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    <title>Midnight Cowboy's Recent Activity - Spout</title>
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      <title>Film:Midnight Cowboy</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/films/Midnight_Cowboy/22618/default.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<table width='100%' style='font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><tr><td><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t72580sfeuc.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' /></td>
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<strong>Title:</strong> Midnight Cowboy<br/>
<strong>Year:</strong> 1969<br/>
<strong>Director:</strong> John Schlesinger<br/>
<strong>Plot:</strong> Based on a James Leo Herlihy novel, British director <a href="/players/P___110215/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>John Schlesinger</a>'s first American film dramatized the small hopes, dashed dreams, and unlikely friendship of two late '60s lost souls. Dreaming of an easy life as a fantasy cowboy stud, cheerful Texas rube Joe Buck (<a href="/players/P___115561/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jon Voight</a>) heads to New York City to be a gigolo, but he quickly discovers that hustling isn't what he thought it would be after he winds up paying his first trick (<a href="/players/P____49125/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Sylvia Miles</a>). He gets swindled by gimpy tubercular grifter Rico "Ratso" Rizzo (<a href="/players/P____94585/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Dustin Hoffman</a>) but, when Joe falls in the direst of straits, Ratso takes Joe into his condemned apartment so that they can help each other survive. Things start to look up when Joe finally lands his first legit female customer (<a href="/players/P____72539/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Brenda Vaccaro</a>) at a Warhol-esque party; Ratso's health, however, fails. Joe turns to a final homosexual trick to get the money for one selfless goal: taking Ratso out of New York to his dream life in Miami. One of the first major studio films given the newly minted X rating for its then-frank portrayal of New York decadence, Midnight Cowboy was critically praised for Schlesinger's insight into American lives, with the intercut mosaic of Joe's memories and Ratso's dreams lending their characters and actions greater psychological complexity. While they may have been drawn by the seamy content (tame by current standards), the young late '60s audience responded to Joe's and Ratso's confusion amidst turbulent times and to the connection they make with each other despite their alienation from the surrounding culture. Midnight Cowboy became one of the major financial and artistic hits of 1969, winning Oscars for Best Picture (the first for an X-rated film), Best Director, and former blacklistee <a href="/players/P___151668/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Waldo Salt</a>'s screenplay. Though the one-two punch of Midnight Cowboy and <a href=/films/13901/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>The Graduate</a> (1967) proved Hoffman's range and Voight's Joe Buck made him a star, both lost Best Actor to classical cowboy <a href="/players/P___116130/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>John Wayne</a> for <a href=/films/35999/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>True Grit</a>. Even though it was a hit, the Academy ignored the theme song "Everybody's Talking," sung by <a href="/players/P___104549/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Harry Nilsson</a>. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
<br><br><b>Discussion with Ron Henderson, co-founder and artistic director of the Starz Denver Film Festival</b><br>Opening night at the Starz Denver Film Festival is a huge success, in large part thanks to this man.<br>(11/10/2006 Starz Denver Film Festival)<br><br><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" width="165" height="30" id="mp_2" align="left"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /><param name="movie" value="http://spoutblog.com/podcast_files/mp_2.swf" /><param name="loop" value="false" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="quality" value="best" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><embed src="http://spoutblog.com/podcast_files/mp_2.swf" loop="false" menu="false" quality="best" salign="lt" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="165" height="30" name="mp_2" align="left" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></object><br /><br /><br/>
<strong>Times Tagged:</strong> 49<br/>
<strong>Number of Lists:</strong> 35<br/>
<strong>Number of blog posts:</strong> 5<br/>
<strong>Number of discussion threads:</strong> 1<br/>
<strong>SpoutRating:</strong> 3<br/>
</td></tr></table>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:08:10 GMT</pubDate><spout:Title>Midnight Cowboy</spout:Title><spout:Year>1969</spout:Year><spout:Director>John Schlesinger</spout:Director><spout:Plot>Based on a James Leo Herlihy novel, British director &lt;a href="/players/P___110215/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;John Schlesinger&lt;/a&gt;'s first American film dramatized the small hopes, dashed dreams, and unlikely friendship of two late '60s lost souls. Dreaming of an easy life as a fantasy cowboy stud, cheerful Texas rube Joe Buck (&lt;a href="/players/P___115561/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Jon Voight&lt;/a&gt;) heads to New York City to be a gigolo, but he quickly discovers that hustling isn't what he thought it would be after he winds up paying his first trick (&lt;a href="/players/P____49125/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Sylvia Miles&lt;/a&gt;). He gets swindled by gimpy tubercular grifter Rico "Ratso" Rizzo (&lt;a href="/players/P____94585/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Dustin Hoffman&lt;/a&gt;) but, when Joe falls in the direst of straits, Ratso takes Joe into his condemned apartment so that they can help each other survive. Things start to look up when Joe finally lands his first legit female customer (&lt;a href="/players/P____72539/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Brenda Vaccaro&lt;/a&gt;) at a Warhol-esque party; Ratso's health, however, fails. Joe turns to a final homosexual trick to get the money for one selfless goal: taking Ratso out of New York to his dream life in Miami. One of the first major studio films given the newly minted X rating for its then-frank portrayal of New York decadence, Midnight Cowboy was critically praised for Schlesinger's insight into American lives, with the intercut mosaic of Joe's memories and Ratso's dreams lending their characters and actions greater psychological complexity. While they may have been drawn by the seamy content (tame by current standards), the young late '60s audience responded to Joe's and Ratso's confusion amidst turbulent times and to the connection they make with each other despite their alienation from the surrounding culture. Midnight Cowboy became one of the major financial and artistic hits of 1969, winning Oscars for Best Picture (the first for an X-rated film), Best Director, and former blacklistee &lt;a href="/players/P___151668/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Waldo Salt&lt;/a&gt;'s screenplay. Though the one-two punch of Midnight Cowboy and &lt;a href=/films/13901/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;The Graduate&lt;/a&gt; (1967) proved Hoffman's range and Voight's Joe Buck made him a star, both lost Best Actor to classical cowboy &lt;a href="/players/P___116130/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;John Wayne&lt;/a&gt; for &lt;a href=/films/35999/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;True Grit&lt;/a&gt;. Even though it was a hit, the Academy ignored the theme song "Everybody's Talking," sung by &lt;a href="/players/P___104549/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Harry Nilsson&lt;/a&gt;. