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Moriarty's RUMBLINGS FROM THE LAB #29
Hey folks, Harry here. The bumbling wise half blind degenerate underground living professor of arcane methods of thievery has chimed in with his LATEst Rumblings from the Lab, and quite honestly... You must read his coverage of the Harrison Ford/Steven Soderbergh TRAFFIC project. As Moriarty just gives it what it deserves. With both hands and a bucket. Lots of good stuff this time out, and once again he's teasing the world with an appearance of his... but the fact is... he'll just send that retarded Mechanical Moriarty in his stay. Damn Victorian Scientific Balderdash!
Moriarty’s RUMBLINGS FROM THE LAB #29
Hey, Head Geek…
“Moriarty” here.
Hey, check it out! Now that I moved the column to a Wednesday deadline,
I’m actually early for once! I figured I should get the column out of
the way so that I could enjoy my trip to San Francisco, where I’ll
rendezvous with Harry, Father Geek, Annette Kellerman, a whole bunch of
you lucky readers, and the fine people of the Metreon who are having us
up. I tell you, getting hold of… oh, yeah, I can’t tell you what movie
it is. I almost slipped there, said the title. I guess you’ll just
have to show up on Thursday night and see what it is. I guarantee it’ll
be worth the trip.
I’ve just recently discovered the joys of WinAmp and RealJukebox on my
machine, and I’m playing the hell out of some older albums as a result.
I can’t get enough of Cibo Matto’s STEREO TYPE A this week, and
“Moonchild” keeps getting stuck on replay. In the meantime, I’ve been
doing quite a bit of reading, so I’d like to kick off today by talking
about some of the best stuff that’s bouncing around, a sort of Script
Review Round-Up.
VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC
I love Steven Soderbergh. I say this without any hesitation. I don’t
know what sort of evil pact with the dark forces he had to make to get
his career back on track, but they may be overcompensating for his
wilderness years with this latest streak of his. OUT OF SIGHT –-
brilliant. THE LIMEY –- outstanding. ERIN BROKOVICH –- getting amazing
word of mouth right now. And then there’s his next project, the film
before OCEAN’S 11, which I’m plenty damn excited about. In just a few
weeks, he goes in front of the cameras with TRAFFIC, one of the most
searing, angry, political pieces of film writing to cross my reading
stack in recent memory.
Make no mistake; TRAFFIC will be controversial. There’s no way for it
to avoid controversy. It’s a clear-eyed look at the failings of the
drug war in America, both on the political and the personal levels. It
is an angry film, but it never resorts to cheap tactics to make its
points. Instead, this is a film that layers information on. The script
by Steven Gaghan (RULES OF ENGAGEMENT) is perceptive, heartfelt, and jet
black. I can see why the film moved from Fox to Fox Searchlight. This
isn’t going to be easy mainstream fare no matter how many Harrison
Ford-level actors you sign to the thing. People feel very strongly
about this subject, and the arguments this film engenders are just
arguments we’ve been having on the national level for some time now.
All it does when you cast someone of Ford’s stature in the film is
guarantee that more people will enter the debate.
It’s one worth having, too, as this screenplay confidently asserts.
Gaghan was working from an acclaimed BBC documentary series about how
drugs are distributed and used in England, and moving the film’s setting
to America automatically means that emotions will run higher. After
all, England isn’t fighting a war against its own citizens, and it sure
isn’t doing it with a sense of skewed perspective like America. The
idea of a drug czar is strange enough, but Gaghan’s perceptive view of
how exactly someone gets to that position and what sort of compromises
are necessary just to keep the office functioning will no doubt
challenge many viewers and their preconceptions about whether or not any
good is being done by these efforts. Gaghan is smart enough to attack
the idea from every angle, with there being two major storylines that
form the backbone of the script, each offering a different view of the
world.
In the main story, Harrison Ford is signed to play Robert Lewis. He’s a
district court judge who is resigning his seat so that he can serve as
the new drug czar for the U.S. He’s a political animal, very aware of
the game, and as he is immersed in the world of drug policy, he gets a
view of it that very few private citizens ever do. He sees the futility
of many of the fights, the desperate quality to the negotiations with
other countries, the helplessness that is never spoken of. He’s also
given a unique window into understand the nature of addiction when his
daughter Caroline – a 16 year old who barely looks 12 – develops a
wicked crack addiction that rips his family apart.
In the secondary story, Helena Montoya – the role I think Catherine
Zeta-Jones is scheduled to play – is forced to learn about the drug
trade from the operations end of things when her husband Carl is busted
as part of a major multi-national operation. He’s a major cocaine
supplier, but Helena never knew about it. With him in jail and with
major debts hanging over her head, Helena has to learn the business and
make some very shrewd plays to protect herself and her family. Even
under tight surveillance from federal officers, she has to move to keep
her husband’s power consolidated and unchallenged. It’s a great role,
and a great storyline. I see that Monday’s NEW YORK DAILY NEWS is
reporting that Soderbergh is having the film adapted to incorporate her
pregnancy into the film. I’m sure he is. I bet he’s freakin’ delighted
by it, actually. The image of this woman pregnant, already a mother
once before, a model wife, as she digs into the world of coke smuggling
has got to just make him cackle with glee.
Really, though, there’s no weak links in this script. Every scene
indicts another target, scores another direct hit. It’s a blistering
piece of work, uncompromising in how it handles its subject matter.
