As you have heard by now, movie legend Charlton Heston has passed away at 84 years of age. His politics aside I have the fondness. Seeing Ben-Hur on the big screen of Detroit's Redford Theater in junior high was one of my defining moviegoing experiences. I was entranced by Stephen Boyd's Messala in particular (duh) and was incensed to discover that he wasn't the supporting actor Oscar nominee from the film. It's a cruel world for baby Oscarphiles.Links
European Films alerts us that Pedro Almodovar is now writing a blog
MTV Movies Blog Patty Clarkson and Scorsese aren't saying much about her role in his new film. But we're excited nonetheless
Coming Soon more casting new for W. --Thandie Newton as Condoleeza, Ioan Gruffud as Tony Blair
Antagony & Ecstacy echoes many of my feelings on Stop-Loss
Sunset Gun on Bette Davis @ 100
Stinky Lulu kicks off a third season of Supporting Actress Sundays. I love ambitious projects that actually keep on ticking...
Movie City Indie on Mike Leigh's filmography and Happy Go Lucky
boston.com puzzles out the meaning of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" and what it means for today's Iron Man
Upcoming Blog-a-Thons
Film at 11 wants to celebrate the anniversary of Andrew Sarris' American Cinema and its hierarchal categories of filmmakers (04/14-??)
Ferdy on Films invites you to celebrate Dance Movies (05/04 -05/10)
Cerebral Mastication promotes an all Indiana Jones all the time week (05/16-05/23)
Should I host another?
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14 comments:
W is going to be stinktastic.
I also didn't agree with his politics, but there is no doubt that Charlton Heston was one of the greatest movie stars of all time.
May he rest in peace!
Stone is out of his mind.
W. is gonna be worse than Alexander.
I mean, Thandie Newton as Condi ?
I can't believe that Angela Bassett is constantly snubbed for younger black actresses (see Doubt).
And Gruffud as Blair ? Since when does Tony look like he was on the cover of Boyz Magazine ?
Ugh.
In a directors commentary (I forget which one) Stone refers to JFK as his Godfather I, Nixon as his Godfather II. I can't say I can agree with that analogy in any way shape or form. But putting that aside, I can tell you what his Godfather III is going to be.
:)
For me, Heston will always be the fifth best performance in Touch of Evil (which is still pretty good).
I'm with Kamila. For me, Charlton Heston will always mean the chariot race from "Ben-Hur." He'll always have my respect for that one.
I mourn the loss of ANYONE, movie star or bricklayer.
I hated HEston's politics and as an actor? ... he wasn't.
Thanks for the link to the Indy blog-a-thon. Hope to see you there.
The Almodovar blog is terrific:
http://www.pedroalmodovar.es/PAB_EN_Cap01.asp
You MUST read the latest entry, Nat - an actressexual's delight as he muses on Deborah Kerr:
"It took me a long time to appreciate the talent and singularity of that actress. When I was an adolescent (because of the austerity of La Mancha, I guess) I was a prisoner, excessively so, of the glamour and excessiveness of the Hollywood actresses, and Deborah Kerr was too discreet for my feverish state back then. It was in adulthood that I discovered the complexity, richness, intensity and sense of humor that resided beneath her apparent discretion."
He also writes perceptively about her performance in Night of the Iguana, her passing, the importance of words in cinema - and Penelope Cruz and Blanca Portillo are in his upcoming film! *does happy dance* I LOVE Blanco Portillo - for me, the best thing about Volver, which had many, many good things (although argueably it's not as great as All About My Mother). But her's is the performance from that film that has stayed with me.
RedSatinDoll
Thanks for the publicity for my blogathon, Invitation to the Dance Movie Blogathon. I invite you and other bloggers to submit entries and/or read what we come up with. It should be fun. There will be some dance bloggers participating as well as movie bloggers.
I haven't delved into Heston's filmography enough, sadly. So, as obvious as it is that he is a "legend" I am also very anti-guns so I can't say I saw him as a great man or whatever.
I think the "great man" stuff is a bit overdone, just as when John Wayne passed away - they called him a "hero" but in fact, he was an ACTOR, which is not to be put in the same catagory as men and women who put their lives on the line.
Anyway...I'm going to disagree with you, Alex, about W in that I can definitely see Thandi Newton in the role. Yes, she's younger and prettier than Condi Rice, but I can see her nailing the requirements of the "character".
Although why the need to "glorify" George with a movie is something I still don't understand. And if it's to criticize him or lay open "secrets" of his administration, why wait until the man is almost out of office? Wouldn't something off this nature been far more meaningful four years ago? This almost smacks of cowardice.
RedSatinDoll
Good point RedSatinDoll,
it does seem a bit late to do a movie about our beloved W.
I hope Stone won't be shy about Condi and Georgie Republican affair. We deserve to know the truth behind those so-called workout cessions !
But I really don't know about Newton.. I read a couple of books about Rice and she's really a compex woman. If Newton pull it off she'll be a sue-in for the Oscar... but she could also go the Razzie route.
I expected someone tougher-looking, like Angela Bassett (I can't think on anyone else)
Hey, thanks for mentioning my blog-a-thon, which is just starting up. Check it out and participate if you've got the time and inclination. I've always like Film Experience, and especially the Film Bitch Awards.
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