May 21, 2008
Harvard Film Archive hosts "Unseen Noir" May 23-26:
The “Unseen Noir” series — five double bills — screening at the Harvard Film Archive this weekend offers up lesser-known films that, though they may not be exactly unseen, are rarely remembered and discussed among noiristes. And none of them is available on video. It doesn’t matter: no individual noir is as important or telling as the genre’s DNA. Jacques Tourneur’s NIGHTFALL (1957; May 24 at 7 pm, with My Name Is Julia Ross) is a terrific, raw example — shot fast on cheap sets with the punchy jitters of a punk record, and focusing on a swollen, shamefaced Aldo Ray as a proverbial man on the run, with a bloody backstory that’s teased out of him by straight-shooting insurance investigator James Gregory (a fabulous and unsung character beacon of the post-war years, his noir roles leading up to his spectacular turns in Beneath the Planet of the Apes and Barney Miller), and hyper-wary alone-in-a-bar hottie Anne Bancroft. “Guys have probably been swarming around you ever since your second teeth came through,” Ray rasps at her (probably a line straight from the David Goodis novel), but soon enough the thugs come out of the shadows, and that leads to, among other extreme thoughts, a torture scenario using the inexorable machinery of an oil-field rig. You can imagine, for all its harried cheapness, why the movie’s been neglected (at least by comparison with Tourneur’s Out of the Past), but the relentless state of bottled-up anxiety insists that you contemplate the dark heart of the ’50s all over again.
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and from the Boston Globe:
Saturday's standout is "Nightfall" (1957), directed by Jacques Tourneur a decade after "Out of the Past." Based on the book by David Goodis, the film features the sharp dialogue and haunted characters you'd expect, to say nothing of gorgeous cinematography and a ravishing print. Instead of dark-haired, slow-to-anger Robert Mitchum, the movie's antihero is Aldo Ray, blond and thick-necked, out of the Navy and on the run. You see, this friend of his met an untimely end and the cops think he did it. A bigger problem, though, are the two hoods looking for $350,000 in missing cash. Plus there's the insurance investigator who won't go away, and this dame played by Anne Bancroft. She'll take your breath away, and does.
Cute purse at eBay:
Check out a couple of new items at the Experience page. Jody found a fannetastic clip of Anne presenting an Oscar to Sidney Poitier, and the joy of it is to see how Anne is every bit as excited about it as Sidney is! Also, a very nice tribute to Anne was posted just an hour ago. It's beautifully done and filled with scrumptious photos, and my only criticism is that "Mrs. Robinson" is the only song played throughout! I have to remind myself that this is the role that most of the public thinks of when they think of Anne, no matter how Anne felt about it, no matter how we feel about it, it's a fact. So just sit back and enjoy the beautiful photos and the love that went into the effort!
May 14, 2008
For Mother's Day, MSN picked its meanest mommies (link):
Once a year, we take time to reflect on all the sacrifices, good deeds and sweet qualities of good old Mom. All those Mother's Day bouquets, cards and brunches are just a way to say, "We love you, Ma; you're perfect."
But what if mom isn't so perfect? And we're not talking flaws like burning the chicken or forgetting to pick you up at volleyball practice. No, we mean like beating you with wire hangers, signing you up for a lobotomy, or turning you into a zombielike assassin to kill a major political figure.
Bad moms aren't the norm in real life (and we here at MSN all love our mothers -- really), but they sure make terrific fodder for the ultimate evil figures on film. So, to counterbalance all the sweetness and light you'll be enduring on Mom's special day, we've listed our favorite meanest movie mommies.
Read (but watch out for spoilers), enjoy, and make sure none of these end up in the DVD player at the end of the day: You may regret forgetting to send out that card.
