films – Culture Travel and History Crossroads

The one weekend a year when my love of movies, history and travel converges together is Oscar Weekend. At first I considered sitting this year out. Last years happened in early February 2020, just as the COVID-19 Pandemic was about to strike. Little did I know the next fourteen months would be a daily struggle.

Around October and November of last year things were looking pretty grim. The Pandemic was raging. People weren’t really doing what needed to be done. Here in Utah a lot of people refused to follow the guidelines. We had a sitting president that offered less than zero leadership on the matter. As the year progressed towards it welcome end, I was very doubtful that the California trip would happen, even though the awards had been pushed back to the end of April.

Things changed in mid January on many levels and we finally had a plan for the vaccinations that were needed. The new Utah Governor stepped it up on a local level, and federally thins improved greatly. Still, I decided I would not make the trip if I was not fully vaccinated. Not because I worried so much about myself, but I certainly am not selfish enough to want to put other, more vulnerable people at risk of contacting the virus.

On February 28th I received my first Mederna shot. My second came on March 28th. Two weeks later I was ready to start getting my life back and do a little living.

I rented a car with my sister and brother and left Logan, Utah on Wednesday morning. First stop: the Belagio in Las Vegas. We stayed the night and then set off for Las Angeles, staying in our usual Sunset Plaza Hotel on Sunset Boulevard.

Immediately it was clear that this year was very different. California was still very much in lockdown from the virus. Restrictions were beginning to be lifted on restaurants and stores, but just barely. The hotel was much more quiet and offered very little in room service or housekeeping (though a tip envelope for the staff was still present in the room). Indoor eating was limited. I was happy, though that everyone was wearing their masks and making the effort to do what was right.

The usual Oscar attractions were also very different. The Dolby Theatre was closed up, except for the filming of some musical numbers. The awards instead would be broadcast from Union Station in downtown Las Angeles. The smaller venue would limit the number of attendees.

We chose a few outdoor activities this time around to aid in distancing. All of us love the 1960’s sitcom The Andy Griffith Show. The opening sequence of Andy and Opie at a lake for some fishing and a bit of pebbles skipping is a slice of classic pop culture. We decided to take the short drive and see if we could locate the exact spot from the starting.

Franklin Canyon Reservoir. photo by author

We took Mulholland Drive to the Franklin Canyon Drive. The road winds its way down a deep canyon to Franklin Canyon reservoir. This was the place. The first thing we saw a lone, scared looking coyote walking along the road in front of us. We then parked and took a trail around the reservoir, finally locating the spot we believe was the actual spot. Such a peaceful location at the edge of a huge city. Not many tourists flock here, but I highly recommend it as place to enjoy nature and take a break…and maybe whistle a few notes.

Cute but scared. Coyote on the train. photo by Tracey Smith

Keeping the outside theme alive, we also visited Hollywood Boulevard and took a stroll from Santa Monica Beach down to Venice Beach. Though still teaming with some tourists, the vibe of these places was very different from previous years. The pandemic and its bruising of the California economy was evident. I have never seen so many homeless tents and sleeping bags. In recent years the city had made an effort to clean up both places. The efforts were quite noticeable. This year it was sadly different. Urine soaked sidewalks and homeless desperation littered the street and beach. The toll the virus had taken on everyone over the last year, truly saddened me. I truly pray that things will get better from here. Visiting the Hollywood Forever Cemetery was a much more beautiful and peaceful experience.

Venice Beach

Since the Oscar broadcast was at a new location, we decided to visit Union Station and the adjacent Olvera Street. I had never visited this oldest street in the city before. It was so much fun shopping the traditional Hispanic shops and eateries. The Union Station was also an impressive building with its own fascinating history. Though scaled down, the area was still busy with cameras and red carpet being set up. It’s very exciting.

Top: Union Station. Bottom: Olvera Street. photos by author

This year we ate at places we really enjoy. Nothing really new for us this time. Micheli’s, El Coyote, the Polo Lounge, the Rainbow Grill, Farmers Market. We frequented these places often. They were all good. That’s why we come back.

We watched the Oscar Telecast from the hotel room on Sunday night. All of my choices won except I was hoping for Ri Ahmed for Best Actor for The Sound of Metal and Carey Mulligan for Best Actress for Promising Young Woman. But the winners were deserving as well. The show itself was a bit rocky, especially when the big hope for an emotional award for Chadwick Boseman fell flat on its abrupt face.

Because of the theater closures, the notoriety of the films was lower. Not many people had seen them. The rating for the awards were down as well. I don’t care about any of that. It’s not a popularity contest. We had some wonderful films in 2020. Box office and rating are unimportant to me. None of that really matters. It’s quality over quantity.

The next day we dropped the car rental off at the Burbank Airport and flew home into the new airport in Salt Lake City. It was a unique trip with some challenges and some real pleasures. That said, I hope it is the only year where we to struggle with all the limitations. I hope and pray that we are back to normal 2022.

Historic Hollywood Restaurants

By admin | March 11, 2019

Driving around Hollywood and West Los Angeles there is a changing landscape. History is important in the city, but not as important as money. Little by little the Hollywood of yesterday is being torn down so more mega-mansions and high end boutiques can take there place. It’s becoming more and more difficult, but if you look hard enough there are still remnants of what has been constant throughout the years. There are still some holdouts that can be enjoyed by a new generation just as they were in Tinseltown’s bygone era.

Nestled in between neo eateries I was able to find a few restaurants that have stood the test of time. They were once a place where starlets met with agents and seven figure deals for movie went down. Mostly they are places that had some importance in the entertainment world. I am writing about five places that should take tourists or film lovers back in time. One can imagine the Hollywood elite dining for a glamorous Saturday night on the town, or taking a break from filming to catch a bite. So lets step back in time and dine with the stars.

Five Classic Eateries in Hollywood

Barney’s Beanery

8447 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA

There are several Barney’s Beanery’s around southern California, but the one that sets along Historic Route 66 on Santa Monica Blvd is the original. Actually the very first location was opened in Berkeley in 1920 by John “Barney” Anthony. Seven years later he decided to move his restaurant to the historic highway running through Los Angeles as it headed to the end of the line at the Pacific Ocean.

