Lily Tomlin, Queen of Existentialism

"Identity is nothing but a mental construct. You mustn't fixate on it."



"I sure hope I'm still me."



"I'm no girl, I'm a woman. I'm not your wife or your mother or even your mistress."

"All the world's so sad and dreary, everywhere I go"



"We might see you floss or masturbate -- that could be the key to your entire reality."



I never cared too much for games and this one's driving me insane | You're not half as free to wander as you claim

"Artistic merit? What's so artistic about a man who turns into a woman? I sound like a good bet for the lead?!? Now you listen..."



"How am I not myself. How am I not myself. How am I not myself."

"I didn't always want to be a gifted actress."


Happy birthday, Lily!

LILY TOMLIN

Whatever this is and whoever you are, you're "primo"!
*

TONY Weekend: West Side Story, Garret Dillahunt and Nine to Five

Thanks for all the birthday wishes, yesterday!

My birthday festivities usually fall close to TONY Awards night. So today I can let my inner theater geek out -- is it "inner" if everyone knows about it?. I'll probably tweet the actual ceremony... but if you're into Broadway and you don't mind spoilers there's already people tweeting from the dress rehearsal including Jane Fonda, Just Jared and Broadway World's Robert Diamond . In the meantime I thought I'd catch you up on a few recent stage shows that I haven't really discussed. As per usual, many of them have movie connections. But mostly I'm here to talk about West Side Story which is up for four TONYs tonight: Best Musical Revival, Best Actress, Best Featured Actress (Karen Olivo as "Anita") and Best Lighting Design.

Anita center (she's gonna get her kicks tonii-iiii-iight. she'll have
a private little mix tonii-iii-iight) and her fellow PRs.

West Side Story
Leonard Bernstein's masterpiece continues to shame the vast majority of musicals that came after it. Not for this show, one or two catchy numbers. Every number here is a bonafide classic. I am not one of those people whose eyes well up when moved by Art but when Romeo & Juliet Tony & Maria turned to the audience on top of that balcony fire escape and one of my favorite songs of all time "Tonight" shifted tempo into its genius explosion of hurried love "...with suns and moons all over the place" shivers shot through me. Yes, my eyes welled up from the sheer overwhelming beauty of this Art.

Where did all the invention in musical theater composition, go? Is it just because the money and opportunity dried up? Once you get past the 1960s, rock then pop then hip hop ruled the culture. I guess any new composer with enormous gifts is less likely to consider musical theater as a career option since it's no longer a part of every day life. It's hard to believe now but there was a time when it was. West Side Story spent more than a year at #1 of the Billboard charts in the 1960s. Compare that to Wicked, by all accounts a giant modern crossover success. Its peak position on the Billboard 200 was #138... and that was considered a major accomplishment!

Oh, so what did I think of the show, you ask?

I am never 100% satisfied with WSS stage productions because it's my favorite musical of all time but I thought this was a valiant effort. I loved the new emphasis on the sexuality of the characters, the ease with which the numbers moved in and out of Spanish (an appropriate choice though a long time in coming) and I thought Maria, the TONY nominated Argentinian actress Josefina Scaglione, was superb... that voice! It was perfectly suited to Maria, all sweet, soaring crystalline soprano with undercurrents of power that sneak up on you as the songs escalate in intensity. There were hit and miss choices in the casting elsewhere (we had an understudy rather than the hunky Matt Cavenaugh as "Tony" though so I can't discuss him) but the music, pacing and choreography are so strong I couldn't not love this production. B+

Despite my general love/lust for all things West Side... Hair (reviewed here) definitely deserves the Revival TONY. It took a much much less impressive musical and made it into a damn near unmissable event.

A few other recent shows...

Coraline
I've written about this over here. Fans of Neil Gaiman or the Magnetic Fields should definitely check it out. It's very different than Coraline the movie (as it should be) and that's not just because an old woman plays the lonely nine year old explorer, though that casting decision is a good example of its theatrical commitment. Coraline understands, as so few stage shows related to movies do, that the stage is not the screen. Theater is a different beast and requires more imagination and less literal mindedness to function to the fullest of its capabilities. I loved the cat, for instance, who is basically a man in a suit with lots of attitude and only minimally suggested cat movements (the yawning is quite funny). Coraline's matter of fact asides to the audience "I'm outside now" to indicate scene changes also had me smiling.