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Discussion with Ron Henderson, co-founder and artistic director of the Starz Denver Film Festival&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Opening night at the Starz Denver Film Festival is a huge success, in large part thanks to this man.&lt;br&gt;(11/10/2006 Starz Denver Film Festival)&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" width="165" height="30" id="mp_2" align="left"&gt;&lt;param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://spoutblog.com/podcast_files/mp_2.swf" /&gt;&lt;param name="loop" value="false" /&gt;&lt;param name="menu" value="false" /&gt;&lt;param name="quality" value="best" /&gt;&lt;param name="salign" value="lt" /&gt;&lt;param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /&gt;&lt;embed src="http://spoutblog.com/podcast_files/mp_2.swf" loop="false" menu="false" quality="best" salign="lt" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="165" height="30" name="mp_2" align="left" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;</spout:Plot><spout:TimesTagged>49</spout:TimesTagged><spout:taglevel>Tag Target (&gt;10)</spout:taglevel><spout:Numberoflists>35</spout:Numberoflists><spout:NumberOfBlogPosts>5</spout:NumberOfBlogPosts><spout:NumberOfDiscussionThreads>1</spout:NumberOfDiscussionThreads><spout:SpoutRating>3</spout:SpoutRating><spout:FilmCoverURL>http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t72580sfeuc.jpg</spout:FilmCoverURL><spout:SpoutFilmDetailURL>http://www.spout.com/films/Midnight_Cowboy/22618/default.aspx</spout:SpoutFilmDetailURL><spout:type>Film</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Kate Winslet’s Oscar Chances: It’s Up to Her to Make a Distinction</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/12/1/37819.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t72580sfeuc.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/9325/default.aspx'>SpoutBlog</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/default.aspx'>SpoutBlog on spout.com</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 12/1/2008 7:00:29 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> Kate Winslet’s performance as a concentration camp guard in The Reader has been the subject of much debate over the past week, though little of the discussion has actually concerned her craft. The argument lies in whether or not this specific performance should be considered for the lead or supporting actress category. Furthermore, if Winslet ends up in the latter, will it be due to “category fraud?” That is not a legal term and this is not a legal issue, but it is an important topic for this year’s Oscars. The significance of the matter likely extends even to Winslet’s ability to sleep at night, as she may fear the high possibility of her becoming “the biggest loser among actresses in the history of the Academy Awards.”
Category fraud may be defined as an attempt to deceive Academy voters into believing a lead performance is supporting, or vice versa. Examples of category fraud seen in Oscar’s past may include recent supporting nominations given to Ethan Hawke, Jennifer Connelly and Cate Blanchett (for Training Day, A Beautiful Mind and Notes on a Scandal, respectively). Guy Lodge at In Contention and Dave Karger at Entertainment Weekly have both brought up the accusation regarding The Reader, not only for Winslet’s part but also for the Weinstein Co.’s general campaign for the film, which is pushing for supporting nominations all around for Winslet, David Kross, Ralph Fiennes and Lena Olin.
The problem for Lodge and Karger’s complaint is that category fraud can’t be applied to the supporting categories, because despite the Academy’s irritating penchant for category-defining rules for eligibility in other areas, there is really no precise distinction made regarding the separation of lead and supporting categories. This probably goes back to the origins of the supporting awards, which began in the mid-30s seemingly to appease the demands of non-A-list actors. Since that time, the supporting honors have often been considered secondary (for their first seven years, their winners were given a plaque rather than a statue) and, due to the constant recognition of children, comedic actors and other potentially fleeting talents, this pair of categories is sometimes seen as a joke.
It’s hard to even imagine how exactly the Academy could define lead versus supporting, if it actually wanted to. Going by star status is difficult, of course, though marquee billing has occasionally been a factor when differentiating performances in an ensemble piece. It is this reasoning that has some people preferring Winslet’s Reader performance as lead, because she’s the film’s highest-billed name. And yet there have been certain times when a fifth-billed actor like Maximilian Schell can be nominated for and even win the lead award (for another Holocaust court drama, Judgment at Nuremberg). Another idea might be to focus on character status. The lead category should be reserved specifically for the main character or protagonist. In the event of an ensemble, though, there may be multiple protagonists. So, for instance, one of this year’s supporting actor hopefuls, Robert Downey Jr., would technically be better suited for lead contention (for Tropic Thunder). Also, there are cases where multiple actors portray the main character, such as in Shine, Iris and even The Reader.
The only way to fairly make a distinction, then, is with performance length. It’s hard to believe the Academy didn’t decide this thirty years ago, except that they didn’t appear to care enough about the supporting honors to make the effort of timing each performance in every film made. Even to do this solely for those films expected to be Oscar contenders is an extraneously tiresome effort. But it would indeed solve a major issue concerning the awards. As far as I can tell, there is nowhere to find a complete list of Oscar nominees’ performance lengths. Beatrice Straight is known for holding the record for shortest Oscar-winning performance at 5 minutes, 40 seconds, in Network, but she and other short-timers like Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love), Ruby Dee (American Gangster), Sylvia Miles (Midnight Cowboy) and Anthony Quinn (Lust for Life) were nominated in the supporting category. The more interesting questions are what supporting nominee gave the longest performance and what lead nominee gave the shortest. Anthony Hopkins is considered to have given the shortest Oscar-winning lead performance at about 16 minutes, in The Silence of the Lambs, and this fact goes to show that length isn’t a concern for Academy voters.
Regardless of its importance to the race, though, where does Winslet’s performance in The Reader fall in terms of length? Steven Zeitchik at the Risky Biz Blog claims she only appears in roughly 50% of the film, which might seem incorrect if you’ve seen the film, because the actress’ performance does dominate the picture, enough to appear as if it’s longer. And that could be a problem with voters who might come away from the film remembering Winslet’s role as bigger. Adding heat to the fire, the International Press Academy just nominated Winslet for a Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama for The Reader. While not a well-respected organization or award (as In Contention points out, the IPA has bizarrely nominated two obvious adapted works, Elegy and Benjamin Button, for Best Original Screenplay), this news could nevertheless prove problematic for the actress’ campaigns. If some Academy voters similarly think to put the actress in the lead category for The Reader while other voters conform to the studios’ wishes by picking her for lead actress for Revolutionary Road, the two performances could cancel each other out (Academy rules say that only one of her performances may receive a nomination in a single category).
