Articles by robert-greenberger
Wed Feb 25, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Philip Jose Farmer: 1918-2009
Famed Author Dies at 91
Philip José Farmer’s website reports the author has passed.
“Philip José Farmer passed away peacefully in his sleep this morning.
“He will be missed greatly by his wife Bette, his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, friends and countless fans around the world.
“January 26, 1918 - February 25, 2008. R.I.P.
“We love you Phil.”
Best known for creating Riverworld, Farmer has written science fiction, fantasy and dabbled in other genres. His concept of metafiction, bringing in characters from other authors’ worlds in many ways led to birth of the fan fiction universe. His Tarzan Alive and Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life blended elements from across fiction and reality, leading to the introduction of the final publication of Riverworld concept: everyone who ever lived wound up resurrected in an afterlife located on a river that circled an entire world. The concept was developed for a series on the Sci FI Channel but never went beyond the pilot. Farmer first conceived the notion for a story he wrote in 1952 for a contest, which he won.
Farmer first gained attention for his World of Tiers series of stories which crossed multiple artificially constructed parallel universes. The first was published in 1966 and ended with a final volume in 1993.
Among his peers, he was bold in his use of sexuality and religion beginning with his first published effort.
The author was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, but relocated to Peoria, Illinois and lived there for much of his life. His first story was “The Lovers” which won him immediate attention and the Hugo Award as "most promising new writer" in 1953.
Through the years he wrote original works and played with other franchises including authorized Tarzan and Doc Savage stories in the wake of his “biographical” work with both pulp heroes. He has written novels, short stories, essays, reviews and articles with several projects still scheduled for publication.
But what he may be best remembered for is his work in creating the Wold Newton family; a group of heroic and villainous literary figures that Farmer postulated belonged to the same genetic family. Some of these characters are adventurers, some are detectives, some explorers and scientists, some espionage agents, and some are evil geniuses. The Wold Newton family originated when a radioactive meteor landed in Wold Newton, England, in the year 1795. The radiation caused a genetic mutation in those present, which endowed many of their descendants with extremely high intelligence and strength, as well as an exceptional capacity and drive to perform good, or, as the case may be, evil deeds.
Popular characters that Farmer concluded were members of the Wold Newton mutant family include: Solomon Kane; Captain Blood; The Scarlet Pimpernel; Harry Flashman; Sherlock Holmes and his nemesis Professor Moriarty (aka Captain Nemo); Phileas Fogg; The Time Traveler; Allan Quatermain; Tarzan and his son Korak; A.J. Raffles; Professor Challenger; Richard Hannay; Bulldog Drummond; Fu Manchu and his adversary, Sir Denis Nayland Smith; G-8; The Shadow; Sam Spade; Doc Savage, his cousin Pat Savage, and one of his five assistants, Monk Mayfair; The Spider; Nero Wolfe; Mr. Moto; The Avenger; Philip Marlowe; James Bond; Lew Archer; and Travis McGee. Others took it even farther, proposing that the family reached as far into the past as Conan, and as far into the future as Mr. Spock. Farmer's work was a direct inspiration for Warren Ellis's Planetary.
He was nominated six times for the Hugo Award, winning four times while collecting two Nebula nominations. Farmer received the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award, lifetime achievement, awarded at the 2000 Nebula Awards Ceremony in addition to the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and Forry Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Tue Feb 24, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Saga of the Swamp Thing' Book One
When a comic book gained a new writer, before 1983, they would either keep the status quo, as the writers succeeding Stan Lee did throughout the 1970s, or change the locale and supporting cast (see Supergirl and Wonder Woman’s various careers). Until 1983, no one really rethought the character or series premise.
That is one of the main reasons the arrival of Alan Moore at DC Comics was so pivotal. He was a long-time fan of DC’s output and had brought his own point of view to the series. When Swamp Thing co-creator and then-editor Len Wein asked him about taking on the series, Alan had no problem with suggesting his radical rethinking of the premise based on what had been established to date. Nothing out of left field, but a fresh look at a long-standing character in the DC firmament.