Nine to Five (The Musical)
Speaking of stage shows that don't remember to be stage shows... I'm not going to pretend like 9 to 5 isn't fun. The movie is so the show is, too. But the Show is the Movie. So why not just watch the movie again? You'll save $100. I love Dolly Parton but like so many famous artists turned Broadway composers she hasn't quite worked out the difference in mediums with her book writer. Like so many movies-to-stage productions, Nine to Five doubles up on talking and singing. You get the story beats and the famous dialogue and the emotional point of the scene and then they stop for a song about it. You don't need both in musical theater. The songs are supposed to be the story, not recaps of the Movie as Play that suddenly remembers it's now a Musical. The best number is (no surprise) something that's not in the movie at all -- the horny elderly secretary Roz (played by Kathy Fitzgerald who was not TONY nominated. sigh) gets a solo in the ladies bathroom that's quite funny, a bit crass and more than a little endearing.

Working 8 to 11... on stage at least

Brains
New York City has a lot of experimental theater and you generally only end up at it if you know someone who knows someone connected to the production. Experimental theater can often be trying, full of barely formed ideas, weird running time decisions, inaccessible drama or unfunny humor. Brains hops over these usual pitfalls with obvious delight in its own absurdity and total commitment to its mix of theatrical dance movement and verbal repetition. The play is about a desperate scientist and the cult that springs up around her when she declares that "The human body has two brains!" It's very funny and the slowly rising dramatic undercurrents only strengthen the desperation of its comedy, rather than capsizing it. Good stuff. I'm not sure when they're performing it next, unfortunately. Here's a commercial.

Things of Dry Hours
Garret Dillahunt is quickly ascending in my personal hierarchy of actors-I'm-always-eager-to-watch. After evocative supporting work in No Country For Old Men and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and his creepy contributions to Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and this fall's prestige piece The Road, I'm his. In this new play by Naomi Wallace (who wrote the movie Lawn Dogs ... worth a rental) he plays a possibly murderous factory worker Corbin Teel who hides out in the home of a black father and daughter in 30s era Alabama.

Delroy Lindo (who you just heard as "Beta" in Pixar's UP) plays the father/preacher who's hiding his "dirty red" Communist leanings from the violent authorities. Roslyn Ruff (who you just saw as Anne Hathaway's guidance counsellor in Rachel Getting Married -FB nom) is his formidable daughter, a washerwoman who may or may not be falling for the white man suddenly sleeping on her floorboards. The cast is uniformly strong and the play is pretty interesting, too. The triangular tensions are both well executed and multifaceted: the social, racial, spiritual, political, economic and sexual (Dillahunt gets naked for Ruff who in turn, mastering the art of the mixed signals, refuses him and then...?) all factor in.

Have you seen anything on stage recently? You don't have to live in NYC to see theater. Do you often picture what it be like onscreen when you do see a live show?
*

Jane Fonda vs. Geoffrey Rush for the Triple Crown

You know about the Triple Crown of Acting, right? It's when an actor manages to stretch across three mediums and snag all three of the top competitive prizes: Tony (theater), Emmy (television) and Oscar (film).


To date only 15 actors* have accomplished this but the number could jump to 17 soon. Currently the rarified list reads like so...

• Jack Albertson (Tony: 65, Oscar: 69, Emmy: 75)
  
• Anne Bancroft (Tony: 58, Oscar: 63, Emmy: 99)
  
• Ingrid Bergman (Oscar: 45, Tony: 47, Emmy: 60)
  
• Shirley Booth (Tony: 49, Oscar: 53, Emmy: 62)
  
• Melvyn Douglas (Tony: 60, Oscar: 64, Emmy: 68) Did you know that this Hud star was Illeanna Douglas's grandfather? I certainly didn't.
  
• Jeremy Irons (Tony: 84, Oscar: 91, Emmy: 97)
  
• Thomas Mitchell (Oscar: 40, Tony: 53, Emmy: 53)
  
• Rita Moreno (Oscar: 62, Tony: 75, Emmy: 77)
  
• Al Pacino (Tony: 69, Oscar: 93, Emmy: 04)
  
• Vanessa Redgrave (Oscar: 78, Emmy: 81, Tony: 03)
  
• Jason Robards (Tony: 59, Oscar: 77, Emmy: 88)
  
• Paul Scofield (Tony: 62, Oscar: 67, Emmy: 69)
  
• Maggie Smith (Oscar: 70, Tony: 90, Emmy: 03)
  
• Maureen Stapleton (Tony: 51, Emmy: 68, Oscar: 82)
  
• Jessica Tandy (Tony: 78, Emmy: 88, Oscar: 90)
  

<--- Dianne Wiest on Broadway with John Lithgow (four EMMYs, two TONYs... only Oscar eludes him) and Patrick Wilson in All My Sons.

This year I expected to see one of my all time favorite actresses Dianne Wiest fighting for a place on this list. She already has two Oscars (Hannah and Her Sisters and Bullets Over Broadway) and two Emmys (Road to Avonlea and In Treatment) but she did not receive a TONY nomination for All My Sons. I shall console myself with the happy knowledge that she's left boring-ass TV procedurals behind and is returning to fine roles elsewhere. Next up for Wiest: more In Treatment on TV and Rabbit Hole with Nicole Kidman onscreen... for which she could conceivably snag her fourth supporting actress Oscar nomination in 2010.

