Estelle Getty, the diminutive actress best known for playing the witty mother Sophia on “The Golden Girls”, passed away on Tuesday after a long fight with dementia. She was 84 at the time of her death.
Estelle Getty is a very unlikely success story, and proof that success can come when one least expects it. Although wanting to be an actress since an early age Getty struggled for close to 40 years to make it, often taking mediocre office jobs to support herself and her family while she tried to make it on stage. Her luck finally started to turn in 1982 when she won the role of Mrs. Beckoff in Harvey Fierstein’s play “Torch Song Trilogy”. Soon afterwards she auditioned for the role of zany Sophia on “The Golden Girls”, a show about four older women living together in Miami. Unfortunately she failed not one but two auditions on the fact that she didn’t look old enough to play a women in her 80’s (at the time Estelle was in her early 60’s). Upon her third audition for the part she had the crew’s make up artist transform her into an 80 year old and she won the role. Her character, the mother to Bea Arthur’s Dorothy who always had a witty one-liner, was an instant hit and became the breakout character of the show. Her character was so popular that she ended up playing Sophia on five separate television shows.
In addition to acting, Estelle Getty was also a stanch supporter of gay rights. She organized several fundraisers for research in treating AIDS.
Estelle Getty is survived by her two sons as well as her brother and sister. Although she is gone, she will not be forgotten. One only has to turn to the Lifetime network, which airs “The Golden Girls” no less then six times a day, to see this actress’s talent at work.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
The Dark Knight: Hype that Delivers
As the end credits came up upon my viewing of The Dark Knight, something happened that I had not witnessed in a long time. That something was applause. The entire theater was clapping and yelling cries of joy. I can’t remember the last time I witnessed such a phenomenon. This phenomenon, and the fact that I was participating in it, should give an idea on just how good this movie is.
The Dark Knight is one of those few sequels that lives up to, and in many ways surpasses, its predecessor. Masterfully directed by returning director Christopher Nolan and written by Nolan, David S. Goyer, and Jonathon Nolan, The Dark Knight remains true to the comics while at the same time brings the franchise into new territory.
The movie opens roughly a year after the events of Batman Begins, with Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) and Lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman) successfully bringing down the criminals within Gotham. The two men begin to work with newly appointed DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) in an effort to eradicate the mob from Gotham City. Unlike Batman, who is still regarded with mistrust and fear by the public, Dent is seen as a shining beacon of hope. He is so well revered that Bruce begins contemplating saying goodbye to Batman and allowing Harvey to become “The White Knight” Gotham needs. It is also his hope that if he does this he can finally be with childhood friend Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who is now involved with Dent. However everyone’s plans are thrown into chaos with the arrival of The Joker (Heath Ledger).
After a successful bank robbery, in which he kills both civilians and his own men, The Joker arrives at a meeting of the remaining mobsters and offers them a proposal; he will kill Batman in exchange for half of the mob’s entire money supply. He begins by having numerous members of the police and justice force killed and then proclaims that if Batman does not reveal his secret identity people will continue to die every day. As the film goes on it becomes clear that The Joker’s real plan is simply to create as much chaos and apathy as possible. As Bruce Wayne’s trusty butler Alfred (Michael Caine) explains, “Some men aren't looking for anything logical. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.”
Each actor in the movie is brilliant and brings much to their roles. Christian Bale brings a complex depth of struggle to the character as Batman questions what his limits should and can be. Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman (as Bruce Wayne’s equipment designer Lucius Fox) all act as stable forces in Batman’s fight for justice, with each actor bringing different emotions and reactions to their roles as the lines of morality are continually redrawn during the fight. Maggie Gyllenhaal adds a lot of emotion to her role and brings both strength and vulnerability to her performance. But of everyone in the cast, the two standouts would have to be Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart.
As I mentioned in my review of the film Waitress, I was determined to review Heath Ledger’s performance as if he were alive and not offer praise simply because of his death. After seeing the movie I can safely say that all the praise people have said about his work is well earned. His performance is nothing short of phenomenal. He brings such a degree of raw intensity to the role that it’s staggering. His version of The Joker is both revolutionary and extremely true to the character. He becomes so engrossed in the character that it’s very easy to forget who the actor behind the make-up is. I’ll admit that I had my doubts when I first heard he was cast as The Joker, since his name wasn’t the first that came to mind when I envisioned actors for the role. But after seeing the movie I can definably say he was the right choice for the part.