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Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft). In "The Graduate." Bancroft plays the famous seductress, the family friend who lures young, shiftless Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) -- the bewildered college grad seeking something past his WASP-y parents' expectations -- into her bed. Mrs. Robinson's come-on initially scares the khakis off Benjamin (not literally ... well, not at first, anyway). However, he's eventually game when the gorgeous, coolly seductive but deeply unhappy woman in her chic, leopard-print getups and round-the-clock scotch ("Did you know I was an alcoholic?" she asks sternly) is there for his, uh, enjoyment. But when Benjamin falls for her sweet, lovely daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross), the enraged mother is bent on revenge.
Meanest Moment: When Elaine reveals to Benjamin that Mrs. Robinson lied, claiming she never seduced Benjamin, but that he raped her. When Mr. Robinson drops by Benjamin's, uttering, "I think you are scum," we really feel how much damage Mrs. Robinson has caused not just Benjamin, but also his family and the Robinsons. Nice job!
Memorable Quote: "Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me." -- Benjamin's surprised and slightly titillated response to Mrs. Robinson's bizarre advances. Bonus point: Mrs. Robinson's luscious legs framing Ben.
Maternal Comeuppance? Hard to say. Sure, Benjamin successfully breaks up Elaine's wedding to the parent-approved college boy (the sequence hilariously culminates with Benjamin locking the church door with a large cross). But the film's last, famous scene leaves a bitter taste: The lovebirds' giddy laughter and relief turn to pensive, disheartened looks revealing a bumpy road ahead and, most likely, lasting scars left by the parental units. Hello, darkness my old friend, indeed ...
Mrs. Robinson can take some solace in having a wrap dress named for her (link):
Its design is hyper-practical, yet the new spring collection wrap is named “Mrs. Robinson” — a nod to the sultry cougar character played by Anne Bancroft in the 1960s movie The Graduate. It comes in a lilac dot print or a graphic black and teal pattern, and it’s anything but prissy.
Christina Bergstrom snazzes up the stylish "Mrs. Robinson" her fun yet practical take on the classic wrap dress.
Annnnnnnnd... Mrs. Robinson wins again! This was sent in by several of you, but Tess' submission even beat my news subscription service by 24 hours! I love receiving things from you guys, even if I already have them, because it means you are paying attention and you want to contribute to this site. Thank you!
X-Rated® Fusion Liqueur Crowns the Hottest ''Cougar'' for Mother's Day
Anne Bancroft's Mrs. Robinson Ranked the Most Popular Cougar in Film and Television in Online Poll, Eva Longoria a Close SecondSAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- X-Rated® Fusion Liqueur announced today that Anne Bancroft was winner of its poll which ranked the hottest “cougar” in film and television. A number of man-hungry women have graced television and cinema screens over the years to terrorize and titillate scores of younger men and teach younger girls how a real woman gets what she wants. For the past five months, visitors to the SodaHead.com website have voted for their favorite cougar and now the results are in.
Only ten cougars made the initial X-Rated Fusion Liqueur cougar poll list: Eva Longoria, for her role as “Gabrielle Solis” in Desperate Housewives; Rue McClanahan, for her role as “Blanche” in The Golden Girls; Melinda Clarke, for her role as “Julie Cooper” in The O.C.; Kim Cattrall, for her role as “Samantha Jones” in Sex and the City; Jennifer Coolidge, for her role as “Stifler’s Mom” in American Pie; Jane Seymour, for her role as “Kathleen Cleary” in Wedding Crashers; Verna Bloom, for her role as “Marion Wormer” in Animal House; Anne Bancroft for her role as “Mrs. Robinson” in The Graduate; and Morgan Fairchild for her role as “Chandler’s Mom” in Friends.
With over 20% of the votes, Anne Bancroft’s “Mrs. Robinson” is the queen of all cougars, proving a classic and sophisticated woman can still leave an impression. Eva Longoria’s “Gabrielle Solis” was a close second with 18% of the votes. Kim Cattrall’s sexually liberated “Samantha Jones” came in third with 14% of the votes. In honor of their accomplishments, X-Rated Fusion Liqueur celebrated our cougars with a cocktail inspired by each of their characters (recipes available).
