I'm continually amazed by newer movies. I can sit and watch movies on TCM, and even bad old Westerns on the Western Channel, but even the bad ones are better and more memorable than the newer 'biggies'. Yesterday (Thursday), as Peter O'Tooles day, who evokes the same feelings as Marble mouth does for me, I never even looked at the schedule, and stayed with movies on the other movie channels I have. I said amazed because when I watch classics, whether box office smashes or not (circa 1935 - 1959), I can remember the names and who starred in them. This a.m. I cannot, for the life of me, recall a single movie name or actor that I watched yesterday. Everything was post-1960, and totally forgettable, except for Bats. I watched that about 2:30 because I was so sick of the drivel I had been seeing, I figured I might as well roll about in the dregs. I made it almost through when I decided to go wash dishes - I guess I needed the symbol of getting something clean!
I do recall watching Pride and Prejudice late night with Kiera Knightly (?), I think that's her name. This movie was in lovely color, but unfortunately, that is its' only plaudit. Give me the B&W Greer Garson/Laurence Olivier any day. The photography, the gowns, the dialog, the sheer beauty of the actors and the film in general (even Edna Mae Oliver), makes this newer version look like a vapid cartoon.
Last night Leno introduced Claire Danes as the only blond actress in Hollywood who hasn't been arrested, and unfortunately, that's my opinion of so many of today's young actors. If they haven't been arrested, they've been in for re-hab, or 'BIG DEAL' had babies. There is nothing to respect nowadays, and some, I guess like Ms. Danes, may try to overcome that stigma, but 4 or 5 out of 25 or 30 don't make a big dent.
Anybody agree or disagree?
Anne
What do you think?
What do you think?
Anne
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SSO Admins
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Moraldo Rubini
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Celluloid Lover
I always felt like a turncoat at the TCM board because I love movies from all periods -- not just the old. I watch and enjoy as many new movies as I do the older films, and think there were as many poor movies back then as there are now. The difference is, that the old bad movies are still interesting because they're a view into another time. So even the bad ones can be of interest, as we view the clothing, cars, lifestyles of circa 1931 for example. But now, this same viewpoint works for movies from the 1960's; an exotic view into another time.
Claire Danes is a great example of a contemporary actress that I enjoy watching. And the cast of that movie that was recently in -- Evening -- was amazing (Meryl Streep, Toni Collette, Natasha Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave, Glenn Close, Barry Bostwick...). All actors I enjoy watching. It's just ironic that Leno hails Danes as scandal-free, as I was so disheartened that she had a hand in the breakup of Billy Crudup and Mary-Louise Parker (who was pregnant with his child when he left her for Claire). That was a bit too Elizabeth Taylor for me...
Claire Danes is a great example of a contemporary actress that I enjoy watching. And the cast of that movie that was recently in -- Evening -- was amazing (Meryl Streep, Toni Collette, Natasha Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave, Glenn Close, Barry Bostwick...). All actors I enjoy watching. It's just ironic that Leno hails Danes as scandal-free, as I was so disheartened that she had a hand in the breakup of Billy Crudup and Mary-Louise Parker (who was pregnant with his child when he left her for Claire). That was a bit too Elizabeth Taylor for me...
Jon:
You're right definitely about the studio keeping a lot of stuff under wraps, but I don't think there was as much as there is today, and the main reason I say that is because of the studio systems themselves. They kept the actors too busy to get too involved in off screen troubles. Often they would finish a film on one day, and start a new one the following day. So they didn't have a whole lot of time to get 'stoned' or 'high' because the studio contract forbade such goings on. MGM was responsible for Judy Garlands habits, yet they still expected a full day's work from her, and gave her more pills to get through the day.
Moraldo:
I wasn't aware of the little scandal you mentioned, but then I don't read gossip columns like I did when I was younger, and I rarely watch entertainment news magazine type shows either. But to be totally witchy, I have to say anyone who even gets involved with Mary Louise Parker needs the sympathy vote anyway. To me she's about as attractive as a limp noodle sitting in a congealed bowl of gravy.
Anne
You're right definitely about the studio keeping a lot of stuff under wraps, but I don't think there was as much as there is today, and the main reason I say that is because of the studio systems themselves. They kept the actors too busy to get too involved in off screen troubles. Often they would finish a film on one day, and start a new one the following day. So they didn't have a whole lot of time to get 'stoned' or 'high' because the studio contract forbade such goings on. MGM was responsible for Judy Garlands habits, yet they still expected a full day's work from her, and gave her more pills to get through the day.
