list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Around the World in 80 Days on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Around_the_World_in_80_Days/1680/default.aspx Title: Around the World in 80 Days
Year: 1956
Director: Michael Anderson
Plot: Razzle-dazzle showman Michael Todd hocked everything he had to make this spectacular presentation of Jules Verne's 1872 novel Around the World in 80 Days, the second film to be lensed in the wide-screen Todd-AO production. Nearly as fascinating as the finished product are the many in-production anecdotes concerning Todd's efforts to pull the wool over the eyes of local authorities in order to cadge the film's round-the-world location shots--not to mention the wheeling and dealing to convince over forty top celebrities to appear in cameo roles. David Niven heads the huge cast as ultra-precise, supremely punctual Phileas Fogg, who places a 20,000-pound wager with several fellow members of London Reform Club, insisting that he can go around the world in eighty days (this, remember, is 1872). Together with his resourceful valet Passepartout (Cantinflas), Fogg sets out on his world-girdling journey from Paris via balloon. Meanwhile, suspicion grows that Fogg has stolen his 20,000 pounds from Bank of England. Diligent Inspector Fix (Robert Newton) is sent out by the bank's president (Robert Morley) to bring Fogg to justice. Hopscotching around the globe, Fogg pauses in Spain, where Passepartout engages in a comic bullfight (a specialty of Cantinflas). In India, Fogg and Passepartout rescue young widow Princess Aouda (Shirley MacLaine, in her third film) from being forced into committing suicide so that she may join her late husband. The threesome visit Hong Kong, Japan, San Francisco, and the Wild West. Only hours short of winning his wager, Fogg is arrested by the diligent Inspector Fixx. Though exonerated of the bank robbery charges, he has lost everything--except the love of the winsome Aouda. But salvation is at hand when Passepartout discovers that, by crossing the International Date Line, there's still time to reach the Reform Club. Will they make it? See for yourself. Among the film's 46 guest stars, the most memorable include Marlene Dietrich, Charles Boyer, Jose Greco, Frank Sinatra, Peter Lorre, Red Skelton, Buster Keaton, John Mills, and Beatrice Lillie. All were paid in barter--Ronald Colman did his brief bit for a new car. Newscaster Edward R. Murrow provides opening narration, and there's a tantalizing clip from Georges Méliès' A Trip to the Moon (1902). Offering a little something for everyone, Around the World in 80 Days is nothing less than an extravaganza, and it won 5 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Cinematography. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 36
Number of Lists: 16
Number of blog posts: 2
SpoutRating: 2
]]>Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:50:50 GMTAround the World in 80 Days1956Michael AndersonRazzle-dazzle showman Michael Todd hocked everything he had to make this spectacular presentation of Jules Verne's 1872 novel Around the World in 80 Days, the second film to be lensed in the wide-screen Todd-AO production. Nearly as fascinating as the finished product are the many in-production anecdotes concerning Todd's efforts to pull the wool over the eyes of local authorities in order to cadge the film's round-the-world location shots--not to mention the wheeling and dealing to convince over forty top celebrities to appear in cameo roles. <a href="/players/P____52791/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>David Niven</a> heads the huge cast as ultra-precise, supremely punctual Phileas Fogg, who places a 20,000-pound wager with several fellow members of London Reform Club, insisting that he can go around the world in eighty days (this, remember, is 1872). Together with his resourceful valet Passepartout (<a href="/players/P____84036/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Cantinflas</a>), Fogg sets out on his world-girdling journey from Paris via balloon. Meanwhile, suspicion grows that Fogg has stolen his 20,000 pounds from Bank of England. Diligent Inspector Fix (<a href="/players/P____52468/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Robert Newton</a>) is sent out by the bank's president (<a href="/players/P____50731/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Robert Morley</a>) to bring Fogg to justice. Hopscotching around the globe, Fogg pauses in Spain, where Passepartout engages in a comic bullfight (a specialty of <a href="/players/P____84036/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Cantinflas</a>). In India, Fogg and Passepartout rescue young widow Princess Aouda (<a href="/players/P____44255/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Shirley MacLaine</a>, in her third film) from being forced into committing suicide so that she may join her late husband. The threesome visit Hong Kong, Japan, San Francisco, and the Wild West. Only hours short of winning his wager, Fogg is arrested by the diligent Inspector Fixx. Though exonerated of the bank robbery charges, he has lost everything--except the love of the winsome Aouda. But salvation is at hand when Passepartout discovers that, by crossing the International Date Line, there's still time to reach the