Gone With the Wind's Recent Activity - Spout

Film:Gone With the Wind

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:56:23 GMT

Title: Gone With the Wind
Year: 1939
Director: Victor Fleming
Plot: Gone With the Wind boils down to a story about a spoiled Southern girl's hopeless love for a married man. Producer David O. Selznick managed to expand this concept, and Margaret Mitchell's best-selling novel, into nearly four hours' worth of screen time, on a then-astronomical 3.7-million-dollar budget, creating what would become one of the most beloved movies of all time. Gone With the Wind opens in April of 1861, at the palatial Southern estate of Tara, where Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) hears that her casual beau Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard) plans to marry "mealy mouthed" Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland). Despite warnings from her father (Thomas Mitchell) and her faithful servant Mammy (Hattie McDaniel), Scarlett intends to throw herself at Ashley at an upcoming barbecue at Twelve Oaks. Alone with Ashley, she goes into a fit of histrionics, all of which is witnessed by roguish Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), the black sheep of a wealthy Charleston family, who is instantly fascinated by the feisty, thoroughly self-centered Scarlett: "We're bad lots, both of us." The movie's famous action continues from the burning of Atlanta (actually the destruction of a huge wall left over from King Kong) through the now-classic closing line, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." Holding its own against stiff competition (many consider 1939 to be the greatest year of the classical Hollywood studios), Gone With the Wind won ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress (Vivien Leigh), and Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American to win an Oscar). The film grossed nearly 192 million dollars, assuring that, just as he predicted, Selznick's epitaph would be "The Man Who Made Gone With the Wind." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 114
Number of Lists: 83
Number of blog posts: 17
Number of discussion threads: 8
SpoutRating: 3

Spout Post: Re:Which of these Hollywood films released in 1939 is your favorite?

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:28:35 GMT

Post By: Dr_Gor
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 9/13/2009 9:28:35 PM
Body: [quote user="Risselada"] Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. I just posted a blog about The Hunchback of Notre Dame. One of the things commented on the special features was how this movie was almost outshadowed by the so many other well known movies that also came out of Hollywood in this same year. I could hardly even list half of films that are still well known today, but I tried my best to pick what would probably be people's most favorites. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Destry Rides AgainGone with the WindThe Hunchback of Notre DameMr. Smith Goes to WashingtonNinotchkaThe Roaring TwentiesStagecoachThe Wizard of OzThe WomenWuthering Heights [/quote] I think I would have to vote for The Wizard of OZ in this one only because I thought Dorothy was pretty hot and Judy Garland gave me a "tingly* feeling at a very young age... The Hunchback would be second followed by Stagecoach ... (John Wayne RULES!) ... < GOR >

Spout Post: Re:Which of these Hollywood films released in 1939 is your favorite?

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:59:35 GMT

Post By: pippin06
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 9/1/2009 7:59:35 AM
Body: [quote user="Risselada"] I had to say Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I just love it. Can't help it. I saw Stagecoach so long ago, I can't remember many specifics, but I know it was amazing! Sounds like it's time for a revisit. Is there anyone here who actually found Gone with the Wind a bit long and grating? I find Vivien Leigh to be pretty annoying a lot of the time. But people say she was perfect for the part. I've never read the book though, so maybe Scarlett O'Hara the characters is just annoying to me. [/quote] I've read the book, and Leigh was perfect for the part. And: she's supposed to be annoying, in her own way, but she's sympathetically annoying because she's really just a big child in a world that's bigger than she realizes and certainly bigger than her. So, yes, Scarlett is, by definition, annoying. Which is why her tempestuous romance with Rhett, who is deliberately annoying and knows it full well, is ironic. She wants the stoic and sensitive Ashley, but Rhett is more her equal in every way. And, at four hours, it is a very long movie. But, like another poster, Gone with the Wind is a staple from my childhood because it is my mother's favorite movie aside from Casablanca. So, some people will probably agree with you while others will say it's four hours of epic romantic goodness. I fall somewhere in the middle leaning toward the epic romantic goodness. I like Oz and Mr. Smith better :-D.