So, no Dianne. Jane Fonda and Geoffrey Rush did get nominated though and could become Triple Crowners in one month's time. Fonda has two Oscars (Klute and Coming Home) and one Emmy (The Dollmaker) and she's up for the TONY this year for 33 Variations. Geoffrey Rush has one Oscar (Shine) and one Emmy (The Life and Death of Peter Sellers) and Exit the King could bring him the TONY.

The Tony Lead Acting Races

Lead Actress Play

• Hope Davis, God of Carnage
• Jane Fonda, 33 Variations
• Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage
• Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart
• Harriet Walter, Mary Stuart

This category is brutal with two squabbling pairs of leading ladies. Although as far as I know neither Hope nor Marcia lose their head in God of Carnage so the battle in Mary Stuart is deadlier. It comes with a body count. Could all this infighting / vote splitting clear the way for Jane Fonda? [p.s. Harden already has the Oscar and if she snags this TONY all she's waiting for is the EMMY. Will she get a nomination for Damages in July?]

Lead Actor Play

• Jeff Daniels, God of Carnage
• Raúl Esparza, Speed-The-Plow
• James Gandolfini, God of Carnage
• Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King
• Thomas Sadoski, reasons to be pretty

It's cause for some despair that Esparza seems like he's never going to win the TONY. And with Pushing Daisies cancelled we'll never know if they planned to bring him back as "Alfredo Aldarisio" and maybe give him a duet with Kristin Chenoweth. He's so clearly one of Broadway's best and versatile too given that he hops between plays and musicals with ease. But TONY voters L-O-V-E movie stars and vote for them when they get a chance. Geoffrey Rush should be able to snag this one and join the triple crowners.

Lead Actress Musical

• Stockard Channing, Pal Joey
• Sutton Foster, Shrek
• Allison Janney, 9 to 5: The Musical
• Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
• Josefina Scaglione, West Side Story

It's a West Wing reunion... the EMMYS on Broadway! But I don't understand the Janney nomination. At all. I find her as endearing as a celebrity as most people but let me put it this way: she makes Renée Zellweger in Chicago look like a born hoofer. I could practically hear Janney counting whenever she had to do the simplest moves onstage. Both of her co-stars sang multiple circles around her and if you ask me, Megan Hilty in the Dolly role would have a right to be pissed that she was passed over so that TONY could get its celebrity fix. But thems the breaks. All awards bodies prefer celebrities to lesser knowns, if they're in direct competition.

Lead Actor Musical

• David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish (combined) as Billy Elliot
• Gavin Creel, Hair
• Brian d'Arcy James, Shrek
• Constantine Maroulis, Rock of Ages
• J Robert Spencer, Next to Normal

I'm not exactly sure why Gavin Creel (I'm not a fan) is considered lead in Hair while Will Swenson is nominated in "featured" (the story is about Creel but Swenson controls the show and gets more stage time -my review) but I'm not part of the nominating committee. Trivia: We have our first TONY nominated American Idol alum in Constantine Maroulis. Many of the Idol players have been on the boards (an odd twist given that American Idol regularly uses "Broadway" as an insult -- never mind that most Broadway performers can sing circles around Idol contestants) but this is the reality show's first nominee.

The SNUBBED

A lot of film stars were ignored this year including: Kristin Scott Thomas for The Seagull (my interview), Susan Sarandon for Exit the King, Rupert Everett for Blithe Spirit, Daniel Radcliffe's naked identity crisis in Equus (my review), smoking Carla Gugino for Desire Under the Elms and the romantic pairing of Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons in Impressionism.

For a complete list of TONY nominees, click here.

Don't be quiet. What do you think of these nominations and which movie star would you most love to see on stage?

* Notable superstars like Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand and Whoopi Goldberg have all three prizes too but they didn't win them all in competitive categories or for performances.
*

9 to 5 and twice on Wednesdays

As you've undoubtedly heard, the classic 80s comedy 9 to 5 is coming to Broadway with all new songs by the one & only Dolly Parton. Movie-to-stage musicals are all the rage these days (it used to be the other way 'round) largely because they're critic proof and to some extent even word-of-mouth proof. When you're charging $100+ a ticket for a show you can't afford to produce anything that isn't already a known quantity and easily saleable in advance.

If I sound cynical well, I love the theater and it gets depressing. We'll never get the next Sondheim --hell, we won't even get the next Guettel or LaChusia -- if the only thing that gets produced is transfers. Nevertheless, of all the movie-to-stage projects this one seems like a natural. The movie is already cartoonish. It's already got setpieces for each character that would could house perfect solos. It's already got a hit song. If the stage version gets good reviews I'll totally be punching the clock since the film holds a special place in my heart.