Celebrities, artists, writers, and movie production workers began frequenting the bar. In the 1930’s through the 1950’s it was a frequent hangout for some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall considered it “their” place. Judy Garland, Clark Gable, Rita Hayworth, Errol Flynn were all regulars.

In the 1960’s the clientele shifted. The nearby Sunset Strip had become a haven for the hippy culture. Just a few blocks away, Barney’s attracted several rock stars. One was Jim Morrison, leader of The Doors. He visited often. One time he was even kicked out of the place for urinating on the bar.

Another regular was Janis Joplin. She even carved her name into one of the tables. That table top is still there and on display on the ceiling over where she sat. She actually ate her last meal here. She was seen dining shortly before she headed back to the Landmark Motor Hotel on Franklin Avenue where her body was found dead the following day in Room #105 of a heroin overdose.

In the early 1990’s filmmaker Quentin Tarantino sat at his favorite booth and wrote the screenplay for his film Pulp Fiction.

The Beanery isn’t without its share of controversy. The exact date when the trouble started is unsure, probably just prior to 1953. The owner put up a sign behind the bar among the various license plates. The sign read: ‘Fagots – (sic) Stay Out! ” John Anthony had regularly let his hatred of gays be known. Ironically, Barney’s Beanery is right in the middle of the heavily gay population of West Hollywood. The sign came and went, finally being taken down permanently in 1984 when the mayor of West Hollywood, the City Council and a group of activists walked in and physically removed it.

Pop Culture: Parts of Oliver Stone’s The Doors was filmed here. There is also an illustration showing the restaurant on the Big Brother & the Holding Company’s album Cheap Thrills. On TV “Columbo ” Peter Falk often ordered a sandwich from the restaurant, though it was never featured on camera.

Barney’s Beanery Menu

Canter’s Deli Restaurant

419 North Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA

Just north of CBS Studios and Farmer’s Market is Fairfax Village. A staple of the area since 1948 has been the famous Canter’s, a Jewish-style delicatessen. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week except on the Jewish holidays of Yon Kippur Rosh Hashanah.

Walking into Canter’s is like stepping back in time. The interiors look like it hasn’t been updated in decades, which is one of the great appeals of it. Sitting there I could easily imagine the late night crowds that frequent the place.

Because of its location and hours, it quickly became a hangout for people involved with the entertainment industry. In the 1960’s it was a place where rock stars and hippies held late night gatherings. In the bar area adjacent to the deli musicians such as Fiona Apple and The Wallflowers got their start. The current owner Marc Canter wrote a book about his high school friend Slash and his band Guns N Roses. In 2014 President Obama surprised the guest when he stopped by for a bite to eat.

The Canter’s menu offers not just the usual deli favorites. It also is a pretty straight forward diner with lots of sandwiches and meat and potato entrees. They also offer their famous Matzah Ball Soup. I wasn’t quite brave enough to try it, but my brother did and said it was good. The prices are very reasonable as well.

Pop Culture: Several TV shows have filmed there including Mad Men and Curb Your Enthusiasm. The song “Oh Daddy” by the Turtles mentions Canter’s as well.

Canter’s Menu

El Coyote Cafe

7312 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles

El Coyote opened on March 3, 1931. Photo by the author.

When a restaurant has been opened as long as some of these classic diners in the Hollywood area, there are bound to be some stories that will live on. The El Coyote features some very tasty Mexican Food, and has kept the dark and authentic atmosphere that it has likely always had. Due to it’s small connection to a notorious murder scene, it is often drawn into conversations about Hollywood crimes.

El Coyote first opened in 1931 on the corner of La Brea and First. Twenty years later it moved to its present location on Beverly Blvd. Within its proximity to CBS Television studios and other movie studios, it became a place for many celebrities to eat.

On the evening of August 8, 1969 Abigail Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, Jay Sebring, and a very pregnant Sharon Tate visited the El Coyote, which was Sharon’s favorite restaurant. Following their meal they drove along Beverly Boulevard and back to the house Tate was renting with her husband director Roman Polanski in Benedict Canyon. Polanski was out of town filming a movie in London.

The foursome arrived home around 10:30 pm. Shortly after midnight on August 9th four members of the Manson Family entered the home and murdered the Tate and her house guests , plus one other person, Steven Parent, who was visiting a friend in the guest house. He was shot in the driveway as he tried to leave. Any worker at the restaurant will gladly point out the table where Tate and her company ate that night.

The murders shocked the nation and an entire generation was affected by the heinous crime. Unfortunately this wasn’t the one moment of notoriety for the restaurant. In 2008 it was boycotted by the gay and lesbian community due to the owner’s daughter and manager Marjorie Christoffersen, a devout Mormon. She had donated money to Proposition 8, the ballot initiative to block gay marriage. She apologized to the LGBT community and offered a free lunch, though she continued to support Prop 8.

I’ve eaten at the El Coyote several times over the years and the food has always been excellent, and the service very good. They are open most everyday, but keep in mind they close early on Oscar night

Pop Culture: Feature in the documentary, Six Degrees of Helter Skelter.

El Coyote Menu

The Formosa Cafe

7156 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

The Formosa Cafe has been a Hollywood staple since it opened its doors in 1925 on the corner of Santa Monica Blvd and Formosa Avenue. The Chinese flavored cuisine quickly emerged as a favorite for the movie industry crowd. It is very close to several film studios.

In 2015, the owners gutted the historic interiors and changed everything to a more modern style. Showing that the public doesn’t always want change, an outcry arose among those who craved old-Hollywood style. The new version lost business with all the negative publicity.

In December of 2016 the property closed down without notice, some thought permanently. Luckily, in 2017 the property was picked up by the 33 Group and is being renovated. The new owners want to restore it completely to its glamour days of the 30’s and 40’s. It is scheduled to reopen in the Spring of 2019.