So, now the only solution may be for the actress herself to make the rounds with her peers and convince them of either a single performance to nominate (Lodge thinks she has a better shot this way) or a distinction between her two Oscar-worthy roles. Because as Winslet admitted to Vanity Fair, “you bet your fucking ass” she wants that Oscar, and with the Academy not caring which way it goes, it’s up to her to make it happen. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:29 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>SpoutBlog</spout:postby><spout:postto>SpoutBlog on spout.com</spout:postto><spout:postdate>12/1/2008 7:00:29 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>Kate Winslet’s performance as a concentration camp guard in The Reader has been the subject of much debate over the past week, though little of the discussion has actually concerned her craft. The argument lies in whether or not this specific performance should be considered for the lead or supporting actress category. Furthermore, if Winslet ends up in the latter, will it be due to “category fraud?” That is not a legal term and this is not a legal issue, but it is an important topic for this year’s Oscars. The significance of the matter likely extends even to Winslet’s ability to sleep at night, as she may fear the high possibility of her becoming “the biggest loser among actresses in the history of the Academy Awards.”
Category fraud may be defined as an attempt to deceive Academy voters into believing a lead performance is supporting, or vice versa. Examples of category fraud seen in Oscar’s past may include recent supporting nominations given to Ethan Hawke, Jennifer Connelly and Cate Blanchett (for Training Day, A Beautiful Mind and Notes on a Scandal, respectively). Guy Lodge at In Contention and Dave Karger at Entertainment Weekly have both brought up the accusation regarding The Reader, not only for Winslet’s part but also for the Weinstein Co.’s general campaign for the film, which is pushing for supporting nominations all around for Winslet, David Kross, Ralph Fiennes and Lena Olin.
The problem for Lodge and Karger’s complaint is that category fraud can’t be applied to the supporting categories, because despite the Academy’s irritating penchant for category-defining rules for eligibility in other areas, there is really no precise distinction made regarding the separation of lead and supporting categories. This probably goes back to the origins of the supporting awards, which began in the mid-30s seemingly to appease the demands of non-A-list actors. Since that time, the supporting honors have often been considered secondary (for their first seven years, their winners were given a plaque rather than a statue) and, due to the constant recognition of children, comedic actors and other potentially fleeting talents, this pair of categories is sometimes seen as a joke.
It’s hard to even imagine how exactly the Academy could define lead versus supporting, if it actually wanted to. Going by star status is difficult, of course, though marquee billing has occasionally been a factor when differentiating performances in an ensemble piece. It is this reasoning that has some people preferring Winslet’s Reader performance as lead, because she’s the film’s highest-billed name. And yet there have been certain times when a fifth-billed actor like Maximilian Schell can be nominated for and even win the lead award (for another Holocaust court drama, Judgment at Nuremberg). Another idea might be to focus on character status. The lead category should be reserved specifically for the main character or protagonist. In the event of an ensemble, though, there may be multiple protagonists. So, for instance, one of this year’s supporting actor hopefuls, Robert Downey Jr., would technically be better suited for lead contention (for Tropic Thunder). Also, there are cases where multiple actors portray the main character, such as in Shine, Iris and even The Reader.
The only way to fairly make a distinction, then, is with performance length. It’s hard to believe the Academy didn’t decide this thirty years ago, except that they didn’t appear to care enough about the supporting honors to make the effort of timing each performance in every film made. Even to do this solely for those films expected to be Oscar contenders is an extraneously tiresome effort. But it would indeed solve a major issue concerning the awards. As far as I can tell, there is nowhere to find a complete list of Oscar nominees’ performance lengths. Beatrice Straight is known for holding the record for shortest Oscar-winning performance at 5 minutes, 40 seconds, in Network, but she and other short-timers like Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love), Ruby Dee (American Gangster), Sylvia Miles (Midnight Cowboy) and Anthony Quinn (Lust for Life) were nominated in the supporting category. The more interesting questions are what supporting nominee gave the longest performance and what lead nominee gave the shortest. Anthony Hopkins is considered to have given the shortest Oscar-winning lead performance at about 16 minutes, in The Silence of the Lambs, and this fact goes to show that length isn’t a concern for Academy voters.
Regardless of its importance to the race, though, where does Winslet’s performance in The Reader fall in terms of length? Steven Zeitchik at the Risky Biz Blog claims she only appears in roughly 50% of the film, which might seem incorrect if you’ve seen the film, because the actress’ performance does dominate the picture, enough to appear as if it’s longer. And that could be a problem with voters who might come away from the film remembering Winslet’s role as bigger. Adding heat to the fire, the International Press Academy just nominated Winslet for a Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama for The Reader. While not a well-respected organization or award (as In Contention points out, the IPA has bizarrely nominated two obvious adapted works, Elegy and Benjamin Button, for Best Original Screenplay), this news could nevertheless prove problematic for the actress’ campaigns. If some Academy voters similarly think to put the actress in the lead category for The Reader while other voters conform to the studios’ wishes by picking her for lead actress for Revolutionary Road, the two performances could cancel each other out (Academy rules say that only one of her performances may receive a nomination in a single category).
So, now the only solution may be for the actress herself to make the rounds with her peers and convince them of either a single performance to nominate (Lodge thinks she has a better shot this way) or a distinction between her two Oscar-worthy roles. Because as Winslet admitted to Vanity Fair, “you bet your fucking ass” she wants that Oscar, and with the Academy not caring which way it goes, it’s up to her to make it happen. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Viewing Midnight Cowboy for the AFI Project</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/11/23/37568.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t72580sfeuc.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/2227/default.aspx'>pippin06</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/default.aspx'>Reel Thoughts</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 11/23/2008 9:31:16 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> What's the AFI Project, you ask?  For more information, or if you just enjoy my bemused ramblings, read here: http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/3/1/25756.aspx Midnight Cowboy is on the following AFI lists: The Original Top 100 (#36)100 Greatest Film Songs (#22 - "Everybody's Talkin'")100 Movie Quotes (#27 - Enrico 'Ratso' Rizzo: "I'm walking here! I'm walking here!")The Revised Top 100 (#43) For some reason, I was unable to procure Midnight Cowboy from acquaintances, relations, or my beloved Netflix, so, as temptation makes it so easy compared to the more daunting task of trying to scout out a hard or digital copy of the movie a bit more legitimately, I procured the film another way.  