#Straight Time

[mudwerks]

(via M. Emmet Walsh Dead: 'Blade Runner' Actor Was 88)

One of my favorite roles of his was in Straight Time (1979) with Dustin Hoffman

[petiteclover]

Theresa Russell in Straight Time, 1978.

[finemaleactors]

Harry Dean Stanton in Straight Time

[letterboxd-loggd]

Straight Time (1978) Ulu Grosbard

March 22nd 2024

[bijouxcarys]

My Top 5 Dustin Hoffman Movies

(In no particular order)

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Set in New York, a country boy moves to the city in pursuit of success. Upon learning it’s much harder than it looks, he realises he must sell his body to support himself and his new “handicapped,” TB-ridden friend.

Midnight Cowboy is a touching one. It received an X rating upon its release due to the “connotations of homosexual behaviour” between the two main characters. The beautiful thing about this movie is the ambiguity of that very thing. It is a love story. Platonic and romantic. It’s the audience’s perception.

Dustin was nominated for best actor at the 1970 Oscars, but lost it to John Wayne for True Grit. Snubbed.

Rain Man (1988)

Upon learning his recently deceased father had left $3 million to a mysterious beneficiary, Charlie Babbitt pays the beneficiary a visit, only to find that it’s his long lost older brother, the autistic Raymond.

I know this is considered a bad representation of autism, but as an autistic person, I have no problem with this movie. It’s a representation of autism in one individual, whether you like it or not. Considering its release year, it’s a large step. And Dustin nailed it.

Unlike many, I don’t see this movie as using the autistic character to make the neurotypical look better, or “improve” as a person. To me, this is a heartwarming story of a man bonding with his brother, who he hasn’t seen since the age of 4. Does he grow as a person? Possibly. But does it also shed a light on the existence of neurodivergence in someone other than a child? Absolutely.

Dustin won best actor at the 1989 Oscars for this performance, and rightly so.

Kramer vs Kramer (1979)

When his wife leaves him out of the blue to raise their 5-year-old son alone, Ted Kramer learns to balance his career with being a single parent. Until his ex comes back and files for custody.

This is a truly beautiful movie, despite the female lead being one of my least favourite actresses of all time. I adore the nuanced portrayal of single parenthood and the hardships single fathers of the 70s faced when raising their children. The development of the relationship between Ted and his son is very intricately documented through immersive performances from both parties.

Dustin had practice runs with over 70 kids to find the right fit; he worked on realism and wanted the bond to be as strong as possible.

My favourite quote from this movie is when Ted is on the stand: “Where in the law does it state that a woman is a better parent by virtue of her sex?”

Dustin won best actor in 1980 for this role.

Straight Time (1978)

When Max is released from prison after 5 years, he has to learn to adapt to the real world under the supervision of a corrupt parole officer and the knowledge that crime is what he does best.

This is a more obscure Hoffman movie that deserves a lot more credit. It’s a great deep dive into the life of ex-cons and the struggle of reintegration into society. It’s a very real depiction of the human condition, and the repercussions of being pushed over the edge.

It’s a tense movie, immersive, and offers a lot of opportunities for introspection in an otherwise distant context.

The Graduate (1967)

Benjamin, a naive college graduate, enters a scandalous affair with his parents’ married friend, Mrs. Robinson. Along the way, he finds feelings for her daughter, Elaine.

A subject of a ton of references and spoofs. I adore this movie for more than its iconic moments. It’s a masterpiece of an era laden with disillusionment, uncertainty about governing bodies and the rebellion sparking in the youth movement.

Ben and Elaine represent the generation that seek for a revolution, a new way of life. To break free from the cookie-cutter mentality of American domestic life. A complete rejection of the nuclear family ideals. The confusion that leads to ill decision-making and heartbreak.

The ending scene is ominous, open, and has no real finalisation. The perfect depiction of the unsure direction in which life as they know it will take.

This was Dustin’s breakthrough role, at the age of 30, after being in the New York theatre scene for a decade.

[notforemmetophobes]

Straight Time (1978) - M. Emmet Walsh as Earl Frank

Not the most handsome, but I’d still let Walsh do anything he wants to me.

[photoset #4 of 4]

[biggeorgeous]

[badolmen]

WARNING 18+

19

[the-maw-consumes]

do you think it'll let up soon?

static version:

[book51ut]

Review of Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity by José Esteban Muñoz

This book was excellent. It argued that we must be constantly striving towards a queer utopia. that doesn’t discount the queer past or queer present, but that queerness itself exists outside of straight time in some version of future that is never truly attainable but instead a mindset and a way of living. He also focused on queer art as a means of proving this thesis. He strongly criticized assimilationist gay rights movements and claimed that they are feeding into “straight time,” capitalism, and heteronormative ways of thinking. He cited Bloch and Adorno heavily which was a very interesting choice.

I think my biggest criticism of this work was how dense and academic it was. I think we should absolutely have queer studies within academia , but writing like this, so densely and convoluted, to me, is embodying the idea of straight time. Things can be said in easier ways, you’re just choosing not to do so. I also think that people would be more willing to engage with dense philosophical material if it was presented in a readable way that wasn’t just academics sucking each other off.

[mudwerks]

(via M. Emmet Walsh, Character Actor Who Always Stood Out, Dies at 88 - The New York Times)

A performance by Mr. Walsh in “Straight Time” led to a role in “Blood Simple” (1984), the first feature film by Joel and Ethan Coen.

...The most enduring praise Mr. Walsh received also came from Mr. Ebert: He coined the Stanton-Walsh Rule, which asserted that “no movie featuring either Harry Dean Stanton or M. Emmet Walsh in a supporting role can be altogether bad.”

In “Straight Time,” a 1978 film featuring both Mr. Stanton and Mr. Walsh, Mr. Walsh played a patronizing parole officer to Dustin Hoffman’s teetering ex-con. Mr. Walsh’s performance caught the eye of two brothers who aspired to be auteurs and were writing their first feature-film script.

The unknown Joel and Ethan Coen wrote the pivotal character of a detective in “Blood Simple” for Mr. Walsh. To their surprise, and despite offering little more in compensation than a per diem stipend, he accepted the role.

[petiteclover]

Theresa Russell in Straight Time, 1978.

[onthecrescentofthehill]

the paintings in this ep :^(

[prismatic-ink]

the name of joel smallishbeans's chestplate everyone......

[bijouxcarys]

Straight Time (1978)

Dir. Ulu Grosbard, Dustin Hoffman

with Dustin Hoffman, Theresa Russell, Harry Dean Stanton

“I don’t give a damn what it is, let’s just do it…”

[threateningwatercress]

their combined level of freak is unmatched