Watching Caroline Lewis sink into the pit of a serious crack addiction
is wrenching, and there’s nothing about it that I’d call conventionally
entertaining, but it is compelling, something we should see. Robert
Lewis has his eyes opened in some startling ways in the film, and he has
all of his beliefs called into question when it’s his child, his home.
I won’t give away any of the film’s most powerful images, but there are
some things you’ll see towards the end of this film that you won’t
forget. Finally, Harrison Ford is being given a role that demands
something of him. He’s being given another Allie Fox, another Rusty
Sabitch, a character of extreme moral ambiguity. He’s going to have to
dig deep here, really put something of himself up on the screen again.
He can’t just fall back on The Finger of Doom, his favorite acting
trick. For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, check
out a great little site I found --
CLICK HERE -- that explains it in
graphic detail. Actually, even if you do know what I’m talking about,
check it out. It made me laugh very hard when Harry Lime first brought
it to my attention.
The thing that excites me most about TRAFFIC is that it gives Soderbergh
some real balls in the middle of a streak of fun films. I know ERIN
BROKOVICH deals with some serious material, but everyone I’ve talked to
who has seen it raves about the film’s sense of humor, the charge to the
whole thing. OCEAN’S 11 is going to be a romp by definition. It’s a
Vegas hipster heist movie. Heavy, it is not. That leaves TRAFFIC to
bear the weight of Soderbergh’s darker nature. I hope that when the
film is finished, it sparks some much needed discussion of how to dig
ourselves out of a national nightmare with real solutions, and not just
empty ideological wordplay. The best art is that which not only
reflects but changes the world around it, and TRAFFIC has the potential
to be just exactly that.
YOU NEED A GUY WHO CAN WRITE CRAZY SMALL
One of the best surprises involving the Academy Award nominations this
year was the inclusion of Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor for their canny
adaptation of ELECTION. The reason I’m particularly happy to see it
happen is because it makes real progress towards salvaging the “high
school” film from the creative hell of John Hughes-ripoffs. Miramax
seems to have been particularly determined to pump out more carbon copy
Freddie Prinze Jr. vehicles than anyone could ever find the nerve to sit
through. With ELECTION, though, there is proof that complex moral
themes can be examined using high school as a setting, not as a genre.
Right now, New Line has a project winding its way through development
that has the chance to be funny, edgy, smart, and hugely successful.
The film is CHEATERS, and it’s a true original, bold and funny with an
unflinching sense of honesty, ironic for a film about guys who can’t
help but cheat. An original screenplay by Andrew Gurland, CHEATERS
could be described as “GOODFELLAS in high school” if you were trying to
sum up the tone, but that only hints at the complexity of the piece. In
the latest draft of the script, less than a month old, we are shown the
“true story” of Andrew Gurland, the main character, and his three best
friends as they move through their final year of high school. They are
the guys you turn to when you have to pass a test, when you have to ace
a term paper, when you absolutely have no choice left but to cheat.
They aren’t just good at it… they’re freakin’ superheroes.
As soon as you open the script, the tone is set. There’s a page that
just explains “The World According To Gurland.” It’s a list of the
rules of conduct that define the world of the cheater. Such gems as
“Never hand your paper in early,” “Always get a couple wrong,” “Every
cheating outfit needs a guy who can write crazy small,” and “Never crib
on your body – you always have to be able to destroy the evidence at a
moment’s notice” suggest real practical knowledge of the world that’s
being written about. That’s what was so great about GOOD FELLAS, and
it’s one of the things that keeps people tuning in to HBO’s exceptional
THE SOPRANOS every week. People frequently lack the nerve to do these
things, but they love to watch other people do them. CHEATERS is
electric with the kick of the forbidden.
We see a series of chapters that explain how Andrew and Dino and Sammy
and Avidor all got together, how they formed the strange and tenuous
bonds that form the emotional core of the script. Then we’re brought up
to now, and we’re shown a series of incidents that challenges their
ideas of ethics and honor and what’s allowed and what isn’t. Their
friendships are put to the test in ways that evolve naturally,
believably. It’s wrenching to watch this group self-destruct. No
matter how heinous some of their behavior towards teachers or parents
is, they have family in one another. Seeing that melt down is tough,
and Gurland never flinches. He’s not afraid to let this supposed comedy
drift into darker territory. In fact, that seems to be part of the
theme. These thrills carry a weight, and karma does out.
This script has something that is rare in writing about people this
age. It has a sense of texture and respect towards all the characters.
Adults aren’t made into cartoons just to make the teenagers look
better. Teenagers aren’t made into little adults just to balance the
playing field. Instead, these are real people. This script feels like
real life all the way through. The idea that Gurland has named his main
character after himself, and the idea that he opens with a title card
that reads, “WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE IS A TRUE STORY”… it’s all
provocative. Obviously, I don’t know what is and isn’t fictionalized in
Gurland’s script. As a film, though, it’s perfect. It works out in a
way that isn’t easy and it doesn’t magically fix things, but it offers
real closure, a sense of growth. Real life rarely ever plays out so
well, so one must naturally be suspicious. It’s a risky move, one that
reminds me of Charlie Kaufman’s latest piece ADAPTATION, and I think
Gurland should be commended for making himself so deeply unlikable in
large parts of this script. This film doesn’t feel like someone
glorifying his past. More than anything, it feels like a confession, a
plea for forgiveness.
