A Postcard from the Edge of Shutter Island.

Thought I'd share a fun little trivia nugget from a recent interview with the actress Robin Bartlett. You may remember Bartlett from her recurring role on TV's Mad About You or as the unusually named "Aretha" from Postcards from the Edge.

"Are you black?"
"...no."

Robin: I loved playing Aretha. That was another good piece of writing. Carrie Fisher is no slouch in that area.

Bartlett has appeared in two Streep movies (she's also in Sophie's Choice) and now she's taking over a role many viewers will automatically associate with the great one herself. She's currently in rehearsals for the mammoth "Mother Pitt" role in Angels in America (it's actually six roles on stage). The classic play is getting a New York revival this fall. Tickets go on sale on August 3rd. (I've just finished a magazine piece on the revival -- yes print still exists.)

During our chat we talked briefly about her big scene in Shutter Island earlier this year. Leo is questioning all the asylum crazies and we see Robin madly scribble something dramatic into his notebook before sliding it his way, all sneaky like.


Nathaniel: Is that your actual handwriting?
Robin: If that was my handwriting, you wouldn't be able to read it.
Nathaniel: [Laughter] The magic of the movies!
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Into Link Groove

general cinema
Dark Eye Socket a triple bill recommendation: frightening fiendish females
Inquirer Entertainment Shirley Maclaine is still quotable. Also babysits Bening-Beatty kids!
Socialite Life Kellan Lutz to play Poseidon in War of the Gods. This story is all over the blog rounds but the best part of the story is the one that's not making any headlines: Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall) is in the director's chair. Therefore, we must assume instant must-see rather than trashy dumb action flick


Old Hollywood Great 70s quote from Patti Smith on French legend Jeanne Moreau
My New Plaid Pants wait, what? Helen Mirren was besties with Brad Davis? Helen Mirren is quite possibly the most fascinating actress with whom I don't have a particularly deep bond. I should learn to love her more
SUNFiltered Isabella Rossellini's uniquely awesome Green Porno series gets a new name and batch of creature carnality
Towleroad Have you heard about this awful situation in a Canadian bar regarding Jake Gyllenhaal and asshole homophobic blogger? Yuck
Life Archives 17 great photos of Steve McQueen, King of Cool [thx]
Queerty a parody of RuPaul's Drag Race

politics and films
i09 has a great piece on healthcare reform through the prism of sci-fi's dystopia stories
Michael Moore have you read this astute Open Letter to Republicans. Funny, sad, and smart in equal measure.

off screen fun
Pop Justice Finland choir does Lady Gaga's 'bad romance'... how long til America tries a version of this reality concept? Post Glee I totally see it happening.
Critical Condition starts a (seemingly massive) Madonna countdown project
I Need My Fix Kristin Chenoweth is delightful whether on Twitter or Ambien or both simultaneously
AIGA/NY an evening of really bad book covers. Sounds interesting
Litely Salted "Oh, Lindsay" I've placed LaLohan in the "offscreen" section because she is obviously no longer movie-related. Which is sad.

Halfway House: Oh Suzanne-ah

Halfway through the day we freeze a movie halfway through. What do we see?

Doris Mann: Have you known Suzanne long?
Jack Faulkner: Ah, lets see. we've known each other about a month. It seems like longer, though.
Doris: Oh, I know what you mean. I'm her mother and it seems like longer.

Fifty minutes into Postcards From the Edge (1990), Jack (Dennis Quaid) has dropped by to pick up Suzanne Vale (Meryl Streep) for a date. Her mother (Shirley Maclaine) intercepts the man with the bedroom eyes ('and the living room nose and the kitchen forehead'). The performers are deliciously insynch with Carrie Fisher's rapid fire witticisms.

One of the reasons people get so invested in the Oscars is the joy that comes from arguing about whether or not the octogenarian institution got it right in any given year / category. When it comes to Postcards From the Edge, they got it very very wrong. It's one of the best movies about movies ever and it only received two nominations. Even Fisher's adapted screenplay, superior to some of the actual nominees, was snubbed. Dennis Quaid and Gene Hackman were both doing sly work here as Suzanne's player boyfriend and sympathetic director, respectively. But both actors didn't break a sweat in roles that wouldn't really be Oscar's thing even in the best of circumstances.

