CelluloidKid

*Very Strange film ...Strange casting too!*

*Classic Hollywood: Ernst Lubitsch films at Los Angeles County Museum of Art.* *The German-born director had a gift for coaxing the best out of actors. That, combined with the wit of the scripts he worked with, contributed to what became known as 'the Lubitsch Touch.'* Los Angeles Times July 7, 2010 Susan King "Everybody has been trying to define that for so many years," says Rick Jewell, professor at USC School of Cinematic Arts. "I would have to say it all distills down to wit. There was a very special wit in the Lubitsch films. It was a visual wit, but it was also a wit in terms of the performances, which he clearly shaped. Of course, the obvious, was the verbal wit, which he can't take full credit for because of the wonderful writers he worked with." Los Angeles audiences can get the "Touch" beginning Friday at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's new retrospective, "Laughter in Paradise: The American Comedies of Ernst Lubitsch." Among the classics being screened are his 1932 masterwork, "Trouble in Paradise"; his 1939 classic, "Ninotchka," which marked Greta Garbo's first comedy; 1940's exquisitely beautiful romantic comedy "The Shop Around the Corner," which is the favorite of many of Lubitsch admirers; and his last completed film, 1946's "Cluny Brown." Born in 1892 in Berlin, Lubitsch was the son of a wealthy tailor. He began acting in high school, and at age 19 he joined Max Reinhardt's Deutsches Theater and soon was appearing in film comedies playing an ethnic Jewish character named Meyer. By 1918, he was directing. In 1919, he scored a huge hit with "The Oyster Princess," which satirized American manners. It was at this time that the phrase "The Lubitsch Touch" began being bandied about in Germany. Mary Pickford invited him to come to America, where he directed her in 1923's "Rosita." And with the success of 1924's "The Marriage Circle," he became one of the most in-demand directors working in Hollywood. He died at 54 of a heart attack in 1947 while working on "That Lady in Ermine," which was completed by Otto Preminger. Ian Birnie, head of LACMA's film department, says that Lubitsch's films "created a complete environment in which he could move the chess pieces around and make his vision of the world apparent. He set them in a European world that was his dream of what was elegant, sophisticated and sexy." "I think people forget that he started out as an actor," says Jewell. "He really understood performances and understood how to get his actors to say the lines that would be most effective within the fabric of the story itself. When you think of the performances in his films, the three in 'Trouble in Paradise,' of Miriam Hopkins, Herbert Marshall and Kay Francis, they are the best things those three actors ever did in their lives." His only child, Nicola Lubitsch, who was 9 when he died, says her father acted out all the parts for his performers. "He had it all in his head before they started filming," says Lubitsch. "It worked for most people. David Niven years ago told me it was a thrill to be chosen by my dad to be in 'Bluebeard's Eighth Wife.'" He got along exceptionally well with Garbo, who earned her final Oscar nomination for "Ninotchka." The film, co-written by Billy Wilder, features Garbo as a no-nonsense female Soviet envoy sent to Paris to retrieve jewelry and ends up being captivated by capitalism thanks to Melvyn Douglas. Nicola Lubitsch, who will be appearing Friday at LACMA for the screening of "Trouble in Paradise" and 1936's "Desire," said "Ninotchka" is her favorite film. "I think it's an absolutely perfectly movie," she says. "It is the one movie I would watch over and over and over. It's my favorite movie in the world, not just because it's my father." Jewell and Birnie adore "Shop Around the Corner," starring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan as lonely people working at a department store in Budapest who are constantly squabbling. Unbeknownst to them, they are falling in love as pen pals. The film was remade several times, including 1998's "You've Got Mail" and as the 1963 Broadway musical "She Loves Me." "It is one of the greatest American films ever made," says Birnie. "It's perfect." susan.king@latimes.com Copyright ? 2010, The Los Angeles Times

