Thursday October 13
THE SPANISH EDITION OF THE NOVEL
Our Lady of the Assassins [e.tv.22.55]
Friday October 14
Ray [SABC2.22.30]
Jaws 3 [SABC3.01.00]
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within [e.tv.22.50 and 02.40]
Saturday October 15
The Princess and the Frog [M-Net.07.00]
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps [M-Net.00.30]
ATHLETE AND COUCH
Without Limits [SABC1.22.15]
Sunday October 16
Hachiko: A Dog’s Story [M-Net.20.05]
ADAM BEACH AS IRA HAYES IN FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
Flags of our Fathers [SABC1.20.00]
Dead Silence [SABC3.03.00]
Geronimo: An American Legend [e.tv.00.30]
Monday October 17
Waking the Dead [SABC3.01.00]
Tuesday October18
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps [M-Net.00.30]
The Incredible Shrinking Man [SABC3.01.00]
Wednesday October 19
Hachiko: A Dog’s Story [M-Net.22.30]
Dazed and Confused [SABC1.22.00]
We Don’t Live Here Anymore [SABC3.01.00]
***
RAY
What do writer Truman Capote, Dictator Idi Amin, Country singer June Carter, gay activist Harvey Milk, British Monarch George VI and blind musician Ray Charles have in common? Answer— all the actors who played them in recent biopics have won Oscars.
RAY GAVE JAMIE FOXX THE PART OF A LIFETIME
I have reviewed Taylor Hackford’s Ray [SABC3.Friday.22.30] before; it will be nice to see all 152 minutes of it again. Somehow, I don’t think that Jamie Foxx will ever find a role more tailor-made to his talent.
HE DID IT ALL-HERE WITH HIS RAELETTES
Ray Charles is often referred to as a jazz pianist, and yes, I suppose he was. He was much more; being one of those core musicians, who in the1950s, began to break down traditional musical barriers, beating rhythmic ingredients in a melting pot; like Grandma’s recipe for Clam Chowder, using a bit of this and just a bit of that.
HE INFLUENCED A GENERATION-HERE WITH FELLOW PIANO MAN BILLY JOEL
Gospel, Blues, Country, Jazz, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Pop; Charles used them all; from the ‘call and shout’ response of Gospel to the rich darkness of Southern Blues. Sometimes, just for the hell of it,he added a touch of sentimental Country. Like Elvis, Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, he had no road map, no blue print. Every time he sat at the piano, he explored new territory. Watch Ray and see how the music of today really began.
SEX AND DEATH SOUTH OF THE BORDER
Taylor Hackford isn’t the only interesting filmmaker at work this week. Barbet Schroeder made Our Lady of the Assassins [e.tv. Thursday.22.55], a movie set in South America where the tangy aromas of sex and blood make a heady combination. Sexual rapture is entwined with violence and sudden death. Schroeder’s deft hand ensures pace and clear plot progression. Translation; the movie isn’t boring or muddled.
RICHARD GERE AND FRIEND
Hachiko: A Dog’s Story [M-Net.Sunday.20.05 and Wednesday.22.30] is one of those movies that came and went in a flash;do try and catch it now. My Life as a Dog director Lasse Hallstrom is behind the camera, there is superb acting by Richard Gere and Joan Allen and a story about canine devotion.
LASSE HALLSTROM- MR ABBA ;HE DIRECTED THEIR VIDEOS
Although sentiment is kept to a minimum and the situations are crisp and realistic, the main character is a stray dog, so keep a box of tissues in the room. To make a decent film about a devoted dog, it sure helps if your first name is Lasse.
EVERYBODY DID GET STONED
American teens and their ‘coming of age’ has been a sub genre all on its own for a while now; some of these flicks are good, but many are appalling and date very badly. A first-class example is Dazed and Confused [SABC1.Wednesday.2200], directed by Richard Linklater, made in 1993, but set in the 70s.
LYNARD SKYNARD ARE ON THE SOUNDTRACK. THEY NAMED THEMSELVES AFTER THEIR PT TEACHER-MR LEONARD SKINNER
The plot is laidback and the period music is truely terrific;sadly, some the leading players are long forgotten now; but tantalizingly down the cast list are Matthew McConaughey , Milla Jovovich and Ben Affleck.
MICHAEL DOUGLAS AS GORDON GEKKO IN WALL STREET
Let’s start Sequel City with Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps [M-Net.Saturday.00.30 and Monday.01.00], directed by Oliver Stone and starring Michael Douglas, who won an Oscar when he created Gordon Gekko for Wall Street in 1987.