Reform Club. Will they make it? See for yourself. Among the film's 46 guest stars, the most memorable include <a href="/players/P____19148/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Marlene Dietrich</a>, <a href="/players/P_____7830/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Charles Boyer</a>, <a href="/players/P___208753/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jose Greco</a>, <a href="/players/P___111632/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Frank Sinatra</a>, <a href="/players/P___100174/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Peter Lorre</a>, Red Skelton, <a href="/players/P____96995/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Buster Keaton</a>, <a href="/players/P___102933/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>John Mills</a>, and <a href="/players/P____42406/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Beatrice Lillie</a>. All were paid in barter--<a href="/players/P____14296/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ronald Colman</a> did his brief bit for a new car. Newscaster Edward R. Murrow provides opening narration, and there's a tantalizing clip from <a href="/players/P___102429/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Georges Méliès</a>' A Trip to the Moon (1902). Offering a little something for everyone, Around the World in 80 Days is nothing less than an extravaganza, and it won 5 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Cinematography. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide36Tag Target (>10)1622http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t41950n6s7x.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Around_the_World_in_80_Days/1680/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_Which_of_these_film_directors_with_the_name_And/657/44076/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 9/30/2009 2:29:57 PM
Body: What the heck!! I just realized I didn't even include Michael Anderson!! Logan's Run, Around the World in 80 Days, The Dam Busters, 1984, and much more
]]>Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:29:57 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls9/30/2009 2:29:57 PMWhat the heck!! I just realized I didn't even include Michael Anderson!! Logan's Run, Around the World in 80 Days, The Dam Busters, 1984, and much more http://www.spout.com/blogs/cinemarian/archive/2008/10/31/36837.aspx Post By: CinemaRian
Post To: CinemaRian Blog
Post Date: 10/31/2008 3:22:19 AM
Body: Odd, that in the 19th century they had to race to get around the world in eighty days. Today, we'd consider that a luxury. The introduction my copy of the English translation of Jules Verne's 1873 classic indicated that modern scholars look back at the novel and see the beginning of globalism, the first glimmer of a recognition that the world was becoming a smaller place. Now, we look back at the novel to see a world whose cultures were for distinct, whose social codes were for more rigid (for better and worse) and for a darn good read. Though it won the Oscar for Best Picture, the 1956 movie is not as good as the book, although it is very faithful to the source material. The story concerns an eccentric and introverted English aristocratic, Phileas Fogg (David Niven) who makes a 20,000 pound bet with other rich people that he can (surprise) circumnavigate the globe in eighty days. He leaves for Paris the next day with his valet Passepartout (Mexican comedian Cantinflas), and begins a voyage where he will spend an awful lot of money. Along the way he is pursued by Inspector Fix (Robert Newton) a British detective who falsely believes that Fogg as robed the Bank of England and picks up a love interested in India when he saves Princess Aouda (Shirley MacLaine) from the Thugee cult. This is one of those ridiculously expensive and over produced epics from the 50's that really need to be seen on a big screen to appreciated. Parts of the picture are long stretches of scenery with no dialogue, and they are surprisingly beautiful and not boring, although the movie does bog down a bit when the party reaches the United States and the picture becomes a Western (it worked better in the book). Producer Michael Todd spared no expense in making the movie and spent a lot more money than he had to, peppering his film with cameo appearances with big stars in small and sometimes forgettable roles. I noticed Marlene Dietrich, Sir John Gielgud, Ronald Colman, Peter Lorre, Buster Keaton, and (most famously) Frank Sinatra, but I'm sure I missed a few. It's rumored that Todd was more of the film's auteur than Anderson, and Brian Sibley on the DVD commentary reveals that Todd was involved in making artistic decisions far more than the usual producer would be. It's also telling the original director, John Farrow, quit after a week of shooting, presumably because he couldn't get along with Todd, and that Anderson did not win the Oscar for Best Director (it went to George Stevens for Giant). The picture is not as good as the novel. Although Niven and Cantinflas are excellent, we don't really get involved with the characters as we do in the book. Newton is a boring villain and I could never quit buy Shirley MacLaine as an East Indian, to say the least. It's easier to explain much of the complicated material regarding travel times in the book than it is in film, and thus, easier to keep track of whether Fogg is on schedule. Also, there is a major contrast between the real locations the filmmakers visited (such as Spain) and the obvious studio sets (such as the Suez harbor). The primary pleasure of the movie is to look at it and enjoy its bigness, which is colossal. I can definitely say that this is not the best film of any year, but it is enjoyable and has its moments for fans of epic cinema. Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