Few restaurants have a history of celebrity clientele like The Formosa. It is said that Frank Sinatra spent many nights in the 1950’s here at the bar, pining away for Ava Gardner. Some of the eatery’s other famous regulars are: Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Brad Pitt, John Wayne, Bugsy Siegel, Warren Beatty, Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, Grace Kelly, Jack Benny, Elizabeth Taylor…just to name a few.

I learned of the renovation recently when I returned there to eat and found it closed down. I hope the new owners are able to return this landmark to its original splendor. It is a place that Hollywood doesn’t want to lose.

Pop Culture: The films Swingers, L.A. Confidential, Still Breathing, and The Majestic features scenes shot here. It was also used in the television series Bosch.

No Menu currently until it Reopens.

Micheli’s Restaurant

1646 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, CA

Micheli’s, the historic Italian Restaurant. Photo by the author.

In 1949 Carmen and Sylvia Micheli pulled their funds together and opened this historic restaurant that is just half a block south of Hollywood Blvd. Carmen used recipes that had been handed down to him from Sicily. They hoped to create the first pizzeria in Hollywood.

The place became a hit among the celebrities of the day and the tourists who flocked to the famous street. The interior has remained almost unchanged for years. In fact the booths that are still used came from another historic restaurant. When the famous Pig ‘N Whistle closed in 1949, Micheli purchased the booths. The image of a pig holding a whistle can still be seen carved into the seat backs. The Pig ‘N Whistle would again open, but not for fifty years. In 1999 it was restored and is still open around the corner from Michel’s on Hollywood Blvd.

Frank Sinatra seemed to really get around and Micheli’s of course became one of his many hangouts. In fact he reserved the same booth in a corner and up a few steps. Appropriately, there is a giant photo of Sinatra that decorates the exterior wall outside of the restaurant.

Lucille Ball learned how to toss pizza here for an episide of I Love Lucy, and she frequented the place as a patron often. Other regulars were: Richard Burton, Dean Martin, Sal Mineo, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, John F. Kennedy, and even the Beatles.

I make it a special event to eat at Micheli’s each year when I visit Los Angeles during Oscar Weekend. Stepping into the building is like embracing Hollywood’s bygone era. There is always a piano player on the upper level, playing classic tunes from another time. Occasionally the waiter or waitress will pause in their order taking and break into song. Most of the time they sing as well as they wait on the tables.

It’s not just a place to eat, but it is a dining experience. Don’t rush through the meal. Sit back and enjoy the ambiance. You can almost believe that you are at a happening nightspot in 1950.

Pop Culture: The film Knocked Up featured a scene shot at Micheli’s. Also the television shows Dexter and Mob City included the location.

Micheli’s Menu

Conclusion

There are several other restaurants in Hollywood that also preserve the past. As mentioned Pig ‘N Whistle on Hollywood Blvd. Mel’s Drive-In on Highland and Carney’s on Sunset are fun throwbacks. The Rainbow Bar and Grill in West Hollywood and Lucy’s El Adobe on Melrose are also recommended. It’s even worth spending a little extra and having a Sunday morning breakfast at the famous Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel. Make sure to make a reservation.

I want to showcase one more place. If anyone has the time, take the short drive into Laurel Canyon and visit the Canyon Country Store. It is virtually unchanged from the era when Mama Cass lived in the basement and Jim Morrison owned the home directly behind it. They were regulars, as were countless residence of the canyon. Mick Fleetwood even met Lindsay Buckingham here and invited him and Stevie Nicks to join Fleetwood Mac.

Lauren Canyon Country Store. Photo by the author.

It’s not a restaurant, but they have a great coffee spot to sit outside and watch the traffic speed by on the winding Laurel Canyon Blvd as it twists its way to the San Fernando Valley.

It is located at 2108 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles is a haven for wonderful eateries, if you can handle the traffic to get there. I have found that they are worth the headache of maneuvering through the busy streets. I hope these few cafes and restaurants and coffee shops might motivate a few folks to give them a try.

Take care everyone…until I blog again!

Celebrating Marlon Brando’s 95th Birthday

By admin | March 7, 2019

On April 03, 1924 Marlon Brando was born in Omaha, Nebraska. I consider him to be one of the biggest influences on me and my love of movies. The era where he was popular in films is far ahead of when I started to watch movies, but I used to browse old movies at Somer’s Video in Logan, Utah. It was there that I began watching old movies. I mostly viewed them with casual interest, but one day I decided to rent A Streetcar Named Desire. It had an impact on me that would drive a new passion for classic cinema and take me on a long trek seeing as many motion pictures as I could.

I remember that it showed me that “old movies” were more than just black & white boredoms, or schmaltzy musicals. There some real emotional elements in them. The acting mesmerized me. I knew I was watching greatness. In honor of his upcoming 95th birthday, I would like to offer my choices for the 10 most essential Brando films. Anyone who is interested in the history of Hollywood needs to know these movies and performances.

10 Essential Movies

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

Film and Television

As I mentioned earlier, this is the film that started it all for me. I believe it likely had just as much influence on a generation of young actors who deviated from the style of acting that had been the standard in Hollywood for the last two decades.

It is a film that didn’t just launch Brando as a first rate Hollywood heavyweight, but featured a group of actors who all gave award worthy performances. The film opens with Blanche Dubois, played with strength and fragility by Vivian Leigh, as she steps of a train in New Orleans. She has arrived in the French Quarter to visit her younger sister Stella (Kim Hunter). Blanche seems to be running from something. We get the idea that her past has been catching up with her.

Blanche likes southern traditions and manners, where a lady is always a lady and man is a protector. She quickly learns that Stella’s husband is not cut from that cloth. Stanley Kowalski (Brando) is a uncouth brute of a man. He works hard and plays hard. Her first encounter with him makes her turn away, repulsed, yet at the same time there is an uncomfortable sexual attraction there as well.

Stanley and Blanche clash on every level. Stella desperately plays referee as the arguments become more and more heated. We see Blanche and how fragile she has become as she increasingly sinks into mental overload until she and Stanley clash in a violent and shattering confrontation.

