Different Slants

On the topic of: Unexpected Pleasures of viewing  sexy blonde actresses pretending to be Jewish (excluding Marilyn Monroe – who would be 82 now if she was still living — and who converted before she married Arthur Miller, in July 1956, and the stunning Scarlett Johansson, who doesn’t need to)  I offer the delectable:

                               Melanie Griffith

Who, in an interesting example of strategic career choices, decided to make movies about these exotic Biblical people, twice.

In A stranger Among Us  (1992), she play a tough cop who goes undercover by assuming the identity of a Hasidic single woman who has ‘strayed’ from the sect and then chooses to return to it.  This allows her to have no connections to any of the other Hasidic communities in the Northeastern US area and therefore eliminating any way of tracing who she was, if some suspicious person wanted to do that. 

She is first introduced as gorgeous, physically competent, brave, very effective with a gun and sexually free young woman, but whose life is going nowhere.  She comes across as vaguely unhappy and aimless.  But, of course, still well built.

Then a murder occurs in a New York City’s Jewish Hasidic community and she is assigned to find out who did it–a difficult task in the insular, extremely observant religious community.  

After she is allowed to live in a kind of dorm as a single woman with no money, and gradually blends in with the sharply gender-divided responsibilities each person assumes, she displays a kind of fascination with what she learns and wonders why the women put up with so many restrictions on their freedom of choice, or in other words, the unrestricted  life Melanie is living.

Besides being a murder mystery, the movie is a glimpse into a seldom seen on the screen, every day frozen-in-time world of the Hasids, who also speak Yiddish almost exclusively among themselves, but not around Melanie.  Yiddish–a Middle-European dialect that arose about a thousand years ago as millions of Jews gradually migrated north and east from their original Middle Eastern homeland–is a blend of German, Polish and Hebrew.                                                 (Read on …)

Now, here’s a perfect reason for me to wish I had a world-wide readership of hundreds of millions of movie lovers who shared my taste in great films:

Along comes a truly superb new movie, “Honeydrippers”, a new John Sayles film that is playing in probably twelve art theaters, total, across America and it’ll probably disappear beneath the radar without making barely a ripple.  What a travesty!!

To me, power is the ability to do good on a large scale, not just to savor one’s invincibility.

If I had power like that, I’d compel writers all across America to command movie theater-goers to rush down to their local movie houses, buy lots of tickets and to support Sayles’ wonderful new movie.  Or maybe people would go just because I told them to, because they trusted my taste and judgment.  I’m pretty sure I’m not there yet, in terms of my powers of persuasion.  But…that could change.  Persistence helps, and this is my column # 5.

I met Sayles once, years ago, at the Javits Center in New York City where they held the National Stationary Show every May.  I had a bookstore at the time and we sold tons of postcards and movie posters and other items you could only find at a giant showplace like the Javits Center.  I was addicted to independent cinema since I was a teen, so even though indie movie director/writer/producer John Sayles was not a face you’d ever see on the cover of any magazine, like say, Alfred Hitchcock was, years ago, or Martin Scorsese might be today,  I knew immediately who he was. 

(Read on …)

   So, I was thinking about America’s nineteen century two-term President Andrew Jackson—whom I sure wish was president of the USA right now, because even dead, he’d be far better than our current disaster—and that led me to thinking about the actor Yul Brynner.  Brynner’s greatest fame came from playing The King and I (1956) and as Chris, in The Magnificent Seven (1960) one of the most revered Westerns of all time, even though based on the earlier Japanese Seven Samurai (1954)  

People who know me won’t be very surprised at this arc of connection, because I find that thinking about time is very fluid and a person’s conscious memories and subconscious memories can make lightening fast connections on the slightest thread-like basis. 

That must be the case in this instance, because the distance between Andrew Jackson (died 1862) and Yul Brynner (died 1985) is a lot more than six degrees of separation, because Jackson, the 8th U.S. President, was born in South Carolina 148 years before Brynner, born (some people speculate) on Sakhalin Island (east of Siberia and north of Japan)  in 1915.

So, here’s the thought process that connects those historic people to this movie, The Buccaneer (1958) I saw as a child, and really liked: 

Many years ago, I read this story about Andrew Jackson, born in March, 1767.  He was the son of Irish immigrants and orphaned at the age of fourteen.  At thirteen, he enlisted in the Revolutionary War as a mounted orderly, at a time in 1780 when the rebelling American Colonial forces under General George Washington were experiencing heavy losses against the British General Sir William Cornwallis.