Spout Post: Re:Which of these Hollywood films released in 1939 is your favorite?

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:56:23 GMT

Post By: QFLW
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 8/6/2009 11:56:23 PM
Body: [quote user="Risselada"] I had to say Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I just love it. Can't help it. I saw Stagecoach so long ago, I can't remember many specifics, but I know it was amazing! Sounds like it's time for a revisit. Is there anyone here who actually found Gone with the Wind a bit long and grating? I find Vivien Leigh to be pretty annoying a lot of the time. But people say she was perfect for the part. I've never read the book though, so maybe Scarlett O'Hara the characters is just annoying to me. [/quote] Same here with Stagecoach - I just can't remember much about it. (sigh) There are too many like that, alas... There are a few of these films I haven't seen, and it was hard to choose, but in the end I went with Wizard of Oz. It's such a staple from my childhood -- a very good old friend. Ditto Gone With the Wind, actually. I remember being about 5 years old, watching it with my parents at a drive-in. Hanging over the front seat between my parents, crying during the burning of Atlanta, wondering what all those people with burned homes were going to do - I didn't understand a lot of the rest of it at the time...but I digress. The film is better than the book, which is written in a rather soap-opera-y style, and everyone's right -- Leigh was the perfect Scarlet. She's meant to be annoying. ;-) I've never liked any version of Wuthering Heights much, though I've seen a few - the story is bizarre rather than romantic, if you ask me; none of the characters are likeable. So why do I keep watching different versions of it? Mostly because of who gets cast in them.

Spout Post: Re:Which of these Hollywood films released in 1939 is your favorite?

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:40:04 GMT

Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 8/5/2009 11:40:04 AM
Body: I had to say Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I just love it. Can't help it. I saw Stagecoach so long ago, I can't remember many specifics, but I know it was amazing! Sounds like it's time for a revisit. Is there anyone here who actually found Gone with the Wind a bit long and grating? I find Vivien Leigh to be pretty annoying a lot of the time. But people say she was perfect for the part. I've never read the book though, so maybe Scarlett O'Hara the characters is just annoying to me.

Spout Post: Which of these Hollywood films released in 1939 is your favorite?

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:09:36 GMT

Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 8/4/2009 6:09:36 PM
Body: Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. I just posted a blog about The Hunchback of Notre Dame. One of the things commented on the special features was how this movie was almost outshadowed by the so many other well known movies that also came out of Hollywood in this same year. I could hardly even list half of films that are still well known today, but I tried my best to pick what would probably be people's most favorites. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Destry Rides AgainGone with the WindThe Hunchback of Notre DameMr. Smith Goes to WashingtonNinotchkaThe Roaring TwentiesStagecoachThe Wizard of OzThe WomenWuthering Heights

Spout Post: Re:Weekly Theme for May 25: The American Soldier

Wed, 27 May 2009 18:51:07 GMT

Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 5/27/2009 2:51:07 PM
Body: At first, I was going to say that I'm not really a fan of the genre, but after thinking about it, I actually am. Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket and Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb are two of my favorite films. Both films just capture the many facets of war and the American fascination with it. The Manchurian Candidate (1962) was really one of the first pre-1970 films I had seen as a teenager and completely blew me away. Definitely made me look at Angela Lansbury in a whole new way. Forrest Gump was just an all around great film. Infinitely quotable and probably one of my favorite depictions of an American soldier. Andersonville, Gone With The WInd and Dances With Wolves are all great Civil War films. I still can't get over Andersonville which really struck a chord with me and woke me up to the true horrors of war and how miserable being a POW must be. The Patriot was corny but I still find myself watching it every time it's on television. G.I. Jane, Courage Under Fire, Your Mother Wears Combat Boots and Private Benjamin are some good (or interesting) films about women in the armed forces. And lastly, the more slapstick portrayals of soldiers are Down Periscope, Sgt. Bilko, and my personal favorite, In The Army Now.