Written by Tennessee Williams, Streetcar had been a Pulitzer Prize winning play and was directed by Elia Kazan. It’s adult themes erupted a censor battle in Hollywood that diluted the story to some degree. Still the message is clear for those who can easily read between the lines. The film was a box office hit and was nominated for twelve Academy Awards. It won trophies for Vivian Leigh as Best Actress, Karl Malden for Best Supporting Actor, and Kim Hunter for Best Supporting Actress. Though Brando was the lasting memory of the film. He lost the Oscar to Humphrey Bogart for The African Queen. The film was nominated for Best Picture, but lost to the far inferior An American in Paris.

CLASSIC LINE: Hey, Stella!!!!

Julius Caesar (1953)

The brutish Brando from Streetcar seemed like an odd choice to play a role in a Shakespeare tragedy. One critic joked that all the filmmakers needed to do was put Brando in a toga to ensure a box office success. In the part of Marc Antony, he proved that he was more than just a physical presence.

Louis Calhern plays Caesar, and James Mason stars as Brutus. A group of Roman senators, led by Cassius (John Gielgud) convince Brutus that Caesar is planning on dissolving the republic and establishing himself as the monarch.

The screen version of the play is a fairly straight-forward adaptation. It proved that Brando was capable of holding his own with the british, theatre trained thespians. Proving the point, Brando received his third Oscar nomination in three years for Best Actor.

While I wouldn’t call it one of his greatest films, it does showcase how Brando could take on a variety of roles and be believable.

CLASSIC LINE: You Blocks. You Stones. You Worse Then Senseless Things!

The Wild One (1953)

At first glance The Wild One looks likes a cheap, B-Movie that exploits the motorcycle craze of the early and mid 1950’s. With the help of a dynamic performance from Brando, as rebel Johnny Stabler, it becomes much more.

The story is based on a real life event that took place in 1947 in a small California town when a motorcycle gathering got out of hand over a Fourth of July weekend. Hollywood hadn’t explored youth oriented, rebellious pictures much yet. The Wild One became a cultural sensation as the first motorcycle gang movie to emerge.

It looks really tame for today’s standards, but it packed a punch at the time. After its success, a slew of rebellious teen movies flooded the local cinema house.

CLASSIC LINE: Mildred: Johnny? What are you rebelling against? Johnny: What’ve you got?

On the Waterfront (1954)

Considered by many to be the high point of his early film career, On the Waterfront, which reunited him with director Elia Kazan, was a triumph in every sense. It was that rare moment when actor and role became simpatico. It would be hard to imagine any other person playing the part of Terry Malloy.

Lee J. Cobb plays Johnny Friendly, a mobster who rules the waterfront with an iron fist. The politicians look the other way and the police don’t want to get involved. Friendly uses Malloy to lean on workers on the edge of the river. Malloy, however falls for the sister of a man who was killed. She wants justice and Malloy begins to challenge the boss.

The film received twelve Academy Award nominations and won eight of those, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Brando) and Best Supporting Actress for Eva Marie Saint. The film was also a box office hit, solidifying Brando as THE actor of his generation.

CLASSIC LINES: I Coulda Been a Contender.

Guys and Dolls (1955)

I wouldn’t say that Guys and Dolls is really one of Marlon Brando’s best films, but it does show off a side to the actor that is rarely seen. That of a singer in a musical. Here he is all dressed up and belting out show tunes with the best of them.

Frank Sinatra plays Nathan Detroit. He likes to gamble, but the police are cracking down. He meets Sky Masterson (Brando). He wages a bet with him that Sky must take a woman of Detroit’s choosing to dinner in Havana, Cuba. Detroit picks Sister Sarah Brown, played by Jean Simmons.

The musical had been a hit on Broadway and Frank Sinatra coveted the lead role of Masterson. Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz wanted Brando since he was a huge box office star at that time. Sinatra instead was cast as Detroit. He fumed at this since he had already lost out of the role of Terry Malloy to Brando in On the Waterfront. This made for a lot of tension on the set.

While not among Brando’s greatest performances, it is still one of the more entertaining MGM musicals of the 1950’s. Brando sings fine, but be shines best as a charismatic male lead. It might even be a bit “too Hollywood” for him.

CLASSIC LINE: Is it wrong to gamble, Or only to lose?

The Young Lions (1959)

After watching The Young Lions a few years ago, I found it to be a bit of a lost and underappreciated film. Not many people mention it when they talk about great Brando movies. Especially given the fact that the film received positive critical reviews and was a box office hit. It might be partially due to the fact that Brando shared the screen with a few other big name actors including Montgomery Clift, Dean Martin and Maximilian Schell.

Brando plays Christian Diestl, a young German ski instructor who believes that Hitler will bring prosperity to the country. He joins the army at the outbreak of war and is stationed in North Africa. He quickly sees that the war is different than he expected.

U.S. soldier Michael Whiteacre (Martin) meets and befriends Noah Ackerman (Clift), a fellow U.S. army soldier who is also Jewish during their physical examinations. They start into the U.S. side and the story follows them through the war.

As the war drags on Christian becomes increasingly depressed and disgusted with the war, but can’t see his way out with his country. The film takes on a very emotional and dramatic examination that good people exist in many places and situations in our world. I think it is one of Brando’s strongest performances.

CLASSIC LINE: Michael Whiteacre: Look, I’ve read all the books. I know that in 10 years we’ll be bosom friends with the Germans and the Japanese. Then I’ll be pretty annoyed that I was killed.

The Godfather (1972)

There has been so much said and written about The Godfather. Simply put: It is one of the greatest cinematic experiences in movie history. It ranks on top, or close to the top of my all-time favorite films, depending what week I am ranking my favs.

I suppose there are some people out there who haven’t seen or don’t really know much about The Godfather. The plot follows the Corleone family, led by the Don (Brando). He is the head of one of the most powerful mob groups in the United States. But, the other families are reaching for more power and a mafia war erupts.

When Corleone is wounded, his sons must step into the leadership roles, with a reluctant and naive Michael (Al Pacino) taking control in ways he never expected or never prepared for.