(Read on …)

  It is SO cold in Chicago, my wife Joy and I are now sleeping with our three dogs, Betsy the complacent Beagle, Rosy the hyper miniature Dachshund, and Jasmine the beautiful Spaniel/Labrador, PLUS a borrowed very white and neurotic Boxer, Burly, who doesn’t mind standing on a person’s chest if it makes it easier for him to see something outside of the bedroom window.   That, a thick warm quilt and some human cuddling and we make it thru the night.  It’s a Mixed-Mammal Jamboree!!

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I rarely see a movie twice.  I often see some movie critics say, “Oh, I saw Bicycle Thief (1947) 40 times!” or, “Citizen Kane (1941) is so endlessly fascinating, I’ve seen it at least once a week for the last twenty years!!”.

Well, good for them. 

I have a life, four children, (dogs) a kind of a job and not the luxury of such an indulgence of time to lavish on filmed art.   There are far too many new and wonderful movies pouring into America every week for me to choose to miss most of their short theater release time to go and see any movie twice. 

Besides, none of the examples given above are Westerns, which are, of course, excluded from any of this discussion of limited choices and time. 

Seeing Shane (1953) is a religious experience and any additional viewings gets me extra points with the Movie Gods, for the eventual time when I want an excellent seat for the Great Drive-In in the sky.  But…I can wait a while for that.

However, I have seen The Great Debaters twice and just may see it again.

Man, this is a stunning movie about obscure Black Southern United States history I never heard of, with a cast I mostly have never seen.  So much talent exists in the Black acting community and it somehow remains virtually invisible.   Producers and directors go hunting for fresh faces in places as far away as Australia to cast their movies (ok, yeah, Naomi Watts is hot, yes…) and yet here in America there exists so many unused terrific actors and actresses. 

(Read on …)

By your cinema slave, Robert M. Katzman

Well, a different week and some other movies for you (and me) to think about.

1) Years ago, I saw this delightfully imaginative Czech animated film, more oriented toward adults than children, but quite surreal in its imagery called Fantastic Planet.  I read that within it are subtle political references to the Czech desire to be free from Russian domination.  I am no authority on that subject, but since the film was made in 1973, five years after the Soviet Union’s bloody and brutal suppression of a Czech independence movement in August 1968, that wouldn’t be so surprising. 

By coincidence, that is also same month and year of the infamous Chicago Police Department’s equally bloody and brutal suppression of thousands of young,  politically liberal and/or independent student voices protesting Mayor Richard J. Daley’s Chicago Machine and the Democratic National Convention across the street from the Downtown Conrad Hilton Hotel  in what was then called Grant Park.  

My co-writer of this DifferentSlants.com blog, Rick Munden, was there with other friends of ours and told me he was caught in the Police and National Guard round-up and enveloped in a cloud of tear gas.  No one was killed, and Rick and his friends escaped the net, but the violence was horrifying to the city and nation, and terrifying to all its victims. 

Now, that first Mayor Daley’s son is the current Chicago Mayor and that internationally known battleground site in Grant Park is now called “Millennium Park” very neatly obliterating any unpleasant historical references to the Daley family, who have run the City of Chicago political world for a total of about 40 years, and counting.  Now, that’s a ‘political dynasty’, man!

In any event, rent or buy the animated film.  It’s wonderful and not impossible to find, with a little effort.

2) A relatively current Western from a few years back, Open Range, fits my Western film addiction perfectly.  Kevin Costner, who should only make Westerns from this point on, and Robert Duvall as his much older friend and trail boss, are a perfect on-screen relationship, both effectively displaying decades of hard won experience and competence carving out a physically demanding existence in an un-romanticized  harsh Western landscape.           (Read on …)

By your cinema slave, Robert M. Katzman 

Thoughts, ideas and suggestions from a guy who sees 200 movies a year and loves the thrill of discovering a truly great film.

Rick knows about this addicting lifelong passion of mine and suggested I post here the steady stream of movie recommendations I send to him and others who view movies as God’s gift to popcorn manufacturers. So, with no pattern or plan, I’ll be surfing thru time with some worthy ideas:

Groundhog Day and Scrooged, two Bill Murray classics that would make a great double feature.   So here’s an interesting actress trivia note: 

Carol Kane, an extraordinary but mostly unheralded actress ( born in 1952) who played a very funny (and savage) flying Avenging Angel in Scrooged also played the shy young prostitute in Jack Nicholson’s Last Detail; the smart but jilted Jewish wife who immigrates from Russia to be with her philandering idiot husband in the obscure and classic film Hester Street; the red-hot mama character who “makes all the frozen food melt” in the grocery store, in My Blue Heaven with Steve Martin; was a minor character in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall; in Princess Bride she played a very heavily disguised ancient Yiddish wife to Billy Crystal’s equally hysterical old Yiddish husband (both with authentic accents) ; and lastly, she was the looney music teacher in the smash new Disney teeny-bopper hit High School Musical (1).  