But then there's Shirley "It twirled up!" Maclaine. Hollywood usually loves it when Hollywood celebrates or satirizes itself as you can see in acting nominations like Dustin Hoffman's in Wag the Dog, Jean Hagen in Singin' in the Rain or Michael Lerner's for Barton Fink (among many others). But Shirley, who is a complete knockout as Debbie Reynolds substitute Doris Mann whether she's singing, cracking jokes, or winking for our sympathy, was bizarrely snubbed.

I'll never figure that one out.

I notice something new in the performances each time I see Postcards but the last time I popped it in the player I was totally amazed that I'd never caught this non-acting related detail (pictured below)


When Gene Hackman yells "Cut. Print." at the end of Meryl Streep's Oscar nominated "I'm Checking Out" musical number, the clapboard is not for the fictional film they're shooting but for the actual film we're watching (Postcards from the Edge) with its actual director Mike Nichols and cinematographer (the great, still unOscared Michael Ballhaus). How fun.

If you don't love Postcards don't tell me cuz I don't want to know. But if you do, tell us your favorite bit in the comments.
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MM@M: The Apartment (1960)

Mad Men at the Movies: We've been talking about the movies and film stars referenced in the two-time Emmy winning (yay!) 1960s set series. Previously name-checked: Gidget,Wizard of Oz, Lady Chatterley's Lover, Natalie Wood, Joan Crawford, Marty and Grace Kelly

1.10 "The Long Weekend"
Sterling (John Slattery) proposes a public date with Joanie (Christina Hendricks) since his wife Mona will be out of town for Labor Day weekend. Sterling proposes dinner, naked. Joanie isn't playing this particular conversational foreplay game. Her frustration with their affair is starting to show.

Joanie: How about a movie? Have you seen The Apartment?
Sterling: I went last week with Mona and Margaret.
Joanie: I hear Shirley Maclaine is good.
Sterling: Oh please, a white elevator operator? And a girl at that? I want to work at that place!
Joanie: [turning on him] Oh, I bet you do. The way those men treated that poor girl, handing her around like a tray of canapes. She tried to commit suicide.
Sterling: So you saw it, huh?

At this point he realizes the conversation isn't strictly about the movie. Sterling tries to smooth things over.

Sterling: Oh, Red, that's not how it is. Look, It was crude. That's the way pictures are now. Did you see that ridiculous Psycho? Hollywood isn't happy unless things are extreme.
Joanie: It didn't seem that extreme to me.
Sterling: Are we actually going to get into a fight over a movie? You know Mona had a dream once where I hit the dog with the car. She was mad at me all day. And I never hit the dog. We don't even have a dog.

Later in the same episode we see that Joanie, who never intended to spend the weekend with her boss/lover, has also completely soured on seeing a movie. She makes plans with her best friend Carol (Kate Norby) instead.

Carol: All I want to do is sit in the movies and cry.
Joanie: No movies. Let's look for some actual bachelors, empty their wallets.

Since Shirley Maclaine has already been name-checked, you should know that we've moved on from the emotional volatility of The Apartment and we're now entering the subdued internal terror of The Children's Hour (1961). Carol is not so interested in the bachelors if you know what I mean.

Both Psycho and The Apartment, two "extreme" movies, premiered in the same week in NYC in June of 1960. They both became sensations, ending the year comfortably in the box office top ten. It makes total sense that people would still be talking about them in early September. Once upon a time movies were not "over" after opening weekend. They played for months and there was no such thing as DVDs. Opening weekend was the beginning of the discussion, not the end. [*wipes nostalgic tear for bygone eras away]. Months later both films were in play at the Oscars too, with The Apartment the night's big winner taking home Picture, Director, Screenplay, Art Direction (it beat Psycho in this category, what???) and Editing. It's also worth noting that Shirley Maclaine, so suicidal on screen in the early 6os, also had reason to cry offscreen. She lost the Oscar many initially thought she'd win to "the slut of all time" Elizabeth Taylor in BUtterfield 8, when Taylor was suddenly hospitalized.


