Got some re-boos ready for you! If you're celebrating SHOCKTOBERFEST at your own home, tell us about it; the more the scarier....
HAXAN; OR, WITCHCRAFT THROUGH THE AGES
This Danish cult flick is a silent documentary, released in 1922 after three years of an on-again, off-again shooting schedule. Presented in seven acts, Haxan presents the origins of witchcraft mythology, with an especial focus on how the beliefs of the Middle Ages made everyone susceptible to accusations of consorting with the devil. Vignettes both comic and and tragic follow: a woman uses a series of love potions to seduce a monk; two well-intentioned scientists are accused of witchcraft when they are seen performing an autopsy.
The bulk of the vignettes is devoted to the story of The Printer's household. When he is taken ill, an expert convinces his family it is the enchantment of a witch; naturally, his wife is quick to suspect the gnarled old neighbor-woman who comes asking for bread. Because this is the Middle Ages, the wife's suspicions are taken as fact, and the old woman is brutally tortured until she confesses and names names.
The film finishes off with a treatise on the similarities between the symptoms of being bewitched by the devil and the symptoms of suffering from hysteria. Therapeutic treatments are compared to Ye Olde Inquisitor's methods of torture, with an added wag of the finger for the way society tolerates a clinic for the wealthy and a sanitarium for the poor. Haxan is a condemnation of the ignoble treatment of women throughout history; the labels may change, but the effects are the same.
Of course, this is Shocktoberfest, so you better believe there were some horrifying images to take home. And I gotta hand it to Haxan: it's tough a choose a Most Disturbing Scene. The mechanical diorama of the tortures of Hell? The close-up of a malnourished, sobbing, tortured crone confessing to a lie? The montage of torture methods? The orgy featuring demon ass-kissing (literally!)? An entire convent going nuts? The appearance of the most lascivious representation of the devil I've ever seen?
Violence, nudity, disturbing images, moral outrage. Haxan has it all, and has neatly earned itself 4 out of 5 black cats in the process. Congratulations!
ONCE BITTEN
Once Bitten came in that glorious decade of cinema known as the 80s. And I don't mean that ironically: the 80s gave us William Hurt, Whoopi Goldberg, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, Woody Allen's flawless Mia Farrow run, and 1987 (The Lost Boys, The Monster Squad, House II: The Second Story). Just to name a few.
Here, we get Jim Carrey as a high school senior who, after four years of dating beautiful Robin (Karin Kopins), is still a virgin! Not for lack of trying, of course, but Robin wants to wait. Until she's ready. Frustrating for Jim Carrey, but great news for aging vampire Lauren Hutton, who needs three "transfusions" of male virgin blood by All Hallow's Eve to maintain her beauty and much of her powers. She finds and bewitches him (or is it hysteria?!), and he slowly starts to transform, leading to COMIC MOMENTS.
It's a shame that whole scenes of COMIC MOMENTS are devoted to Carrey's sidekicks trying to lose their virginity, though. The movie stops dead as it trots out their tired routines, from Gay Panic to BDSM Panic to Gay Panic to...well, there's a lot of Gay Panic, and I guess after making it through 1975's almost fetishistic abuse of the word "faggot", I should be able to get through some lighter, high school-based homophobia, especially when the film's best character is Cleavon Little's gay vampire's assistant, a witty, confident creation who seems to wield more power than we would guess. But oh my God, these two nudniks aren't even funny!
Thank goodness for Little, Hutton and Kopins (Carrey is solid, as usual). Kopins especially delivers a neat transformation from virginal girlfriend to sexy protector, not only succeeding at charm and humor but squaring off with vampire Hutton in a wordless dance fight that is just exciting. It develops characters and story without stopping to let anyone say a line or tell a joke (the song already shouts the lyrics "HANDS OFF! HE'S MINE"), and it's mesmerizing.
Acting, music: YEAH! Script: Eh. I say 3 1/2 out of 5 black cats.