The final results were: Anne Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson 20% Eva Longoria as Gabrielle Solis 18% Kim Cattrall as Samantha Jones 14% Jennifer Coolidge as Stifler's Mom 11% Morgan Fairchild as Chandler's Mom 10% Melinda Clarke as Julie Cooper tied 10% Jane Seymour as Kathleen Cleary 6% Rue McClanahan as Blanche 5% Verna Bloom as Marion Wormer 4% Katherine Helmond as Mona Robinson 2%
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Speaking of contributing to this site: if you would like to share memories or thoughts about any of Anne's performances, I'd love to include them here for fellow fannes to enjoy.
Also, I have been considering creating a forum for fannes to converse with each other. I can create the forum, but I don't have the time to moderate it. If you would be interested in moderating it, please contact me.
Paul and I were pondering the recent article about the making of The Graduate, and here's what he had to say:
Not sure how I feel about that writer's assessment of AB's career and The Graduate. I think since The Graduate is so ubiquitous, there's no escaping the constant comparisons... I mean, I would most certainly say the same for Nichols' career. Hardly what he was at the height of his powers, and if you really look at films like Virginia Woolf and, really, to a large degree, The Graduate, they do not hold up entirely. Can you imagine The Graduate without Anne? No... she certainly made the film. And I can comfortably say that objectively. I think the movie shows many great character actors doing what they do best. The need to constantly compare female actors to male actors is all too common. Anne's career was HER career, something most actors cannot and will not do. That is amazing. But we are so consumed with the notion of "superstars" and always staying on top... what about the "craft?" She employed this until the end.
to which I replied:
I think Anne's career was incredible because she went out of her way to do allllllllllllllllllllllll sorts of different roles.... I also love the fact that she put her family above her career. Yes, it affected her career, but my God, the woman was so happy and so satisfied because she knew what was important! She regretted absolutely NOTHING. You're damned right, it was her career, in every single way. And when she was performing -- performing in a role which she CHOSE to perform -- she gave herself completely, pure and utter raw artistry that we seldom have seen and will seldom see again. I still cannot believe she was never a guest on Inside the Actors Studio!! Don't get me started.
By the way, The Graduate without Anne would pretty much bore me, frankly. And I must tell you, I once met Murray Hamilton. He was filming in Houston at a hotel when I was about 16 and on vacation with my family -- The Lady in Box 359, which later became Murder at the World Series. He spent most of his off time around the pool, where I was hanging out. He was quite a nice, shy gentleman! I believe it was the summer of '76 when it was filmed, then that awful movie came out the next spring, I am almost positive. Janet Leigh was also in the film, we only saw her in our hotel once, and my dad went ga-ga! LOL
Now, see, that's the kind of fun we could have if we could manage to get a forum going...!
Anne is a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame -- does anyone have further information about this? Tess found this tidbit at Wiki, but surely there is more to learn about Anne's induction. Let me know if you dig up something.
As I told Tess,
I stopped reading Anne's Wiki page last year, when Wiki's editors kicked
my link off of Anne's page -- I protested, because I used to get tons of
new visitors thru that Wiki link, but they said that my site is
"just" a fan site and provides no informational value! 
At any rate, Anne's membership in the ATHoF is news to me, I'd like to
learn more about it so I can include it at this site, thereby giving my
site a tiny bit of informational value.
Go to this link and ask PBS why they don't include Mrs. Cage as one of their available video offerings? Can't hurt.
Historical Society Seeks to Preserve N.Y. Theatre
The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation is rallying residents and theatre lovers to prevent New York's historic Provincetown Playhouse from being demolished. New York University, which owns the theatre credited as a launching pad for playwrights such as Eugene O'Neill and David Mamet, unveiled plans Tuesday to build new facilities on the site of the Playhouse and other properties.
"The Provincetown Playhouse is generally thought of as the birthplace of Off-Broadway or alternative theatre," said Andrew Berman, executive director of the GVSHP, who is leading the campaign to register the Playhouse as a historical landmark. "It's always been at the center of the alternative theatre scene in New York and in the country."
