#robert depalma

[hasellia]

Okay so I was scouring jojowiki.com as usual and it says there that Diego's dinosaur form is based on an outdated record of a Utahraptor, and I don't know anything about them but I have a slight suspicion they were found in Utah.

I dunno just thought it was funny how to the point the name is. "it's a raptor in Utah, let's call it Utahraptor"

You blame Jim Kirkland over on his twitter for naming them that.

But yeah, "[Place name]saurus [place name]ensis" is a meme in the paleocommunity for a reason. (The word "ensis" meaning "from [place name]".) Image souce: Adam-Loves-Dinosaurs.

I think Utahraptor is probably the most famous one. When another large dromeosaur was found in Dakota, DePalma felt it natural to smash the usual dromeosaur suffix of "raptor" with the prefix of [Place name] to name Dakotaraptor.

A dinosaur not many realise was intended to be named after a place is Mamenchisaurus. (Source: Cervente on Tumblr)

It was discovered in (yes I'm using Wikipedia's text) Mǎmíngxī (马鸣溪 'horse-neighing brook') by Yang Zhongjian (楊鍾健), grandfather of Chinese Palaeontology. However, Yang wasn't from the area and mistook the intonation for the locale name. So he ended up calling it (馬門溪龍屬), from Mǎménxī (马门溪 'horse-gate brook').

That's probably the most fun one I can think of, but the others are like...

Koreacertops. Aegyptosaurus. Argentinosaurus. Patagotitan (Patagonia). Chilesaurus (Chile, but apparently it sounds like "dick" in latin countries?) Edmontosaurus (Canadian province, Edmonton). Albertosaurus (Candadian province Alberta, named after Princess Louise Carolina Alberta... named after Prince Albert). Gondwanasuchus (A crocodile actually, that was found in São Paulo, you know where, which USED to be part of the supercontinent Gondwana). Adamantisaurus is named from the same formation the croc was found, Adamantina.

Probably the most common kind of argument on the internet regarding dinosaurs at the moment is names and... IMO, it's not worth it unless it's REALLY bad or a bit mishandled, like Kuru kulla or Mamenchisaurus. But then, that's what the ICZN (International Code of Zoological Nomenclature) is usually for.

Anyway, Thanos is the worst dinosaur name in current use. Grapes, I need your Brazilian Portuguese expertise to write a strongly worded letter to Rafael Delcourt and Fabiano Vidoi Iori on good naming conventions. Obrigado Uva!

[movieconsumer]

The Untouchables (1987) Revisit

This movie is as hypnotic as any DePalma film, with the added advantage that it is straightforward and to the point. Maybe it is just good guys versus the bad guys, but when the Good Guys are lead by Kevin Costner and Sean Connery, I don’t know how anyone can turn away. Throw in DeNiro as Al Capone and you have a heavyweight fight that would break pay per view records if it were a boxing…

[cinemedios]

Martin Scorsese, uno de los cineastas más importantes de la historia

Todos conocemos a Martin Scorsese, pero ¿qué tanto sabes de su vida? Aquí te contamos un poco de ella.

¿Quién es Martin Scorsese? Se está acercando el estreno de Asesinos de la Luna y con ello el nombre de Martin Scorsese ha salido a relucir de nuevo, todos conocemos al menos una o dos películas de él y sabemos que es uno de los cineastas más importantes de la historia. Sin embargo, por más que hayas escuchado de él, tal vez realmente no conoces mucho de su vida y por eso aquí hemos decidido…

[elastijubilee]

Favorite film directors:

Steve Spielberg

Robert Eggers

Greta Gerwig

Wes Anderson

Christopher Nolan

Sofia Coppola

Barry Sonnenfeld

Penny Marshall

Brian De Palma

Michael Ritchie

HM:

Nancy Meyers

Nora Ephron

Paul Thomas Anderson

Wes Craven

John Carpenter

Tim Burton

Guillermo Del Toro

[fancysaurus]

If you are into paleo and have not heard of this yet:

There is some controversy surrounding a paper published by Robert DePalma (also known as the person who described dakotaraptor).

He worked on a project with PhD student Melanie During, excavating fish fossils from Tanis (a site which he apparently has control over as a PhD student). She used spherules in the gills of these fish to conclude that they would have died during the kpg extinction event. Looking at the bones of these fish, she concluded these died during spring, thus linking the kpg extinction to spring season.

However, when her paper was still in review, DePalma published his own paper with the same conclusions, without any acknowledgement to her. She had offered him to be second author before this, which he alledgedly did not respond to.

Turns out: his paper is suspicious to say the least.

His graphs have incorrect error bars, graphs of different specimens which match when enlarged or shrinked and a dubious amount of specimens tested (he originally claimed 19, but later 4)

No original data was published along with the paper and it cannot be retraced. (Due to the death of a researcher, according to DePalma).

His supervisor nor co-authors have said anything about these allegations.

This is not only the story of a man who likely committed scientific fraud, but also the story of a man who tried to benefit unethically of the research of a fellow female colleague.

Science, while awesome, has some huge issues regarding power dynamics, integrity and sexism.

(Ps. His paper is currently under review. However, the validity of Durings paper is NOT under question, go check it out! )

[thisisyourdriverspeaking]

Well, this took me a lot of online digging & a lot of patience but this is the top songs in the charts/most popular songs for each of the winners of the Indy 500. I hope you guys enjoy the effort ���

30th May 1911 - Ray Harroun - Arthur Collins - Steamboat Bill

30th May 1912 - Joe Dawson - Enrico Caruso - Dreams Of Long Ago

30th May 1913 - Jules Goux - Harry Lauder - It's Nicer To Be In Bed

30th May 1914 - Rene Thomas - Heidelberg Quintet - By The Beautiful Sea

31st May 1915 - Ralph DePalma - Alma Gluck - Carry Me Back To Old Viginity

30th May 1916 - Dario Resta - John McCormack - The Sunshine Of Your Smile

31st May 1919 - Howdy Wilcox - Henry Burr & Albert Campbell - i'm Forever Blowing Bubbles

31st May 1920 - Gaston Chevrolet - Al Jolson - Swanee

30th May 1921 - Tommy Milton - Marion Harris - Look For The Silver Lining

30th May 1922 - Jimmy Murphy - Al Jolson - Angel Child

30th May 1923 - Tommy Milton - Carl Fenton - Love Sends A Little Gift Of Roses

30th May 1924 - Lora L Corum & Joe Boyer - Al Jolson - California Here I Come

30th May 1925 - Pete DePaolo - Ted Lewis - O! Katharina

31st May 1926 - Frank Lockhart - Gene Austin - Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue

30th May 1927 - George Soulders - Ben Bernie - Ain't She Sweet?

