)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DMTk2uXFUJ0/Tm_fM0jjBbI/AAAAAAAADLk/_b5xPhI1nYI/s1600/Picture+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DMTk2uXFUJ0/Tm_fM0jjBbI/AAAAAAAADLk/_b5xPhI1nYI/s320/Picture+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Released the same year as <i>The Towering Inferno</i>, <i>Earthquake</i> is perhaps one of the most surprising entries in the DISASTERPIECE canon. Instead of focusing on a trapped handful, it's a sprawling ensemble. The star wattage isn't as bright as films like <i>Inferno</i> and <i>The Poseidon Adventure</i>. And the cinematography is just...it's just flat and ugly. And the ingenue has this big-ass afro that proudly announces, "Here I am! I am...THE 70s!"<br /><br />Yet it all somehow works. Credit the strong screenplay by George Fox and Mario Puzo, who actually create engaging characters with real relationships. Or credit director Mark Robson, who gets far better performances from his actors than some of their characters warrant. Actually, credit that ensemble, giving their all without going over the top (except for Ava Gardner, gob-smackingly cast as Lorne Greene's daughter!!!). Ooh, or credit the editor, Dorothy Spencer, who keeps the film moving at an exciting pace without losing any sense of what's happening to whom -- and all at two hours! Maybe we should also commend John Williams, who has a good, sexy time with the score.<br /><br />My point being, of course, that <i>Earthquake</i> is a fine film. So why even bring up a new cast for a remake? Because: (1) earthquakes in Los Angeles are always great fodder for drama; and (2) the original is SO 1974 -- remember Victoria Principal's afro? But most of all, it's (3) come on, that's not LA. Maybe it's just the specific areas of town they happened to be in, but the LA I've been in for two months is far more diverse than a single Richard Roundtree. I think my cast is more representative, however relative that may be. And I'm pulling Oscar winners, television personalities, and hot young stars into it. It's the old <i>and</i> the new.<br /><br />So let's shake things up (yuk, yuk)! Let the title lead the way....<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com/2011/09/casting-coup-tuesdays-earthquake.html"><img border="0" height="181" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tT3IAqXdjDI/Tm_cR_wYJCI/AAAAAAAADKQ/PEeS0VEcpzc/s320/earthquake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">DEATH TOLL: 4 (leads only)</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">ROMANCES: 1 (leads only) </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />DR. VANCE<br />Who is He: The overworked doctor who takes charge in the underground shelter improvised for survivors of the quake at the mall. Vance attends to everyone of the dying and injured, trying his best, sometimes unable to help. A good doctor with a great bedside manner.<br /><br />Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-myW3ODzmK_8/Tm_cXz6pcdI/AAAAAAAADLQ/lzT_eVMaJlc/s1600/vance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-myW3ODzmK_8/Tm_cXz6pcdI/AAAAAAAADLQ/lzT_eVMaJlc/s320/vance.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Lloyd Nolan (<i>Peyton Place</i>, <i>Airport</i>)<br /><br />My Choice: Academy Award Winner/Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (<i>The Year of Living Dangerously</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAUIcHqJuL8/Tm_cTswt0cI/AAAAAAAADKg/JQMlM0qkFOw/s1600/hunt+stockle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAUIcHqJuL8/Tm_cTswt0cI/AAAAAAAADKg/JQMlM0qkFOw/s1600/hunt+stockle.jpg" /></a></div>Linda Hunt (<i>Stranger Than Fiction</i>, "NCIS: Los Angeles")<br />No, it's not another gender-bending role for Hunt, but I hear women can be doctors nowadays. Hunt's voice I find to be a soothing one, one I wouldn't mind hearing in my ear as all the dust, smoke and asbestos I inhaled slowly suffocated me. She has an authority about her.<br /><br /><br />WALTER RUSSELL<br />Who is He: Junior staffer at the California Seismology Institute. Somehow, he is able to do what no one on earth has ever done: predict an EARTHQUAKE. He wants to warn the public, but his superiors are doubtful as to the accuracy of his claims. And then an EARTHQUAKE hits.<br /><br />Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3nKaRtprZw/Tm_cV2tBJbI/AAAAAAAADK8/BWDuCDh_MUw/s1600/russell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3nKaRtprZw/Tm_cV2tBJbI/AAAAAAAADK8/BWDuCDh_MUw/s320/russell.