A group of innovative theatre artists, including O'Neill and Edna St. Vincent Millay, established the Provincetown Players at 133-139 MacDougal St. in 1918. Over the years, the theatre has been used to premiere works by Edward Albee, Mamet, John Guare, and Lanford Wilson, among others. Bette Davis, Anne Bancroft, Julie Harris, and other notable actors also launched their careers at the Playhouse.
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April 25, 2008
Some news tidbits and book reviews today.
"Delgo" screening a success
by Norris Ortolano for 2theadvocate.com“We wanted to make a movie that didn’t have talking animals and wasn’t a comedy,” says Marc Adler during a question and answer period following the screening of his animated feature film, “Delgo”. Adler’s partner, Jason Maurer, nods his head in agreement, “We wanted to do something different.”
When the two began working on the screenplay and storyboarding for the film almost fifteen years ago, the idea of being different was one of the most important aspects.
“We only had six people working on “Delgo” from 1996 to 2000,” Maurer said.
“It’s difficult to get animators, because most already work for big studios, so we got guys that worked for video game companies, anthropologists, and people like that,” added Adler.
With inspiration ranging from renowned album cover artist Roger Dean to Jim Henson’s “The Dark Crystal” and even coral reefs, the two were determined to get “Delgo” made, regardless of the exorbitant amount of time needed to produce it.
Fifteen years is a long journey for any film, albeit an animated one like “Delgo”, which began casting in 2001 and features the voices of Freddie Prinze, Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Burt Reynolds, and the late Anne Bancroft.
The audience for the screening, which was mostly in the pre-teen range, responded very well, asking questions about the world of Nohrins and Lockni. They also asked if any sequels or animated series were in the works.
The screening, thanks to Stacey Simmons and the Red Stick International Animation Festival, was the first ever for “Delgo” and Fathom Studios.
The journey to distribution begins when it’s shown at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France, one of the world’s foremost animation festivals, and the Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival, which “Delgo” is one of five animated features competing and the sole entry from North America.
Along with that, Adler and Maurer also have begun work on future projects. They not only have a script written in the event that “Delgo 2” is called upon, but they also have another interesting story in mind.
“We’re working on a short about dancing chameleons, which was actually choreographed by a former LSU student we met in Atlanta. It’s like ‘Stomp’ meets ‘Happy Feet’,” Adler explained.
As the screening audience rushed to get their free “Delgo” posters and chat with the writer/directors. The pair seemed pleased at the turnout and reactions of the audience.
Independent films done completely in CGI are not something you see every day. They are very expensive to produce and take unfathomable amounts of manpower and hours to reach a finished product. The task at hand is a huge risk to take, but the smiles on the faces of Adler and Maurer, and the general interest taken by the audience is an excellent start for “Delgo’s” future.
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Surface tensions
Chris Petit wonders if the European New Wave really spawned a whole new Hollywood, after reading Mark Harris's The Birth of the New HollywoodAnd the nominations for Best Picture were: In the Heat of the Night, Bonnie and Clyde, Doctor Dolittle (yes, really), The Graduate and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. The Academy Awards ceremony in 1968 had been postponed by two days for the first time in its history because of the assassination of Martin Luther King. "Two days?" says Mike Nichols, director of The Graduate, interviewed for this book. "That was what we thought was taking a big stand?"
Nevertheless, academy president Gregory Peck was able to state that, of five pictures nominated, two dealt with racial issues; and the host Bob Hope noted that Hollywood "had at least one thing in common" with King. They both had a dream. The only enlivening presence was Mel Brooks, husband to Anne Bancroft, up for best actress. Many early winners were foreign and every one was greeted by Brooks calling out: "Wacko! Another wacko!"
.... Bonnie and Clyde wasn't an immediate or obvious hit (ditto The Graduate) and met with a poor initial reception. [Pauline] Kael jumped on the support bandwagon later than most, with a review that smacked of self-serving; both films now seem less of a departure than prescient of a yuppie generation and new conservatism. The point about Bonnie and Clyde was it launched a look. Like The Graduate, it seemed to be about zeitgeist but was really about a shift in market forces. In that sense it was about something new -- film as phenomenon and Hollywood would take another generation to learn how to control it, with the films of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. What Harris might have pointed out is that all these films were the products of the same system: not a revolution as such -- more a shift in perception about ways to make even more money.
