Comments on: Michael Burnside: Sexual Sniper

By: dcairns

dcairns — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:29:22 +0000

I think I’ve heard Scorsese talk about his dad’s brother, whom his dad was always trying keep out of trouble, and citing that as a model for Mean Streets. This would make it a lot more personal. And he’s certainly been erased from the textbooks,

By: David Ehrenstein

David Ehrenstein — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:04:14 +0000

I’s like Mean Streets. He’s Johnny Boy to Marty’s Charlie. Not sure if he’s still alive. The classic “black sheep of the family.”

By: dcairns

dcairns — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:03:03 +0000

I’m still aiming to get ahold of Horse Thief sometime. Scorsese part-funded the Force of Evil restoration, it says.

So, what’s the big secret with the brother?

By: David Ehrenstein

David Ehrenstein — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:59:55 +0000

Marty Scorsese has always been crazy about Force of Evil. The relationship between the brothers mirrors that of Marty and his own brother — the one no one ever talks about.

By: David Ehrenstein

David Ehrenstein — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:58:12 +0000

Abe’s last film Romance of a Horse Thief is a mad masterpiece. What a cast: Eli Wallach, Yul Brynner, Lanie Kazan, Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg. Not to be missed under any circumstances.

By: dcairns

dcairns — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:54:55 +0000

I like some of Kramer’s Zinneman productions, and The 5.000 Fingers of Dr T is a masterpiece.

Funny about Polonsky, I was just re-watching Force of Evil (great DVD restoration!) I think Dmytryk was in deep deep denial about just what he’d done and why he’d done it.

By: David Ehrenstein

David Ehrenstein — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:45:29 +0000

It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad Waorld is seldom funny, but often terrifying. Few things are quite as scary as Ethel Merman in Cinerama.

As for 1941, don’t get me started — I just adore it! It’s Spielberg’s Party Girl.

By: David Ehrenstein

David Ehrenstein — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:42:07 +0000

Actually Kramer isn’t that bad a director. I quite like On the Beach, and The Runner Stumbles is a sublmely insane “late period” movie.

As for Dymytriyk, Abraham Polonsky told me that when he was hired by Universal in the mid-sixties, after struggling for years as a “front” he crossed Dymyrick’ path in the studio cafeteria. “Abe how are you?” Dymytryk called out cheerfully. “Fuck you!” Abe just as cheerfully replied.