Ever had an argument about Psycho or The Apartment? Ever had an argument about a movie that wasn't really an argument about the movie? Arguments in disguise. I can tell you that I have dreamed about a movie when I hadn't seen the movie. The picture was The Silence of the Lambs which starred in three (!) of my dreams before I ever saw it. How mental is that? I guess my subconscious isn't happy unless things are... extreme.
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Frances Ethel Gumm at 87

Had Judy Garland not died tragically at 47 of an accidental overdose she would be turning 87 years-old today. Okay, so she might have died by now but we would have had much more of her work to enjoy. To give you an idea of how young that is for a world class entertainer, consider people who outlived her.

Had Frank Sinatra died at 47 his career would have ended with The Manchurian Candidate. He'd have never recorded his signature song "My Way" or any of his live records. Had Shirley Maclaine died at 47, she would never have sent up Debbie Reynolds in Postcards from the Edge or made Terms of Endearment which was arguably her greatest screen triumph. Had her co-star Jack Nicholson died at 47, Terms... would have been his last film: no Prizzi's Honor, Witches of Eastwick, Ironweed, The Departed, About Schmidt. Had Paul Newman, only three years Judy's junior, died at 47, "Judge Roy Bean" might have been his finale. No classics like The Sting, The Verdict or that long awaited Oscar win for reprising his role from The Hustler. Had Meryl Streep died at 47, The Bridges of Madison County would have been her swan song. No "Miranda Priestley", The Hours or Angels in America, no miraculous rebirth as a top box office draw in her late 50s. She would never have become the most nominated performer in Oscar history.

This is all a long way of saying that Judy Garland's death, while providing a fascinating spark to rush the gay liberation movement (more on Stonewall when it hits its 40th anniversary in a couple of weeks), was a great loss to the world. So here's to Judy in the celluloid heavens. Her cultural immortality is greatly deserved.



Related post: Nathaniel's 100 favorite actresses of all time. His harem (?) imaginary celluloid mansion (?) actress castle (?) has many wings but Judy's throne is very elaborate. She rules the afterlife wing alongside Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe and Natalie Wood.

"Happy Mother's Day" ~Bad Mommy / Good Mommy

Would you rather...

• Campaign for office with Mrs. Iselin (Angela Lansbury in The Manchurian Candidate)?
• Study the bible with Mrs. White (Piper Laurie in Carrie)?
• Compete for a man with Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft in The Graduate)?
  
• Be cared for when you're sick by Mrs. Fitzgerald (Margo Martindale in Million Dollar Baby)?
• Do household chores with Ms. Crawford (Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest)?

I'm sure your mom is closer in spirit to the following fierce moms / mother figures. Which would you want in your corner during a crisis?

Would you rather...

• Deal with mental illness under Mrs. Darko's steady wet-eyed watch (Mary McDonnell in Donnie Darko)?
• Enter mainstream society, despite your debilitating freakishness, with Mrs. Boggs at your side (Dianne Wiest in Edward Scisshorhands)?
• Travel to hostile planets with only Lt. Ripley to protect you (Sigourney Weaver in Aliens)
• Let Mrs. Pierce put up with all of your shit and take the fall for your crimes (Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce)? Harsh! But then it is Joan Crawford and she's on the other list, too. So...
  
• Battle illness with Mrs. Greenaway handling the medical staff (Shirley Maclaine in Terms of Endearment)
  

Bonus points to whoever makes the most compelling arguments for their answers in the comments. Make your case!

UPDATE: The normally chatty TFE readers were quiet about this teeny contest (Must have been visiting your mothers instead of commenting here. Good for you!)... but the winner is The Medwenitsch. He gets to help me with the next banner --- e-mail me for details, TM.
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Day of Rest

Shhhhhh... Fran is sleeping. She needs a day of rest before she's able to face Monday... and Thursday. And Monday again and Thursday again...
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New Podcast: Oscar Night Memories and "Best Consecutive Oscar Runs"

Nathaniel walks to the stage, tears welling in his eyes

Thank you so, so much. Whistle so I can tell where you are dear reader... There you are! Thank you for listening to our informal chatty awardsy podcast all season and especially for commenting so we know we're not talking into the great web void. I couldn't have done this without my beautiful co-stars Joe, Nick and Katey who always believed in me! I also must thank my accoun ---[drowned out by orchestra]

Enough hokey awards show humor. If you aren't already completely Oscared out (you're totally forgiven if you are), join the four musketeers for one last podcast pow-wow about Oscar night. The best option is the iTunes version i.e. the enhanced podcast but you can listen to the simplified mp3 if you don't have an enhanced player.