Although Heath Ledger has received much praise for his role, I thought that Aaron Eckhart’s performance was just as strong. He plays his character as similar to Batman, but in an entirely different way. Unmasked and visibly in the spotlight, he has a power over the people that Batman does not. He delivers his lines with such conviction that one begins to believe his vision in a brighter tomorrow. While playing him with passionate righteousness one also sees the rage that bubbles just under the surface. It’s the subtleness of his duel personas that bring the true realization of the character to life. His character’s journey is one of the most tragic aspects of the film. Even if you can see where his character will go, the ramifications and end results of the character’s journey is something no one could ever have seen coming.
The Dark Knight definitely lives up to the hype. Not only is it entertaining but it also challenges our views on humanity and morality. How far should those in power be allowed to go in our quest for piece? That question is one of the biggest aspects of the film, with cases made for both those who believe in suspending personal freedom for safety and those who believe in keeping civil liberties in light of terrorism. That’s not normally something one expects to find in a summer superhero blockbuster.
The Dark Knight is one of those few sequels that lives up to, and in many ways surpasses, its predecessor. Masterfully directed by returning director Christopher Nolan and written by Nolan, David S. Goyer, and Jonathon Nolan, The Dark Knight remains true to the comics while at the same time brings the franchise into new territory.
The movie opens roughly a year after the events of Batman Begins, with Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) and Lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman) successfully bringing down the criminals within Gotham. The two men begin to work with newly appointed DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) in an effort to eradicate the mob from Gotham City. Unlike Batman, who is still regarded with mistrust and fear by the public, Dent is seen as a shining beacon of hope. He is so well revered that Bruce begins contemplating saying goodbye to Batman and allowing Harvey to become “The White Knight” Gotham needs. It is also his hope that if he does this he can finally be with childhood friend Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who is now involved with Dent. However everyone’s plans are thrown into chaos with the arrival of The Joker (Heath Ledger).
After a successful bank robbery, in which he kills both civilians and his own men, The Joker arrives at a meeting of the remaining mobsters and offers them a proposal; he will kill Batman in exchange for half of the mob’s entire money supply. He begins by having numerous members of the police and justice force killed and then proclaims that if Batman does not reveal his secret identity people will continue to die every day. As the film goes on it becomes clear that The Joker’s real plan is simply to create as much chaos and apathy as possible. As Bruce Wayne’s trusty butler Alfred (Michael Caine) explains, “Some men aren't looking for anything logical. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.”
Each actor in the movie is brilliant and brings much to their roles. Christian Bale brings a complex depth of struggle to the character as Batman questions what his limits should and can be. Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman (as Bruce Wayne’s equipment designer Lucius Fox) all act as stable forces in Batman’s fight for justice, with each actor bringing different emotions and reactions to their roles as the lines of morality are continually redrawn during the fight. Maggie Gyllenhaal adds a lot of emotion to her role and brings both strength and vulnerability to her performance. But of everyone in the cast, the two standouts would have to be Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart.
As I mentioned in my review of the film Waitress, I was determined to review Heath Ledger’s performance as if he were alive and not offer praise simply because of his death. After seeing the movie I can safely say that all the praise people have said about his work is well earned. His performance is nothing short of phenomenal. He brings such a degree of raw intensity to the role that it’s staggering. His version of The Joker is both revolutionary and extremely true to the character. He becomes so engrossed in the character that it’s very easy to forget who the actor behind the make-up is. I’ll admit that I had my doubts when I first heard he was cast as The Joker, since his name wasn’t the first that came to mind when I envisioned actors for the role. But after seeing the movie I can definably say he was the right choice for the part.
Although Heath Ledger has received much praise for his role, I thought that Aaron Eckhart’s performance was just as strong. He plays his character as similar to Batman, but in an entirely different way. Unmasked and visibly in the spotlight, he has a power over the people that Batman does not. He delivers his lines with such conviction that one begins to believe his vision in a brighter tomorrow. While playing him with passionate righteousness one also sees the rage that bubbles just under the surface. It’s the subtleness of his duel personas that bring the true realization of the character to life. His character’s journey is one of the most tragic aspects of the film. Even if you can see where his character will go, the ramifications and end results of the character’s journey is something no one could ever have seen coming.
The Dark Knight definitely lives up to the hype. Not only is it entertaining but it also challenges our views on humanity and morality. How far should those in power be allowed to go in our quest for piece? That question is one of the biggest aspects of the film, with cases made for both those who believe in suspending personal freedom for safety and those who believe in keeping civil liberties in light of terrorism. That’s not normally something one expects to find in a summer superhero blockbuster.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
That Rating Doesn't Seem Right?
