Thursday, May 02, 2024
Behind the Candelabra
- Commentary: Wow, wow, wow! Was this movie hard to find, as a "new" copy (i.e., not yet sold) here in the U.S.! If I lived in Europe, or England, or possessed a Region 2 disc player, I would have one of several new or used copies from which to choose. Not here. I'm not sure why, since it's an HBO production, but, whatever. I hope I (blindly) chose a playable, decent version. We'll be finding out, soon. I'm not sure what I'm going to do (other than return the movie to the seller) if I don't get lucky in my choice. Why, I can't help but wonder, is this movie impossible to find as a newly pressed disc in the U.S.? I can't even begin to guess.
Anyway, we'll find out about the quality in about a week. Yeah, I know, it also "comes", here, across the pond, with an extraordinarily long delivery time, even though the site from which I ordered it is housed in the U.S. I'm wondering if the store in question has to order it from Europe.
I was reminded of this movie in a show I was watching about movies that seem to have been forgotten (in the U.S., anyway). Yes, I've seen the movie. When I initially watched it, I really liked it. Michael Douglas, what can I say, a master actor who always has a new trick up his sleeve. Then, I forgot about it, for years. It wasn't until today that I realized why I was allowed to forget it. For some reason, here in the U.S., we're neither encouraged nor allowed to remember and watch it. Which is especially disappointing considering the impossibility of me finding an unplayed, "new" copy of it. What is your excuse for this, HBO, considering that I could easily obtain a new, unplayed copy of it in The Lands of Region 2 if I lived there? Really! What are the sneaky, very probably corrupt, corporate machinations behind obliterating a quintessential American movie in America??? Why, Steven Soderbergh have you allowed this to happen?
Anyway, with any luck, and I expect I'll need a lot of luck working on my behalf, the copy that will arrive at my home next week will be a decently watchable copy. Keep your fingers crossed for me, Dear Reader, and I'll be doing the same.
I'll report back.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Michael Douglas Liberace Matt Damon Scott Thorson Dan Aykroyd Seymour Heller Rob Lowe Dr. Jack Startz Debbie Reynolds Frances Liberace Scott Bakula Bob Black Boyd Holbrook Cary James Tom Papa Ray Arnett Nicky Katt Mr. Y Cheyenne Jackson Billy Leatherwood Paul Reiser Mr. Felder David Koechner Adoption Attorney
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2013
Directed by Steven Soderbergh.
Labels: biography3, debbie-reynolds, michael-douglas
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Déjà vu
- Commentary: Under construction.
One unrelated-but-not note regarding brother of Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, who suicided in 2012. You know that perfectly atmospheric logo that typically runs at the beginning or end of Scott Free films? You know the one I mean, this one. Well, I only started noticing it some years after 2008, when I got into the habit of watching opening and closing credits, which I never did when my mother was alive and she and I watched movies together. She would get antsy during pre- and post-movie credits, so I'd ffwd through them, or simply end the movie, well, at the end of the story part. Anyway, a little more than a few years after she died, I started watching credits, again, and was charmed by the Scott Free logo. I always imagined that it was designed by Ridley Scott as a memorial to his brother Tony Scott after his suicide. Turns out, as you'll appreciate from this interesting and inventive history of the logo, it was actually created and used 16 years or so before Tony Scott died. In a way, I suppose, the logo, itself, is a reverse form of déjà vu, a prediction of the future rather than a repetition of the past. Which is interesting, considering this movie, in particular, which addresses flowing forward and backward in time. Anyway, just thought I'd mention it.
As usual, expect more later.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Denzel Washington ATF Spc. Agt. Douglas Carlin Paula Patton Claire Kuchever Val Kilmer FBI Spc. Agt. Paul Pryzwarra Jim Caviezel Carroll Oerstadt Adam Goldberg Dr. Alexander Denny Elden Henson Gunnars Erika Alexander Shanti Elle Fanning Abbey Bruce Greenwood FBI Spc Agt. Jack McCready Rich Hutchman Agent Stalhuth Matt Craven Minuti Enrique Castillo Claire's Father
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2006
Directed by Tony Scott.
Labels: denzel-washington, elle-fanning, enrique-castillo, tony-scott
Man on Fire
- Commentary: Under construction.
I initially saw this movie not long after it was released for TV viewing [Remember the days when it wasn't called "streaming" and didn't require you to pay any more for it than you already paid for your cable or ISP subscription?] I saw it only once, but remember liking it so much, as did my mother (she was still alive when it was released for viewing by the plebes). I don't remember a lot about the movie, now, except for this: there were more than a few times that my mother audibly gasped in reaction to some of the action vignettes featured in the film. As I find myself looking to beef up my Denzel Washington assortment, that is enough for me to add this movie to my collection.
More later.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Denzel Washington John W. Creasy Dakota Fanning Guadalupe Ramos Radha Mitchell Lisa Ramos Christopher Walken Paul Rayburn Marc Anthony Samuel Ramos Giancarlo Giannini Miguel Manzano Mickey Rourke Jordan Kalfus Rachel Ticotin Mariana Garcia Guerrero Roberto Sosa Daniel Sanchez Rosa María Hernández Maria Rosas Sanchez Gero Camilo Aurelio Sanchez Jesús Ochoa Victor Fuentes
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2004
Directed by Tony Scott.
Labels: christopher-walken, dakota-fanning, denzel-washington, tony-scott
