20 Years of "Ed Wood"

"We're about to embark on quite a journey.  4 days of hard work."

Most movies take a lot longer, but not Ed Wood's infamous "Glen or Glenda."  At least according to Tim Burton's 1994 biopic about the worst director of all time.  "Ed Wood" was released twenty years ago this week, and it remains one of my all time cherished films.

"Ed Wood" tells the true story of Edward D. Wood, Jr. the movie director of such 1950s horror movies as "Bride of the Monster" and "Plan 9 From Outer Space."  He follows his Hollywood dreams as he writes, directs and acts in no-budget pictures about monsters, aliens, and transvestites.  When he meets the cranky and retired Bela Lugosi, they form a friendship and creative partnership that gives Ed Wood the credibility he needs to make big movies.

I love the black and white, romantic reimagining of old Hollywood.  The authentic locations are pefect - I'd swear that the entire movie takes place on Hollywood Boulevard.  I love the humor, the acting, and the witty dialogue.  But most of all, I love "Ed Wood" because it's a very true profile of someone in love with movies.  It's about dreamers and their struggles.  Ed Wood tries like hell to make one, but realizes how incredibly difficult filmmaking can be.

Written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, "Ed Wood" was an odd premise that seems unlikely to get made today.  Before DVDs and Netflix, it was much harder to see forgotten movies, so being aware of the director Ed Wood and his movies was a rarity.  Deciding to make a movie about him was a risk, but the end result is such a mainstream entertainment it's a testament to all the filmmakers involved.  Clearly all of the cast and crew love movies - especially the old obscure ones.

 

Of course the movie would not have such charm without Johnny Depp playing the title character.  Before he was Captain Jack Sparrow and other caricatures, Johnny Depp accepted bold and risky roles.  Each one invented an indelible persona, yet this may be his finest work.  His energy and emotion carries the picture; he brings to life this marginalized, weird character taking Ed Wood from the fringe to the megaplex.

During Awards season it was Martin Landau, however, who got all the attention.  He won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his mesmerizing portrayal of Bela Lugosi.  Watching the movie today I still forget that it's not actually the real Bela Lugosi.  It's a brilliant imitation where Mr. Landau uses his whole body and voice to capture the soul of the original Dracula.  It many ways he steals the show.

On one hand, "Ed Wood" is a very funny movie, inviting the audience to laugh at Mr. Wood's amazingly bad choices and even worse movies.  On the other hand, it's a very thoughtful look at the creative process.  No one - not even Ed Wood - tries to make bad movies.  But even the best ideas sometimes crash and burn.  Of course, Ed Wood knew he had no budgets, no time, and actors who were at best beyond their prime.  He approached each movie with passion, found the positives in every review, and he persevered.  In reality, Ed Wood made a living from writing and directing movies for over twenty years.  He's even the subject of a recent retrospective at the Anthology Film Archives in New York.

Were most of his movies really that bad?  It's safe to say they really were.  But "Ed Wood" exists to introduce him to subsequent generations who will be inspired to watch "Plan 9 From Outer Space" and judge for themselves.  In many ways, Ed Wood is more immortal that many of his contemporaries.  

"Worst film you ever saw?  Well my next one will be better."  

Oliver Stone Talks "JFK" at Special Screening

Why does John F. Kennedy matter?  What have we learned about our nation from his assassination?  These questions were on my mind last week as I attended the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood to see Oliver Stone host a screening of his 1991 epic "JFK."

These questions lingered long after the film ended, even after I sat glued to my seat for over 4 hours during the movie and introduction by the Academy Award winning writer-director.  50 years after the assassination, and 22 years after "JFK" nothing is any clearer.  It's also apparent from the remarks by Mr. Stone that he's still trying to make sense of things.  His latest project, "The Untold History of the United States" - the 10 part miniseries for cable TV - is yet another attempt to look at history with multiple perspectives, and take away the hope that informed citizens make a better democracy. 

I guess the first question is why does Oliver Stone matter?  As a filmmaker, he's very inspiring and influential due to his passion and style.  He writes and directs movies that entertain, innovate, and dig deep into our collective history to find relevance today.  

"JFK" is one of his finest.  Viewed in 2013, it stands tall as fascinating and groundbreaking.  An ambitious film that aims high and succeeds by telling a great story - a story audiences may think they know, but fall captive as the film surprises and thrills.  It's beautifully photographed by Robert Richardson, and expertly edited by Pietro Scalia & Joe Hutshing, combining newsreel footage, re-enactments, and multiple film stocks to create a rich American tapestry.  The acting is brilliant, led by Kevin Costner at his movie-star peak.  I've seen the movie multiple times since 1991, yet marveled once again at the powerful imagery and resonant themes of American innocence lost.

