Monday, June 04, 2018
Samantha B and B-minus (Ava and C.I.)
Reposting Ava and C.I.'s piece from last week.
Samantha B and B-minus (Ava and C.I.)
Samantha Bee is the latest name to be in trouble. She hosts her own comedy talk show on TBS.
This week, she's in hot water for calling Donald Trump's adult daughter the c-word.
These are our quick thoughts on the issue.
The c-word.
If you don't like it, we feel you.
But we honestly think the issue there is TBS. Samantha Bee does not host a live program.
That couldn't have been bleeped?
In terms of Samantha using the word?
She's going for comedy. A joke can fall flat without it being a national outrage (the Washington correspondent's dinner recently seems to have convinced many that the greatest threat to humanity is not a bomb but a joke). She was going for a laugh.
If it got laughs, fine. If it misfired, fine. That's comedy.
Her target was an adult and also someone with a level of power so we're not going to fret over it.
What does bother us?
Why the daughter?
Why not Donald Trump Jr.?
Samantha identifies as a feminist. Therefore, we hope she reflects on the joke itself, not the c-word.
Because Donald Trump (the president) has an awful policy (similar to Barack's), Samantha feels the daughter should dress up in a sexy little number and plead with her father.
Why should the daughter?
Why is it a female responsibility to plead on behalf of children. Is Donald Jr. not also a parent?
There are other feminist issues worth examining in the joke but this is a quickly dictated piece because we're told this topic is occupying all the e-mails to the public account today.
There is also the issue of sexualizing the daughter -- we question why her only ability, per the joke, would be to use sexuality to get her way.
Again, if the c-word is the problem with you, that's a TBS issue, they should have bleeped it.
But we do hope Samantha will reflect on the issue of why we blame women for the actions of their husbands, their fathers, their lovers, their . . .
-- Ava and C.I.
This week, she's in hot water for calling Donald Trump's adult daughter the c-word.
These are our quick thoughts on the issue.
- The c-word? We don't use it. Though apparently it's going mainstream since Sally Field's taken to Twitter. Then again, Sally wasn't raised with any manners and she's always felt outclassed in the business (for good reason?), hence the 'you like me, you really like me' speech.
The c-word.
If you don't like it, we feel you.
But we honestly think the issue there is TBS. Samantha Bee does not host a live program.
That couldn't have been bleeped?
In terms of Samantha using the word?
She's going for comedy. A joke can fall flat without it being a national outrage (the Washington correspondent's dinner recently seems to have convinced many that the greatest threat to humanity is not a bomb but a joke). She was going for a laugh.
If it got laughs, fine. If it misfired, fine. That's comedy.
Her target was an adult and also someone with a level of power so we're not going to fret over it.
What does bother us?
Why the daughter?
Why not Donald Trump Jr.?
Samantha identifies as a feminist. Therefore, we hope she reflects on the joke itself, not the c-word.
Because Donald Trump (the president) has an awful policy (similar to Barack's), Samantha feels the daughter should dress up in a sexy little number and plead with her father.
Why should the daughter?
Why is it a female responsibility to plead on behalf of children. Is Donald Jr. not also a parent?
There are other feminist issues worth examining in the joke but this is a quickly dictated piece because we're told this topic is occupying all the e-mails to the public account today.
There is also the issue of sexualizing the daughter -- we question why her only ability, per the joke, would be to use sexuality to get her way.
Again, if the c-word is the problem with you, that's a TBS issue, they should have bleeped it.
But we do hope Samantha will reflect on the issue of why we blame women for the actions of their husbands, their fathers, their lovers, their . . .
-- Ava and C.I.
This edition's playlist
1) Sting and Shaggy's 44/876.
2) Dashboard Confessional's CROOKED SHADOWS.
3) Alicia Keys' HERE.
4) Taylor Swift's REPUTATION.
5) Diana Ross' DIAMOND DIANA: THE LEGACY COLLECTION.
6) Tori Amos' NATIVE INVADERS.
7) Sam Smith's THE THRILL OF IT ALL.
9) Sam Smith's IN THE LONELY HOUR DROWNING SHADOW EDITION.
10) Janet Jackson's UNBREAKABLE.
