Thursday, March 04, 2010

Behind the Scenes

Theme days continue... only 3 days until Oscar! Final predictions later today. Today's semi-coherent thru-line: 'Behind the Scenes'. No, no. I have no idea why I'm doing theme days either. It's just something to keep us going like NoDoz.

3 of our favorite movie people: actor Clive Owen, DP Emmanuel
Lubezki and director Alfonso Cuarón on the set of Children of Men


So as I down that last cup of morning joe, answer me this question (twice) in the comments:
  • Which movies -- this Oscar year and all time -- would you most have liked a set visit on and why?

30 comments:

NATHANIEL R said...

ummm... okay i'll start.

I would have wanted to visit the set of Broken Embraces or maybe Nine to see the ladie(s) in action, Penélope Cruz. but especially NINE. and when i was done gazing at the divas... maybe I could have convinced Rob Marshall to tweak a few things. and not cut two of my fav songs)

(no, i'll never let that decision go)

all time... I gotta go with XANADU. Just because. For real?

James T said...

Rear Window. See these actors and that director!


Death Becomes Her.


Jude.


To Die For.

This year: Julia and Precious

Peter Chan said...

I've always wanted to visit the set of 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' as a kid and eat everything in that first room- even if cannibalism is against the laws of society.

OtherRobert said...

All time? That's easy: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. The shenanigans going on behind the scenes and on the set would be greater to watch than the film itself, which is still pretty darn good. I'd hope I'd get to see Bette Davis flip out that Victor Buono was too fat and ugly for her character to have feelings for before realizing the man was a fine actor.


This year? Drag Me to Hell, just to see those practical effects go off in person.

Anonymous said...

mmm...Dancer in the dark, seeing Björk and Lars arguing must be so funny

tia said...

I would have to choose LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring because I had a slight obsession with the movies and must have watched the DVD extras a hundred times. To witness an epic... wow. Not to mention all the eye candy. Dirty and sweaty is such a turn on.

All time, I would have to go with Gone with the Wind. The costumes, the accents, Twelve Oaks and Tara, Clark, Vivian, and Olivia... sigh.

NATHANIEL R said...

anon --- you must have an intersting sense of humor.

james t -- is that just to see the actors working (Julia?)

KTibbs617 said...

I happily second NINE, all those people in one room.

For all time?
The Philadelphia Story
and Out of Africa
a)location, location, location
b)La Streep
c)Redford's "Don't move."
d)to know if Sydney Pollack really did allow the lion to be untied.

ShoNuff Lives said...

i would have loved to be onset for:

this year: sherlock holmes. sure it wasn't great, but didn't it seem like they were all having a blast making it?

all time:
-the vivica fox-uma thurman fight sequence in kill bill - the fighting, the sass, the personalities, just good fun
-notorious - bergman, grant, rains, hitchcock, buenos aires, just so much to watch/learn/enjoy
-all about eve - i mean, does this even need a "why" given the personalities on set?
-some like it hot - ditto
-the last dragon - its who i am

Joe K said...

Hmmm...

The Helms Deep sequence in The Two Towers.

James Cameron sinking his Titanic; sure, it's not a great movie, but it must have been one hell of a sight.

East of Eden. James Dean. Nuff said.

Jason Adams said...

The filming of the pup-tent scene in Brokeback Mountain would have been a nice time and place to visit, I think.

James T said...

Nathaniel, I'm not sure I get your question but the reason is to see the transformation from Tilda to Julia. Plus, (I just remembered that) there are around 1 and a half more hours that were cut in its last form. I'd certainly like to see these scenes.

Robert Hamer said...

Yeah, sorry to be so unoriginal, but the idea of seeing Marion Cotillard and Penelope Cruz doing their musical numbers in person is too mouth-watering to pass up.

As for all time, I'd love to just spend a whole day exploring all the hidden rooms and crazy spaces of Terry Gilliam's Brazil.

sdp said...

One of the Altman films with the huge casts. Probably either Nashville or Short Cuts. Altman's shoots were supposed to be a blast, and I would love to see him work.

It would be great to wander around Brazil's sets, and Gilliam is an engaging guy, but Lost in La Mancha is as close as I ever want to get to one of his sets. Unless you want to be there for the sheer awkwardness. If I was looking for that, though, I would probably prefer watching David O. Russell and Lily Tomlin on Huckabees, or Fincher making an increasingly exasperated Gyllenhaal do 100+ takes on Zodiac.