New Line is still a company that is capable of real edge, a company that
is known for taking risks. When Miramax lost its nerve on LORD OF THE
RINGS, New Line stepped up and did the deal better than it had been
before. When Universal blinked on 13 DAYS, New Line was smart enough to
get involved with Beacon and rescue it. Well, here’s a chance for New
Line to prove that they’re still ahead of the curve in a genre that
other companies are doing their best to beat to death. Destination
Films is going to go ahead with the fart-joke-funny version of the same
basic idea in the form of SLACKERS, a David H. Steinberg script that is
funny but empty, distasteful in large part, but entertaining in many
ways. Their film is set in a college, and the cheating is much less
realistic, but there will be comparisons made. New Line has got to step
up and make the great film, the one that gets remembered. If they do,
look for Gurland to be one of the most exciting emerging voices of the
decade.
DEAD RABBITS, NATIVE AMERICANS, AND MARTY
Can’t wait to see Martin Scorsese on Roger Ebert’s show next week. The
two of them will be discussing the Best Films of the ‘90s, a topic that,
as you know, I’ve written a few words about. Yes, yes… they’re coming.
I promise. You can blame Scorsese and his sometimes-collaborator Jay
Cocks for distracting me for a good chunk of this past weekend. I ended
up burying myself in the latest draft of GANGS OF NEW YORK, the epic
story of New York’s underworld as it worked in the mid-1800s.
I’m not sure who Robert De Niro is playing in the film –- Bill the
Butcher, Boss Tweed, or even Monk would be the logical guesses -- but
it’s obvious from page one who Leonardo Di Caprio is supposed to be.
Amsterdam Vallon is a great role for any young actor, and in Di Caprio’s
hands, there’s a chance for Amsterdam to be iconic. The film is
certainly painted in grand enough terms. Knowing that Disney is
spending the money to do this right makes me very excited. The opening
of the film is a glorious 15 page set piece that feels like something
out of George Miller’s THE ROAD WARRIOR. It’s like science-fiction,
otherworldly. When the title finally comes up at the end of the scene
and sets the time and place -- “New York City, 1851” -– it seems
impossible. Scorsese has discovered this wealth of material, previously
untapped on film, about the way the whole pecking order broke down in
New York’s underworld. I’ve read quite a bit about this as well, much
of it while researching Adam Worth, the loser that Arthur Conan Doyle
claims to have based me on. HA! As if I could be a mere copy of some
hood like him.
I don’t really want to spoil much of the script this far out. It’s so
bizarre, so richly painted, that it’s one of those experiences I believe
will overwhelm viewers. Like the wonderful script for FROM HELL that
Terry Hayes wrote for the Hughes Brothers, this film paints a real
picture of a historical period that we all have a faulty picture of in
our heads. It’s amazing how sanitized and proper some people think
recent history was. A film like GANGS OF NEW YORK promises to remind
them that no matter how far we think we’ve come, the world is the same,
and people don’t change.
SIZE DOESN’T MATTER
And when I say that, I’m speaking of course about SF thrillers. I’m
delighted by PITCH BLACK’s showing over the weekend. Their per-screen
was killer, and the box-office is actually going up from day-to-day as
people are telling their friends about it. People went, they had fun,
they’re telling other people. That’s how it’s supposed to work. When
you’re making a SF thriller that’s modestly budgeted, you have to rely
on the film clicking as entertainment. You can’t just bludgeon your
audience into submission with the latest and the greatest effects
tricks. Instead, you have to go back to the basic rules of narrative.
You have to work that little bit harder to take a high concept and
really make it live and breathe.
I was reminded of this when I got an advance copy of New Line’s Platinum
Series edition of THE HIDDEN this weekend via pneumatic tube. PHWOOP!
It just showed up, surprised me. I haven’t spared THE HIDDEN much
thought one way or another since I saw it upon its initial release. I
thought at the time that it was a fun action film, just smart enough
that I could recommend it without embarrassment.
As a special edition DVD, I can now recommend the film all over again.
I’ve watched it twice this weekend –- first as just the film, then again
with the commentary track by Jack Sholder playing –- and I had a great
time with the film. Kyle McLachlan’s performance really holds up as a
great entry into the grand tradition of aliens passing as human with
only moderate success. He’s funny, and he’s also oddly affecting in
many scenes. He takes an easy cliché –- the cop who’s partner and
family were killed –- and he invests it with real pathos. Michael
Nouri… well, he doesn’t bump into furniture or forget his lines, and
that’s really all he has to do here. The person who really makes all
this play is Sholder. Somehow, he pulled it all together here and
delivered on the kinetic action and the quiet character stuff with equal
aplomb. This should have given him an Andy Davis-like career bump, but
it didn’t. Instead, he’s just gone on toiling in the B-movie market,
and that’s a shame. Maybe this disc will serve as a great record of a
particular professional high watermark.
WORST VERSION OF BEST THING
Who's decision was it to market THE NEXT BEST THING like a cross between
MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING and THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION? I'm not
exactly falling all over myself to see the new John Schlesinger film,
but I figure they should at least advertise the film they've made. The
script for this film is pretty brutal stuff, especially in the last
third which deals with one character dying of AIDS while there's a
bitter custody battle over a child underway. The sort of happy
unconventional that the trailers are all built around is a bit of a lie,
a fleeting part of the movie. It's like they only want to hint at the
happy first act, afraid that no one will come if they tell you it's a
drama and it's supposed to be difficult. I think Paramount would be
wise to take the time between now and March 3 to ease new material into
the campaign. If they don't prepare people for that third act, then
they risk pissing off the audience they've tricked into coming to the
film. That's certainly no way to release a film that is a tricky sell
no matter what you do with it. Remember... as soon as the film is out,
people will figure out if you've been lying to them. Word of mouth
can't survive it when a film is totally misrepresented in a campaign,
and that's what you're doing here.