30th May 1928 - Louis Meyer - Gene Austin - Ramona

30th May 1929 - Ray Keech - Rudy Vallee - Honey

30th May 1930 - Billy Arnold - Rudy Vallee - Stein Song (University Of Maine)

30th May 1931 - Louis Schneider - Bing Crosby - Out Of Nowhere

30th May 1932 - Fred Frame - Louis Armstrong - All Of Me

30th May 1933 - Louis Meyer - Leo Reisman ft Harold Arlen - Stormy Weather

30th May 1934 - Bill Cummings - Duke Ellington - Cocktails For Two

30th May 1935 - Kelly Petillo - Guy Lombardo - What's The Reason (I'm Not Pleasin' You)

30th May 1936 - Louis Meyer - Benny Goodman - The Glory Of Love

31st May 1937 - Wilbur Shaw - Teddy Wilson ft Billie Holiday - Carelessly

30th May 1938 - Floyd Roberts - Shep Fields - Cathedral In The Pines

30th May 1939 - Wilbur Shaw - Benny Goodman - And The Angels Sing

30th May 1940 - Wilbur Shaw - Bing Crosby - If I Had My Way

30th May 1941 - Floyd David & Mauri Rose - Deanna Durbin - Waltzing In The Clouds

30th May 1946 - George Robson - Denny Dennis & The Skyrockets - Mary Lou

30th May 1947 - Mauri Rose - Bing Crosby - Among My Souvenirs

31st May 1948 - Mauri Rose - Bing Crosby - Galway Bay

30th May 1949 - Bill Holland - Burl Ives - Lavender Blue

30th May 1950 - Johnnie Parsons - Billy Eckstine - My Foolish Heart

30th May 1951 - Lee Wallard - Les Paul & Mary Ford - Mockin' Bird Hill

30th May 1952 - Troy Ruttman - Jo Stafford - A-Round The Corner

30th May 1953 - Bill Vukovich - Frankie Laine - I Believe

31st May 1954 - Bill Vukovich - Doris Day - Secret Love

30th May 1955 - Bob Sweikert - Eddie Calvert - Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White

30th May 1956 - Pat Flaherty - Ronnie Hilton - No Other Love

30th May 1957 - Sam Hanks - Andy Williams - Butterfly

30th May 1958 - Jimmy Bryan - Connie Francis - Who's Sorry Now

30th May 1959 - Rodger Ward - Elvis Presley - A Fool Such As I

30th May 1960 - Jim Rathmann - The Everly Brothers - Cathy's Clown

30th May 1961 - AJ Foyt - Temperance Seven - You're Driving Me Crazy

30th May 1962 - Rodger Ward - Elvis Presley - Good Luck Charm

30th May 1963 - Parnelli Jones - The Beatles - From Me To You

30th May 1964 - AJ Foyt - Cilla Black - You're My World

31st May 1965 - Jim Clark - Sandie Shaw - Long Live Love

30th May 1966 - Graham Hill - The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black

31st May 1967 - AJ Foyt - The Tremeloes - Silence Is Golden

30th May 1968 - Bobby Unser - Union Gap - Young Girl

30th May 1969 - Mario Andretti - The Beatles with Billy Preston - Get Back

30th May 1970 - Al Unser - England World Cup Squad - Back Home

29th May 1971 - Al Unser - Dawn - Knock Three Times

27th May 1972 - Mark Donohue - T.Rex - Metal Guru

30th May 1973 - Gordon Johncock - Wizzard - See My Baby Jive

26th May 1974 - Johnny Rutherford - Rubettes - Sugar Baby Love

25th May 1975 - Bobby Unser - Tammy Wynette - Stand By Your Man

30th May 1976 - Johnny Rutherford - J.J Barrie - No Charge

29th May 1977 - A.J Foyt - Rod Stewart - I Don't Want To Talk About It

28th May 1978 - Al Unser - Boney M - Rivers Of Babylon

27th May 1979 - Rick Mears - Blondie - Sunday Girl

25th May 1980 - Johnny Rutherford - Hot Chocolate - No Doubt About It

24th May 1981 - Bobby Unser - Adam & The Ants - Stand & Deliver

30th May 1982 - Gordon Johncock - Madness - House of Fun

29th May 1983 - Tom Sneva - The Police - Every Breath You Take

27th May 1984 - Rick Mears - Wham! - Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go

26th May 1985 - Danny Sullivan - Paul Hardcastle - 19

31st May 1986 - Bobby Rahal - Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer

24th May 1987 - Al Unser - Starship - Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now

29th May 1988 - Rick Mears - Wet Wet Wet - With A Little Help From My Friends

28th May 1989 - Emerson Fittipaldi - Gerry Marsden, Paul McCartney, Holly Johnson & The Christians - Ferry Cross The Mersey

27th May 1990 - Arie Luyendyk - Adamski - Killer

26th May 1991 - Rick Mears - Cher - The Shoop Shoop Song

24th May 1992 - Al Unser JR - KWS - Please Don't Go

30th May 1993 - Emerson Fittipaldi - Ace Of Base - All That She Wants

29th May 1994 - Al Unser JR - Wet Wet Wet - Love Is All Around

28th May 1995 - Jacques Villeneuve - Robson & Jerome - Unchained Melody

26th May 1996 - Buddy Lazier - Buddiel, Skinner & Lightning Seed - Three Lions

27th May 1997 - Arie Luyendyk - Eternal ft Bebe Winans - I Wanna Be The Only One

24th May 1998 - Eddie Cheever - Tamperer ft Maya - Feel It

30th May 1999 - Kenny Brack - Shanks & Bigfoot - Sweet Like Chocolate

28th May 2000 - Juan Pablo Montoya - Sonique - It Feels So Good

27th May 2001 - Helio Castroneves - DJ Pied Piper - Do You Really Like It?