Highlights
This piece is written by Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude, Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix, Kat of Kat's Korner, Betty of Thomas Friedman is a Great Man, Mike of Mikey Likes It!, Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz, Ruth of Ruth's Report, Marcia of SICKOFITRADLZ, Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends, Ann of Ann's Mega Dub, Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts and Wally of The Daily Jot. Unless otherwise noted, we picked all highlights.
"The occupation continues" -- most requested highlight by readers of this site.
"Isaiah's THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS "He crawls out …" and "Isaiah's THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS "The Ghosts of …" -- Isaiah's latest comics.
"Samantha B and B-minus (Ava and C.I.)" -- Ava and C.I. on the 'controversy.'
"Anne Sexton: THE COMPLETE POEMS" -- C.I. covers a book.
"Kat's Korner: 44/876 is the perfect summer album" -- Kat's latest music review.
"Kat's Korner: 44/876 is the perfect summer album" -- Kat's latest music review.
"Must read on spygate" -- Kat applauds Zach.
"mr. whiskers - the new cat" -- Rebecca has a new addition to the family.
"abc fires roseanne but embraces child molestors victor salva and brian peck," "ABC DISNEY's all about the pedophilia," "ROSEANNE and Roseanne" and "I was just saying someone looked like an ape today" -- community coverage of Roseanne.
"A question" and "Ronan Farrow is as fake as his mother" -- Betty and Ruth on fake Ronan Farrow.
"Discrimination" -- AIDS allows the military to discriminate currently -- should it?
"Who would vote for Eli Beckman?" -- fools.
"R.F.K." -- Ruth on the assassination.
"BOOKCLUB and SUPERFLY," "Comedies," "SOLO is so low" and "THE DAMNED DON'T CRY" -- Stan and Elaine go to the movies.
"Korea" -- Mike on those who would destroy peace.
"Justin Raimondo" -- Mike sings Justin's praises.
"Trina asked if I'd ever do a recipe post," "Polynesian Chicken in the Kitchen" and "Diabetic Banana Bread in the Kitchen" -- Elaine and Trina offer some recipes.
"Puerto Rico (Ava)" -- Ava addresses an issue.
"Chubby Milano" and "THIS JUST IN! SHE THICK! IN THE HEAD AND IN THE WAIST!" -- Cedric and Wally and political 'thinker' Alyssa.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Truest statement of the week
Donald Trump is correct to ask for an investigation of Halper’s
contacts which began during his campaign and continued after he was
inaugurated. Anyone concerned about the dangerous role of secret and
unelected law enforcement control ought to support his request.
Justified anti-Trump sentiment shouldn’t be forgotten but also should
not be allowed to legitimize the very dangerous intelligence apparatus.
The same forces which went after Trump will come after anyone else who is seen as a danger to the system. One cannot argue against the “black identity extremist” designation without also calling into question the intelligence agencies role in politics, even if their work was used against Donald Trump.
-- Margaret Kimberley, "CIA and FBI Election Interference" (BLACK AGENDA REPORT).
The same forces which went after Trump will come after anyone else who is seen as a danger to the system. One cannot argue against the “black identity extremist” designation without also calling into question the intelligence agencies role in politics, even if their work was used against Donald Trump.
-- Margaret Kimberley, "CIA and FBI Election Interference" (BLACK AGENDA REPORT).
A note to our readers
Hey --
Monday night. And we're done.
Let's thank all who participated this edition which includes Dallas and the following:
The Third Estate Sunday Review's Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess and Ava,
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
Trina of Trina's Kitchen, Marcia of SICKOFITRDLZ,
Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends,
Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts,
and Ann of Ann's Mega Dub.
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
Trina of Trina's Kitchen, Marcia of SICKOFITRDLZ,
Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends,
Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts,
and Ann of Ann's Mega Dub.
And what did we come up with?
Margaret Kimberley gets another truest.
Why aren't we asking the questions, making the demands, that the people of New Zealand are calling for?
Ava and C.I. cover AUDIENCE's CONDOR and FILMSTRUCK as well as NETFLIX.
Stop abusing the English language.
This is a serious topic and people stop making jokes.
Beto!!!
