Movies, Mom & Me

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  Commentary:  Under construction.
    Can you believe I have never seen this movie all the way through, of a piece? I've watched scenes from it here and there, usually in a program about movies and/or horror movies, but I've never seen "the whole thing". I can't even remember why I thought of it this morning when I was doing some clean-up of many of my recent entries in this journal.
    You don't have to look far, as it turns out, to find a very cheap, unused copy of it. It doesn't seem to be very popular, at the moment. So, I purchased it to add to my "horror" collection, on which I've been concentrating, lately. And, of course, now that I've been reminded of it, I'm very curious about it.
    So far, all I've learned about it is that it isn't considered "folk-horror". In addition, I've learned more than a little about what distinguishes "folk-horror" (which I've added as a subject label over there to the left) from just plain "horror". It seems, unless I'm misunderstanding everything I've read this morning, the main differences between the two categories is that folk-horror seems to require a rural setting and attributes "evil" to the setting, rather than to people. "Carrie", of course, does not take place in a rural setting and, if I'm recalling correctly, the "evil" resides within a person, although from what little I know about the movie, it seems to me that an argument can be made for Piper Laurie, who plays Carrie's mother, being the source of the "evil" and Carrie merely being in possession of a neutral talent and a victim of domestic abuse.
    I'll clean up this post, add links and think and write more (about lots of things regarding horror/folk-horror) when I've watched the film, of course, and satisfied myself, as well, that nobody considers this movie an example of folk-horror.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Sissy Spacek	Carrie White	Amy Irving	Sue Snell	William Katt	Tommy Ross	Nancy Allen	Chris Hargensen
  John Travolta	Billy Nolan	Betty Buckley	Miss Collins	P. J. Soles	Norma	Sydney Lassick	Mr. Fromm
  Stefan Gierasch	Mr. Morton	Priscilla Pointer	Mrs. Snell	Piper Laurie	Margaret White	Edie McClurg	Helen Shyres

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1976
    Directed by Brian de Palma.

Labels: brian-de-palma, horror3, john-travolta, nancy-allen, piper-laurie, sissy-spacek

# posted by gail @ 12:01    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  Under construction.
    Yes, I've seen this movie. More than once. I don't know why I haven't added it to my collection before now. I've seen it replayed several times on television and always watch it when I find it. Sissy Spacek I simply amazing in this film. So is Tommy Lee Jones. I'm actually surprised that Roger Ebert didn't assign it four stars. He seemed to have been charmed by it.
    It's funny because there is another movie I seek out a lot and watch whenever I'm in the mood and can find it. I've considered adding it to my collection several times, but I always decide, nah, I'll be able to find it again if and when I want to watch it. It's Fiddler on the Roof, and it's a little too "precious" for me to own, despite the fact that I always enjoy it when I'm in the mood and can find it streaming. Frankly, I'm not sure, really, what I mean by saying it's too "precious". I think I'll explore that, later. In the meantime, I'm satisfied with having added this film to my collection.
    More later.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Sissy Spacek	Loretta Lynn	Tommy Lee Jones	Doolittle Lynn	Beverly D'Angelo	Patsy Cline	Levon Helm	Ted Webb
  William Sanderson	Lee Dollarhide	Phyllis Boyens	Clara Ramey Webb	Roy Acuff	Self	Minnie Pearl	Self

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1980
    Directed by Michael Apted.

Labels: biography3, musical2, sissy-spacek, tommy-lee-jones

# posted by gail @ 01:10    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  Under construction.
    This is a film about which I've heard and read much, over the years, but haven't yet purchased for my collection. Until now. You see, I received an unexpected, magnanimous check from someone this year for my birthday and, suddenly, padding my collection out, a bit, became possible.
    I'm very excited about receiving this, especially since it includes two of my absolutely favorite actors. There is, in the Wikipedia article about this film, an interesting note in the first paragraph of the "Sundance" section of the Wikipedia write-up (the immediately previous link will take you to this section) that has some revelatory information about the business of producing a film, any film, I'd guess. Don't miss it.
    More later, when I've received and watched this film.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Sissy Spacek	Ruth Fowler	Tom Wilkinson	Matt Fowler	Nick Stahl	Frank Fowler	Marisa Tomei	Natalie Strout
  William Mapother	Richard Strout	Celia Weston	Katie Grinnel	Karen Allen	Marla Keyes	Deborah Derecktor	Janelle
  William Wise	Willis Grinnel	Justin Ashforth	Tim Bryson	Camden Munson	Jason Strout	Frank T. Wells	Henry

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2001
    Directed by Todd Field.