26th May 2002 - Helio Castroneves - Eminem - Without Me

25th May 2003 - Gil De Ferran - Justin Timberlake - Rock Your Body

30th May 2004 - Buddy Rice - Frankee - F.U.R.B (F U Right Back)

29th May 2005 - Dan Wheldon - Akon - Lonely

28th May 2006 - Sam Hornish JR - Gnarls Barkley - Crazy

27th May 2007 - Dario Franchitti - Rihanna ft Jay-Z - Umbrella

25th May 2008 - Scott Dixon - Rihanna - Take A Bow

24th May 2009 - Helio Castroneves - Dizzee Rascal & Van Helden - Bonkers

30th May 2010 - Dario Franchitti - Dizzee Rascal - Dirtee Disco

29th May 2011 - Dan Wheldon - Pitbull ft Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer - Give Me Everything

27th May 2012 - Dario Franchitti - Fun ft Janelle Monae - We Are Young

26th May 2013 - Tony Kanaan - Naughty Boy ft Sam Smith - La La La

25th May 2014 - Ryan Hunter-Reay - Sam Smith - Stay With Me

24th May 2015 - Juan Pablo Montoya - OMI - Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)

29th May 2016 - Alexander Rossi - Drake ft Wizkid & Kyla - One Dance

28th May 2017 - Takuma Sato - Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber - Despacito

27th May 2018 - Will Power - Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa - One Kiss

26th May 2019 - Simon Pagenaud - Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber - I Don't Care

23rd August 2020 - Takuma Sato - Joel Corry ft MNEK - Head & Heart

30th May 2021 - Helio Castroneves - Olivia Rodrigo - Good 4 U

29th May 2022 - Marcus Ericsson - Harry Styles - As It Was

28th May 2023 - Josef Newgarden - Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding - Miracle

26th May 2024 - Josef Newgarden - Sabrina Carpenter - Espresso

And yes, this wouldn't be a post from me if I didn't create a playlist 😂

[deniroarchives]

“Unidentified photographer [Photographs of Robert De Niro as Cecil on the set of The Wedding Party] Ca. 1963 Ink jet reproductions from the originals Robert De Niro Papers 149.3 In 1963 Brian DePalma was doing post-graduate work at Sarah Lawrence College and directing his degree film, The Wedding Party, with Cynthia Munroe and Wilford Leach. Robert De Niro auditioned for a role, hoping for film experience, and was cast as Cecil. Many of the young actors in the film came from the Sarah Lawrence Workshop, including the 20-year-old De Niro.”

[brinconvenient]

FOR THE LAST TIME! MARTIN SCORSESE DID NOT DIRECT GONCHAROV!

I wrote all of this on a reblog of a great post  by @mortalityplays that explains how Twitter’s broken copyright protection system is finally letting the world appreciate the up-til-recently lost film “Goncharov,” but it was a reblog, so I don’t think enough people are seeing this. And honestly, it’s just like tumblr to go hog wild on a media property without knowing even a scintilla of the actual history of it. 

I know that Martin Scorsese is getting a lot of love for tumblr’s favorite new rediscovered film, but (and I can't believe I have to fucking go all filmbro on this, but I fell down a hyper-fixation rabbit hole on this a while back) what's pissing me off about all of this, is that everyone, including op, keeps giving Martin Scorsese credit as the director, when the title card clearly shows "Martin Scorsese Presents" (I think it's the snippet in the 3rd tweet, maybe the 4th) which means that Martin Scorsese was the DISTRIBUTOR.

Like. Ok, so Scorsese graduates film school roughly the same time as George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, Brian DePalma, and the rest of the Movie Brats, coming up with Steven Spielberg etc, launching the American auteur era of film, but smack in the middle of research for Mean Streets, Scorsese encounters this film by the mononymic Italian director, Matteo (JWHJ0715 was his member id number in Italy's version of the Director's Guild of America - pretty sure they stopped requiring directors include their guild number in the credits after Fellini refused for like 20 years and they just gave up trying to fine him. This is also what inspired Lucas to cow the DGA into submission on the credits at the end thing for Star Wars).

And Scorsese is just fucking blown away. Like, it's everything he's wanted to do since he went into film school. The symbolism, the interpersonal intrigue, the conflicting loyalties between love, honor and duty, the family you are born into vs. the mafia family that finds, accepts and trains you, the constant ethical tension between doing what's right for your morality and what's right for YOUR family vs. what's right For the Family.

I mean. Jesus, look at Goodfellas if you want to see how Scorsese tries to touch on SOME OF THAT when he finally feels like he knows enough to even attempt to approach Matteo's mastery.

Of course, that's not even touching on the Cold War intrigue about the Russian mob operating outside of Soviet Russia and the whole KGB subplot aspect of it all.

Anyway, so back to 1972. Scorsese is just absolutely blown away. The Godfather has just come out and America is mafia mad! Scorsese has had some modest hits. He thinks that Mean Streets is gonna be his big break, and he sees this movie. Not only does he dump his original lead actor to cast Robert Deniro because of it, he decides that he's gonna use the connections he's been making to get this film in front of American movie goers, to help finance the films he wants to make.

So he just, he just fuckin COLD CALLS Dominico Procacci and says "I know people and I can get this movie seen over here" and Procacci takes the meeting... Like, the balls on Martin!

But Procacci doesn't tell him that the real Russian mafia is already sniffing around. Anyway, Scorsese gets the distribution rights for the US and starts getting prints made and ready to distribute to prop up the mob-movie-fever so he can ride it when Mean Streets hits later in the year.

Like, the film was already in cans and at the theater, when the Russian mob knocks on Marty's door and have a very convincing conversation with him.

Next thing you know, all of the prints are back at the warehouse where, reportedly, the fucking Russian mob counts each and every single one. Then they toss the fucking master on the pile (I don't know where they got that, does anyone have that story??) and set it all alight, while Marty watches his future go up in flames.

But then they just fucking walk away and Martin Scorsese, with britches full, goes back to his car and doesn't even see the bag of cash in the backseat until the next day. Business concluded.

Gotta give Old Ivan credit. Just like Matteo depicted - they keep their fucking word. Martin Scorsese decided to stick to the Italian and Irish mobs in his movies from then on, and leave the god damned Ruskies alone.

Of course, none of them knew about the test prints back at the warehouse of the company that was hired to make the copies for American distribution. I could be wrong, but isn't the leading theory about the provenance of the Twitter copy that someone probably found one of those test prints in some corporate asset auction or something?

Anyway, sorry for the ramble. I just hate seeing Matteo getting left out of the fucking conversation, especially now that arguably his greatest work is finally getting attention.

Scorsese has been basically fanfic AU-ing "Goncharov" his whole fucking career and now he's gonna get actually credit for the original? Not on my fucking watch, thank you.

[denimbex1986]

'We are on the verge of a "Hartnettaissance."

Josh Hartnett recently had impressive performances on TV ("Black Mirror") and in movies ("Oppenheimer").

Since he's known best for his work on the big screen, we're highlighting Hartnett's top movie roles.

14. John Tate in "Halloween H20: 20 Years Later" (1998)

In his big screen debut, Hartnett played John, the son of Jamie Lee Curtis' character, Laurie.