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Kip Niven (<i>Magnum Force</i>, <i>New Year's Evil</i>)<br /><br />My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dp35E8-ThK4/Tm_cSJ9Da8I/AAAAAAAADKU/tw-xYsAfIsw/s1600/felton+jody.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dp35E8-ThK4/Tm_cSJ9Da8I/AAAAAAAADKU/tw-xYsAfIsw/s1600/felton+jody.jpg" /></a></div>Tom Felton (<i>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</i>, <i>Rise of the Planet of the Apes</i>)<br />Come on, Hollywood, break him out of those snotty brat roles! He's a good actor, people know and love him, he can do things! Let him play a know-it-all who tries to save Los Angeles!<br /><br /><br />DR. WILLIS STOCKLE<br />Who is He: Acting supervisor of the California Seismology Institute. He hesitates when his young colleague claims to have predicted an EARTHQUAKE, fearing the backlash that could be caused by panicking and rioting...for nothing. Still, Stockle is a cautious man, and he warns the mayor, the National Guard...after all, what's the point of having prediction technology if he's not going to use it?<br /><br />Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RtyPMSqenzo/Tm_cXYHEy-I/AAAAAAAADLM/9-z_fD_QN84/s1600/stockle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RtyPMSqenzo/Tm_cXYHEy-I/AAAAAAAADLM/9-z_fD_QN84/s320/stockle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Barry Sullivan (<i>Pat Garret &amp; Billy the Kid</i>, <i>Oh God!</i>)<br /><br />My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Godfather: Part III</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8dlejYULScQ/Tm_cSzElw1I/AAAAAAAADKc/hw3cF9pOlh0/s1600/garcia+vance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8dlejYULScQ/Tm_cSzElw1I/AAAAAAAADKc/hw3cF9pOlh0/s320/garcia+vance.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Andy Garcia (<i>Ocean's Eleven</i>, <i>Smokin' Aces</i>)<br />One of those actors who could perform Shakespeare and the Yellow Pages with equal conviction. A great ensemble player, Garcia always delivers, no matter how big or small the part. In the patented Disaster Film Egghead role, he can give us exposition without it getting tedious. Hurrah!<br /><br /><br />SAL AMICI<br />Who is He: Business partner of daredevil Miles, brother to Rosa. He helped construct the stunt track Miles tries out when the EARTHQUAKE hits.<br /><br />Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g_pTS0rl6Xc/Tm_cWBry3xI/AAAAAAAADLA/I_wMoPUg4qo/s1600/sal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g_pTS0rl6Xc/Tm_cWBry3xI/AAAAAAAADLA/I_wMoPUg4qo/s320/sal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Gabriel Dell (<i>When the Girls Take Over</i>, <i>Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?</i>) <br /><br />My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2J9uzqgKEZk/Tm_cW9iGnvI/AAAAAAAADLE/jT5aWNvRJo4/s1600/shum+miles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2J9uzqgKEZk/Tm_cW9iGnvI/AAAAAAAADLE/jT5aWNvRJo4/s320/shum+miles.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Harry Shum, Jr. (<i>Step Up 3D</i>, "Glee")<br />Likable and not distracting, Shum's star is inexplicably blowing up. He's primarily a dancer, not an actor, but Sal is both big enough and unassuming enough a role for him to credibly play the part. Besides, Shum shows he's great at chemistry with his co-stars, something required for scenes with Sal's sister and his best friend/business partner.<br /><br /><br />MILES QUADE<br />Who is He: Daredevil motorcyclist...well, so he hopes. He can do it, he just needs to impress the public with better stunts than amateur hour allows him. Fortunately, his awesome skills on the bike are put to good use when it comes to navigating the frightening maze of a devastated Los Angeles -- even saving the life of a child in the process.<br /><br />Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8r9KrJNhOc/Tm_cUFWH-YI/AAAAAAAADKo/ogoah95umW0/s1600/miles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8r9KrJNhOc/Tm_cUFWH-YI/AAAAAAAADKo/ogoah95umW0/s320/miles.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Richard Roundtree (<i>Shaft</i>, <i>Speed Racer</i>)<br /><br />My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KcF_BavTakE/Tm_cYurSw6I/AAAAAAAADLY/vIpZGLRNcDE/s1600/yoo+sal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KcF_BavTakE/Tm_cYurSw6I/AAAAAAAADLY/vIpZGLRNcDE/s320/yoo+sal.