Topics include but are not limited to:

• Jessica Biel's napkin and Marisa Tomei's "envelopes"
  
• Meryl Streep in the front row, Anne Hathaway singing, Hugh Jackman up on stage
  
• Commie Homo Loving Sean Penn
  
• Penélope Cruz Obsessions. Spreading like brushfire
  
• Why is there no Oscar cable channel?
  

Somewhere round about the middle of the podcast (60 minutes this time. We had much gushing to do) Nick dropped an intriguing question for listeners/readers. What do you think is the Best Consecutive Run for Acting Oscar winners ever? Nick thinks it might actually be the last four years of Best Actor, great performances all...

• Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote
• Forrest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland
• Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
• Sean Penn, Milk

Well done, AMPAS. I counter with a five year spread of Best Actresses in the 1960s that I think is unbelievably satisfying. Which consecutive string of winners thrills you most? We want to hear it in the comments.
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Completely Morbid Thought of the Week

I've been so sad about Paul Newman all week. Now, everyone has to go at some point ...that's the way of life. And no one could argue that Newman, at 83, didn't have a full one. But it got me to thinking about how few truly massive screen stars remain among us. I'm talking classic film stars that were with us before the cultural upheaval of the '60s which brought a large wave of new stars to the cinematic forefront (Nicholson, Redford, Fonda, Christie, Eastwood, Streisand, Dunaway, Deneuve, Beatty, and more...) many of them still working steadily. Though Newman's work in the 1960s (Hud, The Hustler, Cool Hand Luke) is his most revered he actually ascended in the mid50s just as he was entering his thirties. Films like Somebody Up There Likes Me and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof made him a star.


There are so few stars left from the days when cinema was BIG in that way... and I'm not just referencing CinemaScope. Many still-living once household name actors have very low profiles; Olivia DeHavilland, Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Van Johnson, Karl Malden, Jennifer Jones, Mickey Rooney, Luise Rainer (all well into their 80s or 90s) aren't topics of conversation much anymore unless you're in the good, nay, glorious company of true cinephiles.

The truth of it is that most celebrated actors don't maintain the kind of decade after decade Name in Lights prominence that Paul Newman did to his very last. Shirley Maclaine and Sophia Loren who rose to fame roughly concurrently with Newman still walk the earth (in heels), god bless, both at 74. But the closing chapter I fear the most will be losing Elizabeth Taylor. La Liz, who is 76, has been internationally famous for sixty-two years now. To me she's the last of the Immortals. She's had so many health scares for so many decades that it became a joke to think of her as being perpetually at death's door. It's not at all funny anymore. I hope there's a great screening room in heaven. When Taylor finally arrives -- and I hope that's a long long time from now -- Newman, Monroe, Brando, the Hepburns, Bogie and Garland will undoubtedly have a seat ready for her: diamond encrusted, the one right between Richard Burton's and Montgomery Clift's.
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Mothers on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Adventures in DC Part 2

This weekend with friends visiting for the holidays we hit a lot of museums (and margaritas. shhhh). My friends are almost to a one culture lovers so museums are often good options. One of the best things we saw was something called The Cinema Effect: Illusion, Reality and the Moving Image (closing this coming weekend, here's a NYT review]. All of the video installations were about the way the motion picture portrays or pretend realism. My favorite piece in the roundup was by Candice Breitz and simply titled Mother (pictured below)


In the supremely well edited six screen extravaganza Faye Dunaway as Mommie Dearest, Susan Sarandon & Julia Roberts from Stepmom, Meryl Streep the ex Mrs. Kramer, Diane Keaton The Good Mother and Shirley Maclaine ...from the Edge have what amounts to a schizophrenic tearful and angry conversation filled with interrupted monologues and asides about being mothers and women. Fused together and separated from the context of their films, Keaton actually rivals Dunaway's camp icon for overacting and Maclaine comes across as the most sane. "I am...[slams piano]... STILL. HERE." This, as you may have guessed, is unsettling. Clearly none of them have been taking their meds. It's very very funny.