I (Jim) hated this feature from the start. After Ava and C.I.'s piece was read by all, this piece was written. Why are we defending NETFLIX? It's awful and it took the axe to SENSE8 and to Kathy Bates' sitcvom. I would have been fine without this piece.
Clinton, not Manning.
Amen.
SOLO sucks.
Repost of BURN PITS 360
What we listened to while writing.See you next week.
Peace,
-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.
Editorial: Time to debate the never-ending war
The Iraq War has been going on for 15 years and there's no end in sight.
Where's the concern in the US?
Yes, Little David Hogg is amusing and we all want to see him get pantsed, taken over the knee and given a good spanking -- by a romantic partner or maybe just by his best friend. Little David Hogg would look so funny with a nasty case of red ass and doing the naughty boy dance.
But until that day arrives, can't we focus on some things that actually matter?
Like ending war.
Barack Obama got elected president of the United States by promising to end the Iraq War. It was a lie. When Samantha Power revealed that in March of 2008 (to the BBC), she had to immediately resign. But proving what a lie his 'promise' was, as soon as he was elected, there was a spot for Samantha in the adminitration.
Now Barack destroys Chicago and gets millions to produce content for NETFLIX -- even though he's never produced entertainment content before. Not since NBC paid Chelsea Clinton $600,000 a year has anyone been so grossly overpaid while being also so tremendously underqualified.
Harmeet Singh Sooden (STUFF) points out the lack of transparency the New Zealand government has demonstrated on the topic of Iraq and concludes, "Regardless, it is left to the public to encourage the Government to act in the public interest with respect to New Zealand's military intervention in Iraq. To that end, the need for reinvigorated public debate is all the more pressing as the Government deliberates on whether to extend Operation Manawa's mandate beyond November 30, 2018."
Is there a reason that the same pressure on the government can't take place in the US? A reason that we can't demand that a public debate take place about this never-ending Iraq War?
No.
Where's the concern in the US?
Yes, Little David Hogg is amusing and we all want to see him get pantsed, taken over the knee and given a good spanking -- by a romantic partner or maybe just by his best friend. Little David Hogg would look so funny with a nasty case of red ass and doing the naughty boy dance.
But until that day arrives, can't we focus on some things that actually matter?
Like ending war.
Barack Obama got elected president of the United States by promising to end the Iraq War. It was a lie. When Samantha Power revealed that in March of 2008 (to the BBC), she had to immediately resign. But proving what a lie his 'promise' was, as soon as he was elected, there was a spot for Samantha in the adminitration.
Now Barack destroys Chicago and gets millions to produce content for NETFLIX -- even though he's never produced entertainment content before. Not since NBC paid Chelsea Clinton $600,000 a year has anyone been so grossly overpaid while being also so tremendously underqualified.
Harmeet Singh Sooden (STUFF) points out the lack of transparency the New Zealand government has demonstrated on the topic of Iraq and concludes, "Regardless, it is left to the public to encourage the Government to act in the public interest with respect to New Zealand's military intervention in Iraq. To that end, the need for reinvigorated public debate is all the more pressing as the Government deliberates on whether to extend Operation Manawa's mandate beyond November 30, 2018."
Is there a reason that the same pressure on the government can't take place in the US? A reason that we can't demand that a public debate take place about this never-ending Iraq War?
No.
TV: Streaming
"I'll be dreamin', dreamin'," sang Vanessa Williams on her first hit ballad, "hoping, baby, you will be there." Us? We keep streamin', streamin', hoping, baby, something worth watching will be there. Two of the most recent huge disappointments? AUDIENCE and FILMSTRUCK.
AUDIENCE still can't produce a series to justify its existence. If you're like most viewers, you took a pass on YOU ME HER -- another straight male fantasy where a plain looking man gets two attractive women. If you're like most viewers, next month you will take a pass on CONDOR.
We just finished watching the so-so series and why anyone gave this nonsense the greenlight is beyond us. The series is flabby, each episode overflowing with unneeded scenes that meander to an obvious close apparently due to the director's inability to yell "Cut!" The editing doesn't help either.
For those who missed the 70s classic film THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR, it starred Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway. Redford is Joe Hale, CIA analyst, whose office gets hit and he goes on the run, encounters Kathy Hale (Dunaway) who assists him -- at first reluctantly.