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>Aaron Yoo (<i>The Wackness</i>, <i>Friday the 13th</i>)<br />I like Yoo, and he's enough of a THAT GUY to get some recognition from the audience. But aren't you tired of seeing him play the sidekick? He's funny, very comfortable on the screen, and just seems like a cool guy. Yes, get him on a motorcycle and let him play the hero for once.<br /><br /><br />JODY JOAD<br />Who is He: A grocery store manager who also serves with the National Guard. He's a shy, quiet guy, one teased by his "macho" neighbors because he has bodybuilder photos up in his room; they think he's pathetic. When the chips are down, though, Jody is the one in uniform saving lives...then using the lawlessness of the aftermath to execute his enemies and try to rape a local girl. Jody has issues.<br /><br />Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r7wN5RwCzLE/Tm_cT_PkvNI/AAAAAAAADKk/UYx-5ZwLiBg/s1600/jody.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r7wN5RwCzLE/Tm_cT_PkvNI/AAAAAAAADKk/UYx-5ZwLiBg/s320/jody.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Marjoe Gortner (<i>The Food of the Gods</i>, <i>Mausoleum</i>)<br /><br />My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qeQNsAlE-pE/Tm_dnXLTkOI/AAAAAAAADLc/NS61gp6TCII/s1600/galecki+jody.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qeQNsAlE-pE/Tm_dnXLTkOI/AAAAAAAADLc/NS61gp6TCII/s320/galecki+jody.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Johnny Galecki ("Roseanne", "The Big Bang Theory")<br />Popular among the television crowd, Galecki is funny, fun to watch, and seems like someone you'd want to introduce to your sister. Or make friends with. Which is why he would work so well as the quiet Jody. The role requires someone who could bring sympathy before he goes all nuthouse on everyone. I have faith in Galecki. He's pretty cool.<br /><br /><br />ROSA AMICI<br />Who is She: Sister to Sal, a beautiful young woman who is at the movies when the EARTHQUAKE hits. Separated from her brother, lost amid the wreckage, she doesn't consider it looting when she goes to get something to eat from a destroyed diner. Jody, who she only knows as her local grocery store manager, catches her, and while he won't turn her in, he is a bit rapey. Winds up somehow becoming a relatable heroine, not just a hot number.<br /><br />Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e_rDYUZBpuI/Tm_cVCA_YjI/AAAAAAAADK0/ptwqLm3xOc0/s1600/rosa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e_rDYUZBpuI/Tm_cVCA_YjI/AAAAAAAADK0/ptwqLm3xOc0/s320/rosa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Victoria Principal (<i>The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean</i>, "Dallas")<br /><br />My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hSFvi1ZzaYM/Tm_cQyLvaQI/AAAAAAAADKE/0Zef4W3Mbtw/s1600/chung+rosa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hSFvi1ZzaYM/Tm_cQyLvaQI/AAAAAAAADKE/0Zef4W3Mbtw/s320/chung+rosa.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>Jamie Chung (<i>Dragonball: Evolution</i>, <i>Sucker Punch</i>)<br />I like <i>Sucker Punch</i>, certainly, and Chung's star seems to be rising more and more. She's beautiful and an absolute delight on screen. Also, it seems like she likes to have fun, and where better to have fun than in a DISASTERPIECE?<br /><br /><br />SAM ROYCE<br />Who is He: Father of Remy, father-in-law/boss to Stuart. Royce is a fair-minded guy, I guess, valuing Stuart's skills enough to offer him the job of company president despite knowing that the marriage isn't working. When the EARTHQUAKE hits, Royce works to make sure all his employees make it to safety first, even improvising an escape using a fire hose and a chair. Then he has a heart attack and is rushed to the shelter, where he is tended to by Dr. Vance.<br /><br />Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AgweAEMLANk/Tm_cVQhvBdI/AAAAAAAADK4/Clv-ju1DFfE/s1600/royce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AgweAEMLANk/Tm_cVQhvBdI/AAAAAAAADK4/Clv-ju1DFfE/s320/royce.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Lorne Greene ("Bonanza", "Battlestar Galactica")<br /><br />My Choice: Academy Award/SAG Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor (<i>Million Dollar Baby</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor - Musical/Comedy (<i>Driving Miss Daisy</i>), Indie Spirit Winner for Best Supporting Actor (<i>Street Smart</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6bBnA3tXZZY/Tm_cSmKcu9I/AAAAAAAADKY/lp5LzdrMsHo/s1600/freeman+royce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6bBnA3tXZZY/Tm_cSmKcu9I/AAAAAAAADKY/lp5LzdrMsHo/s320/freeman+royce.