]]>Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:22:19 GMTCinemaRianCinemaRian Blog10/31/2008 3:22:19 AMOdd, that in the 19th century they had to race to get around the world in eighty days. Today, we'd consider that a luxury. The introduction my copy of the English translation of Jules Verne's 1873 classic indicated that modern scholars look back at the novel and see the beginning of globalism, the first glimmer of a recognition that the world was becoming a smaller place. Now, we look back at the novel to see a world whose cultures were for distinct, whose social codes were for more rigid (for better and worse) and for a darn good read. Though it won the Oscar for Best Picture, the 1956 movie is not as good as the book, although it is very faithful to the source material. The story concerns an eccentric and introverted English aristocratic, Phileas Fogg (David Niven) who makes a 20,000 pound bet with other rich people that he can (surprise) circumnavigate the globe in eighty days. He leaves for Paris the next day with his valet Passepartout (Mexican comedian Cantinflas), and begins a voyage where he will spend an awful lot of money. Along the way he is pursued by Inspector Fix (Robert Newton) a British detective who falsely believes that Fogg as robed the Bank of England and picks up a love interested in India when he saves Princess Aouda (Shirley MacLaine) from the Thugee cult. This is one of those ridiculously expensive and over produced epics from the 50's that really need to be seen on a big screen to appreciated. Parts of the picture are long stretches of scenery with no dialogue, and they are surprisingly beautiful and not boring, although the movie does bog down a bit when the party reaches the United States and the picture becomes a Western (it worked better in the book). Producer Michael Todd spared no expense in making the movie and spent a lot more money than he had to, peppering his film with cameo appearances with big stars in small and sometimes forgettable roles. I noticed Marlene Dietrich, Sir John Gielgud, Ronald Colman, Peter Lorre, Buster Keaton, and (most famously) Frank Sinatra, but I'm sure I missed a few. It's rumored that Todd was more of the film's auteur than Anderson, and Brian Sibley on the DVD commentary reveals that Todd was involved in making artistic decisions far more than the usual producer would be. It's also telling the original director, John Farrow, quit after a week of shooting, presumably because he couldn't get along with Todd, and that Anderson did not win the Oscar for Best Director (it went to George Stevens for Giant). The picture is not as good as the novel. Although Niven and Cantinflas are excellent, we don't really get involved with the characters as we do in the book. Newton is a boring villain and I could never quit buy Shirley MacLaine as an East Indian, to say the least. It's easier to explain much of the complicated material regarding travel times in the book than it is in film, and thus, easier to keep track of whether Fogg is on schedule. Also, there is a major contrast between the real locations the filmmakers visited (such as Spain) and the obvious studio sets (such as the Suez harbor). The primary pleasure of the movie is to look at it and enjoy its bigness, which is colossal. I can definitely say that this is not the best film of any year, but it is enjoyable and has its moments for fans of epic cinema. Around the World in 80 Days (1956) http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/8/7/33699.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/7/2008 2:00:31 PM
Body: We’re less than a week away from the release of Tropic Thunder, and as the reviews and puff pieces make their way onto the web, there’s one thing clearly uniting the media’s coverage: talk of Tom Cruise’s appearance in a small role as a Hollywood studio boss. Everyone seems to agree that he steals the show and that his performance — or the joke surrounding it — is one of the comedy’s major highlights, if not the actual best part. Of course, we can expect a good cameo from Cruise every now and then. He showed up for a bit part in Young Guns and played himself as playing “Austin Powers” in Austin Powers in Goldmember. But from what it sounds like, his role in Tropic Thunder is featured for longer than might qualify as a cameo. Some are regardless referring to the performance as an “extended cameo”, and in theory it certainly fits in with the huge crop of so-called “ironic cameos” that have become popular in movies and TV in the last ten years. Still, despite my not having yet seen the movie, I’m thinking that Tom Cruise’s involvement in Tropic Thunder is more like the following list, which consists of merely small roles filled by big stars. You might consider some of them to be technically cameos, especially the ones that aren’t integral to the plot and/or call attention to themselves. But with each of the roles I’ve included, I consider them to be either the best part of their respective movies or at least a major highlight, which is how Cruise’s appearance is being touted. Anyway, forgive me for trying to come up with something different than simply a best cameo list, even if the focus here seems less than clear. 