Yes. It's been a week since I've watched this film, thanks to the opening of "A Wonderful Life" at the Grand Rapids Civic Theater, in which I play many roles (your general ubiquitous ensemble type member).  Buy a ticket today!  I knew very little about the film, except fhat it received an X-rating at the time of its release, and that it was the first X-rated movie to win the Best Picture Academy Award.  Other than that, I didn't know what I was getting into, aside from the available though cursory plot descriptions.  Even now, days later, I'm not sure what it was I watched or how I feel about it, other than, like The Graduate, I feel that this film may be another one of those perfect time capsules that represent a generation and a decade but don't necessarily transcend those boundaries.  Then again, maybe the film is powerful but subtlely so, working its power by making one think after the film finishes, rather than during the viewing of it, and giving the film greatness when considered after-the-fact. Joe Buck (a young and boyish-looking Jon Voight - Angelina Jolie's dad for you Tomb Raider fans) decides to leave his small Texan hometown, where he works as a dishwasher in a greasy spoon, to make his fortune as a gigolo in New York City.  Though he exudes a buoyant, though stupid, sort of confidence at his prospects of charming potential Park Place penthouse patrons, he finds that the night life as a fantasy cowboy is not as easy or as lucrative as he first thought, especially when he finds himself paying his teary-eyed first trick.  Fortunately, Joe meets Enrico 'Ratso' Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman), a swindler and petty thief with a stunted walk due to a physical deformity, who navigates condemned city tenements in an effort to survive.  While initially mistrustful of Ratso, since he once swindled Joe out of some money in a scam to connect him with a pimp who, apparently, has found Jesus, once Joe finally goes broke, he accepts Ratso's reluctant offer to stay with him.  The unlikely odd couple then come to rely on each other in the face of the cold, hard city perils, as Ratso attempts, futile though it is to do so, to develop a clientele for Joe and when the pair find themselves at a Warhol-esque party overflowing with hard drugs.  In the meantime, Ratso grows ill and gets worse, dreaming though he is of sunny Florida and its healing sunshine. I've thought long and hard about my opinion of this picture and why others might consider this a great movie.  I think part of its luster comes from the groundbreaking mainstreaming of some subjects that earned its X-rating, though, let's face it, the movie would be an R by today's standards.  There's the implication of homosexual gratification when Joe agrees to a male trick (played by a young Bob Balaban).  There's also some much more explicit heterosexual sex going on, not to mention overt drug use.  It's all kind of timely given the year of release,1969, which was also the year of Woodstock and the height of sexual revolution and anti-war sentiment in the country.  I can't help but feel that these elements, so obviously depicted the way that they were, elevated this film to a cultural height and sense of legend that, perhaps, outshines and overshadows how good or great the film really is. Perhaps that's oversimplifying it a bit, though, even selling the film short, because Joe and Ratso find each other when they are otherwise alone, when the morning after settles into hard reality or when the haze of the high fades.  All Movie Guide describes the film as an "ode to the impossibility of the liberation from reality."  It seems to be the generational response to the times as the swinging 60s began their transition to the stagnant 70s.  It's a cynical take on things, even if there is more than a grain of truism to it, though the film offers that glimmer of hope, that sense that even the loneliest, lost soul can find belonging and connection, even if fleeting. It's these complex themes that prompt me to like the film, but I don't love it or see it as a masterpiece of film artistry.  It's a testament to times and feelings and places, and it has a timeless quality, but it's a time capsule that either holds relevance for the viewer, or it doesn't.  Voight and Hoffman give very good performances, but their characters feel like caricatures, undermining the gritty realities being depicted with a somewhat cartoonish surreal hue that, at least, prevented me from connecting with their story - at least until the haunting conclusion, which brings all of the emotional themes to a resonating center. The film was based on a novel, and I lend the credit for the many layers and commentaries being explored to the original author.  I enjoyed the direction by John Schlesinger (though I don't think it's so wonderful just because he was British and not American - I think that's kind of a naive, even an arrogant way to look at it).  I liked how Joe's personal history was interspliced with his present day, making each hazy flashback dream-like, though, as it turned out, hard to follow.  This also goes for Ratso's idealized visions of escape in Florida with the impossibly bright cinematography on top of natural sunlight to lend each vision even more surreality.  I also think the "Everybody's Talkin'" song, which also, appropriately, crops up on the Forrest Gump soundtrack, was a pitch perfect accompaniment that sort of boiled the movie down to a cliffnotes version that could be appreciated by any viewer of any generation.  It deserves its assignment to the AFI's Songs list. I liked this movie, and I liked its message about belonging and connection as it related to Joe and Ratso's partnership, a theme that would eventually be recycled in many formats and ways, not the least of which include themes explored in the musical "Rent."  I didn't love it though because I felt the movie has been elevated more than it deserves, and I say this, perhaps, as a biased Generation Xer seeing the film for a first time through the lens of history.  Perhaps, if I were a boomer reliving the era in my viewership, I would think differently. Because of the portrayals of the characters - which didn't seem to me to be sensitive or sympathetic, even given each character's particular hardships and histories, and whether that was originally written or performed or directed that way, I don't know -  I am going to rate the film a 7.5 between shaky if entertaining and minor flaws/very good.  Some may cry blasphemy, but I've given the film a week's worth of consideration, and this is how fair I can be - and truth be told, I do like the movie, as I stated before.  I just don't find it the great film that many other people seem to see it as.  So, as to tests, this is not a pass for me, aside from what I procured.  I wasn't offended by any piece of it, but I didn't like it enough to purchase it.  Midnight Cowboy is a film for a generation, but for me, there are other films of the era that I enjoy more - including The Graduate - which leave me feeling a little more positive about and connected to the idealism and the ensuing harsh wake-up calls the country received those decades ago.<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 02:31:16 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>pippin06</spout:postby><spout:postto>Reel Thoughts</spout:postto><spout:postdate>11/23/2008 9:31:16 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>What's the AFI Project, you ask?  For more information, or if you just enjoy my bemused ramblings, read here: http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/3/1/25756.aspx Midnight Cowboy is on the following AFI lists: The Original Top 100 (#36)100 Greatest Film Songs (#22 - "Everybody's Talkin'")100 Movie Quotes (#27 - Enrico 'Ratso' Rizzo: "I'm walking here! I'm walking here!")The Revised Top 100 (#43) For some reason, I was unable to procure Midnight Cowboy from acquaintances, relations, or my beloved Netflix, so, as temptation makes it so easy compared to the more daunting task of trying to scout out a hard or digital copy of the movie a bit more legitimately, I procured the film another way.  Yes. It's been a week since I've watched this film, thanks to the opening of "A Wonderful Life" at the Grand Rapids Civic Theater, in which I play many roles (your general ubiquitous ensemble type member).  