I'm afraid I've been having a number of technical difficulties with the Hollmann Awards this year. I usually have them out before the Oscars, but between Internet problems, saving issues, and a Microsoft Word plagued by an odd virus, I'm going to have to do this a la 2007 Golden Globes - that is, just a list of nominees and winners. We'll let Judi and Maggie host next year, and hopefully I can get more of a jump on things then. My apologies to everyone.
BEST ENSEMBLE, awarded to the casting director(s)
5. Ellen Chenoweth and Rachel Tenner, A Serious Man
4. Celestia Fox, Easy Virtue
3. Justine Baddeley and Kim Davis, Whip It!
2. Sarah Crowe and Meredith Tucker, In the Loop
1. Simone Bar, Olivier Carbone, Jenny Jue and Johanna Ray, Inglourious Basterds
Bar is a German casting director whose other credits include The Reader and The White Ribbon. Olivier Carbone is a French casting director who also worked on La Vie en Rose.
Jenny Jue and Johanna Ray have worked together on the Funny Games remake, Repo! The Genetic Opera and Brian De Palma's The Black Dahlia.
BEST SOUND, awarded to whatever senior sound mixers and editors I managed to find
5. Craig Berkey, Johnna Chism and Greg Orloff, A Serious Man
4. Joseph Geisinger, Marti D. Humphrey, Chris M. Jacobson, Ryan Juggler, Paul N.J. Ottosson, Carin Rogers and Jussi Tegelman, Drag Me to Hell
3. Anna Behlmer, Peter J. Devlin, Andy Nelson, Alan Rankin and Mark Stoeckinger, Star Trek
2. Tony Lamberti, Michael Minkler, Mark Ulano and Wylie Stateman, Inglourious Basterds
1. Kristian Eidnes Andersen, Antichrist
I think the sound work in the film is incredible, and though more mixing was involved than editing, the overall effect is the same. Less really is more.
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
5. John DJ DesJardin, Jessica Norman, Peter G. Travers and Joel Whist, Watchmen
4. Matt Aitken, Robert Habros, Dan Kaufman and Peter Muyzers, District 9
3. Peter Brooke, Michael Eames, Sonny Gerasinowicz, Daniel Jeannette and Peter Stubbs, Where the Wild Things Are
2. Volker Engel, Mike Vezina and Marc Weigert, 2012
Richard Baneham, Joe Letteri, Andrew R. Jones and Stephen Rosenbaum, Avatar
But really, who else?
BEST...I DON'T KNOW, PRACTICAL VISUALS? This is awarded to the production designer, art director and, where credited, set decorator.
5. Dan Bishop (PD), Ian Phillips (AD) and Amy Wells (SD), A Single Man
4. Tony Noble (PD) and Hideki Arichi (AD), Moon
3. Nelson Lowry (PD) and Francesca Maxwell (AD), Fantastic Mr. Fox
2. Henry Selick (PD), Phil Brotherton (AD), Bo Henry (AD) and Tom Proost (AD), Coraline
1. Nathan Crowley (PD), Patrick Lumb (AD), William Ladd Skinner (AD) and Rosemary Brandenburg (SD), Public Enemies
Echoing the art deco style of the period, Crowley and crew got every detail, down to the little price tags on the shops. When they needed to trade in shine for dust, it was perfect.
BEST MAKEUP
5. Thomas Foldberg and Morten Jacobsen, Antichrist
4. Sarah Monzani, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
3. Nick Dudman and Amanda Knight, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2. Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow, Star Trek
1. Joe Dunckley, David Meng, Frances Richardson, Sarah Rubano, Richard Taylor and Leon Von Solms, District 9
Taking body horror to a new level, we got to see Weekus transform in the most grotesquely realistic manner. From nails falling out to a prawn claw replacing his hand, the effect was astounding.
