—BIG THANK YOU TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS AND COMMENTERS—
Due to the superb day in/day out of our family of contributors, according to Technorati, Big Hollywood is now a Top 100 site in the world of film, politics, entertainment and comics.
We’d also like to thank our vibrant community of commenters who add so much to every post.
No easy thing. And BH is just twelve notches from taking a fifth crown.
We also want to thank the many, many sites out there with whom we exchange the link love.
–TICKETS FOR ‘110 STORIES’ GO ON SALE IN NEW YORK TODAY—
People I trust tell me this is a play exactly as advertised and attached to a very worthy cause:
Via BroadwayWorld.com:
To commemorate the Tenth Anniversary of 9/11, a highly distinguished cast of film, TV & amp; stage actors will gather for a benefit reading of Sarah Tuft‘s “110 Stories” on September 8th & 9th at The Skirball Center for the Performing Arts i n Manhattan. The illustrious cast – including, subject to availability: Lauren Ambrose, Andre Braugher, Billy Crudup, Edie Falco, Melissa Leo, Aasif Mandvi, Chris Noth, Vincent Piazza, Andre Royo, Susan Sarandon, Stelio Savante, Pablo Schreiber, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Michael Stuhlbarg, Kathleen Turner, Merritt Wever & others TBA – will share first person accounts of the tragedy.
According to 110 Stories’ Playwright/Creative Producer Sarah Tuft, “It’s the human side of history, without politics & agenda, giving voIce To those who experienced 9.11 directly.” A love letter to New York City, the play was most recently performed by an esteemed cast at The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles in 2010 with proceeds going to LA Red Cross for Haiti relief.
The Tenth Anniversary benefit reading of 110 Stories is Executive Produced by Ryan Heil/LIVEStyle Entertainment & Produced by Samira Qureshi, Stelio Savante & Cori Silberman. Proceeds from the event will go to the New York Says Thank You Foundation.
You can purchase tickets here.
—ENDRE BALOGH’S PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK ARRIVES WITH DAVID MAMET FORWARD—
Longtimes readers remember Endre as on one of Big Hollywood’s early, crucial contributors. While primarily a musician, Endre’s interest in photography has resulted in the coffee table book: “Black And White In Bloom – Photographs by Endre Balogh – With a Forward by David Mamet.”
Please check it out here.
—–
——
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA BACK IN THE DIRECTOR’S CHAIR
IF YOU COULDN’T MAKE THIS YEAR’S COMIC-CON, HERE’S A PHOTO DIARY
AVENGERS ARTWORK REVEALED: NORTON OUT. RUFFALO IN.
JOHN CUSACK IS EDGAR ALLEN POE
RANDY QUAID WANTS TO COME BACK TO AMERICA
EXCELLENT COMIC-CON COVERAGE AT SCREEN RANT – SCROLL, SCROLL, SCROLL…
—–
—–
CLASSIC PICK FOR TUESDAY JULY 26, 2011
TCM:
6:30am EST: Days of Wine and Roses (1962) — A husband and wife fight to conquer alcoholism. Dir: Blake Edwards Cast: Jack Lemmon , Lee Remick , Charles Bickford. BW-117 mins, TV-14, CC, Letterbox Format
One of director Blake Edwards’ best films, comedy and otherwise, thanks to an unforgettably haunting performance from Lee Remick, and Jack Lemmon delivering one of the finest performances ever put on the screen.
Much has been written about this harrowing, mature tale of a young Manhattan couple who have everything before they lose it all to the nightmare of alcoholism (and worse) — so I’m not going to rehash all of that. Instead, I’ll make one observation as to why I think the film remains as powerful today as ever: the stark contrast between the first and second half of the story.
The first hour or so of “Roses” plays like a straight-forward Billy Wilder comedy/romance. The gorgeous black and white, on-location Manhattan photography mixed with the production design and J.P. Miller’s witty and romantic script, could’ve worked just as well had the film’s emotional tone never changed. We love these characters and we’re rooting for them to be together. You can’t ask much more from a movie than that.
The second half, however, takes you into the darkest of places in ways you never expect. As each new scene unfurls and the couple spirals deeper and deeper into the despair of their addiction, you feel the horror of every plot-turn like a punch to the gut. This is directly due to how well the first half of the film is executed. The impact of having seen Lemmon and Remick’s characters at their best — young, vibrant, and with their entire lives ahead of them — compared to who they eventually become (as individuals and a couple), is devastating. You feel the loss every bit as much as Remick’s father, who’s played so well by the great Charles Bickford. The impact of remembering who they were is where the film’s emotional power really comes from.
The plot never turns on the topic of alcoholism. It turns on the young couple’s relationship. Act two doesn’t begin with anyone going on some sort of bender. It begins with our protagonists coming together. Pipe is certainly (and brilliantly) laid for what’s to come, but like any romance picture, this is the story of two people the audience wants to see together and the obstacles that keep them apart.
If “Roses” were a story about alcoholism, it would be as forgettable as most films about alcoholism. Wisely, “Roses” is first, foremost and always a love story. The drinking is merely an obstacle to their finding a way to be together; a devastating, heartbreaking obstacle.
A perfect film in too many ways to count.
——
——
Please send tips/suggestions/requests to jnolte@breitbart.com
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.