The chemistry between Robert and Faye made up for a lot in the film (and is referenced by Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney's characters in Steven Soderbergh's OUT OF SIGHT). THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR was directed by Sydney Pollack -- a man not known for handling tense thrillers. Pollack was given his big break by Natalie Wood -- as was Robert Redford. When she okayed each -- as director and co-star of THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED, she took a big risk. It's a risk that neither man ever felt the need to repay. When she returned to acting after taking time off to raise her daughters, both men played dumb when she contacted them about working on new projects together.
To be clear, THE SLENDER THREAD, the only film Pollack directed prior TO THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED, was not a success -- critical or commercial -- and Warners didn't want him to direct but Natalie demanded it. And Redford? They'd worked together on INSIDE DAISY CLOVER but he had a minor role in the film she starred in -- made more minor by his refusal to play the part as written -- the gay man her character marries. Redford had not starred in a film and the studios weren't keen on him due to his temperament (he didn't work well on TV sets) and weren't crazy about the bumps on the side of his face.
But Natalie stood up for both men and she was the queen of Warner Brothers so she got what she wanted. And both men? They got careers.
What did Natalie get?
When Redford needed her to do a cameo in his 1972 film THE CANDIDATE, despite being in retirement, she agreed to help the man she thought was her friend.
That was the kind of person she was.
The kind of people Redford and Pollack were? They never lifted a finger to help her when she decided to return to films.
In fairness, Redford's vanity has always occupied so much of his time. And Sydney? Well he was so very busy being a spy for the Israeli government.
If the Academy Awards can expel Roman Polanski, why can't they expel Sydney who was an American citizen spying on America for a foreign government. That's reason enough to expel Sydney.
We're not saying he didn't direct a few good movies. Certainly, TOOTSIE will always be a classic. But we are saying if he helped supply weapons and worse (possibly nuclear triggers as well as helping to score uranium for Israel), he certainly doesn't demonstrate the behavior that one expects.
With THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR, Pollack directed a script, routinely directed -- Lorenzo Semple supplied the tension (as he did on other scripts he co-wrote or wrote solo -- including the classics PRETTY POISON, THE PARALLAX VIEW and THE DROWNING POOL).
So while it would have been a good idea for all the episodes to have been directed by one person, it's even more important that the piece be strongly written. It has not been. Jason Smilovic has done some writing and 'creating' in the same way that he did on such TV disasters as KIDNAPPED, MY OWN WORST ENEMY, BIONIC WOMAN and KAREN SISCO. Where do you go after those flops?
AUDIENCE, obviously.
The series is poorly written, badly edited and shapeless in terms of direction. In terms of acting?
Brendan Fraser's the only one he truly delivers. 2018 has been a strong year for Fraser -- doing the only solid job on CONDOR (and as the villain, no less) as well as being part of an outstanding cast on FX's TRUST. Other than Brendan, there's no real reason for CONDOR to even exist.
Well there's William Hurt.
No, Hurt's not delivering a great performance -- or even a good one. It's the same performance that went stale in the eighties. But it's great to see him -- the man Marlee Matlin revealed raped her and beat her -- starring opposite hypocrite Mira Sorvino to demonstrate just how shallow Mira's supposed commitment to survivors of abuse truly is -- as shallow as her acting in CONDOR.
CONDOR should never have been made. To remake a classic, you should have a passion, a driving need to tell the story again but this series has all the energy of a LOVE BOAT episode.
NETFLIX is supposedly more powerful than DISNEY -- among others. Last week, THE GUARDIAN noted:
Netflix surpassed Disney as the most valuable US media company on Thursday, a sign that Netflix’s subscriber growth, coupled with potential problems in Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s TV and film assets, as well as changes in entertainment media consumption habits, are contributing to fundamental shifts in power.
That's surprising since NETFLIX has so little to offer.
Once upon a time, they had a steady flow of classic films -- via their deal with STARZ. That ended. They insisted at the time that they would have new deals to replace it. Subscribers are still waiting for those deals to emerge and classic films to return.
