comment #1

teeem says ...

ditto on the "not great". not very dramatic till the ending. Langella IS great; power, and something else which i can't define, just emanate from him as Nixon. it ain't no Best Picture.

comment #2

LexG says ...

I have a very serious question about this subject matter:

What, really, was the big deal about Nixon and Watergate? Some tapped phones and a hotel break in? I don't know, I'm 36 and maybe it's just having grown up post all that and inherently cynical about government anyway, but were you older guys REALLY that shocked?

That the leader of the free world was "abusing" power? Was it really THAT big a deal? Really? Seems like kind of a low-rent crime 35 years on, and don't we all just kinda accept that world leaders should be allowed to pull some sneaky shit like that?

Why are we still rehashing this like it's THE BIGGEST CRIME EVER? I continue to be completely underwhelmed by the supposed perversion of justice; I'm not saying this to be provocative, I'm legitimately asking as someone who was pre-cognizant during this heated time in history: WHAT was really the big deal?

In retrospect, it even seems kind of awesome.

comment #3

Jeremy Smith says ...

It wasn't the break-in; it was the cover-up. But, yeah, it's a minor infraction compared to what we've observed since Bush took power.

comment #4

BurmaShave says ...

Can anyone tell me how "wouldn't say it's bad," he said, "but I don't think it's great. Good performance(s)" does not define A BEAUTIFUL MIND, CHICAGO, RETURN OF THE KING, and CRASH all perfectly? The more average this is said to be the more it sounds like a Best Picture finalist. Glad to hear MILK is so good.

comment #5

Pinko Punko says ...

Once you are used to the degradation it doesn't seem that bad, eh?

Let's remember Nixon deliberately sabotaged Vietnamese peace negotiations to win in 68. Yeah, Watergate was a big deal. The fact that it doesn't seem so now to some suggests something about us, not Watergate.

comment #6

LexG says ...

Eh, even with Bush... and I wasn't drawing any comparisons, but since Jeremy went there:

Shouldn't the LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD be allowed to play fast and loose with the rules, to at least some degree? Isn't there just a TINY CHANCE that someone with that much power might know JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE than all the suburban Monday morning quarterbacks?

Not saying anything goes, certainly not on a sensitive global scale, but whoever's president, whoever's in charge of shit, isn't it just kind of accepted they're inherently more powerful, more in charge of stuff, and I'll say it, SUPERIOR TO THE HOI POLLOI, so they should be allowed to bend the rules where they see fit? Beyond the disillusionment factor -- and were right thinking adults STILL that naive in 1972??????? -- how did a hotel break-in and cover up really affect the day to day of most Americans?

Shit, I wouldn't have cared at all.

comment #7

Leonardcoenbrothers says ...

LexG, extend what you just said to the leaders of the banking industry. Still hold up?

comment #8

LexG says ...

On a purely cinematic/aesthetic note:

Why is it when so many directors get all serious and highfalutin, they adopt that BORING brown-sepia tint to their movies?

Howard used to shoot in PURE NBC-slick bright colors and white whites and bright reds; Parenthood and Backdraft had the full Universal crisp rusty color-popping sheen.

Even the relatively tony Apollo 13 was all crisp and blue and white.

But ever since Ransom and his drive to shed the lightweight Opie image, Howard's been shooting in that ugly, dirgy brown haze.

Dude, can we get a primary color at least once a reel? That sheen isn't "serious," it's completely dull and boring, and makes a movie seem like fucking homework.

comment #9

LexG says ...

Nah, I wasn't talking about shady banking folk or corporate weasels; We all know that kind of thing is pretty much pure evil, though I'd be the first to admit I haven't paid any attention to whatever this supposed economic crisis is.

I still have a job and none of it affects me, so I basically don't care.

But PRESIDENTS? I don't know, I kinda don't care, whatever side of the stands they sit on, if they wanna take some liberties within reason. I just assume everyone in the world is inherently corrupt anyway.

comment #10

T. S. Idiot says ...

Watergate was a big deal because of the cumulative effect, one revelation of misdeeds after another with no end in sight, with lies stacked upon lies. It was the most entertaining public event in my lifetime because all the evildoers, except Tricky, of course, were caught and punished.

Those shocked by Watergate were naive. This was Nixon, after all, a man with no conscience. The most ridiculous aspect was those who ignored the growing evidence in 1972 and voted for Nixon anyway only to say later they felt betrayed. Idiots.

The same will be true for those who vote for 13 Cars and Moose Stew if the deadly duo wins. "I thought he was a charming old man and she a nice lady," they'll say. Idiots.

comment #11

Zimmergirl says ...