Buy a ticket today!  I knew very little about the film, except fhat it received an X-rating at the time of its release, and that it was the first X-rated movie to win the Best Picture Academy Award.  Other than that, I didn't know what I was getting into, aside from the available though cursory plot descriptions.  Even now, days later, I'm not sure what it was I watched or how I feel about it, other than, like The Graduate, I feel that this film may be another one of those perfect time capsules that represent a generation and a decade but don't necessarily transcend those boundaries.  Then again, maybe the film is powerful but subtlely so, working its power by making one think after the film finishes, rather than during the viewing of it, and giving the film greatness when considered after-the-fact. Joe Buck (a young and boyish-looking Jon Voight - Angelina Jolie's dad for you Tomb Raider fans) decides to leave his small Texan hometown, where he works as a dishwasher in a greasy spoon, to make his fortune as a gigolo in New York City.  Though he exudes a buoyant, though stupid, sort of confidence at his prospects of charming potential Park Place penthouse patrons, he finds that the night life as a fantasy cowboy is not as easy or as lucrative as he first thought, especially when he finds himself paying his teary-eyed first trick.  Fortunately, Joe meets Enrico 'Ratso' Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman), a swindler and petty thief with a stunted walk due to a physical deformity, who navigates condemned city tenements in an effort to survive.  While initially mistrustful of Ratso, since he once swindled Joe out of some money in a scam to connect him with a pimp who, apparently, has found Jesus, once Joe finally goes broke, he accepts Ratso's reluctant offer to stay with him.  The unlikely odd couple then come to rely on each other in the face of the cold, hard city perils, as Ratso attempts, futile though it is to do so, to develop a clientele for Joe and when the pair find themselves at a Warhol-esque party overflowing with hard drugs.  In the meantime, Ratso grows ill and gets worse, dreaming though he is of sunny Florida and its healing sunshine. I've thought long and hard about my opinion of this picture and why others might consider this a great movie.  I think part of its luster comes from the groundbreaking mainstreaming of some subjects that earned its X-rating, though, let's face it, the movie would be an R by today's standards.  There's the implication of homosexual gratification when Joe agrees to a male trick (played by a young Bob Balaban).  There's also some much more explicit heterosexual sex going on, not to mention overt drug use.  It's all kind of timely given the year of release,1969, which was also the year of Woodstock and the height of sexual revolution and anti-war sentiment in the country.  I can't help but feel that these elements, so obviously depicted the way that they were, elevated this film to a cultural height and sense of legend that, perhaps, outshines and overshadows how good or great the film really is. Perhaps that's oversimplifying it a bit, though, even selling the film short, because Joe and Ratso find each other when they are otherwise alone, when the morning after settles into hard reality or when the haze of the high fades.  All Movie Guide describes the film as an "ode to the impossibility of the liberation from reality."  It seems to be the generational response to the times as the swinging 60s began their transition to the stagnant 70s.  It's a cynical take on things, even if there is more than a grain of truism to it, though the film offers that glimmer of hope, that sense that even the loneliest, lost soul can find belonging and connection, even if fleeting. It's these complex themes that prompt me to like the film, but I don't love it or see it as a masterpiece of film artistry.  It's a testament to times and feelings and places, and it has a timeless quality, but it's a time capsule that either holds relevance for the viewer, or it doesn't.  Voight and Hoffman give very good performances, but their characters feel like caricatures, undermining the gritty realities being depicted with a somewhat cartoonish surreal hue that, at least, prevented me from connecting with their story - at least until the haunting conclusion, which brings all of the emotional themes to a resonating center. The film was based on a novel, and I lend the credit for the many layers and commentaries being explored to the original author.  I enjoyed the direction by John Schlesinger (though I don't think it's so wonderful just because he was British and not American - I think that's kind of a naive, even an arrogant way to look at it).  I liked how Joe's personal history was interspliced with his present day, making each hazy flashback dream-like, though, as it turned out, hard to follow.  This also goes for Ratso's idealized visions of escape in Florida with the impossibly bright cinematography on top of natural sunlight to lend each vision even more surreality.  I also think the "Everybody's Talkin'" song, which also, appropriately, crops up on the Forrest Gump soundtrack, was a pitch perfect accompaniment that sort of boiled the movie down to a cliffnotes version that could be appreciated by any viewer of any generation.  It deserves its assignment to the AFI's Songs list. I liked this movie, and I liked its message about belonging and connection as it related to Joe and Ratso's partnership, a theme that would eventually be recycled in many formats and ways, not the least of which include themes explored in the musical "Rent."  I didn't love it though because I felt the movie has been elevated more than it deserves, and I say this, perhaps, as a biased Generation Xer seeing the film for a first time through the lens of history.  Perhaps, if I were a boomer reliving the era in my viewership, I would think differently. Because of the portrayals of the characters - which didn't seem to me to be sensitive or sympathetic, even given each character's particular hardships and histories, and whether that was originally written or performed or directed that way, I don't know -  I am going to rate the film a 7.5 between shaky if entertaining and minor flaws/very good.  Some may cry blasphemy, but I've given the film a week's worth of consideration, and this is how fair I can be - and truth be told, I do like the movie, as I stated before.  I just don't find it the great film that many other people seem to see it as.  So, as to tests, this is not a pass for me, aside from what I procured.  I wasn't offended by any piece of it, but I didn't like it enough to purchase it.  Midnight Cowboy is a film for a generation, but for me, there are other films of the era that I enjoy more - including The Graduate - which leave me feeling a little more positive about and connected to the idealism and the ensuing harsh wake-up calls the country received those decades ago.</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Re:Virtual RESERVOIR DOGS (2024)</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmgaming/Re_Virtual_RESERVOIR_DOGS_2024/563/33138/1/ShowPost.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t72580sfeuc.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/12842/default.aspx'>lbenschwartz</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmgaming/563/discussions.aspx'>Filmgaming</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 7/27/2008 3:55:21 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> In the mid-2010s, the most important technological breakthrough since the invention of sound hits Hollywood. In a feat nobody thought possible, recent advances in both computer generated animation and artificial intelligence have come together to actually make it possible to reanimate the great cinema characters from the past 100 years, and program them to flawlessly interact with other reanimated characters in order to create completely new performances in original new material. Early attempts are no doubt crude, but in 2024, a remake of Ghostbusters, as acted out cinema history&rsquo;s greatest clowns, including Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, and a young Eddie Murphy, sweeps all Oscar categories &ndash; with the obvious exception of acting categories (which has been abolished due to lack of demand for new talent). Not having a critical or commercial success in 20 years, a 60 year-old Quintin Tarintino decides he&rsquo;s going to remake Reservoir Dogs starring his favorite cinematic characters from his childhood. Here is, Virtual Reservoir Dogs (2024)&hellip;  Mr. White        ...        