It's what you'd expect — he runs for his life from Michael Myers. It's not the most memorable performance, but landing the role did help catapult him into the "next big thing" conversation in Hollywood.

13. Hugo Goulding in "O" (2001)

In this modern-day retelling of Shakespeare's "Othello," Harnett plays the evil Hugo (essentially an adaptation of the Iago character in the classic play), who plots against his supposed friend Odin (Mekhi Phifer) to get the attention of Desi (Julia Stiles) and ruin Odin's life.

Released at a time when Hartnett's star was rising fast, the movie helped show that Hartnett was more than just a pretty face.

12. Dwight "Bucky" Bleichert in "The Black Dahlia" (2006)

Though this Brian DePalma-directed adaptation of James Ellroy's classic pulpy noir didn't get the acclaim you'd expect with such legends attached, Hartnett still shined as a detective investigating one of Los Angeles' most notorious murders.

In a cast that also featured stars like Aaron Eckhart, Scarlett Johansson, and Hilary Swank, Hartnett proves here that his dramatic acting chops are on par with those of genuine movie stars.

11. The Drifter in "Bunraku" (2010)

A rare impressive performance from the decade or so where Hartnett found himself in B-movies that often went straight-to-video or On Demand, Hartnett has a blast in "Bunraku" playing the movie's lead, The Drifter, who stumbles upon some interesting characters — and a lot of blood.

10. Matt Sullivan in "40 Days and 40 Nights" (2002)

Hartnett leans heavily on his heartthrob status in this rom-com, in which he plays a guy who gives up any sexual contact for Lent.

Playing up his character's wide eyes and penchant for hyperventilating as his hormones gradually get out of control, Hartnett delivers big on the laughs and the charm here.

9. K.C. Calden in "Hollywood Homicide" (2003)

A year after doing the rom-com thing, Hartnett teamed up with Harrison Ford for this studio action comedy.

Harnett holds his own across from Ford, delivering a playfulness he doesn't often give us in his filmography.

8. Ernest Lawrence in "Oppenheimer" (2023)

In Christopher Nolan's biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer, Hartnett stars as one of the real-life physicists who joined the Manhattan Project to create the atom bomb alongside Oppenheimer.

Hartnett plays Ernest Lawrence as a man who is not just friendly with Oppenheimer, but who tries to make the genius understand that his actions, especially his favoritism towards Communist thinking, can lead to problems.

7. Trip Fontaine in "The Virgin Suicides" (1999)

In Sofia Coppola's feature directorial debut about the tragic lives of five teenage sisters, Hartnett plays Trip, the movie's heartthrob who dates the most rebellious sister, Lux (Kirsten Dunst).

Hartnett plays his role perfectly, and Coppola frames him as a high school God on screen, complete with a flowing 1970s-style haircut and stylish outfits.

6. Dave "Boy Sweat" Hancock in "Wrath of Man" (2021)

The recent "Hartnettaissance" can be traced back to this Guy Ritchie action thriller.

This revenge movie set in the world of armored truck guards finds Hartnett playing one of the guards who befriends Jason Statham's character.

It won't be the last time Ritchie calls on Hartnett to bring one of his characters to life.

5. The Salesman in "Sin City" (2005)

As the slick assassin in the Robert Rodriguez adaptation of Frank Miller's iconic comic series, Hartnett's character plays a key role in bookending the movie.

His voiceover narrates his target at the start of the movie at a party. Then, dressed as a doctor at the end of the movie, he encounters a woman in an elevator. She knows from the sight of him that her fate is set.

Though Harnett doesn't get a lot of screen time, his presence in both scenes is thrilling and chilling.

4. Matt Eversmann in "Black Hawk Down" (2001)

Hartnett is front and center in Ridley Scott's acclaimed war movie, which follows the aftermath of a Black Hawk helicopter crashing in enemy territory in Mogadishu in 1993 during the Somali Civil War.

The role was a breakthrough in positioning Hartnett as not just a heartthrob, but a good actor in his own right.

3. Danny Francesco in "Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre" (2023)

Teaming again with Guy Ritchie, Hartnett delivers one of his best performances in recent memory. In this Ritchie action movie, Jason Statham plays a spy who must track down a device before an arms dealer (Hugh Grant) sells it to the highest bidder.

Hartnett plays the dealer's favorite actor, whom Statham's character uses to infiltrate the dealer's world.

Here, Hartnett gets to flex his comedic chops, as his egotistical actor character suddenly has to be as tough as the characters he plays on screen.

2. Danny Walker in "Pearl Harbor" (2001)

Michael Bay's blockbuster fictional epic about the attack on Pearl Harbor was slaughtered by critics and became a punching bag for audiences throughout the summer of 2001. But despite all of that, it features one of Hartnett's best performances.

Starring alongside Ben Affleck as two best friends who survive the attack, the role marks the biggest studio job Hartnett has had to date. Not only does Hartnett deliver an impressive dramatic performance, but he also carries the movie's main love story, alongside Kate Beckinsale.

1. Zeke Tyler in "The Faculty" (1998)

The same year Hartnett made his big-screen debut in "Halloween H20," he also starred in Robert Rodriguez's sci-fi horror "The Faculty."

As the rebellious, drug-dealing student at an Ohio high school who is repeating his senior year, Hartnett delivers all the qualities that would go on to make him famous: His boyish good looks, his brooding intensity, his signature deep voice, and that late-1990s look where you wear a long-sleeved shirt under a T-shirt.'

[vickiabelson]

My crush on William Katt began decades ago with the tumbling blonde spirals of Tommy Ross in Carrie, the close-cropped Sundance, to the shorter golden curls of Pippin… it wasn’t just the hair, of course… that face, the smile, his voice… the whole damn package. Like millions of other baby boomers, he had us swooning for years. How lovely to sit down with Bill, these almost 50 years later, to discover he’s still got that boyhood charm, mischievous sense of fun, with just a teeny touch of bad boy (note him playfully admonishing his wife when she sneaks into the “set.” And, the au courant platinum do, and facial hair he’s currently sporting still make him a handsome standout. That’s the trivial superficialities - but, what do you expect when you’re talking about a movie star heartthrob? Well, there is the laid-back, easy-going, real as-beans, straight-shooter, who was crazy fun to chat with and get his inside perspective on his parents, actors, Bill Williams  (Kit Carson) and Barbara Hale - loved to learn that she was also funny- Betty White funny, and inspired at least one woman to great professional heights, on Angie Dickenson, his first TV co-star, his passion for theatre, always, working with Bob Fosse, and Ben Vereen, Auditioning for George Lucas, to play Luke Skywalker with Kurt Russell as Hans Solo - doing a great job, instead being cast by Brian DePalma in his seminal work, Carrie, alongside his friend, and perhaps for a brief moment something more, Amy Irving, visited on the set by Steven Spielberg, perhaps where that all began, alongside beloved Nancy Allen (who is responsible for connecting me with Bill, making this conversation possible), John Travolta, Betty Buckley, Piper Laurie, Cissy Spacek-some great stories there, we talked about The Greatest American Hero, and the risk back then of going from film to TV, working with Robert Culp, and Connie Selleca,  House, and George Wendt, great Sci-Fi with The Man From Earth, why he no longer does theatre, does only good films for friends, like last years’ Pursuit with John Cusack and an upcoming film with Alfred Molina. We talked about music throughout his life, bands in high school, playing clubs later on, a pop hit, lots of musical theatre culminating with Pippin and Fosse, and a musical about and working with, Randy Newman, which his love for came out his pores when describing, to his current passion Jazz project.