They held a meet & greet with the cast yesterday [more photos @ A Socalite's Life] with Dolly cheerleading. Y'all know Alison Janney (far left below) already. She'll be handling Lily Tomlin's ringleader "Violet" role.


Dolly's part "Doralee", the sexually harrassed secretary, will be played by Megan Hilty who's been logging time on the boards in Kristin Chenowith's old Glinda role in the unstoppable Wicked [tangent: now where's that reverse stage-to-movie transfer? You'd think a smash like that would work in the opposite direction and go back to the screen. Too expensive to mount?]. Stephanie Block is stepping into Jane Fonda's "Judy" role. She's also been logging time in Wicked.

If it sounds intimidating to follow Jane Fonda into anything, don't worry about Stephanie. Her last successful Broadway gig was marriage to Hugh Jackman in The Boy From Oz (pictured together, left) Listen up: if you can pretend to be Liza Minnelli whilst singing and dancing you're probably brave enough to do anything. Finally, everyone's favorite "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot" boss-from-hell inhabited by Dabney Coleman on film will be filled by Broadway regular Marc Kudisch, who is (trivia alert) Kristen Chenowith's ex. He's got a huge booming voice and he's pretty good at the bombastic smug comedy. If the casting isn't surprising it still seems pretty sensible. Break a leg!

poll by twiigs.com

How do you feel about 80s movie comedies like Hairspray and 9 to 5 becoming Broadway musicals: The death of the theater or all in good fun?

Blogosphere Multiplex: Jay Lassiter

It's been a loooong time since the last blogosphere interview. So, let's hop back on that horse. This time we're jumping on the PATH Train to New Jersey to speak with Jay Lassiter. He runs Lassiter Space, a personal blog which leans heavily on the political, and an all-politics blog BlueJersey which "covers New Jersey like a rug."

He's true blue -- just the way we like 'em. I think you'll find him fun to read as well. Here's the interview:


10 questions with Jay Lassiter

Nathaniel:How often do you go the movies?

Jay: Not that often. Once a month at most. I had been in a full leg cast for about 6 months and that kinda made it tough to get around and to get comfy at the cinema. I got my cast off in May --just in time for the lousy summer movie line up. Now that I am bipedal again, I have eagerly been reclaiming the bits of my life that I enjoyed before my injury. In fact, I'm going to see Little Miss Sunshine tonite. I will never again take for granted the capacity to get up and fetch my own popcorn.

Nathaniel: I'm glad you're better. But I have to know. During your convalescence did you feel more like James Caan Misery or Jimmy Stewart Rear Window ?

Jay: Definitely James Caan in Misery. Caan's character, Paul Sheldon suffered a horrible foot injury (much like my ruptured Achilles) which was the handiwork of someone who was "helping" him convalesce from a car crash.

My surgeon fucked up my operation and the recovery time went front the normal 3 months to over a year. In fact, if a movie was made of my movie, my orthopedic surgeon could be played by Kathy Bates. So Caan without a doubt (if i had to choose) with a pinch of Mia Farrow from Rosemary's Baby since the doc kept telling me that I am fine and the complications are "normal" and "all in my head."

Nathaniel: Ha. Oh, that's terrible. I shouldn't laugh. But it is the best medicine. What movie(s) makes you laugh the hardest?

Jay: Anything by John Waters, with Polyester and Pecker standing out for some reason. Like the venerable Waters, I am a Maryland boy with a twisted brand of humor, morbid fascinations and a heart of gold. I relate to the humanity and I love the characters he dreams up.

That being said, Nine to Five still rocked the kasbah for me as well. Funny as hell, with or without bonghits.

Nathaniel: Right? Such a classic trio. My personal favorite from the bunch is Jane Fonda. If she wants to do 'M & M's --you can't stop her! Who are your favorite actresses ever?

Jay: ok. well we could take our pick from and of the 9-to-5 gang i reckon. In fact, i'll go ahead and choose Jane Fonda A) because of her progressive activism and B) for her amazing canon or work. I met Jane Fonda at a book signing a few months ago. After her talk there was a Q-n-A and I got a chance to ask her what's on my mind. You can read more about our encounter here on my blog.

The fact is, there are so many amazing actresses who have done stuff that blows my mind. I choose Jane because of the off-the-screen intangibles which she embodies and I admire. In other words, I love Jane Fonda (actress) and Jane Fonda (in words and deeds.)

Honorable mention: Divine, Audrey Hepburn

Nathaniel:Good choice on Jane. She's so frequently inspired onscreen --Klute being one of my favorite performances ever. I'm also a known fan of Coming Home and I love They Shoot Horses, Don't They?.