*_Fade to Black_ (1980)*

Matthew Broderick was in: _Max Dugan Returns_ (1983) .... The first of only two times (as of October 2006) that 'Donald Sutherland' and his son Kiefer Sutherland have appeared together in a dramatic film project; the other is A Time to Kill (1996). *NEW STAR: Donald Sutherland!*

Mae Questel was in: _National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation_ (1989) (She was Aunt Bethany)... written by John Hughes & directed by Jeremiah Chechik! *NEW film director, producer and writer: John Hughes!*

*Thursday, July 8, 2010 - Eastern - 2 a.m. _Where the Boys Are_ (1960)*

*Sam Raimi in early negotiations to direct 'Wizard of Oz' prequel‎* by Nicole Sperling Jun 14, 2010 Who needs Spider-Man when you can play in the land of Oz? Sources tell EW that former Spider-Man director Sam Raimi is in very early negotiations with Walt Disney Studios to direct The Wizard of Oz prequel called Oz, The Great and Powerful. Raimi, who was released from making Spider-Man 4 earlier this year by Sony Pictures, met with Disney on Friday and was offered the job over the weekend. Should the two parties come to a financial agreement, Raimi would begin pre-production shortly. There is no start date yet since the project hasn?t yet been greenlit. Disney wouldn?t confirm. Raimi, who began his career directing horror films like the Evil Dead series, is supposed to meet with Robert Downey Jr. this week to discuss a starring role for Downey in the film. The actor, who has just seen his latest film Iron Man 2 catapult to a $300 million gross, would star as a fast-talking circus huckster who is transported through a freak tornado to the land of Oz, where they believe he is the Wizard they?ve been waiting for. Raimi and Downey?s reps both declined to comment.

A prequel to Wizard of Oz is scheduled to be released in 2013. The working title is "Oz: The Great and Powerful." It will be directed by Spider-Man's Sam Raimi and will likely star Robert Downey, Jr.[

*Marilyn Monroe's chest x-ray from 1954 sells for $45,000 at Las Vegas auction* BY Michael Sheridan DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Monday, June 28th 2010 *Marilyn Monroe's bust has sold for a bundle.* A 1954 x-ray of the stunning starlet's chest sold at auction in Las Vegas on Sunday for a sizable $45,000. This was well above the estimated $800 to $1,200 it was expected to fetch. The bizarre medical photograph was one of several of Monroe's belongings that were up for bid at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino via Julien's Auctions over the weekend. "[The x-ray] was taken around the time she was believed to be pregnant, and rumor has it that she had a miscarriage," President/CEO Darren Julien told the Daily News back in April. It was captured at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital (which in 1961 merged with another hospital to become Cedars-Sinai Medical Center), and features the then 28-year-old Monroe's chest and lungs. Another of the actress' items, the chair from her final photo shoot, sold for $35,000. Items that were used by other famous celebrities also sold for big bucks. A dress worn by Cher in a 1975 episode of "The Cher Show" sold for $26,250, earrings donned by Kate Winslet in "Titanic" went for $25,000, and a dressed worn by Audrey Hepburn in "Funny Face" sold for an impressive $56,250. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2010/06/28/2010-06-28_marilyn_monroes_chest_xray_from_1954_sells_for_45000_at_las_vegas_auction.html#ixzz0svoHhy00

*I can't wait for _Where Love Has Gone_ ...I have only see it 2xs on VHS.* What makes _Where Love Has Gone_ interesting is that .... Although Robbins and the studio refused to acknowledge a connection, some publications such as Newsweek noted the similarities between the movie and the real-life case of Cheryl Crane, the daughter of actress Lana Turner, who in 1958 stabbed and killed her mother's boyfriend, Johnny Stompanato, claiming that she was defending Turner from attack. Newsweek wrote that the case seemed to have influenced the "foolish story" and described it as "a typical Harold Robbins pastiche of newspaper clippings liberally shellacked with sentiment and glued with sex". http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/53/Where_Love_Has_Gone_67.jpeg>