William Katt is a Renaissance man. We already know he looks great in tights. 

What FUN!!!! 

Wiliam Katt Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson 

Wednesday, 10/2/24, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET

Streamed Live on my Facebook

Replay here:

[projectionboothpodcast]

Father Malone (Midnight Viewing) and Mike White (The Projection Booth) join Chris to talk about Brian DePalma's The Untouchables.  Written by David Mamet and loosely based on real events, the film stars Kevin Costner as Elliot Ness, a federal agent assigned to take down the crime boss of Chicago, Al Capone (Robert DeNiro).  With an amazing cast from stem to stern, the film boasts an incredible score by Ennio Morricone.  https://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-untouchables--61259167

[theropoda]

consistently getting robert depalma and brian depalma mixed up IM SO SORRY

[lamilanomagazine]

"L’universo al confine della paura: la vita e le opere di H.P. Lovecraft (una piccola guida)" di Stefano Donno

L’universo al confine della paura: la vita e le opere di H.P. Lovecraft (una piccola guida) di Stefano Donno. “Non vi è un solo narratore di horror, fantascienza, weird, soprannaturale, grottesco – sia contemporaneo che successivo a H.P. Lovecraft – che non si sia ad egli ispirato: nomi tra i quali si annoverano Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, Robert McCammon e Joyce Carol Oates devono, alla loro letteratura, la forte ispirazione ricevuta da Howard Philipp Lovecraft, maestro comune che oggi è e resta immortale, tra i più amati e letti di tutti i tempi. (dalla prefazione di Antonia Depalma) (…) Basti pensare che il già citato Necronomicon, pur essendo dichia- ratamente il frutto dell'ingegno del suo autore, si è trasformato in un vero e proprio grimorio contenente oscuri segreti e indecifrabili misteri per moltissimi studiosi, tanto che in diverse occasioni sono nate leggende direttamente collegate ad esso. (dalla post fazione di Mario Contino)" Dichiara l’autore Stefano Donno: “Ho l’esigenza (mi rivolgo ai potenziali lettori di questo scritto, questa piccola guida) di condividere con voi un pensiero inquietante che mi ha travolto mentre scrivevo questa monografia su H.P. Lovecraft. Mentre mi immergevo nelle profonde e oscure pieghe della mente di questo genio del terrore, mi sono reso conto che la mia interpretazione potrebbe essere solo una delle tante varianti di infinite versioni provenienti da multiversi che pullulano di abominii e orrori dominanti. Lovecraft è noto per i suoi racconti di antichi dei primordiali, dimensioni oscure e creature sovraumane che superano di gran lunga la comprensione umana. Eppure, dopo mesi di studio, ho sempre più presente in me stesso la convinzione che ogni cosa qui riportata, potrebbe essere solo un tenue barbaglio nella vastità delle possibilità narrative lovecraftiane. Il mio cuore trema all'idea che esistano mondi in cui la depravazione e l'orrore regnano sovrani, in cui ciò che noi consideriamo normale è devastato e sovvertito, e dove la paura diventa la sola costante di ogni cosa che esiste. Potrebbe esserci un universo in cui le storie di Lovecraft sono state superate, in cui gli orrori descritti nei suoi racconti sembrano tenere narrazioni rispetto agli orrori che altre realtà offrono nell’oscurità. Questa piccola monografia che ho scritto si basa sulla lettura di racconti e analisi delle tematiche ricorrenti nella narrativa lovecraftiana. Ma che cosa potrebbe significare tutto ciò se ogni ricerca, ogni spiegazione e ogni interpretazione fosse solo un ulteriore apertura verso nuovi abissi di paura? Mentre concedete dunque la vostra attenzione alle parole che ho scritto, tenete a mente che queste parole potrebbero essere solo irrisorie rispetto alla vastità di un orrore cosmico e abominevole. Ciò che troverete in queste pagine potrebbe sembrare terribilmente familiare, oppure potrebbe essere solo l'inizio di un viaggio sinistro nelle varianti più estreme della follia. E con questa consapevolezza, vi invito a guardare ben oltre le pagine dei miei scritti, e fare in modo che ogni traccia di normalità svanisca nel buio. Solo allora, potrete sperare di catturare un fugace sguardo di ciò che si cela al di là dei confini del nostro universo. A volte mi assale il dubbio che quanto da me scritto sia in realtà la voce di qualcos’altro”. Howard Phillips Lovecraft, meglio conosciuto come H.P. Lovecraft, è uno degli scrittori più influenti e controversi del ventesimo secolo. Nato nel 1890 a Providence, Rhode Island, Lovecraft ha creato un'impressionante e unica mitologia letteraria che ha continuato ad affascinare e spaventare i lettori di tutto il mondo. Uomo dalla vita sociale limitata, ha preferito l'isolamento e la lettura, che alimentarono ulteriormente la sua immaginazione oscura. La sua scrittura era caratterizzata da un linguaggio ricercato, una prosa elaborata e un utilizzo di descrizioni dettagliate, rimanendo fedele allo stile gotico vittoriano. Le sue storie si concentravano sul tema dell'orrore cosmico, in cui i protagonisti si scontrano con forze soverchianti di creature ancestrali e degli dèi antichi che minacciano l'esistenza umana. L'opera più celebre di Lovecraft è probabilmente il "Mito di Cthulhu". Questo ciclo di racconti si basa su una mitologia inventata da Lovecraft, in cui antichi dei primordiali, come Cthulhu, dormono nelle profondità abissali del mare e nei recessi dello spazio, pronti a risvegliarsi per reclamare il dominio sulla Terra. Lovecraft è stato trascurato dalla critica mentre era in vita, ma dopo la sua morte nel 1937, il suo lavoro ha conosciuto un revival significativo. Scrittori come Stephen King, Neil Gaiman e Guillermo del Toro hanno dichiarato pubblicamente l'influenza di Lovecraft nelle loro opere. Il suo stile unico e la sua capacità di far emergere paure innominate lo rendono un maestro dell'horror. Il Nostro ha inoltre ispirato numerose opere in altri media, come film, videogiochi e musica. Gli adattamenti cinematografici dei suoi racconti, come "Re-Animator" e "Dagon", hanno continuato a creare nuovi fan dell'orrore lovecraftiano. Nonostante la sua vita oscura e la morte prematura, H.P. Lovecraft ha lasciato un'impronta indelebile nel panorama letterario dell'horror.... #notizie #news #breakingnews #cronaca #politica #eventi #sport #moda Read the full article

