Jango Fett

Having never seen Phantom Menace or the clone one, I have bastardized Jango Fett into a Star Wars version of Django Reinhardt.

Django Fett -- He's a bounty hunter whose jazz guitar is so hot, it's the coolest! Playing one night only, at the Hot Cantina!

I finished watching Greenfingers and really rather liked it. I'll have to rent it again sometime.

I thought Greenfingers was rather charming, myself.

Rotten tomatoes and metacritic are both trying to convince me that I should see Episode III.

I still intend to stalwartly avoid it, however. I shall stand strong! If nothing else, not getting my money can stand as a protest to the other two.

A recommendation for fans of musicals -- On the Avenue. Dick Powell, Alice Faye. Irving Berlin score that only includes 6 songs (plus one Russian folk song), but those 6 include "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," "You're Laughing at Me," and "This Year's Kisses." Fun little plot -- Powell plays the author and star of a Broadway revue (co-starring Faye) that pokes fun at the wealthy Caraway family. Daughter Mimi (played by Madeleine Carroll, who neither sings nor dances in this one) decides to fight back.... Props to Cora Witherspoon as the non-stuffy aunt in the Caraway family.

Excellent light entertainment, loads of fun for fans of '30s musicals.

I mention this more as a head's up to Corwood in case he doesn't know, but I got a copy of THE OSTERMAN WEEKEND yesterday. I didn't realize the Anchor Bay version was a two-disc set, the second of which has Peckinpah's original first cut of the film. I have not idea what shape that's in, but I'm really curious to check it out now. Hopefully this weekend.

I didn't realize the Anchor Bay version was a two-disc set, the second of which has Peckinpah's original first cut of the film. I have not idea what shape that's in, but I'm really curious to check it out now. Hopefully this weekend.

I've never seen the original cut, so I'm definitely interested to hear what you think. Is it less a mess? Does the plot make any sense at all? Inquiring minds want to know.

I've never seen the original cut, so I'm definitely interested to hear what you think. Is it less a mess? Does the plot make any sense at all? Inquiring minds want to know.

I'll definitely post a response here. I've only seen the release version once, years ago. I remember it being a mess, but I also remember enjoying it just the same, mainly due to all the actorly goodness (and I always thought Meg Foster was a hottie - probably why I gave Elizabeth Rohlm a bit of a free pass on Angel).

I rented it a couple of years ago when The High Hat did our Peckinpah issue. I remember plot holes and inconsistencies that showcased the mind of a coke-addled director trying to work with a terrible and demanding producer, which is pretty much what it was. Peckinpah had been blacklisted in Hollywood for being too difficult, a reputation that he had earned many times over, and was trying to cut down on the coke and get his career on track by actually cooperating with the producer on Osterman. Unfortunately, the script didn't make much sense and the producer was as crazy as he was, meaning that his reputation (if possible) sank even further. The only thing he directed afterwards were two Julian Lennon videos. Pretty sad stuff.

I recently read the Weddle (Widdle?) bio of S.P., and, yeah, the decline was horrifically sad. There were still flashes of brilliance at the end (some of the stuff in THE KILLER ELITE is almost as good as Pauline Kael thought it was, for example, and ALFREDO GARCIA is some kind of shambling, monsterous masterpiece), but flashes aside, I don't think he ever recovered after PAT GARRETT (which has it's own enormous problems, though I've never seen the longer version).

He really was his own worst enemy, but he also seemed to have plenty of help.

I think I said this before, but I loved that issue of THE HIGH HAT.