Thought provoking too, sure, in its voyeuristic way but I mention the funny because too few people in museums ever laugh. Another piece in the exhibit lampoons the E! True Hollywood Story pretending great typical rise-and-fall fame for Francesco Vezzoli following that nifty Trailer for the Remake of Caligula in which he convinced Gerard Butler, Helen Mirren, Milla Jovovich, Courtney Love and more to star. His E! prank follows all of the beats of those shallow infotainment documentaries so well that anyone who sat next to me in the room didn't get that it was a spoof. (I saw the ending three times -- trying to let friends catch up) and both times when it ended conversations were along the lines of "I have never heard of this guy. He's famous?" or "Did he really die?" Before you think this is a Nathaniel feeling superior moment I assure you it was more along the lines of confusion. The exhibit is called "Illusion, Reality and the Moving Image" and every piece is about how the presented real is never real. I really think misunderstandings arise because people don't expect humor when they go to see "Art". Certainly not humor that pairs Dame Helen Mirren, gay porn, Dietrich, biopic cliché and infotainment specials.

P.S. There was also a companion piece to Mother called Father which featured Dustin Hoffman, Steve Martin, Jon Voight, Tony Danza (!?) and Harvey Keitel but it wasn't as interesting. Men never are. But give me six Hollywood moms on the verge of nervous breakdowns? Bliss.
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Because you've been good museum attendees today, here's a retro treat. It's Shirley Maclaine's house rattling "I'm Still Here" from Postcards from the Edge.



How Maclaine wasn't Oscar nominated for this turn as the Debbie Reynolds-esque mom in this movie is one of the great mysteries of the 1990s.
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You're So Vain. You Probably Think These Links Are About You

Jim Hill remembers effects man Stan Winston (RIP)
<--- MSN asks both Michelle Pfeiffer & Julianne Moore to eat donuts. It always freaks me out when I see my two ruling movie goddesses pictured together, in articles not written by... myself.
MNPP Guillermo Del Toro woos his already drooling fanboy legions with this "quote of the day"
Zombie Daily Rob Sacchetto draws a new zombie every day!
Accidental Sexiness Pedro, Penelope, and Blanca Portillo hit Madrid to promote Broken Embraces
Topless Robot Barbie as Tippi Hedren in The Birds? I LOVE IT.
Cinephilia the quotable Arden has unkind words for DDL in There Will Be Blood
Twitch Tony Jaa is finally on his way back to cinemas (what has he been doing?)
Bright Lights After Dark raves out on the career of Vera Farmiga. Maybe I should stick in this Never Forever DVD I have sitting here
Evening Class on TCM's "Asian Images in Film" series
The Guardian There's always someone. A defense of The Happening. Although when a defense starts with "it's not that bad" hasn't the debate already been lost?
Star East Hugh Grant and Zhang Ziyi to co-star in a romantic comedy?

And just in case you think I forgot about my love for them, I haven't. Here's a photo of The Bening, her sister in law Shirley Maclaine, her hubbie (and Shirley's kid brother) Warren Beatty who were all at the AFI tribute to [drum roll please].... WARREN BEATTY Congratulations your awesomeness! I love you.


If you haven't seen and worshipped his contributions to the cinema such as Reds, Shampoo, Bugsy, Bulworth, Bonnie & Clyde and Splendor in the Grass among others, than frankly, your loss. Get on that, will you?
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Dr. FilmBlog. Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying And Love the Gay

navel gazing averse readers please ignore this post. I beg you. Thank you, -the management.

Is the blog too gay to function lately? Too superhero clogged? I tend to follow my moods but I worry that the film experience is a bit schizophrenic when my mood swings wildly from week to week, day to day... hour to hour? Next week: various film festival offerings --they're not exactly filled with homoeroticism and superheroes (unless the press notes are wildly off target)

Lately --was it those Disney hunks, the new Madonna video, the Savage Grace screening, all that showering? -- I've felt like TFE was getting even lighter in the loafers than usual. I worried, not in a self-loathing way, but in an all inclusive movie-loving way. I love the diverse readership I've built thank you muchly but you can't be all things to all people. What's more, I highly doubt that movie blogs written by straight men ever worry that they're being too narrow in their focus as they cover their cinematic interests. But such is the life of a navel gazing movie obsessed writer who loves actresses and superheroes and talky dramas and foreign films and a bunch of other things (as Gemini moods shift and strike) and who happens to be gay.