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
5. Charlotte Walter, Easy Virtue
4. Hope Hanafin, (500) Days of Summer
3. Anna B. Sheppard, Inglourious Basterds
2. Janet Patterson, Bright Star
1. Colleen Atwood, Public Enemies
What a gorgeous fucking film. This is really the only movie where you actually notice the duds on the men...ok, the first for me, anyway. I would seriously wear anything there. And the women? Gorgeous. Don't you love the ropey look of Marion's poor red dress, compared to the fur finery of when she's dating Dillinger? Such exquisite detail.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
5. Back to Tennessee, Hannah Montana: The Movie
4. Dig a Little Deeper, The Princess and the Frog
3. Never Knew I Needed, The Princess and the Frog
2. Possibility, The Twilight Saga: New Moon
1. Through the Trees, Jennifer's Body
Works as both a genuinely great "boo-hoo" song, and as a satire on such music. How does it do it?
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
5. Alexandre Desplat, Fantastic Mr. Fox
4. Elliot Goldenthal, Public Enemies
3. Alexandre Desplat, The Twilight Saga: New Moon
2. Alexandre Desplat, Julie & Julia
1. Abel Korzeniowski, A Single Man
I admit, I like my music big. Abel, I hope you don't mind if I say the music here reminded me of Philip Glass's work in The Hours, which I find to be the greatest score ever. The beauty of it is just so...unbelievable. Korzeniowski effortlessly evokes the 1960s. Highlights include "Swimming", "Snow" and "Drowning".
BEST EDITING
5. Roderick Jaynes, A Serious Man
4. Sally Menke, Inglourious Basterds
3. Alan Edward Bell, (500) Days of Summer
2. James Cameron, John Refoua and Stephen Rifkin, Avatar
1. Alexander Hall, The Messenger
You know, too few of these awards are given to editors of films that rely on long takes. But really, the editor cuts for dramatic emphasis, unless he needs to cut around the bullshit. So, why cut all around the place if all you need to make your point is a single long take? That's what makes sense for this movie.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
5. Robert Richardson, Inglourious Basterds
4. Greig Fraser, Bright Star
3. Eduard Grau, A Single Man
2. Anthony Dod Mantle, Antichrist
1. Dion Beebe, Nine
The only truly cinematic aspect of the film. The use of the projector in "I Can't Make This Movie", the spotlights in "My Husband Makes Movies", the dreamy effect of "Guarda la Luna", the black-and-white "Take It All". All brilliant.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
5. Nora Ephron, Julie & Julia
4. Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
3. Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
2. Dave Eggers and Spike Jonze, Where the Wild Things Are
1. Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach, Fantastic Mr. Fox
It's clever and it's funny. Little nuances, like Mrs. Fox's "tarty" background, truly develop the characters, instead of merely serving as a throwaway joke.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
5. Jane Campion, Bright Star
4. Scott Neustatder and Michael H. Weber, (500) Days of Summer
3. Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
2. James Cameron, Avatar
1. Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, A Serious Man
Probably my favorite Coen Brothers movie.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
5. Stanley Tucci, Julie & Julia
4. Fred Melamed, A Serious Man
3. Colin Firth, Easy Virtue
2. Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
1. Peter Capaldi, In the Loop
I mean, this scene alone. That snap as he says, "Now fuck off." Has swearing ever seemed this natural?
BEST ACTOR
5. Ben Foster, The Messenger
4. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, (500) Days of Summer
3. Colin Firth, A Single Man
2. Johnny Depp, Public Enemies
SPOILER ALERT
1. Sam Rockwell, Moon
A one-man show that it is impressive in it understatedness.
BEST ACTRESS
5. Zoe Saldana, Avatar
4. Carey Mulligan, An Education
3. Abbie Cornish, Bright Star
2. Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
1. Gabourey Sidibe, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
Such a raw performance. That a first-timer can give this kind of performance is staggering.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
5. Marion Cotillard, Public Enemies
4. Julianne Moore, A Single Man
3. Kristin Scott Thomas, Easy Virtue
2. Samantha Morton, The Messenger
1. Mo'Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
An unbelievable performance from the great comedienne. Just try to wrap your head around this.
