Elizondo at the Aero
The spirited Hector Elizondo did a q & a following last night's Aero screening of Joseph Sargent's The Taking of Pelham 123. Elizondo plays the coarse, dryly menacing "Mr. Gray," one of four disguised men who hijack a subway train in this 1974 classic. I didn't know Elizondo would be visiting until I arrived, but it was a real pleasure to absorb his humor and energy and rascally wit.
Born in 1936 and raised in southwest Harlem, Elizondo gives off a kind of sophisticated street schwing that feels highly infectious. His basic attitude is a combination of "what's next?," "keep moving," "look deeper" and "never stop with the jokes." You can take the man out of Manhattan (I presume Elizondo lives out here) but you can't the Manhattan out of the man. I didn't take his picture but I applauded with vigor when the interview ended.
The Taking of Pelham 123 looked great -- no scratches or color deterioration, although the sound felt weak. Charley Varrick, which went on at 10 pm after Elizondo signed off, came from a very clean and well-tended print, but the images seemed too dark at times. The DVD delivers more visual value. Too many scenes last night seemed underlit in a way that couldn't have been intended by director Don Siegel.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 7, 2008 at 7:46 AM
comment #1
Dave
says ...
Back when I lived in L.A., my favorite game when running into actors and actresses was to think of the most random, obscure, lousy, crappy movie they ever appeared in, and then tell them how much I loved them in it, just to guage their reaction.
With Elizondo? I *loved* him in Beverly Hills Cop III.
(Seriously, try the game, it's fun. I did shots with Judd Nelson down in Hermosa Beach after complimenting him on his masterful performance in "From The Hip"-- he couldn't stop laughing, and the booze was on him).
Posted by Dave
at March 7, 2008 8:45 AM
comment #2
Josh Massey
says ...
When I saw Courteney Cox, I got so close to saying, "Hey, you're the girl from Masters of the Universe!" I chickened out, and have regretted it since.
Posted by Josh Massey
at March 7, 2008 8:50 AM
comment #3
Mr. Peel
says ...
Hey, I was there! I assumed he was living out here now when he said "Not liking L.A. is like not liking ice cream."
The sound was a little weak, especially where the music was concerned and I detected a slight warbling in the next-to-last reel. Still, it was great to see it. I just love that movie.
Posted by Mr. Peel
at March 7, 2008 8:52 AM
comment #4
JeffGP
says ...
The CHARLEY VARRICK DVD is PAN AND SCAN. PAN AND SCAN!!!!! How is that "more visual value"? It's less than the damn image!
Posted by JeffGP
at March 7, 2008 8:54 AM
comment #5
Rich S.
says ...
In Hector's case, I would have to go with, "You were by far the best thing in Pretty Woman." Of course, I wouldn't be kidding.
Posted by Rich S.
at March 7, 2008 8:55 AM
comment #6
Movie fan09
says ...
Back when I lived in L.A., my favorite game when running into actors and actresses was to think of the most random, obscure, lousy, crappy movie they ever appeared in, and then tell them how much I loved them in it, just to guage their reaction.
With Elizondo? I *loved* him in Beverly Hills Cop III.
(Seriously, try the game, it's fun. I did shots with Judd Nelson down in Hermosa Beach after complimenting him on his masterful performance in "From The Hip"-- he couldn't stop laughing, and the booze was on him).
I've always thrown the idea around.
is it bad that i'm also an actor?
Posted by Movie fan09
at March 7, 2008 9:26 AM
comment #7
Walter Sobchak
says ...
Myrna Loy was simply luminous in "Airport '75".
Posted by Walter Sobchak
at March 7, 2008 9:38 AM
comment #8
Griff
says ...
Elizondo is dependable in almost everything he does. And he was the best thing in Pretty Woman (which is damning him faint praise).
Posted by Griff
at March 7, 2008 9:40 AM
comment #9
jaredsap
says ...
Wells, there is something seriously wrong with you. I was at the Aero screening last night. The Varrick print was gorgeous. Not underlit at all. The DVD -- which you've obviously never watched -- is a soft, dirty transfer and CROPPED TO FULL FRAME.
Posted by jaredsap
at March 7, 2008 9:57 AM
comment #10
George Prager
says ...
Hector rocked in THE LANDLORD. (not a crappy movie, actually near-masterpiece, but he's basically an extra in it).
Posted by George Prager
at March 7, 2008 10:01 AM
comment #11
George Prager
says ...
I got to say "Big Time!" to Phillip Seymour Hoffman a few years ago.
Posted by George Prager
at March 7, 2008 10:02 AM
comment #12
Jeff
says ...
I went up to David Krumholtz when I was drunk a few years ago and told him how great he was in "Life With Mikey"....the sad thing is I really liked that movie when I was 7.
Posted by Jeff
at March 7, 2008 11:36 AM
comment #13
md'a
says ...
Jeff, which do you generally prefer, old celluloid prints or new DVD transfers? I don't think you've made your position on this clear.
Posted by md'a
at March 7, 2008 11:59 AM
comment #14
rock powers
says ...
as for CHARLEY VARRICK, in the 1970's, universal shot to protect for television. i've compared the letterbox laserdisc and the dvd. you see more info on the full frame dvd, because there's no matte.
Posted by rock powers
at March 7, 2008 12:07 PM
comment #15
jaredsap
says ...
rock powers:
Yes, you see more info on the DVD vs. laserdisc since Varrick is a 1:85 film made widescreen by cropping. But know how you see exactly what Siegel intended? By watching the print.
Here's DVD Savant's review of Jeff's beloved Varrick DVD:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s1489varr.html
"...this [full-frame modification] leaves the action orphaned in the middle of the frame. Compositions are non-existent...
On a scale of Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor, Charley Varrick rates:
Video: Poor"
Posted by jaredsap
at March 7, 2008 1:01 PM
comment #16
TheJeff
says ...
The DVD of Varrick is awful. I know that Jeff thinks Dave Kehr is out to get him with his tricky DVD reviews, but he called this one down the line:
Unfortunately, this American classic is being carelessly released on a budget disc by Universal Home Entertainment that bungles the aspect ratio (the film is presented full frame instead of its proper 1.85, a foolish oversight that owners of widescreen televisions can correct by pushing the "zoom" button) and offers pale, pasty color and no extras. It will do until something better comes along, but Siegel merits much better.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/28/movies/28dvd.html
Posted by TheJeff
at March 7, 2008 6:39 PM
comment #17
gruver1
says ...
The DVD is bad, agreed, but the print I saw last night, while scratch-free, looked too dark.
Posted by gruver1
at March 7, 2008 7:12 PM
comment #18
jaredsap
says ...
Last night's beautiful Varrick print was vivid and highly accurate. I guess I should just be thankful you didn't see The Parallax View or Klute this week at the New Beverly. Obviously you would have posted pieces complaining that Gordon Willis's revolutionary photography looked "too dark" and the DVDs deliver far more "visual value."
Posted by jaredsap
at March 8, 2008 12:27 AM
comment #19
Terry McCarty
says ...
Maybe Criterion's Eclipse subsidiary could put together a Universal Don Siegel box consisting of MADIGAN, STRANGER ON THE RUN, DEATH OF A GUNFIGHTER, CHARLEY VARRICK and THE BLACK WINDMILL letterboxed in their respective original ratios.
Posted by Terry McCarty
at March 8, 2008 12:28 AM