But this morning I breathed a giant sigh of relief. It's only a phase! Unbeknownst to myself I've merely been building up to the absolute gayest day of the year and had completely forgotten about. No, not gay pride... though in my opinion they should at least move National Coming Out Day to April 24th. For you see, today is the combined birthday of Shirley "It twirled up!" Maclaine (73), Barbra "Hello Gorgeous" Streisand (65) and flamboyant designer Jean-Paul Gaultier (55), he of the Milla Jovovich bandage dresses, Bruce Willis backless orange Ts, Madonna cone bras and Gael García Bernal in Bad Education costumes or lack thereof (among many other riveting accomplishments).

T'were a lot of gay birthed on this day.

I thought my blogosphere experience couldn't get any gayer this week and then, magically (but unsurprisingly) Planet Fabulon managed to up the homo ante with a video of Liza Minelli covering Donna Summer's Bad Girls. It's not Liza Minelli's birthday today but it really should be. That'd make this day complete. To get the Gay up front and center and therefore perhaps out of my system for a few posts (it's like totally singing along and out loud to that song that's stuck in your head. It's the only way to be free of it), here's a menage-a-cinque (is that an orgy?) of abso-fabu-lutely gayish vids. The aforementioned Liza number, Babs doing "My Man" (the Oscar was richly deserved) from Funny Girl, a hypnotic Jean Paul Gaultier perfume commercial, John Barrowman (Torchwood star) singing "I Am What I Am" from La Cage Aux Folles and finally, a really well edited film montage. YouTube has a lot of poorly edited clip reels but this one, promoting the book '101 Movies Every Gay Man Should See', is really well done and features a pleasingly diverse group of films: documentaries, foreign films, American Indies and classics. Can you name them? How many have you seen?






That's a whole lotta gay. That's enough gay even for today, which is gay-gay-gay. Peace out.

What A Way To Go!

If a bad movie has terrific costumes then actually it is a good movie, for obviously the reason the film was made was simply to showcase the outfits. Based on this reasoning, a flick like What a Way to Go! is a rousing success.

This movie is pink before it even starts!
Fox obviously knew their audience.


And yes, Shirley MacLaine lives in a big pink house.

These must be the designers, since they never actually appear in the film. And since said film is completely absurd, let's just get to the point and show you where the budget went.

Fabulous. But appropriate?


Check out those gams!

Apparently, she's some sort of sea anenome.

Shirley looking radiant in yellow,
with a big cock to her left...er, right...

Remember, girls, the higher the hair, the closer to heaven!


A bit too Zellweger for our taste.


No actual muppets were harmed in the making of this movie.


Björk!


By this point, they were running low on money. And fabric.

All this decadence does take its toll. In the end, she winds up in a giant glass of champagne, with Robert Mitchum, and drowns. But not before she fucks him.

[images via wetcircuit]

something from thombeau

TONY Nominations + Movie Suggestions

STOP! Don't scroll down or click away. I know that theater news probably provokes that response in moviegoers reading this blog. But as is my way, I filter everything through a celluloid lens. We're looking briefly at the top two musical categories and offering movie counterparts to inspire your jazz hands. Pretend it's the Oscars if you must. I'll throw in movie rental ideas to keep you informed even if you're as far from glitzy Times Square as you can be.

MUSICAL the nominees are...
The Color Purple. This one's easy to enjoy on your entertainment center at home. Guess why? This category is for "new" material. But whenever they "adapt" a movie it becomes a "new" play or musical. Which is very annoying as trends go but there you have it. The music is new but I was hoping they'd at least keep "Miss Celie's Blues" (Sister) the song that was so excellent (and Oscar Nominated) in the 1985 film. *sigh* No the Steven Spielberg film version lost every Oscar it was up for...even though it was up for a whole bushel full of them. Will the same fate await Oprah Winfrey's baby musical?

The Drowsy Chaperone It's a cheeky quite funny look at a musical theater fans obsession with a particular (fictional) musical comedy. There's lots of meta joking rather like a Charlie Kauffman movie (Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) except that it's sweet too and with less serious resonant subtext. So imagine one of those as a musical only with more slapsticky hijinx. Or something lighter with excessive 'aren't I adorably naughty?' narration like maybe Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It's hard to describe but it's a really fun show. It's a kindred spirit to Noises Off too, if less hyper and brilliant in its construction. But with Noises Off I'm speaking of the play (brilliant) as opposed to the movie version (merely OK)

Jersey Boys This musical about Franki Valli and the Four Seasons is a runaway hit and the frontrunner for the win --unless the Broadway-specificity of Chaperone pushes it over the edge, which it might. Movie Suggestion? Any musical biopic would work to put you in that jukebox frame of mind. But if you're looking for matching outfits too maybe you oughta take another spin with the red jackets and shades of That Thing You Do!, remember that? Say what you will about its disposable quality but with Schaech, Scott, Tyler, Embry, and Zahn in tow it was easy on the eyes.