BEST DIRECTOR
5. Jane Campion, Bright Star
4. Marc Webb, (500) Days of Summer
3. Michael Mann, Public Enemies
2. James Cameron, Avatar
1. Oren Moverman, The Messenger
BEST PICTURE
5. (500) Days of Summer - Mason Novick/Jessica Tuchinsky/Mark Waters/Steven J. Wolfe
4. Fantastic Mr. Fox - Allison Abbate/Wes Anderson/Jeremy Dawson/Scott Rudin
3. Public Enemies - Michael Mann/Kevin Misher
2. Avatar - James Cameron/Jon Landau
1. The Messenger - Mark Gordon/Lawrence Inglee/Zach Miller
A strong debut from a first-timer.
[UPDATED: Producers nominated for Best Picture, as of 1/13/2017]
As far as predictions go, I did pretty well. Only seven wrong! Sandra Bullock got Best Actress instead of Gabourey Sidibe, Avatar and The Hurt Locker were vice versa as far as Cinematography and Editing went, Geoffrey Fletcher's Precious screenplay triumphed over Up in the Air. China's Unnatural Disaster lost Best Short Documentary to Music for Prudence. And both sound categories did go to one movie...but to The Hurt Locker.
So, some highlights and lowlights.
-Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin have real chemistry. Their banter didn't always work, but when it did, it was on, baby!
-The director of Oscar-winning short doc Music for Prudence, Roger Ross Williams, was giving a heartfelt thank you speech, looking genuinely touched as he took the beauty of the moment in. He was soon interrupted by a random woman who I thought must have been the other director, who upon taking the stage talked right over him, shouldered her way in front of the mic, and talked about differences and credit where credit is due. Then pointed out that Prudence was in the audience, which was neat. By that moment, however, everything was already weird, with Williams looking downright uncomfortable.
Apparently, this woman was producer Elinor Burkett, and she and Williams have been fighting since production on the film. Williams says Burkett qualified as a producer, but walked out on the film; Burkett claims that Williams has been purposely keeping her out of the loop and tried to take her Oscar glory. I think Burkett is behaving like an uppity bitch, and she should probably grow up. This was not classy, not classy at all.
-Man, I hope more people are talking about Sandy Powell's Oscar acceptance speech. Highlight if the night, for me. From the shrugging-off of, "Um, I already have two of these" to her saying that contemporary designers are unfairly overlooked, and so her Oscar belongs to them, "but I'm still taking it home with me." There was nothing about that speech I didn't like. It's the kind of thing I always want to hear from inevitable winners.
-So, they cut the Original Song performances so as to make all categories equal, right? This is what I thought. But then they have give those performances to Original Score, with a group of breakdancers tearing it up to the nominated compositions. One of my friends described it as "a messy, backalley [sic] abortion". God, what an awful, awful sight. The dancing did not go with the music at all, and this alone convinced me that Adam Shankman should never again be put in charge of the Oscars. What was this, revenge for Hairspray getting a straight snub two years ago?
-In addition to that, we had the twenty-minute actors showcase. Following last years tribute from previous winners approach, we got five actors with a connection to the nominees. Oprah, who helped to get Precious distributed, spoke to Gabourey; Forest Whitaker, who directed Hope Floats, spoke to Sandra. And it was preceded by a montage of the actors' performances. And when it was all over, in came another presenter to read out the nominees again, and finally present the statue. I thought it was tedious, and ridiculous when you consider that they only did this for the lead categories. Shankman's purported "all categories are equal" approach wasn't just smoke; it was an outright lie.
-Geoffrey Fletcher's surprise win for adapted screenplay for Precious was incredible. Not only was it a shocker, leaving Up in the Air completely empty-handed...but his speech was fantastic. True, he may not have said much, but the emotion, the heartfelt sincerity of his being humbled, was beautiful. Then when he finally apologized for drawing a blank and thanked everyone...awesome.
