I spend a lot of time on the Internet Movie Database website. I enjoy reading about behind-the scenes trivia on some of my favorite films (and sometimes just what's playing on cable at the moment.) It's user-generated information, so it isn't always the most reliable, but it's still fun.
What was the part in the middle?
Can I really believe, for example, that Kevin Kline was originally going to play the grown-up Peter Pan (Banning) in Stephen Speilberg's 1991 "return to Neverland" film Hook, but had to back out because of lengthy re-shoots on Soapdish? It's possible. It would have been a very different movie, I think, without Robin Williams. It would have been even more different if David Bowie had not turned down the role of Captain Hook (as he is rumored to have done) before it was given to Dustin Hoffman.
Feelin' tragic like Marlon Brando?
One trivia item on IMDb.com that I found quite interesting is that John Williams (composer of scores for Superman, Star Wars, and E.T.) and Leslie Bricusse (composer and/or lyricist on Scrooge, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and the Broadway musical Jekyll & Hyde) had originally been working on Hook as a musical - a stage musical, if the item is to be trusted. As many as ten songs were written before the idea was scrapped, however, much of the music is evident in John Williams's score and at least one song made it into the film - lyrics and all: "When You're Alone."
{insert inappropriate thimble joke here}
That's Amber Scott as Peter's daughter Maggie. Hook is really the only thing she has done so far, and she is apparently out of the entertainment business. This was the most recent picture of her that I could find.
(I know.)
Another song in the movie that is credited to both John Williams and Leslie Bricusse can be heard very early on in the film when Maggie is playing Wendy in a school production of Peter Pan, and is sung by that play's Lost Boys: "We Don't Wanna Grow Up." It is purely conjecture on my part that this was one of the ten original songs in the supposed earlier scrapped musical. The IMDb item suggested only that "When You're Alone" was from this alleged musical, however, this song does seem to fit the rumor. (The song starts about 40 seconds in on this video.)
Second truck stop on the right
and straight on 'til morning.
Since I tend to like to do things in threes, I wanted to share another "Peter Pan" tune with you. This song is one of three that originated as part of a 1975 futuristic sci-fi stage version of Peter Pan called Neverland. The musical never went beyond the workshop stage but composer Jim Steinman re-worked the three songs with rocker Meat Loaf for his 1977 Bat Out of Hell album. The songs were "Bat Out of Hell", "The Formation of the Pack" (which became "All Revved Up With No Place to Go") and "Heaven Can Wait."
"All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust." - J.M. Barrie
Nothing motivates me quite as much as a good piece of music, and say what you will about the Rocky films, but they have given us some of the best tunes to get you pumped up: whether it be for a marathon or an important sales meeting. I like to listen to "Eye of the Tiger" right before I go out on a date - especially if it's likely that my date will have a mohawk. Even if you've never seen a Rocky film, you've probably heard Bill Conti's iconic theme from the films, "Gonna Fly Now," at least in in part. (I once heard it as hold music. Probably not the best choice for angry customers waiting for technical support.)
Here it is featured in the classic scene from Rocky II - my personal favorite in the series.
On a side note: Those steps he runs up in that scene (and in a number of the films) are in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I highly recommend visiting there if you're ever in Philly. They have a great Van Gogh collection. (There's also a "Rocky" statue out in front of those stairs now.)
Okay, back to the Italian Stallion, in the third Rocky film, Sylvester Stallone directed himself and - it being the 80s - he was looking to put a bit more rock in the movie soundtrack. The rumor is that he wanted to use Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" but could not obtain permission. (I find this curious given Queen's willingness to provide songs to the soundtracks of Flash Gordon, Highlander, and even Revenge of the Nerds.) Whatever the case, Stallone commissioned a song from up-and-coming Chicago rock band Survivor. The song was originally going to be called "Survival" as that was the word initially used in the chorus to rhyme with "rival," but the band decided that the hook was strong enough on its own and that rhyming wasn't quite as important. The song became "Eye of the Tiger" and factored heavily into both the third and fourth films.
(There are a few spoilers in this fan video, but, come on, if you haven't seen Rocky 2, 3, or 4 yet, you probably have your reasons, and it's just not gonna happen.)
Stallone also directed the fourth Rocky, bringing Survivor in again to write another hit, "Burning Heart," for a soundtrack that is listed on many internet favorite lists for motivational songs. From Robert Tepper's driving "No Easy Way Out" to James Brown's lively "Living in America," the Rocky IV soundtrack is pure 80s adrenaline. My favorite piece on the album, however, is not a rock anthem, but rather one of two pieces from Vince DiCola's inspiring score: called simply "Training Montage."
Happy Monday, cherubs. Go for the knockout this week.
In the 1930's, New York publishers Street and Smith were looking to capitalize on the surprising success of the pulp magazine hero, The Shadow. Publisher Henry W. Ralston along with editor John L. Nanovic conceived of a new hero - an adventurer with unique abilities named Doc Savage.