10. Marlon Brando as “Jor-El” in Superman - He was probably paid too much for the part, especially if all the trivia surrounding his involvement (reading his lines off baby Superman’s diaper; desiring that only his voice be used; demanding to be paid double if any footage was to be used in the sequel) is true, but it’s pretty cool having Brando appear at the beginning of what I still consider to be the best superhero comic book adaptation of all time (sorry Dark Knight fans). He’s not the best thing about the movie, but he’s an immediate highlight. As for his payment (reportedly $3.7 million), Warner Bros. has leveled out his worth a little by featuring him in the Donner cut of Superman II and in Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns — a movie that also creatively employs Brando’s On the Waterfront costar Eva Marie Saint appropriately as Superman’s adopted mother. 9. Drew Barrymore as “Casey Becker” in Scream - Having your biggest star killed in the opening scene is kinda like having your best action sequence at the head of the movie (a la Bad Boys II), but fortunately the rest of the first Scream is pretty good, and Barrymore’s (don’t call it a cameo) part doesn’t overshadow the movie too much. In a way, since this wasn’t a sequel yet the movie was a bit of a parody of all slasher movies, the familiarity of Becker’s face could be taken to be akin to how, often, horror sequels begin by killing off the heroine of the previous installment in the first few minutes. 8. Arnold Schwarzenegger as “Prince Hapi” in Around the World in 80 Days - There isn’t much to enjoy about Frank Coraci’s 2004 version of the Jules Verne tale, especially since there appears to be a lot of missed opportunities in terms of guest appearances (Wikipedia counts 45 “cameos” in the 1956 version; I count maybe 10 that could be considered “cameos” in the newer movie). Therefore, Schwarzenegger’s hilarious appearance as a lecherous Turkish prince — one of his last roles filmed before becoming Governor of California — is one of the few highlights, if not the sole highlight (personally, I enjoy Jackie Chan in anything, and I liked more of this movie than most people did). The role is especially funny and creepy if you’ve ever seen that old footage of Schwarzenegger being sleazy at Carnival in Rio. 7. Orson Welles as “Unicron” in Transformers: The Movie - Welles’ voice had been overpowering in films before — he had a good side career going throughout his life as a narrator — but considering this was ridiculously his final performance and considering he easily overshadowed his fellow celebrity voice lenders (including otherwise commanding vocal talents Leonard Nimoy, Robert Stack and Casey Kasem), his part completely dominates the movie, both diegetically and extradiegetically. 6. Bruce Willis as “Harry Rydell” in Fast Food Nation - Far and away the only good part of Richard Linklater’s botched attempt to dramatize Eric Schlosser’s non-fiction classic (I consider the book a kind of bible since it inspired me to give up fast food and subsequently lose 60lbs., so it pains me even more to think about Schlosser being a co-writer and producer of the movie), and not just because of his oft-quoted line about how we all have to eat a little shit from time to time. His whole characterization of the cynical meat supplier is brilliant, enough that he unfortunately makes the rest of the movie play even less interesting that it already is. 5. Charlie Sheen as “Charlie” in Being John Malkovich - I wanted to stay away from roles in which actors play themselves, mainly because that’s a big percentage of the ironic cameo stuff that’s so overused these days. However, Sheen’s part here is a little more than a mere cameo. And it’s kind of an ironic parody of the ironic cameo, even as it predates a lot of these cameos in Entourage and Extras and the like (by crediting the role as “Charlie” rather than “as himself”, it’s also a precursor to the more exaggerated than exaggerated “Neil Patrick Harris” character of the Harold and Kumar films). Perhaps intended to redirect the audience’s perspective on John Malkovich’s titular character, which is up until Sheen’s entrance possibly accepted as an authentic self-portrayal, the overstatement of the role raises the already ingeniously funny film up another notch to put it at the level of best comedies ever made. 4. Matt Damon as “Donny” in Eurotrip - I’ve actually never seen Eurotrip, but I hear there’s no reason to watch it other than to see Damon’s bit role as the singer of a pop punk band (the otherwise real Lustra). And I’ve seen that on YouTube, so I’m good. Even more than Cruise and some of the others, Damon seems to love doing guest stints in movies and on TV (he’s also given us the only reasons to ever watch Jimmy Kimmel). Some of his other small roles and cameos can be found in Youth Without Youth, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Finding Forrester, Jersey Girl and The Majestic (the last in voice only). 