Not only was the thinking fresh, but the writing was also lyrical, something not seen in American mainstream comics. During the 1970s, “purple prose”, lots of words trying to convey mood and feeling but really just a ton of verbiage, was in vogue and as the 1980s dawned,the state of Americna super-hero writing was fairly mundane. Once more, Moore stopped everyone in their tracks as he used short phrases and captions to suddenly convey mood, feeling, and foreshadowing. The repetition helped tie a story together as did his clever use of words to transition from one speaker and scene to another.
The result was revolutionary and propelled Saga of the Swamp Thing to the top of everyone’s To Read stack. The book was the first true shot in the British Revolution that helped change mainstream comics for the next two decades.
In rereading Moore’s first eight issues in the newly released hardcover Saga of the Swamp Thing, it’s clear to see what Moore brought to the character, the title, and the company. The clarity in thinking, fresh approach to character and captions, and the ability to redirect a title are obvious and stand up after all these years.
Not only did Moore rethink Swamp Thing, he also rethought his supporting characters, building upon what his predecessor, Martin Pasko, did without trashing the work. He began to explore the greater DC Universe by using Jason Woodrue as the first antagonist, and then brought in Jason Blood/Etrigan showing us he was more than one-trick pony. In the former, Woodrue had been a neglected Atom villain who was an ideal foe for Swamp Thing and the perfect vehicle for “The Anatomy Lesson”, the aptly titled story that reset the status quo.
For the first time, Moore’s debut issue is reprinted. While it tidied up some of Pasko’s dandling plot lines, it also really began to set the stage and it a welcome addition to the hardcover. You get a taste of what is to come and works well with the other stories.
Also carrying over from Pasko’s run is the art team of Stephen Bissette and John Totleben. Fairly fresh to comics at the time, they were an ideal team for the character and quickly improved their work, clearly inspired by Moore’s work and openness to their input. Some pages are overly cluttered while others are beautifully designed and you can watch them grow during these eight issues. They have as much to do with the title’s resurgence as Moore and should never be overlooked.
The collection comes complete with a nice intro by Wein who explains the character’s birth in real world terms and then we get an essay from Ramsey Campbell that heaps additional praise on the creative team. Moore deserves his accolades and the hardcover treatment is a welcome addition. If you have never read these stories or no longer have them in your collection, this is a well-priced volume worth having.
Fri Feb 20, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Friday the 13th' I-III Special Editions
When Sean Cunningham and Victor Miller concocted the story for Friday the 13th
What they did, though, was layer it with an interesting story of a mother’s grief for her son, the only thing to sustain her for two decades. Betsy Palmer gave a nice performance as the murderous mom, grounding the story more than it probably deserved. The movie, shot on a shoestring budget, went on to become a major hit and an unexpected series for Paramount Pictures.
With Platinum Dunes, Michael Bay’s schlock remake arm, striking fresh gold with the remake this month, Paramount Home Video released the first three films in the series as deluxe editions. Under the snazzy lenticular covers are the same quickly made, poorly acted and over scored films, with a smattering of extras.
The first film told a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end as a group of teens attempted to reopen Camp Crystal Lake, long closed after two counselors were brutally murdered in 1958. “Camp Blood”, as the locals called it, needed some TLC and they were readying it a new summer but one by one, the teens vanish, killed by an unseen assailant. Along the way, we get our requisite one scene with a bare boob, lots of talk about sex, and a group of under-developed characters headed by the heroine, Adrienne King.
When we learn that the grieving mom was behind the deaths, blaming careless counselors on her son’s death, you feel something for her. And once she’s dispatched, of course, you get the shock ending straight out of Carrie.
The second film picks up immediately after, just months after the first ends. Adrienne King is still recovering from the emotionally difficult period but gets one final shock at finding Betsy’s severed head in her refrigerator (starting the whole women in refrigerators trend, I suppose) and Jason actually alive and seeking his own revenge.
Continue reading Review: 'Friday the 13th' I-III Special Editions ›
Thu Feb 5, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
IDW Adds 'Bloom County' to Comic Strip Library
Modern Day Classic to be Collected in Order
IDW Publishing announced yesterday the forthcoming release of The Bloom County Library. Beginning in October 2009, each of the five volumes will collect nearly two years worth of daily and Sunday strips, in chronological order. This will be the very first time that many of these comic strips have been collected, and the first time in a beautifully designed, hardcover format. The books will be part of IDW’s gorwing Library of American Comics imprint, and designed by Eisner Award-winner Dean Mullaney.