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>Morgan Freeman (<i>Outbreak</i>, <i>Deep Impact</i>)<br />The very picture of supporting actor selflessness. He'd class up the joint a bit.<br /><br /><br />REMY ROYCE-GRAFF<br />Who is She: Daughter to the above, wife of Stuart, a jealous, unhappy alcoholic. Wealthy and spoiled, she wants Stuart's attention, even as she appears to simultaneously hate him. Frequently fakes suicide attempts, complains to her father, and shops. But seriously, if your husband was always visiting a beautiful young widow, wouldn't you be jealous?<br /><br />Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress (<i>Mogambo</i>), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Foreign Actress (<i>Bhowani Junction</i>, <i>On the Beach</i>, <i>The Night of the Iguana</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actress - Drama/Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (<i>The Night of the Iguana</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-960N1bUfZyk/Tm_cU93HxPI/AAAAAAAADKw/BEDkWBi4K5k/s1600/remy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-960N1bUfZyk/Tm_cU93HxPI/AAAAAAAADKw/BEDkWBi4K5k/s320/remy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Ava Gardner (<i>The Killers</i>, <i>Seven Days in May</i>)<br /><br />My Choice: Academy Award Nominee/Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress - Musical/Comedy (<i>What's Love Got To Do with It?</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vIbbHaD9jWo/Tm_cQGtFckI/AAAAAAAADJ8/KzEr30rHQJE/s1600/bassett+remy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vIbbHaD9jWo/Tm_cQGtFckI/AAAAAAAADJ8/KzEr30rHQJE/s320/bassett+remy.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>Angela Bassett (<i>Malcolm X</i>, <i>Meet the Browns</i>)<br />If the character is to be more serious, less hammy, Bassett is the actress who can ground Remy in reality. If the character is to be the over-the-top Gardner performance, Bassett is the actress who can bellow and gesticulate with abandon. She's got IT in spades.<br /><br /><br />DENISE MARSHALL<br />Who is She: Actress and widow, her husband was killed -- I don't know, somehow -- and since then his best friend Stuart has been keeping her and her son company. They have also fallen in love, consummating their attraction during his lunch break. Alas, she is not with him later that afternoon, instead looking for her bike-riding son...and soon fears for his life when comes the EARTHQUAKE.<br /><br />Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee/Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress [Drama] (<i>Anne of the Thousand Days</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5px4f3qe3Y4/Tm_cRIobStI/AAAAAAAADKI/BrDGOXQ8360/s1600/denise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5px4f3qe3Y4/Tm_cRIobStI/AAAAAAAADKI/BrDGOXQ8360/s320/denise.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Genevieve Bujold (<i>Coma</i>, <i>Dead Ringers</i>)<br /><br />My Choice: Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Actress (<i>Lift</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (<i>Ray</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zclEcPXBcJU/Tm_cYER8OTI/AAAAAAAADLU/1RHlNAwkXq8/s1600/washington+denise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zclEcPXBcJU/Tm_cYER8OTI/AAAAAAAADLU/1RHlNAwkXq8/s320/washington+denise.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>Kerry Washington (<i>The Last King of Scotland</i>, <i>Night Catches Us</i>)<br />Strength, vulnerability, beauty, warmth, a real Screen Presence. Yes, I need that for my heroine. Oh, and she just so happens to have it all! Excellent!<br /><br /><br />LOU SLADE<br />Who is He: Police sergeant on temporary suspension. Why? Simple: while pursuing a stoned car thief who hit a six-year-old girl without stopping, Slade ruined Zsa Zsa Gabor's hedges and upset an LA County sheriff. Then he punched the guy. Disillusioned with the injustice of the law, Slade is thinking of drinking his troubles away...until Mother Nature shakes up LA. Then it's off to Best Character in the Movie Mode for Slade, as he bravely helps others get to safety, saves Rosa, and teams up with Stuart.