"What, really, was the big deal about Nixon and Watergate? Some tapped phones and a hotel break in? "

Lol.

What can one say.

What is the benefit, though, of posting this kind of info early on a website? Obviously someone who LOVES Milk isn't going to go for Frost/Nixon - two different sensibilities there. Read between the lines, fellas. And LexG, get thee an education.

comment #12

Josh says ...

Two movies that may make 6 dollars between them and be seen by 4 elites.

comment #13

York "Budd" Durden says ...

Watch out, Z-girl: You've just cued Lex to tout his "three college degrees." Get ready to be OWNED.

comment #14

D.Z. says ...

Jeremy: "But, yeah, it's a minor infraction compared to what we've observed since Bush took power."

Bush and Reagan, you mean. ^_-

And I think what shocked people about Watergate was the image of the President as a vindictive and paranoid Machiavelli-type of leader. Before that, good or bad, reliable or flawed, the President was believed to be looking out for the interests of the country, not himself/herself. But yeah, the fact that we went after him for Watergate, when we never said anything about Cambodia, Chile, or Vietnam, is kind of why we're in this mess today.

comment #15

Mr. Muckle says ...

LexG, you never felt the context. If it was similar today, you'd long ago have been drafted to go kill Eyeraqis and probably get shot yourself--and this regardless of whether you believed in it or not, or held strong moral objections.

In that light, Nixon's subterfuges and lies were mortally evil, to the tune of more than 50,000 Americans and millions of Vietnamese dead. Bush's perversions are mortally evil as well, but people don't object as much because there is no draft and therefore the consequences are not personally experienced by most of us, although that's changing, say, economically.

I object to movies like "Frost/Nixon" because no actor can possibly project the actual venality and daft, robotic, inhumanness of the real Nixon. Actors are necessarily by nature attractive, charismatic, and interesting, even when portraying villains.

comment #16

actionman says ...

I am a fan of political history films so this is one I will be checking out. Looks like, judging solely from the trailer, Howard has stuck to a simple directorial approach. It's all in the script with this one, so it should deliver what it sets out to do.

comment #17

storymark says ...

Nice bubble you live in there, Lex. That "it doesn't effect me, right now, so why care?" attitude is what has made things like the Wall Street crash and the Bush Administration possible.

comment #18

Mark says ...

"Two movies that may make 6 dollars between them and be seen by 4 elites."

If you have no interest in seeing either movie, two front runners for Best Picture, then what are you doing on this site? I don't understand how a film fan would so easily dismiss two high prestige films.

comment #19

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

Nixon made it impossible for the sheeple who still clung to their naive views about him and the Presidency to continue to do so. Watergate shoved their faces into the dogshit on the bottom of the Washington shoe so there was no denying the stench.

In other political news, heads up folks - Obama is starting to pull away from McCain in pretty much every poll. Which of course means that starting today we get "Manic Jeffrey" for the rest of the week. Until the debate Friday, at which time the lowering of expectations that McCain's people have spent this whole week doing will come to fruition when McCain is declared the "winner" by not doing worse than he did.

Which is when "Doom-N-Gloom Jeffrey" returns with 8 posts over the course of the weekend about how stupid all those who won't vote for Obama are and Huffington & Politico links to back him up.

That about sum it up you think...?

comment #20

T. S. Idiot says ...

"Which is when "Doom-N-Gloom Jeffrey" returns with 8 posts over the course of the weekend about how stupid all those who won't vote for Obama are and Huffington & Politico links to back him up."

My man D_G, don't gaze into your crystal-clear crystal ball too deeply and spoil the most momentous forthcoming event for us. (Faint, fading whisper: Cubs win! Cubs win!)

comment #21

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

My Palmetto Bro - funny you should mention my beloved Cubs. If the pattern for Presidential elections & overdue ball clubs holds, I might have to sacrifice the boys from 1060 West Addison to save the country.

Remember who won and who lost in 2004 and I'll sadly push the Cubbies under the bus if it keeps McSame out of the White House.

Figures they would be playing the Angels so I can go see them locally.

comment #22

Come_On,_Eileen says ...

ZIMMERGIRL

wow. homophobic all-caps, huh? somebody who LOOOOOVES "Milk" is so over-the-top gay that he/she can't enjoy a serious, dark look at Nixon?? wtf?

critically, your observation is as infantile. both are subversive, anti-politcs.

in other words, get a life.

i read the shooting script for "Milk," and liked it. fairly conventional, though - a great deal will hinge on the performances. the trailer looked good, but not necessarily 'phenomenal.' will definitely go see it... AND nixon.

comment #23

Rich S. says ...

