Movie-A-Day #17: Man on the Moon (1999).
In a world full of stand-up comedians, Andy Kaufman was a performance artist. His brilliant body of work was dada at its best, but it was also widely misunderstood in his own time. He pushed the boundaries of comedy by playing off the honest reactions of unsuspecting bystanders to create hilariously awkward absurdities. Modern wannabes like Sasha Baron Cohen are pale imitations. He would’ve been 62 years old today. (That’s assuming you’re among those who believe his death wasn’t just another performance art stunt.)
Today is also the 49th birthday of another stand-up comedian, Jim Carrey, who played Kaufman in the 1999 biopic “Man on the Moon.” Carrey isn’t half the comedic mind that Kaufman was, but he does manage to give one of his better film performances in this one.
Happy birthday, Andy and Jim!
Movie-A-Day #16: Slacker (1991).
Would you believe that today is National Nothing Day? The day has been celebrated annually since 1973 when it was started by a newspaper editor who wanted everyone to have a day when we don’t have to do anything, be anywhere or celebrate anything. Sounds like everyday for the denizens of Richard Linklater’s “Slacker.” Plot? Don’t need it. Real characters? Don’t need them either. The film is just a daisy chain, following one aimless person after another as they go through their day not doing much of anything. Because we all need a day to slack off once in a while.
Movie-A-Day #15: Elizabeth (1998).
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth I took place in Westminster Abbey on Jan. 15, 1559, ushering in one of England’s great golden ages. She’s been depicted in film and television countless times, but the biopic “Elizabeth” is one of the best. It focuses solely on her ascension to the throne and the early years of her reign, and as portrayed by Cate Blanchett, it reveals a young woman of strength, intelligence and determination. No wonder she has gone down in history as one of England’s greatest monarchs.
A Wink and a Smile (2008).
The Scoop:
With the imminent release of the Christina Aguilera/Cher movie “Burlesque,” the venerable art form of burlesque dancing seems poised to make a comeback. That is, unless, the film goes down in a cheesy fireball like “Showgirls,” which seems much more likely. But whatever that film’s ultimate destiny, burlesque itself will survive.
It’s important to remember that, even with it’s bumping and grinding and skimpy outfits, burlesque is more than just a girly show. It’s an art form with a long tradition of satire, subversion and speaking truth to power. And, particularly in its modern incarnation, it is a tool of feminist empowerment.
“A Wink and a Smile” is Dierdre Allen Timmons’ mash note to burlesque. She follows the lives and motivations of 10 everyday women who take a beginning burlesque class from Seattle performer and teacher Miss Indigo Blue. Along the way, Timmons also weaves in the history of the genre – which dates back to the late 19th century – and the life stories of several dancers, who exhibit the wide range of ideas and styles that burlesque can accommodate.
The students range in age from their early 20s to their early 50s and come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Timmons does a good job of giving each woman a chance to tell her story and share her fears and excitement about dancing in public. Where the film falls short is in telling the stories of the more experienced dancers. While the footage of their routines is generous, it would have been great to hear more of them telling their own stories in their own words the way the students do. Instead, we’re left with Miss Indigo’s introductions and assessment of their places in the Seattle burlesque scene.
However, that’s a minor quibble. The main reason to see this film is to follow the 10 students’ touching journeys to self-fulfillment. It is their stories that show the pride and emotional weight that lay behind the titillation.
Best Bit:
The Picasso painting routine.
Side Note:
Are you in the Seattle area? Then you can try it for yourself by taking the same classes at Miss Indigo Blue’s Academy of Burlesque.
Companion Viewing:
Links:
IMDb.
Official site.
Take a Look:
The trailer:
The students face their insecurities:
Movie-A-Day #14: Macbeth (1948).
Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn
The power of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.
— “Macbeth” Act IV, Scene 1
Today is National Caesarian Section Day. C-sections generally aren’t important plot elements in film or fiction, but leave it to Shakespeare to make it the crux of a tragic hero’s downfall. Over the centuries “Macbeth” has become the focus of a lot of superstitions in theater circles. So despite its reputation as one of the Bard’s greatest works, it hasn’t been staged nearly as much as its more popular cousins like “Romeo and Juliet” or “Hamlet.” But of the existing film adaptations, Orson Welles’ production is perhaps the best. He gives “the Scottish play” a darkly modern noir edge, despite the period trappings. Some poor audio work aside, it’s one of Welles’ overlooked masterpieces.
Desuko Movie Spot. 