Well, that’s all for this week. Look for Harry and I to post our
reviews of… um, whatever that METREON thing is… on Friday of this week.
I’ll be back with a few reports this weekend, and then next week sees
the wrap-up of several ongoing reports for us at the Labs. It will feel
good to finally finish, and we think you’ll be pleased with the way it
all wraps up. Until then…
“Moriarty” out.
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gangs of new york is DOA. the beach plummetted 50% to 7th place getting beatin by the tigger movie no less starring harry knowles!
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Would you care follow up on your scoop regarding "The Transformers"?
Bob Skir, the writer of Beast Machines already spilled the beans that Hasbro is putting together the movie...
http://www.bigbot.com
go to discussion boards.
SuperMegaMedia has pulled down it's advertisement of the proposed photorealistic movie.
What will it be? Any insider news on the subject?
Thank you for your response.
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I'm working on a HS satiric script myself, so I'm always excited to hear about those types of movies doing good and getting made...my problem lies in overexposure*laugh*but doesn't that happen on any project...that's ok...if I get the script written that will be a mircle unto itself...Pitch Black--fun ride, thanks dear Prof. for alearting me to this...I've been spreading the word via email and word of mouth, can't wait to see the BO on this go up...can't really think of anything else, but I hated to see an empty talkback so I started rambling
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I thought he dropped out of Gangs of New York? It doesn't matter anyway. The movie's gonna tank regardless of who's in it. Leo better enjoy that $20 million paycheck cuz it's gonna be the last one he gets.
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especially TRAFFIC, although I'm pessimistic Harrison Ford will break the awful rut he's in; as every movie critic this side of Roger Ebert's shadow says, the man delivers one wooden performance after another these days. The movie will survive, however, and the message is timely. Hopefully it stirs up debate against the failed "War on Drugs". As for Leo, give him a break; every star is entitled to a dog of a movie; THE BEACH won't kill him (sorry to dissappoint the legion of whiny fanboys out there). He's one of the few true actors working in Hollywood (alongside mere celebrities). But alas he gets some teenage girls horny, so it is the Offical Duty of every fanboy worth his collection of Sailor Moon videos to hate him and pray to their Holy Father George Lucas to strike him dead. So I wish Leo and Harrison well, hoping they get out of the rut they're currently in.
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Moriarity is cool. that is all.
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call me cynical but methinks moriarty and harry are getting some nice $$ to hype up pitch black. Harry even makes a post defending the movie against many of the bad reviews its getting. I know I have no way of proving it, but its just a hunch.
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Feb 22, 2000 10:39:19 PM CST
the next best thing would be to ban madonna from appearing in an
by tommy five-tone
...because the bitch can't act for shit! you could market this a all-nude jennifer love hewitt/katie holmes getting down to some growling girl-girl action on a sex farm for sex hookers boob-a-rama and i still wouldn't see because that talentless black hole of ciccone is in it. rupert everett is digging a grave for his promising career by hanging out with this loser. but hey, cheaters, traffic and gangs of new york all sound way cool.
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and Rupert Everett should both be forbidden to do any lame ass techno remakes of a very cool song like American pie
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In an interview with Leo, he was asked about De Niro not being involved and he mentioned that it was some personal or family reason. And next I want to take issue with Moriarty about some of his facts on the Traffic portion of the Rumblings. Tony Blair, the British PM, does have a drug czar. His name is Keith Hellawell. Britain is using the same 'zero tolerance' policy on drugs as we have here in the United States.
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Hi, all. "Moriarty" here. One of the TALK BACKs above mentioned that the UK has a drug czar and a drug policy that is comparable to that in the US. Is this true? If so, how long has that been the case? I haven't had a chance to see the documentary that Soderbergh is drawing this film from, but if it details any of this, then I am dying to take a look at it. Please, educate me if I'm wrong about the UK. I was under the impression that no one was more completely and utterly backwards in national drug policy than we are here in the good ol' USA. If we have global competition, let's hear about it.
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Dear Dr., the BBC prod. that Traffic is based upon, Traffik, was a work of fiction, not a documentary. Now, you want to hear something truly bizarre? The screenwriter of Traffik, Simon Moore, also wrote the screenplay and is a producer for NBC's upcoming The Tenth Kingdom. Go figure!
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"Traffik" was NOT a BBC documentary series. It was a six-part drama serial produced for one of the BBC's rivals, Channel Four.
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Gee Moriarty, why on earth is it so difficult to just give a straight forward review of a script? Why do you need to go into a rambling on attacking Harrison? (the jab about the finger bit has nothing whatsoever to do with a review of a script!)
I am looking forward to this movie and with Harrison in it, I'm even more excited. He is at a great age to play the role of a judge.
Harrison has shown he can play the meaty roles (Witness, Mosquito Coast, Presumed Innocent, etc)and I'm delighted that "Traffic" will be another one he can add to his illustrious career.
Bash him all you want Moriarty, as there are many others who do happen to respect Harrison's acting ability.
I guess a few people giggled at your jabs at Harrison that you have now allowed that to affect your review of a script!