If you want to get the real context of the Frost/Nixon interviews, they are on DVD. Some of them are even on YouTube.

I guess this is an interesting experiment in mimicry, but, honestly, why not just watch the real thing?

Incidentally, I was around during Watergate and I remember a lot of my parents' friends expressing the opinion that Nixon did the same thing all the other politicians did, he just got caught. So LexG's sentiment (misguided or not) has been around since day one.

comment #24

Come_On,_Eileen says ...

oh, and yes: i "read between the lines." you're a bigot.

comment #25

Jack Price says ...

http://www.electoral-vote.com/

Also, it's important to note that Warren Buffett is publicly endorsing Obama and advising him.

comment #26

Chase Kahn says ...

Ron Howard directing a "not great" but "not bad" movie? I'm stunned...

comment #27

Richardson says ...

"Shouldn't the LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD be allowed to play fast and loose with the rules, to at least some degree?"

Well, first of all, no. Second of all, even if "yes", then they should be smart enough to not get caught.

Third of all, they were caught breaking in (unneccessarily, I might add) to a Democratic operation in order to sabotage the Democrats so that Nixon (and other Republicans) could win. So, even if you want to say that the president should have special dispensation in their day-to-day business (which is INSANE, to my mind, given how corrupt politicians are -- imagine how much more corrupt they would be with no oversight... assuming we didn't have Bush, we would have to imagine that) because they're the "leader of the free world"... would that right extend to interfering with the democratic election which will grant them that power?

Because that sounds even more nuts when I put it that way.

BUT I will say that I agree that the boomers and the former hippies still spend too much time thinking about the era between Woodstock and Watergate, as if it's the only time anything interesting happened. It is politically interesting, though, that this one guy got so deep into the shit that he had to resign.

comment #28

George Prager says ...

Josh Author Profile Page says ...
Two movies that may make 6 dollars between them and be seen by 4 elites.

Posted by Josh Author Profile Page at September 24, 2008 6:55

Just who is this pesky troll (profile name Joshua Bend?)
Well, I don't think these links are safe for work:

connecting - Eroticbpm.com
Posts: n/a. Default. I added you to my AIM, and I am always on, so if you wanna chat its joshuabend. View 's Blog. Old 01-24-2003, 04:47 AM ...
boards.eroticbpm.com/showthread.php?t=9540 - 32k - Cached - Similar pages
#
connecting - Eroticbpm.com
I added you to my AIM, and I am always on, so if you wanna chat its joshuabend. Old 01-24-2003, 04:47 AM. Muffhead's Avatar · Muffhead Muffhead is offline ...
testvb.eroticbpm.com/showthread.php?t=9540 - 37k - Cached - Similar pages

comment #29

teeem says ...

LexG says ...

"I still have a job and none of it affects me, so I basically don't care." spoken like a true Republican.

comment #30

LexG says ...

I don't vote, so I'm not a Republican, but anyone who cares as deeply as some of you guys about the world's ills? Well, surely you all volunteer at soup kitchens in your free time and are active in your communities and mentor unpriviledged children... right?

Oh, wait, what's that? You just gripe about this stuff as something to do while you wait for your WGA royalty checks to come in?

At least I'm honest about not giving a shit.

THREE COLLEGE DEGREES, SON.

comment #31

LexG says ...

And I can't believe no one else believes in a a little societal Dawinism.

The president -- ANY PRESIDENT -- is inherently a more important and superior human being than some workaday schmo and should be able to bend the law as he sees fit. Otherwise, what's the goddamn point?

comment #32

Teacher's Pets says ...

Yeah, and if you don't get to deflower brides on their wedding nights, why be president, right?

comment #33

T. S. Idiot says ...

"I guess this is an interesting experiment in mimicry, but, honestly, why not just watch the real thing?"

The real drama of FROST/NIXON comes from the events leading up to the interviews and the off-camera turmoil during them. All this is high drama on stage and could be compelling on film. Yet there is that un film du Opie element.

Though Peter Morgan has gotten most of his pub from THE QUEEN and the stage version of FROST/NIXON, his best work by far is the 2003 miniseries HENRY VIII, which explores many of the same themes as his other works and has a great Ray Winstone performance to boot.

"Incidentally, I was around during Watergate and I remember a lot of my parents' friends expressing the opinion that Nixon did the same thing all the other politicians did, he just got caught. So LexG's sentiment (misguided or not) has been around since day one."

I hear this dozens of times during Watergate, it's completely irrelevant. There's a big difference between rumor and gossip and fact, between suspicions and clear proof. If I murder someone, should I get away with it just because people have been murdering each other for centuries? This lame defense of Nixon is yet more proof of how illogical the thought processes of most Americans are.