<br /><br />Originally played by: Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor (<i>Cool Hand Luke</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>Cool Hand Luke</i>, <i>Airport</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cZy-Jp6tn7A/Tm_cXAwrQ1I/AAAAAAAADLI/6HnPcmJpmJ4/s1600/slade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cZy-Jp6tn7A/Tm_cXAwrQ1I/AAAAAAAADLI/6HnPcmJpmJ4/s320/slade.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>George Kennedy (<i>Airport '75</i>, <i>Airport '77</i>)<br /><br />My Choice: SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (<i>Saving Private Ryan</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SAm9IsCCpjM/Tm_cRf1lNOI/AAAAAAAADKM/-KLL-6WsRRU/s1600/diesel+slade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SAm9IsCCpjM/Tm_cRf1lNOI/AAAAAAAADKM/-KLL-6WsRRU/s1600/diesel+slade.jpg" /></a></div>Vin Diesel (<i>Find Me Guilty</i>, <i>Fast Five</i>)<br />How has he not done a Disasterpiece yet? He's a fine actor, a kick-ass action star, beloved by all ages. I need an actor who can be both a cop who punches other cops <i>and</i> a sympathetic hero. Someone we all know from the bar or next door. Diesel is that guy.<br /><br /><br />STUART GRAFF<br />Who is He: An architect (I think), though he may soon run the company. Employed by Royce, married to Remy, in love with Denise -- though he didn't mean to be, it just started to happen. Stuart saves Remy from falling debris, gets Royce medical help, teams up with Slade to save the world. When those staying in the underground shelter are trapped, with an aftershock threatening to flood them, Graff leads the rescue. Alongside Slade, of course.<br /><br />Originally played by: Academy Award Winner for Best Actor (<i>Ben-Hur</i>), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor - Drama and Musical/Comedy (<i>The Ten Commandments</i>, <i>Ben-Hur</i>, <i>The Pigeon That Took Rome</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9etd4Qw55oY/Tm_fCufq8VI/AAAAAAAADLg/eCj9pJc94T0/s1600/graff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9etd4Qw55oY/Tm_fCufq8VI/AAAAAAAADLg/eCj9pJc94T0/s320/graff.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Charlton Heston (<i>El Cid</i>, <i>Planet of the Apes</i>)<br /><br />My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor [Drama] (<i>Hotel Rwanda</i>), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor and Best Picture (<i>Crash</i>), Indie Spirit Winner for Best First Feature (<i>Crash</i>), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (<i>Traffic</i>, <i>Crash</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lTFChIlbCUY/Tm_cQZyiIhI/AAAAAAAADKA/swGifDgRur8/s1600/cheadle+steve.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lTFChIlbCUY/Tm_cQZyiIhI/AAAAAAAADKA/swGifDgRur8/s320/cheadle+steve.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>Don Cheadle (<i>Iron Man 2</i>, <i>The Guard</i>)<br />Don Cheadle needs more lead roles. He's such a great actor.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4322835765225560186-519137865543160874?l=silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Walter L. Hollmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322835765225560186.post-18332634628406900632011-09-06T14:11:00.000-07:002011-09-06T14:12:05.671-07:00Casting Coup Tuesday: The Towering Inferno (a DISASTERPIECE)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O9yL0HSJ_r8/TmaLSpAVXyI/AAAAAAAADJ0/sl5YhL0GiLM/s1600/Picture+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O9yL0HSJ_r8/TmaLSpAVXyI/AAAAAAAADJ0/sl5YhL0GiLM/s320/Picture+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i>It's Disaster Film Month. If you want to watch alongside the Silver Screener, check out </i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059065/">A Crack in the World</a><i> on Netflix Instant</i> <i>tonight. Dana Andrews, Janette Scott and Alexander Knox. But for now...</i><br /><i>&nbsp;</i> <br />We begin our special Disasterpiece Theatre edition of Casting Coup Tuesday with <i>The Towering Inferno</i>.<br /><br />As the regulars know, I am not <a href="http://silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com/2011/05/ultimate-prize-picture-1974.html">a huge fan of the film</a>, which is disappointing since it's the most famous and awarded of a subgenre I adore. I see nothing wrong with a two-and-a-half-hour ensemble disaster flick (<i>Independence Day</i> clocks in at 2h33min and is masterful), nor do I have a problem with a disaster flick that takes itself seriously (it's how camp classics like <i>The Swarm</i> are born). No, the biggest crimes of <i>The Towering Inferno</i> are a lack of focus and a dull pace. Lead characters are poorly developed or quickly pushed aside, motivations are muddled, relationships are obscured, the editing is working against the thrills of the plot, etc.