edited by Jonathan Doyle

Classe tous risques (The Criterion Collection, 6.17.2008) Claude Sautet is best known for subtle interpretations of French bourgeois life in such films as Un coeur en hiver and Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud. Yet the director began his career with genre films. Classe Tous Risques, released in 1960, is considered the best of his early work and it's a fascinating companion to similar crime movies made around the same time by Jean-Pierre Melville. (continued)

Upcoming

July 2

Hancock

July 3

The Whackness

July 4

Diminished Capacity

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson

Holding Trevor

Kabluey

We are Together

July 9

Full Battle Rattle

July 11

A Man Named Pearl

August

Eight Miles High

Garden Party

Harold

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Meet Dave

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired

The Stone Angel

July 18

A Very British Gangster

Before I Forget

The Dark Knight

The Doorman

Felon

Lou Reed's Berlin

Transsiberian

July 22

Two Tickets to Paradise

July 23

Boy A

Las Vegas and Michael Jackson

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Las Vegas used to be the last working refuge of performing scoundrels. It doesn't seem as tainted these days, in part because the aesthetic of the culture has sunk down to Vegas's level over the past 15 to 20 years, but the possibility of Michael Jackson committing to a long-term performing gig as a way of launching a possible comeback reiterates what Vegas and its audience are basically about.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 30, 2007 at 06:47 AM

comment #1

T.Holly says ...

That looks like a risky financial gamble. If he manages to show up but doesn't have the chops and moves, the word of mouth will be stink-o. I could easily back my little car into the cleft in his chin and it would get lost in there.

Posted by T.Holly at March 30, 2007 08:02 AM

comment #2

lesterg says ...

That's just about the worst bet in Vegas.

As much as I admire MJ's talent, there's no chance in hell this won't end in a breach of contract suit. Physically, emotionally he's not prepared for the rigors of a Vegas gig.

Posted by lesterg at March 30, 2007 08:05 AM

comment #3

jeffmcm says ...

And so he continues to go the Elvis route...I bet Vegas is taking bets on a Jackson overdose within the decade.

Posted by jeffmcm at March 30, 2007 10:42 AM

comment #4

DavidF says ...

Ditto and ditto.
Getting "back to the music" is probably the smartest thing he could do - assuming he still has a strong enough connection to Planet Earth to tap into his former genius.

But the grind of a Vegas show sounds like it's asking for trouble.
The only way I can think of to make this riskier is to call Axl Rose and ask him to bring "Guns n Roses" over as the opening act.

Posted by DavidF at March 30, 2007 10:46 AM

comment #5

Joshua Mooney says ...

I can't think of a pop-star/rock-star/celebrity more tarnished, pathetic, damaged and dangerous than Michael Jackson. This is a man with severe emotional/psychological problems who should at least be in intensive therapy in some in-patient program, although frankly, as far as I'm concerned, he should be in prison.

Maybe O.J. can be his opening act in Vegas, reading from "If I Did It." Maybe the two of them can harmonize on "Smooth Criminal."

Posted by Joshua Mooney at March 30, 2007 11:12 AM

comment #6

Terry McCarty says ...

Re "long-term", I would guess that MJ would have a schedule where he's performing no longer than two weeks (with one day off each week) at a time during his likely multiyear contract.

Posted by Terry McCarty at March 30, 2007 01:50 PM