Tuesday, October 26, 2010

A Midwestern 80s Moment: Kathleen, Meryl, Terri, Lesley

I'm sure it was because I lived in Michigan in the 1980s and that's when John Hughes movies were always in theaters but it seemed (to young me) that the Midwest was Hollywood-Hot back then. So this one goes out to all the Midwestern readers and to four fine actresses who are often associated with the 1980s though one of them has clearly transcended our puny mortal concepts of time.

So we'll start with her...


Indiana
If you're a Meryl Streep fan -- and who isn't? -- and you live anywhere near Indiana University you should know that there's a free "evening with Meryl" at the college next month. (Why Indiana? Her husband Don Gummer studied there in the 60s). Free tickets for the public are available on November 3rd in the morning (for the Nov 12th event). I'm sure the lines will be long to snag one but Meryl will be discussing her career with IU alumnus Jane Pauley and there's even a Q&A afterwards.

Missouri
Cinema St. Louis just honored Kathleen Turner with a lifetime achievement award on Sunday and We Are Movie Geeks was there to tell you about it. Can any Missouri-located readers answer me this: Does the Cinema St. Louis always have such good taste? Kathleen is in Missouri with her new play "High" which co-stars Broadway great Michael Berresse (Tony nominee, Kiss Me Kate). Kathleen was born in Missouri sowhile she's in town, why not throw an event in her honor?

Inset: in St. Louis for her lifetime achievement prize, Oct 2010.
Main: at the AFI Michael Douglas night (with CZJ) in June 2009.

I love Kathleen nearly as much as Roger loved Jessica Rabbit so I mean this with the utmost fondness, but she just so doesn't care about things that celebrities are supposed to care about. Note that she wore the EXACT SAME OUTFIT to this event that she wore to the AFI Michael Douglas event. Oh, Kathleen. You're just not even trying to be "showbiz". It's all about the art of the theater for Kathleen now which I'm not knocking. Her "Martha" in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was one of the greatest performances my eyes have ever witnessed and my ears have ever heard.

Michigan & Illinois
Teri just wanted to say "Hey."



Upon discovering that she didn't have her own label at TFE she let out a torrential stream of the brown word that we haven't heard since her multiple "sh**" freakouts in Tootsie ! No one speaks of Teri Garr anymore but I've always respected her as one of the only Hollywood types to publicly bitch about Category Fraud at the Oscars. You'd bitch about it too (at least in private) if you thought you could have won if the co-lead of your movie weren't competing in your category.

The dearly departed blog StinkyLulu once did a smackdown about the 1982 Best Supporting Actress race. Oscar went with Jessica Lange but Teri was hilarious in that movie and the Smackdown made it a tie. Still, my imaginary retrospective Oscar vote will always belong to Lesley Ann Warren in Victor/Victoria.

(Chicago) Illinois
Pookieeee. hhmwwhhmmiiiII'mhorneeeeeeeeeeey"



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Okay, now back to 2010.

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10 comments:

Tan said...

If you're a Meryl Streep fan -- and who isn't?

-Me, i bet i'm the only one in this world.

Anonymous said...

Even when we are talking about the Midwest, my dear sweet little Iowa gets shafted.

NATHANIEL R said...

awwwww. sorry Iowans. At least your state gave us Elijah Wood, John Wayne & Cloris Leachman and that's not nuthin'!

Lindsay said...

Nathaniel,
Miss Julia Roberts's birthday is on Thursday, how about a post about her? Some Pretty Woman, Notting Hill, Erin Brockovich, Closer love perhaps?

/3rtfu11 said...

Tan you’re not alone. But my attitude has softened since seeing Julie & Julia. It’s ok to disagree about her status as “The World’s Greatest Living Actress.”
I don’t agree there’s such a thing. Everyone in a particular field does something unique in their own way. We don’t all have the same taste.
Why would we anoint a single person as the best? – By whose criteria?

Actors who are chameleons fall into two camps (yes, I’m one of those, who likes to break everything into twos) character actor and spreading themselves thin attempting to be a chameleon (Christian Bale).

Dave in Alamitos Beach said...

I hate to be the spelling police, but since I love her so much, it's Teri Garr. Go Teri! ;-)

jimmy said...

Iowa also gave us donna reed, sometimes pretty darn great. glad to see kathleen turner looking pretty good.

adelutza said...

Hey, very cool to let me know - I will finally see Meryl Streep in person!

NATHANIEL R said...

adelutza -- I EXPECT A FULL REPORT.

Anonymous said...

Kathleen Turner should play Mattie Fae in the movie August:Osage County!