<br /><br />The greatest shame is that <i>The Towering Inferno</i> should be amazing. The cast assembled is incredible, with most of the performances delivering. Steve McQueen, Richard Chamberlain and William Holden are best in show, along with surprising, brief turns from Sheila Allen and Susan Flannery. John Williams' score is better with repeated listenings, even if it doesn't measure up to <i>Earthquake</i>. I don't even hate that it's obviously two different books thrown together -- the buoy escape seems so dangerous that there <i>has</i> to be a backup plan, and even though keeping million-gallon water tanks on top of the roof seems...bizarre...I can totally accept that. Because it's <i>outrageous</i>. And that's the problem with <i>The Towering Inferno</i>: it gives you this <i>outrageous</i> situation and treats it with all the sobriety of <i>Munich</i>.<br /><br />Which is why it needs a kick-ass remake. And isn't it fun to think about who can fill the shoes of the original actors? Click on the title below to continue....<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://silverscreeningroom.blogspot.com/2011/09/casting-coup-tuesday-towering-inferno.html"><img border="0" height="123" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BD0hnYRoDMM/TmaLS6Z_SOI/AAAAAAAADJ4/hoMAbCE2Ig0/s320/Picture+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">DEATH TOLL: 5 (leads only)</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">ROMANCES: 4 (leads only)</span></b></div><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">PATTY DUNCAN-SIMMONS</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: Daughter of Jim Duncan, owner of the Glass Tower, and unhappy wife of Simmons, the electrical engineer. I'm sure there's some way to liven up her character. I hope there is.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cg3y_qUK4oo/TmWCoyGpjHI/AAAAAAAADJQ/-gNcM5aOYfA/s1600/patty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cg3y_qUK4oo/TmWCoyGpjHI/AAAAAAAADJQ/-gNcM5aOYfA/s1600/patty.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Susan Blakely (<i>The Concorde...Airport '79</i>, <i>Over the Top</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WgvBdw1EHlQ/TmWCmQb4xOI/AAAAAAAADI0/llNr2S6qFMg/s1600/kravitz+patty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WgvBdw1EHlQ/TmWCmQb4xOI/AAAAAAAADI0/llNr2S6qFMg/s320/kravitz+patty.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Zoe Kravitz (<i>It's Kind of a Funny Story</i>, <i>X-Men: First Class</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Kravitz was rather magnetic in <i>X-Men</i>, and I know <b>I</b> can't wait to see more of her. Patty isn't a demanding role, but Kravitz has already livened up one sketchy-written character. Let's make it two.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">HARRY JERNIGAN</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is He: Security chief of the Glass Tower, he rescues a deaf mother from 87th floor. He also, of course, is the first to alert the fire department when he detects some smoke on 81st floor.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NKqtJZUGebE/TmWCl0BRryI/AAAAAAAADIs/labXkSuz9vI/s1600/jernigan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NKqtJZUGebE/TmWCl0BRryI/AAAAAAAADIs/labXkSuz9vI/s1600/jernigan.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">O.J. Simpson (<i>Klansman</i>, <i>The Naked Gun</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kEjhb0dQZYI/TmWCmMKjq5I/AAAAAAAADIw/e-tiOBapdag/s1600/johnson+jernigan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kEjhb0dQZYI/TmWCmMKjq5I/AAAAAAAADIw/e-tiOBapdag/s320/johnson+jernigan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (<i>The Tooth Fairy</i>, <i>Fast Five</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;">The only pro wrestler to make a respectable name for himself in film, Johnson is a surprisingly good actor. Charming, a real presence. He's authoritative enough to fill those security chief shoes, the only actor who could wear that suit and still look bad-ass.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PAULA RAMSAY</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who is She: The mayor's wife.