-Mo'Nique is now an Oscar-Winning Actress. Though inevitable, it was still a joyous moment. I love when she thanked the Academy "for making it about the performance, instead of the politics." Truth, baby, truth. My one twinge of disappointment: although she thanked "the Precious team" as a whole, she really should have thanked Lee Daniels individually. Maybe she did on the thank-you cam.
-Kathryn Bigelow became the first female to win Best Director. When The Hurt Locker also won Best Picture, we got a truly cinematic moment. For a brief second, we saw backstage as Kathryn stopped midstride and was told to go back, her movie just won! It was such a stunningly real moment.
-When the show ended at exactly midnight, Steve Martin quipped that "The show was so long, Avatar now takes place in the past." But hasn't it run much, much later before? This seemed like the most rushed Oscars on record. Too rushed, if you ask me.
-What, no visuals for Best Cinematography? Who dropped the ball on that one?
I have a party to host, so just a quick run-down of how I think it's gonna go:
PICTURE: The Hurt Locker DIRECTOR: Kathryn Bigelow ACTOR: Jeff Bridges ACTRESS: Gabourey Sidibe SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christoph Waltz SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Mo'Nique ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Up in the Air ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: The Hurt Locker SCORE: Up SONG: The Weary Kind CINEMATOGRAPHY: The Hurt Locker EDITING: Avatar COSTUME: The Young Victoria MAKEUP: Star Trek SOUND: Avatar gets both VISUAL EFFECTS: Avatar ART DIRECTION: Avatar FOREIGN: El secreto de sus ojos DOCUMENTARY: The Cove ANIMATED: Up SHORT DOC: China's Natural Disaster SHORT ANIMATED: Logorama SHORT LIVE: The New Tenants
So, Sony Pictures Classics has acquired US distribution rights for Woody Allen's just-completed You Will Meet a Tall, Dark Stranger, slated for release this fall. The cast includes Antonio Banderas, Naomi Watts, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin, Freida Pinto and Lucy Punch. That's cool and all.
Meanwhile, however, casting has begun on his next project, and hoo-boy, what a cast.
Owen Wilson? In a Woody Allen film? This is a pairing I never would have seen coming, but God knows I'm interested. I rarely see Wilson in a movie and think, "Meh." He's a talented actor with great comic instincts, but The Royal Tenenbaums had me itching to see him in a great drama. His layering of Eli Cash was subtle and intriguing.
Marion Cotillard? Well, that makes sense. Allen seems to making his way through the Nine cast -- Lucy Punch, after all, replaced Nicole Kidman. Hopefully this means we'll soon see neurotic versions of Judi Dench and Fergie. To see the beautiful Cotillard in a movie from my favorite living director would be a dream come true.
Rachel McAdams? How did she not get into one earlier? What could this movie be about, that it has two sexy screen sirens like McAdams and Cotillard? What roles would re-team the co-stars of Wedding Crashers? You have me intrigued!
Also, there's the rumor that pop star/first lady of France Carla Bruni will be in the movie as well. She also appears in You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, so it's possible.
Filming will take place in Paris, where Woody's wanted to make a movie for years.
I toyed for a moment or two with just letting CCM go. A lot has been on my plate this semester, what with a premiere this Thursday, thesis classes starting, and a new 3D project being sprung on us. It's been crazy.
But then I realized that I had promised All About Eve. And dammit, I am going to deliver on that promise.
All About Eve is the definition of A Classic. Popular with critics and audiences alike, it scored a record 14 Oscar nominations, a feat not to be matched until Titanic in 1997. Based on the short story "The Wisdom of Eve" by Mary Orr, the film depicts the rise of Eve Harrington in the theatre world, as told by a theatre critic, a playwright's wife, and Broadway legend Margo Channing. Writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz takes the story, originally told solely through the eyes of the playwright's wife, and builds a dazzling story about aging, sexism, and the Theatre that has yet to find an equal. Really, he's a lot more understanding of women than Orr, who wrote about a bunch of back-stabbing bitches. Mankiewicz humanizes all the characters -- well, maybe not the dastardly Eve -- while upping the bitchery! A true master of the craft!