"Fans have pestered me for years,” said Berkeley Breathed, “for this ultimate Bloom County collection in that polite, respectful badgering way that only fans can manage. Thank God I can now tell them something better than just 'please remove your tent from my lawn.' I can say, 'It's coming!"
Berkeley Breathed’s Bloom County is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed newspaper strips of modern times. Premiering on December 8th, 1980 — a month after the election of Ronald Reagan as President — the strip brought to the comics pages a unique amalgam of contemporary politics and fantasy, all told with hilarious humor and wit.
The beloved and quirky denizens of Bloom County include Opus, Steve Dallas, Bill the Cat, Milo Bloom, Michael Binkley, and Cutter John. Breathed was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 1987 for his work on Bloom County. The strip was published in an astounding 1200 newspapers.
The phenomenon that was Bloom County spawned a merchandizing bonanza, as well as two spin-off strips, Outland and Opus. The first paperback collection of the strip, Loose Tails, sold over one million copies. Bloom County paperbacks cumulatively sold over six million copies. At the height of the strip’s popularity, Breathed walked away on August 6th, 1989.
IDW Publishing Special Projects Editor Scott Dunbier conceived the series. “I’m absolutely thrilled to be editing the Bloom County Library,” said Dunbier. “This is a series that I can’t wait to hold in my hands.”
The Bloom County Library will also contain a series of “Context Pages” sprinkled throughout the volumes. These pages will provide perspective for the reader, presenting a variety of real-life events and personalities that were contemporary at the time of original publication.
Wed Feb 4, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Klingon Weapon Used in 2 7-Eleven Robberies
Colorado Springs Clerks Recognized the Batleth
It’s come to this.
A man wielding a batleth robbed two 7-Eleven stories in Colorado Springs overnight. The first assault using the deadly Klingon weapon occurred at 1:50 a.m. when a man police described as white in his 20s, wearing a black mask, black jacket, and blue jeans walked in brandishing the weapon. The clerk recognized the traditional armament and forked over an undisclosed amount of cash.
Thirty minutes later, according to The Denver Channel, the same man hit a second store but this time the clerk showed bravery in the face of certain death. He too recognized the ancient weapon but refused the demand and the would-be thief showed his true colors and fled.
Police are reviewing the stores’ surveillance tapes and Lt. David Whitlock said he does not plan to release the video or photographs "at this time."
Sun Feb 1, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Oliver and Company' 20th Anniversary Edition
Disney’s fortunes with their animated fare had fallen fairly far by the 1980s. The sheer expense of hand animation made the films difficult to mount and then changing audience tastes always seem to stay a step or two ahead of Disney. In the past, Disney films were the tastemakers, introducing pop songs and icons but those days more or less ended in 1968 with the Jungle Book.
The arrival of Oliver and Company in 1988 signaled a step in the right direction. The studio experimented tepidly with computer animation using the technology for backgrounds on The Great Mouse Detective just prior to this film. Now, they used it for more backgrounds and actual character animation, allowing them to focus more on story, song, and characterization.
In keeping with Walt Disney’s habit, the film is based on a public domain tale, Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, but totally reconfigured in contemporary terms. The notion of an orphaned cat taken in by a pack of dogs has potential but the characters are all surface and charming, rather than edgy or anything other than charming. The lack of shading to any of the characters is disappointing, something that doomed the film. Notice you don’t see a lot of Oliver costumes at Disneyland.
Oliver is one of the first in the Disney canon to go out of its way to go for celebrity voices and Bette Midler, Cheech Marin, and Billy Joel head the cast. All do admirable jobs but the material is limited. The mix of songwriters adds some nice variety and you see some early work from Alan Mencken, a foreshadowing of better times ahead.
In fact, this is the film that essentially transitioned Disney from being an also ran to being king once more since this taught them everything they needed to know to begin a new era of supremacy with the following year’s Little Mermaid.