What A shame.
-Waterbottle36 out and about- -
Feb 23, 2000 1:04:38 AM CST
Harry, please put a stop to the anti-sentiments toward Harrison
by zoegirly
Harry, as a fan of your wonderful site, it angers and saddens me that more often than not, I must read Moriarty's hateful comments -- in one form of fashion or another -- directed toward the history's most popular and most successful film actor - Harrison Ford. Why does Professor Moriarty feel that he must voice his displeasure toward the acting legend in 75% of all his ramblings or scoops? Where does the hatred come from? Why the animosity toward the Star of the Century? As a fan of your top site, and of Harrison Ford, I ask you to take matters up with Moriarty's rambling attacks on this gifted screen presence. Or, at the very least, persuade the Professor to make public the reason behind his written attacks on the actor. Thank you, Harry.
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Sorry, my mistake. I just tend to assume that every British production I see on PBS is BBC work. We should also mention the way awesome score by God himself (i.e. Eric Clapton).
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it's not that the dear Dr. and many like him, including myself, bash Harrison Ford becasue we got off on it or we don't like his performances...it's just that lately Mr. Ford has seemingly just called in his performance, done the same type of char. not role but same char. and his movies have been...well frankly shit...Random Hearts, 6 Days-7 Nights, Air Force1 while being a fun ride was nothing to add to his work...you mentioned some great movies like Mesquito Coast, Witness, etc...but you have to admit that his recent efforts have been lacking right...so it is with great anticipation that we look forward to this outing between Ford and Soderbergh...A lot of us film geeks, think that Harrison Ford is one of the coolest actors of our time who has not lived up to his coolness factor, that is why we critize Ford...because we know he is cabable of greater things and isn't following though on that...but now he is with this role in this movie--I hope you understand now
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read my comments to Waterbottle and you'll see where we come from
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Harry what the hell is your icon doing up there in the corner...licking the snot out of his nose...dude get some help for that =)
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Thanks for responding and stating your thoughts on this matter.
-Waterbottle36 out and about- -
no problem just stating how I feel...god I hate insomnia...why am I up at this ungodly hour
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Feb 23, 2000 1:38:11 AM CST
re: Moriarty's continuous Ford bashing -- Thank you, Everett Rob
by zoegirly
Thank you for being kind enough to respond...I respect the honesty of your feelings. It still saddens me though, that it appears that the old professor is on some type of personal vendetta against the world's most popular film star - Harrison Ford. It has been apparent in many of his ramblings, posts, and scoops for quite some time now. But, I guess there are worse things going on in the world than that. Thank you again, Everett Robert...that was very kind of you to respond. Yes, insomnia sucks! I know what you mean!
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Thank you, Moriarty, for taking me to that great page. I'm laughing my ass off. Somebody should do the same thing for Robert de Niro every time he does his grimace/shrug.
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Didn't the fact that this US-set film is based on a UK-set TV series suggest to you that the drug policy situation might just conceivably be vaguely analogous? Elementary.
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First I'd like to take exception to remarks Moriarty made about Soderbergh leaving his "Wilderness" period. Exactly what was that? King of the Hill, one of the most underappreciated films of the 90's? The Underneath, a cooly stylish remake which was the first time he showed his talent for time-frame shuffling? Gray's Anatomy, probably the best film of a stand up or spoken word artist ever made? Or were you referring to Schizopolis, a film Soderbergh financed himself and was one of the most original, daring, and inrgiguing films I've ever seen? I think it's a bit unfair to categorize a highly transforming and creative period in a filmmaker's career as being "in the wilderness", something probably more fitting (if still unfairly) Orson Welles. As for Harrison Ford, the reason there are so many pot shots taken at him is BECAUSE he is the most popular film actor. It's very clear to most intelligent people that Harrison simply doesn't live up to his hype. He isn't a good (depending on how feeble your definition of "good" is) actor, let alone a great one, and is a perfect example of how movie star and actor have become two totally different things over the last 50 years. Humphrey Bogart, who was not too long ago chosen the greatest film star of all time, didn't have a very wide range, but was still 10 times the actor that Ford is. Nothing Harrison has done, or probably will ever do, could match Bogie's work in The Big Sleep, The African Queen, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, or Casablanca for that matter. You could also compare the different versions of Sabrina for an easy and laughable comparison. Get the stars out of your eyes and call a spade a fucking spade. You can enjoy Arnold's films without calling him a good actor, why can't you admit the same is true of Indiana Groans? By the way, for what it's worth, Harrison Ford graduated from my high school, but refuses to come back and visit because apparently he was a total geek (member of the Model Railroad Club) who was made fun of by students and teachers, nicknamed "Fairy Horde". Now THAT'S funny.
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Moriarty - the Drugs Czar is Keith Halliwell, and he was the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police during the Hillsborough Disaster in 1989. Suffice to say he left the post under some black clouds and resurfaced 18 months ago under a new job description dreamnt up by the government to combat the rising drug epedemic. As far as politics go, Halliwell is extreme. He sees weed/pot as the route of all evil. He thinks jail terms are a good combatant to drug offenses regardless of class description. All in all he's a fucking deadly combination. But I don't think discussing further Halliwell issues on Aint it Cool is the right thing. By the way if you want Traffik, I'll get you a copy no problem.
