Carol Channing falls, breaks hip and legs
October 6th, 2008 by Scott Marks
National treasure (although I’ve never been quite certain why) Carol Channing hit the deck on September 23 causing her to break her hip and legs. The fall took place in her Modesto, California home.
The spill occurred one day before the 87-year old star of Hello, Dolly! (and not much else, unless you count Skidoo!) was set to kick off Hello, Carol! A Celebration of Carol Channing, an exhibition on her life and work. According to the Modesto Bee, “The exhibition is scheduled to run at the (San Francisco) Museum of Performance & Design through March 14.”
Bing always warned Carol to work with a net.
Tags: broken hips, broken legs, carol channing, carol channing falls, carolchanning, fall, modestoShare: 
Filed Under News
EC reviews 6 new movies: NICK AND NORAH, APPALOOSA, RELIGULOUS, HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS, RODANTHE and SAVE ME
October 6th, 2008 by Scott Marks
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008)
Directed by Peter Sollett
Starring: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Ari Graynor, Alexis Dziena, Rafi Gavron, Aaron Yoo, Jay Baruchel and Eddie Kaye Thomas as Jesus
Rating: 
Tris (Alexis Dziena) called it quits with Nick (Michael Cera) on his birthday and after 12 volumes of breakup mix tapes, she still finds room in her cold heart to rip on them before tossing them in the garbage. Although they have never met, Norah (Kat Dennings) wishes that she had a guy like Nick that would make her mix tapes. Sound predictable? If goes exactly where you’d expect and with this cast taking us through the motions, it’s a blessing. I didn’t see much to Michael Cera’s performance (or anything else) in Juno. He reminded me of a mildly catatonic Ted Bessell. The naturalistic appeal that once eluded at last brought a smile to my face. Some of it borders dangerously on cute. Nick is the only straight member of a gay boy band named The Jerk Offs, but the nonjudgmental manner in which the group is depicted sends out a message of tolerance and acceptance that contemporary teen audiences don’t get enough of. The film tries too hard to be PG-13. It’s all about a night in the life of a group of partying teens and there’s not one drug or cigarette in sight. There’s plenty of booze on screen, but neither of the title characters drink. Are we in Oz yet? This needed a bit more of an R rated Valley Girl bite to add an edge. Was Nick’s Yugo a subtle nod to Terry the Toad driving Opie’s Edsel, or am I thinking too much? Our lovers meet cute when Norah begs Nick to be her boyfriend for five minutes in order to prove that she has a date. Nick’s bandmates draw designated driver duty and are assignmed the task of driving Norah’s wasted BBF Caroline. Ari Graynor, handing in a hilarious, dead on depiction of a pretty (as in hot) drunk girl. For some reason, the image of Kat Denning sitting on the beach behind Edward Norton and Evan Rachel Wood is one of the strongest I retain from Down in the Valley. She learned early in life to stay away with movies that have “house” in their titles, particularly when they also feature words like “Bunny” and Big Momma’s 2.” Ms. Dennings takes a giant career move forward in this romantic charmer. As a date movie, it lacks the intelligence of The Wackness and the verbal snap of In Search of a Midnight Kiss, N&N managed to quickly win me over. Honestly, it had me in reel one.
Nights in Rodanthe (2008)
Directed by George C. Wolfe
Starring: Diane Lane and Richard Gere
Rating:
This probably would have passed by me had I not filled in at a vacationing friend’s movie group that screened it. (The Cinema Society of San Diego.) Long my favorite genre, melodramas, particularly romantic melodramas, are almost as dead as the western. This isn’t the one to resurrect the order, but it gives it a better shot that most recent soapers. It’s been a long time since Diane Lane and Richard Gere appeared together in The Cotton Club and their recent pairing, Unfaithful, didn’t win my loyalty. Lording over the proceedings is first timer George Wolfe (Tony winning director of Angels in America) and the entire show has two characters and is set in one location. Fortunately, he forgot to pack his hammer (the one most first time theatre directors use to nail movie cameras to the floor), as this is several cuts above canned theatre. Always a sucker for camera movements, there is a spectacular one as Gere approaches the inn that Lane is watching for a friend. The camera flies forward from the back seat, giving us only a momentary glimpse of Gere in the rearview, darts towards the inn and literally sucks the audience in as it swirls around the building before taking us through the front door. The suds are kept to a minimum and Ms. Lane gives the performance of her career. Former students with long memories will be quick to jump down my throat, but I have actually warmed a bit to Richard Gere. (Chicago had nothing to do with it!) Nowhere near as good as Nick and Norah and whole lot less funny.
Tags: appaloosa, Film Reviews, how to lose friends and alienate people, Movie reviews, nick and nora, nick and norahs infinite playlist, Nights in Rodanthe, religulous, same be, VideoShare:
Filed Under Reviews, Theatrical
School young Orson Welles attended faces the wrecking ball
October 4th, 2008 by Scott Marks
Click to enlarge
Young Orson attending the Tood School c.1930
A historic dorm for boys in Woodstock, IL once attended by prep school student Orson Welles is marked for demolition.