The 20th anniversary disc, released Tuesday, offers very little in the way of anything new from the previous editions. The picture looks fine, the sound is fine.
Extras are taken from the previous disc and include a five minute, particularly uninformative making of featurette (which could have been cleaned up for this edition). Then there’s The History of Animals in Disney Films, which is a great topic but given short shrift in just two minutes.
There are the trailers and some sketchbook material which is nice to look at.
The Oscar-winning “Lend a Paw” and “Puss Café”, two classic Disney shorts with Pluto and Mickey, make return appearances.
New to the disc are a few activities and a game, Oliver’s Big City Challenge.
Over all, the film is pleasant enough and a good addition for families but it pales in comparison with the features that followed.
Sat Jan 31, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'City of Ember'
Other than the Narnia movies, and more recently Inkheart, there really haven’t been many good fantasy films aimed at families. That’s why 20th Century-Fox’s City of Ember proved to be such a major disappointment.
The film opened last fall after an extensive marketing campaign aimed not at the families but at the fans who might have kids. The mainstream marketing was lackluster and may have resulted in the film earning just under $8 million at the box office and vanishing without a trace. Which also goes to explain the plain vanilla DVD release, now on sale.
Based on the book series by Jeanne Duprau, the film quickly introduces us to the concept of the underground city of Ember, constructed and populated in the case of global calamity. The elders who conceived of this audacious plan prepared a container with instructions on how to exit the city and set a timer to unlock the box some 200 years hence. The box became a sacred relic, passed on from mayor to mayor until the seventh mayor unexpectedly died and the box was lost. The movie opens more than 200 years later, well after the city’s warranty ran out.
The film focuses almost exclusively on the youngest generation, led by Lina Mayfleet (Saoirse Ronan) and Doon Harrow (Harry Treadaway), and their discovery of the box, its contents, and the race to find the exit before the massive power generator shorts out once and for all. Standing in their way is the inept and possibly corrupt current mayor, played with dead-eyed nonchalance by Bill Murray.
The movie entirely fails to enter by being all surface and no substance. We never understand how the society functions, what the hierarchies are, and why all the adults are idiots or sheep. It appears out heroes are the only two in the entire city, population unknown, who can think for themselves. And of course they get that genetically, since their fathers had both tried to escape the city in the past, costing Lina’s father his life. Doon’s dad, in a wasted performance by Tim Robbins, is defeated and has given up. In fact, the film suffers from poor performances by actors ill-used including Robbins and more notably, Martin Landau.
There are countless gaps in story logic right up until the conclusion. One example is when the kids activate a mechanism that begins launching lifeboats, only to see them crushed under a waterwheel. Quite some time passes by before our heroes get in one of these boats but there’s no sense of how many have been crushed in the meantime, costing who knows how many people the chance to leave the city for the surface.
It’s entirely possible to make entertaining children’s fantasy fare as witnessed by the more successful adaptations of Roald Dahl and J.K. Rowling. This movie, directed by Gil Kenan, fails on every level with the exception of nice set design and a winning performance by Ronan.
The bare-bones DVD looks and sounds fine. There are some related trailers for other family films but not a single extra related to this misfire. Even Fox has lost faith in the franchise which is a shame since the award-winning book series has endured.
Sun Jan 25, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Mary Poppins' 45th Anniversary Edition
As new anniversary editions or Blu-ray releases of classic films continue to arrive, the question has to be asked each time: is it worth the upgrade?
In most cases, as with Paramount Home Video’s centennial series, the answer is always yes because the restoration work done to the film plus the extras make for a fine package. I wish the same could be said for one of my all time favorite films, Mary Poppins.
The 45th anniversary set comes out on Tuesday and is a two-disc celebration of Disney’s great musical. The 139 minute feature film continues to delight and enchant and is a must have for any serious movie collector or parent. But, coming five years after the last anniversary collection the answer has to be, if you have the 40th, you don’t need the 45th.