As for politics -- the most frequent subject of your blog -- what do you think of the booming documentary genre? Seems like it's one of the only areas where progressive thought is winning out: An Inconvenient Truth, The Corporation, Fahrenheit 9/11, etc... Any feelings on this --do you think it'll make a difference or is it just preaching to the converted?

Jay: Hmmm, this is the first one that an answer isn't coming to me quickly. (long contemplative pause) First of all, yes I do believe that the movies you cite are making a difference on some level. Probably not a lot, but some for sure.

I guess anyone can make a documentary, but the key is (still, ultimately) to entertain. What made Fahrenheit 9/11 so special is that it was damn clever. Whether or not you agreed with the subject matter, it's undeniable that Michael Moore is a master craftsman with film. It's worth noting that Fahrenheit made an astronomical amount of $$ at the box office, further testament to the movies wide appeal.

SO the most compelling ideas will always benefit from good, solid filmmaking. Progressive ideas are better than the alternative. And thus far, the success and appeal of the movies you cite is a testament that --at this point in the game-- we are way more passionate about our values than they are. After all, where is the republican version of Michael Moore? There is none.

Nathaniel: Whats your favorite foreign film?

Jay: My favorite foreign film of all time is Goodbye Lenin. Have you seen it? I have always been fascinated with the Cold War and particularly how it played out in Germany. Goodbye Lenin was an interesting take on the German struggle to evolve after the Wall fell.

Nathaniel: I have seen it. Thought it was very good --a fascinating take on the political as personal, which is a topic I greatly enjoy. That's another reason I love Angels in America --there are so many reasons to love it but that's one of the chief reasons I find it brilliant.

In addition to your own blog you also run another New Jersey blog, right? Are there any specific films that you feel really capture New Jersey whether in a true-to-life or exaggerated way?

Jay: I have two blogs, one called Lassiter Space and the other (bigger) site is BlueJersey. BlueJersey is pretty much all politics all the time. Seeing the garden state through a political lens is quite a show. Go figure. It seems like a lot of films use NJ is a character in the movie, much like John Waters used Baltimore. Most examples get the Jersey zetgeist pretty well: Clerks and Mallrats come to mind. I also think Harold and Kumar go to White Castle is a real gem which makes great use of New Jersey in its plotline.

Nathaniel: I love the photo of you and your nephew on your blog (pictured left). It always makes me think of my nephews. One of my favorite movie memories is of taking them to see Babe when they were little. We all loved it and they quoted it forever thereafter. Do you have any favorite moviegoing memories?

Jay: Some of my favorite childhood memories center around movies: Superman 2, Karate Kid, Splash and Ferris Bueller's Day Off were all seen with my Aunt Debbie and her kids (my cousins) Doug Jr. and David. The scene in Splash where Daryl Hannah's mermaid character "Madison" was drying off her fin with a hairdryer still makes me chuckle to this day. And Superman 2, well, that's just a classic.

Nathaniel: What's the most bizarre thing that's ever happened to you at a movie?

Jay: I was 14 and drank an entire bottle of Robotussin before going to see Weekend at Bernie's. It was my first and last Robo-trip and it was horrifying. I don't recommend.

Half way through the movie, I had to pee and realized that I was paralyzed. When I finally pulled it together to stagger to the bathroom I heard a little girl saying "Mommy, mommy, what's wrong with that kid? Is he retarded??"

Nathaniel: oh so embarrassing. LAST QUESTION: They make a movie of your life. Who plays you? Who directs? What's the title? Rating?

Jay: In the movie about my life, I'll be played by someone handsome like Jude Law. Pam Grier would play my alter ego "Cookie Puss Johnston." No I'm not a drag queen, maybe just a teensy bit schizophrenic. Spike Lee would direct and the movie would be called "Cracker with a Heart of Gold."

Nathaniel: Thank you so much for sharing all of this with me. It's been fun. Now, readers (particularly those in the Tri-State area) head on over to Jay's blogs and get yourself politically aware and active.


If you're new to this blog, look around...
There's other interviews, exhaustive looks at favorite films, occassional video mixology, much ado about Far From Heaven & Brokeback Mountain, blog-a-thon delights and lots and lots of Oscars & personal Awardage and sometimes there's even politics too... albeit usually in movie form.

Tags: movies, cinema, jane fonda, New Jersey, documentary,film, progressive, politics

Blogosphere Multiplex: Jay Lassiter

It's been a loooong time since the last blogosphere interview. So, let's hop back on that horse. This time we're jumping on the PATH Train to New Jersey to speak with Jay Lassiter. He runs Lassiter Space, a personal blog which leans heavily on the political, and an all-politics blog BlueJersey which "covers New Jersey like a rug."