IN THE SEQUEL: WITH SHIA LaBEOUF
Douglas, looking more than ever like his father, is much as ever, spending a lot of his time preening and snorting. As for the story, in 1987, money was a king to be worshipped and revered; greed was a god; now known to be a false profit. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is a completely nonessential piece of filmmaking. But hey, don’t listen to me; I didn’t like the original either.
SEEN ONE...SEEN THEM ALL
Talking of nonessential cinema, Jaws 3 [SABC3.Friday.01.00] is set in a Sea World; not in the dangerous turbulent ocean, which makes the action a trifle cramped. Dennis Quiad is always good to watch but the film is silly and pointless. Question: Why must man always try to tame and confine creatures of the wild?
ONE OF THE MOST TASTEFUL STILLS I COULD FIND
Although Dead Silence [SABC3.Sunday.03.00] is not strictly a sequel, James Wan has much to answer for; he directed some of the Saws. Of course, if Saw and Sons is up there in your top ten, then Dead Silence is made for you.
THAT PHOTO
American cinema loves to examine American history; Clint Eastwood, who is often on the box, hoists the flag in Flag of our Fathers [SABC1.Sunday.20.00], which I reviewed at length a while back. The film is based on a slice of American history immortalized by an iconic photograph. There is a heart wrenching performance by Adam Beach as the luckless Native American Ira Hayes.
BOB AND GENE
The less savory aspects of American History are often distorted or simply ignored. Geronimo: An American Legend [e.tv.Sunday.00.30] attempts to highlight the plight of the doomed Apache American Tribe. The cast, including Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall do a pretty good job; with a magnificent performance by Wes Studi as Geronimo himself. Jason Patric who was serious eye candy at the time beefs up the cake.
WES STUDI AS GERONIMO
The trouble with historical hindsight is quite simply that, we learn nothing from history, except that we learn nothing from history.
A TENDER MOMENT FROM WAKING THE DEAD
Waking the Dead [SABC3.Monday.01.00] sounds like a cut price zombie movie; its not; it’s an insightful look at the problems surrounding relationships and human nature; with superb performances from both Billy Crudup and Jennifer Connelly.
LAURA DERN-TALENTED AND RATHER LOVELY
We Don’t Live Here Anymore [SABC3.Wednesday.01.00] is a sadly downbeat look at two American couples in crisis. This adaptation of two short stories by Andre Dubus is saved from total tedium by some outstanding performances from Mark Ruffalo, Laura Dern, Peter Krause and Naomi Watts.
STEVE PREFONTAINE HAS BEEN CALLED THE JAMES DEAN OF TRACK
Staying with things American; we watch American Sport week after week after week, Without Limit [SABC1.Saturday.22.15] is about an athlete named Steve Prefontaine, who ran for his country at the Munich Olympics, Prefontaine is played by Billy Crudup, Donald Sutherland plays his coach and again there is nice period music. I won’t say anymore, I don’t want to spoil your fun and anticipation.
THE MUSIC IS FINE
Sutherland also provides one of the voices for Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within [e.tv.Friday.22.50 and 02.40], an animated Sci-Fi romp which has the distinction of being the first movie to use computer-generated actors, so from the comfort of your lounge you can watch history in the making. By the way, the action is based on a video game.
I MISS HER SO
Animation of a different kind; Disney’s The Princess and the Frog [M-Net.Saturday.07.00] is a favourite of mine for three simple reasons, one of the voices is provided by Oprah Winfrey, the action takes place in the 1920s and Randy Newman wrote the music.
WHAT A SHOT!
Richard Matheson wrote The Shrinking Man [SABC3.Tuesday.01.00], one of the finest Sci- Fi stories ever written; Jack Arnold directed the movie, adding Incredible to the title. It is one of the greatest Science Fiction films— let me stick my neck out; philosophical films— ever made. One of the greatest movies of the 50s; or for that matter, any decade.
MARLENE ON THE WALL
On the question of older movies, I’m just putting this in because it irritates me so. The magazine that I get my information from often highlights one of those old e.tv. chestnuts, Catherine The Great [ who cares!], as a Marlene Dietrich movie. It isn’t. She did make a film about Catherine; for von Sternberg, called The Scarlet Empress. I feel much MUCH better now.
LOOK AT THAT-ANY FOOL CAN SHRINK!
As I'm apt to do, I'm going to the dogs, Hachiko:A Dog's Life [M-Net.Sunday.20.05 and Wednesday.22.30] is my pick.