Doc Savage, the man of Bronze, would be further developed into the legendary character he would become by series writer Lester Dent. (Dent wrote most of the stories, but as their were other writers, Street and Smith published them under the single by-line "Kenneth Robeson.") Described by Dent as part Sherlock Holmes, part Tarzan, and part Abraham Lincoln, Doc Savage traveled the world righting wrongs with his keen powers of deduction, near-superhuman strength and agility, and strong moral character. He was often joined in his adventures by part or all of his team of fellow geniuses - each with their own abilities. If this all sounds vaguely familiar to a sci-fi cult classic film of the eighties, it's because The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension was very obviously inspired by the Doc Savage stories.
Doctor Clark "Doc" Savage Jr. was a doctor of both science and medicine. He had been trained from childhood to peak physical and mental condition - possessing great skill in martial arts and a photographic memory. Before Batman, he was a billionaire crime fighter with a secret lair and a fleet of boats, cars, planes. Before Superman, he had a fortress of solitude in the arctic. Most modern heroes - from Christopher Chance in Human Target (one of my favorite TV shows) to Tony Stark in Iron Man - owe some part of their inspiration to the legend of Doc Savage.
Popular during the 30s and 40s, Doc Savage saw a resurgence in the 60s with reprints of the original stories and new cover art by James Bama and utilizing the features of actor/model Steve Holland as Doc. There was even a campy movie in 1975 featuring former TV Tarzan Ron Ely as Doc Savage and Paul Gleason as his buddy Long Tom.
There is talk of a new Doc Savage movie to be directed and scripted by Lethal Weapon scribe and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang scribe and director, Shane Black. I, for one, can't wait. Something tells me that the editor of the following fan video can't wait, either.
Yesterday, as many of you know, was Human Rights day, and the whole of December is Human Rights Awareness Month, so I wanted to share this video of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
(A quick update: Aung San Suu Kyi was finally released on November 13, 2010.)
The organization behind the video, the Human Rights Action Center has been the most active international organization working to secure her release, so good for them.
A second video was also made featuring notable celebrities reading the articles of the declaration:
Another organization I want to share with you today is The Advocates for Human Rights. Here is their mission statement: "The mission of The Advocates for Human Rights is to implement international human rights standards in order to promote civil society and reinforce the rule of law. By involving volunteers in research, education, and advocacy, we build broad constituencies in the United States and select global communities."
I will leave you today with a poem from Pastor Martin Niemöller, a victim of the Nazis:
First they came for the Jews And I did not speak out Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the communists And I did not speak out Because I was not a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists And I did not speak out Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me And by that time There was no one left to speak up.
In 1972's The Hot Rock, Robert Redford steals a very slippery diamond - a couple of times.
Just out of prison, Dortmunder (Redford) is approached to steal a priceless diamond on behalf of an African dignitary. He assembles his team: an explosives expert (Paul Sand), a driver (Ron Leibman), and . . . his brother-in-law (George Segal). Without giving too many of the plot points away, let's just say that things don't go smoothly, so he has to steal the diamond again . . . and again.
I'm really surprised that more people don't know this movie. Directed by Peter Yates (Bullitt) with a script by William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) adapted from Donald E. Westlake's novel, The Hot Rock has a lot going for it: suspense, comedy, and enough little surprises around each corner to keep you guessing how it's all going to end. There's also an amazing score by Quincy Jones, who was so impressed with his musicians that he asked that they be listed individually in the end credits. (They were, and they deserved it.)
I definitely think you should add this film to your viewing list, if for no other reason than to get to the bottom of the phrase: "Afghanistan Banana Stand."
Oh, one more thing: about an hour into the movie there is some great footage of the World Trade Center towers under construction. Not an important plot element, but an interesting bit of nostalgia.
I think that part of being a film buff is recognizing the good in a bad movie, and I don't mean unintentional campiness, or "so bad it's good." I mean looking at a movie that somewhere went off the tracks in spite of the talent involved.
One such film is 1992's Memoirs of an Invisible Man, directed by John Carpenter and starring Chevy Chase.
I was looking forward to this film as I was a fan of Chevy Chase, and this - from all I had read - was going to be a real departure for him: a straight leading man action role. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed his comic-action-hero portrayals in the Fletch films and Spies Like Us, but I had always believed that he possessed more range as an actor, and I was anxious to see him show it.
I was a little disappointed when the trailer came out, but I understood that the studio was trying to reach the broadest base: people who were looking for a funny Chevy Chase. They had edited the trailer to make it look like a different movie and appeal to that potential audience. It actually happens a lot. And it's pretty easy to do.
I still had high hopes for the film, and, for the first half hour or so, it was everything I hoped it would be. There were comic elements, but nothing particularly out of character for an action film.
Chevy Chase was witty but not goofy, his baritone voice-over narration well-suited to the dramatic tone of the events. I was elated.
"Holly Hunter's a mute? And there's a piano?
Sure, I'll take a look at the script."
Then things started to unravel a bit. It became very apparent that John Carpenter was having a little too much fun with the special effects. The effects are great, mind you, but some sequences - like the scene in the trailer with the jogging suit with no jogger heading down the beach - were out of character for the protagonist and contrary to the plot. Also seen in the trailer is one of the rather overt "winks" at the original Invisible Man film.
