Comments on: Goblin March Sea Dream

By: dcairns

dcairns — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:12:02 +0000

I’m glad something positive came out of Lost Horizon!

As Michael Caine said, “People tell me that Jaws: The Revenge was a terrible film, and I say ‘Yes, but it paid for a very nice house!’” (For his old mum.)

By: David Ehrenstein

David Ehrenstein — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:20:10 +0000

The Ross Hunter-produced, Liv Ullman-starred musical version of Los Horizon (with songs by Burt Bacaharach and Hal David) was scripted by Larry Kramer.

Yes, THAT Larry Kramer. Ross Hunter paid Larry so much money he was able to buy the condo in which he’s resisded ever since at One Fifth Ave AND found ACT-UP. So the fight against AIDS was jump-started by one of the worst movie musicals of all-time.

By: dcairns

dcairns — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:41:21 +0000

It’s a striking memory in my head because even though I thought I hated the film for its sheer negativity, lines from it remain welded onto my consciousness. “Liv Ullman? Are you SURE???”
My friend David Wingrove saw it, I think in Ireland, with an obviously unprepared audience of Sound of Music fans who just about vaporized in shock when Julie A follows in Liv’s footsteps.

By: David Ehrenstein

David Ehrenstein — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:30:31 +0000

I had quite a different reaction. I went to the press screening with Rafe Blasi, a now log-departed film fan and publicity legend. We were both rolling over in gales of laughter as we knew all of the people and Hollywood stroes Edwards was parodying in the film. Some of the dialogue was direct quotes — liie the character based on Robert Evans claiming that he reallyy knows how to cut movies.

In New York Rafe started the quasi-legendary New York Film Bulletin — a little mag of the 60’s back when we all cared too damned much about Jean-Luc Godard. Later he got a job as publicist at 20th Century-Fox during the era described so well by John Gregory Dunne in The Studio. Fox was having trouble with Star! in early previews and the powers-that-were felt a new title was in order. So they had a briandstorming session and during a lull Rafe opined “I’m sorry but the only title that really fits is Bitch of Broadway.”

Sadly Fox didn’t use it.

By: dcairns

dcairns — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:38:55 +0000

S.O.B. is one dark, dark film... would love to see it again. I think it depressed me for a week the first time. But so did Britannia Hospital and I love it now.

By: dcairns

dcairns — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:33:02 +0000

Sunset Boulevard is maybe my favourite screenwriter film.

Am still trying to work out whether Orson’s bathroom advice would be worth following.

By: Kris

Kris — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:15:11 +0000

hmmmm I dreamed last night that I had a hole in my back and could reach behind me to grab my own spine, that was a bit stressful as well.

But since we are pitying Directors and Producers, how about the poor Writers?
-That’s more like planning what kind of sex to have and then letting someone else have it while they laugh into your face and … oh this is getting weird now…

By: alex

alex — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:15:18 +0000

i had a terrific anxiety dream where orson welles emerged from my toilet bowl and daubed advice on my bathroom wall in blood, faeces, and blue disinfectant

By: David Ehrenstein

David Ehrenstein — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:22:03 +0000

Blake Edwards’ S.O.B. is entirely about the plight of a producer.

By: dcairns

dcairns — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:22:37 +0000

Yeah, I can’t think of many films about the plight of the poor producer…which may be the best evidence for the auteur theory!

Only exceptionally nice producers actually resist interfering. But even Fritz Lang admitted they can HELP.

The night before shooting the big climax of Cry For Bobo I dreamt we were in the location but we were getting chucked out in ten minutes and we still had a dozen shots to do. As a bog-standard anxiety dream it was so boring it woke me up.