Spout Post: 10 Accessible Indian Films for the Slumdog Lover

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:03:10 GMT

Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/3/2009 5:03:10 PM
Body: In addition to winning Best Picture (and seven other awards) at the Oscars last week, Slumdog Millionaire passed a major box office benchmark. It has now grossed more than $100 million in the U.S., which is pretty astonishing for a film with one-third of its dialogue in a foreign language. But is Slumdog’s popularity a one-shot in terms of its audience’s interest in India, or are moviegoers actually now more curious about the nation and its own films? Some websites are simplifying the question of whether or not Slumdog will be a gateway film with polls asking if American moviegoers will now “go Bollywood” (40% of Cinematical readers flat out answered, “no.”), which is rather silly since Danny Boyle’s movie bears no resemblance to the majority of Bollywood pictures. In fact, Americans have in the past received far greater entry points into Indian cinema by way of films involving Anglo or NRI (non-resident Indian) protagonists directed by culturally bridging filmmakers (such as NRI helmers Deepa Mehta, Mira Nair and Gurinder Chadha), than the more-touristy type of filmmaking represented with Slumdog. If someone truly wants to become familiar with Bollywood, he or she should probably just jump right in and then patiently get used to the style, which can be quite difficult for Westerners to immediately grasp. The extremely interested might benefit from reading the section on popular Indian cinema in Dimitris Eleftheriotis and Gary Needham’s Asian Cinemas: A Reader & Guide, a book that does a really great job acquainting the Western spectator with Eastern film form. Or, the more casually curious cinephile could simply follow our guide to accessible Indian (or India-based) films for the Slumdog lover to watch next: Sita Sings the Blues (Nina Paley, 2008) What it’s about: Paley’s semi-autobiographical animated feature self-deprecatingly depicts the events of the filmmaker’s divorce crosscut with a somewhat paralleling adaptation of part of the epic Indian poem Ramayana. Why you should see it: Although not an Indian production nor made by an Indian filmmaker, Sita does offer an entry point for the mythological genre of Indian films and/or an introduction to Hindu myths, a number of which are the basis for a lot of Bollywood musical numbers. If that’s not enough reason, though, here’s what Karina wrote about the film in her review: “Sita Sings the Blues is a strange and beautiful little film, a potentially wispy slice of autobiography smartly elevated through irresistible, orgiastic style.” Where to see it: Sita won the Gotham Award for Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You and will infamously remain without a distributor forever. However, those of us in the NYC area can watch the film on PBS’ Reel 13 program on March 7. Those of you outside New York are in luck, too; the film is currently available for free on Reel 13’s website as a streaming video. Salaam Bombay! (Mira Nair, 1988) What it’s about: A 10-year-old boy tries to survive on the streets of Bombay (now Mumbai) after being told to go out and find work by his mother. Why you should see it: With all the crossover movies from the past two decades dealing with interracial relationships, arranged marriage and the complications of NRI life, Nair’s films are typically the most entertaining. But while minor gateways could be found in her films The Namesake (starring Harold & Kumar’s Kal Penn), Mississippi Masala (starring Denzel Washington) or the very enjoyable Monsoon Wedding, this Oscar-nominated drama might be what Slumdog fans seek most if primarily interested in more “poverty porn.” Like Slumdog, Salaam Bombay! even starred actual non-professional street children. Where to see it: Available on DVD. Pather Panchali (Satyajit Ray, 1955) What it’s about: The first installment of Ray’s Apu trilogy (which also includes Aparajito and The World of Apu), Pather Panchali is a tragedy-filled tale of a poor family living in rural Bengal in the 1920s and concentrates on the coming of age story of young Apu. Why you should see it: Aside from being one of the greatest films ever made, let alone one of the greatest Indian films, Pather Panchali tells a universal story of family and is quite Western in form (for one thing, it lacks musical numbers), a fact that made it somewhat looked down upon in its own country. But in addition to its accessibility, it can also serve as a starting point to melodramatic conventions found in many classic Indian films. The abandoning patriarch, the significantly strong matriarch and other common national metaphors are present and will familiarize you for the next title on this list. Where to see it: This is one of those films that’s constantly being screened at repertory houses, so see it on a big screen if you have the chance. Otherwise, the entire Apu trilogy is unfortunately out of print on DVD. But such masterpieces can’t possibly be unavailable for too long, so pick up a box set whenever one is released. Mother India (Mehboob Khan, 1957) What it’s about: An epic maternal melodrama and metaphor for post-colonial India, Khan’s Oscar-nominated film focuses on a poor Indian family throughout many years, as the patriarch leaves the home and the mother is left to deal with two very different sons. Why you should see it: If you enjoy Pather Panchali, you may at least appreciate the story of Mother India, though the latter has a much more melodramatic and emotional tone. Unlike Pather Panchali, it does feature musical numbers as well as a bit of comic relief, courtesy of a very bratty little boy. Also, it’s basically the Gone With the Wind of India, at least in terms of its national significance — and one familiar-looking shot — if not in terms of its plot. Where to see it: Available on DVD. Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (Ashutosh Gowariker, 2001) What it’s about: Oppressed Indian villagers battle against their British governors … in a cricket match seemingly depicted in real time. Also, one of the villagers becomes entangled in a love triangle between his true love and a British woman, who is also the sister of the film’s villain. Why you should see it: First of all, it’s one of the most accessible foreign films of the last 10 years, period. For the guys: Lagaan is just like all your favorite underdog sports flicks except that it gives you even more of the game, as well as some singing and dancing here and there (with music by Slumdog Oscar-winner A.R. Rahman). So what if you don’t know anything about cricket; just pretend it’s baseball. For the gals: there’s just as much romance as cricket playing. Advice for both sexes: you might want to fast forward through the song that the British woman sings. It’s the single unbearable moment in the nearly 4-hour film. Where to see it: Apparently unavailable through rental sites like Netflix, but you can pick up a DVD through Amazon affiliates. Hum Tum (Kunal Kohli, 2004) What it’s about: Basically, though not officially, it’s the Bollywood remake of When Harry Met Sally. Why you should see it: If Lagaan is the perfect gateway for guys, Hum Tum is the perfect gateway for girls, although like Lagaan, this film has something for both sexes. All guys can appreciate When Harry Met Sally, after all, right? Where to see it: Also unavailable through Netflix, but you can find a very cheap all-region DVD through Amazon affiliates. Abhimaan (Hrishikesh Mukherjee, 1973) What it’s about: Inspired by A Star is Born, a famous singer meets, falls for and fosters the career of a young woman, who ends up more popular than him. Why you should see it: First of all, every Slumdog fan should become acquainted with Amitabh Bachchan (the celebrity whose autograph the young excrement-covered Jamal acquires), who costars here with his real-life wife Jaya Bhaduri (a bigger star at the time). Second of all, because the musical numbers all figure into the plot, either as recording studio sequences or concert performances, there’s not as much of that jarring, interruptive nature of most Bollywood musicals. Where to see it: Available on DVD. It’s also one of the many Indian films available for streaming on Netflix’s Watch Instantly. Amar Akbar Anthony (Manmohan Desai, 1977) What it’s about: Another great metaphor for post-colonial India, this other Bachchan-starring classic tells the story of three brothers separated as infants, who end up growing up under very different circumstances. One is adopted by a Hindu policeman and becomes the same; one is brought up by a Muslim taylor and becomes a popular singer; and the third (played by Bachchan) is raised Catholic and enters a life of crime. Why you should see it: For more Amitabh Bachchan after he became India’s favorite actor. Though not technically a great film, it is filled with a lot of absurd moments and can serve as a gateway for those cinephiles who can only approach new things first through ironic appreciation. Such viewers should really love the Easter scene in which Bachchan jumps out of a giant egg wearing a top hat and monocle to sing a song about himself. Where to see it: Currently available on DVD. Krrish (Rakesh Roshan, 2006) What it’s about: This sequel to the sci-fi movie Koi…Mil Gay is your typical superhero action flick, except done in the style of Bollywood. Why you should see it: This one is primarily for getting your kids into Indian cinema, because kids will watch just about any superhero movie, regardless of the language or setting. Though the original more-E.T.-than-Superman film, Koi…Mil Gay, should probably be watched first, there’s nothing wrong with making this your primary gateway for the little ones. Where to see it: Currently available on DVD Vanaja (Rajnesh Domalpalli, 2006) What it’s about: Set in South India and controversially made outside the local “Tollywood” film industry, Domalpalli’s comparatively non-musical film follows the story of a 14-year-old girl who is pretty much sold off by her father to a wealthy landowner who puts her to work while also teaching her traditional Kuchipudi dance. Why you should see it: While not very relative to Slumdog or most of the other films on this list, Vanaja will open up viewers to other cinemas of India, even if this rather Western-form film was a Columbia University graduate thesis film and even if it is considered more “art house” than the popular cinema of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Like the slightly similar coming of age art house film Pather Panchali, Vanaja is a wonderful film and a terrific start for beginners. But because this film features Indian music and dance, it may also function as a gateway to the typical musical films of India, either produced in Andhra Pradesh or Mumbai (Bollywood) Where to see it: Available on DVD. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog

Spout Post: Home for The Holidays: Sexy (And Family-Friendly!) Cinema Suggestions

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 20:01:06 GMT

Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/24/2008 3:01:06 PM
Body: Yes, it’s that “most wonderful time of the year” again. And unless the scent of pine turns you on or you’ve got a fetish for glittery objects (like the crazy queen who must have designed this year’s Macy’s window display after watching A Beautiful Mind on acid – there’s even a borderline creepy ode to the “diva Tinsel” stenciled on the glass. Check it out if you’re in NYC, it’s a must!), you’re probably feeling about as sexy as eggnog right now. But don’t despair. If Macy’s can turn a stalwart tradition into an LSD trip I can find the perversion in The Sound of Music. So without further adieu, here are some sexy, family-friendly suggestions for gathering around the DVD player with the clan. Heavenly Creatures Dashing Cary Grant stars in Henry Koster’s 1947 The Bishop’s Wife, about an angel sent down to earth to help a holy man (played by the delightful David Niven) build a church – and recover his shaken faith in the process. Only problem is the bishop’s got a hottie wife in the form of radiant Loretta Young who the charming angel takes under his wing as well. Grant’s studly Dudley, a cuckolding do-gooder, is every bit as ambiguous as Grant himself was in real life. If your relatives are especially warped, have a double feature with Pasolini’s 1968 Teorema, in which an otherworldly knockout played by the breathtakingly beautiful Terence Stamp seduces the entire family kids included. And if you still haven’t gotten your fill of sexy spirits, throw in Warren Beatty’s and Buck Henry’s 1978 Heaven Can Wait, a remake of Alexander Hall’s 1941 Here Comes Mr. Jordan, in which steamy Beatty turns tasty Robert Montgomery’s boxer Joe Pendleton into a quarterback who prematurely gets called to the big leagues upstairs as a result of angel error. Sugar (Plum) Daddies As my friend CineKink founder Lisa Vandever has pointed out, if you have a suit fetish there’s no better film to turn to than Robert Wise’s 1965 The Sound of Music, in which Christopher Plummer as the immaculately attired, debonair daddy Baron Von Trapp tames Julie Andrews’ virginal Maria, turning the spunky nun into a submissive wife and mother. (And yes, as an added bonus, the film contains sexy Nazis to boot!) If it’s a marathon festival of family-friendly perversion you’re after, team this up with Victor Fleming’s 1939 Gone With The Wind, which stars the daddy of sexy rogues Clark Gable as Rhett Butler, the only man who could make Vivien Leigh’s strong-willed Scarlett O’Hara glow the morning after a night of non-consensual sex. (Frankly, my dear, I’d screw him, too.) If your relatives don’t do musicals or sweeping epics there’s always slapstick comedy in the form of Brian Levant’s 1996 Jingle All The Way, starring my favorite slab of political beefcake, the Governator himself, as a dad determined to score a Turbo Man toy for his son’s Christmas gift. (Now if only I can nab a seat on Santa’s lap the next time Arnie dresses up for one of those kids’ fundraisers. Guess my wish, Mr. Claus.) Hot Mama Lest I forget the boys who like girls and the girls who like girls, Peter Godfrey’s 1945 Christmas in Connecticut, starring the smoldering Barbara Stanwyck as a family advice columnist who fakes a family for the sake of publicity, is a great excuse for a double feature. Pair this with Alfred E. Green’s 1933 Baby Face, in which Stanwyck plays an unapologetic slut who sleeps her way to the top, and have yourself a “Working Girls’ Christmas.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog

Spout Post: 10 Most Romantic American Films of the Past 10 Years

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:02:15 GMT

Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/9/2008 7:02:15 PM
Body: Is romance dead? David Carr seems to think so, at least in American cinema (both Hollywood and “Indiewood,” as he inclusively clarifies). While celebrating the subway station meet-cute from the beginning of Milk, a scene he claims to be of an increasingly rare sort, Carr states that American filmmakers “can do romantic pathology and entropy, but the kind of love for the ages, a big-movie kind of love? Not so much.” If you agree with him, blame the back-to-back Best Picture winners Titanic and Shakespeare in Love for feeding us the kind of romance that’s so cheesy it clogs our arteries and gives us a coronary. Left with a burst heart and a lack of quality Nora Ephron movies, most of us have been cynics when it comes to love stories these past ten years. Yet cynics can still be swept off their feet, and American filmmakers have adequately supplied them with new kinds of love for the ages. Just take a look at these ten films from the past decade. They may be full of cynicism, but they’re also filled with big-movie love, in their own way. If you can’t see the romance, then the problem is with you, not the movies. Love & Basketball (2000) This underrated film has something for everyone: sports for the boys and romance for the girls; and sports for the girls and romance for the boys. See, it’s a love story that avoids clichés and speaks to both sexes equally. And as far as meet-cutes go, it’s hard to top Quincy’s first encounter with Monica: she beats him at basketball, he knocks her to the ground, and they instantly fall in love, at the age of 13. Plenty of recent films have done the whole love-since-childhood thing, including the contrived Love Me if You Dare and this year’s less-sexually-balanced Slumdog Millionaire. But while others treat this kind of story as fairy tale, Love & Basketball is more real, and true love is definitely more romantic than fantastical love. Punch-Drunk Love (2002) Who knew that Adam Sandler, as a modern-day Popeye, could be so romantic? Apparently Paul Thomas Anderson did, and he was able to transform the typical Sandler man-boy persona into an old-fashioned man-as-protector sort of romantic hero. A bit sexist and a little creepy, sure, but Sandler’s Barry Egan manages to fall on the right side of the fine line between stalker and sentimentally drastic admirer (kind of like a male “Amelie”). All the Real Girls (2003) The direction this film may seem too ironic and cynical to be considered truly romantic, but then think of how cynical our favorite romantic classics are. Gone With the Wind and Casablanca? Neither is as positive and hopeful as we pretend Hollywood romance to be. And while those films’ dialogue may be memorable after all these years, none of their lines are as simply and sweetly romantic as the stuff said by Paul (Paul Schneider) and Noel (Zooey Deschanel) to each other when they’re still falling in love. Cold Mountain (2003) Nicole Kidman and Jude Law may be the worst actors to play romantic leads, considering how stiff and plastic they are. But forgetting the performances and concentrating on the epic love story, this relatively modernized take on The Odyssey (set during the Civil War) is as classically romantic as it gets, right down to the tragic denouement. Surprisingly, it was not well received by either critics or audiences. The problem may have been the fault of Kidman and Law, whose characters were hardly believable as in love, although