Moraldo:
I wasn't aware of the little scandal you mentioned, but then I don't read gossip columns like I did when I was younger, and I rarely watch entertainment news magazine type shows either. But to be totally witchy, I have to say anyone who even gets involved with Mary Louise Parker needs the sympathy vote anyway. To me she's about as attractive as a limp noodle sitting in a congealed bowl of gravy.
Anne
Anne
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I think they finally had their fill though with the "Annie Get Your Gun" ordeal. During that stretch anyway, Judy made it very difficult to get things done ...mrsl wrote:MGM was responsible for Judy Garlands habits, yet they still expected a full day's work from her, and gave her more pills to get through the day.
In today's entertainment climate, there seems to be more people who are so-called 'celebrities' who don't actually do anything, as compared to those in the classic era, except receive unwarranted adoration from the tabloids and the paparazzi. They will get their occasional film cameo or bit role and sometimes get to produce recordings, but fail (for me anyway) to actually contribute anything of artistic merit ...
Actresses with three names automatically irk me, almost without my even giving them a chance; Sarah Michelle Gellar, Tiffany Amber Thiesen, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Anna Nicole Smith and the like ...
Two isn't enough ? I guess since three takes longer to say, spell and read, it thus entitles them to that much more notice and (IMO) unwarranted attention ...
Hmmm ... Who will be the first to have four ?
I absolutely adore movies. Even bad ones. I don't like pretentious ones, but a good bad movie, you must admit, is great. ~ Roddy McDowell
I agree about the three names thing although I do love Jennifer Love Hewitt, I think she's very cute.
Also, yes there are very few acting stars, most are celebrities. They may have a good half hour TV show, but after cancellation, they rarely seem to go on to further acting. They just stay in the news by doing stupid things. Likewise musical stars - the one song wonders that disappear.
Moraldo, you're right about the 60's being dated now. I find myself looking to see if any of the products I used are in the movie. Cars, hairstyles, clothing, everything is historic now, as much as a movie from the 30's.
Anne
Also, yes there are very few acting stars, most are celebrities. They may have a good half hour TV show, but after cancellation, they rarely seem to go on to further acting. They just stay in the news by doing stupid things. Likewise musical stars - the one song wonders that disappear.
Moraldo, you're right about the 60's being dated now. I find myself looking to see if any of the products I used are in the movie. Cars, hairstyles, clothing, everything is historic now, as much as a movie from the 30's.
Anne
Anne
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Just as a refresher, I'm going to repeat a line from my original post on this thread.
" I can sit and watch movies on TCM, and even bad old Westerns on the Western Channel, but even the bad ones are better and more memorable than the newer 'biggies'."
That holds very true. This past month, I've watched a lot of 90's and 00's movies on HBO and the Encore stations and find I have a hard time telling one actor from another. I know I've mixed up Julia Stiles and Kirsten Dunst
a couple of times - they both have those cute round faces and the ear length blond hair, but both are pretty good little actresses. Drew Barrymore stands out because I've watched here since she was what?, five? in E.T.? But the boys all meld together, Gyllenhaal, Ledger, Macguire, etc. When I see them one at a time, I know them, but in a group, I can't pick one out from the others.
In the old days, Gabel had his ears, and mustache, Grant had the elegance - even early on, Coop was tall and slim, and rather ugly, whereas Stewart was tall and slim but 'little boy' faced, - they all had specific qualities that stood out.
What am I missing?
Anne
" I can sit and watch movies on TCM, and even bad old Westerns on the Western Channel, but even the bad ones are better and more memorable than the newer 'biggies'."
That holds very true. This past month, I've watched a lot of 90's and 00's movies on HBO and the Encore stations and find I have a hard time telling one actor from another. I know I've mixed up Julia Stiles and Kirsten Dunst
a couple of times - they both have those cute round faces and the ear length blond hair, but both are pretty good little actresses. Drew Barrymore stands out because I've watched here since she was what?, five? in E.T.? But the boys all meld together, Gyllenhaal, Ledger, Macguire, etc. When I see them one at a time, I know them, but in a group, I can't pick one out from the others.
In the old days, Gabel had his ears, and mustache, Grant had the elegance - even early on, Coop was tall and slim, and rather ugly, whereas Stewart was tall and slim but 'little boy' faced, - they all had specific qualities that stood out.
What am I missing?
Anne
Anne
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movieman1957
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Anne:mrsl wrote:
What am I missing?
Anne
It must be our age. I'm very much the same as you. I can't tell one actress from another. Shoot, I can hardly tell one movie from another anymore. I have all the pay channels (we've still too good a deal to let them go) but I watch them mainly for the series. "Rome" and "Elizabeth" on HBO were both very good. I don't hold out much for the movies they show.