With the creation of the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America’s film-rating system), parents could make an informed decision on what movies they felt were inappropriate for their children to see. However this was hard to do in the beginning, as the rating system was fairly broad. The PG-13 rating was created for just this reason. It was made for movies with content that was to hard for PG, but not extreme enough for R. Before the inception of the PG-13 rating, many movies were rated PG and R that didn’t deserve those ratings. Below are examples of a PG rated movie and an R rated movie that if reviewed today would have received a PG-13 rating. The first is an obscure unknown movie about a killer shark named Jaws. The latter is a low budget horror movie named The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Jaws, as most people already know, tells the story of a man eating shark that terrorizes a small east coast beaching town. After a series of attacks a trio of men go out to sea to hunt down and kill the animal. While the movie is rated PG, there are several elements and visions throughout the picture that just aren’t seen by today’s PG rated standards. Severed limbs, dismembered corpses, foul language, and animal carcasses are some of the unseemly sights that are witnessed.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a 1970’s horror movie that involves a group of young adults who are hunted down by a family of cannibals. What’s interesting is that despite the grizzly premise and exploitative title the movie doesn’t have a great deal of carnage in it. Almost all of the violence occurs either off screen or in quick cuts. In addition to minimal violence language is also pretty tame. This was no mere accident, as the director had hoped that the movie would be released with a PG rating. Despite the care taken to minimize violence the picture still ended up being rated R.
Jaws, as most people already know, tells the story of a man eating shark that terrorizes a small east coast beaching town. After a series of attacks a trio of men go out to sea to hunt down and kill the animal. While the movie is rated PG, there are several elements and visions throughout the picture that just aren’t seen by today’s PG rated standards. Severed limbs, dismembered corpses, foul language, and animal carcasses are some of the unseemly sights that are witnessed.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a 1970’s horror movie that involves a group of young adults who are hunted down by a family of cannibals. What’s interesting is that despite the grizzly premise and exploitative title the movie doesn’t have a great deal of carnage in it. Almost all of the violence occurs either off screen or in quick cuts. In addition to minimal violence language is also pretty tame. This was no mere accident, as the director had hoped that the movie would be released with a PG rating. Despite the care taken to minimize violence the picture still ended up being rated R.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Absence of Sound=Real Life
When most people watch a movie they take the soundtrack for granted. They go into the movie assuming that most of the scenes will have music playing in the background. In many ways it’s comforting to the viewer. Watching a movie without a soundtrack can have a voyeurism quality, which can make people uncomfortable. So most times when a movie does not have a soundtrack in it it’s to intentionally create a certain mood. This certainly seemed the case in my viewing of the American remake of Funny Games.
Funny Games, which is a shot for shot remake of the Austrian movie of the same name, tells the story of two young psychos who hold a family hostage at their summer home. As the title suggests, the kidnappers force the family to perform cruel and sadistic acts. A few of the “games” that are played include making the mother strip naked to prove she has a good body and forcing her to choose the order in which she and her husband will die in.
While the film would be difficult to watch by any standards, the absence of a soundtrack adds to the overall disturbing atmosphere. With the exception of the opening and closing credits, the only time music is played in the movie is during a brief scene in which one of the kidnappers plays a song on a stereo. For the rest of the film the action plays out without any diegetic or extra-diegetic sound. This adds a heightened sense of realism to the viewing experience. It’s almost as if one is viewing a homemade videotape of torture.
As stated earlier, it is a conscious choice made when a soundtrack is excluded from a movie or a television show. Most times this is done to make the events being viewed seem more genuine and less fictitious. When viewers feel uncomfortable it probably was the feeling the filmmaker intended. They wanted the events to seem as real as possible. And this is very easily accomplished by the absence of a soundtrack.
Funny Games, which is a shot for shot remake of the Austrian movie of the same name, tells the story of two young psychos who hold a family hostage at their summer home. As the title suggests, the kidnappers force the family to perform cruel and sadistic acts. A few of the “games” that are played include making the mother strip naked to prove she has a good body and forcing her to choose the order in which she and her husband will die in.
While the film would be difficult to watch by any standards, the absence of a soundtrack adds to the overall disturbing atmosphere. With the exception of the opening and closing credits, the only time music is played in the movie is during a brief scene in which one of the kidnappers plays a song on a stereo. For the rest of the film the action plays out without any diegetic or extra-diegetic sound. This adds a heightened sense of realism to the viewing experience. It’s almost as if one is viewing a homemade videotape of torture.
As stated earlier, it is a conscious choice made when a soundtrack is excluded from a movie or a television show. Most times this is done to make the events being viewed seem more genuine and less fictitious. When viewers feel uncomfortable it probably was the feeling the filmmaker intended. They wanted the events to seem as real as possible. And this is very easily accomplished by the absence of a soundtrack.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
UPDATE
I've have just learned that one of the shows i mentioned in my last post is coming to DVD. The first two seasons of Duckman will be released on Sept 16th.