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I'm aware of the story behind this scene; however, I am intrigued by the writer's assessment of Anne's career here... what do you think? I can't agree with him entirely, but he does raise an interesting point. Hmmmm.
Story Of The Scene: 'The Graduate', Mike Nichols, 1967
Roger Clarke, Friday, 18 April 2008 - The Independent
Anne Bancroft as Mrs Robinson and Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin in The Graduate.Anne Bancroft never quite escaped her role as the middle-aged seductress in The Graduate. Dustin Hoffman, in contrast, went on to have a career of great depth and variety. Anne Bancroft was always Mrs Robinson.
In one of the most famous scenes, Hoffman's character Benjamin is helping Mrs Robinson to undress. She is sitting, he is standing. He reaches over and grabs her right breast, then turns his head away from the camera, walks over to the hotel-room wall and bangs his head against it.
This has always been considered a masterful expression of Benjamin's self-doubt and anxiety. He's seducing Mrs Robinson, for heaven's sake. She's an old family friend. He doesn't know how this will pan out and dread is creeping in. He's thinking of stopping it all right now and leaving.
In fact, the breast-grab was unscripted. Hoffman planned it, he later said, to imitate the fumblings of a schoolboy. The reason Benjamin turns and goes to the wall was actually because Hoffman was laughing; his clumsy foray had been met with a hearty guffaw from director Mike Nichols, standing behind the camera. Hoffman, ever the professional, hid his corpsing and carried on. The scene was later post-dubbed.
Although she was always busy, Bancroft never again reached the heights of The Graduate. To make matters worse, the legs on the iconic poster weren't even hers (they belonged to Linda Gray, later of Dallas). And she was in fact only six years older than Hoffman. She endured make-up to age her and, with the cruelty of Hollywood towards the sight of female ageing, suffered an early eclipse. Everyone thought she was older than she really was.
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From a TCM press release ~ a whole day of AB coming up in August:
SUMMER UNDER THE STARS August
TCM struts its stuff each August with the annual Summer Under the Stars festival, a month-long celebration during which each day is dedicated to one of Hollywood's most enduring personalities. Assembled from the network's library of more than 5,000 films, this one-of-a-kind festival is an opportunity for viewers to enjoy a varied selection from each star's body of work, uncut and commercial free. This year's stars include Charlie Chaplin, Anne Bancroft, Fred Astaire, Katharine Hepburn, Charlton Heston, Tony Curtis, Gene Kelly, Spencer Tracy, Greta Garbo, Michael Caine, Ava Gardner, James Garner and Greer Garson.
If any of you find out the exact day on which AB will be featured, please let the rest of us know!
The Graduate, The Miracle Worker and Seven Women will certainly be on the roster; but if it were up to you, which other movies of Annie's SHOULD be featured? You know, the ones they don't show as often on TV. I would pick The Pumpkin Eater (my favorite AB movie) as well as The Hindenburg, Young Winston, Prisoner of 2nd Avenue, and To Be or Not To Be. I have such tremendous affection for those movies and feel that they are terribly underrated!
April 12, 2008
Good news about Delgo!
Red Stick to Host Special Screening of Delgo
The Red Stick International Animation Festival [Baton Rouge, LA] will host a special work-in-progress screening of Fathom Studios' new animated film, DELGO. It is the first time the film will be screened in the United States.
This family-friendly film is the story of an unlikely hero (Delgo) who must prove his innocence, rescue a princess, reveal a traitor, end a war and unite the peoples of a mythical land.
Red Stick will host a screening of the film, with an opportunity to meet the filmmakers, on Thursday, April 17 at 7 p.m. in the United Artists Citiplace Stadium Theater, 2610 Citiplace Drive. The screening is free, but participants must register for a complimentary festival Red Pass at www.redstickfestival.org to attend.