"JFK" is such a kinetic work of pure cinema that it could be equally enjoyed with the sound off.  Really - the images are that stunning and direct.  That is except for the two mesmerizing speeches that form the centerpiece of the movie:  Donald Sutherland's explanation of why and how Kennedy could be killed, and Kevin Costner's courtroom monologue where he debunks the single bullet theory attributed to a lone assassin. 

Oliver Stone introduced the movie by first showing the Kennedy section from his new "Untold History" documentary (now available on Blu-ray).  That selection summed up the radical ideas that Kennedy was implementing in 1963.  This includes his idea that space exploration should be a multinational effort, the first nuclear arms control treaty (The Atmospheric Test-Ban Treaty), the goal to withdraw American troops from Vietnam by 1965, and a call to end the Cold War.  He was viewed as soft on Communism, criticized for allowing the Berlin Wall to be built, and beat-up for the Bay of Pigs fiasco.  Kennedy stood up to the military and the intelligence community, and truly wanted a progressive course for the country.  All motives for a possible assassination, according to both the documentary and "JFK."

Oliver Stone remembered being 17 years old when JFK was killed.  "We didn't question it," he said.  "Nothing changed for me."  It was his experience in Vietnam that changed him.  "Vietnam was the result of the change of policies from Kennedy's death.  I didn't know it on that day, of course.  It took me another 10 years after the war to change. . . And until I got into this 'Untold History' in 2008, I was a dramatist interested in history, and now I've really gotten into it and learned a lot more."

The basis for the new documentary (made with historian Peter Kuznick) started with the policies that Kennedy wanted to change back in '63.  Mr. Stone found himself, in 2008, beating his head against a wall asking, "Why are we going back to these wars over and over again?  It seems like we don't learn anything."  In 2008, Mr. Stone wanted to learn what the pattern was; whether George W. Bush was the aberration, or was he just an example of the same policies since World War II.  Sadly, he found out that was the case, and that Kennedy was the only president we've had in the last 70 years that has tried to make a significant change.  Oliver Stone really wants to understand what life in America is about.  "We're at a very strange time now, when you have the NSA listening in on everything we do.  It's like Jim Morrison said, 'This is the weirdest life I've ever known.'  As a dramatist, I love to see the tension that exists.  If this empire can still pull it off.  With all this military muscle.  I don't know this thing can last."

4 Disc Blu-ray set now on sale

Regarding the assassination, Oliver Stone is concerned that the mainstream media continues to unquestionably perpetuate the lone assassin/single bullet story.  "It's crazy," he says.  "It defies common sense.  What you see with your own eyes [in the Zapruder film], back and to the left.  And this concept of firing three bolt-action shots out of the sixth floor at Kennedy; and hitting seven wounds in two different people with one bullet is insane.  It's so preposterous.  Lewis Carroll is rolling over in his grave.  I can't believe all these smart people in the United States establishment - The New York Times, Washington Post - with all these people writing about it and I'm the only one allowed on television to say anything different.  It's amazing the consensus we've reached, we've become so conservative in this country, it's depressing."

Although the debate still rages, it does appear from much of this 50th Anniversary talk that Oswald is the accepted culprit by the public and the media.  Consider this recent LA Times Editorial from a member of the Warren Commission, justifying the lone-assassin theory.

Oliver Stone wants you to make up your own mind.  He describes the facts that disprove Lee Harvey Oswald as the lone assassin, and the information that shows the evidence of a massive cover-up.  He encourages all citizens to do their own research, and recommends the following books: 

Jim DiEugenio "Reclaiming Parkland"
Jim DiEugenio "Destiny Betrayed"
James Douglass "JFK and the Unspeakable"
John Newman "Oswald and the CIA"
Cyril Wecht "Cause of Death"
Joan Mellen "A Farewell to Justice"
Gary Aguilar "Trauma Room One"
Robert Groden "Absolute Proof"
Gearld McKnight "Breach of Trust"

So why does President Kennedy and his assassination matter?  His death on November 22, 1963 was a turning point (neither the first nor the last), when the country could have fulfilled its promise as a beacon of new ideas.  Instead, hope gave way to subsequent decades of war and conservatism, greed and corruption.  Maybe the '60s as we know it would never have happened - both the bad and the good.  Or was everything inevitable?  A world without war - seems unlikely.  Whether in drama or reality, conflict is inevitable.  An alternate history is all just science fiction.

Oliver Stone ends "JFK" with a single title card that reads:  'What's past is prologue.'

Even if we learn history, are we doomed to repeat it?   