3. Sean Connery as “King Richard” in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - After making us suffer through Kevin Costner’s terrible performance in the lead role, the producers of this disappointing version of the classic legend actually rub it in how bad their casting choice was by sneaking Connery in at the last minute. Of course, despite the way his appearance increases our dissatisfaction with the rest of the movie, he’s still the highlight. Especially since he’s immediately followed by that awful Bryan Adams song playing over the credits. 2. Alec Baldwin as “Blake” in Glengarry Glen Ross - Sure, the rest of the film is really good, mostly because of the stellar cast filling out the rest of the ensemble, but the first thing you remember about this David Mamet adaptation is Baldwin’s monologue. It’s good enough that I almost also included on this list the Blake-inspired character from Boiler Room as played by Ben Affleck. But it’s also too good to actually accept Affleck’s ripoff as being in the same league. 1. Gene Hackman as “Blindman” in Young Frankenstein - I’m in the minority as far as my appreciation of Mel Brooks’ parody of James Whale’s Frankenstein films. I think it’s really funny, but I don’t think it’s one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. Yet the few minutes that Hackman is on screen always leave me in tears, enough that I wholeheartedly accept the movie’s status as one of the greatest comedies ever made. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:00:31 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com8/7/2008 2:00:31 PMWe’re less than a week away from the release of Tropic Thunder, and as the reviews and puff pieces make their way onto the web, there’s one thing clearly uniting the media’s coverage: talk of Tom Cruise’s appearance in a small role as a Hollywood studio boss. Everyone seems to agree that he steals the show and that his performance — or the joke surrounding it — is one of the comedy’s major highlights, if not the actual best part. Of course, we can expect a good cameo from Cruise every now and then. He showed up for a bit part in Young Guns and played himself as playing “Austin Powers” in Austin Powers in Goldmember. But from what it sounds like, his role in Tropic Thunder is featured for longer than might qualify as a cameo. Some are regardless referring to the performance as an “extended cameo”, and in theory it certainly fits in with the huge crop of so-called “ironic cameos” that have become popular in movies and TV in the last ten years. Still, despite my not having yet seen the movie, I’m thinking that Tom Cruise’s involvement in Tropic Thunder is more like the following list, which consists of merely small roles filled by big stars. You might consider some of them to be technically cameos, especially the ones that aren’t integral to the plot and/or call attention to themselves. But with each of the roles I’ve included, I consider them to be either the best part of their respective movies or at least a major highlight, which is how Cruise’s appearance is being touted. Anyway, forgive me for trying to come up with something different than simply a best cameo list, even if the focus here seems less than clear. 10. Marlon Brando as “Jor-El” in Superman - He was probably paid too much for the part, especially if all the trivia surrounding his involvement (reading his lines off baby Superman’s diaper; desiring that only his voice be used; demanding to be paid double if any footage was to be used in the sequel) is true, but it’s pretty cool having Brando appear at the beginning of what I still consider to be the best superhero comic book adaptation of all time (sorry Dark Knight fans). He’s not the best thing about the movie, but he’s an immediate highlight. As for his payment (reportedly $3.7 million), Warner Bros. has leveled out his worth a little by featuring him in the Donner cut of Superman II and in Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns — a movie that also creatively employs Brando’s On the Waterfront costar Eva Marie Saint appropriately as Superman’s adopted mother. 9. Drew Barrymore as “Casey Becker” in Scream - Having your biggest star killed in the opening scene is kinda like having your best action sequence at the head of the movie (a la Bad Boys II), but fortunately the rest of the first Scream is pretty good, and Barrymore’s (don’t call it a cameo) part doesn’t overshadow the movie too much. In a way, since this wasn’t a sequel yet the movie was a bit of a parody of all slasher movies, the familiarity of Becker’s face could be taken to be akin to how, often, horror sequels begin by killing off the heroine of the previous installment in the first few minutes. 