[back-and-totheleft]

An artist of stark dualities and excesses

William Oliver “Ollie” Stone, child of Eastern privilege who eschewed at least some of that advantage to go through hard knocks on his own, a Vietnam Vet who enlisted and fought as an infantryman, later a pacifist and outspoken critic of American foreign policy and values, shock impact screenwriter and artful, sometimes poetic director — they’re all present in the 70something filmmaker’s rise-to-glory memoir, “Chasing the Light.”

I’ve been a fan pretty much since “Salvador.” My first reporting assignment at my first newspaper, where I was a freelance critic had me take five Vietnam War veterans to a showing of “Platoon” and buy them coffee at a local diner afterwards. Their harrowing stories, and tears at seeing their experience reflected so “accurately,” stick with me.

Stone remains a fascinating study in contradictions, champion of the underdog and occasionally an on-set bully, macho yet lefty, generous to every collaborator and teacher who helped him “make it,” learn his craft and get better at it, but almost always hitting them with a backhanded compliment or two. Or three.

From the beginning he has been an artist of stark dualities and excesses. He sees himself as Odysseus or a pirate, a rogue operator outside “The System.”

He comes off in print the way he’s always come off in interviews — passionate, thoughtful and somewhat dogmatic. I’ve interviewed him several times over the years, about his “Vietnamese POV” Vietnam film, “Heaven and Earth” (the third in his “trilogy” about his war — after “Platoon” and “Born on the Fourth of July”), about “World Trade Center,” his post-9/11 tribute to first responders and most “pro-American” work, and that Latin American politics doc he did a few years back. He’s long had that confidence of his opinions, certitude that he’s “right” in a historical sense, quick to analyze a performance, a colleague’s film or judge his own — sometimes harshly.

There’s a lot of psychoanalyzing of himself, his parents, their failed marriage, his own failures and insecurities in “Chasing the Light.” He talks about his drug abuse, hits a few romantic relationships, and consults his decades of diaries to remember everything from his father’s death to his first brushes with triumph.

I didn’t recall that his first trip to Vietnam was before the “escalation,” as an English teacher. I had no idea he was in LRRPs in Vietnam (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol). That’s infantry on steroids.

I knew he had boarding school and Yale acceptance (he didn’t stick it out long) in his pedigree.

I didn’t realize he’d studied under wunderkind alumnus Martin Scorsese at NYU.

He understudied/worked for/was critiqued by the great screenwriter Robert Bolt (“Lawrence of Arabia,” “Doctor Zhivago”) in his 20s.

For this book about his long, long road to fame — “Seizure” (nobody saw it) to “The Hand” (a few more saw it) to “Salvador” (ditto) and then “Platoon” — Stone traces everything, from his scripts to his own saga, back to “The Odyssey.”

Stone’s lasting obsessions aren’t just Vietnam and America’s misguided way of throwing its weight around the world. It’s The Doors and Jim Morrison, as he quotes The Doors often, sees himself (and occasionally others) in Lizard King terms at several points in his memoir.

He details the ordeals involved in each early directing effort, and in his many screenwriting challenges — “Midnight Express,” “Year of the Dragon” and “Scarface” among them. Those are some of the most fascinating chapters in the book. He says Brian DePalma’s “operatic” take on his “Scarface” script has grown on him. Some.

Of Billy Hayes, the “hero” of “Midnight Express,” passed off in the media and the movie as just “a kid who made a mistake” — “stunned” that Hayes, contrary to the way he told his story, was caught on his “fourth” hash smuggling run out of Turkey, that Hayes led people to believe he was heterosexual, heightening (if that’s possible) the horror of prison sexual assaults and encounters.

“How do you live with yourself? I have no problem believing he can.”

Stone opens the book with an introduction to his love/hate relationship with the mercurial, motor-mouthed blowhard James Woods, telling tales out of school of Woods’ tantrums and fear-filled experiences filming “Salvador” on the fly in Mexico in the ’80s, fleeing a cavalry charge shot too early, exaggerating the danger and “Stone didn’t know what he was doing…but I did” way Woods described the experience.

Having interviewed Woods myself, a bantam rooster who can’t wait to work his (alleged) IQ into any introductory conversation, Stone seems on the mark in picking at the man being “the most insecure” movie star of them all. They worked together several times after their near-brawling “Salvador” experience.

The compliments mixed with slaps extends from Alan Parker, director of “Midnight Express,” who took his script and never invited him to the set, to Dale Dye, the formidable Vietnam vet and military consultant on many a war movie, who developed his “boot camp” for the cast of “Platoon,” and repeated that in other war films he worked on. Dye made “Platoon’s” cast a unit, with the right look and jumpy reflexes Stone remembered from his service. But keep politics out of the conversation, and Dye’s racial tolerance — filming in the Philippines — wasn’t the most enlightened.

Then again, he wasn’t the guy who kicked a Filipino production manager in the ass, on set, in front of the entire crew. That was Stone, who airs lots of his dirty laundry, even if he takes his shot at “explaining” or spinning that behavior. He also quotes freely from interviews conducted by a biographer who talked to many of those he worked for.

Stone is wise to limit this volume to his early years. His career has been winding down, although he has a small scale film, “White Lies,” in pre-production, “Snowden” didn’t set the world on fire and the Castro, Hugo Chavez and Vladimir Putin interview docs he’s made in the last haven’t done much for his reputation.

He turned 74 in mid September, and probably needed a better book editor to fact check his memories. He confuses the F4 Phantoms used in Vietnam with F16s — repeatedly (They didn’t come into service until ten years after his 1968 battles “in country”), gets a major plot detail wrong in “Gone With the Wind” just to make an analogy to his French mother taking up with his WWII American command staff officer father work. He thinks one-time producer-nemesis Dino DeLaurentis opened a movie studio in the middle of their ’80s kerfuffle in “Wilmington, Delaware” (Wilmington, NC sport).