Two successful sequels followed and movie history was re-written. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Brando took home the Best Actor award for the second time. In a now famous moment from the Oscar telecast, Brando sent Sacheen LittleFeather to decline the Oscar. She made a speech acknowledging that Brando had refused the statue in protest of how Native American were represented in film.

It was one of the most talked about and controversial moments at the Oscars. The film which he won for has gone down in history as a pinnacle of great American films. No true movie fan should miss it.

CLASSIC LINE: I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.

Last Tango in Paris (1973)

Turning down the Oscar for The Godfather didn’t prevent Marlon Brando from receiving another nomination for Best Actor the following year for the very controversial Last Tango in Paris. Director Bernardo Bertolucci spun a disturbing story about Paul (Brando), a middle aged hotel owner who is mourning the suicide death of his wife, Rosa.

He meets Jeanne, played by Maria Schneider. She is interested in renting the same Paris apartment that Paul is looking at. She is in her twenties and Paul is instantly attracted to her. He gets the apartment while he and Jeanne start into an adventurous and wild sexual relationship that eventually leads down a dangerous path.

The film was very graphic for it time, and still is. It received an X Rating upon its initial release, and still carries an NC-17 today. It became very controversial with movie-goers and Oscar voters alike. John Wayne commented that he’d like to punch Brando in the face after watching it.

In reality it shows a very real and very sad look at an older man losing himself in a kind of sexual freedom. The film remains highly talked about. In 2018 there was a great amount of discussion over the way Bertolucci and Brando filmed the movie. Schneider herself was unaware of just how graphic things would get until the scene was being shot. The #METOO movement only emphasized the way in which women have been treated by men in Hollywood.

CLASSIC LINE: I could dance forever. Oh, my hemorrhoid!

Apocalypse Now (1979)

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Marlon Brando re-teamed with the director of The Godfather for a movie that drove home the horror of war. Francis Ford Coppola was considered one of the greatest directors of the 1970’s. As the decade came to a close, he decided to do a film that was an unflinching look at the war that had been front and center when the decade had begun. The Vietnam War was still dividing the nation and soldiers had returned home with nightmares and injuries. Many felt abandoned by their country.

Colonel Walter Kurtz (Brando) has gone insane. The pressures of fighting the war has taken their toll. He has hidden himself away deep in the jungles of Cambodia where he commands his own army. The United States armed forces decides they need to send a special group of soldiers in to bring the mad Kurtz back, and take him out of his position of power.

Martin Sheen is one of the special ops who must venture into the heart of darkness to confront the shadowy Colonel. The journey forces himself into an exploration of his own sanity and decisions, while confronting the horrors of this war.

Coppola creates a surreal, and mesmerizing horror of a film. The imagery stays with the viewer long after the credits have run. The film is based on and updated from the book “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad.

As great as the movie is, the making of the film turned out to be just as hypnotic. The cast and crew all suffered while filming on location. Footage was shot that eventually made itself into its own documentary entitle Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse. This makes a very interesting…and long double feature.

CLASSIC LINE: I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

The Freshman (1990)

Following Apocalypse Now, Marlon Brando’s screen appearances became more sporadic and varied greatly in quality. In 1989 he received is seventh and last Oscar nomination for his supporting role in the apartheid drama A Dry White Season. It was a good, though short performance, and deserves mention. I decided to include his next movie as one of my picks, however. In 1990 he took a much bigger role in the comedy The Freshman. In it he spoofed his role in The Godfather. It wasn’t mocking the part, but it lovingly memorialized it.

Matthew Broderick stars as Clark Kellog. He arrives in New York to start his education in film at New York University. Having his money stolen, he takes a job working for a mob boss named Carmine Sabatini, played by Brando. Clark is amazed how much Sabatini looks like Don Corleone. The job is unusual and Clark finds himself in the middle of illegal importing of animals on the endangered species list.

Shortly before the film was released into theaters, Brando famously went public to declare that the film was horrible. This crushed writer/director Andrew Bergman, especially since he had said that directing Brando was a great joy for him and he found the veteran actor delightful.

Despite that critics rejoiced with the movie. They found it to be a comic gem and Brando was routinely singled out as being a big reason for the films success.

CLASSIC LINE: (Looking around the dorm) So this is college. I didn’t miss much.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!

I truly recommend that anyone interested in the history of films and the culture of movies, should seek out Marlon Brando. He was a true original and one of the greatest actors to every grace the silver screen

On April 03, 2019, he would have been 95 years old. The twentieth century entertainment wouldn’t have been the same without his talent. Happy Birthday, Mr. Brando…wherever you are!

A Trip to the Oscars 2019

By admin | February 27, 2019

I suppose you would have to be hiding under a rock to not know that each February or March the movie industry gathers for its biggest night of the year. My family and I are huge film buffs and have been following the Oscars for years. I have been watching all the Best Picture nominated films all the way back to the first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929 at the Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard.

Every year since 2007 we have made the trek from my cold northern Utah home to Southern California in order to experience Tinseltown during its greatest weekend. I was led to believe that I soak up the warm sunshine and bask in the glow of the beaches. The truth is that California is almost always experiencing a cold spell when I vacate there. Luckily, this year it was beautiful, though a little cool.

That wasn’t the case at all during the drive from Logan, Utah to Los Angeles. We stayed in Las Vegas at the Luxor. A rare and powerful snowstorm hit. I’ve been to Las Vegas dozens of times and have never experienced anything like this. The snow fell heavily for hours cause a threat to close all schools. I had to laugh a little since it took several feet of snow on the roads to even cause a whisper about closing schools where I am from.

View from my hotel room at the Luxor in Las Vegas. Photo by the author.

Arriving in Los Angeles

Despite some scary roads covered in snow around Baker, California, the next day arriving in L.A. the weather cleared and I welcomed the rays of the sun. It was like California should be.

The first night I spent some at The Grove, a sleek outdoor shopping center next to the Farmer’s Market. I enjoyed a nice meal at the outdoor eating area in the market. I recommend stopping by the market on Fairfax Avenue to anyone visiting Hollywood for the first time.