8. Arnold Schwarzenegger as “Prince Hapi” in Around the World in 80 Days - There isn’t much to enjoy about Frank Coraci’s 2004 version of the Jules Verne tale, especially since there appears to be a lot of missed opportunities in terms of guest appearances (Wikipedia counts 45 “cameos” in the 1956 version; I count maybe 10 that could be considered “cameos” in the newer movie). Therefore, Schwarzenegger’s hilarious appearance as a lecherous Turkish prince — one of his last roles filmed before becoming Governor of California — is one of the few highlights, if not the sole highlight (personally, I enjoy Jackie Chan in anything, and I liked more of this movie than most people did). The role is especially funny and creepy if you’ve ever seen that old footage of Schwarzenegger being sleazy at Carnival in Rio. 7. Orson Welles as “Unicron” in Transformers: The Movie - Welles’ voice had been overpowering in films before — he had a good side career going throughout his life as a narrator — but considering this was ridiculously his final performance and considering he easily overshadowed his fellow celebrity voice lenders (including otherwise commanding vocal talents Leonard Nimoy, Robert Stack and Casey Kasem), his part completely dominates the movie, both diegetically and extradiegetically. 6. Bruce Willis as “Harry Rydell” in Fast Food Nation - Far and away the only good part of Richard Linklater’s botched attempt to dramatize Eric Schlosser’s non-fiction classic (I consider the book a kind of bible since it inspired me to give up fast food and subsequently lose 60lbs., so it pains me even more to think about Schlosser being a co-writer and producer of the movie), and not just because of his oft-quoted line about how we all have to eat a little shit from time to time. His whole characterization of the cynical meat supplier is brilliant, enough that he unfortunately makes the rest of the movie play even less interesting that it already is. 5. Charlie Sheen as “Charlie” in Being John Malkovich - I wanted to stay away from roles in which actors play themselves, mainly because that’s a big percentage of the ironic cameo stuff that’s so overused these days. However, Sheen’s part here is a little more than a mere cameo. And it’s kind of an ironic parody of the ironic cameo, even as it predates a lot of these cameos in Entourage and Extras and the like (by crediting the role as “Charlie” rather than “as himself”, it’s also a precursor to the more exaggerated than exaggerated “Neil Patrick Harris” character of the Harold and Kumar films). Perhaps intended to redirect the audience’s perspective on John Malkovich’s titular character, which is up until Sheen’s entrance possibly accepted as an authentic self-portrayal, the overstatement of the role raises the already ingeniously funny film up another notch to put it at the level of best comedies ever made. 4. Matt Damon as “Donny” in Eurotrip - I’ve actually never seen Eurotrip, but I hear there’s no reason to watch it other than to see Damon’s bit role as the singer of a pop punk band (the otherwise real Lustra). And I’ve seen that on YouTube, so I’m good. Even more than Cruise and some of the others, Damon seems to love doing guest stints in movies and on TV (he’s also given us the only reasons to ever watch Jimmy Kimmel). Some of his other small roles and cameos can be found in Youth Without Youth, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Finding Forrester, Jersey Girl and The Majestic (the last in voice only). 3. Sean Connery as “King Richard” in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - After making us suffer through Kevin Costner’s terrible performance in the lead role, the producers of this disappointing version of the classic legend actually rub it in how bad their casting choice was by sneaking Connery in at the last minute. Of course, despite the way his appearance increases our dissatisfaction with the rest of the movie, he’s still the highlight. Especially since he’s immediately followed by that awful Bryan Adams song playing over the credits. 2. Alec Baldwin as “Blake” in Glengarry Glen Ross - Sure, the rest of the film is really good, mostly because of the stellar cast filling out the rest of the ensemble, but the first thing you remember about this David Mamet adaptation is Baldwin’s monologue. It’s good enough that I almost also included on this list the Blake-inspired character from Boiler Room as played by Ben Affleck. But it’s also too good to actually accept Affleck’s ripoff as being in the same league. 1. Gene Hackman as “Blindman” in Young Frankenstein - I’m in the minority as far as my appreciation of Mel Brooks’ parody of James Whale’s Frankenstein films. I think it’s really funny, but I don’t think it’s one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. Yet the few minutes that Hackman is on screen always leave me in tears, enough that I wholeheartedly accept the movie’s status as one of the greatest comedies ever made. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
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]]>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:28:15 GMT21266270Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/western/MemberTagFilms.aspxwestern
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]]>Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:13:40 GMT465491Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/journey/MemberTagFilms.aspxjourney
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]]>Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:02:59 GMT234543105Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/robbery/MemberTagFilms.aspxrobbery
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]]>Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:33:51 GMT379842103Tag