Instead, DISNEY is planning its own streaming service which would result in NETFLIX losing those films. And idiotic decision like cancelling fan favorite SENSE8 (a tele-film wraps the series up in June) don't help the service.
The reason for its popularity at present has to do with the latecomers coming on board and wanting to see what everyone used to be talking about.
Also struggling in TCM -- TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES. Still a premium channel when it comes to payment, the channel long ago lost luster and has taken to airing 'classics' that most would consider to be bombs. Due to incessant complaints from viewers about the repetition in their schedule of the last six months, they've taken to airing old franchises -- Ann Southern's ten Maisie films, Mickey Rooney's Andy Hardy films, Lupe Velez's series (THE GIRL FROM MEXICO and the seven Mexican Spitfire films that followed), Bonita Granville's four Nancy Drew films, the six Perry Mason films from WARNER BROTHERS (four starring Warren Williams), William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles in THE THIN MAN films (six in all), Margaret Rutherford's four films playing Agatha Christie's detective Jane Marple, among others. Quite a difference from their usual sole reliance on the BULLDOG DRUMMOND films.
In late 2016, TCM launched the streaming service FILMSTRUCK -- right away, they became the streamers of The Criterion Collection (a collection made famous for their remastered DVDs of film classics), stealing the Collection from HULU.
Grumblings in e-mails have noted the belief many TCM viewers have that the streaming service is what is depriving them of quality films.
The grumblers are wrong.
We spent the weekend going through FILMSTRUCK. The bulk of what they have makes it to TCM regularly. The only exception might be the Jean Harlow films. You're far more likely, on TCM these days, to see Carroll Baker playing Jean Harlow than to see a film starring the first bombshell of American films herself. And if you care the actual Jean Harlow on TCM, it's most likely going to be yet another airing of DINNER AT EIGHT and not one of her classic films like BOMBSHELL. TCM also can't seem to discover the Anita Loos films Jean Harlow made.
But otherwise?
Katharine Hepburn is currently represented on FILMSTRUCK by these films: BRINGING UP BABY, SUMMERTIME, PAT AND MIKE, ADAM'S RIB, THE SEA OF GRASS, WOMAN OF THE YEAR, KEEPER OF THE FLAME, WITHOUT LOVE and THE TROJAN WOMAN. So if you're thinking that SYLVIA SCARLETT (her first of four teamings with Cary Grant) is being kept off TCM by FILMSTRUCK, think again.
Some performers are better represented. Cary Grant isn't one. FILMSTRUCK only has his BRINGING UP BABY, SUZY (with Jean Harlow) and HIS GIRL FRIDAY (with Rosalind Russell). The ones who are better represented tend to be WARNER BROTHERS performers like Bette Davis (queen of the lot in the late 30s and early 40s) and Natalie Wood (queen of the lot in the sixties). That's because WARNER's has ended their own streaming service and now instead have partnered with FILMSTRUCK. Joan Crawford and Marlon Brando are also well represented as a result of their WARNER films.
But where, for example, is Betty Grable?
If she's on TCM at all these days, it's HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE -- the 1953 film that teams her with Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall. 1953 is not her strong year in terms of box office. From 1941 to 1951, Betty Grabe was a top ten box office draw in the US -- and in 1942 and 1943, she was the number one box office draw.
I WAKE UP SCREAMING is a film noir starring Betty Grable, a classic film noir. But it doesn't feature on the film noir slot Saturday nights or early Sunday mornings (NOIR ALLEY). Why? It's apparently not mach enough for host Eddie Muller (but he was fine with being paid to do commentary on the film's DVD). The same sexist thinking appears to keep Deanna Durbin's film noir classic CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY and so many offerings by Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Crawford out of the running. Don't even try to look for Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake teamings, they simply won't be aired.
But Betty Grable, one of the biggest stars in the US for countless films in a ten year period, is exactly the sort of performer TMC should exist for. They should highlight the films and provide context on them -- both in terms of art and in terms of their times -- what led people to respond so strongly to Betty Grable onscreen?
But you won't see her on TMC or FILMSTRUCK -- and you won't see her on FXM -- FOX's FX MOVIE CHANNEL. You might see her classic films -- especially her comedies -- on the over the air broadcast channel MOVIES! but that's really about it.