I should mention that for the last several years I have found the best place to stay is the Sunset Plaza Hotel at 8400 West Sunset Blvd. Though still a little pricey, it offers the best deal for the weekend. It’s central location makes it easy to drive to the Dolby Theatre, or just as quickly to Beverly Hills. The traffic is always a pain, but I’ve gotten quite used to it.

Our third floor room had a nice view of the courtyard where the pool is surrounded by pots and awnings covered with roses. It’s quite delightful and honey. This time I had a nice straight shot view of

Night view of L.A. from the Sunset Plaza Hotel. Photo by the author.

The J. Paul Getty Museum

I always try and do something new each year during Oscar Weekend. This time we decided to venture to the J. Paul Getty Museum. I almost went before but last years movie, All the Money in the World about Getty motivated me to seek out the fine art showcase. I am so glad I did. It is a stunning, multi-building showcasing one of the finest art collections in the world. It sets high on the hills overlooking downtown L.A. and a wonderful view of the Pacific Ocean.

What a thrill to view original works by Monet, Renoir, Pissaro, Gauguin. I was especially interested in seeing work by Vincent Van Gogh since Willem Dafoe received an Oscar nomination for portraying the tortured artist in At Eternity’s Gate.

It’s scary to think about how close the horrible fires last year came to this museum and the destruction of people’s homes and property. We should do more as a nation to help all those people affected by these disasters. That is a true national emergency.

The Independent Spirit Awards

The Spirit Awards are held on Santa Monica Beach. Photo by the author.

Along with the Oscars, I have had an interest in Independent films. Having working for the past twenty years at the Sundance Film Festival, I feel it is the heart of the film industry. While Hollywood is touting their teen oriented blockbusters that will play well in the nation’s heartland, the true inspiration and thoughtful filmmaking comes from those with small budgets who risk much to make a work of art. I truly appreciate this and am glad that awards are still given out for quality rather than rewarding publicity machines.

A couple of years ago I joined Film Independent. It helps advance and support those independent minded filmmakers who give us movies with a point of view, and movies that inspire real emotions. When I joined that allows me to be a voter in the awards. It’s nice to know that true film lovers are allowed help in choosing the winners. I didn’t attend the ceremony but was able to watch the Red Carpet Arrivals.

Most of the nominees were in attendance. Best Actress nominee Glenn Close arrived with her dog in tow. Her fellow nominee Toni Collette hurried into the tent shortly later. They were nominated for The Wife and Hereditary, respectively. Both were fantastic, though I leaned to Ms. Collette, personally.

Also on the carpet were: Armie Hammer, Joaquin Phoenix, Molly Shannon, Amanda Seyfried, Richard E. Grant, Alfonso Cuaron, Marissa Tomei, Adam Diver…just to name a few. Luckily, the day at the beach was beautiful and sunny. The high was in the mid 60’s. A far cry from the 20’s back in Logan!

Toni Collette on the Red Carpet. Photo by the author.

I won’t go into all the winners and losers and nominations on this blog. You can read a complete list of the victors here.

Oscar Night

I must say that my trip to Los Angeles isn’t entirely about the Oscars. It is about the experience of being in Hollywood and enjoying the movie industry’s biggest night. The energy and the atmosphere of the town is very exciting. I don’t attend the Oscars. I watch them comfortably in my hotel room. I think I have the best seat in the house. I like to cheer on my favorite films. I don’t need my picks to win. It’s would be nice, but generally the winner is not my choice. That’s fine. I don’t need any validation for my opinions.

I was happy to see Regina King win the Best Supporting Actress for If Beale Street Could Talk. She seems like a nice lady and has paid her dues for years. My choice to win was actually Rachel Weisz for The Favourite.

I did agree with the Best Supporting Actor winner, though he should have been in the Best Actor race. Mahershala Ali was fantastic in Green Book. I also would have been happy with Adam Driver winning for BlacKkKlansman. I did like the Driver’s film better than Ali’s.

Rami Malek did a fantastic job as Freddie Mercury in the good, but flawed Bohemian Rhapsody. I did think that Christian Bale should have been the winner, however, for Vice. He really became the part of Dick Cheney, though Vice was also a bit flawed. Bradley Cooper would have been my second choice for A Star is Born.

Everyone thought that Glenn Close was going to be the winner for her performance as the suffering woman who stands by her man in The Wife. Her acting is top notch, but the film isn’t Oscar worthy. I wish she had won years ago for Dangerous Liaisons. My choice for Best Actress actually did win. Olivia Colman was spellbinding as Queen Anne in The Favourite.

I was totally in line with the Academy when they awarded the Best Director trophy to Alfonso Cuaron for his exceptional film Roma. Quite simply: He deserved it. It is a wonderfully realized, stunning work of art. I can’t praise it enough in showing a film about people we generally look through. Rarely does a movie give us a moment that feels this authentic.

Needless to say, I wanted Roma to win the Best Picture Award. I was shocked that it didn’t, even though I have reservations about a streaming film winning. Quite simply, Roma was the best film of the year. Green Book is a good movie, but mostly a film that voters likely felt good about voting for.

Hollywood Boulevard the night before the Oscar ceremony. Photo by the author.

I am a bit troubled by the emergence of Netflix as an Oscar contender. Where is the separation of television movies and theatrical movies? Where does streaming fit in to this? I think it is a dangerous trend that needs to be addressed. I’m not saying that streaming companies are not eligible for consideration, but some adjustments need to me made. As it stands now, Netflix needs hardly any theater exposure. Plus they will hold onto that film and never allow true movie collectors to buy a blu ray or DVD of the film. Should the company decide to pull the film off their site, it is gone until they bring it back. This is a very bad and poor trend in filmmaking. For that reason alone I am considering cancelling my membership.

I believe that the Academy should take steps in remedying this issue. I believe that a film should have a two or three month theatrical run before it is streamed to be considered for awards. It should also be under contract to be released on DVD or Blu Ray within a year of its streaming.