Hopefully the rest of the shows mentioned will quickly follow suit.
Hopefully the rest of the shows mentioned will quickly follow suit.
Friday, June 27, 2008
TV Shows That Need A DVD Release
With the advancement of DVD’s television viewing has changed considerably. Now people can watch their favorite shows whenever they want, and discover new shows they may have missed when they originally aired. But despite the multitude of shows that have DVD releases, there are still many that have still not been released. Below is a list of a few shows that I personally want to see on DVD in the near future.
Gargoyles: Even though it’s technically already on DVD, I’ve put it at the top of the list because I want the entire series released. Gargoyles was an animated action adventure show that told the story of six medieval gargoyles who wake up in modern day Manhattan after a magical induced 1000 year sleep. The show dealt with several themes not normally seen in most animated shows. Some of which include betrayal, unrequited love, moral ambiguity, vengeance, genocide, and gun safety (which was dealt with more seriously and realistically then many live action shows have done). The first season, which consisted of 13 episodes, was released in it’s entirety in 2004. The second season, which consisted of 52 episodes, was split into two release dates. The first half of season 2 was released in 2005 with plans for the rest of the season to be released later. Unfortunately sales for the second season were lower then expected and all future season releases were abandoned. Which is a shame because there are legions of fans who want to own every episode of this amazing show.
Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place: A gem of a sitcom that aired in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. The main characters were three twenty something friends, two guys and a girl as the title suggests, that have known each other since college. There was Berg, a fun loving pre med student; Pete, a conflicted and frantic individual who’s unsure about where his professional and love life is going; and Sharron, a neurotic yet confident woman who’s afraid of commitment. In addition to the standard sitcom mode episodes the show occasionally experimented with different styles, such as a episode without any dialogue and one shot in a film noir style. It also borrowed a page from the Simpsons and had annual Halloween episodes which were surreal and separate from the normal show’s continuality.
Unhappily Ever After: I’ll state the obvious and admit that this show was basically a slightly tamer version of Married with Children. But I still got a kick out of watching it. It was hilarious, plan and simple. Like Married with Children it focused on a bitter man with a low paying job who couldn’t stand his wife and was frustrated with his children. While the breakout character of the show was Tiffany, the beautiful and extremely smart daughter, my favorite character would have to be Mr. Floppy, a tell it like it is stuffed bunny brought to life through the protagonist’s schizophrenia.
Daria: While it was a spin off of Beavis and Butthead, Daria had a style and sense of humor vastly different then its predecessor. The show focused on a girl named Daria, an exceptionally intelligent high schooler with a biting wit and cynical anti conformist personality. Along with abundant references to the negative aspects of high school the show also took numerous jabs at suburban life and pop culture, all done in a very intelligent way. One reason I suspect this show has had trouble being released on DVD is music licensing. When it originally aired the show was saturated with the latest pop songs, no doubt an influence of airing on MTV. The use of so many various songs from different artists has created countless licensing issues making the release of original unedited episodes extraordinary difficult.
Duckman: This is probably the strangest of the shows on this list. It follows a crass anthropomorphism duck who works as a private eye with his more talented pig partner. It focused on the strange and bizarre, with a distinctive style that people either loved or hated.
Spin City: Another gem from the 90’s that focused on the behind the scene runnings of politics. The show starred Michael J. Fox as the deputy mayor of New York City who often had to put a positive spin on an arised problem. Other memorable performers were Barry Boswick as the dim witted mayor, Richard Kind of "Mad About You" as the cowardly press secretary and Michael Boatman as the head of minority affairs. The show was funny in it’s ability to show how what we hear in politics isn’t always what is true in politics.
And that completes my list.
Gargoyles: Even though it’s technically already on DVD, I’ve put it at the top of the list because I want the entire series released. Gargoyles was an animated action adventure show that told the story of six medieval gargoyles who wake up in modern day Manhattan after a magical induced 1000 year sleep. The show dealt with several themes not normally seen in most animated shows. Some of which include betrayal, unrequited love, moral ambiguity, vengeance, genocide, and gun safety (which was dealt with more seriously and realistically then many live action shows have done). The first season, which consisted of 13 episodes, was released in it’s entirety in 2004. The second season, which consisted of 52 episodes, was split into two release dates. The first half of season 2 was released in 2005 with plans for the rest of the season to be released later. Unfortunately sales for the second season were lower then expected and all future season releases were abandoned. Which is a shame because there are legions of fans who want to own every episode of this amazing show.
Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place: A gem of a sitcom that aired in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. The main characters were three twenty something friends, two guys and a girl as the title suggests, that have known each other since college. There was Berg, a fun loving pre med student; Pete, a conflicted and frantic individual who’s unsure about where his professional and love life is going; and Sharron, a neurotic yet confident woman who’s afraid of commitment. In addition to the standard sitcom mode episodes the show occasionally experimented with different styles, such as a episode without any dialogue and one shot in a film noir style. It also borrowed a page from the Simpsons and had annual Halloween episodes which were surreal and separate from the normal show’s continuality.
Unhappily Ever After: I’ll state the obvious and admit that this show was basically a slightly tamer version of Married with Children. But I still got a kick out of watching it. It was hilarious, plan and simple. Like Married with Children it focused on a bitter man with a low paying job who couldn’t stand his wife and was frustrated with his children. While the breakout character of the show was Tiffany, the beautiful and extremely smart daughter, my favorite character would have to be Mr. Floppy, a tell it like it is stuffed bunny brought to life through the protagonist’s schizophrenia.
Daria: While it was a spin off of Beavis and Butthead, Daria had a style and sense of humor vastly different then its predecessor. The show focused on a girl named Daria, an exceptionally intelligent high schooler with a biting wit and cynical anti conformist personality. Along with abundant references to the negative aspects of high school the show also took numerous jabs at suburban life and pop culture, all done in a very intelligent way. One reason I suspect this show has had trouble being released on DVD is music licensing. When it originally aired the show was saturated with the latest pop songs, no doubt an influence of airing on MTV. The use of so many various songs from different artists has created countless licensing issues making the release of original unedited episodes extraordinary difficult.
Duckman: This is probably the strangest of the shows on this list. It follows a crass anthropomorphism duck who works as a private eye with his more talented pig partner. It focused on the strange and bizarre, with a distinctive style that people either loved or hated.
Spin City: Another gem from the 90’s that focused on the behind the scene runnings of politics. The show starred Michael J. Fox as the deputy mayor of New York City who often had to put a positive spin on an arised problem. Other memorable performers were Barry Boswick as the dim witted mayor, Richard Kind of "Mad About You" as the cowardly press secretary and Michael Boatman as the head of minority affairs. The show was funny in it’s ability to show how what we hear in politics isn’t always what is true in politics.
And that completes my list.
Monday, June 23, 2008
The Loss of a Comedic Legend
Sadly, my latest entry is also about the passing of a legend. This entry is on the passing of comedian George Carlin. George Carlin, who has entertained fans with his often controversial stand up routines, passed away on Sunday June 22 at the age of 71.
George Carlin’s humor often focused on his views on what he felt was idiotic about humanity. This ranged from people’s obsessions with celebrates and child raising to more controversial topics such as his views on religion and politics. His humor also greatly challenged censorship and what we deem as inappropriate. One of his most famous examples of challenging censorship was with his routine “Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television”, which lead to him being arrested in 1972 for violating obscenity laws after he performed the routine at Milwaukee’s Summerfest.
In addition to being a comedian, Carlin was also an actor. Most of his roles were comedic ones that played to his strengths, such as Rufus in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Cardinal Glick in Dogma. One exception however was his part in the film Jersey Girl, in where he played the father of the film’s protagonist. The role required him to be a serious three dimensional character rather then simply a caricature. He rose to the challenge and his role was one of the highlights of the movie.
George Carlin’s comedy paved the way for future comedians to perform controversial material in their routines. It also had a hand in laxing what content can and can’t be broadcast, which is either a good thing or a bad thing depending on one’s viewpoint. His passing is a great loss to the world of comedy and he will surely be missed.
George Carlin’s humor often focused on his views on what he felt was idiotic about humanity. This ranged from people’s obsessions with celebrates and child raising to more controversial topics such as his views on religion and politics. His humor also greatly challenged censorship and what we deem as inappropriate. One of his most famous examples of challenging censorship was with his routine “Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television”, which lead to him being arrested in 1972 for violating obscenity laws after he performed the routine at Milwaukee’s Summerfest.
In addition to being a comedian, Carlin was also an actor. Most of his roles were comedic ones that played to his strengths, such as Rufus in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Cardinal Glick in Dogma. One exception however was his part in the film Jersey Girl, in where he played the father of the film’s protagonist. The role required him to be a serious three dimensional character rather then simply a caricature. He rose to the challenge and his role was one of the highlights of the movie.
George Carlin’s comedy paved the way for future comedians to perform controversial material in their routines. It also had a hand in laxing what content can and can’t be broadcast, which is either a good thing or a bad thing depending on one’s viewpoint. His passing is a great loss to the world of comedy and he will surely be missed.
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