So PIN-UP GIRL, MOTHER WORE TIGHTS, MY BLUE HEAVEN and the Preston Sturges directed THE BEAUTIFUL BLONDE FROM BASHFUL BEND are not being shown and their impact not being addressed.
It's really amazing, when you think about TCM being a premium channel and FILMSTRUCK being a subscription service, that they offer so little that is truly rare or necessary for a film history education.
And when it comes to film classics, you will find more on HULU or AMAZON PRIME than you will on NETFLIX. In fact, you'll find more film classics on the free streaming service TUBI than you will on NETFLIX. On TUBI right now, for example, you can find the documentary SING YOUR SONG: HARRY BELAFONTE as well as films like THE WOOD, BROADWAY DANNY ROSE, THE DUKE IS TOPS, MY FAVORITE BRUNETTE, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, RADIO DAYS, PAPER MOON, BILLY LIAR, THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, ETERNALLY YOURS, ROYAL WEDDING, SECOND CHORUS, BAGHDAD CAFE, CHARADE, FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, BOUND, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, DIAL M FOR MURDER, DETROIT 9000, BALL OF FIRE, CAUSE FOR ALARM!, MARGOT AT THE WEDDING, NOTHING SACRED, ROAD TO BALI, D.O.A., CONTEMPT, HIS GIRL FRIDAY, THE MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, MEET JOHN DOE, LADY OF BURLESQUE, THE HITCH-HIKER, THE STRANGER, SCARLET STREET, THE BAT, LOVE AFFAIR, THE NAKED KISS, THE OUTLAW, THEY MADE ME A CRIMINAL . . .
NETFLIX is doing well right now -- for the most part, due to name recognition. Should a streaming service emerge that really serves fans of film, that could change very quickly.
AUDIENCE still can't produce a series to justify its existence. If you're like most viewers, you took a pass on YOU ME HER -- another straight male fantasy where a plain looking man gets two attractive women. If you're like most viewers, next month you will take a pass on CONDOR.
We just finished watching the so-so series and why anyone gave this nonsense the greenlight is beyond us. The series is flabby, each episode overflowing with unneeded scenes that meander to an obvious close apparently due to the director's inability to yell "Cut!" The editing doesn't help either.
For those who missed the 70s classic film THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR, it starred Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway. Redford is Joe Hale, CIA analyst, whose office gets hit and he goes on the run, encounters Kathy Hale (Dunaway) who assists him -- at first reluctantly.
The chemistry between Robert and Faye made up for a lot in the film (and is referenced by Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney's characters in Steven Soderbergh's OUT OF SIGHT). THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR was directed by Sydney Pollack -- a man not known for handling tense thrillers. Pollack was given his big break by Natalie Wood -- as was Robert Redford. When she okayed each -- as director and co-star of THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED, she took a big risk. It's a risk that neither man ever felt the need to repay. When she returned to acting after taking time off to raise her daughters, both men played dumb when she contacted them about working on new projects together.
To be clear, THE SLENDER THREAD, the only film Pollack directed prior TO THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED, was not a success -- critical or commercial -- and Warners didn't want him to direct but Natalie demanded it. And Redford? They'd worked together on INSIDE DAISY CLOVER but he had a minor role in the film she starred in -- made more minor by his refusal to play the part as written -- the gay man her character marries. Redford had not starred in a film and the studios weren't keen on him due to his temperament (he didn't work well on TV sets) and weren't crazy about the bumps on the side of his face.
But Natalie stood up for both men and she was the queen of Warner Brothers so she got what she wanted. And both men? They got careers.
What did Natalie get?
When Redford needed her to do a cameo in his 1972 film THE CANDIDATE, despite being in retirement, she agreed to help the man she thought was her friend.
That was the kind of person she was.
The kind of people Redford and Pollack were? They never lifted a finger to help her when she decided to return to films.
In fairness, Redford's vanity has always occupied so much of his time. And Sydney? Well he was so very busy being a spy for the Israeli government.
If the Academy Awards can expel Roman Polanski, why can't they expel Sydney who was an American citizen spying on America for a foreign government. That's reason enough to expel Sydney.