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Feb 23, 2000 4:18:26 AM CST
re: Lazarus Long - Bogart Vs. Ford - YOU'RE WRONG - They are BOT
by zoegirly
Bogart was a great actor. I won't argue that. One of the very best of his time...quite possible the very best of his time. But comparing his stature as an actor and his star quality against Harrison's would be like comparing apples and oranges. They both lived in different times, made different films, lived under different visions. As for the AFI's Greatest Actors & Actresses list from last year (1999) that you're referring to: part of the rules to be considered for the list, for one, an actor or actress had to have made their first film before the year of 1950. So see, there was no way that Harrison Ford could have made the list at all, because he didn't make his first film until 1966. Other great actors of today that didn't qualify for that list (because of the 1950 debut cutoff) are: Nicholson, Eastwood, Pacino, De Niro, Freeman, Hoffman, etc. They, like Ford, didn't make their debuts until after the cutoff date of 1950. So, all of them weren't considered for the Greatest Actors of the 20th Century List that the AFI selected last year. That's OK...You can dog Harrison all you want. But, it will not accomplish anything. All you are providing through your venom is just your opinion. Some may even agree with you...but most others would strongly disagree. Harrison Ford's fans have stuck with him through thick and thin -- even after something like his Random Hearts -- with voting him their favorite big screen actor in almost every popularity poll that he has ever been competing in. He's the most popular and most successful film actor of our time...not bad for a poor Jewish kid from Chicago.
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O.K. I KNOW I'm slagging a film before it comes out but I just gotta. CHEATERS, THE SOPRANOS and every other 'exploration' of thug behavior is becoming a trend--I'm not sure anyone is sure why the public likes it so much. Well I know why they like it...it's because they portray the THUGS we all sometimes feel like becoming. They also portray the adulterers, racists, murderers and assholes we all wanna be. People, this is what is known as artistic catharsis. Art, we already know is a self indulgent medium. When it is played on a large screen with wide release and big stars--the catharsis becomes every frustrated writer and director playing out their therapy for the rest of us to see. What it does is either something exciting, ala GOODFELLAS or PULP FICTION or annoying, ala every Woody Allen Movie lately. Listen. Whatever happened to Assholes being just assholes? What exactly is going on here? Are we witnessing apologists who 'break down' and 'dissect' shitty behavior for the simple purpose of diluting being a walking pie4ce of shit? I believe in a free society we can film whatever we want and go see whatever we want. I only wish the folks in Hollywood understood this. Being an old school left-winger I hate to agree with that jack booted moralist Michael Medved--but they really are trying to redefine mainstream society out there in Tinseltown. They really are trying to push a psychoanalytically gray view of the world. I know a jerk off when I see one. And movie after movie after movie about how we shouldn't 'hate people for being flawed' is NOT changing anyone's opinion except for the worst. It is why we are becoming increasingly paranoid, untrustworthy and neurotic as a society. Camile Paglia said something to the effect of: We watch the Sopranos not because of our fascination with Italian American Culture but our fascination with how the characters openly TREAT blacks, jews and women. Just relaying. Discuss.
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sorry no role with his sorry ass in it will ever be iconic.
maybe for little girls -
Sorry, I had to say it! I'm surprised the Pro-Ford people haven't said it already. You know, I've been on here seven or eight months and no one has EVER said to me "I know where you can stick your Thumbs" as an insult. I've been waiting for it and been waiting to say "that is so original" but no one has said it before. Now, it's too late. I swear, some of you guys wouldn't know a decent insult if it sat on your face and wiggled.
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Sorry for my above, somewhat off-topic post. I want to say that I do not believe Moriarty deserves a finger of any kind right now because, for the most part, he's right! Now, I believe there is acting talent hidden somewhere beneath that self-righteous mask of wooden acting. I think that the stuff cranked out right now by Ford ("Airforce One" anyone?) is a series of crap. If anyone call pull a good performance out of Harrison's rear, it's Soderbergh. "Out of Sight" is on my permanent list of favorite movies. Dammit, I'm late for class...I'd skip it and continue to post, but it's film history.
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Ok, I can finish what I was posting about...I have to agree that the ads for "The Next Best Thing" seem to give the movie the same tone as that one with Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd that had a slightly similar theme. The ads for THAT movie made it seem like something it was not, too. The treatment of "The Next Best Thing" also reminds me why I didn't like "Election" at first. I went into that movie thinking it was almost entirely different than it was because of the marketing. I went with my Dad...and let's just say that no matter how liberal my parents are in subject matter of movies, it is STILL uncomfortable to watch Matthew Broderick screw his wife from behind while thinking of Reeses Witherspoon's character telling him to do her. I knew the movie had elements of sex in it, but not THAT much! I have no problem with it, I had a problem with the viewing experience. Try not laughing at certain sex jokes just so your parent won't know you understand them. No matter how old you are, they really can't handle that...Reese Witherspoon was the best thing about that movie, I must add as a positive end note.
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Actually, I was referring to the special magazine issue that Entertainment Weekly (i think) put out a year or so ago. Normally I wouldn't reference this shitrag publication, but let's face it, the AFI's 100 films list was a roll of toilet paper if there ever was one, and the actors/actresses list was slightly more palatable because more people agree on the selection from that pool. But regardless, the point I'm trying to make isn't that Ford isn't popular; that is obvious. But millions of people have bought, seen, or read bad things before, and Harrison's popularity doesn't automatically make him a good actor. Are the Backstreet Boys a great "band"? To champion Ford's work as an "actor" is laughable to me. Exactly who do you people think is a worse actor than Ford? Carrot Top? Gilbert Godfried? How dare YOU sir?!