The Wedding Singer Like The Color Purple this is a musical adapation of a film everyone knows and presumably loves. It was a fun night at the theater but a nomination is quite excessive. It's basically the movie plunked down on stage only with the charisma of Drew Barrymore removed and some funnier bits from the periphery --as I've mentioned before Felicia Finley playing the ex-girlfriend rocker is gangbusters (she was snubbed for a supporting nomination. argh!)

Snubbed The much maligned Elton John musical Lestat based on Anne Rice's famous character. Somehow rich producer types are still trying to make vampire musicals work. Money make you stupid. Just ask les soeurs Hilton. Tarzan, which we covered earlier in our film fashion was also beaten to a pulp by Tony voters.

REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL and the nominees are...
There were only three revivals this year so view the achievement of these three nominations with that in mind.

The Pajama Game Remember when Harry Connick Jr played a psycho in that Sigourney Weaver/Holly Hunter serial thriller movie Copycat? Well that has nothing to do with this really (sorry!) but I was thinking of it during the first half hour of this musical because Harry's acting was just a little "severe" for what is ostensibly a purely oldfashioned fluffy musical comedy. At any rate this is based on the original musical which became this movie starring Doris Day. And for trivia fiends. The original Broadway musical was the one that famously gave the movie world the great Shirley Maclaine. She was an understudy who went on suddenly one night for an injured Carol Haney. Director/Producer Hal B Wallis was in the audience and Shirley was almost immediately whisked off to fame and fortune in the movies. Welcome to Hollywood!

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
In this you're on your own filmwise. Sondheim musicals are still the great untapped territory for the movie musical genre. (If you don't count his very early (mostly) lyricist work in greats like West Side Story). I think this will and should win the revival prize. It's a canonized masterpiece of the musical theater given a new intriguing minimalist spin. And, yes, the movie version which has been in development hell forever is still trying to get itself made. They're looking at 2008 now. Still now word on whether or not those Russell Crowe, Johnn Depp, or Kevin Spacey as "Sweeney" rumors were true.

The Threepenny Opera
Bertol Brecht, the creator of this über influential musical (famous songs include "Mack the Knife" and "Pirate Jenny"), was recently quoted (rather horrifically I might add) on the Oscar stage. The quote "art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it” is a great quote when looking at Brecht's work and a super annoying when used to defend Crash. To get a sense of this musical you'll want to grab a DVD focused on Weimar Germany, say, Cabaret (you can't go wrong with Cabaret) and then make it a double feature with something by Lars Von Trier, let's say Dogville since he's one of many filmmakers influenced by Brecht's theory of alienating the audience. You can substitue the Von Trier with anything by Godard or Fassbinder . Sounds like a light double feature, right?

the complete list of nominations What you'll need to know right away is that Julia Roberts was snubbed (must've been those savage reviews) for her Broadway debut. Ross David Schwimmer was also given the heave ho for his work in The Caine Mutiny Court Martial. And in the saddest news, Cyndi Lauper was also ignored even though she was the best thing (by far) about the misguided Threepenny Opera.

Other celebrity film and television stars were luckier. Mark Ruffalo, Ian McDiarmid (You know, The Emperor in the Star Wars flicks), Ralph Fiennes, Oliver Platt, Tyne Daly, Lynn Redgrave, and Cynthia Nixon (Miranda!) will all receive congratulatory phone calls this morning.

Break a leg! And if you're nowhere near a Broadway stage rent some movies as it heals and you'll be all pumped for the Tony Awards on CBS June 11th, 2006.

tags: Tarzan, Broadway, theater, movies, Tarzan, Sweeney Todd, Julia Roberts, Mark Ruffalo, Drew Barrymore, musical theater, Oprah Winfrey, Lestat, Stephen Sondheim, Cyndi Lauper