Will the fascination with transvestites ever become passe? Eastwood obviously believed this was one of the more interesting characters in the book and for film was more fun than some of the other characters. Despite the stature of the people including Jim, it was considered a cheap and tawdry scandal. In realizing his social status was permanently marred despite the acquital, his heart attack wasn't all that surprising.
That's why the book was so delicious. It was indeed a very cheap and tawdry scandal involving a very well-respected member of the Savannah social scene. And in the book, Lady Chablis' character was very interesting and added so much to the whole ambience of it all but in the movie, her character was used unneccessarily, just for show, and it was a cheap movie-making ploy. I expected more from Eastwood but, if he's guilty of nepotism (his daughter) then pandering to the public's fascination in transvestites should not be surprising either.
And I expected The Lady Chablis to look a little more flawless. More RuPaul flawless. Instead, The Lady Chablis looked more like the Lady Boonesfarm.
Well, there's simply good drag and not-so-good drag. That was the real Lady Chablis and some of the other players were the real people. I don't believe it was the best book to select for making into a film but Eastwood tried and I still enjoy the movie. Not on my top-of-the-list, however.
I do give him kudos for giving the role to the real Lady Chablis and not Diana Ross, who desperately wanted the part, I heard.
Several critics believed LC captured all the scenes she was in and was a highpoint of the film. It did have problems and I think Eastwood bought the script when it needed some severe rethinking and rewriting. The book was successful in evoking the atmosphere and thoroughly exploring the thematic material by exposing the social contrasts of the milieu of Savanna. The introduction of the murder victim, Billy, was abrubt and not particularly convincing. It worked as a book but I don't believe it would ever really work as a movie. Still, watching the film does evoke memories of the details in the book. It's more of a snapshot of the book. I don't remember how long the A & E documentary was but I think it was much longer than the film.
I never expected such a response on this movie. I was amazed at how they made up Kevin Spacey, you didnt even know it was him. I liked Cusicks role cause there needed to be someone to play against.
The tranny character was some comedy relief. yes , the sound track is a good one.
I was thinking of another thread. Try to fit a movie against an existing CD . Theres this redo of Springsteens "Nebraska". The newer version is called "Badlands" I see that one just made for a sopundtrack to some fargo like murder mystery.
It could easily make two movies or a mini-series. There was so many inter-relationships that a two hour film couldn't possible address. There are a lot of Jim Williams characters and a lot of sociopathic Billy's around that I'm surprised this hasn't happened more often. It is one helluva story and Eastwood gave it a valiant attempt -- still one of my guilty pleasures.
The movie I can watch over and over again there actually are two Great Balls of Fire about Jerry Lee Lewis & Dirty Dancing. I love that whole time frame
ONLY ONE
FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS
There is so much that went into it it takes a while to understand the movie. Not only are the characters very interesting but there seems to be a certain atmosphere or color palette that is like nothing I have ever seen. Also the editing made the movie. With out all those flash cuts or what ever they do it would just be a regular still frame movie.
JAne
The Ice Storm - damn that is a great movie
A Room With A View - Daniel Day Lewis as an English snob in the early 1900s..so good!!
Dracula (from 1992) - it has to do with Gary Oldman...he is so darn sexy as the young Dracula. If you stop listenting to Keanu Reeves when he speaks everything is great..
Welcome to the three new members and some interesting choices. I, of course, love the original "Dracula" with Lugosi but the Coppola remake has an artistic integrity that's difficult to ignore including the brooding but achingly romantic musical score. It is the finest of the death of Dracula scenes. Several of the Merchant Ivory films are worth watching numerous times including "Howard's End" and "Maurice."
Anything by Tarantino
Casablanca
Citizen Kane
Spinal Tap
Broadcast News
Singin' in the Rain
WarGames
Election
Hannah and Her Sisters
Notorious (and several other Hitchcocks)
Children of a Lesser God
Welcome to A2K, adam k. Like that list -- very diverse, I must say. I think a great double bill would be "Broadcast News" with "Working Girl."
Even second string Woody Allen is a great deal more entertaining than most of the commercial junk sometimes disguised as art films.
"Singin' in the Rain" just made it onto the Sight and Sound list of film critic's top ten choices for best films. It edged off "The Searchers."
The Exorcist
The Professional
Outlaw Josey Wales
Aliens
The Ring
Young Frankenstein
Quest for fire
If you haven't checked out "Ray" see it soon. The first record I ever bought with my allowance was "Hit the Road Jack", I was probably about 10-11. Now I know where he got the inspiration. Jamie Fox is out of this world and so is the young child who places Ray as a young boy.
Some all time personal favorites:
William Dafoe in the "Shadow of the Vampire"
Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman in "The Unforgiven"
In Search of the Holy Grail
Raising Arizona
Blood Simple
Nurse Betty
Poltergeist (the first one, but I don't know why)
Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis in "Some like it Hot"
Jimmy Stewart in "Harvey"
Cary Grant in "Arsenic and Old Lace"
Anything with W.C. Fields in it
Anything with Laurel and Hardy
Peter Sellers in the "Pink Panther"
The blair witch project.
Jerry Maguire.
Willy wonka and the chocolate factory.
Seven Days in May, the Bare Wench Project,and anything done in Thumb Theatre.
Inn of the Seventh Happiness. Probably older than alla ya.
The Lost Battalion.
I used to have a whole list I would watch again and again; but since I don't watch much anymore... o well.
I,Claudius. A 13-hour PBS mni-series that I watch every year without fail! And the book is even better.