She is a great example of a terrific actress whom almost no one knows by name.  Check her out.  She’s a gem.

For younger Western fans, and I sure hope there are still some  of you left who appreciate a story where a man sleeps with his horse, by choice, here’s a couple of good ones. Older guys like me (57) already saw them over and over.

Warlock–Henry Fonda and Anthony Quinn. Fonda’s very, very fast with his brace of very fancy matched guns and doesn’t know that his tough, grim and older back-up guy, Quinn, is stuck on him. Great story.

Witness–Harrison Ford.  Kind of a Mid-Western really, but any movie that features a half-naked Amish woman and dancing in a hay-loft in a wooden barn to “What A Wonderful World” is worth your time.  Harrison Ford in the barn-raising scene is no act on his part.  He was a carpenter for years before he made it in Hollywood.  I love that part, since I am also someone who builds things out of wood.  Oh, and Danny Glover dies in a silo.  Watch out for those Amish!!

Rosewood–90 years ago, something terrible happened Down South. True story.  A great, mostly unknown, black cast, including Ving Rhames as a World War I veteran. Don’t mess with him (even if his real-life first name is…Irving).  He’s very impressive as someone who embodies just barely contained volcanic power and anger. With Don Cheadle and John Voight. 

No, it’s not in Texas or Arizona, but I keep it with the Westerns in my collection.  I can do whatever I want, you know. It has the feeling and characteristics of a good tense Western with clear heroes, horses, suspense, terror and courage.

A currently playing and emotionally very tough film to watch  …but ultimately worth it, is:  The Savages, about two dysfunctional siblings and their dying father. 

Laura Linny and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, superlative in anything they choose to do, are the adult children. Try not to miss seeing it in a theater.  With Phillip Bosco, who was the suave and wealthy father in Working Girl.

Feel free to post your thoughts, responses and fave films. Five at a time seems about right for me, otherwise, people who visit this site may become overwhelmed and hide in a closet.

See you, under the flickering light…

Soon.

Bob Katzman

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Robert M. Katzman, owner of Fighting Words Publishing Company, with four different titles currently in print and over 4,000 books sold to date, is seeking more retail outlets for his vivid and non-fiction inspirational books: 

 

Independent bookstores, Jewish and other religious organizations, Chicago historical societies or groups, English teachers who want a new voice in their class who was a witness to history, book clubs, high schools or museum gift shops.  I will support anyone who supports me by giving readings in the Chicago Metro area.  I have done this over 40 times, and I always sign my books, when asked.  Everyone, positively everyone, asks.  I was amazed, at first, by that.

 

Individuals who wish to order my books can view the four book covers and see reviews of them at www.FightingWordsPubco.com 

 

There are links to YouTube and podcasts, as well.  Or, anyone can call me directly at (847) 274-1474.  Googling my name will also produce all kinds of unusual results.  That other Robert M. Katzman, now deceased, whose name will also appear and who also published, was a doctor.  He actually bought one of my books!  Such a nice man.  Rest in peace, Dr. Katzman.

 

There will be short poems, stories and essays published in this space every two weeks by either myself or my co-blogist Richard G. Munden, or both.  If you find our postings thought provoking, moving or even amusing, please tell others to come view this site.  We will find our strength in your numbers.

 

 Next year, I will publish my fifth book, a collection of my best poetry and essays, called,

                                         

        I Seek the Praise of Ordinary Men

 

Individuals who know of independent bookstores that might be interested in a rough-hewn guy like me, who ran a chain of newsstands for 20 years in Chicago, please tell them about my books, will you?  I am partial to independent bookstores, having owned two, myself, until my last one was killed by the giant chains, in 1994. I still miss it. 

 

I’m also looking to find someone who would want to make a play out of some of my stories in the Chicago area, so I could go there and do some readings sometimes.  I think there’s enough honest sex, drugs and rock n’ roll to hold anyone’s interest, as well as a lot of authentic dialogue from ordinary people in extraordinary situations.  I think the plays would work anywhere, frankly, in some intimate theater with talented actors.