James McAvoy's Mr. Tumnus is tied with Gary Oldman's Jim Gordon for my personal "stepped off the page, onto the screen, and into my heart" award. Totally, eerily, perfectly the way I had visualized him, reading the Narnia books as a kid.
River: You gave up everything you had. Simon: [Chinese] Everything I have is right here.
'Safe'
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.
Holli - Mar 01, 2007 3:56:22 pm PST #7678 of 10001
an overblown libretto and a sumptuous score/ could never contain the contradictions I adore
Nutty - Mar 01, 2007 5:45:13 pm PST #7679 of 10001
"Mister Spock is on his fanny, sir. Reports heavy damage."
Not easy turning Ellroy into a movie.
That goes double when you realize all his novels are the same novel, just with search-and-replace on the names and hair-colors. Seriously, I read The Black Dahlia first, and then saw L. A. Confidential, and then tried to read the latter, and thought I had picked up the wrong book. (That definitely earned its adapted screenplay nod!)
Hayden - Mar 01, 2007 6:56:20 pm PST #7680 of 10001
aka "The artist formerly known as Corwood Industries."
I've read them. A handful. Ellroy. Almost like novels.
Nutty could be right. Maybe. Probably. Seemingly.
Nutty - Mar 02, 2007 5:11:16 am PST #7681 of 10001
"Mister Spock is on his fanny, sir. Reports heavy damage."
(Psst! Corwood, you forgot the irrelevant swear words and racial insensitivity!)
Jesse - Mar 02, 2007 5:42:13 am PST #7682 of 10001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
I read Black Dahlia recently, but it was more or less ruined by the real-life thing I saw with Ellroy talking about the murder of his mother, who he kept calling "my hated, lusted-for mother." Ew.
Laga - Mar 02, 2007 5:51:32 am PST #7683 of 10001
You should know I'm a big deal in the Resistance.
O Kay. All my desires to read Ellroy just went right out the window.
Jesse - Mar 02, 2007 6:07:44 am PST #7684 of 10001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
This is why I have to share the squick.
The book was still good, though!
Miracleman - Mar 02, 2007 8:03:26 am PST #7685 of 10001
No, I don't think I will - me, quoting Captain Steve Rogers, to all of 2020
I read Black Dahlia recently, but it was more or less ruined by the real-life thing I saw with Ellroy talking about the murder of his mother, who he kept calling "my hated, lusted-for mother." Ew.
I saw that. "Murder by the Book", I think, on CourtTV. Not only was Ellroy's references to his mom Skeevy As Skeevy Can Be, but he sorta came across as a pompous jerkoff.
Which, really, has nothing to do with his books or "The Black Dahlia" movie, I suppose.
erikaj - Mar 02, 2007 8:36:35 am PST #7686 of 10001
Always Anti-fascist!
Aw, c'mon, he had one good book in him. (he just wrote it eight times, but hey...) I feel like a bad feminist for that, but I sort of admire JE's style. Uh, not his personal conduct or ability to...transcend personal demons,or anything, mind you. Maybe I just like him cause he makes me look like Shiny Happy Optimist. Anyone that makes me feel healthy is worth a second look.
DavidS - Mar 02, 2007 8:49:33 am PST #7687 of 10001
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
I don't mind Ellroy's persona. I've seen a couple documentaries and he's not averse to describing his days as a teenage house-breaking panty sniffer. He thinks of himself as a debased jerkoff and the only thing that's irritating is that he extends that view to humanity. Still, that's where most cops wind up after a certain amount of time on the job.
Is he self-important? Sure. Does he try to skeeve people out? Absolutely. But he's got a very strong POV and he's done his research. He better evokes the 50s and 40s in LA than any other contemporary writer. That's his little field to plow.