their compatibility is beside the point. The romantic quest made by Inman (Law) to get back to his barely-familiar sweetheart is powered by the concept of love more than the certainty of love. 50 First Dates (2004) Another Adam Sandler movie? That’s right, and this one is even sweeter and more thoughtfully romantic than Punch-Drunk Love. The plot, which is like a reciprocal Groundhog Day, is a tad too gimmicky to grab your heartstrings right away, but the final scene (ironically in the Arctic) could warm the center of even the most pragmatic, unemotional viewer. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Two of the best films of 2004 were deconstructions of love. But while Jonathan Glazer’s Birth shattered romance to pieces, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind showed us what it’s made of. The film also somewhat argues that love and romance aren’t necessarily about “happily ever after,” even if the two main characters do seem destined to be together at the end, nor are these concepts limited to good times. The Notebook (2004) It doesn’t get more traditionally romantic than this: forbidden love; correspondence; longing; a World War. But how is this more beloved than either Pearl Harbor or Australia? And why is Nicholas Sparks more respected and read than most romance novelists? Well, if it were that easy to determine, Hollywood wouldn’t keep failing in its attempts to make more films like this. Or, maybe it’s just that The Notebook doesn’t seem to be trying too hard –– it just tells a genuine love story without tugging or overreaching for your presumed romantic buttons. Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005) If Amelie is the most romantic non-American film of the last ten years, and if Punch-Drunk’s Barry Egan is the male Amelie, then Miranda July’s character is simply the American Amelie. She’s a little weird, a little too forthcoming, but she’s so sweet and creative in her pursuits that she’s not just forgivable; she’s completely lovable. Of course, lovable doesn’t exactly equal romantic, but then there are plenty of oddly romantic scenes in the film, too, such as the metaphoric first walk shared by July and John Hawkes’ characters. It’s frank, it’s harsh, but it’s also the best flirtation seen in American cinema in a long time. Brokeback Mountain (2005) It’s upsetting to think of any story involving adultery as being romantic (though Unfaithful almost made this list for other, spoilerific reasons), but the two lovers in Brokeback Mountain are given an exception because of the society they live in. The unapproved affair also makes for one of the most heartbreaking romances ever put on screen. And of all the films selected, this is easily the one that’s liable to make you lose your cynical perspective, at least for a couple of hours. WALL-E (2008) In a way, this animated film is not romantic at all for humans, who are viewed as plump slugs with no real interaction with other people (seriously, a time when we all just use video chat, even when we’re in the vicinity of one another, is not too far off). But for robots, it’s the most romantic thing to come along since the implied relationship between C-3PO and R2-D2. And it’s gender-equal (or, if you believe the characters are gender-neutral, the film is partner-equal) as far as the pursuing, the rescuing and the responsibility go regarding WALL-E and EVE’s relationship. Hopefully, this most recent film on the list will inspire future romantic films to be so progressive and so lacking in cynicism (such optimism: even two humans seem to fall in love at the end). Originally posted on:SpoutBlog