Alexander Payne: His First Movie Reconsidered

The Greek-American writer-director Alexander Payne has made some of the best American movies of the last 15 years.  His influences range from such comedic greats as Billy Wilder and James L. Brooks, to the serious new American dramas of the 1970s.  In anticipation of "Nebraska" - his 6th feature film (view the trailer) - I decided to revisit his first movie.

Released in 1996, "Citizen Ruth" opened all the doors.  It's a movie about abortion - a fictionalized story that presents both sides.  It's very funny, yet serious when appropriate.  It's masterfully written by Mr. Payne and co-collaborator Jim Taylor.  They walk the tightrope of this divisive, emotional issue without forgetting to tell an entertaining story.  It's hard to imagine this movie getting made today.

Laura Dern plays Ruth, a drug-addicted homeless woman, cast adrift in middle-America.  A mother of 4 kids she no longer sees or parents, Ruth spends her time in jail or outside of dumpsters inhaling paint fumes.  When a fundamental Right to Life family takes a newly pregnant Ruth into their home, things get complicated.  The family's motives aren't entirely clear to Ruth; do they want to save the baby, or use Ruth to draw attention to their cause?  Ruth knows she can't bring another baby into her broken world so she joins a pro-choice group of feminists.  Only their motives are equally shady.  They too want to use Ruth as a weapon in their ideological war.  

Did I mention it's funny?  Payne & Taylor have an umatched skill bringing humor to the most painful situations.  Consider Paul Giamatti in "Sideways," or Matthew Broderick in "Election."  Mixed-up characters are their specialty.  Their writing skills thrive by understanding uniquely American issues, with a slant to poor people in poor places.  We can laugh with them because we are them. 

Ultimately the power comes from Mr. Payne's directing talent, especially with actors.  Laura Dern gives a hilarious and sad performance using her whole body as she tries to gain control of it.  It's a brilliant accomplishment, recalling Johnny Depp at his most physically funny.  Ruth becomes an unlikely American hero - a role she didn't want and can't comprehend.

Alexander Payne has a lot to say and many clever ways to show it.  He even critiques the media, while questioning fundamental institutions.  "Citizen Ruth" is an ambitious and bold debut film.  By tackling such a complex issue, he showed he could handle any material.  By elevating it to a poignant and satirical level, Mr. Payne proved he was the real deal.  This is something all young writers and directors should consider; can they be as deep and entertaining in their own work?   

The Coen Brothers: 5 Neglected Movies

On December 6th, Joel and Ethan Coen release their 16th feature film:  "Inside Llewyn Davis."  Will it be a big hit, or a cult oddity?

Their fascinating, eclectic career includes both.  I tend to like their more obscure movies, the box office failures, the "off year" titles.  

Here's a list of my 5 overlooked favorites.  Only one grossed more than $10 Million domestically and none were Oscar winners.   

5.  "Intolerable Cruelty"  2003

If you're not familiar with the Coen Brothers, this is a gateway into their world.  Not one of their best, but the banter and retro charm elevate it above similar movies in the genre.  The Coen Brothers picked up "Intolerable Cruelty" when their previous film abruptly fell apart.  They were in pre-production on an adaptation of James Dickey's "To the White Sea" starring Brad Pitt (download the screenplay here).  The estimated costs ran over budget and an agreement with the distributor could not be reached.  As a result, they needed a new project.  Hence this silly, conventional romantic comedy.  Because of the star power, this is one of their highest grossing movies, yet most people forget this is even a Coen Brothers film.  It's one of the few movies where the Coens share writing credit, on a story not originally from their imagination.  The cast have a great time, especially George Clooney at his most Cary Grant.  

4.  "Barton Fink"  1991

It's hard to imagine "Barton Fink" neglected as it's one of only 10 American Films ever to win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.  It's even been referenced on "The Simpsons."  Yet I'm always amazed at how many people - even cinephiles and Coen Brothers fans - who confess to having never seen it.  It's definitely a difficult movie, as it's subject is the dark mind of the writer and the act of creation.  Essentially a surreal horror comedy, "Barton Fink" is the Coen Brothers most abstract film.  And yet it's filled with their signature witty lines, hilarious characters and formal beauty.  This story of a New York City playwright who meets the great Hollywood Nightmare is essential viewing for anyone wishing to work in the entertainment industry.
 