And so, instead of smug British windbag Clement Howell, we get charismatic, faithful, patient Bill Sampson, a director who has been Margo's Man for years, though they've yet to marry. Rather than having Margo meeting Eve first, Karen Richards is the one who meets Eve and introduces her to Margo as a gesture of kindness. Then, of course, there are the two characters Mankiewicz created: Margo's companion and confidante, Birdie; and the renowned theatre critic Addison DeWitt. Can anyone imagine the film without these two?
Of its 14 nominations, All About Eve went home with six Oscars, including Best Picture. Surprisingly, though it had five acting nominations, it only won Best Supporting Actor for George Sanders' career-defining portrayal of Addison DeWitt. Vote-splitting is the only reasonable cause for the losses of Bette Davis and Anne Baxter in Best Actress (Judy Holliday in Born Yesterday), and Thelma Ritter and Celeste Holm in Best Supporting Actress (Josephine Hull in Harvey). Mankiewicz won, of course, for Director and Best Writing - Screenplay. And, of course, there are the two technical wins: Best Sound Recording (Thomas T. Moulton) and Best Costume Design - Black-and-White (Edith Head and Charles le Maire). Its technical losses: Cinematography - Black-and-White (The Third Man), Editing (King Solomon's Mines), Set Direction - Black-and-White (Sunset Boulevard) and Best Music - Dramatic or Comedy Score (Sunset Boulevard).
Oh, but do you think that was the end of its run of awesome? No, no, kind sirs and madames. In 1970, Broadway herself saw the premiere of Applause, a musical based on Mankiewicz's film and Orr's short story. Updated to the then-present, the story switches out Birdie for Duane, combines the roles of Addison and producer Max Fabian into producer Howard Benedict, adds a bunch of dancers, gets Margo to a gay bar, and holy shit the FRINGE ON DISPLAY MY GOD THE FRINGE!!! Though Mankiewicz and some others, notably All About "All About Eve" author Sam Staggs, took issue with both these changes and the the sidelining of Eve in favor of more Margo, the show was a hit. And why not? It was, after all, the Broadway musical debut of Hollywood legend LAUREN FUCKING BACALL:
Yes, yes, yes! Of course, she won the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical, and the show itself won Best Musical. It was later made into a TV Movie that was basically the stage show with cut songs and larger sets. And you can watch all of it here.
And why all this attention on the musical? Because after that TV special, it was mostly forgotten. The idea of recasting All About Eve has been bandied about before by many others, including Sasha Stone at Awards Daily (she chose Streep and Amy Adams as Margo and Eve, respectively). Me, I feel it can not be touched...unless one were to adapt the musical. Because wouldn't you kill to see something like this in a movie:
And so, let the great experiment begin!
BONNIE Who is She: Written for the musical, Bonnie is a dancer who meets Eve through Howard. She spends her time with other Broadway hopefuls at a restaurant where they all mingle, dreaming of making it on the Great White Way.
Songs: Applause, She's No Longer a Gypsy That happy sound goes over you And just like that Everything's bright, this is your night Love hits you right where you're at 'Cause You've had a taste of The sound that says love Applause, applause, applause
My Choice:
Julianne Hough ("Dancing with the Stars", Burlesque) Can she act? Who cares? She's a dancer, she's a singer, there's not really much else required for the role, other than the ability to sell it. And I'm sure she can.
BIRDIE COONAN/DUANE FOX Who is This Person: Margo's assistant and confidant/e. S/he is the only person who suspects Eve of ulterior motives from the very beginning. Birdie/Duane is also sharp-tongued and quick-witted, but who isn't in this story?
