So last week's quote: "I tried to reach the moon but when I got there, all that I could get was the air" was from The Band Wagon. The song is "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan" by Schwartz and Dietz and is performed in the movie by Fred Astaire and Jack Buchanan.
This week's quote is:
"I don't know whether Mark means he eats dogs or is fond of them. Mark's so vague at times."
Friday, May 13, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
You might have mentioned me first on the billing.
So, I have a bit of a bone to pick. (I actually don't like that expression very much.) The Thin Man remake.
Please bear with me on this one - I tried to make it as cohesive as possible (it was hard not to just ramble). I'm actually torn about the whole thing - not 'torn' in that I want to see it and I don't want to see it. I'm torn in that I'm infuriated that they're even attempting to touch on something so unbelievably perfect as The Thin Man but also a little annoyed with my own fury.
I'll tackle the latter first. The Thin Man (1934) was filmed in about two weeks. I read Myrna Loy's autobiography (which is amazing, by the way, and I highly recommend it) and she really mentions the whole experience rather briefly. After all, the whole thing took very little time. She talks often of William Powell and their friendship, but the actual film itself holds little space in the pages of her memoir. All in all, I'm probably holding the film on a far higher pedestal than those who created it really intended.
Be that as it may, the movie is perfect (in my opinion). Okay, so... not really perfect. I could do without the actual plot often times because, let's face it, I'm really just watching it to see Nick and Nora. I don't really care who done it and, no matter how many times I've watched it, I'm still a little foggy on the motive. What makes this timeless film so wonderful is Nick and Nora. William Powell and Myrna Loy. They're brilliant together. Inspired. Adorable. Sexy. You just can't duplicate that kind of chemistry.
Which, frankly, is why I'm shocked anyone is even attempting it. They don't even know who will play Nora yet (or if they do they're not telling). But, it seems to me, that if you're going to remake a film that is famous for the chemistry of its two leads, wouldn't you go into the project with two leads that you know have good chemistry to begin with? It's not about how well Johnny Depp can capture Nick Charles. Or how well whoever it is can play Nora. William Powell was perfect as Nick Charles (I actually liked him better than Dashiell Hammett's original sleuth). In my opinion, he was Nick Charles. But William Powell was a remarkable actor. He was probably really good as Philo Vance too (although I haven't yet seen it). The movies weren't good because William Powell was so fantastic as Nick; they were good because he and Myrna were so outrageously perfect together.
Now, that being said, the remake is an old and reputable tradition. I really shouldn't be freaking out as much as I am. After all, My Favorite Wife, Move Over Darling, and Something's Got To Give were all made and remade within about 20 years of each other. And I've even admitted that my favorite among The Shop Around the Corner, In the Good Ol' Summertime and You've Got Mail is the most recent one. When we like something, we really like it. So, why not The Thin Man? My main issue is that now if the movie does well, people will say, "Oh, that's the movie with Johnny Depp, right?" ugh. Kill me now.
My other issue, my really worrisome one, is that times have changed. Sensibilities have changed. Senses of humor, of romance, of suspense have all changed. I highly doubt that this new film will be the light and frothy concoction that it was in '34. We don't have to see Nick and Nora having sex back then to know that their sizzling relationship isn't confined to separate beds. But nowadays, entendre and subtext are kind of thrown by the wayside. Clever wordplay is exchanged for lewd humor. Why show gangsters with shadows and lighting tricks when we can just show gore instead? The subtlety is gone. I'm very worried that they'll do to my favorite detective couple what they did to Longfellow Deeds. (Really? Adam Sandler? Really?)
So, despite my understanding that remakes have been around for quite a while, I'm very wary of this upcoming one. Please be careful, Johnny Depp. You have something very precious in your grasp.
Please bear with me on this one - I tried to make it as cohesive as possible (it was hard not to just ramble). I'm actually torn about the whole thing - not 'torn' in that I want to see it and I don't want to see it. I'm torn in that I'm infuriated that they're even attempting to touch on something so unbelievably perfect as The Thin Man but also a little annoyed with my own fury.