I'm not sure we're missing anything as much as they are. When "romantic comedy" means it has Adam Sandler then we're in bigger trouble than I thought.
I don't know if you might have seen the recent "Funniest Moments in TV History". I only caught the last segment and number 2 on the list was a body part/function laden musical spoof dedicated to the FCC courtesy of "Family Guy." No. 1 was a comic "bit" by Chris Rock that I actually thought was a set-up to the number one piece. I was stunned. Some of the actual great moments were there but were so far down the list as to make me wonder if anyone had actually seen them.
I am about to leave the age range of the second most sought after demographic (36-49.) Getting my AARP card and courting me for "Cialis" and "Depends" only makes me more irrelevant and depressed. (Never mind that I don't need either.)
The End.
Chris
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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jdb1
I'm constantly put off by these young women (and it's primarily the young actresses) whose acting style consists mainly of staring catatonically with their over-plump lips parted. I think what's her name Knightly went through the entire length of "Pride and Prej." like that, and don't get me started on the bovine Scarlett Johansson. What is that all about? Are all of today's young actresses to be reduced to the status of inflatable dolls to feed the fantasies of their target audience, 14-year-old boys? Sheesh!
I saw something recently on TV about lesbian love with an actress called Piper Perabo, who never closed her mouth, never showed any expression at all on her immobile face, and never stopped twiddling her curly hair. What are these girls going to do when they get older? What kinds of roles could they hope to play with that technique?
Honestly, most of this current crop make the sweet-imaged and relatively expressive Jennifer Love Hewitt look like Uta Hagen in comparison.
By the way, I too always confuse Danes and Stiles, and there's another one I also mix into that bunch - I can't remember that one's name. However, I saw Stiles in an Off-Broadway play and she was quite good. I'm also very impressed with Lauren Ambrose, who I think is very talented and who I also saw in a play, on Broadway ("Awake and Sing"). She was terrific, and she is absolutely gorgeous in person. Apparently many of these young women are egregiously constrained by their material and their directors, and can be capable of some valid performances, if only they are given the chance.
I saw something recently on TV about lesbian love with an actress called Piper Perabo, who never closed her mouth, never showed any expression at all on her immobile face, and never stopped twiddling her curly hair. What are these girls going to do when they get older? What kinds of roles could they hope to play with that technique?
Honestly, most of this current crop make the sweet-imaged and relatively expressive Jennifer Love Hewitt look like Uta Hagen in comparison.
By the way, I too always confuse Danes and Stiles, and there's another one I also mix into that bunch - I can't remember that one's name. However, I saw Stiles in an Off-Broadway play and she was quite good. I'm also very impressed with Lauren Ambrose, who I think is very talented and who I also saw in a play, on Broadway ("Awake and Sing"). She was terrific, and she is absolutely gorgeous in person. Apparently many of these young women are egregiously constrained by their material and their directors, and can be capable of some valid performances, if only they are given the chance.
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moira finnie
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While I often can't tell some contemporary actors and actresses apart without numbers on their backs, I do think that it's a shame that Keira Knightley, who impressed me with her freshness and vulnerability in the delightfully rambunctious Bend It Like Beckham from a few years ago, seems to have been swallowed whole by the media machine. Now, whenever I glimpse this actress, she looks increasingly wan and self-involved, more interested, seemingly, in presenting herself as one more media darling, to be deified, objectified and--given the way that the media seems to work, defiled & discarded, eventually."I'm constantly put off by these young women (and it's primarily the young actresses) whose acting style consists mainly of staring catatonically with their over-plump lips parted. I think what's her name Knightly went through the entire length of "Pride and Prej." like that..."~Jdb1
Maybe the director of "Beckham", Gurinder Chadha, caught the Anglo-Indian actress Parminder Nagra and Knightley at just the right moment in their adolescence to capture their still fierce, stubborn pride, vulnerability and their longing to be independent spirits in that film.
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Moraldo Rubini
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Moira, where were you when I need you? About the time the Keira Knightley vehicle Pride and Prejudice was released, the young actress went on a media blitz and for some reason I found her annoying and uninteresting. Due to this and in spite of the suggestions and urging of my friends, I skipped the movie. But I hadn't realized she was the actress that I enjoyed in Bend It Like Beckham! I'd never made the connection. Now I'm back on track with who she is...moira wrote:While I often can't tell some contemporary actors and actresses apart without numbers on their backs, I do think that it's a shame that Keira Knightley, who impressed me with her freshness and vulnerability in the delightfully rambunctious Bend It Like Beckham from a few years ago, seems to have been swallowed whole by the media machine.