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iX-p2IJnY-A/TmWCpIjpw_I/AAAAAAAADJU/Lvhibcqpb70/s1600/paula+ramsay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iX-p2IJnY-A/TmWCpIjpw_I/AAAAAAAADJU/Lvhibcqpb70/s1600/paula+ramsay.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sheila Allen (<i>The Poseidon Adventure</i>, <i>When Time Ran Out...</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe/SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Doubt</i>), Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Antwone Fisher</i>), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (<i>Doubt</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BW6w5upuLhI/TmWCj7e8pxI/AAAAAAAADIQ/--j8063Dtgs/s1600/davis+paula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BW6w5upuLhI/TmWCj7e8pxI/AAAAAAAADIQ/--j8063Dtgs/s320/davis+paula.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Viola Davis (<i>Eat Pray Love</i>, <i>The Help</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;">I know, I know: when are we going to stop giving the talented Ms. Davis these small/shallow roles? But let me say this: the character of Paula Ramsay is a strong woman, devoted to her husband but capable in an awful situation. She keeps her head, even though she's clearly worried. And that strength is something I identify with Viola Davis.<br /><br /><br />LORRIE<br />Who is She: Secretary to Dan Bigelow. Also, mistress to Dan Bigelow. But not just a lay 'em and leave 'em misress; no, these two would be married if it wasn't for the job. They have a secret office tryst during the big party...leaving them vulnerable to the merciless flames of THE TOWERING INFERNO. She dies.<br /><br />Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BoU79FHBpHA/TmWCnMVsAAI/AAAAAAAADI8/2UYLK2kUqJs/s1600/lorrie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BoU79FHBpHA/TmWCnMVsAAI/AAAAAAAADI8/2UYLK2kUqJs/s1600/lorrie.jpg" /></a></div>Susan Flannery (<i>The Gumball Rally</i>, "The Bold and the Beautiful")<br /><br />My Choice: SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble, Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (<i>Dreamgirls</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hI_NWIU5Two/TmWCqvh9d-I/AAAAAAAADJY/Hgjl2ktXdng/s1600/rose+lottie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hI_NWIU5Two/TmWCqvh9d-I/AAAAAAAADJY/Hgjl2ktXdng/s320/rose+lottie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Anika Noni Rose (<i>The Princess and the Frog</i>, <i>For Colored Girls</i>)<br />She's played beautiful and she's played dutiful. Now...combine!<br /><br /><br />DAN BIGELOW<br />Who is He: Head of public relations for the Glass Tower, Bigelow is the man who lights up all 138 stories during the dedication ceremony, overloading the system and causing a delay in the catching of the fire. Bigelow, unaware of the dangers, returns to his office for some secret nookie with his secretary, and winds up dying in a fiery blaze.<br /><br />Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IxhX4gdqa7Q/TmWCjEI-pYI/AAAAAAAADII/uDUKBWU6zuA/s1600/bigelow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IxhX4gdqa7Q/TmWCjEI-pYI/AAAAAAAADII/uDUKBWU6zuA/s1600/bigelow.jpg" /></a></div>Robert Wagner (<i>The Pink Panther</i>, <i>Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery</i>)<br /><br />My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best [Original] Screenplay (<i>Good Will Hunting</i>), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (<i>Shakespeare in Love</i>), WGA Award Nominee for Best Original Screenplay (<i>Good Will Hunting</i>) and Best Adapted Screenplay (<i>The Town</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fUJO4NtxrXw/TmWCi1pmL3I/AAAAAAAADIE/FYGI5Sl1q38/s1600/affleck+bigelow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fUJO4NtxrXw/TmWCi1pmL3I/AAAAAAAADIE/FYGI5Sl1q38/s320/affleck+bigelow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Ben Affleck (<i>Armageddon</i>, <i>Pearl Harbor</i>)<br />Good-looking, so he could snag a beauty like Anika Noni Rose. Clean-cut and professional, so he could play a believable suit. A big star, so it would shock the audience when he's offed early on.<br /><br /><br />MAYOR RAMSAY<br />Who is He: ...the mayor. Stays behind to help get the others to safety. After the breeches buoy and elevator are destroyed, Ramsay is among those battening down the hatches as the million-gallon water tanks above are exploded to extinguish the flames.