He's true blue -- just the way we like 'em. I think you'll find him fun to read as well. Here's the interview:


10 questions with Jay Lassiter

Nathaniel:How often do you go the movies?

Jay: Not that often. Once a month at most. I had been in a full leg cast for about 6 months and that kinda made it tough to get around and to get comfy at the cinema. I got my cast off in May --just in time for the lousy summer movie line up. Now that I am bipedal again, I have eagerly been reclaiming the bits of my life that I enjoyed before my injury. In fact, I'm going to see Little Miss Sunshine tonite. I will never again take for granted the capacity to get up and fetch my own popcorn.

Nathaniel: I'm glad you're better. But I have to know. During your convalescence did you feel more like James Caan Misery or Jimmy Stewart Rear Window ?

Jay: Definitely James Caan in Misery. Caan's character, Paul Sheldon suffered a horrible foot injury (much like my ruptured Achilles) which was the handiwork of someone who was "helping" him convalesce from a car crash.

My surgeon fucked up my operation and the recovery time went front the normal 3 months to over a year. In fact, if a movie was made of my movie, my orthopedic surgeon could be played by Kathy Bates. So Caan without a doubt (if i had to choose) with a pinch of Mia Farrow from Rosemary's Baby since the doc kept telling me that I am fine and the complications are "normal" and "all in my head."

Nathaniel: Ha. Oh, that's terrible. I shouldn't laugh. But it is the best medicine. What movie(s) makes you laugh the hardest?

Jay: Anything by John Waters, with Polyester and Pecker standing out for some reason. Like the venerable Waters, I am a Maryland boy with a twisted brand of humor, morbid fascinations and a heart of gold. I relate to the humanity and I love the characters he dreams up.

That being said, Nine to Five still rocked the kasbah for me as well. Funny as hell, with or without bonghits.

Nathaniel: Right? Such a classic trio. My personal favorite from the bunch is Jane Fonda. If she wants to do 'M & M's --you can't stop her! Who are your favorite actresses ever?

Jay: ok. well we could take our pick from and of the 9-to-5 gang i reckon. In fact, i'll go ahead and choose Jane Fonda A) because of her progressive activism and B) for her amazing canon or work. I met Jane Fonda at a book signing a few months ago. After her talk there was a Q-n-A and I got a chance to ask her what's on my mind. You can read more about our encounter here on my blog.

The fact is, there are so many amazing actresses who have done stuff that blows my mind. I choose Jane because of the off-the-screen intangibles which she embodies and I admire. In other words, I love Jane Fonda (actress) and Jane Fonda (in words and deeds.)

Honorable mention: Divine, Audrey Hepburn

Nathaniel:Good choice on Jane. She's so frequently inspired onscreen --Klute being one of my favorite performances ever. I'm also a known fan of Coming Home and I love They Shoot Horses, Don't They?.

As for politics -- the most frequent subject of your blog -- what do you think of the booming documentary genre? Seems like it's one of the only areas where progressive thought is winning out: An Inconvenient Truth, The Corporation, Fahrenheit 9/11, etc... Any feelings on this --do you think it'll make a difference or is it just preaching to the converted?

Jay: Hmmm, this is the first one that an answer isn't coming to me quickly. (long contemplative pause) First of all, yes I do believe that the movies you cite are making a difference on some level. Probably not a lot, but some for sure.

I guess anyone can make a documentary, but the key is (still, ultimately) to entertain. What made Fahrenheit 9/11 so special is that it was damn clever. Whether or not you agreed with the subject matter, it's undeniable that Michael Moore is a master craftsman with film. It's worth noting that Fahrenheit made an astronomical amount of $$ at the box office, further testament to the movies wide appeal.

SO the most compelling ideas will always benefit from good, solid filmmaking. Progressive ideas are better than the alternative. And thus far, the success and appeal of the movies you cite is a testament that --at this point in the game-- we are way more passionate about our values than they are. After all, where is the republican version of Michael Moore? There is none.

Nathaniel: Whats your favorite foreign film?

Jay: My favorite foreign film of all time is Goodbye Lenin. Have you seen it? I have always been fascinated with the Cold War and particularly how it played out in Germany. Goodbye Lenin was an interesting take on the German struggle to evolve after the Wall fell.

Nathaniel: I have seen it. Thought it was very good --a fascinating take on the political as personal, which is a topic I greatly enjoy. That's another reason I love Angels in America --there are so many reasons to love it but that's one of the chief reasons I find it brilliant.

In addition to your own blog you also run another New Jersey blog, right? Are there any specific films that you feel really capture New Jersey whether in a true-to-life or exaggerated way?