3.  "The Hudsucker Proxy"  1994

"You know, for kids."  At their most absurd and clever, this is the epitome of the Coens' synthesis of style and wit.  The screenplay was actually co-written by Sam Raimi, who adds an even more bizarre sense of humor.  The result is like a classic episode of "The Simpsons" right down to the Mr. Burns-esque corporate mentality.  This movie might be The Coens' closest relative to "The Big Lebowski" in terms of wordplay, off-the-wall oddity and Hollywood references.  The Coens' love for old Hollywood is visible in every movie, and especially detailed here.  It almost feels like every line is taken from the Golden Age.  And the production design is breathtaking, with art deco skyscrapers creatively imagined from the dungeon-like mailrooms to the inner workings of a clock tower.  Take it all in because it needs redeeming.  Even with Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Paul Newman, "The Hudsucker Proxy" is The Coen Brothers' lowest grossing movie to date. 

2.  "Blood Simple"  1984

The template for how to make an independent movie, "Blood Simple" won the Grand Prize at Sundance in 1985.  One of the most impressive debut films by any director - it almost seems unfair because there's two of them.  The first image of a deserted highway set the tone for an entire career, including it's unofficial and unrelated companion piece "No Country for Old Men."  Featuring beautiful neo-noir cinematography by Barry Sonnenfeld, "Blood Simple" is innovative in style, yet traditional in its themes of sinners and justice.  And no one gets away clean.  It undoubtedly influenced Tarantino, Scorsese, and most recently "Breaking Bad."  At times violent, at times quirky and hilarious, this is the ultimate Coen Brothers universe.  It's Texas, it's America, and it's pure cinema.

1.  "The Man Who Wasn't There"  2001

I'll always hold a special place for this one, as I worked on the movie's marketing campaign, designed the official website, attended the premiere, and even personally interviewed the Coens.  Yet it's the movie that endures, and it is timeless.  And unappreciated.  Probably because of the black and white period setting and the ambiguous title, "The Man Who Wasn't There" is still searching for an audience.  A classic California film noir, it tells the story of a post-WWII barber caught in the malaise of middle-age.  As Tony Shalhoub nearly steals the show, Billy Bob Thornton gives one of his best performances opposite many talented actors including a virtually unknown Scarlett Johansson.  Check it out, along with one of the most beautiful trailers of all time:

 

Overlooked Martin Scorsese - "Bringing Out The Dead"

In 1999, American movies were filled with millennial angst.  Characters saw imaginary alter-egos ("Fight Club"), wanted to be someone else ("American Beauty"), literally became someone else ("Being John Malkovich"), regretted not being someone else ("Magnolia"), and went somewhere else beyond explanation ("The Matrix").  Screens were filled with characters who witnessed the supernatural:  "The Green Mile," "The Blair Witch Project," and the year's biggest phenomenon "The Sixth Sense."  By the time Martin Scorsese released his own entry about a New York ambulance driver who sees dead people, audiences stayed away.  To this day, very few people have seen the movie, and it remains a footnote in Mr. Scorsese's career.

"Bringing Out The Dead" deserves better.  It's easy to call it a minor Scorsese picture, as it lacks the scope of his gangster flicks, or the innovation of his biographical dramas.  But it remains a thrilling, engrossing film about the trippy tightrope between life and death.  It is a surreal peek into the underbelly of 1990s New York, full of junkies, saviors, ghosts, and Nicolas Cage.

"Bringing Out The Dead" marked the first and only collaboration between Mr. Cage and Mr. Scorsese.  And given the intense, physical performance here, it's too bad because it appears they're made for each other.  He has nervous energy, introspective at times, explosive at others.  It's a dynamite performance that actors should watch and re-watch.  Mr. Cage bridged the gap in the Scorsese canon between De Niro and DiCaprio and it's fun to speculate how he might have fared in future collaborations.

Based on the novel by Joe Connelly, "Bringing Out The Dead" was Mr. Scorsese's reunion with screenwriter Paul Schrader, who previously collaborated on both "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull."  Expectations were high, therefore, as audiences expected Travis Bickle in an ambulance.  It's far from it.  Nicolas Cage plays a frenzied savior who sees the ghosts of his failures on every corner.  It's a phantasmagoric ride, taking place entirely at night over the course of a single weekend.

This is prime Scorsese real estate.  To know the man and his movies, you must know this picture.  Every corner of every frame is filled with urban beauty, alternating from Sinatra to the Stones.  The characters represent the dual nature of the Director himself:  loners with a conscience, or sinners with a heart.  Men fall for fallen women.  And redemption is available for a cost.

Everything is purposefully rough and grimy.  Even the technical aspects from the editing to the cinematography.  The neon city was photographed by Robert Richardson, whose gorgeous film work puts any digital efforts to shame.  The ambulances pop, as the ghosts radiate throughout the shadows.  It's a supernatural city, where Mr. Cage's eyes have seen too much.

"The city doesn't discriminate.  It gets everybody." 

Check out Roger Ebert's original review, or just buy it now.