But it’s a fair self-portrait, with enough colorful detail of research trips, filming ordeals and failing and failing and failing before finally succeeding, fine fodder for a film biography of one of the cinema’s grand mavericks.

-Roger Moore at Roger's Movie Nation blog, Sept 20 2020

[brinconvenient]

Ok, good explainer here, but (and I can't believe I have to fucking go all filmbro on this, but I fell down a hyper-fixation rabbit hole on this a while back) what's pissing me off about all of this, is that everyone, including op, keeps giving Martin Scorsese credit as the director, when the title card clearly shows "Martin Scorsese Presents" (I think it's the snippet in the 3rd tweet, maybe the 4th) which means that Martin Scorsese was the DISTRIBUTOR.

Like. Ok, so Scorsese graduates film school roughly the same time as George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, Brian DePalma, and the rest of the Movie Brats, coming up with Steven Spielberg etc, launching the American auteur era of film, but smack in the middle of research for Mean Streets, Scorsese encounters this film by the mononymic Italian director, Matteo (JWHJ0715 was his member id number in Italy's version of the Director's Guild of America - pretty sure they stopped requiring directors include their guild number in the credits after Fellini refused for like 20 years and they just gave up trying to fine him. This is also what inspired Lucas to cow the DGA into submission on the credits at the end thing for Star Wars).

And Scorsese is just fucking blown away. Like, it's everything he's wanted to do since he went into film school. The symbolism, the interpersonal intrigue, the conflicting loyalties between love, honor and duty, the family you are born into vs. the mafia family that finds, accepts and trains you, the constant ethical tension between doing what's right for your morality and what's right for YOUR family vs. what's right for THE family.

I mean. Jesus, look at Goodfellas if you want to see how Scorsese tries to touch on SOME OF THAT when he finally feels like he knows enough to even attempt to approach Matteo's mastery.

Of course, that's not even touching on the Cold War intrigue about the Russian mob operating outside of Soviet Russia and the whole KGB subplot aspect of it all.

Anyway, so back to 1972. Scorsese is just absolutely blown away. The Godfather has just come out and America is mafia mad! Scorsese has had some modest hits. He thinks that Mean Streets is gonna be his big break, and he sees this movie. Not only does he dump his original lead actor to cast Robert Deniro because of it, he decides that he's gonna use the connections he's been making to get this film in front of American movie goers, to help finance the films he wants to make.

So he just, he just fuckin COLD CALLS Dominico Procacci and says "I know people and I can get this movie seen over here" and Procacci takes the meeting... Like, the balls on Martin!

But Procacci doesn't tell him that the real Russian mafia is already sniffing around. Anyway, Scorsese gets the distribution rights for the US and starts getting prints made and ready to distribute to prop up the mob-movie-fever so he can ride it when Mean Streets hits later in the year.

Like, the film was already in cans and at the theater, when the Russian mob knocks on Marty's door and have a very convincing conversation with him.

Next thing you know, all of the prints are back at the warehouse where, reportedly, the fucking Russian mob counts each and every single one. Then they toss the fucking master on the pile (I don't know where they got that, does anyone have that story??) and set it all alight, while Marty watches his future go up in flames.

But then they just fucking walk away and Martin Scorsese, with britches full, goes back to his car and doesn't even see the bag of cash in the backseat until the next day. Business concluded.

Gotta give Old Ivan credit. Just like Matteo depicted - they keep their fucking word. Martin Scorsese decided to stick to the Italian and Irish mobs in his movies from then on, and leave the god damned Ruskies alone.

Of course, none of them knew about the test prints back at the warehouse of the company that was hired to make the copies for American distribution. I could be wrong, but isn't the leading theory about the provenance of the Twitter copy that someone probably found one of those test prints in some corporate asset auction or something?

Anyway, sorry for the ramble. I just hate seeing Matteo getting left out of the fucking conversation, especially now that arguably his greatest work is finally getting attention.

Scorsese has been basically fanfic AU-ing "Goncharov" his whole fucking career and now he's gonna get actually credit for the original? Not on my fucking watch, thank you.

for those who are confused: copyright strikes aren't working on twitter at the moment so people are uploading entire movies in threads of two-minute clips, and yesterday someone anonymously uploaded Goncharov (1973), a little known Scorcese movie long considered to be lost media due to being widely banned on its release for sympathetic depictions of Russian organised crime, and the original print being destroyed.

the thing about Goncharov is that until literally two days ago almost nobody alive has actually seen it, but being a lost work by a famous director, lots of people have written about it. For decades it's been a popular niche in-joke among film critics, directors, etc to pretend that you've seen Goncharov and make reference to it as if its plot, themes, characters etc. are common knowledge. Which meant that naturally lots of people who weren't in on the joke ended up also writing about Goncharov, pretending they had really seen it.

fast forward to the insane situation of the past few days: SUDDENLY EVERYONE HAS SEEN GONCHAROV. Or at least whatever work print twitter user JWHJ0715 got their hands on and uploaded in painstaking 2-minute chunks. film twitter, being good sports, immediately got in on the joke and started replicating the old "Oh yeah buddy everyone's seen Goncharov" jokes but this time with the real actual facts from the actual movie, to the delight and confusion of everyone who was familiar with the joke but hadn't seen the illicit twitter uploads.

anyway nobody knows who the uploader is or how they got hold of the movie, but basically somehow we are here:

[themovieblogonline]