Jay: I have two blogs, one called Lassiter Space and the other (bigger) site is BlueJersey. BlueJersey is pretty much all politics all the time. Seeing the garden state through a political lens is quite a show. Go figure. It seems like a lot of films use NJ is a character in the movie, much like John Waters used Baltimore. Most examples get the Jersey zetgeist pretty well: Clerks and Mallrats come to mind. I also think Harold and Kumar go to White Castle is a real gem which makes great use of New Jersey in its plotline.

Nathaniel: I love the photo of you and your nephew on your blog (pictured left). It always makes me think of my nephews. One of my favorite movie memories is of taking them to see Babe when they were little. We all loved it and they quoted it forever thereafter. Do you have any favorite moviegoing memories?

Jay: Some of my favorite childhood memories center around movies: Superman 2, Karate Kid, Splash and Ferris Bueller's Day Off were all seen with my Aunt Debbie and her kids (my cousins) Doug Jr. and David. The scene in Splash where Daryl Hannah's mermaid character "Madison" was drying off her fin with a hairdryer still makes me chuckle to this day. And Superman 2, well, that's just a classic.

Nathaniel: What's the most bizarre thing that's ever happened to you at a movie?

Jay: I was 14 and drank an entire bottle of Robotussin before going to see Weekend at Bernie's. It was my first and last Robo-trip and it was horrifying. I don't recommend.

Half way through the movie, I had to pee and realized that I was paralyzed. When I finally pulled it together to stagger to the bathroom I heard a little girl saying "Mommy, mommy, what's wrong with that kid? Is he retarded??"

Nathaniel: oh so embarrassing. LAST QUESTION: They make a movie of your life. Who plays you? Who directs? What's the title? Rating?

Jay: In the movie about my life, I'll be played by someone handsome like Jude Law. Pam Grier would play my alter ego "Cookie Puss Johnston." No I'm not a drag queen, maybe just a teensy bit schizophrenic. Spike Lee would direct and the movie would be called "Cracker with a Heart of Gold."

Nathaniel: Thank you so much for sharing all of this with me. It's been fun. Now, readers (particularly those in the Tri-State area) head on over to Jay's blogs and get yourself politically aware and active.


If you're new to this blog, look around...
There's other interviews, exhaustive looks at favorite films, occassional video mixology, much ado about Far From Heaven & Brokeback Mountain, blog-a-thon delights and lots and lots of Oscars & personal Awardage and sometimes there's even politics too... albeit usually in movie form.

Tags: movies, cinema, jane fonda, New Jersey, documentary,film, progressive, politics

Request: Dolly Parton in the Movies

Today’s topic was suggested by Dusty and its Future Screen Roles for Dolly Parton. Now, for those of y'all out there who are saying "Dolly Parton? An actress!?" You're forgiven (for the moment) because you're young and her last movie-movie came out way back in 1992 (!). But Dolly is actually a pretty good one. See 9 to 5 and witness her confident comic appeal or Steel Magnolias to be amazed by her effortless charisma and warmth amidst lots of other actresses who are working up a considerable sweat to achieve same.

Yes, once upon a time Dolly's big hair, big charm, and big boobs met the big screen and all was well. [mostly.] These past few months Dolly has had a mini movie revival due to that simple & sweet Oscar nom'ed song from Transamerica and the DVD release of the beloved 9 to 5. Its classic title track is the other Oscar-losing Parton song. AMPAS: they just aren't nice.

Mini revivals are fun but let us dream of a world where Dolly is a big screen fixture. She doesn't exactly look like a real person these days (not that she was ever lacking for cartoonish appeal) so the roles will need to be a little outre as well in order to suit her, um, size. Dusty asked for 10 but I'm on a schedule here so you get 5.

05. "Lady MacBeth" Dusty already threw that one out there (I think as a joke) and even though it just sounds horribly wrong --Dolly being all warm and cuddly and Lady Macbeth being, well, not-- I love to see people in roles that are complete departures from anything they've ever done in the past. Could Dolly even play an evil person? Would the cosmos tear asunder? And how would she ever get through the "out damn spot" monologue without causing giggles. But I'd love to see Dolly try a villain so if Macbeth is too heavy, maybe "Ursula" (our banner girl this week) in a live action version of The Little Mermaid.

04. "Mae West"in a movie about the making of Myra Breckenridge. Oh come on. You know that'd be the best movie ever about a bad movie. Or at least the best since Ed Wood.

03. "Mame Dennis" in a remake of the musical Mame. Mame is by all accounts (including mine) a horrid movie. That's the kind of movies that should get remade. Of course a remake would have to add camp and glitzy value plus it would need to star people who can actually sing (Poor Lucille Ball in the original. This is not among her prodigious talents. Even with a score as repetitive and simple as Mame has). So in this fantasy new version Cher plays Mame's best friend Vera and Cyndi Lauper is the geeky awkward Gooch. Voila ~ several times better than the original already. Of course if that particular Jerry Herman musical is not available for a remake there's always...