Popeye Doyle from The French Connection, as played by Gene Hackman        Mr. Orange        ...      Michel Poiccard from Breathless, played by Jean-PaulBelmondo                  Mr. Blonde        ....        Max Cady from Cape Fear, as played by Robert Mitchum            Nice Guy Eddie        ...       General 'Buck' Turgidson from Dr. Strangelove, as played by George C. Scot          Mr. Pink       ...        Ratso from Midnight Cowboy, as played by Dustin Hoffman              Joe Cabot        ...        Police Detective Hank Quinlin from Touch of Evil, as played by Orson Welles        Mr. Brown        ...        Phillip Marlowe from The Long Goodbye, as played by Elliott Gould Mr. Blue        ...        John Bernard Books from The Shootist, as played by John Wayne            Young Cop (gets ear cut off)        ...     Father Karras from The Exorcist, as played by Jason Miller            K-Billy DJ        ...       Harry Carry, as played by himself                Inspirational ear-chopping tune        .... Break My Stride by Matthew Wilder <br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:55:21 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>lbenschwartz</spout:postby><spout:postto>Filmgaming</spout:postto><spout:postdate>7/27/2008 3:55:21 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>In the mid-2010s, the most important technological breakthrough since the invention of sound hits Hollywood. In a feat nobody thought possible, recent advances in both computer generated animation and artificial intelligence have come together to actually make it possible to reanimate the great cinema characters from the past 100 years, and program them to flawlessly interact with other reanimated characters in order to create completely new performances in original new material. Early attempts are no doubt crude, but in 2024, a remake of Ghostbusters, as acted out cinema history&amp;rsquo;s greatest clowns, including Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, and a young Eddie Murphy, sweeps all Oscar categories &amp;ndash; with the obvious exception of acting categories (which has been abolished due to lack of demand for new talent). Not having a critical or commercial success in 20 years, a 60 year-old Quintin Tarintino decides he&amp;rsquo;s going to remake Reservoir Dogs starring his favorite cinematic characters from his childhood. Here is, Virtual Reservoir Dogs (2024)&amp;hellip;  Mr. White        ...        Popeye Doyle from The French Connection, as played by Gene Hackman        Mr. Orange        ...      Michel Poiccard from Breathless, played by Jean-PaulBelmondo                  Mr. Blonde        ....        Max Cady from Cape Fear, as played by Robert Mitchum            Nice Guy Eddie        ...       General 'Buck' Turgidson from Dr. Strangelove, as played by George C. Scot          Mr. Pink       ...        Ratso from Midnight Cowboy, as played by Dustin Hoffman              Joe Cabot        ...        Police Detective Hank Quinlin from Touch of Evil, as played by Orson Welles        Mr. Brown        ...        Phillip Marlowe from The Long Goodbye, as played by Elliott Gould Mr. Blue        ...        John Bernard Books from The Shootist, as played by John Wayne            Young Cop (gets ear cut off)        ...     Father Karras from The Exorcist, as played by Jason Miller            K-Billy DJ        ...       Harry Carry, as played by himself                Inspirational ear-chopping tune        .... Break My Stride by Matthew Wilder </spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Top Hot Pride Pics</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/6/25/31679.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t72580sfeuc.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/9325/default.aspx'>SpoutBlog</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/default.aspx'>SpoutBlog on spout.com</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 6/25/2008 4:01:02 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> 
Are you a supporter of gay marriage?
“I know nothing about it.  I don’t follow that.”
Why doesn’t it interest you?
“The same reason heterosexual marriage doesn’t seem to interest me.”
–From Questions for Gore Vidal in The New York Times Magazine, 6/15/08.
Amen, sister.  One of the perks of being queer is that you’re not expected to engage in unnatural acts like high school proms and monogamy.  So in honor of the hedonistic right to our own guilt-free, queer Mardi Gras, here are some subversive suggestions that will get you in the mood and take you back to that more innocent, less commercial “Over The Rainbow” time.

For vintage gay porn nothing beats George Butler’s Pumping Iron (1977) – and not just because the governor of California unapologetically indulges in a big fat phallic joint straight to the camera. Ostensibly a smackdown between pre-Governator Schwarzenegger and pre-Incredible Hulk Lou Ferrigno, captured in a pre-reality show documentary about the pro-bodybuilding path to Mr. Olympia (with a less compelling side storyline involving amateurs like white hat Mike Katz and bad dude Ken Waller on the road to Mr. Universe), the rivalry suffers at the huge mitts of Arnie who’s just too damn good-naturedly charismatic to play Butler’s baddie.  (Nice guy The Rock, a more versatile actor than The Gov, was way more convincing playing the sexy sadist in the ring during his WWF days.)  No matter.  For muscle pigs Pumping Iron is a must – the ultimate in bulging gluttony.  Like massively inflated tits, these juiced up bods are so disgusting as to be perversely erotic.  (Note to The Gov: whenever you tire of that little plaything Maria I’m here for the rubdown.)
Boys, boys, boys – name your western.  The Wild Bunch, Red River…as many critics of the hype surrounding Brokeback Mountain rightly pointed out, that film was merely stating the obvious. I’m going to go with Howard Hawks’ Red River (1948) just because Monty Clift is hotter than Ernest Borgnine (okay, so William Holden is in Peckinpah’s outlaw-bonding flick, too, but still, who wants to jack off to Bill Holden with Ernest Borgnine in the room?)  That Clift was gay in real life is almost beside the point.  He’s a fantastically feral embodiment of longing, of unquenched desire so palpable as to transcend the screen, his inevitable showdown with The Duke – who put the “man” in Marlboro Man – a substitute for orgasmic release.
For all my dyke sisters, genderqueer and bi in-betweeners there’s delicious dish Myra Breckinridge (1970).  Raquel Welch’s ambitious Miss Myra is the precursor to Tim Curry’s Frankenfurter, with both actors playing gender and sexuality ambiguous characters seducing naïve young lovers with equal panache.  Pin-up queen Welch, who would be sexy slinking around in a brown paper bag, especially sizzles in that notorious, star-spangled superhero costume, strapping on a dildo to go at dumb stud Rusty (a tasty Roger Herron).  Plus she gets to seduce ingénue Farrah Fawcett’s Mary Ann while (my personal transgender heroine!) Mae West – who can make an audience blush just with her swagger – playing the predatory talent agent Leticia Van Allen, trains her lusty eye on a chorus line of beefcake, including a young Tom Selleck.  How much more sex appeal can one movie pack?  No rainbow butt plug required.
William Friedkin’s Cruising (1980).  You really thought spotlight addict Pacino would pass up the chance to shake his ass in tight leather pants? Post-Serpico Pacino plays undercover cop Steve Burns pursuing a serial killer stalking players in NYC’s gay S&M scene (where, of course, officers with handcuffs are hot!)  Who needs great art when you’ve got a camp fest like this?