The film itself is technically the same. Pristine in look, the film is at the original 1.66:1 aspect ratio and the color remains terrific. The audio remains available in Dolby Digital 2.0 or 5.1 surround sound and still sounds swell
Continue reading Review: 'Mary Poppins' 45th Anniversary Edition ›
Thu Jan 22, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Project Superpowers'
When Superman whet readers’ appetite for costumed champions, comic book publishers responded and for the next decade, hundreds of characters arrived. A handful survived through the changes in publishing and most of the others were consigned to the second hand shops and the vault of memory. As a result, many fell into public domain, allowing anyone to dust them off and bring them back into print.
As a result, the notion that Alex Ross was going to spruce up dozens of heroes and sidekicks for his pal Nick Barrucci is certainly an exciting one. Ross partnered once more with writer Jim Krueger to figure out what to do with them all. The resulting series, Project Superpowers
What do you do with an army of heroes whose powers and abilities are currently familiar to generations of readers? You could go in several directions and the creators chose a tried and true concept: the heroes of World War II vanished, the world changed for the worse, and now they’re back and realize how needed they are.
The Fighting Yank is led by his guiding spirit to capture his allies in a magical urn otherwise things in the years following World War II would get darker. Suddenly, the heroes and their sidekicks are taken without permission and trapped. In the intervening years, America becomes a despotic country, casting an ominous shadow over the rest of the world. An aging Fighting Yank is enticed by the Spirit of America, a disembodied American Flag, to find the urn and release its contents. This puts him in direct conflict with Dynamic Man, who, with his family, seem to be ruling America.
When the heroes are released, they are scattered around a world they do not recognize and their powers are altered. The remaining story shows what happens next.
The story moves along briskly but that’s the problem. At no time do the creators properly introduce us to the dozen-plus heroes, establishing who they are and what they can do before telling us their old powers are changed. Nor are we really given an understanding of how America’s power is perceived around the world. Are there allies? What about the Communists in China and Russia? Also, how does the change in politics affect society and commerce? No clues are really provided.
Wed Jan 21, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Appreciation: 'Bone' Volume Nine
There’s little left to be said about Jeff Smith’s superlative Bone. If that’s the case, then why write anything at all? Because today, Scholastic’s Graphix imprint has released Crown of Horns, the ninth and final volume in their color collection. Coming six months after Treasure Hunters, this is a longer book, 212 pages, but with no change in cover price which is a treat for the buyer.
With Crown of Horns, the entire saga is now in a uniform color set, aimed at school children. The first volume was released in 2004 and we’re finally here at the conclusion. Readers new to the adventures of Bone and his cousins now have two choices: the 1300 page black and white saga for about $40 or, the nine color volumes which all together would cost about $90.
What’s lovely is to see Jeff’s work take color so well, especially in the capable hands of Steve Hamaker. The color enhances the atmosphere and story telling, never overpowering the characters or settings. It’s one of the finest jobs I’ve seen in quite some time.
One thing the color volumes also have going for them is that Smith’s spelling errors are corrected, making it the cleanest version of the story yet, entirely appropriate for Scholastic’s market.
When first meeting the characters, as I did in 1991, you have little idea of their species or nature but quickly they become distinct, memorable characters and you realize you don’t care about their genetics. Instead, they exist in their little village until they set out into the great world and discover adventure, war, love, humor, and new insights.
Home, in this case Boneville, is a theme, much like in Lord of the Rings, and the theme is a major point in the final volume. And like Tolkien’s world, the Bone-people find themselves co-existing with humans, dragons, and other creatures. No explanation necessary, just a delight in seeing the interactions.
Smith spent 1300 pages with these characters and continually revealed new tidbits about them without seeming contrived. The storyline holds together nicely and each of the nine Scholastic volumes works with beginning and ending.
If the volumes could benefit from anything, it would be either a recap of the previous books to this point or a character key to help the readers. Of course, you sit and read them repeatedly; they get committed to memory so maybe that’s why they’re missing.
Bone is recommended reading for comic book and graphic novel fans of all ages and essential reading for those just discovering the artform and are curious as to what’s out there.
Sun Jan 18, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Frank McLaughlin to Teach Cartooning in Connecticut
ComicMix’s Frank McLaughlin is profiled in today’s Connecticut Post, talking about his career and new role as professor of cartooning at the Sterling House Community Center.
