by Tony Dayoub
And now for another elucidating exam by that spectacular cinephile, Dennis Cozzalio, up since August 15th at his wonderful blog, Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule. Visit his site to post your answers. My answers appear after the jump.
1) Band without their own movie, from any era, you’d most like to see get the Hard Day's Night or Head treatment
The Beach Boys or, alternatively, the Foo Fighters.
2) Oliver Reed or Alan Bates?
Oliver Reed, if only for being in both a Hammer movie (Curse of the Werewolf) and a Ken Russell film (Tommy).
3) Best thing about the move from physical to streaming media in home video
I've been able to find plenty of long lost movies that I've NEVER found on physical media.
4) Worst thing about the move from physical to streaming media in home video
Save for Warner Instant, few put any kind of emphasis on carrying classic, pre-1960s films.
I yam what I yam, and that's all that I yam... a Popeye fan.
6) Second favorite Carol Reed movie
A guilty pleasure... 1956's Trapeze, featuring La Lollobrigida.
7) Oddest moment/concept in rock music cinema
A giant Victor Mature terrorizing the Monkees in an old abandoned Western town.
8) Favorite movie about growing up
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
9) Most welcomed nudity, full or partial, in a movie (question submitted by Peter Nellhaus, class of 2004)
Rosario Dawson extremely tidy full frontal display in last year's horrid Trance.
10) Least welcomed nudity, nude or partial, in a movie (question submitted by Peter Nellhaus, class of 2004)
1977's creepy The Sentinel is disturbing enough without all of all of those undead old-timers.
11) Last movie watched, in a theater, on DVD/Blu-ray, via streaming
This is easier to remember now that I keep a list of the last ten I've watched on my blog sidebar: Theater: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014), DVD: Just Pals (1920), Blu-ray: Locke (2014), Streaming: The Expendables 2 (2012)
12) Second favorite Bertrand Blier movie
Pass
13) Googie Withers or Sally Gray?
I said pass!
14) Name a piece of advice derived from a movie or movie character that you’ve heeded in real life
Not from a movie character, but a TV character much beloved by cinephiles, FBI Special Agent Dale B. Cooper once told his friend, Sheriff Truman, "Harry, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don't plan it. Don't wait for it. Just let it happen. It could be a new shirt at the men's store, a catnap in your office chair, or two cups of good, hot black coffee." It's valuable advice that I continue heeding to this day.
15) Favorite movie about learning
Schmaltzy, but it gets me every time... Mr. Holland's Opus.
16) Program a double bill of movies that were announced but, for one reason or another, never made. These could be projects cancelled outright, or films that were made, but at one time had different directors, stars, etc., attached-- and your "version" of the film might be the one with that lost director, for example (question submitted by Brian Doan, class of 2007)
One of my favorite movies is Nighthawks, but I hear that its script as originally written was for French Connection III with Gene Hackman. I'd pair it with the original script for Die Hard, which would have had Frank Sinatra reprise his role as Joe Leland from The Detective, the character in the source novel Nothing Lasts Forever.
17) Oddest mismatch of director and material
Clint Eastwood and Jersey Boys.
18) Favorite performance by your favorite character actor
Ian Wolfe comes to mind, as the quirky, greedy justice of the peace in They Live By Night. Or Frank Grillo as the trainer in Warrior (2011).
19) Favorite chase scene
The subway foot chase in Carlito's Way.
20) Movie most people might not have seen that you feel like proselytizing about right now
I'm always up for promoting Cutter's Way. But it sounds like you're looking for something more recent, so Snowpiercer. It's a summer blockbuster with a creative high concept so well written that it was buried in arthouses and VOD. But there it flourishes. Brilliantly cast and timely, it deserves way more attention than it's gotten outside of the critical press.
21) Favorite movie about high school
Can I say Fast Times again? If not, then Private School for Betsy Russell.
22) Favorite Lauren Bacall performance
The Big Sleep, but I don't feel I've seen enough of her movies.
23) David Farrar or Roger Livesey?
Roger Livesey... because of Colonel Blimp.
24) Performance most likely to get overlooked during the upcoming awards season
Eva Green truly deserves some kind of award for singlehandedly lifting Sin City: A Dame to Kill For above the usual Robert Rodriguez dreck.
25) Rock musician who, with the right project, could have been a movie star
John Lennon
26) Second favorite Ted Post movie
I've only seen two, but Magnum Force is a distant second to Beneath the Planet of the Apes.
27) Favorite odd couple
Donald Pleasence and James Garner in The Great Escape. Or Donald Pleasence and Gary Bond in Wake in Fright. Or Donald Pleasence and Françoise Dorléac in Cul-de-sac. In fact, Donald Pleasence and just about anyone else.
28) Flicker or Zeroville?
Pass.
29) Favorite movie about college
Drive, He Said is sorely underrated.
30) In a specific movie full of memorable turns, your favorite underappreciated performance
Not necessarily underappreciated but rarely discussed is Mélanie Laurent's satisfying turn in Inglourious Basterds.
31) Favorite movie about parenting
I know I'm in the minority, but This is 40 totally hits my sweet spot.
32) Susannah York or Sarah Miles?
Susannah York... she's Kal-El's mom!
33) Movie which best evokes the sense of place in a region with which you are well familiar
John Sayles' little seen Limbo really gets Alaska right.
34) Name a favorite actor from classic movies and the contemporary performer who most evokes their presence/stature/talent
Occasionally I see a little of Sterling Hayden's aloof eccentricity in Nick Nolte.
35) Your favorite hot streak of any director (question submitted by Patrick Robbins, class of 2008)
Once, I would have said David Lynch, but he lost me at Mulholland Dr. From Boogie Nights through The Master, Paul Thomas Anderson just keeps getting better and better. I hope it continues with Inherent Vice.
3 comments:
I almost placed Trapeze on mine, too. Yes, that scene in “The Sentinel” does qualify, but it’s also one of the film’s oft-putting attractions. So glad to find another vote for “Mr. Holland’s Opus”, Tony. Great answers, my friend.
Thanks for these, Tony! I love reading the answers, especially when, as you and Robert have done, they get posted on blogs, with pictures.
Having already paid my respects at the altar of Eva Green this year by wasting money on 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (and despite my love for her feeling like I wanted to jump off a roof mid-movie), I am hesitant to see SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR for the same reason. But you have raised the specter of temptation for me, that's for sure.
Dennis, I'm mixed leaning to positive on A DAME TO KILL FOR. It's somehow thinner, yet more satisfying. Eva Green is the movie, and Mickey Rourke's Marv is the rest of the movie. So I was okay with SC on both counts.
My review of the film precedes this post and it's fairly spoiler free if you want to read more.
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