But if you are craving great art after a long, hot sweaty parade there’s always John Schlesinger’s Midnight Cowboy (1969).  Sultry all-American boy Jon Voight plays the original gay-for-pay hustler back when Times Square trannies weren’t confined to the musical version of Hairspray.  Dustin Hoffman’s viciously needy Ratso Rizzo is now cinematic legend, plus the film was released the same year as the Stonewall Riots.  We’re here!  We’re queer!  We’re walking here! Originally posted on:SpoutBlog<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:01:02 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>SpoutBlog</spout:postby><spout:postto>SpoutBlog on spout.com</spout:postto><spout:postdate>6/25/2008 4:01:02 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>
Are you a supporter of gay marriage?
“I know nothing about it.  I don’t follow that.”
Why doesn’t it interest you?
“The same reason heterosexual marriage doesn’t seem to interest me.”
–From Questions for Gore Vidal in The New York Times Magazine, 6/15/08.
Amen, sister.  One of the perks of being queer is that you’re not expected to engage in unnatural acts like high school proms and monogamy.  So in honor of the hedonistic right to our own guilt-free, queer Mardi Gras, here are some subversive suggestions that will get you in the mood and take you back to that more innocent, less commercial “Over The Rainbow” time.

For vintage gay porn nothing beats George Butler’s Pumping Iron (1977) – and not just because the governor of California unapologetically indulges in a big fat phallic joint straight to the camera. Ostensibly a smackdown between pre-Governator Schwarzenegger and pre-Incredible Hulk Lou Ferrigno, captured in a pre-reality show documentary about the pro-bodybuilding path to Mr. Olympia (with a less compelling side storyline involving amateurs like white hat Mike Katz and bad dude Ken Waller on the road to Mr. Universe), the rivalry suffers at the huge mitts of Arnie who’s just too damn good-naturedly charismatic to play Butler’s baddie.  (Nice guy The Rock, a more versatile actor than The Gov, was way more convincing playing the sexy sadist in the ring during his WWF days.)  No matter.  For muscle pigs Pumping Iron is a must – the ultimate in bulging gluttony.  Like massively inflated tits, these juiced up bods are so disgusting as to be perversely erotic.  (Note to The Gov: whenever you tire of that little plaything Maria I’m here for the rubdown.)
Boys, boys, boys – name your western.  The Wild Bunch, Red River…as many critics of the hype surrounding Brokeback Mountain rightly pointed out, that film was merely stating the obvious. I’m going to go with Howard Hawks’ Red River (1948) just because Monty Clift is hotter than Ernest Borgnine (okay, so William Holden is in Peckinpah’s outlaw-bonding flick, too, but still, who wants to jack off to Bill Holden with Ernest Borgnine in the room?)  That Clift was gay in real life is almost beside the point.  He’s a fantastically feral embodiment of longing, of unquenched desire so palpable as to transcend the screen, his inevitable showdown with The Duke – who put the “man” in Marlboro Man – a substitute for orgasmic release.
For all my dyke sisters, genderqueer and bi in-betweeners there’s delicious dish Myra Breckinridge (1970).  Raquel Welch’s ambitious Miss Myra is the precursor to Tim Curry’s Frankenfurter, with both actors playing gender and sexuality ambiguous characters seducing naïve young lovers with equal panache.  Pin-up queen Welch, who would be sexy slinking around in a brown paper bag, especially sizzles in that notorious, star-spangled superhero costume, strapping on a dildo to go at dumb stud Rusty (a tasty Roger Herron).  Plus she gets to seduce ingénue Farrah Fawcett’s Mary Ann while (my personal transgender heroine!) Mae West – who can make an audience blush just with her swagger – playing the predatory talent agent Leticia Van Allen, trains her lusty eye on a chorus line of beefcake, including a young Tom Selleck.  How much more sex appeal can one movie pack?  No rainbow butt plug required.
William Friedkin’s Cruising (1980).  You really thought spotlight addict Pacino would pass up the chance to shake his ass in tight leather pants? Post-Serpico Pacino plays undercover cop Steve Burns pursuing a serial killer stalking players in NYC’s gay S&amp;M scene (where, of course, officers with handcuffs are hot!)  Who needs great art when you’ve got a camp fest like this?
But if you are craving great art after a long, hot sweaty parade there’s always John Schlesinger’s Midnight Cowboy (1969).  Sultry all-American boy Jon Voight plays the original gay-for-pay hustler back when Times Square trannies weren’t confined to the musical version of Hairspray.  Dustin Hoffman’s viciously needy Ratso Rizzo is now cinematic legend, plus the film was released the same year as the Stonewall Riots.  We’re here!  We’re queer!  We’re walking here! Originally posted on:SpoutBlog</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: A great film...ahead of its time...</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/dunedonkey/archive/2008/1/25/24363.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t72580sfeuc.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/117148/default.aspx'>dunedonkey</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/dunedonkey/default.aspx'>film phlegm</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 1/25/2008 5:50:48 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> One of Jon Voight&#39;s first films, this was the one that kicked off his film career. This would be the film that also exploited Dustin Hoffman&#39;s true acting talent. This would also be the first X-rated film ever to win an Oscar for Best Picture (although by today&#39;s standards, it would barely even be rated-R). This would also be one of the first great films that kicked off one of the best decades of American film, the 1970s.  I&#39;d been dying to see this film for some time. It was a landmark film in so many ways and it was great in so many ways. It&#39;s a story about a very positive, though very naive boy from Texas named Joe Buck (Jon Voight) whose past haunts him and wants to escape his hometown Texas life (and his past) for a life of sex and gigolo-ism in New York City. He finds that the New York life isn&#39;t all it&#39;s made out to be and he struggles, all the while getting hustled himself and having to subject himself to the pains and horrors of a small-town kid trying to make it in the big city. He befriends one of the guys who hustles him (Dustin Hoffman) and you see their friendship grow throughout the film as they struggle to survive together.  I thought the film was incredibly well done. It was real ahead of it&#39;s time for 1969, complete with flashbacks, flashing images, personal horror, violent emotion. The direction was phenomenal and the acting was some of the best these actors have done in their careers. The mise-en-scene portrays a very dark NYC complete with homelessness, violence, anger, etc. The kind of NYC you feel in the wide variety of films in the 70s - Rosemary&#39;s Baby, Saturday Night Fever, any Woody Allen film etc. I really felt every shift in emotion that I don&#39;t get from very many films nowadays. The flashes going through the mind aren&#39;t just of his past but of his present and of both simultaneously. His inner conflict is further complicated by his sense of southern positive yet naive attitude toward life that makes the viewer feel a huge sense of sympathy towards him. His ability to forgive those who&#39;ve hustled him and to befriend complete strangers pains the viewer because you almost want him to walk away. To go back home. But as we learn later in the film, even his resilience is challenged.  His sympathy towards other human beings is what seems to keep him going. His desire to make it big is only paralleled with his desire to have a companion in life. He finds it in Enrico Rizzo (Hoffman) and you see a true friendship take form.  The film was overall pretty depressing but just a great feat of filmmaking that I would suggest to anyone who wants a great film to watch.<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 25 Jan 2008 22:50:48 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>dunedonkey</spout:postby><spout:postto>film phlegm</spout:postto><spout:postdate>1/25/2008 5:50:48 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>One of Jon Voight&amp;#39;s first films, this was the one that kicked off his film career. This would be the film that also exploited Dustin Hoffman&amp;#39;s true acting talent. This would also be the first X-rated film ever to win an Oscar for Best Picture (although by today&amp;#39;s standards, it would barely even be rated-R). This would also be one of the first great films that kicked off one of the best decades of American film, the 1970s.  I&amp;#39;d been dying to see this film for some time. It was a landmark film in so many ways and it was great in so many ways. It&amp;#39;s a story about a very positive, though very naive boy from Texas named Joe Buck (Jon Voight) whose past haunts him and wants to escape his hometown Texas life (and his past) for a life of sex and gigolo-ism in New York City. He finds that the New York life isn&amp;#39;t all it&amp;#39;s made out to be and he struggles, all the while getting hustled himself and having to subject himself to the pains and horrors of a small-town kid trying to make it in the big city. He befriends one of the guys who hustles him (Dustin Hoffman) and you see their friendship grow throughout the film as they struggle to survive together.  I thought the film was incredibly well done. It was real ahead of it&amp;#39;s time for 1969, complete with flashbacks, flashing images, personal horror, violent emotion. The direction was phenomenal and the acting was some of the best these actors have done in their careers. The mise-en-scene portrays a very dark NYC complete with homelessness, violence, anger, etc. The kind of NYC you feel in the wide variety of films in the 70s - Rosemary&amp;#39;s Baby, Saturday Night Fever, any Woody Allen film etc. I really felt every shift in emotion that I don&amp;#39;t get from very many films nowadays. The flashes going through the mind aren&amp;#39;t just of his past but of his present and of both simultaneously. His inner conflict is further complicated by his sense of southern positive yet naive attitude toward life that makes the viewer feel a huge sense of sympathy towards him. His ability to forgive those who&amp;#39;ve hustled him and to befriend complete strangers pains the viewer because you almost want him to walk away. To go back home. But as we learn later in the film, even his resilience is challenged.  His sympathy towards other human beings is what seems to keep him going. His desire to make it big is only paralleled with his desire to have a companion in life. He finds it in Enrico Rizzo (Hoffman) and you see a true friendship take form.  The film was overall pretty depressing but just a great feat of filmmaking that I would suggest to anyone who wants a great film to watch.</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: The Grand Daddy Of The Gritty Realistic Drug Movie</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/jakestevens/archive/2007/12/24/23192.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t72580sfeuc.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/98071/default.aspx'>JakeStevens</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/jakestevens/default.aspx'>JakeStevens Blog</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 12/24/2007 1:57:22 AM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> This is the film that opened the gate for films like &quot;The Panic In Needle Park&quot;, &quot;Drugstore Cowboy&quot; and even &quot;Requiem For A Dream&quot;. Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight shine in their respective roles, and while the film feels a little dated (thanks to some not-so-subtle direction by John Schlesinger) it&#39;s still an interesting time capsule to the mind set of the era. As Roger Ebert says, this is a good movie with a masterpiece trapped inside. I think that sums up my feelings exactly about this film. &#39;Nuff said.<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 24 Dec 2007 06:57:22 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>JakeStevens</spout:postby><spout:postto>JakeStevens Blog</spout:postto><spout:postdate>12/24/2007 1:57:22 AM</spout:postdate><spout:body>This is the film that opened the gate for films like &amp;quot;The Panic In Needle Park&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Drugstore Cowboy&amp;quot; and even &amp;quot;Requiem For A Dream&amp;quot;. Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight shine in their respective roles, and while the film feels a little dated (thanks to some not-so-subtle direction by John Schlesinger) it&amp;#39;s still an interesting time capsule to the mind set of the era. As Roger Ebert says, this is a good movie with a masterpiece trapped inside. I think that sums up my feelings exactly about this film. &amp;#39;Nuff said.</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:Classic</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Classic/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/Classic/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>Classic</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 816</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 312</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 1453</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:54:36 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>816</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>312</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>1453</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:Loved-It</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Loved-It/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/Loved-It/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>Loved-It</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 509</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 179</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 921</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:56:35 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>509</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>179</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>921</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:friendship</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/friendship/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/friendship/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>friendship</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 6790</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 154</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 977</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:10:03 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>6790</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>154</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>977</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:sex</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/sex/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/sex/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>sex</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 2413</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 126</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 547</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:19:12 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>2413</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>126</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>547</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:disturbing</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/disturbing/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/disturbing/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>disturbing</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 283</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 119</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 394</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:55:54 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>283</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>119</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>394</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:overrated</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/overrated/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/overrated/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>overrated</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 152</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 106</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 240</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:37:37 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>152</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>106</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>240</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:intense</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/intense/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/intense/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>intense</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 162</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 81</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 249</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:07:45 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>162</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>81</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>249</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:personal-classic</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/personal-classic/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/personal-classic/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>personal-classic</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 180</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 64</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 274</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:21:00 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>180</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>64</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>274</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:loneliness</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/loneliness/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/loneliness/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>loneliness</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 416</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 33</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 68</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:01:02 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>416</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>33</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>68</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:homosexual</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/homosexual/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/homosexual/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>homosexual</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 1169</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 29</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 58</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:49:40 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>1169</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>29</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>58</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:cowboy</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/cowboy/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/cowboy/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>cowboy</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 2758</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 28</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 44</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 08 Aug 2009 21:42:21 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>2758</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>28</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>44</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:Best-Picture</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Best-Picture/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/Best-Picture/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>Best-Picture</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 83</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 26</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 118</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:16:34 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>83</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>26</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>118</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:new-york</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/new-york/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/new-york/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>new-york</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 87</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 26</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 98</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:25:46 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>87</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>26</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>98</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:prostitution</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/prostitution/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/prostitution/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>prostitution</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 50</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 23</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 52</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:01:31 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>50</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>23</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>52</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:failure</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/failure/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/failure/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>failure</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 118</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 13</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 17</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:25:47 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>118</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>13</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>17</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
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