We're not saying he didn't direct a few good movies. Certainly, TOOTSIE will always be a classic. But we are saying if he helped supply weapons and worse (possibly nuclear triggers as well as helping to score uranium for Israel), he certainly doesn't demonstrate the behavior that one expects.
With THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR, Pollack directed a script, routinely directed -- Lorenzo Semple supplied the tension (as he did on other scripts he co-wrote or wrote solo -- including the classics PRETTY POISON, THE PARALLAX VIEW and THE DROWNING POOL).
So while it would have been a good idea for all the episodes to have been directed by one person, it's even more important that the piece be strongly written. It has not been. Jason Smilovic has done some writing and 'creating' in the same way that he did on such TV disasters as KIDNAPPED, MY OWN WORST ENEMY, BIONIC WOMAN and KAREN SISCO. Where do you go after those flops?
AUDIENCE, obviously.
The series is poorly written, badly edited and shapeless in terms of direction. In terms of acting?
Brendan Fraser's the only one he truly delivers. 2018 has been a strong year for Fraser -- doing the only solid job on CONDOR (and as the villain, no less) as well as being part of an outstanding cast on FX's TRUST. Other than Brendan, there's no real reason for CONDOR to even exist.
Well there's William Hurt.
No, Hurt's not delivering a great performance -- or even a good one. It's the same performance that went stale in the eighties. But it's great to see him -- the man Marlee Matlin revealed raped her and beat her -- starring opposite hypocrite Mira Sorvino to demonstrate just how shallow Mira's supposed commitment to survivors of abuse truly is -- as shallow as her acting in CONDOR.
CONDOR should never have been made. To remake a classic, you should have a passion, a driving need to tell the story again but this series has all the energy of a LOVE BOAT episode.
NETFLIX is supposedly more powerful than DISNEY -- among others. Last week, THE GUARDIAN noted:
Netflix surpassed Disney as the most valuable US media company on Thursday, a sign that Netflix’s subscriber growth, coupled with potential problems in Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s TV and film assets, as well as changes in entertainment media consumption habits, are contributing to fundamental shifts in power.
That's surprising since NETFLIX has so little to offer.
Once upon a time, they had a steady flow of classic films -- via their deal with STARZ. That ended. They insisted at the time that they would have new deals to replace it. Subscribers are still waiting for those deals to emerge and classic films to return.
Instead, DISNEY is planning its own streaming service which would result in NETFLIX losing those films. And idiotic decision like cancelling fan favorite SENSE8 (a tele-film wraps the series up in June) don't help the service.
The reason for its popularity at present has to do with the latecomers coming on board and wanting to see what everyone used to be talking about.
Also struggling in TCM -- TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES. Still a premium channel when it comes to payment, the channel long ago lost luster and has taken to airing 'classics' that most would consider to be bombs. Due to incessant complaints from viewers about the repetition in their schedule of the last six months, they've taken to airing old franchises -- Ann Southern's ten Maisie films, Mickey Rooney's Andy Hardy films, Lupe Velez's series (THE GIRL FROM MEXICO and the seven Mexican Spitfire films that followed), Bonita Granville's four Nancy Drew films, the six Perry Mason films from WARNER BROTHERS (four starring Warren Williams), William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles in THE THIN MAN films (six in all), Margaret Rutherford's four films playing Agatha Christie's detective Jane Marple, among others. Quite a difference from their usual sole reliance on the BULLDOG DRUMMOND films.
In late 2016, TCM launched the streaming service FILMSTRUCK -- right away, they became the streamers of The Criterion Collection (a collection made famous for their remastered DVDs of film classics), stealing the Collection from HULU.
Grumblings in e-mails have noted the belief many TCM viewers have that the streaming service is what is depriving them of quality films.
The grumblers are wrong.
We spent the weekend going through FILMSTRUCK. The bulk of what they have makes it to TCM regularly. The only exception might be the Jean Harlow films. You're far more likely, on TCM these days, to see Carroll Baker playing Jean Harlow than to see a film starring the first bombshell of American films herself. And if you care the actual Jean Harlow on TCM, it's most likely going to be yet another airing of DINNER AT EIGHT and not one of her classic films like BOMBSHELL. TCM also can't seem to discover the Anita Loos films Jean Harlow made.