I'll tackle the latter first. The Thin Man (1934) was filmed in about two weeks. I read Myrna Loy's autobiography (which is amazing, by the way, and I highly recommend it) and she really mentions the whole experience rather briefly. After all, the whole thing took very little time. She talks often of William Powell and their friendship, but the actual film itself holds little space in the pages of her memoir. All in all, I'm probably holding the film on a far higher pedestal than those who created it really intended.
Be that as it may, the movie is perfect (in my opinion). Okay, so... not really perfect. I could do without the actual plot often times because, let's face it, I'm really just watching it to see Nick and Nora. I don't really care who done it and, no matter how many times I've watched it, I'm still a little foggy on the motive. What makes this timeless film so wonderful is Nick and Nora. William Powell and Myrna Loy. They're brilliant together. Inspired. Adorable. Sexy. You just can't duplicate that kind of chemistry.
Which, frankly, is why I'm shocked anyone is even attempting it. They don't even know who will play Nora yet (or if they do they're not telling). But, it seems to me, that if you're going to remake a film that is famous for the chemistry of its two leads, wouldn't you go into the project with two leads that you know have good chemistry to begin with? It's not about how well Johnny Depp can capture Nick Charles. Or how well whoever it is can play Nora. William Powell was perfect as Nick Charles (I actually liked him better than Dashiell Hammett's original sleuth). In my opinion, he was Nick Charles. But William Powell was a remarkable actor. He was probably really good as Philo Vance too (although I haven't yet seen it). The movies weren't good because William Powell was so fantastic as Nick; they were good because he and Myrna were so outrageously perfect together.
Now, that being said, the remake is an old and reputable tradition. I really shouldn't be freaking out as much as I am. After all, My Favorite Wife, Move Over Darling, and Something's Got To Give were all made and remade within about 20 years of each other. And I've even admitted that my favorite among The Shop Around the Corner, In the Good Ol' Summertime and You've Got Mail is the most recent one. When we like something, we really like it. So, why not The Thin Man? My main issue is that now if the movie does well, people will say, "Oh, that's the movie with Johnny Depp, right?" ugh. Kill me now.
My other issue, my really worrisome one, is that times have changed. Sensibilities have changed. Senses of humor, of romance, of suspense have all changed. I highly doubt that this new film will be the light and frothy concoction that it was in '34. We don't have to see Nick and Nora having sex back then to know that their sizzling relationship isn't confined to separate beds. But nowadays, entendre and subtext are kind of thrown by the wayside. Clever wordplay is exchanged for lewd humor. Why show gangsters with shadows and lighting tricks when we can just show gore instead? The subtlety is gone. I'm very worried that they'll do to my favorite detective couple what they did to Longfellow Deeds. (Really? Adam Sandler? Really?)
So, despite my understanding that remakes have been around for quite a while, I'm very wary of this upcoming one. Please be careful, Johnny Depp. You have something very precious in your grasp.
There were a lot of votes from the farmers with a picture of a prize heifer
It's probably a proven fact somewhere that to watch a good Fred and Ginger dance scene improves the mood. They should conduct a study...
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
"I tried to reach the moon but when I got there, all that I could get was the air."
Well done to emma wallace and to Erin for getting last week's quote correct: "I wouldn't kill you if you ran off with another woman... I might though" is said by the darling Nora Charles in After the Thin Man. Yay!
This week's quote is:
"I tried to reach the moon but when I got there, all that I could get was the air."
This week's quote is:
"I tried to reach the moon but when I got there, all that I could get was the air."
Monday, May 2, 2011
The woods are just trees. The trees are just wood.
I didn't care for the movie too much but I love this clip from The Great Waltz.
P.S. Sorry for the random title. I really was having a hard time coming up with a good quote for this one!
P.S. Sorry for the random title. I really was having a hard time coming up with a good quote for this one!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
But I'll be teacher's pet yet
I love this series of photos of Ginger Rogers rehearsing with Hermes Pan. I have two favorites in the series - the one below and another that I couldn't find where Pan is crouching to get a better view of Ginger's feet. I don't know why, but I love these photos!
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