Deborah said...

Top Hat is my all-time favorite movie, and how I would have adored to watch Astaire & Rogers rehearse!!

But I am deeply attracted to the notion of watching the classic Aston Martin chase, complete with ejector seat, from Goldfinger

Fernando Moss said...

all time: BOOGIE NIGHTS... with all THAT cast and THAT director and, well, everything that made that movie what it is. I bet it was super fun...

this year: probably NINE because of the actresses involved, and the music...

Billy D said...

How about two of the most famous unfinished pictures of all time, Something's Gotta Give with Marilyn and Annie Get Your Gun with Judy. Would have LOVED to see what those sets were like...

As for this year, I'm sure Inglorious was a fun set, and Bright Star must have been gorgeous.

E Dot said...

TITANIC! Sure, James Cameron probably would have insulted me and pushed me out of his way. But maybe I'd be able to slide down the massive ship?

Iggy said...

I think I would've loved to visit the set of one of those classic screwball comedies like Bringing Up Baby, or in general the set of any movie of that Hollywood golden age.

Other than that, my curiosity to see how a movie set is, was satisfied when I worked occasionally as an extra. Never cared much to see the movies I had been in, but I saw myself once on a big screen. It was one of the most awkward/funny (period piece set in the 70s wearing tight clothes and prosthetic sideburns!)things one can experience in a movie theatre.

/End of unrelated and irrelevant anecdote.

Kim said...

Of all time? The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (I get so jealous every time I watch the DVD extras), Moulin Rouge!, and Titanic.

This year? I'll echo the Nine votes and toss in Star Trek.

Clearly I want to visit movie sets with massive casts :-)

Kate_Sgulp! said...

This year: Inglourius Basterds

All time:
Moulin Rouge!
A Clockwork Orange
Fellini 8 1/2
Brazil
Day for night

:)

Michael Parsons said...

Moulin Rogue!
Imagine the beauty

NATHANIEL R said...

clearly everyone loves the big casts for this question. which makes a lot of sense.

Caden said...

This year: Inglourious. Last year: Synecdoche.

Paul Outlaw said...

Having spent a little time on some contemporary film sets, I would definitely wanna go way back in time:

Blade Runner
New York, New York
Dog Day Afternoon
Midnight Cowboy
Valley of the Dolls
Touch of Evil
A Star Is Born
(1954)
All About Eve
A Place in the Sun
Red River

emmanuel ramos barajas said...

Inglourius Basterds
Avatar

The Godfather
To Have and Have Not (Bogie + Bacall)

FrenchGirl said...

"the chinatown" by polanski with faye dunaway because it seems it's volcanic between them

"the fighter" by David O Russell with Christian Bale because it seems it was a quiet and professional filming set(no tantrum or issue?!)

"schindler's list" by spielberg just to see how people can work on a movie like that

a Lars Von Trier or David Lynch movie :every one can understand why!

a David Fincher/Michael Mann movie: just to see an actor opens a door (or does other thing)70 times in 2 days because the director wants "his" right movement on screen.On RDJ's opinions,working with Fincher is the goulag!

Andrew R. said...

ALL-TIME: Either Star Wars: Any Episode Between 4 and 6 OR...any Ed Wood movie. Just because it would be so hilariously bad.

THIS YEAR: Any Best Picture nominee EXCEPT, ironically, Hurt Locker. Or Up in the Air. Why? Hurt Locker was filmed in the FREAKING DESERT. And I don't like planes.

brandz said...

who's afraid of virginia woolf with elizabeth taylor and richard burton, mike nichols directing the action.

Burning Reels said...

Can't say I particularly like the film but I think being on the set for Pasolini's Salo would have been quite a unique experience

For directors technique: Lynch, Von Trier, Herzog, Altman, Bunuel, Almodovar and definitely Malick!

For actors: Scenes From a Marriage, Far From Heaven, A Woman Under the Influence, The Remains of the Day, Streetcar and something starring Meryl

And for both..i'd love to see the long but surely rewarding transition from rehearsal to set on a Mike Leigh feature

Furthermore Rachel Getting Married would have been great too, as it looked like alot of fun