Comments on: Dramatic Ironmongery http://dcairns.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/dramatic-ironmongery/ David Cairns' wilfully eccentric film blog. Fri, 16 May 2008 04:34:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: dcairns http://dcairns.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/dramatic-ironmongery/#comment-2808 dcairns Mon, 05 May 2008 15:20:30 +0000 http://dcairns.wordpress.com/?p=728#comment-2808 I think I know somebody who has them all (and who may have some good Ken Russell stories) so I shall chase them up. I think I know somebody who has them all (and who may have some good Ken Russell stories) so I shall chase them up.

]]> By: David Ehrenstein http://dcairns.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/dramatic-ironmongery/#comment-2806 David Ehrenstein Mon, 05 May 2008 13:21:55 +0000 http://dcairns.wordpress.com/?p=728#comment-2806 <i>Putney Swope</i> is his best, but <i>Pound</i> (Jr's debut) and <i>Greaser's Palace</i> are pretty teriffic. His very earliest work <i>Ball's Bluff</i> starred the great Taylor Mead. <i>No More Excuses</i> is also good. I loved his billing: "Robert Downey, a Prince." Putney Swope is his best, but Pound (Jr’s debut) and Greaser’s Palace are pretty teriffic. His very earliest work Ball’s Bluff starred the great Taylor Mead. No More Excuses is also good.

I loved his billing: “Robert Downey, a Prince.”

]]> By: dcairns http://dcairns.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/dramatic-ironmongery/#comment-2800 dcairns Mon, 05 May 2008 09:11:13 +0000 http://dcairns.wordpress.com/?p=728#comment-2800 The makers were obviously pretty confident -- the trailer for a sequel at the end of the end credits is quite enticing. USUALLY banking on a sequel is a jinx, but this one is obviously gonna happen. Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury, agent of SHIELD is exciting to the fanboy in me (Tony is a little boy who lives in my mouth). Although I wonder if attempting to do The Avengers, as promised, will make the films unaffordable, like X-Men or Star Trek, where the number of star salaries starts to make the thing prohibitively expensive. Doesn't matter who the actors are, once they've been cast as a recurring character they can write their own ticket. The only Downey Snr film I saw is Putney Swope, but it was pretty terrific. Pool Girl is available to rent here so I'm going to try that one next. The makers were obviously pretty confident — the trailer for a sequel at the end of the end credits is quite enticing. USUALLY banking on a sequel is a jinx, but this one is obviously gonna happen. Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury, agent of SHIELD is exciting to the fanboy in me (Tony is a little boy who lives in my mouth). Although I wonder if attempting to do The Avengers, as promised, will make the films unaffordable, like X-Men or Star Trek, where the number of star salaries starts to make the thing prohibitively expensive. Doesn’t matter who the actors are, once they’ve been cast as a recurring character they can write their own ticket.

The only Downey Snr film I saw is Putney Swope, but it was pretty terrific. Pool Girl is available to rent here so I’m going to try that one next.

]]> By: David Ehrenstein http://dcairns.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/dramatic-ironmongery/#comment-2799 David Ehrenstein Mon, 05 May 2008 00:34:46 +0000 http://dcairns.wordpress.com/?p=728#comment-2799 Well <i>Iron Man</i> just made $100 million U.S. on its opening weekend. Add foreign debuts and its $200 million. Well Iron Man just made $100 million U.S. on its opening weekend. Add foreign debuts and its $200 million.

]]> By: David Ehrenstein http://dcairns.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/dramatic-ironmongery/#comment-2794 David Ehrenstein Sun, 04 May 2008 21:12:59 +0000 http://dcairns.wordpress.com/?p=728#comment-2794 Downey's at his very absolute best in Curtis Hanson's <i>Wonder Boys</i>, where his love interest is Toby Maguire Downey’s at his very absolute best in Curtis Hanson’s Wonder Boys, where his love interest is Toby Maguire

]]> By: David Ehrenstein http://dcairns.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/dramatic-ironmongery/#comment-2793 David Ehrenstein Sun, 04 May 2008 21:10:27 +0000 http://dcairns.wordpress.com/?p=728#comment-2793 <a href="http://ehrensteinland.com/htmls/g008/robertdowneyjnr.html" rel="nofollow">Here's what he's like in person.</a> I knew his father back in the day. When I first met Jr. he had just learned to walk. Here’s what he’s like in person. I knew his father back in the day. When I first met Jr. he had just learned to walk.

]]> By: dcairns http://dcairns.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/dramatic-ironmongery/#comment-2791 dcairns Sun, 04 May 2008 19:38:32 +0000 http://dcairns.wordpress.com/?p=728#comment-2791 Well, I still like Downey fine onscreen, and this way he'll live longer. Have no idea what he's like in person, maybe the drugs kept him mellow. But as long as he doesn't just make more Iron Men and uses his extended lifespan to do some good stuff, I' fine with him. I didn't want to be too mean about Terrence Howard because I don't know his other work much, and this was definitely a role that would be tough for anyone to be any good in. Though I guess a positive decision to play him as one thing or another would have helped. How about some TRAITS, guys? Well, I still like Downey fine onscreen, and this way he’ll live longer. Have no idea what he’s like in person, maybe the drugs kept him mellow. But as long as he doesn’t just make more Iron Men and uses his extended lifespan to do some good stuff, I’ fine with him.

I didn’t want to be too mean about Terrence Howard because I don’t know his other work much, and this was definitely a role that would be tough for anyone to be any good in. Though I guess a positive decision to play him as one thing or another would have helped. How about some TRAITS, guys?

]]> By: David Ehrenstein http://dcairns.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/dramatic-ironmongery/#comment-2790 David Ehrenstein Sun, 04 May 2008 19:35:08 +0000 http://dcairns.wordpress.com/?p=728#comment-2790 Kind of a sick thing to say, but There It Is. Kind of a sick thing to say, but There It Is.

]]> By: David Ehrenstein http://dcairns.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/dramatic-ironmongery/#comment-2789 David Ehrenstein Sun, 04 May 2008 19:34:23 +0000 http://dcairns.wordpress.com/?p=728#comment-2789 I passed on screening of it for the precise reason that I've already seen <i>Robocop</i>. Terence Howard puts me to sleep. As for Downey, the word round town is that we liked him better before Rehab. I passed on screening of it for the precise reason that I’ve already seen Robocop.

Terence Howard puts me to sleep.

As for Downey, the word round town is that we liked him better before Rehab.

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