"Relative" Has Last Theater Screening at Wrigley Alamo Drafthouse

Chicago filmmaker Michael Glover Smith, (awarded the Gene Siskel Film Center’s Star Filmmaker Award in 2017), has written and directed four feature films since 2015. The film “Relative” was screened at Wrigleyville’s new Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Chicago on May 22nd for what may possibly be the last theatrical showing. However, negotiations are underway for a streaming deal that could take place as soon as this summer. The film will be a good one for serious film buffs. It is well-acted and thoughtful and the music and editing contribute to the overall excellent production. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou5te4HCkOA I enjoyed the film, not only because Smith is a talented writer/director, but because the characters were much more relatable, to me, than films exclusively dealing with millennials and Generation X. Yes, the obligatory same-sex relationship was included (de rigeur these days) and there aren’t a lot of plot twists and surprises, but the cast is excellent and, as another famous filmmaker once said, “The cast is everything. You get that right, and your film will be successful.” Relative Writer/Director Smith told the audience in the Q&A following the film, “I wanted to stretch myself as a writer in depicting a family. I wanted to depict older characters. My first three scripts were about younger people.” He went on to say that this was the largest cast he had assembled, his biggest ensemble. “To me, the cast was everything. They had that chemistry. They found it instantly. It was the best experience I’ve ever had.” Relative was also well-received by the public, and, on its opening night, was the 23rd highest-grossing film nationwide. When asked about preparation amongst the cast for the film, zoom calls between characters were mentioned, and Clare Cooney said, “I’m allergic to preparation.” The consensus seemed to be that if you do something too many times,  spontaneity dies. Since Relative was cast in 2019, just as the pandemic was beginning, the accomplishment(s) of the cast members who spent 16 days in the historic house, shooting their scenes, become even more praiseworthy. As far as instructing his actors, Smith said, “I really like giving the actors a whole lot of freedom.” This echoes directors such as Brian DePalma, who told RogerEbert.com’s Matt Seitz, “But you have to be very patient and loving with your actors, because they’re putting everything on the line, and you have to try to get everything out of the way to not hurt their performances or distract them.” THE GOOD The cast that Smith (and Producer Clare Cooney) assembled for Relative was, indeed, very good. “Twin Peaks” alumna Wendy Robie (who portrayed Nadine Hurley, complete with eye patch) portrays sixty-something matriarch, Karen Frank.  Steppenwolf theater actor Francis Guinan is her husband, David Frank. They are the parents to four offspring, who are gathering to celebrate the graduation of the tag-along child, Benjy (Cameron Scott Roberts of “The Walking Dead,” “Chicago Fire,” and “Ben Is Back.”) Benji---the “happy accident”---was eight when his older siblings were all away at college. In my own family unit, my firstborn was a freshman in college when his sister was born, 19 years later, so I can relate to the “surprise” element of family formation. (Our family motto: “Every 20 years, whether you need to or not.”) The Franks' oldest son Rod (Keith D. Gallagher) is an unemployed 34-year-old who moved back into his parents’ basement after his wife Sarah (Heather Chrisler), a webcam performer at a sex site, divorced him and took custody of their young son. Rod is also a veteran who suffers from PTSD, although younger brother Benjy doubts that Rod’s psychic pain is real. Rod shares with Benjy that having his father refer to him as “a fungus” at one point was very demoralizing. The father/son bond certainly seems strained to the point of incivility---especially when it comes out during the gathering that the parents might sell the house, which makes Rod wonder, “What about me?” Tensions mount at the graduation party for Benji, which only amplifies Rod's feelings of failure and David's resentment of him for living in his parent’s basement and delaying their mother’s retirement. However, there are signs of detente as the film progresses. Daughter Evonne (Clare Cooney) comes into town from Madison, Wisconsin with her girlfriend Lucia (Melissa DuPrey), a Black woman, and their mixed-race daughter Emma (Arielle Gonzalez). Clare Cooney, who portrays Evonne, flew in all the way from Cannes, where she was participating in the Cannes Film Festival.  I hope Cooney’s excellent short “Runner” was part of that historic film festival’s offerings. It was one of the most impressive shorts at the Windy City Film Festival the year my own script was in the running in a different category. Clare Cooney---who both acts, writes, directs, and, in this case, produces (and casts)—is a very talented filmmaker. Another sister, Norma (Emily Lape), has driven in from Bettendorf, Iowa (where I had a business from 1985 to 2003). Smith told us during the Q&A that Norma represents the “normal” family member, hence her name. Norma talks openly to her parents about her perception that the family is disintegrating. The line that applies is William Butler Yeats’ “Things fall apart; the center cannot hold.” Or, as Smith has re-phrased that, “The more things change, the more they stay the same. Only, they don’t. “ (“I used to think that things would always be like that.”) All of Relative’s actors were superb. The characters they portray from Smith's script are multi-faceted and complex. For a film fan older than 30, it was nice to see Mom and Dad portrayed so well and to see the interactions of the four siblings. Writer/Director Smith shared that he considered Benjy, who is graduating and going on to a career as a cartographer for Google, to be “a selfish little prick.” I thought Benjy was rather harsh in his early judgment of his older brother, Rod, and certainly, his desire to pick up a cute blonde girl from Iceland  (rather than attend his own graduation celebration) was selfish and lacking in gratitude. But Benjy seemed as though he might join Norma in the “normal” category with the passing of time. Relative had many worthwhile observations:  the sadness of the “empty nest;” it’s hard to go home it’s /it’s hard to leave home, nothing stays the same; death as sub-text. Mom Karen’s explanation of why she married David, rather than another suitor, was spot-on when Karen says that fierce loyalty beats all hell out of madly in love. Karen, the matriarch, talks about marital success as “just keep putting one foot in front of the other.” These observations spoke to me, because I’ve lived those truths. I enjoyed having an “adult film” that showed thought and did so with wit, as when the couple talks about their now adult children and comments that they haven’t done such a bad job. (“At least none of them became a Republican.”) THE BAD One point of contention, coming from someone who has been reviewing films since 1970---(author of “It Came from the 70s: From The Godfather to Apocalypse Now”):   I'm taking issue with Writer/Director Smith’s statement regarding characterization versus plot in a story. His exact words: “As a filmmaker, I’m all character. I don’t give a f*** about story.” I definitely agree that characterization is very, very important. But so is something happening in the story. If audiences feel that the plot has been too static, they may leave the theater disappointed. The people who mentioned to the director that they expected Norma to have a car accident on her way home were waiting for that “something” to happen. If all films eliminate the “something happening,” fickle filmgoers may leave the theater whining that "nothing happened." It's conditioning from generations of viewing prior films, incorrect though the statement may be upon examination of Relative's story arc. I do agree that a lot is shown happening as a “lead-up” to something that is going to be climactic. I expected that to be the matriarch (Wendy Robie) telling the kids that either she or her spouse had cancer and only “x” months to live.  That didn't happen. If there is no plot twist of that sort, the final scene on the porch, with the characters smoking cigarillos and brother Rod actually smiling, might as well be the fitting finale of the film. Instead, it's Norma driving back to Iowa to resume "normal" life, which was possibly the director's intent. Patient film aficionados will be well-served by "Relative," but the Marvel crowd may not appreciate it. Now I will look forward to more films from Relative's Michael Glover Smith.  I hope he will at least consider upping the plot game for more average movie buffs who DO want to see “something happen,” but also want to have a deep dive into character. I suspect that films that “don’t give a f*** about plot” might have difficulty finding financing. Alienating the ticket-buying public is not any filmmaker's goal, as that way lies disaster for future films. This film was a success on many levels. Making four films in just 8 years (and this one during a pandemic) is remarkable, and so is this film. Read the full article