When a director makes a movie they are intending it to be seen on a large screen. That is the hope for any filmmaker. It is possible that Roma lost the Oscar to Green Book because of this. Voters, hopefully, are not ready to give their highest award to a film that only made a brief, week-long showing in a theater house.

Nothing Lasts

Like any good thing, a vacation must come to an end. If it didn’t, it would no ,longer be a vacation. Though it is still over 50 weeks away, I am already trying to think of places to visit in Southern California during next year’s Oscar Weekend. Thanks for coming along with me on trip.

Sundance Film Festival 2019

By admin | February 10, 2019

I can hardly believe that this is my 21st festival. I volunteered for the first fifteen years and have been on the Sundance staff for the last four. This year I worked about 75 hours a week and managed to see about 17 films. With my new Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera, I took hundreds of photos. I am sharing several of them here.

For anyone who hasn’t heard of it, or don’t know what it is; the Sundance Film Festival is the United States largest film festival, and the biggest for independent film in the world. It takes place each January in the posh ski resort town of Park City, Utah.

The view of Mount Timpanogos from the Sundance Resort.

Robert Redford started the Sundance Institute back in 1981 and has been the chairman ever since. Some of the world’s greatest directors have started out here, from Quentin Tarantino to Christopher Nolan to Damien Chezelle. Noteworthy films that have premiered include: Memento, Boyhood, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Whiplash, Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, Hereditary, The Blair Witch Project, Reservoir Dogs, The Usual Suspects, American Psycho, just to name a very few.

The 2019 festival was one of the most successful years to date. I saw some really great films. Hopefully many of these films with make their way to theaters later in the year. Here are some reviews:

The Report

This was probably my favorite film that I saw this year. It stars Adam Driver as Daniel Jones, who lead the investigation into the torture of prisoners following 9/11. Appointed by Diane Feinstein (played by Annette Bening) his investigation takes him to exhausting and disturbing revelations.

At the film’s core is a sense of the way Washington really works. It offers an inside look at negotiations and compromises that fuel the back hallway discussions used by politicians to gain leverage for their own agendas.

The script by writer/director Scott Z. Burns is tight. It is so intricate and detailed. It must have taken a great deal of time and patience to put it together. Adam Driver manages to establishes himself as a first rate leading actor. Following his Oscar nominated performance in BlackKklansman this year, he seems on the verge of becoming one of the important actors of his generation.

Adam Driver at the premiere in Park City.

The film premiered on January 26, 2019 at the Eccles Theatre. Adam Driver, Jon Hamm, Annette Bening and Jennifer Morrison were in attendance.

Though it had several moments depicting disturbing images of torture, it fell short of reveling in it. The crowd was mostly enthusiastic as it became one of the most talked about pictures. Within a few days it had been purchased by Amazon Studios for a cool 14 million dollars in worldwide rights.

It is scheduled to be released into theaters in late 2019 in order to capitalize on its Oscar potential.

Jon Hamm and Jennifer Morrison at “The Report” premiere.

Blinded by the Light

Directed by Gurinder Chadha, “Blinded by the Light” is an exhilarating and contagiously entertaining story based on true events. Javed, played by Viveik Kalra, is a Pakistani teen living in England in 1987. His world is difficult trying to fit in with a world that was very different from where he and his family had migrated. Then a fellow Paki student introduces Javed to the music of Bruce Springsteen. Suddenly, in the strangest ways, the Boss’ music speaks to him. It transforms his life and he learns to take control.

Javed clashes with his headstrong father who believes it is an abandonment of his home country to pursue such materialistic entertainment. Though Springsteen’s music permeates throughout, it is the relationship between Javed and his father that is at the center, and it is here that we get the emotional rewards.

The music from Bruce and the way it is used is heaven sent. The director is able to show the audience just how it is able to affect a young man like Javed in ways that no one could have imagined. It’s not so much the music that transforms Javed, but rather the way he feels empowered by the lyrics themes of struggle and survival in difficult times.

“Blinded by the Light” was purchased by New Line for 15 million dollars, a record amount for a film at the festival. I highly recommend it to audiences who enjoy nostalgic coming-of-age films with a killer soundtrack.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_7284a.jpg — The hills of Park City, Utah

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

The hardest ticket to get at this year’s festival was the film that divided the audiences. Zac Efron stars as the charming and infamous serial killer, Ted Bundy. There was plenty of controversy surrounding the screening. Mostly because some critics and viewers felt that with Efron’s portrayal, the filmmakers were glamorizing the horrific killer.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is extr1.jpg — Kaya Scodelario and Zac Efron in *Extremely Wicked..*.

Focusing very little on the actual murders, the film concentrates its storyline on the capture and trials of Bundy. It is told from the point of view of the women who chose to stay by his side and protect him from. Lily Collins plays his fiancee who refused to believe he is capable of the horrible accusations being leveled at him from multiple states.

Having watched the film, I still found Ted Bundy to be a manipulative deviant. Zac Efron is a better looking, and a much more sculpturesque person than Bundy. Despite that, he did a surprisingly effective job of showing this monster who is able to hide his wickedness away from the general public. There are some moments when women in the courtroom swoon at his smile. I know this did actually happen, but on screen it does seem a bit over-the-top.

It took a few days, but the movie eventually sold for about 9 million dollars to Netflix. That’s good in that it will find an audience. I personally don’t like it when Netflix picks up films that should be seen in the theaters. Once they get a hold of them they just feel less important. Now the movie will not get an important theatrical run and will never make its way to blu ray or DVD. That’s a shame. Still, the streaming company is a good avenue for independent films to find an audience that might not always be possible.

Zac Efron at the premiere of *Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile*.

Clemency

The Grand Jury Prize Winner in the U.S. Dramatic Competition was Clemency , written and directed by Chinonye Chukwu. This solid and thoughtful drama manages to blur the lines between compassion and justice, resulting in a realism that few films are able to achieve.

Alfre Woodard stars as Bernadine Williams a hardened prison warden who struggles to balance her work and her home life. As the years have flown by, it gets tougher to separate the two. Her drinking increases and her emotions unravel when she witnesses a botched execution. Her nervousness increases as a second execution approaches for a man who just might be innocent of the crimes he has been convicted of.

