This here's a recipe for unpleasantness.

Mal ,'Objects In Space'


Buffista Movies 5: Development Hell  

A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.


Sue - Jun 13, 2006 7:47:47 am PDT #2288 of 10001
hip deep in pie

It's a fantastic movie with an ending that might be a little laughable by modern standards, but you can practically see many of the tv shows and movies it influenced.

Our prof in film studies showed us the ending, but he was reluctant, because out of context, he thought wed just find it silly. Of course, we all laughed. A year later it play at the local rep cinema (RIP Wormwood's Dog and Monkey Cinema) and the was a little uneasy laughter at the end, but I think most people found it unsettling.


Theodosia - Jun 13, 2006 8:07:19 am PDT #2289 of 10001
'we all walk this earth feeling we are frauds. The trick is to be grateful and hope the caper doesn't end any time soon"

Todd Browning had been an actual sideshow performer/magician/illusionist/escape artist in his younger days. He'd actually worked with (and gotten to know) many of the performers shown in the film.


Sophia Brooks - Jun 13, 2006 8:49:32 am PDT #2290 of 10001
Cats to become a rabbit should gather immediately now here

I think maybe I am conflating two movies, or something... Perhaps freaks AND a documentary. I don't know. But this is all very interesting.


Frankenbuddha - Jun 13, 2006 8:54:13 am PDT #2291 of 10001
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"

I think maybe I am conflating two movies, or something... Perhaps freaks AND a documentary. I don't know. But this is all very interesting.

As I recall, there are parts of FREAKS where to movie sort of just stops and observes the everday life of the characters that has a pretty strong documentary feel to it (the Human Torso lighting his own cigarette is one of the more unforgettable bits).


bennett - Jun 13, 2006 9:18:30 am PDT #2292 of 10001

According to CNN, Tim Burton is talking with Johnny Depp about playing the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in a film version of Sweeny Todd.


Strega - Jun 13, 2006 12:02:42 pm PDT #2293 of 10001

There is a documentary made recently about some sideshow in...Florida?

There's a town in FL where a lot of the carnies & freaks wintered, so quite a few settled there when they retired. Maybe it's about that?

Aha, yeah, it's Gibsontown, and there's a documentary called Gibtown about it.


evil jimi - Jun 13, 2006 2:29:21 pm PDT #2294 of 10001
Lurching from one disaster to the next.

In another cynical grab-for-cash, there are two new DVD versions of The Princess Bride just released. The "Dread Pirate Edition", or the "Buttercup Edition"; they're the same content but with a different cover (and presumably, picture on the disc). The extras are what you get on the "Special Edition" dvd, plus a new featurette called, "Dread Pirate Roberts: Greatest Legend of the Seven Seas" mockumentary.


Gris - Jun 13, 2006 6:25:22 pm PDT #2295 of 10001
Hey. New board.

...Can Johnny Depp sing? I mean, if they're making a non-musical version, I'm fine with that - I've seen the non-musical version of Sweeney Todd, and it contains an awful lot of the greatness - but the article seemed to imply that it was based on the musical. With musicals so big these days, that wouldn't surprise me...

But is Johnny Depp a bass/baritone?

Also, I hope they don't focus too much on the current stage version that's getting rave reviews for the movie - somehow, I don't think the device of having the actors also be the orchestra would work on film. I'm sure Burton knows that, however, so I have little fear in THAT regard, at least.


DavidS - Jun 13, 2006 7:09:22 pm PDT #2296 of 10001
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

...Can Johnny Depp sing?

Well, he used to be in a band, but I only ever saw him play guitar when he was a teenager.


Frankenbuddha - Jun 14, 2006 3:31:46 am PDT #2297 of 10001
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"

...Can Johnny Depp sing?

I'm 99% sure that I remember he was dubbed by another singer for CRY-BABY (I know Amy Locane was because it was Rachel Sweet who did her singing), but I have not idea if that means he can sing of not.