The Chicago Tribune reports, “the two-story residence hall was the center of campus life for Welles and hundreds of other students at Todd School for Boys, which operated from 1848 to 1954. It now serves as offices for Woodstock Christian Life Services, which wants to raze the 88-year-old building to make room for independent-living duplexes for seniors.”
“As a young fellow, Orson Welles would sit in the living room of Grace Hall and enthrall other students with his impromptu storytelling,” said Caryl Lemanski, 67, who was raised in the building, where her parents served as resident faculty.
“He would write scripts for radio shows in a basement sound studio.”
My friend and LaSalle Theatre successor Matt Hoffman has been keeping EC abreast of the situation. He writes that it looks pretty bleak for that Todds school and that there will be a vote on it Tuesday. He also enclosed portions of a letter detailing a Thursday night meeting which his friend Jerry attended with his wife, Patty. (The names have been changed to protect the innocent.)
As for our meeting, it was great at the beginning as they have made concessions to our criticisms, but it got bad when Patty decided to bring up what they were planning to do with the historic building. There were only six of us neighbors there, in this little conference room at the nursing home these guys run, so that was a little awkward anyway. When Patty started questioning why they were in such a hurry to do this, and started getting a little heated at the way they weren’t answering her questions, two of our old-lady neighbors started whispering to her that “you’re on a different mission”, and, “this isn’t the place for this”; then the HR guy from the home who was there started raising his voice about how Patty was being hypocritical because we had earlier agreed that our main concerns about their plans had to do with aesthetics, safety and privacy, and now she was bringing up this separate issue. Patty apologized and said that she hadn’t realized this wasn’t the appropriate venue for this issue and sat down, and I could tell she was steaming. The lawyer didn’t help things by saying that if we got the building designated a landmark, and nobody else purchased it, they would just let it sit there and rot. Great, thanks.
Continue reading School young Orson Welles attended faces the wrecking ball
Tags: historic building, illinois, Orson Welles, orson welles school, orson wells, orsonwelles, todds school, WoodstockShare:
Filed Under News
O.J. Simpson finally found guilty of something
October 4th, 2008 by Scott Marks
What a lovely wedding gift for Mr. and Mrs. Howard Stern!
Thirteen years to the day after O.J. Simpson was acquitted of murdering his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her “friend” Ron Goldman, the American judicial system finally found a charge that will stick. El Jucio has been found guilty on all counts in the gunpoint robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas casino hotel room more than a year ago. Simpson faces a prison sentence of 15 years to life. O.J.’s lawyers are sure to contest the verdict on the grounds that this time, the jury was all-white.
The 61-year-old ex-gridiron great (and even better movie star) stared at his shoes, sighed and shot daggers at the messenger while the verdict was being read. The jury of nine women and three men returned guilty verdicts on 12 charges, including kidnapping, armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. Simpson and co-defendant Clarence “C.J.” Stewart, 54, also convicted of the same charges, were both handcuffed and taken into custody. Judge Jackie Glass set a Dec. 5 sentencing date.
Paramedics were called to assist Simpson’s sister Carmelita Durio, who gave many memorable performances during the 1995 trial, when she collapsed on the floor after her brother was escorted from the courtroom. (Insert: canned laughter and thunderous applause.)
Continue reading O.J. Simpson finally found guilty of something
Tags: Carmelita Durio, Howard Stern, Johnny Cochran, Kato Kaelan, nicole brown simpson, nicole simpson, o j simpson trial, o j simpson verdict, O. J. Simpson, o.j. simpson, oj simpson trial, oj simpson verdict, ojsimpson, ron goldman, ronald goldman, Rosa Lopez, Video, Yale Galanter. oj simpsonShare:
New Photos Added: Johnny Depp, Orson Welles, “Baby Jane,” Angie Dickinson, Jack Brickhouse, Cary Grant, Jean Seberg, Jerry Lewis, etc.
October 4th, 2008 by Scott Marks
Jean Arthur (with Charles Boyer) - 1 Photo added from History is Made at Night.
Chicago TV and Radio - 3 images of Jack Brickhouse added. HEY! HEY! (Thanks, Rob!)
Cartoon Movie Posters - New gallery with 84 images added.
Raymond Burr - New gallery with 11 images added.
Kirk Douglas - 1 image added from Lust for Life.
Johnny Depp - 2 images added from Arizona Dream (with Jerry Lewis).
Cary Grant (poolside with Randolph Scott) - 1 image added.
The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon - 1 image added.
Angie Dickinson in Point Blank - 1 photo added.
Jean Seberg - 1 image added.
Frank Tashlin - 24 images added.