*More is on the way from Olive Films with the today's announcement of two 60's dramas. First up is 1964's _Where Love Has Gone_ starring Susan Hayward and Bette Davis. The second is 1965's bio-pic _Harlow_ starring Carroll Baker.* Each DVD will retail for $24.95 each, but are available at ClassicFlix.com for only $17.99. Bonus features are not expected. *_Where Love Has Gone_ (1964)* Based on Harold Robbins? dexterously salacious bestselling novel, a young woman, Danny (Joey Heatherton) has murdered a man, who was the latest lover of her mother (Susan Hayward). Danny?s father, Luke Miller (Mike Connors) describes the events that led to the tragedy. Bette Davis plays Danny?s domineering grandmother and Jane Greer plays her sympathetic probation officer. The stellar cast also includes DeForest Kelley (Star Trek), George Macready (Gilda), Anne Seymour and Anthony Caruso. Directed by Edward Dmytryk (The Carpetbaggers), Screenplay by John Michael Hayes (Peyton Place) and costumes by legendary designer Edith Head. *_Harlow_ (1965)* Hollywood in 1928 is a land of milk and honey, magic and fantasy. Jean Harlow?s spectacularly controversial and tragic career begins with bit parts in movies while she?s living with her mother and opportunistic stepfather. When Hollywood agent, Arthur Landau (Red Buttons), spots her on a film set, he gets her a series of comedy roles and soon realizes he has a gold mine in Miss Harlow (Carroll Baker). She becomes an overnight sensation and critics hail her as the next great sex symbol. This film documents the rise and fall of a true Hollywood Legend. Directed by Gordon Douglas, screenplay by John Michael Hayes (Peyton Place) and costumes by legendary designer Edith Head. http://www.classicflix.com/where-love-gone-1964-harlow-1965-september-a-765.html?osCsid=1b02aeeaa39afec50cee2c512bcd69a9

Maureen O'Hara ...................... In 1947, she made what is perhaps her best-remembered film, starring as Doris Walker and the mother of a young Natalie Wood in 20th Century Fox's _Miracle on 34th Street_, which, despite being released in May, has become a perennial Christmas classic, with a traditional network television airing every Thanksgiving Day on NBC. *Celebri-links .............. director George Seaton!*

*_ABBA The Movie_ (1977)*

Dustin Hoffman was in: _Dick Tracy_ (1990 film) directed by: Warren Beatty!. *NEW DIRECTOR/STAR: Warren Beatty!*

mountain climbing ...... _Vertical Limit_ (2000). *NEW WORD: Lacuna!*

Ron Moody played French entertainer and mime artist The Great Orlando in the 1963 Cliff Richard film _Summer Holiday_ directed by Peter Yates! *NEW DIRECTOR: Peter Yates!*

Typhoons ............... _Typhoon_ (1940) .. Dorothy Lamour! *NEW WORD: July 03, 2010 is: _Disobedience_ Day!* We can only speculate that Disobedience Day is a day for civil or social disobedience as an act of protest. We're going to be upfront and make it clear that we are neither encouraging nor endorsing disobedience. We also want to make it clear to our younger readers that disobeying parents, teachers, or other authorities is not a good thing.........period.