<br /><br />Originally played by:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rUz-nZZoqEI/TmWCnhg-kuI/AAAAAAAADJA/aaLjjc8jXRI/s1600/mayor+ramsay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rUz-nZZoqEI/TmWCnhg-kuI/AAAAAAAADJA/aaLjjc8jXRI/s1600/mayor+ramsay.jpg" /></a></div>Jack Collins (<i>The Sting</i>, <i>Pete's Dragon</i>)<br /><br />My Choice:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X_blNWgHtyk/TmWClASYx5I/AAAAAAAADIk/cGMp82Doxwc/s1600/haysbert+mayor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X_blNWgHtyk/TmWClASYx5I/AAAAAAAADIk/cGMp82Doxwc/s320/haysbert+mayor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Dennis Haysbert (<i>Far from Heaven</i>, "24")<br />No-brainer. President to mayor isn't that much of a stretch.<br /><br /><br />SENATOR GARY PARKER<br />Who is He: Representing the good state of California, Senator Parker is Jim Duncan's VIP guest. Parker volunteers to stay behind and help the women get to safety, even willing to go by the numbers raffle to see what order the men get to go in. He is one of the men trying to stop Simmons from over-loading the breeches buoy used for their rescue. You...you can see where this goes.<br /><br />Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Young Philadelphians</i>), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>Bullitt</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--6fxxpCCQlo/TmWCoqpCkQI/AAAAAAAADJM/GS06JDPV1kI/s1600/parker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--6fxxpCCQlo/TmWCoqpCkQI/AAAAAAAADJM/GS06JDPV1kI/s1600/parker.jpg" /></a></div>Robert Vaughn<br /><br />My Choice: Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (<i>Broken Flowers</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MgxjOyHApk0/TmWCsqIlkqI/AAAAAAAADJw/XxM-Z3dTbr4/s1600/wright+parker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MgxjOyHApk0/TmWCsqIlkqI/AAAAAAAADJw/XxM-Z3dTbr4/s320/wright+parker.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Jeffrey Wright (<i>Source Code</i>, <i>The Ides of March</i>)<br />He just felt right to me. I don't know how else to explain it. <br /><br /><br />LISELOTTE MUELLER<br />Who is He: Glass Tower resident and dedication party guest. Falls in love with Harlee Caliborne, even though she knows exactly what he is. Friends with her deaf neighbor, she goes to rescue her and the children when the fire breaks out. Liselotte is among those who take the gravity elevator...and then explosion rips it off its track. A helicopter comes to rescue them, but is Liselotte among the survivors?<br /><br />Originally played by: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress (<i>Song of Bernadette</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vPr_MSgw0OY/TmWCm0ZinxI/AAAAAAAADI4/9H23KH0JgcI/s1600/lisolette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vPr_MSgw0OY/TmWCm0ZinxI/AAAAAAAADI4/9H23KH0JgcI/s1600/lisolette.jpg" /></a></div>Jennifer Jones (<i>Since You Went Away</i>, <i>Love is a Many-Splendored Thing</i>)<br /><br />My Choice: Academy Award/BAFTA Award Nominee/Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress [Drama] (<i>Ordinary People</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EaAReGDNzf4/TmWCoIHv8HI/AAAAAAAADJE/mANpN-Oxnx0/s1600/moore+liselotte.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EaAReGDNzf4/TmWCoIHv8HI/AAAAAAAADJE/mANpN-Oxnx0/s320/moore+liselotte.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Mary Tyler Moore (<i>Thoroughly Modern Millie</i>, <i>Flirting with Disaster</i>)<br />Part of what makes a Disasterpiece is bringing back an old-school great. In the 70s, it was Jennifer Jones; now, it should be Mary Tyler Moore, a now underrated actress who would bring humor and warmth to Liselotte.<br /><br /><br />HARLEE CLAIBORNE<br />Who is He: A terrible conman, he's far too nice a guy to pull one over on anyone. He arrives at the party intending to rip off Liselotte, but winds up falling in love with her instead.<br /><br />Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee/BAFTA Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actor (<i>The Towering Inferno</i>), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor - Musical/Comedy (<i>Three Little Words</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UqjXzhDGJNk/TmWCk4uz7wI/AAAAAAAADIg/DvDbSu2EPOE/s1600/harlee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin