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Dino screams his review of LAZARUS AND THE HURRICANE
Hey folks Harry here with Dino's enthusiastic (to say the least) and all-caps look at Norman Jewison's latest film, LAZARUS AND THE HURRICANE. I'm a pretty big fan of Jewison's work. From IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT to FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR to ROLLERBALL, A SOLDIER'S STORY to AGNES OF GOD. And some of those in between. He's been a filmmaker to watch closely, though lately I haven't been the biggest fan. Hopefully, and from the sound of it, this film will be one to really show off his talents as a fantastic filmmaker again. If you have anything more on this film... Let me know. Now here's DINO with his report and there are spoilers in it!
SAW THE NEW NORMAN JEWISON FILM LAST NIGHT, AND LET'S JUST SAY ONE THING:
"AND THE NOMINEES ARE.....". I'M NOT EXACTLY A BIG FAN OF DENZEL
WASHINGTON, BUT IF HE DOESN'T GET A BEST ACTOR NOMINATION, I'LL LOSE ALL
FAITH IN THE ACADEMY.
SPOILERS AHEAD.
THE FILM STARTS OFF IN BLACK AND WHITE FOR THE FIRST FEW MINUTES, (ALA RAGING
BULL)SHOWING US THE HURRICANE IN ACTION IN THE RING. DENZEL GOT HIMSELF IN
INCREDIBLE SHAPE FOR THIS FILM, AS HE IS AS RIPPED AS I'VE EVER SEEN HIM.
THE HURRICANE IS SHOWN BEATING THE HELL OUT OF SOME POOR CHUMP ENROUTE TO A
WIN. WE LEARN ABOUT THE HURRICANE'S CHILDHOOD, SEE WHAT HAPPENED THE NIGHT OF
THE SHOOTINGS IN PATTERSON, AND HOW HE WAS ARRESTED BY A RACIST COP, (PLAYED
BY DAN HEDAYA)AND CHARGED WITH MURDER EVEN AFTER ONE OF THE VICTIMS SAID IT
WASN'T HIM. THE HURRICANE IS PUT IN THE HOLE, BY THE PRISON WARDEN, AFTER
REFUSING TO PUT ON THE INMATES UNIFORM, STATING THAT SINCE HE DIDN'T COMMIT A
CRIME, HE SAW NO REASON TO WEAR THE UNIFORM. THE HURRICANE SPENDS 3 MONTHS IN
THE HOLE, WHERE HE SLOWLY LOSES HIS MIND.
WHEN HE'S SENT BACK INTO THE GEN. POP. HE IS BEFRIENDED BY A GUARD (PLAYED BY
THE GUY WHO PLAYED THE GAY INMATE WHO ATTACKED TIM ROBBINS IN SHAWSHANK) WHO
LETS HIM WEAR PRISON ISSUED HOSPITAL CLOTHES, SO HE WON'T HAVE TO LOOK LIKE
EVERYONE ELSE.
THE HURRICANE REFUSES TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY INMATE ACTIVITIES, AND SPENDS ALL
HIS TIME READING, AND WORKING OUT IN HIS CELL. AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESFUL
ATTEMPTS AT AN APPEAL, AT A HE ENDS UP WRITING HIS BIOGRAPHY, AND IT BECOMES
A BEST SELLER.
A FEW YEARS LATER, A YOUNG STREET TOUGH ILLITERATE BLACK KID NAMED, LEZRA (A
NEW ACTOR, WHO MAKES JAKE LLOYD SEEM LIKE OLIVIER) BUYS THE BOOK AT A FLEA
MARKET, FOR A QUARTER. LEZRA LIVES WITH A HAPPY WHITE COUPLE WHO TOOK HIM IN
AFTER MEETIG HIM AT AN EPA PROGRAM. HE CHOSE THE BOOK AS HIS FIRST BOOK, AND
BECAME INSTANTLY FASCINATED WITH THE HURRICANE'S STORY.
HE BEGAN WRITING, AND VISITING THE HURRICANE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, ALWAYS
BELIEVING IN HIS INNOCENCE. HE AND HIS FOSTER PARENTS END UP MOVING FROM
CANADA, SO THEY CAN BE CLOSER TO THE HURRICANE, AND WORK WITH HIS LAWYERS TO
PROVE HIS INNOCENCE.
WE ALL KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS, BUT WATCH OUT FOR AN INCREDIBLE COURTROOM
SCENE WITH A SPECIAL CAMEO BY ROD STEIGER AS A NO NONSENSE JUDGE.
NOT TOO MANY DRY EYES AFTER THIS ONE. THE ONLY NEGATIVE ABOOUT THIS FILM WAS
THE KID WHO PLAYED LEZRA, IN ONE OF THE WORST PERFORMANCES I'V EVER SEEN.