By "overt," I mean that Carpenter made an allusion to the old film, pointed out that he had made an allusion, checked to make sure that we saw he'd made an allusion, then made the allusion once more for everyone who missed it. At times, it got to be a bit too much.
Chase was very good at portraying the loneliness and fear of invisibility - an important element from H.F. Saint's 1987 novel on which the film is based - but the added dream sequences employed slapstick to convey the same idea, and greatly detracted from the drama.
"This is my serious face."
That having been said, there is still a lot of good in this film. Chase is terrific. Unfortunately, because this film was not well-received, it marked the beginning of the end for his career as a leading man (comic or otherwise) and it was the last time he attempted to play it straight until a memorable appearance on Law & Order in 2006. (One could argue that his role in Man of the House (1995) was not strictly comical, but his character's alias was "Squatting Dog.")
Daryl Hannah - of whom I am not a fan - is also surprisingly good in this film, even more so when you realize that she was acting to empty space. Two of my favorites, Michael McKean and Stephen Tobolowsky, are there, too (if a bit under-utilized), and Sam Neill is devilishly good as Chase's unscrupulous pursuer.
And, as I said, the special effects are pretty impressive.
I wouldn't necessarily advocate that you go out right now and add it to your Blu-Ray collection, but, if it comes on cable some night, I'd say give it a look. Who knows? You might even be more forgiving of it than I am.
I'll admit it. I have been against the Spider-Man musical, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, from the very moment the idea was suggested a few years ago. I'm not sure why.
I know that I have been frustrated with Broadway's latest trend of turning every single piece of pop culture into a musical production - with mixed results. However, hasn't Broadway always kind of done that?
Peter Pan, Annie, Camelot - I wonder if there weren't people at the time saying "Oh, no. Why would they make that into a musical? It's just going to be silly."
I suppose that I feel some level of comic book geek superiority in wanting to "preserve" the integrity of one of my superhero icons, but let's take a real quick look at three of my favorite shows from when I was a kid.
". . . and then I woke up, and Suzanne Pleshette was there."
Okay, I don't know how that last one got in there, but I think you get the idea anyway.
Even the comic book itself has taken some peculiar liberties with our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
From the late 80s forward, Peter Parker (Spider-Man. Come on, you knew that) has been married, found out he has a clone, for a while thought he was a clone, been an expectant father, mourned the loss of same baby, split up with his wife, found out he's part of some totemic spider cult, revealed his secret identity, ran around in a suit of spider armor (yes, I said spider armor), reconciled with his wife, and then made a pact with a demon to have pretty much his entire life from 1987 rewound and erased. Well, who could blame him?
This is to say nothing of the the merchandising of said icon.
Well, it sold better than the
Wolverine fanny pack.
Now, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies did a lot for bringing some respectability back to the wall-crawler, but, let's face it, a Broadway musical is probably not the worst thing that Spidey has had to endure.
Don't Worry. PETA's
already been called.
Then this morning I was reading an interview with director and co-auteur of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Julie Taymor, about her upcoming film version of The Tempest in which she was inevitably asked about the musical that has been best by delays, injuries, technical problems, and a whole lot of negative press. At first she tried to dodge the question, but eventually noted how The Lion King (the mega-musical that really put her on the map) had itself been beset my a multitude of problems. This was, however, before the internet had exploded into every household in America. Most of The Lion King's problems were allowed to be quietly fixed in out-of-town tryouts and previews before anyone ever knew about them.
This led me to remember the stories that I'd heard about the many difficulties in staging the musical Barnum in the early 80s. I imagined Peter Pan probably had its share of technical snafus as well, but there was no one there to blog about them, and no Facebook or Twitter for everyone to share them anyway.
Although I might buy a tote.
I recalled seeing the effects-laden stage show EFX at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with Michael Crawford shortly before Crawford wound up having to leave the show when he sustained an injury during one of the high-flying stunts.
So, I decided that I'm going to get off the Spider-Man-Musical-Hating bandwagon. I'm not planning to leap to the front of the fan club, either, but I think I should give it a fair chance.
Is the exorbitant $65 million budget of the production a little irresponsible in these tight economic times? Sure, maybe, but - as far as I'm aware - they aren't using any of my money (and it's not like those wealthy investors are asking for any special tax cuts or anything.)
"Oh, no no no. You're awesome."
Does the score - by two middle-aged men who still call themselves "Bono" and "The Edge" - sound suspiciously similar to a song they wrote for the Batman Returns soundtrack ("Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me")? Well, yeah, maybe a little, but, hey, Phantom of the Opera is basically 3 songs over and over. (Maybe two-and-a-half.)
Is the fact that there are so many performers sustaining serious injuries during rehearsals and previews an indication that the producers, director, designers, and the Actors' Equity Association have temporarily lost their grip on reality? Okay, yes, that probably is the case.
But check out these awesome villain costumes.
I'm sure you recognize the dastardly Green Goblin on the left (Whoville is in big trouble, let me tell ya), and on the right is a brand new villain created just for the production called (wait, this can't be right) Swiss. Miss.
Uh-oh. My Spidey sense is tingling.