*Cinematography Poll: "Amelie" Best-Shot Film of Decade* July 01, 2010 CBS News Amanda Cochran *NEW YORK (CBS) Voters in an online poll chose the French romantic fantasy "Amelie" as the best-shot film of the 10-year period from 1998 to 2008.* Jean-Pierre Jeunet's 2001 "Amelie" ("Le fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulain") made Audrey Tatou an international star, but the film's real star was Paris. Bruno Delbonnel's evocative cinematography depicting the magical-realist story, using heightened and selective coloring, different camera speeds and humorous digital effects, made Montmartre and environs come alive onscreen as never before. *More than 17,000 votes were cast in the American Society of Cinematographers' online poll, which was based on a ballot of 50 films nominated by subscribers to the ASC's house magazine, American Cinematographer.* Results of the poll were announced this week by the ASC. A "look" quite different from that of "Amelie" was created for the dystopian fantasy "Children of Men" (2006), which came in second in the poll. Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki created a post-apocalyptic England ravaged by a malady that has seemingly made the human race sterile. Much of the film's celebrated handheld photography was conducted in long, carefully choreographed takes where the main characters sought refuge or escape from the dangers surrounding them. Third on the list was Janusz Kaminski's blistering images for Steven Spielberg's World War II drama "Saving Private Ryan" (1998). *_Rounding up the top 20 Best-Shot of the Decade were_:* 4. "There Will Be Blood" (2007) by Robert Elswit 5. "No Country for Old Men" (2007) by Roger Deakins 6. "Fight Club" (1999) by Jeff Cronenweth 7. "The Dark Knight" (2008) by Wally Pfister 8. "Road to Perdition" (2002) by Conrad L. Hall 9. "Cidade de Deus" (City of God) (2002) by C??????sar Charlone 10. "American Beauty" (1999) by Conrad L. Hall 11. "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" (2007) by Roger Deakins 12. Tie: "In the Mood for Love" (2000) by Christopher Doyle and Mark Li Ping-bin; and "Pan's Labyrinth" (2006) by Guillermo Navarro 13. "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy (2001-2003) by Andrew Lesnie 14. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (2004) by Ellen Kuras 15. "Gladiator" (2000) by John Mathieson 16. "The Matrix" (1999) by Bill Pope 17. "The Thin Red Line" (1998) by John Toll 18. "The Diving Bell and The Butterfly" (2007) by Janusz Kaminski 19. "Slumdog Millionaire: (2008) by Anthony Dod Mantle 20. Tie: "Eyes Wide Shut" (1999) by Larry Smith; and "Requiem for a Dream" (2000) by Matthew Libatique Other top vote-getters were the two-part "Kill Bill (Robert Richardson); "Moulin Rouge" (Donald M. McAlpine); "The Pianist" (Pawel Edelman); "Hero" (Christopher Doyle); "Black Hawk Down" (Slawomir Idziak); "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (Roger Deakins); "Babel" (Rodrigo Prieto); "Lost In Translation" (Lance Acord); "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (Peter Pau); "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Claudio Miranda); "The Man Who Wasn't There" (Roger Deakins); "The New World" (Emmanuel Lubezki); "Sin City" (Robert Rodriguez); "Atonement" (Seamus McGarvey); and "Munich" (Janusz Kaminski). Asked to comment on his recognition for "Amelie," Delbonnel told the ASC, "These are some of the finest cinematographers, and I'm not sure I deserve to be among them, but I am very happy to be. They are all explorers." More on the poll will appear in the August issue of American Cinematographer.

*July 3, 2010 @ _The Women_ (1939) 1:30am - Check Local Time!*

*JOAN CRAWFORD TCM JULY 2010!!* *July 3* The Women. 1:30am. TCM. *July 7* A Woman's Face. 8am. TCM. *July 16* Hollywood Canteen. 6am. TCM. Berserk. 11pm. TCM. *July 25* The Bride Wore Red. 6:15am. TCM. *July 26* Above Suspicion (1943) 4:30pm. TCM.

Gore Verbinski Taking Over _The Secret Life of Walter Mitty_ June 29, 2010 Source: Risky Biz by Ethan Anderton Though an adaptation of James Thurber's classic story story has been talked about intermittently over the years, there hasn't been any solids news on _The Secret Life of Walter Mitty_ in awhile. Back in April we heard that Sacha Baron Cohen had been offered the lead role in the film, but that rumor isn't mentioned in this new report from Risky Biz which says Gore Verbinski (whose animated film Rango just had its teaser debut today) has started negotiating with Fox to direct the film. Apparently a screenplay from Peter Conrad (Pursuit of Happyness) is the driving force behind the new energy in this film's long gestating development. The last we heard about the script (from Frost/Nixon writer Peter Morgan) had Mitty as a timid mega-store owner who daydreams of being a swashbuckling hero, but when his reputation is actually put to the test, he must prove his ability to save the day. However, it's unclear if this new script from Conrad sticks to the same elements. Of course tons of talent have been attached to this project previously (including bigger names like Jim Carrey and Steven Spielberg), so this could end up being another failed attempt, however if Verbinski could get Pirates of the Caribbean and Rango collaborator and star Johnny Depp to step into the role, then I bet plenty of people in the industry and the audience would be excited for it. What do you guys think?

