Link He Wrote
Friday, October 25, 2013 at 8:16AM GQ Michael Fassbender profiled
Deadline Octavia Spencer in a Murder She Wrote reboot? Maybe because I think procedurals are the most formulaic of all genres and entirely dependable on personality to be distinctive at all this sounds like a great idea to me. To others (Angela Lansbury super fans) it will surely sound like sacrilege.
MCN Late October and still no Best Picture frontrunner?
Empire Team Gattaca reuniting: Andrew Niccol and Ethan Hawke making another film together. Call me when Uma & Jude join and we'll talk.
Anatomy of a Scene Blue is the Warmest Color I'm bookmarking this one and waiting till I've seen the movie. Hopefully today
Antagony & Ecstasy on Dario Argento's Dracula 3D
MNPP Jamie Dornan has been cast in 50 Shades of Grey but you need to know who appreciated him first. Besides Keira Knightley
Pajiba amputee Josh Sundquist wins Halloween again. Incredible costume!
Coming Soon an unfortunate typecasting niche: John Ridley, who wrote a beautiful script for 12 Years a Slave has signed on to the remake of Ben-Hur which is, in case you've forgotten, also a slavery narrative.
The Advocate on the Oscar eligible LGBT documentary hopeful Bridegroom
Off Cinema
New Yorker "the dream of keeping poor people from seeing the doctor must never die." I love this but it's also sad that political satire barely has to try these days to be accurate!
Vanity Fair "The Ronan Farrow Love & Politics Dreamboat Hour"
Todays' Watch
The sounds of Gravity... (I'm not sure if it's going to win Best Picture but it seems likely that it walks away with the most statues even if it doesn't.)
Horror Fest 2013
Though horror is not among my favorite movie genres I really had a great time viewing a few seminal movies and working on the Best Horror Pre-Exorcist / Post-Exorcist group lists that we did for this haunted month. I'm realizing, as I stated on the latest podcast (one of my favorite episodes actually!), that maybe I like horror films more than I thought but that it's actually just the slasher sub-genre that I hate. Since I came of movie age in the 80s, I now understand that I equate the entire genre with slashers, for whom I have no use. I just find those movies repulsive and politically suspect (so much sexism and conservativism) and I just need more artistry in my movies.
But anyway my point is this: two members of the team shared more at their personal blogs and you should read them: Michael's Top Ten Lists with commentary ; Jason's own Pre-Pazuzu / Post-Pazuzu lists... and if you like horror Jason is one of THE voices on the web you should be obsessing on. I actually credit him with opening my heart up to the genre slowly over the past few years, like one rib at a time ...now that it's open, don't get stabby with it!
P.S. I ♥ Shelley Duvall in The Shining so much -- f*** everyone who thinks she's terrible in it! -- and that is my last word on these horror lists we did for this season.
Reader Comments (22)
As a Murder, She Wrote fan (I watched it semi-obsessively as a little kid, along with Father Dowling Mysteries and Unsolved Mysteries), Octavia Spencer will have pretty big shoes to fill. I'm kind of optimistic about it, however. Spencer has the acting chops and warm presence to work well in this part. I just hope TV doesn't keep her away from interesting film roles should they come along. She's rarely given much to do, but she's a sheer joy to watch even in thankless mom roles like Fruitvale Station.
I too think Octavia's a great pick, and it's nice to see her getting a solid gig like this. She is super likable (even though I think her Oscar win is RIDICULOUS I can see how she charmed everybody into it). And I mean a black female lead on a network show is never ever something to scoff at. I doubt I'll be watching the show but The Olds have got to be tired of the Lansbury repeats by now, right?
But really I just wanna say thanks for the kindness, Nat! I love that you equated the process with open heart surgery too, it's like something sick straight out of Suspiria. Hooray! My work here is done (and I explode into a puff of glitter never to be seen again)
Duvall is fucking awesome in the Shining because Kubrick pushed her like a fucker during filming. (Plus she's immensely talented.)
Nathan I'm pro category "fraud". Octavia Spencer now believes she is somebody and we have BAFTA and Oscar to thank for that. When a non-entity like Spencer is given encouragement that they actually did something merited or special--they did not by the way--we're stuck with them taking up space from real talent and wasting money. Nobody wants to see you or Sidibe for that matter.
I'm all for the MURDER SHE WROTE remake. Spencer will be great in it, but I really want Lansbury to make a guest appearance and FINALLY win her Emmy. Yes, we know she's Oscar-less, but she's also 0 out of 18 Emmy nominations. Sacrilege!
W.J. -- since tv thrives on that sort of warm 'welcome to my living room' presence, you're right that that's why i think it will work. Octavia was never going to work as a lead in films really (i don't mean this dismissively but she's just not a distinctive enough actress to overcome not looking anything like a leading lady (and I'm not talking ethnicity) so key supporting roles are where it's at but a weekly tv series that is about presence more than anything else? YES.