But otherwise?
Katharine Hepburn is currently represented on FILMSTRUCK by these films: BRINGING UP BABY, SUMMERTIME, PAT AND MIKE, ADAM'S RIB, THE SEA OF GRASS, WOMAN OF THE YEAR, KEEPER OF THE FLAME, WITHOUT LOVE and THE TROJAN WOMAN. So if you're thinking that SYLVIA SCARLETT (her first of four teamings with Cary Grant) is being kept off TCM by FILMSTRUCK, think again.
Some performers are better represented. Cary Grant isn't one. FILMSTRUCK only has his BRINGING UP BABY, SUZY (with Jean Harlow) and HIS GIRL FRIDAY (with Rosalind Russell). The ones who are better represented tend to be WARNER BROTHERS performers like Bette Davis (queen of the lot in the late 30s and early 40s) and Natalie Wood (queen of the lot in the sixties). That's because WARNER's has ended their own streaming service and now instead have partnered with FILMSTRUCK. Joan Crawford and Marlon Brando are also well represented as a result of their WARNER films.
But where, for example, is Betty Grable?
If she's on TCM at all these days, it's HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE -- the 1953 film that teams her with Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall. 1953 is not her strong year in terms of box office. From 1941 to 1951, Betty Grabe was a top ten box office draw in the US -- and in 1942 and 1943, she was the number one box office draw.
I WAKE UP SCREAMING is a film noir starring Betty Grable, a classic film noir. But it doesn't feature on the film noir slot Saturday nights or early Sunday mornings (NOIR ALLEY). Why? It's apparently not mach enough for host Eddie Muller (but he was fine with being paid to do commentary on the film's DVD). The same sexist thinking appears to keep Deanna Durbin's film noir classic CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY and so many offerings by Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Crawford out of the running. Don't even try to look for Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake teamings, they simply won't be aired.
But Betty Grable, one of the biggest stars in the US for countless films in a ten year period, is exactly the sort of performer TMC should exist for. They should highlight the films and provide context on them -- both in terms of art and in terms of their times -- what led people to respond so strongly to Betty Grable onscreen?
But you won't see her on TMC or FILMSTRUCK -- and you won't see her on FXM -- FOX's FX MOVIE CHANNEL. You might see her classic films -- especially her comedies -- on the over the air broadcast channel MOVIES! but that's really about it.
So PIN-UP GIRL, MOTHER WORE TIGHTS, MY BLUE HEAVEN and the Preston Sturges directed THE BEAUTIFUL BLONDE FROM BASHFUL BEND are not being shown and their impact not being addressed.
It's really amazing, when you think about TCM being a premium channel and FILMSTRUCK being a subscription service, that they offer so little that is truly rare or necessary for a film history education.
And when it comes to film classics, you will find more on HULU or AMAZON PRIME than you will on NETFLIX. In fact, you'll find more film classics on the free streaming service TUBI than you will on NETFLIX. On TUBI right now, for example, you can find the documentary SING YOUR SONG: HARRY BELAFONTE as well as films like THE WOOD, BROADWAY DANNY ROSE, THE DUKE IS TOPS, MY FAVORITE BRUNETTE, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, RADIO DAYS, PAPER MOON, BILLY LIAR, THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, ETERNALLY YOURS, ROYAL WEDDING, SECOND CHORUS, BAGHDAD CAFE, CHARADE, FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, BOUND, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, DIAL M FOR MURDER, DETROIT 9000, BALL OF FIRE, CAUSE FOR ALARM!, MARGOT AT THE WEDDING, NOTHING SACRED, ROAD TO BALI, D.O.A., CONTEMPT, HIS GIRL FRIDAY, THE MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, MEET JOHN DOE, LADY OF BURLESQUE, THE HITCH-HIKER, THE STRANGER, SCARLET STREET, THE BAT, LOVE AFFAIR, THE NAKED KISS, THE OUTLAW, THEY MADE ME A CRIMINAL . . .
NETFLIX is doing well right now -- for the most part, due to name recognition. Should a streaming service emerge that really serves fans of film, that could change very quickly.
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