DURING ONE SCENE WHERE HE'S SLEEPING, HE WAKES UP AND ANSWERS A SPLIT SECOND
BEFORE A KNOCK ON THE DOOR IS HEARD. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY LEFT THAT IN THE
FILM.
ON THE OTHER HAND, LOOK FOR WASHINGTON, JEWISON, AND HEDAYA TO NAB OSCAR
NOMINATIONS.
DINO.
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Harry,
I salute you for finding people who will report on such things. This is a film which I highly anticipate. Though I am no big Jewison fan, I like Denzel and am familiar with the case. it sounds very good. -
All I know is, I love the song by Bob Dylan. If any of you people didn't know, Bob Dylan has a song named "Hurricane" which is what this movie is apparently based on. Only thing is, I've always wondered whether it was a true story or not. Can anyone help me on that? Aside from the cool song, (which I think would be a travesty if it is not played in the movie!) this sounds like such a great idea. "The Shawshank Redemption" is one of my favorite movies and if this movie can even partly duplicate what "Shawshank" did, it will surely be a good film.
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The title has been shortened from "Lazarus and the Hurricane" simply to "The Hurricane" to be released Dec. 25.
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man, I just had to post to express my views on the best movie ever, which is Carl Franklin and Billy Bob Thornton's "One False Move". In it, Bill Paxton plays a character named Hurricane which is a metaphor for the real life hurricane, as recreated in this denzel washington schwill. If you haven't seen it (which, you all being movie geeks, I'm sure you have), FRIGGIN RUN to the video store and pick up a copy. It's been my favorite flick for, jeez, closing in on 10 years now.
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Damn, my ears are still ringing from that review. To BDDres: yes, Dylan's song was based on the real-life, wrongful imprisonment of Rubin (sp?)"Hurricane" Carter. In fact, Dylan's ode was actually credited with drawing a great deal of attention to the case, and, ultimately, winning Carter his freedom. It's a great story, and I'd love to see Jewison return to form with this flick (it's hard to see a man who once gave us IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT reduced to knocking out BOGUS.)
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but what was he thinking when he put that damned violin in it.
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Leave it to Dylan to throw in something that'll completely undermine the potential commercial appeal of his song. All from a guy who writes some of the best rock lyrics ever, then mumbles them so you can't understand a word. Gotta love him.
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I also saw the screening of the film, and the song is used to great effect, during the movie, and right before the end. Dino was right, the crowd was in tears (men and women!)and it received a nice 2 minute round of applause.
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This movie is not based on Dylan's song, it is based on Rubin Carter's books "The 16th Round" and "Lazarus and the Hurricane". I read a version of this script a while ago, and it was very good then. I know there was once talk of casting Wesley Snipes in this and I am very glad that fell through. Denzel will be able to invest the role with the dignity and force of character that marks the real Hurricane. I know that this project has been a real labor of love for the Beacon Pictures, so I am really glad that it appears that their goal of producing a film that will honor Carter is coming to fruition. I will definitely see this one in a theater.
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Harry forgot to mention Only You and Moonlight which are two really great Jewison films.
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just had to drop a line to let you know that I saw the "finished" cut last night. The final credits were still missing but everthing else seemed finished. Jewison himself introduced the screening with Rubins family and several members of the press in attendence. The film plays long at slightly over two and a half hours but was without question the best dramatic piece that I have seen this year. Denzyl was fantastic in conveying the intense innner strength Of the "Hurricane". As well as Carter's personal philosophys on how to obtain freedom. Washington will be a clear Oscar favorite when the film hits.
As far as the ending goes not a dry eye in the house. In fact Ms. Train cried for the last third of the film. -
Awesome review!! Can't wait to see
it!! One thing though, in comparing to Shawshank, let's get
one thing straight. The inmate who kept going after Tim Robbins wasn't gay, he was just a rapist!
Both Stephen King and Frank Darabont wanted to make that perfectly clear!! By the way, the
actor's name is Mark Rolston . A
film w/ Mark and Denzel?? I'M READY!!!! -
I thought I'd also mention another similarity between Hurricane and The Shawshank Redeption. Clancy Brown, the actor that played Capt. Hadley in Shawshank, is also playing a prison guard in Hurricane.
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The review mentions a "happy white couple" who are his foster parents. In things I've read about the real story, I thought Lesra was taken in by two men. I've never heard mention of a woman being involved. Was she added so that there would be a female character? Or was she involved in real life? Deborah Unger, I assume, plays the Canadian woman... is she with John Hannah's or Liev Shreiber's character? Where does John Hannnah's character, Terry, come in?
I hope someone's seen the film or knows some background about the true story and can help me out.
SRAH -
Earlier, I heard Greg Kinnear was supposed to be one of the Canadians, but I haven't heard him mentioned recently. Was he or not?
SRAH
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