BVR -- i only brought that up because it's halloween and i've noticed yet again more blogposts dissing her around the web. i dont get why people can't see her brilliance in that role.I've never been chased by an axe murderer and hope never to speak from experience on this but Duvall's performance has always read as 100% authentic to me.
/3rtful -- I don't understand what category fraud has to do with Octavia. And I also don't understand what Sidibe has to do with ANYTHING (she was not mentioned in the post) or why you'd group them together since they are very different actresses.
JA -- dont vanish in a puff of glitter how ever gif worthy such a feat would be.
ryan t-- what a great idea. passing the baton as it were.
If we have to reboot Murder she Wrote, I think Spencer is a good choice. The success will depend on how they set it.
And 50 Shades is cursed. It will be nearly impossible for any man to live up to the perception of Christian that so many have built up for themselves. I thought Hunnan was a perfect choice. But the backlash was so out of proportion.
Nat: As for the choice of material? There are enough weaknesses in the 1959 Ben-Hur (even relative to other films of the time (ESPECIALLY when thrown up against Spartacus, a very similar film that got released only one year later)) that I could see someone wanting to do it over, so I'm actually pretty intrigued but still maybe a bit frustrated over the type casting.
You complain that category fraud prevents genuine supporting personalities (Spencer) from winning Oscars. And in the end if that's what category fraud does is prevent the Spencer(s) of the world from winning ever again. Bring on the category fraud.
The Sidibe jab was unfair...but her masturbation scene from Coven is fresh in my mind and the audience reaction on Twitter agrees with the notion people aren't trying to look at her either. Please write-up the episode swiftly.
I'm sour over Viola's loss and the sting comes from Spencer's unquestioned victory march to the podium enrages. Also can anyone on paper think otherwise that Viola had a real shot. Oscar history dictates that black women and Glenn Close have shit luck at these ceremonies so a Streep victory isn't as far-fetched as it felt some years earlier when the third Oscar kept eluding her.
/3rtful -- though i share the sourness over Viola's loss don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.there are plenty of unremarkable lead performances that win. no need to crap on character actors just because you didn't like one of them that happened to.
Genuinely excited to hear your thoughts on Blue Is The Warmest Color. It's a movie that I could understand having any reaction to, good or bad. It's a messy film in a lot of ways, but I will admit, I totally fell in love with it.
A remake of Ben-Hur makes me kinda sick. It's my favorite film, and why do all of our memories have to be pissed on with these stupid, needless reduxes. I can see it now: Chris Hemsworth will play Ben-Hur, Amy Adams as Esther, and Johnny Knoxville as Messala. Leprosy will be CGI'd up the ying-yang. Taylor Swift will sing the theme.
Nooooo! Procedurals get remade too??? Does that mean in 20 years Law & order will start all over again? Or that we will never get rid of Horatio in CSI?
If it's going to happen anyway, please let it be as awful as Charlie's Angels remake so that there's some added fun.
no need to crap on character actors
There was a pun intended here, right? Talking about her role in The Help<7i>...
3rtful - You sound bitter and angry. Don't throw Sidibe under the bus like that.
They really are going to remake everything, aren't they?
Murder She Wrote rebooting could be wonderful or terrible. I don't think there's a lot of room for middle ground with that series. LOVE the guest spot idea though.
Apparently they are also rebooting my favorite 80s show Remington Steele with a daughter that follows in mom's footsteps as a PI. Here's hoping they have lots of guest spots too, though after hearing the stories of the rivalry on set, I'm not sure how likely they are to show up in episodes together.
3rtful, i've read you over many many years now and i'm used to your antics, which i find amusing sometimes (saying this without irony). But your comment above really grated on me. I'm not a fan of Octavia's win two years ago (that should've gone to Vanessa Redgrave), but i did enjoy her performance and in think she was the best in my knowledge who could've played Minnie. Ranting on her, offensively dismissing her and calling her a non-entity just because you're angry that Viola was not the one who took the Oscar is just pathological. She's a fine character actor, and i doubt that she's taking jobs that could go to a large number of people. Get some perspective here.
The Sidibe rant was just incomprehensible. It's times like these when i wonder if you're actually capable of being rational and critical, instead of a zany bitter zealot.
Yeah, Sibide and Spencer have nothing in common.
@ Jones
I appreciate you taking the time to write me. Most simply post an insult and move on. You took the time to say you'll read my posts not with dismissive disdain but with some eager objectivity. And for that I want to thank you.
I'm passionate. And when that energy is used to express negativity it's toxic and insensitive.
A remake of Ben-Hur - WTF! But hey we may get to see Ben and Messala lock tongues this time. It's only a thought!
A) Sidibe and Spencer have absolutely nothing to do with each other and B) how are you gonna be mad about the masturbation scene from AHS? As ridiculous as it absolutely was, it was writing, not Gabby.
When I heard the news about Murder She Wrote and Octavia something about it just felt so right. I'm excited.