The film is stark and depressing, and all the more effective because of it. Alfre Woodard gives her best performance and is mesmerizing in her intensity. It’s another movie that should be around once the Oscar race heats up at the end of 2019.

Brittany Runs a Marathon

Brittany Runs a Marathon was the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award Winner. This film really represents what makes Sundance unique among film festivals. There was very little buzz about the film going in. It features a first time director in Paul Downs Colaizzo, and a cast of actors that aren’t well known. Yet it became one of the most talked about films.

Brittany, played by Jillian Bell, is unhappy with her life. She hates her job and hasn’t been in a relationship for years. To make matters worse all her friends think of her as the fat one. Finally she has had all she can stand. Deciding to lose the weight she sets a goal to not just run in the New York Marathon, but to finish it. She learns that its not as easy as believing you can do it. She can transform her body, but the emotional scars she carries around are harder to heal.

The reason the film works is because everyone feels like a “Brittany” in one way or another. Few people can truly say they are happy with their lives. We all feel like we are inadequate in some way. That makes her all the more relatable. The film asks difficult questions, but is able to present itself as a comedy. It’s rare to find a movie that is funny, but is able to deal with serious issues.

Amazon Studios purchased the film for $14 million.

Late Night

Also selling to Amazon Studios for a reported 13 million was the comedy Late Night, written by and co-starring Mindy Kailing. The film was the opening night premiere and continued to play well throughout the festival.

Katherine, played with gusto by Emma Thompson, is a legend in the television comedy world. She has won several Emmy’s and has been a staple every night with her successful late night talk show. Her ratings, however have begun to decline and her demographics are not competitive. The network decides to replace her with a young, hipper host.

Deciding to not go down without a fight, Katherine decides to hire Molly (Kailing) as a new writer. Molly is the first female writer to ever work on the show, and Katherine hopes it will add a much needed boost and save her show.

The film is a little comic gem. It works so well because of the relationship and banter between Kailing and Thompson. They work so seamlessly together, finding the likeability and the faults in their characters. The combination makes for a winning cinematic gem.

Mindy Kailing, clearly excited about *Late Night*‘s Sundance success.

Little Monsters

The Midnight Movie section of Sundance has become one of the most successful sections of the festival. Get Out, Hereditary, and Buried all went on to successful runs.

Little Monsters has potential to become a break out B-Movie hit. It is funny enough to be campy and thrilling enough to be even a little scary. Oscar winning actress Lupita Nyong’o plays a kindergarten teacher who is devoted to her young students. The kids are excited because they have a camping field trip coming up.

That excitement soon turns to horror when a government experiment has gone awry. Within hours the kids are being stalked by flesh eating zombies, and it becomes the teacher’s job to protect them.

Josh Gad, best know as the voice of Olaf in Disney’s Frozen, plays a kid’s show host who turns on the kids in an attempt to save himself. The film also stars Alexander England as the uncle of a kid with severe allergies. He must turn his slacker personality around to help save the children.

The picture manages to effectively tread on the tricky balancing wire of being funny and scary. It even surprised me by how much depth of character it has, and by the strong pull on the heartstrings. It actually earns the emotional satisfaction for which it strives.

Velvet Buzzsaw

In 2014 writer/director Dan Gilroy made the superb thriller Nightcrawler, starring Jake Gyllenhaal. It earned Gilroy an Oscar nomination for best screenplay. With Velvet Buzzsaw he teams up again with Gyllenhaal for another offbeat suspense film that is difficult to categorize.

The Los Angeles art scene is at the center. An unknown artist is found dead. His broken down apartment is full of precious and unique paintings that he had worked a lifetime to create. Art dealers descend on his work, fighting tooth and nail for the opportunity to represent his work.

The greed, however has a price. The art pieces are cursed with the spirit of the dead artist and he seeks revenge upon those who have taken his paintings for their own benefit.

Gyllenhaal, along with Rene Russo, John Malkovich, Toni Collette, Tom Sturidge, and Billy Magnusen play those greedy souls whose lives become in danger the more they try and control the inventory.

Jake Gyllenhaal at the *Velvet Buzzsaw* premiere.

Not everything works as well as it did in Nightcrawler, but Gilroy is still able to spin a twisted tale where the vampires all get what they deserve in creative and disturbing ways. Netflix acquired the film prior to the festival. It made it’s debut on the streaming service just days after its world premiere at Sundance.

Apollo 11 and Knock Down the House

Sundance wouldn’t be complete without the mention of its documentaries. Dozens of world class docs screen each year. I was able to watch two fascinating films that show us a reality that many of us might not be aware of.

CNN Films has produced a remarkable doc about the Apollo 11 moon landing. With no narration at all, it has unearthed hours and hours of footage of the lift off and of the first man walking on the moon.

Today we are so used to having our cell phones out, filming everything that comes along. That makes this doc that more stunning. The rare shots are a thrill to see, and gives a new perception of what was going on behind the scenes of this historic event. It is a must see for anyone interested in history or science.

The second documentary of note has a much more timely message. Knock Down the House follows four Progressive Democratic women as they try and break though the incumbent wall during the 2018 primaries. It argues that the people in this country want a change, but wonders if they are willing to take a stand to enact the changes needed to move the country in a different direction.

The interesting about this is that director Rachel Lears didn’t know how the film would end. The results were far from clear when filming began. The problem with filming a doc is that often the success of it depends on what the unforeseen outcome might be. Luckily for the filmmakers one of the women they were following was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a political star in the making.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is knock-down-the-house.jpg — “Knock Down the House”

Each year there are simply too many films to mention all of them. Overall, this was one of the best years for films at the festival. There were 14,259 submissions this year, the most ever. The quality seemed to improve a bit over last year.

I hope everyone has enjoyed a few of the highlights from Sundance this year. It was a good start to 2019. Here’s hoping the year gives us a bunch of great films to enjoy, bicker over and despise throughout the coming months.

Cheers!