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I read "Cheaters" and while I thought the story was really interesting and realistic I also thought it was a bit childish. It didn't seem like the characters were so well drawn out, to me it seemed like a very long, well written episode of "Saved By the Bell". Maybe this last draft was better but I didn't get the feeling that the writing was so unique.
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God knows hers isn't hidden.
Anyway, I totally recommend The Hidden on DVD, it's just fantastic, and skip the sequel.
I heard a rumor that Madonna was the choice for Wonder Woman. Can you say the suck'o'meter just blew? -
Yo darthpsychotic, you my main man. I had a wet dream about you last night. You were wearing a t-shirt that said "Fanboys Rule!" and then you stuck your meaty cock in my open mouth, and... well I'll tell you when we're alone. Hey this post ain't about Being John Malkovic (the best movie I've seen in years). At any rate Fuck all you fanboys. DMFC and BigLarz! suck. I hate BigLarz! Fuck you go and die in the Blair Witch project you fags. DMFC get out of your parent's basement. Hey everyone Suck it! (Bet you can't think of a comeback to that one.) Well if you can then take this: That's Bottom Line cause Stone Cold Says so! (Now that's a current and catchy zinger. All you fanboys will be crying for weeks after that one.) Now I gotta go see my girl and drink some beeeeeers!!!! My boy Dan is having a birthday party. Go play hackey sack and SUCK IT! (Shit, I got you fanboys again!!)
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however you might want to forward your post to mr. dicrapio he may need your admiration more than i since his 'movie' plummeted 50% and is now behind the tigger movie which apparently stars harry knowles as tigger!
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yes, i too read that madonna is talking about playing wonder woman, with reprehensible rush hour hack brett ratner at the helm. can you say 'fuck-up of almost biblical proportions', kids? it's real simple: NO MORE MADONNA MOVIES! i'm not saying she's a bad actress, i'm saying she can't act AT ALL!!!
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As a Brit who saw it all many many years ago, just like to enter the Harrison Ford debate by saying that the part was originally played by the excellent Scottish actor Bill Paterson, and that the movie would probably be all the better if it was again. Remember, the last time Hollywood tried to make a "Hollywood" movie from a top British TV serial, the result was "She-Devil". Nuff said, I think.
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Do you have any further news about the "Bruce Wayne" TV series? YOu were very eager to tell us all about it when it was "on", but since the Hollywood Reporter stated it was "on hold", you haven't mentioned it at all. The same can be said about Harry. What's the scoop guys?
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Smoke & Mirrors: The War On Drugs and the Politics of Failure by Dan Baum. It's the true story of America's war on drugs from LBJ through Clinton. It's a hell of an entertaining book full of information everyone should have. Plus, it will piss you off something fierce...and aint that what we're all looking for in life?
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So what if Moriarity doesn't like Harrison Ford? For the love of God people, get a grip. People are allowed to not like certain actors. Which was not what he said anyway, he was criticizing his recent film roles. I myself would rather eat my own toe jam that sit through a Ben Affleck movie, but hey, that's me. I mean, are you screwing him or something? Do you have some personal or financial vested interest in his career that will make or break you? If not, stop whining. I love Steven Soderbergh, however. So much so I might actually watch a movie of his EVEN if Ben Affleck was in it. By the way, Harry, I don't want to have to see you LICKING anything, even if it is in cartoon form. Please lose the graphic in the corner before I lose my lunch.
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It's been so long since we had any detailed news about Mission Impossible 2. And there hasn't been one word reviewing the film in any rough form. This is such a huge movie - You'd think there would be SOME kind of leak. Let's hear it!! Some guy running a John Woo site was even allowed to watch the editing but what does he do with this fantastic opportunity?! He decides not to talk about what was seen!! Unbelievable. Why even mention it all then?
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...about that thing of concealing an important third act event in the trailer.
Everbody knows that previews aren't meant to give the audience the entire story.
Unfortunately that seems to be what happens to many previews: They give away the ending, or major parts of the falling action, knocking just that many more surprises out from under the prospective viewer. I want to know less. I want to be given the story for the first time.
All the preview should do is act as a hook.
As for pissing off viewers who didn't get what was expected...
...that happens even with films whose endings have been spoiled. This way, we get to have the odd suprise every now and then. -
Feb 24, 2000 10:39:54 AM CST
Soderberg Rules! Gangs Are Cool! And You're Very Right About The
by buzz maverik
Haven't seen Pitch Black, yet. Will probably catch it on video, due to the nipper, but it sounds great.
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OK im sorry but i personally cant wait to see Dicaprio surrounded by all that talent in a role where he doesnt have the excuse of being a teenager clone of every other tennager clone. His lack of talent will stick out like john rocker in Harlem. Dicaprio earned his stripes playing a retard and he hasnt done a damn thing worth praising since then.(sorry Jack you suck too)Dont be suprised if Scorsese smartens up and ditches this loser.(by the way yes he was in two movies with deniro but they both were bombs so you do the math)
if they want a real actor for that role in "streets of.." look at the kid from bronx tale -
Steven Soderbergh is a fantastic director! I LOVED out of sight! It was a great display of his talent. BUT the limey shows just how far he can go! it was the most wonderfuly unconventional thing I've ever seen. Cutting old movie clips with tanace Stamp into this one: GENIUS!! oh man and the the entire way he told the story! it was FANTASTIC! I can't wait to see his new one and I know Traffic will be great- as you can see I get a little excited about this stuff!