*Kate Winslet films 'Mildred Pierce' in Merrick* http://www.liherald.com/detail/25701.html?content_source=&category_id=5&search_filter=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=&town_id=

*"Frozen River" actress takes on _Welcome_ role.‎* By Jenelle Riley Mon Jun 28, 2010 LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) *There's no question Melissa Leo is a busy woman.* *In addition to appearing on the HBO series "Treme," the Oscar nominee for "Frozen River" has no fewer than four films set for release in 2010. That includes "Welcome to the Rileys," which premiered Friday at the L.A. Film Festival.* Leo called in from the New York set of "Mildred Pierce" to talk about her role in the drama, in which she and James Gandolfini play parents grieving over the loss of their daughter. *ON HER ROLE:* Leo plays Lois Riley, an agoraphobic who has sequestered herself in her Indiana home for eight years, following the death of her daughter. "My husband Doug, played by the great James Gandolfini, goes to a convention in New Orleans, and I get a phone call he's not coming home. Well, that finally gets me out of the house because I'm not ready to lose my husband." Once there, she meets Mallory, played by Kristen Stewart, the teenage stripper Doug has bonded with. "And with her help, Doug and I really learn to reconnect and how important we are in each other's lives. It's a beautiful, grown-up love story." Director Jake Scott offered Leo the part without an audition, and the actor was intrigued by the opportunity to play someone different from her previous roles. "Lois Riley is not somebody we've really seen me play before; she is a very straight, privileged woman in deep pain. Okay, you've seen me play deep pain before, but who she is before her great disaster is a type of character who has not been entrusted to me before that phone call from Jake. I was thrilled at the opportunity to dive into something so different, with such confidence with Jake that I could do it." *_ON WORKING WITH HBO:_* "Treme" and "Mildred Pierce" are productions for the cable network, and Leo is thrilled by the collaboration, noting, "I'm very pleased to be working in so many capacities with them right now. They're a smart company, and they're doing really great work." Having previously been a regular on the series "The Young Riders" and "Homicide: Life on the Street," Leo had mostly been doing film work in recent years but embraced the chance to return to the small screen. "I think television has such a power of getting into people's homes, and one of the things I did learn along the Oscar trail was that I'm known and respected within the industry, but my name doesn't really ring bells with the general public." When "Treme" creator David Simon called and offered her the role of attorney Toni Bernette, Leo happily accepted. "But honestly, I had no idea what a great, great, great -- I'll say it again -- great job it would be. Working for these people and being in New Orleans, doing something feeding the town, is extraordinary." The show has already been picked up for a second season; no surprise, considering the strong critical and public reaction it's received. Still, Leo knows nothing is ever a sure thing. "You never know, especially when something has quality, I really begin to worry about its longevity," she says with a laugh. *ON LIFE AFTER THE OSCARS:* Leo is the antithesis of an "overnight success," having built a career over the years with consistently strong work. So how did earning an Oscar nomination for "Frozen River" change things? "The offers are more substantial, both financially and in terms of the kind of roles I'm being considered for," she admits. "Not having to audition for everything is becoming more standard; there's a belief that if they want me, I can turn it in." As for buzz that her "Rileys" performance might get her another invite to the ceremony, Leo modestly demurs. "I never know what to say to things like that. I'll just say that I would be happy to take the walk again."

Sandra Bernhard was in: _Track 29_ (1988) directed by: Nicolas Roeg! *NEW DIRECTOR: Nicolas Roeg!*