Friday, July 06, 2007

An Angel at My Subway

Sometimes the (cinematic) Gods have a strange sense of humor. Greeting me each morning as I trudge off to work: La Pfeiffer. Right there just steps away from the subway entrance. What were the chances? They could have put any of the Hairspray posters there. Something told them ... Michelle. That poster right there is easily an extra cup of coffee's worth of energy. I hate my non-writing job so the pick me up is greatly appreciated as I face rush hour.

Yet out of context of this fan/star love it's a weird choice for a bus stop directly across the street from the Schomburg Center on Malcolm X Blvd. LaPfeiff's character Velma Von Tussle is a nasty racist after all. (Michelle's thoughts on playing this type of villain) The poster was probably chosen randomly but I assume that if it wasn't, it was chosen for Michelle's urban appeal. Her first great performance was in Scarface (on t-shirts everywhere round here), her daughter is African American and she also headlined Dangerous Minds (1995) and starred in that awesome "Gangsta's Paradise" video. In 99/00 I worked in an small office with two black women and we were discussing Michelle one day --this is the actual conversation, I remember it well:
Nathaniel & Cathy: yakety-yak-yak Michelle Pfeiffer
Kerline: Who?
Nathaniel: [stunned silence]
Cathy: You know... Catwoman. That movie with Bruce Willis? She's famous. Michelle Pfeiffer...
Kerline: [still drawing a blank]
Cathy: ...Dangerous Minds.
Kerline: OH! Michelle Pfeiffer. Yeah, I saw that movie Dangerous Minds
Cathy: Look at you, ghetto fabulous!
We had a good laugh. Back to the present: after five years of pfamine, Michelle is back on the big screen where she belongs on July 20th. We'll kick off Pfeiffer Week right here on July 15th to celebrate.
Reader: Isn't it always Pfeiffer Week at the Film Experience?
Nathaniel: Shut up.
tags: Michelle Pfeiffer

9 comments:

Glenn Dunks said...

That's pretty great. I get a little giddy when I go to my closest multiplex these days because hanging up behind the ticket counter is a cutout of Michelle for Hairspray along with one of John Travolta.

I'm not sure why, but I'm amazed that Pfeiffer is still being marketed as a huge star. I mean, I know she is, but I can just picture so many younger people going "Who's Michelle Pfeiffer".

Michael Petrarca said...

Nathaniel,

You are incredible and so is your site. As a fellow Pfeiffer fan, I am so glad that you haven't given up on her during the past long five year absence. I recently had family visiting from out of town and, over the course of 10 days, we re-watched FBB, Age of Innocence, Scarface, F&J, and Love Field. I was once again awestuck by her beauty and the talent she displayed in these varied roles. She is definitely the most underated actress and I believe her to be the most beautiful actress to ever work in film.

I am eagerly anticipating her return to the big screen and hope that there will be a whole new audience of fans to appreciate her. I also look forward to your review of her performances. Let's hope she signs on for some additional film work in the near future.

I sometimes think that her agent and managers, and other Hollywood types, have no idea how incredible she really is. It is unfortunate. So keep fighting the good fight. She is the best and there is no one else even close. No one! Eventually, she will be appreciated as she should.

I love your site and visit quite often, especially to look for anything related to Michelle Pfeiffer.

Thanks so much,

Michael P.
Los Angeles

J.D. said...

I wish I had a subway.

c.p. iñor said...

YES! YES!! YES!!!

PFEIFFER WEEK!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU NATHANIEL!!!

AND I DON'T CARE IF ANYONE THINKS TAHT EVERY WEEK IS PFEIFFER WEEK HERE... REALLY I DON'T CARE, I LOVE LA PFEIFFER!

Marius said...

j.d., just go to Buffalo and ride the train back and forth from the city to the suburbs; I think the train will take you up to Amherst, but I may be wrong. It's nothing like NYC, but you occasionally see a couple of crazy people. And riding a train is, well . . . just riding a train. You can do it in NYC, Buffalo, or Tokyo and it’s all the same thing, really. Man, I miss Western NY.

Also, Nat, let’s just declare it Pfeiffer week already. Please!

Oh, and Glenn, any young person who doesn’t know who Michelle Pfieffer is must be living under a rock, with no internet access and limited contact with other human beings. In fact, I’d suggest they were raised by wolves or wolverines or Tasmanian devils or whatever the hell y’all have down under.

NATHANIEL R said...

marius --no can do. be patient ;)

i have other things to do and i want it to be all timely and whatnot.

we can always do it again in august when stardust arrives.

woohoo. what a summer

adam k. said...

Haha. Cathy and Kerline crack me up. I want co-workers like that.

JP said...

She looks FAB!

Anonymous said...

Nathaniel,

Love your blog. Ironic about the placement of that Hairpsray poster, eh?

Word out of the UK says her next project will be "Chasing Montana". Any truth to these rumors? Do you know? (Please, please, puulllleeease let them be false!)