Maybe the director of "Beckham", Gurinder Chadha, caught the Anglo-Indian actress Parminder Nagra and Knightley at just the right moment in their adolescence to capture their still fierce, stubborn pride, vulnerability and their longing to be independent spirits in that film.
Interesting that she would go on to make Pride and Prejudice when her director went on to make the Bollywood version Bride and Prejudice...
jdbl:
You added two more names to the mix with Danes and Johansson, and I love your 'over-plump' lips description. I actually hooted at my comp screen. BTW for anyone who is interested, Parminder Negra has held a starring role on E.R. for the past 3 or 4 years. I had no idea who she was at first and was surprised when I caught an old recast of Bend it like Beckham. (Not knowing the first thing about soccer, I had no idea what the movie was talking about). But after a while I did get interested.
Actually, I'm a little tired of weekly programs on HBO, I ordered it for movies, not scheduled programming. I do admit however, I never miss Inside the NFL during football season, nor the Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday nights.
Anne
You added two more names to the mix with Danes and Johansson, and I love your 'over-plump' lips description. I actually hooted at my comp screen. BTW for anyone who is interested, Parminder Negra has held a starring role on E.R. for the past 3 or 4 years. I had no idea who she was at first and was surprised when I caught an old recast of Bend it like Beckham. (Not knowing the first thing about soccer, I had no idea what the movie was talking about). But after a while I did get interested.
Actually, I'm a little tired of weekly programs on HBO, I ordered it for movies, not scheduled programming. I do admit however, I never miss Inside the NFL during football season, nor the Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday nights.
Anne
Anne
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Hi Anne!
I feel the same way about alot of the newer movies today .They just don't peak my interest.I am stuck it seems in the past when it comes to movies, that is not bad though for me. There have been a few over the years that I have enjoyed,but again its with some of the older generation of actors. I loved As Good As It Gets . I am a fan of Diane Keaton and liked her and Jack in Something's Gotta Give. There is this movie I saw years ago with Jessica Lange,still one of my favorites it's called Men Don't Leave,if you have not seen it check it out Joan Cusack is very entertaining in it . I was told that it was a sleeper that did not get much notice but had alot of great reviews and I still push this one to people who have not seen it.
I feel the same way about alot of the newer movies today .They just don't peak my interest.I am stuck it seems in the past when it comes to movies, that is not bad though for me. There have been a few over the years that I have enjoyed,but again its with some of the older generation of actors. I loved As Good As It Gets . I am a fan of Diane Keaton and liked her and Jack in Something's Gotta Give. There is this movie I saw years ago with Jessica Lange,still one of my favorites it's called Men Don't Leave,if you have not seen it check it out Joan Cusack is very entertaining in it . I was told that it was a sleeper that did not get much notice but had alot of great reviews and I still push this one to people who have not seen it.
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MissGoddess
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I'm still in the "younger" demographic so I can tell you it's not about age when it comes to not being able to tell who the players are without a program. There are so many blonde stick-insect actresses out there right now I just call them all "Keira Jo Lohan" to be done with it. What alarms me more than their limited acting is their anorexia and that this is becoming the "normal" standard to young people. Pop in a couple of fake boobies and suddenly the represent the "ideal". It's so scary! I am the first to say how much I love the glamour-factory look of the old Hollywood and I'm not against a little plastic surgery if it's subtle and doesn't harm you or make you look like a phenomenon.
All of which is just representative of what is going on inside these poor things, they are mixed up and believe everything their publicists and other manipulators tell them.
As for the overall quality of product today, I've said it many times before, I just don't think they have the kind of talented writers working on scripts today---and if they do, these writers have to submit their scripts to the marketing departments where they are altered beyond all hope. I did say "overall", meaning that to me at least, the exceptions only seem to prove the rule.
And I think Gary Cooper was beautiful.
All of which is just representative of what is going on inside these poor things, they are mixed up and believe everything their publicists and other manipulators tell them.
As for the overall quality of product today, I've said it many times before, I just don't think they have the kind of talented writers working on scripts today---and if they do, these writers have to submit their scripts to the marketing departments where they are altered beyond all hope. I did say "overall", meaning that to me at least, the exceptions only seem to prove the rule.
And I think Gary Cooper was beautiful.
I thought Keira Knightley was very good in the recent "Dr. Zhivago" that aired on PBS about three or four years ago.
The problem I have with her is that she looks like someone I used to know, so I can't be sure if any negative feelings I have about Keria K. are actually due to her acting or to my transfering feelings about her "look-alike."
The problem I have with her is that she looks like someone I used to know, so I can't be sure if any negative feelings I have about Keria K. are actually due to her acting or to my transfering feelings about her "look-alike."