Songs: Fasten Your Seat Belts, She's No Longer a Gypsy Fasten your seat belts It's gonna be a bumpy night Eh, eh, eh, eh Margo in action Critics have called an awesome sight
Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (All About Eve, The Mating Season, With a Song in My Heart, Pickup on South Street, Pillow Talk, Birdman of Alcatraz), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (All About Eve, The Mating Season, Boeing (707) Boeing (707)) Thelma Ritter (Miracle on 34th Street, Rear Window)
My Choice: SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (Dreamgirls)
Keith Robinson (This Christmas, Dear John) Hell of a presence, this guy. He sings magnificently, he can dance, and imagine him palling with...but no, I won't tell you who Margo is yet.
HOWARD BENEDICT/ADDISON DEWITT/MAX FABIAN Who is He: Benedict combines Addison and Fabian. He is a successful Broadway producer who is tired of working with Margo. He does take an interest in Eve, however, and even checks up on her story. What he learns about her is rather interesting...but he's willing ot keep quiet for a price.
Songs: Fasten Your Seat Belts Thanks for the party Wow what a blast Get your coat Where's the door Man it's been Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh A bumpy night
Originally played by: Academy Award Winner/Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (All About Eve) George Sanders (Village of the Damned, The Jungle Book) Gregory Ratoff (What Price Hollywood?, I'm No Angel)
My Choice:
Martin Short (Mars Attacks!, Prince of Egypt) Short has played the skeezy suit many, many times before this. He is also a theatre vet himself, what with that Tony Award for Little Me, touring in Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, playing Leo Bloom in The Producers in LA, doing Godspell in Canada in 1972, with Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy and Gilda Radner. Above, he's the skinny guy; Steve Martin is the fat one.
BUZZ RICHARDS/LLOYD RICHARDS Who is He: Buzz in the musical, Lloyd in the movie and story, Mr. Richards is a playwright. He is Karen's husband, Bill's friend, and Margo's sparring partner. Eve selects him as one of her many conquests as she climbs the ladder of success. He is a bright and kind man, but feels unappreciated.
Songs: Fasten Your Seat Belts, Inner Thoughts, Good Friends Good friend, who could care less If you're a failure or a success They're there, whatever you do They like you for you Not your money or your gorgeousness
Originally played by: Hugh Marlowe (Twelve O'Clock High, Come to the Stable)
My Choice: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy (Kinky Boots), Indie Spirit Winner for Best Supporting Actor (Talk to Me), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (American Gangster)
Chiwetel Ejiofor (Serenity, 2012) Ejiofor is such a classy guy. I can see him as the frustrated smart guy who thinks he isn't being taken seriously (2012), or as the guy who is more naive than he should be (American Gangtser). Plus, I just like watching him act.
KAREN RICHARDS Who is She: Buzz's wife and Margo's best friend. She is the only one without a career in theatre. Karen sees Eve waiting outside the theatre, and it is she who introduces the girl to Margo. She tries to help the girl in her career and against Margo, not for any malicious reason, but because Karen is just so damn nice.
Songs: Fasten Your Seat Belts, Inner Thoughts, Good Friends
Originally played by: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actress (Gentleman's Agreement) Celeste Holm (Champagne for Caesar, High Society)
My Choice: SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble and Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Dreamgirls)
Anika Noni Rose (From Justin to Kelly, The Princess and the Frog) A great singer who deserved more credit than she got for Dreamgirls. This Tony Award-winning actress is usually stuck playing second banana in most of her films, and while that would also be the case here...she's just so damn good at what she does with her characters. Plus, I believe she could have chemistry with anyone, so seeing her with our Margo would be dee-lightful!
BILL SAMPSON Who is He: A great director, Bill and Margo have been an item for a while...though she still refuses his marriage proposals. Bill leaves to direct a motion picture in Rome, but he returns to find Eve living as Margo's assistant, and Margo growing increasingly suspicious of her. Suspicious and drunk. Bill is younger than Margo, but that doesn't lessen his passion for her. He is often the most sensible person in the room.