The movie takes place in Jhamora, a land torn apart by the mutual prejudice of two peoples -- the winged, fairy-like Nohrin, masters of the skies, and the wingless, earth-bound Lockni, who though they can't fly can magically harness the mystical powers of the land. When Delgo, a Lockni teenager, forms a friendship with the spunky Nohrin Princess Kyla, it creates trouble for the two and for their people. Delgo and his faint-hearted best friend, Filo, must put aside their distrust of the Nohrin, join forces and travel to a mysterious land, to battle with the true enemy, a spurned princess who has betrayed everyone in hopes of dominating the planet.
DELGO features a star-studded cast, including Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Burt Reynolds and Val Kilmer. DELGO is also one of the last films Anne Bancroft, who voices Empress Sedessa, completed before her death.
The film's directors, Marc Adler and Jason Maurer, will be featured speakers at the Red Stick International Animation Festival, the largest festival of its kind in the United States, which will take place April 16-19 in downtown Baton Rouge's Arts District.
LSU's Center for Computation and Technology sponsors the festival, in partnership with the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Baton Rouge Area Foundation, East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President's Office, Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and Louisiana Economic Development.
For a complete schedule of Red Stick events and more information about the festival, visit www.redstickfestival.org or contact the festival office at 225-389-7182.
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April 11, 2008
I've returned from an
extended trip for spring break, and I see that according to the poll
results, my regular visitors most wish to see me post more photos of Anne.
I'm on it! I'll get a few new ones up today and will add more of them in
the coming days. I also will get to your emails as I can! Thanks for
writing.
By the way, if you have an idea for a poll -- something you'd like to ask your fellow fannes -- drop me a note and I'll see what I can put together for you! I think polls are great fun.
Link to the March Vanity Fair article about the making of The Graduate here. It's a nice, lengthy article with a terrific slideshow of pics from the set! The casting of Mrs. Robinson is an interesting read. I'll post a forever version over at Articles, but until I do, you really need to go check it out at their site.
Nice little blog article about Get Smart mentions Anne & Mel's fabulous relationship.
Another
interesting blog item,
quite a thoughtful little piece about Anne in Agnes of God,
although I don't agree with every idea presented here! As someone who
relishes the music of Edith Piaf, I think that my view of life is more
along the lines of Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien.
My good friend and fellow fanne Jody, with whom I had lunch earlier this week, sent me the news that someone posted a clip from Anne's "catatonic" Terry Wogan interview (1987) at YouTube. I agree with Jody when she says, "I don’t think it’s bad! She certainly isn’t catatonic!" See for yourself here and let me know what you think (the clip with Anne starts at about 5:55, right after the Christopher Lloyd scene). I think Anne is fine here, unless someone wants to tell me that she completely decompensated later in the show...? With shows like this, isn't it up to the host to ask more interesting questions than just "yes" or "no" questions? Why is it up to Anne to entertain him... it's his show, for God's sake!
I've been wrestling with myself as to whether to post this YouTube item. As someone noted in the comment section, it captures the essence of the bad director's commentary and is terribly funny in that way ("We rehearsed the scene by throwing forks"); but is it mocking The Miracle Worker itself? Would Anne be the first to laugh here, or not?
The second section mocks those who are sight impaired and was totally unnecessary and not at all funny. Don't even bother to watch this clip past the 2:22 mark.
So as you can see, I'm torn about it -- let me know what you think! It is never my goal to insult Anne's work or to offend my visitors.
A nice memory of Anne in this book review:
Authors Shirley and Jeff Lawrence cover various aspects of working in Hollywood beginning with the early years. They offer examples of how respect for the extras have changed over time.
When they first started working in television and film, extras were shown respect from other cast members. Jeff Lawrence recalls attending a movie premiere where Anne Bancroft remembered his name and introduced him and his wife to other well-known actors. On the flip side, the late Charlton Heston had a reputation for not liking extras, even taking films to Europe so he wouldn't have to pay them.
