By Alan Hurst Christopher Plummer was perhaps the pre-eminent Canadian actor of his generation, one of the great Shakespearean actors in North America and England and a bona fide movie star for more than 55 years, thanks to a little film called The Sound of Music (1965). He passed away on Friday, ending one of…
By John H. Foote “My men were chopping off heads … because that’s what they were into” explains Bob Hyde to his visiting wife Sally, while on liberty in Hong Kong. She knows at once he is changed, off somehow, but she has no idea how deep the wounds on his soul really are. Captain…
By John H. Foote “I was a better man as a woman with you than I ever was as a man. I just have to learn to do it without the dress. I mean, I think at this point in our relationship one of us should wear pants” the flustered actor tells the love of…
By John H. Foote 8. AMADEUS (1984) Period pieces are far too often very dry, stodgy films with a true lack of emotion, an invisible dust that can almost be seen on the screen, in a word, BORING. The films of Merchant/ Ivory were often described as this, but in fairness they were not. Others…
By John H. Foote Derek (Edward Norton) is an imposing figure as he stands in the middle of his street, wearing only boots and jockey shorts. Muscles ripple, a swastika covers his heart, various tattoos cover him, his head is shaved. He puts down his gun, gingerly as the police arrive, placing his arms above…
By John H. Foote When he comes into view there is unmistakable swagger in his walk, despite being in chains, an arrogance, a huge chip on his shoulder, hair perfectly teased into a pompadour, his eyes blaze with seething anger. It is as though he challenges anyone he encounters, as though he has something to…
By Alan Hurst Cloris Leachman passed away on January 27 after 94 well-lived years and a career that was in its eighth decade. Despite her age, the news came as a bit of a shock because she was still acting in major projects with surprising frequency – if you look at the credits on her…
By John H. Foote Two-time Academy Award winning actress and nominated five other times, groundbreaking artist Jane Fonda will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award at this year’s Golden Globe Awards. Fonda is a multiple Golden Globe winner and nominee, earning best Actress (Drama) for Klute (1971), Julia (1977) and Coming Home (1978), as well as…
By John H. Foote Is it possible to show Adolf Hitler as the least bit sympathetic? Vulnerable? Even, dare it be said, human? He was after all just a man, but a man who put into motion the most vile mass murder of a people in modern world history. Can this man ever be portrayed…
By Alan Hurst The is the first in a series where I’ll attempt a very subjective selection of the best film comedy of each year – from the thirties up to present day. I’m starting with the thirties and the advent of both sophisticated and screwball comedies, as opposed to the dizzying physical and slapstick…