Songs: Think How It's Gonna Be, Fasten Your Seat Belts, One of a Kind, Something Greater Dry your pretty eyes, come on And let me have a smile Think how it's gonna be When we're together again I don't wanna go But planes come back, you know Think how it's gonna be When we're together again
Originally played by: Gary Merrill (Twelve O'Clock High, Mysterious Island)
My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (Chaplin) and Best Supporting Actor (Tropic Thunder), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Actor (Chaplin), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy (Sherlock Holmes), SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Tropic Thunder) and Best Ensemble (Good Night, and Good Luck.)
Robert Downey, Jr. (Heart and Souls, Lucky You) Downey is young enough, I think. Oh, he may not be 35, but he is still younger than our Margo and quite sexy, if I say so myself. He has a rascally charm, and though he rarely gets the opportunity to play just a nice guy, I would love to see him in this role. Really, it's either him or George Clooney, and Clooney doesn't sing. Downey does.
EVE HARRINGTON Who is She: Why, it's all about her! Eve shows up outside the theatre with a tale of woe: a dead husband, small-town dreams, "everything but the bloodhounds snapping at her rear end." Eve soon manages her way into Margo's life, and it is only too late that everyone realizes what a clever schemer she is. The modesty and fragility masks a ruthless woman out to become a Big Star. And hey, she gets that Tony, doesn't she?
Songs: The Best Night of My Life, One Hallowe'en Drop dead, Daddy Look at your little girl now! She feels twitchy, and bitchy, and manic Calm and collected, no sign of panic She's alive, she's alive, so alive!
Originally played by: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actress (The Razor's Edge) Anne Baxter (I Confess, The Ten Commandments)
My Choice: Academy Award/BAFTA Award/Golden Globe/SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Brokeback Mountain), Indie Spirit Winner for Best Ensemble (Synecdoche, NY), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (The Station Agent, Brokeback Mountain)
Michelle Williams (The Baxter, Blue Valentine) She's beautiful, but in a way that would allow her to appear mousy. Apparently, she can sing, too. Michelle is probably the best actress under thirty working today. It's hard to believe she's as young as she is, what with her mastery of comedy, drama, and dramedy.
MARGO CHANNING Who is She: The Grande Dame of Broadway. Margo is always putting on a show, whether on stage or off it. She is conscious of her aging, which causes her to erupt at Eve more flamboyantly than she should. But she also initially trusts Eve, leading her into the trap. Margo may have mood swings, but people love her anyway. And truly, what's not to love? Who the hell else would say, "You have permission to breathe!" What an awesome lady.
Songs: But Alive, Who's That Girl, Hurry Back, Fasten Your Seat Belts, Welcome to the Theatre, Inner Thoughts, Good Friends, One of a Kind, Something Greater, Finale A theatre full of strangers adoring you blindly There's something greater There's something greater The friends who know you're lonely and treat you too kindly There's something greater There's something greater
Originally played by: Academy Award Winner for Best Actress (Jezebel, Dangerous), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Foreign Actress (Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress in a Drama (All About Eve, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?) and in a Musical/Comedy (Pocketful of Miracles) Bette Davis (Of Human Bondage, The Whales of August)
My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress (American Beauty, Being Julia) and Best Supporting Actress (The Grifters), BAFTA Award/SAG Award Winner for Best Actress (American Beauty), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy (Being Julia), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (American Beauty) Annette Bening (Mars Attacks!, The Women) Yes, Andrew, cheer away! Annette is truly the only actress of our time who could do Margo justice. She's got the spunk, the attitude, and the age. Although I've never seen the evidence myself, I hear she can sing, too - I've yet to see Love Affair, apparently she sings in The Kids Are All Right, and she was once considered for Sweeney Todd when it was a Sam Mendes project. The best thing is, there really is no such thing as Too Big with this role.
Love it? Hate it? Either way, make sure you take a look at the TV special on YouTube. It's an interesting piece...