In discussing his long career, McLaughlin noted the change of emphasis from newspparer comic strips to comic books to the Internet. "Comics and newspaper comic strips have been on the decline for years now," McLaughlin said. "The days of light-hearted comic strips are over. Now, the movies have made characters like Batman very dark and serious."
That allowed him a chance to plug White Viper, which ran here in 2008 and can still be read in case you missed out. The serial was written by his daughter, Erin Holroyd, and pencilled by McLaughlin’s long-time art partner Dick Giordano.
Wed Jan 14, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Ricardo Montalban, 1920-2009
Mexican actor Ricardo Montalban, best known to ComicMixers as Khan Noonien Singh or the enigmatic Mr. Roarke, died today at age 88.
According to the Associated Press, Montalban died this morning at his home in California. No cause of death was provided.
"The Ricardo Montalban Theatre in my Council District - where the next generations of performers participate in plays, musicals, and concerts - stands as a fitting tribute to this consummate performer," city council by president Eric Garcetti said in a written statement.
The flamboyant actor began his acting career in his native land before coming to Hollywood to become a star for MGM. He made his American debut opposite swimming star Esther Williams in 1946’s Fiesta.
As a working actor in the 1960s, Gene Roddenberry cast him as Khan, the Genetics War exile in the 1966 episode of Star Trek, “Space Seed”. Years later, director Nicholas Meyer was captivated by the performance and wondered what Khan would be like 15 years later, leading to the story behind Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
In between, Montalban also played the heavy in the Cathy Lee Gibson Wonder Woman telefilm before straddling the line between good and evil as the host of Fantasy Island. In his white suit and twinkling eyes, people’s fears and desires were made manifest from 1978-1984.
He was also a long running automobile pitchman, waxing rhapsodic about the car’s rich Corinthian leather, which was later parodied for years.
A crippling back injury occurred during the filming of 1952’s Across the Wide Missouri. He was thrown by a horse and stepped on a second horse. When it recurred in 1993, he was limited to a wheelchair and surgery only made the situation worse, limiting his film and television work over the last 15 years although he did manage to appear in including The Naked Gun as well as two films from both the Planet of the Apes and Spy Kids series.
Wed Jan 14, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Mirrors'
Mirrors are a reflection of reality or can be twisted into something that reveals another way to look at the world. Ever since they were invented, the Greeks first thought your soul might be trapped within. Through the years, stories have been told about what mirrors do or do not reveal. Demons were thought to be revealed by mirrors while vampires do not cast reflections. It’s a rich subject that can make a wonderful thriller or horror movie. The summer 2008 Mirrors, directed by Alexandre Aja, is not a worthy addition to the sub-genre.
Largely based on 2003’s Into the Mirror from South Korea, the movie involves a mirror universe, a demon, a divided family, and lots of ominous music. Keifer Sutherland stars as Ben Carson, a New York police detective currently on suspension and taking a job as a night watchman at an abandoned department store to support his family. Carson’s a mess. He’s defined by his job and without it, he began drinking which led him to be thrown out of his home by his loving wife Amy (Paula Patton), deprived of access to his two children. Instead, he’s sleeping on his sister Angela’s (Amy Smart) couch and ripe for a mental breakdown. As a result, he’s slow to accept that he’s seeing things in the mirrors that remain remarkably clean.
Over the course of nearly two hours, he learns that there’s a malevolent spirit trapped in the mirror world and has been accessing the real world through mirrors to manipulate various people to try and free it. Being the good cop that he is, Carson traces the building’s history and learns it was once a psychiatric hospital, and its unique treatment room remains intact. He then traces the key patient who was treated there and learns she had been possessed by the spirit but it was cast into the mirror and others will continue to suffer and die until the demon is vanquished.
Over the course of nearly two hours, the audience is treated to a tremendous amount of unexplained characterization and world building. Carson’s predecessor sends him a box of clippings that provide a key clue, but since it was shipped after his death and to someone he never met, we’re never told how that worked. We know little of this mirror world and how some they move through space and time, which becomes a vital plot point towards the climax. The police investigations into some of these incidents, including Angela’s death, never seem to be carried out.