02. "Dolly Levi" in a remake of his other musical about a rich matchmaking diva Hello Dolly. Dolly is much closer to the original Dolly's cartoonish grandeur (it doesn't get more cartoonishly grand than with the legendary Carol Channing) than Barbra Streisand was in the only film version. One of the great Oscar mysteries (at least to me) is how a film as dull and miscast as this one was nominated for 7 Oscars and won 3.

01. "Doralee Rhodes" in the sequel to 9 to 5. Lily, Jane, and Dolly have all hinted that they'd love for this to happen. So what on earth is Hollywood waiting for. Three huge stars that the public rarely gets to see in a sequel to a huge hit that almost everyone and their grandma loves? Remember when First Wives Clubs did so well for Bette, Goldie, and Diane?

Use the comments to suggest a topic or discuss this one.

previous requests: Best Child Actors (for John T) Classics I Haven't Seen (for Glenn) Favorite Animals (for Cal) Cher (for David) and The Sound of Music (for Becky)

tags: Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, movies, celebrities, country music, Steel Magnolias, Jane Fonda, Mae West

Request: Dolly Parton in the Movies

Today’s topic was suggested by Dusty and its Future Screen Roles for Dolly Parton. Now, for those of y'all out there who are saying "Dolly Parton? An actress!?" You're forgiven (for the moment) because you're young and her last movie-movie came out way back in 1992 (!). But Dolly is actually a pretty good one. See 9 to 5 and witness her confident comic appeal or Steel Magnolias to be amazed by her effortless charisma and warmth amidst lots of other actresses who are working up a considerable sweat to achieve same.

Yes, once upon a time Dolly's big hair, big charm, and big boobs met the big screen and all was well. [mostly.] These past few months Dolly has had a mini movie revival due to that simple & sweet Oscar nom'ed song from Transamerica and the DVD release of the beloved 9 to 5. Its classic title track is the other Oscar-losing Parton song. AMPAS: they just aren't nice.

Mini revivals are fun but let us dream of a world where Dolly is a big screen fixture. She doesn't exactly look like a real person these days (not that she was ever lacking for cartoonish appeal) so the roles will need to be a little outre as well in order to suit her, um, size. Dusty asked for 10 but I'm on a schedule here so you get 5.

05. "Lady MacBeth" Dusty already threw that one out there (I think as a joke) and even though it just sounds horribly wrong --Dolly being all warm and cuddly and Lady Macbeth being, well, not-- I love to see people in roles that are complete departures from anything they've ever done in the past. Could Dolly even play an evil person? Would the cosmos tear asunder? And how would she ever get through the "out damn spot" monologue without causing giggles. But I'd love to see Dolly try a villain so if Macbeth is too heavy, maybe "Ursula" (our banner girl this week) in a live action version of The Little Mermaid.

04. "Mae West"in a movie about the making of Myra Breckenridge. Oh come on. You know that'd be the best movie ever about a bad movie. Or at least the best since Ed Wood.

03. "Mame Dennis" in a remake of the musical Mame. Mame is by all accounts (including mine) a horrid movie. That's the kind of movies that should get remade. Of course a remake would have to add camp and glitzy value plus it would need to star people who can actually sing (Poor Lucille Ball in the original. This is not among her prodigious talents. Even with a score as repetitive and simple as Mame has). So in this fantasy new version Cher plays Mame's best friend Vera and Cyndi Lauper is the geeky awkward Gooch. Voila ~ several times better than the original already. Of course if that particular Jerry Herman musical is not available for a remake there's always...

02. "Dolly Levi" in a remake of his other musical about a rich matchmaking diva Hello Dolly. Dolly is much closer to the original Dolly's cartoonish grandeur (it doesn't get more cartoonishly grand than with the legendary Carol Channing) than Barbra Streisand was in the only film version. One of the great Oscar mysteries (at least to me) is how a film as dull and miscast as this one was nominated for 7 Oscars and won 3.

01. "Doralee Rhodes" in the sequel to 9 to 5. Lily, Jane, and Dolly have all hinted that they'd love for this to happen. So what on earth is Hollywood waiting for. Three huge stars that the public rarely gets to see in a sequel to a huge hit that almost everyone and their grandma loves? Remember when First Wives Clubs did so well for Bette, Goldie, and Diane?

Use the comments to suggest a topic or discuss this one.

previous requests: Best Child Actors (for John T) Classics I Haven't Seen (for Glenn) Favorite Animals (for Cal) Cher (for David) and The Sound of Music (for Becky)

tags: Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, movies, celebrities, country music, Steel Magnolias, Jane Fonda, Mae West