Spout Post: 10 Great Performances Released After a Star’s Death

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:01:08 GMT

Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/7/2008 3:01:08 PM
Body: Opening today, Soul Men features the final performance from Bernie Mac, who died unexpectedly on August 9. The movie also includes a cameo from Isaac Hayes, who died one day later. Both men join a long list of people whose last films were released after their deaths, a list that includes Brad Renfro, whose final performance, in The Informers, can be seen in theaters come next May. Unlike some names on that list, Bernie Mac, whose voice can also be heard in the new animated sequel Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, isn’t likely to receive a posthumous Oscar nomination as a tribute to his final work. But as one of the most underrated comic actors of the past few years, Mac likely gives a great performance as soul singer “Floyd Henderson,” enough to fall in with the crop of posthumously released roles we’ve showcased below: 1. Spencer Tracy in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner Tracy died from a heart attack June 10, 1967, a couple weeks after finishing his work on Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, which was released that December. It would end up one of his most distinguished performances, earning him a posthumous ninth Oscar nom for Lead Actor. 2. James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause Dean received two posthumous Oscar nominations, but it’s easy to forget that neither of them were for Rebel Without a Cause, despite the film being Dean’s first posthumous release. Were it possible under the Academy’s rules, Dean could have been nominated for playing iconic teen Jim Stark, but he was instead recognized solely for East of Eden (the first official posthumous Oscar nomination for acting), which had been released a few months prior to Dean’s accidental death. Meanwhile Dean’s costars in Rebel, Sal Mineo and Natalie Wood, were each nominated for this film. 3. James Dean in Giant This film became Dean’s second posthumous release and earned him his second posthumous Oscar nomination (he won neither). The actor had pretty much finished his work on Giant right before his death, though some post-production vocal work had to be performed by a substitute later on, and the film wasn’t to come out in theaters until two months after the first anniversary of Dean’s death. 4. Clark Gable in The Misfits Like the death of Heath Ledger (see below), Gable’s was blamed on the demands of a role. Whether his performance in The Misfits was too physically demanding or he experienced immense tension from lack of things to do or he lost too much weight too quickly to prepare for the film, there may not have been one single thing that led to his having his third heart attack and then ultimately succumbing to coronary thrombosis mere weeks after finishing up principal photography. A few months later, on Gable’s birthday, his performance was unveiled to the world, and while not as historically remembered as his characters in Gone With the Wind and It Happened One Night, nor one of his three Oscar-nominated roles, it is arguably his greatest work. 5. John Cazale in The Deer Hunter Cazale should have been honored with a posthumous Oscar nomination at some point (I can’t believe I left him off that list), if for no other reason than to recognize his achievement of acting solely in features nominated for Best Picture (including The Godfather Part III, in which he’s only shown in archive footage). But an even bigger reason is that Cazale was a damn good supporting actor and he actually would deserve that statue. For all the talent he displays in The Deer Hunter, though, he was easily upstaged by his costar Christopher Walken, who actually took home the Oscar. 6. Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon There are tons of artists who didn’t live long enough to see their work become huge successes. Unlike most of them, though, Lee at least experienced some level of stardom prior to his death on July 20, 1973. Unfortunately, he didn’t get to see his final film, Enter the Dragon, open to huge numbers in the U.S., eventually even topping the box office chart here after a few months in theaters. He also tragically never got to see how iconic, influential and culturally significant his performance would become. 7. Brandon Lee in The Crow Bruce Lee also never got to see his son grow up to have a #1 movie, too. Sadly, neither did the son, Brandon, who died accidentally from a malfunctioned prop gun on the set of The Crow. And while the star’s then-mysterious death may have helped to make the movie more popular than would otherwise have been expected, it’s primarily Lee’s performance, not his legacy, that has allowed the movie to remain worthwhile viewing 15 years later. Even if some of that performance was assisted through a controversial yet groundbreaking use of stunt doubles and digital effects. 8. Richard Harris in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets There have now been more Harry Potter films released in which Michael Gambon portrays Albus Dumbledore, yet Harris will forever be remembered more clearly and favorably in the role. Even those of us who like Gambon as the Hogwarts headmasterhave more vivid memories of Harris’ performances in both Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the latter of which arrived in theaters less than three weeks after the actor’s death on October 25, 2002. Surely some fans would have preferred to see Harris reprise his role in the subsequent films courtesy of effects wizardry similar to that done in The Crow and Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (see below). 9. Laurence Olivier in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow It may have been morally wrong for Kerry Conran to digitally create a villainous performance from Olivier 15 years after the legendary actor’s death, but who doesn’t want to keep getting new performances from such a master thespian, even if it it technically consists of nothing but archive footage? Besides, it’s still better than making him posthumously hawk beer, vacuum cleaners, or McDonalds cheeseburgers. Too bad the film as a whole was such a disappointment. 10. Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight His performance as The Joker is better than anyone ever dreamed it would be, before or after he died suddenly last January. He’ll get an Oscar nomination, at least, and will probably even win. Will his final performance, in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, yet to be seen or released, be as remarkable? It’s quite possible that if this list is ever rewritten in the future that Ledger will join Dean as another actor with two slots, for two monumentally great performances released posthumously. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog

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