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Shirley MacLaine in Some Came Running - image added.
Orson Welles - 16 images added. (Thanks, Rob!)
Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Maidie Norman in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? - New gallery with 34 images.
Jayne Mansfield, Tony Randall, Joan Blondell and Shamroy in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? - New gallery with 13 images.
Tags: Angie Dickinson, Bette Davis, Cary Grant, Jack Brickhouse, Jean Arthur, Jean Seberg, Jerry Lewis, Joan Crawford, Johnny Depp, Kirk Douglas, Orson Welles, Raymond Burr, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?Share:
Filed Under Image Blog
Review: HAPPILY EVER AFTER / Lidia Sheinin (2007)
October 3rd, 2008 by Scott Marks
Happily Ever After (2007)
Written and Directed by Lidia Sheinin
Starring: Kevin J. Kelly, Emily Maya Mills, Lee Ann Kim and Carol Lebeau
Running Time: 4 mins. 15 secs.
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Rating:
I hate short films, I hate split screen, I hate stories that are told in reverse, and I love films that teach me not to hate. I can’t think of a better reason to buy a ticket to the fifth annual San Diego Women’s FIlm Festival than this four-minute miracle that plays tomorrow at 5 pm at Reading’s Gaslamp Theatre.
The film’s producer Gary Cohen wrote asking if I would review the film. Normally all I get are crap screeners of new releases. (Other than having birthday and Christmas gifts to spare, why would anyone send me copies of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Heroes, Season 2?) I swear to you, I watched this thing five times in a row the day I received it just to see how they pulled the goddamned thing off.
It starts with the left half of the screen in black while on the right, a woman (Emily Maya Mills), photographed in desaaturated tones, lies awake in bed with her back to the television. There is no direct sound, only a pensive piano score by Yann Tiersen. Pan right to reveal a newscaster (Lee Ann Kim) reporting a plane crash and then left to the wall clock that establishes the time as 11:14 pm. It’s at this momet that the left side fades in to reveal a man (Kevin J. Kelly), lit in vibrant, lifelike hues, waking up to greet the dawn.
He shaves while she removes makeup, a backwards reflection of the crash coverage playing behind her. The two halves of their bodies meet at the crease to form one, and I don’t care if it did make me think of Bergman’s Persona because the execution is far too impeccable to be just another film school rip-off. The first concrete evidence provided that these two parallel stories (his forwards, hers backward) are moving in the direction of a mutual breaking off point is when her wine travels from the dinner glass back into the bottle as he fries up a couple of eggs for breakfast.
Director Lidia Sheinin
He drives and we see her face in the rearview. The bottom and top of a pair of escalators perfectly mesh as he departs as she arrives. Before long we are at the gate and the two lovers are giving each other a goodbye kiss. All this, timed to perfection, in a little over four minutes.
Don’t bitch that I gave away the ending, for Happily Ever After is not about story, it’s about form and storytelling and souls literally splintered in two. You have to experience it. I can’t think of many features I’ve seen in the past few years that use the medium quite as economically as this short film. As soon as it’s made available on YouTube, I will gladly post it. Until then, be on the lookout for this remakrable film at a festival near you.
Tags: gary cohen, happily ever after, lee ann kim, lidia sheinin, san diego womens film festival, short filmShare:
Filed Under Reviews, Theatrical
keep looking »
Twitter Feed- scottmarks: Carol Channing falls, breaks hip and legs: National treasure (although I’ve never been quite ce.. http://tinyurl.com/547lz2
- scottmarks: EC reviews 6 new movies: NICK AND NORAH, APPALOOSA, RELIGULOUS, HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS, RODANTHE and SAVE.. http://tinyurl.com/3la3b9
- scottmarks: It has been dry for so long that I had forgotten what falling rain sounded like.
- scottmarks: School young Orson Welles attended faces the wrecking ball: Click to enlarge Young Orson attending th.. http://tinyurl.com/3pu78g
- scottmarks: O.J. Simpson finally found guilty of something: What a lovely wedding gift for Mr. and Mrs. Howard St.. http://tinyurl.com/4fp9aq
- scottmarks: New Photos Added: Johnny Depp, Orson Welles, “Baby Jane,” Angie Dickinson, Jack Brickhouse.. http://tinyurl.com/4kucwn
- scottmarks: Review: HAPPILY EVER AFTER / Lidia Sheinin (2007): Happily Ever After (2007) Written and Directed by .. http://tinyurl.com/4pxov5
- scottmarks: Dorothy Kilgallen story optioned for big screen biopic: Arlene Francis, Bennett Cerf, Dorothy Kilgall.. http://tinyurl.com/4w6267
-
Quotes, Quips and Fun Facts
-
Fun Facts: The 4 Marx Brothers used to share the same prostitute and when one of them got her pregnant, they'd all split the cost of the abortion. You bet your life!
-
Image Vault