Labels: psychological3, sissy-spacek, tom-wilkinson

# posted by gail @ 20:47    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  It shouldn't surprise anyone that I own this film, the director's cut with a second disc of extras. I'm not someone who constantly talks political conspiracies, or even thinks about them, but I love a good, real life political mystery and this is one of biggest. Although it is clearly not a documentary, it has a documentary feel about it, which I love and which Stone handles with mastery. This is definitely one of the films he was born to make.
    Roger Ebert's site contains several reviews and commentaries on this film:
  
  
  1. Firstly, of course, is his initial review, attached to the title of this post.
  2. Secondly, Ebert interviewed Oliver Stone specifically about this movie of his in 1991.
  3. Thirdly, in 1992 Ebert published a touché article criticizing others who criticized this film.
  4. Fourthly, Ebert christened it one of his Great Movies in 2002.
  5. Fifthly (is there such a word), in 2012 Gerardo Valero, a compatriot reviewer on the site, questions whether ths movie should have been made in a very interesting historical analysis of the film.
  6. Some months after Roger's death, Matt Zoller Seitz published an interview with Oliver Stone regarding Ebert's critiques of many of his movies, including JFK. It's likely that I'll include a link to that article in a few other write-ups here.
  7. And, that's not all. The film comes up as a mention in several articles having nothing, directly, to do with it. Pull a search and see.
  
    Whew! Someone, and other of his compatriot reviewers, were deeply impressed, in many ways, by this film over the years. I must admit, I'm with him. I'm with them all. I find myself watching this film at least twice a year, for a variety of reasons.
  Update 6/2/2022:  This post was originally published on 8/14/16 but disappeared from public view. I am now reinstating it.
  Update 6/3/2022:  Oliver Stone packed his cast with notables. I listed as many as I recognized, in order to make sure this role came up when any of them are searched individually. One notable cast member I did not insert in the Actor/Role table includes a non-actor who deserves to be mentioned: Jim Garrison played Earl Warren in this movie.
    

  Actorc	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Kevin Costner	Jim Garrison	Kevin Bacon	Willie O'Keefe	Tommy Lee Jones	Clay Shaw/Bertrand	Laurie Metcalf	Susie Cox
  Gary Oldman	Lee Harvey Oswald	Jay O. Sanders	Lou Ivon	Sissy Spacek	Liz Garrison	Joe Pesci	David Ferrie
  Jack Lemmon	Jack Martin	Walter Matthau	Sen. Russell B. Long	Donald Sutherland	Mr. X	Ed Asner	Guy Banister
  John Candy	Dean Andrews Jr.	Sally Kirkland	Rose Cheramie	Tony Plana	Carlos Bringuier	Vincent D'Onofrio	Bill Newman
  Lolita Davidovich	Beverly Oliver	John Larroquette	Jerry Johnson	Ron Rifkin	Mr. Goldberg/Spiesel	Bob Gunton	News Anchor

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1991
    Directed by Oliver Stone.

Labels: bob-gunton, docu-drama, donald-sutherland, joe-pesci, laurie-metcalf, mystery1, oliver-stone, political2, presidential, sissy-spacek, tommy-lee-jones, vincent-d'onofrio

# posted by gail @ 20:35    0 comments    email......this post

• Who's watched:  M & G
• Mentions:  *1* *2*
• 
  Commentary:  Another absolute favorite. I discovered this movie playing on one of the independent film channels. The entire movie is perfectly luscious, including the music, and the photography. The acting is superb. It should be a Required Viewing film for anyone who cares for an Ancient One.
    The first time I viewed this film, I bought it lock stock and barrel. The second time, I was a little uneasy with what hit me as mawkishness in the act featuring the pregnant runaway and some of the Twin Brothers episode. On the third viewing, though, I was fine with everything. Ancient Ones are often mawkish. Sometimes thoughtfulness leads to a kind of mawkishness.
    My mother always identifies with the spirit of Alvin Straight, and loves the fact that this man was (and remains in character) an Iowan.
    It's funny, too, because I have an astute movie lover friend who absolutely hates this movie, thinks it's the most boring film he's ever seen. I guess you have to be an Iowan to appreciate it.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Richard Farnsworth	Alvin Straight	Sissy Spacek	Rose Straight	Harry Dean Stanton	Lyle Straight	Jane Galloway Heitz	Dorothy

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1999
    Directed by David Lynch.

Labels: adventure4, biography2, dramaB, harry-dean-stanton, haunting2, popcorn-and-soda5, shared-favorite, sissy-spacek

# posted by gail @ 07:18    0 comments    email......this post