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Indeed, DeNiro has dropped out of the film, according to our intelligence. And, at last look, Heather Graham was being sought for the female lead. For the complete report, go to http://iserver.contentproject.com/ifusebeta/popculprit/1,1430,fast_news,00.html.
It's an older story of our, so it's near the bottom.
Sincerely,
Leslie Gornstein
News Editor
iFUSE -
is the draft referred to in your column of the From Hell script the one that Pitt is attached to,and is the script online yet?
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but mearly blow...I'm kidding there of course, I'm sure I'll get a lot of heat for this (assuming of course anyone will read this but I digress)anywho...Leonardo Dicaprio doesn't suck...yes in recent years he has become almost a caricture of himself, with his Possee and 20million paychecks and such...yes he made his mark playing a retard, and I agree with people who say that people who play retards shouldn't get oscar nods, those who play opposite of them do, in DiCaprio's case, Johnny Depp gave the better performance but Leo's over the topness stole the show...someone above me mentioned he hasn't been in a decent role scince Gilbert Grape...What about Celebrity, yes it was basically a Cameo but it was still a very good performance...what about The Basketball Diaries, another great performance that should have garnered him an Oscar...his roles in A Boys Life and Marvin's Room, while not critical success I don't think ever were supposed to be...both of those movies weren't banking on DiCaprio opening them, they were both char. driven films and to say that they 'bombed' is a bit of an overstatement...sure every movie wants to have Blair Witch, or Star Wars, or whatnot numbers, but it's a fact that they don't...and face it only film geeks, movie lovers, etc go see a Robert DeNiro or Meryl Streep movie...an average movie goer knows their names but you rarely hear Joe Blow say to his wife "hey lets go see that DeNiro movie"...no actors in those movies are not your Mel Gibson's your Julia Roberts, your Tom Cruises, your Bruce Willis...and I think that we as film lovers are grateful for that...so to say that because DeNiro and DiCaprio teamed up twice before and those movies bombed they shouldn't team up again i think is a false and shallow argument showing us that perhaps AICN is getting bigger then we can imagine...I usually think of us as this little villiage when it is growing all around us and becoming more and more mainstream...hopefull our love of movies by Sam Rami and Martian Scorcese and Besson and Kuroswa and others will open these mainstream people into new venues...so I guess at the end of this long winded rant I should conclude...no I'm not excited about DiCaprio and DeNiro teaming up, if they do which looks doubtful...but I am always excited about a new Scorcese film...I am excited about the possiblity of Brando, DeNiro and Norton teaming up though...3 great actors from 3 different movie periods...Brando the greatest actor from the studio period...DeNiro, the greatest actor of the mavrick era...and Norton the greatest actor of the independent era...well it sends goosebumps down my spine...but give DiCaprio he's dues...yea I hated R+J...I could careless about Titantic, it was a fun ride the first time that made me shed a tear...The Beach, well it doesn't look appealing to me so I have't seen it...but give the man his dues...he was once a great actor...and I think the actor inside of DiCaprio is aching to get out of DiCaprio the Celebrity--flame on
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ok it's just a correction...above I said boys life and marvin's room weren't critical successes, I ment Box Office successes...please forgive--flame on
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He Darth Joe, according to the talk back under the Gladiator story, the movie shown was Gladiator. In addition, there is also a rumor that George Lucas was at the screening as well. Hopefully Harry and company will be up soon and post. (It's currently 6:30 am out here in California and I'm getting ready for work myself as I write this.)
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I have no idea what film you're talking about, but if the Jennifer Love Hewitt/Katie Holmes film ever gets made you've should get money for that tag line. Laughed my ass off on that one!
Sorry you've got such a thing with Madonna... -
and I love Jennifer Lopez's ass, but I gotta tell ya that "Out of Sight" failed on many different levels - the first being the George Clooney level.
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Indeed, DeNiro is not expected to appear in the film, according to our report. We also have sources saying that Heather Graham is being sought by producers for the lead role. For the full report, please see:
http://iserver.contentproject.com/ifusebeta/popculprit/1,1430,fast_news,00.html
The story is one of our older ones, so you will have to scroll to near the bottom of the page.
Sincerely,
Leslie Gornstein
News Editor
iFUSE -
This is all very confusing,.. firstly, if romours are true, CZJ is pregnant, which will make it harder for her to be in this film. And secondly, I just read today that Michael Douglas might play the part that apparently Ford left behind. See? it's all very confusing. CYL
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Is this a history lesson? Um, wasn't this, like, a month ago? I missed it the first time, though, so I'm content. Just confused.
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Is this a history lesson? Um, wasn't this, like, a month ago? I missed it the first time, though, so I'm content. Just confused.
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What more can we ask for. TRaffic and Ocean's 11 show what true filmmaking is all about. Soderberg is one cool director.
Gangs reteams Zillian with Martin in movie that looks to be on the level of the Godfather.
CHEATERS has an aspect of loyalty that films never show anymore, maybe except ROUNDERS -
This is an old article. If you look at the talkback dates you see most of them are from Feb. As far as Traffic goes I here Mike Douglass is in. Zeta Jones is suposed to be a Drug Dealing House wife. I think her being pregnant and delivering coke might be just the thing to stir up contraversy that traffic is suposed to be about.
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