peter otoole Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Who Are Your Favorite Movie Professors?
Filed under: Fandom », Harry Potter »
You can't turn around in a movie without bumping into a professor. If it's not Nicolas Cage as the unlikeliest astrophysicist to be granted tenure at M.I.T. in Knowing, just released on DVD, it's the passel of professors that will undoubtedly be presented in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, due out in theaters next Wednesday. Which kind of professor do you prefer?
My early impressions were formed by seeing the distinguished, imposing Harvard law professor John Houseman dress down Timothy Bottoms in James Bridges' The Paper Chase: "Here is a dime. Take it, call your mother, and tell her there is serious doubt about you ever becoming a lawyer." My impressions changed dramatically when I saw Raiders of the Lost Ark. Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones may have been more of a thrill-seeker than an academic, but he was driven by his love for archeology -- and a desire to share his knowledge with his students, no matter how distracted they were by his dreamy looks.
Movies have produced so many memorable professors that it's hard to narrow down the list, but here are my other favorites, and why:
-
Gary Cooper, Ball of Fire (Good-hearted and modest).
-
Orson Welles, The Stranger (Cold-hearted and scary; an alluring phony).
-
Jerry Lewis, The Nutty Professor (Makes you feel better about yourself).
-
Peter O'Toole, Creator (Zestful and enthusiastic; encourages free thinking).
-
Robin Williams, Dead Poets Society (Funny, if a bit too manic and pushy).
-
Michael Douglas, Wonder Boys (Wounded, but can still teach life lessons).
Who are your favorite movie professors?
Scenes We Love: My Favorite Year
Filed under: Comedy », Fandom », Trailers and Clips », Scenes We Love »
My Favorite Year... To me, this is the film that epitomizes innocent young love, awakening, and adult enjoyment. By this I mean that the Peter O'Toole-starring film was one I saw often as a child, and loved -- my grandmother and I putting the vhs or laser disc in and delighting in the manic world of Alan Swann, with added helpings of Mark Linn-Baker and Joe Bologna -- two of the best dudes from the '80s.
Back then, I loved the things a kid would love -- the big wow moments, especially Swann swinging through the air for his big finale. Then I got a little older, and I paid more attention all of those adult nuances and raunchy Swann that came to the forefront, gaining an added understanding and appreciation of my grandmother and her love of a man who delivered the bathroom line below. Such class!
But since the attached scene is so very brief, you can hit the jump and watch the great finale -- Swann flying through the air and getting that hard-to-reach moment to shine. In a voice-over, Linn-Baker says: "This is the way I like to remember him," and that has always been it for me and O'Toole. He's an amazing actor, who has appeared in everything from the highest of critical achievements to the dregs of cinema, but he never shines brighter than the moments when he gets to unleash his devilish charm.
Camilla Belle Going Biblical With Al Pacino?
Filed under: Drama », Casting », DIY/Filmmaking », Newsstand », Religious »
I scanned this Variety article in vain, looking for some mention that Cecil B. DeMille had arisen from the grave purely to revive bombastic Biblical epics. But no. Nor is it April 1, so this has to be legitimate, as unlikely as it seems.Apparently, Aloe Films is producing a film called Mary, Mother of Christ with Camilla Belle in the title role. But it's the rest of the cast and characters that sends this into truly "Whoa, really?" land. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is signed to play the duel roles of Gabriel and Lucifer, while Peter O'Toole will be playing Symeon. Currently in talks to join in are Al Pacino and Jessica Lange, who are interested in playing King Herod and Anna the Prophetess.
Start to think that over in your mind -- the crazy eyed Rhys Meyers as archangel and devil, and Al Pacino as King Herod. That's like John Wayne /Greatest Story Ever Told territory, and will either end up cinematic gold or mocked on YouTube.
The film will be helmed not by a resurrected DeMille, but by Alejandro Agresti, and it's currently aiming for a April 2, 2010 release which will coincide with Good Friday, making it one of those event films on par with The Passion of the Christ or The Nativity Story.
I don't mean to sound snarky at all, though I wince at the political and religious frenzy that seems to surround such releases. I'm merely surprised at the level of talent that's attached to this, yet it warranted such a whispery mention in Variety -- it's almost like they can't quite believe it either.
A New Book in Praise of Cinema's Hellraisers
Filed under: New Releases », Celebrities and Controversy », Fandom »
I loved the drinking and the waking up in the morning and finding I was in Mexico. It was part and parcel of being an idiot. -Peter O'TooleTodays "idiots," so to speak, lack a certain finesse. There are lots a tabloids that capture their every move, but they don't really create the stories we'd want to read about later. Some of the old-school rabble rousers, however... Reuters reports that Robert Sellers is releasing a book on May 29 called Hellraisers: The Life and Inebriated Times of Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Peter O'Toole, and Oliver Reed.
In the description on Amazon, it says: "It's a story of drunken binges of near biblical proportions, parties and orgies, broken marriages, drugs, riots, and wanton sexual conquests." Of course, I want to read it. It's funny how some talent and far-reaching charisma can make risque stories all the more intriguing. Perhaps that's the gauge of true talent -- will we still like them after they mess up? Again? And again?
Then again, the stories are also a little bit more interesting than racial slurs to cops or ladies showing their glory boxes to the world at large -- although the old tales are not all charming. But still, I can't resist a book full of My Favorite Year.
Trailer For Sienna Miller's 'Stardust' Online
Filed under: Action », Drama », Romance », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Family Films », Comic/Superhero/Geek », Daniel Craig »
In the span of two minutes and 24 seconds, this Stardust has gone from a movie I couldn't care less about to something I'm pretty stoked to see. Head over to kino-express to check out the new trailer, which looks pretty darn cool to me. (It's a foreign site, but don't be afraid. Just click the play button). This is an unusual preview -- for the first minute it's just Sienna Miller cutting a deal with a suitor. He's got one week to cross "The Wall" into a magical land and bring her back a falling star, or she's going to marry someone else. It's a minute and a half in before we get any action, but once things gets moving, it's got a very Princess Bride feel to me. And if it's 1/10th as good as that movie, we'll really have something. The film stars Robert DeNiro (who's swordfighting in the trailer) as pirate Captain Shakespeare, Michelle Pfeiffer (who appears to get naked in the trailer) as witch Lamia, and Claire Danes (who...runs around looking scared in the trailer) as Yvaine.Stardust is being described as an "adult fairy tale," a genre that is tonally very difficult to nail. It was directed by Matthew Vaughn, who did the super cool Daniel Craig flick Layer Cake, also with Miller. Vaughn wrote the screenplay with Jane Goldman, based on Neil Gaiman's beloved book. The movie has a terrific British supporting cast, with Peter O'Toole as a King, Rupert Everett, Waking Ned Devine's David Kelly, and one of the funniest men alive, Ricky Gervais (If you've never seen his BBC series Office, do yourself a favor and throw it in the Netflix queue). Ian McKellen is the narrator. It's currently scheduled to be released here on August 10th. What do you think -- are you excited?
Peter Jackson Says Spielberg's 'Tintin' is Done Filming, but...
Interracial Harmony: 'Ninja Assassin' vs. 'Blind Side'
Spin-ematical: New on DVD for 11/24_thumbnail.jpg)
Exclusive 'Nine' Poster Premiere!
Exclusive: Title Track for 'The Road' Soundtrack
_thumbnail.jpg)