Tue Jan 13, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' Centennial Collection
Paramount Home Video concludes their Audrey Hepburn review with the fifth entry in their Centennial Collection, the classic Breakfast At Tiffany's
The film has withstood the test of time very nicely given the loving touch of director Blake Edwards who oversaw this adaptation of Truman Capote’s novella and made it uniquely his own. In the prose, Holly Golightly never sang “Moon River” nor did she really have a happy ending. Characters differ between story and screenplay and by now, most people know Capote always envisioned Marilyn Monroe in the lead. He was crushed when Hepburn was cast.
While Monroe would have been good in many ways, this was all about style and elegance, the upper crust of Manhattan society and as a result, Hepburn was a better pick.
Making the movie was a challenge for Hepburn, playing the extroverted socialite escort (not a call girl) who ran away from her “hick” life and husband (an underrated Buddy Ebsen). Instead, the social whirl of Manhattan at its finest was seductive and she wanted to live life to its fullest. The pinnacle for her was Tiffany’s, the legendary jewelry store. Naïve in so many things, her actions are not always conscious ones and she pulls new tenant Paul Varjak (George Peppard) along in her wake. Her life is filled with fascinating people and annoying ones, such as the Japanese photographer, buffoonishly played by Mickey Rooney. The film is filled with terrific character actors including Martin Balsam but it’s also Peppard’s best role. He is earnest and cool at the same time, working to craft a character, rather than easing his way through later roles as Banacek and Hannibal Smith.
Blake Edwards showed what he can do with comedy and subtle character interplay here, a visual style that became his signature for years to come, capped by Victor/Victoria. He’s accompanied by composer Henry Mancini who made his name with the score plus earning an Oscar for “Moon River”, which had lyrics from Johnny Mercer. As we’re told at least twice on the extras, a Paramount exec felt the movie ran long and wanted to cut the song until Hepburn effectively said, “Over my dead body.”
The love story is a valentine to a time and place that no longer exists although the hopes and dreams of those escaping their homes for the City That Never Sleeps remain the same.
Continue reading Review: 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' Centennial Collection ›
Mon Jan 12, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Funny Face'
Paramount Pictures’ Centennial Collection chugs along, mining the 1950s and Audrey Hepburn again with the release on Tuesday of Funny Face
Pop culture in the 1950s certainly centered on glamorous celebrities like Hepburn and the films were experimenting with visual techniques to combat the rise of television habits but sometimes their subjects were treated outlandishly.
Maggie Prescott (Thompson) is the force of nature that edits Glamour, er, Mode, er, Quality magazine. The magazine wants to shoot on location, to lend a patina of intellectual sheen to the usually vapid model who seems more interesting in exaggerated poses than anything natural. She and top fashion photographer Dick Avery (Astaire) spontaneously decide on a “sinister” looking bookstore in Greenwich Village, hail a few cabs, and go in search. They find a dark, dusty shop with a young bookseller, Jo Stockton (Hepburn) as the sole occupant. They storm in, take over the joint and include her in one picture then lock her out of the store since she was objecting to their disruption of the place.
Later, Avery latches on to the notion that she could be the fresh face a new campaign could be built around. He convinces her that by agreeing to model, she could be taken to Paris where she could be exposed to the great philosophical thinkers, including Prof. Emile Flostre (Michel Auclaire), who influenced the naïve girl. She accepts and is whisked to Paris where she at first indulges her intellect then gives in to her beauty. The rest of the film chronicles her struggle to find herself as she straddles two worlds, neither very well.
Adapted from the 1927 stage musical, the update retained but four songs, two of which are memorable standards. The rest are entirely forgettable including the signature opener, “Think Pink”.
As a story, it mocks the Beat Generation on two continents and treats Flostre as a great thinker, but his mind appears to be on one subject which is getting in to Hepburn’s pants. The rest of the script is breathless but you keep stopping to wonder about the absurdity of booking everyone into separate hotels or no one giving Stockton a schedule so she would know what was expected from her. Also, Stockton seems to suddenly give up on her interest in philosophy in favor of being a famous model when she could do both, it never had to be an either/or situation.