Hey, Lex, I got FOUR COLLEGE DEGREES.

comment #34

Teacher's Pets says ...

And, yeah, I do volunteer at soup kitchens and teach poor urban children, you obnoxious little cynic you...and I have three degrees, too!

And it's not that you don't give a shit, or else you'd do us a favor and let someone else use the oxygen you're wasting...it's that you need to justify your selfish narcissism by assuming everyone else is as much of a douche as you.

And on a positive note, not voting is the best decision you've made.

comment #35

storymark says ...

Lex, you are amusing when verbally masurbating about generic action movies, girls and general OWNAGE - but when it comes to serious topics, such as politics, you come off sounding like a know-it-all 7th grader hopped up on meth.

comment #36

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

Man, those poll numbers must have shaken McCain's people to the core - he wants to stop the debate Friday now.

comment #37

LexG says ...

Storymark, I aim to please.

Hey, ZIMMERGIRL, what is up? Are you hot? Friend me on MySpace if so. I like your spunkiness.

comment #38

George Prager says ...

PRESIDENT SHIT IS THE BEST SHIT
RECOGNIZE
BE A MAN

comment #39

George Prager says ...

NIXON OWNS YOUR ASS

comment #40

LexG says ...

PRAGER...

FUCK YEAH.

comment #41

T. S. Idiot says ...

Maybe the election can be postponed until the financial crisis is over, all our troops return home, hell freezes over, and McCain gets an unassisted erection: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26872907

comment #42

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

McCain's people had to have realized if he went to the debate and had the economy make up the bulk of the questions then he might as well stop campaigning as he would effectively lose the election right then and there.

Of course the White House is rushing a fix out there and wants as little discussion on the Hill as possible. If it drags until the election, the party is toast.

Has there ever been a more dramatic example of chickens coming home to roost???

comment #43

George Prager says ...

FLASH OF GENIUS OWNS YOUR ASS
INTERMITTENT WINDSHIELD WIPER SHIT IS THE BEST SHIT
RECOGNIZE
BE A MAN

comment #44

NC Gary says ...

Peter Travers and Leonard Maltin have already seen it. Travers called it one of the year's best and Maltin called it a great film. Maybe Jeff's "friend" has some connection to another Oscar contender and wants to put the bad word out there. Just wondering.

comment #45

Richardson says ...

DTG - isn't the first debate foreign policy?

comment #46

storymark says ...

Obama should agree to suspend campaigning, on the condition that the debate happens - AND the topic shifts back to the economy (as was the original plan).

comment #47

rr3333 says ...

Can anyone remember a potential 'movie comeback' like Langella's? What was his last major movie? Dracula???

comment #48

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

Turns out McCain's people lied about this too - seems he is admitting that Obama called him this morning and proposed that they jointly agree to suspend campaigning while the bailout was being hammered out. But did not propose postponing the debate.

Meanwhile, adding to McCain's problems with Rick Davis will be the apparent confirmation that Sarah Palin did have an affair 12 years ago with her husband's business partner. No wonder McCain wants to pull the eject lever on the debate.

I had been laughing whenever anyone said Obama would win in a landslide...

comment #49

Rich S. says ...

"What was his last major movie? Dracula???" He was in Dave, where he played a very Nixon-esque White House Chief of Staff.

He was also Skeletor.

comment #50

bmcintire says ...

STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING was supposed to be his big comeback vehicle, but nobody saw it. Which is a shame, because it was a pretty decent effort.

comment #51

Richardson says ...

"What was his last major movie?"

Well, he was in "Good Night, And Good Luck" which got nominated for Best Picture, and he was in "Superman Returns" which, quality aside, was fairly high profile.

comment #52

D.Z. says ...

Lex: "I don't vote, so I'm not a Republican, but anyone who cares as deeply as some of you guys about the world's ills? Well, surely you all volunteer at soup kitchens in your free time and are active in your communities and mentor unpriviledged children... right?"

I've done volunteer work and helped out in the past. What about you, buddy?

"And I can't believe no one else believes in a a little societal Dawinism. The president -- ANY PRESIDENT -- is inherently a more important and superior human being than some workaday schmo and should be able to bend the law as he sees fit."

Funny that you're mentioning a guy the current Prez has no problem trying to erase from textbooks. So, anyway, if you really believe in societal Darwinism, then shouldn't the banks be allowed to crash?

comment #53

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comment #54

Tattoo Supplies says ...

It wasn't the break-in; it was the cover-up. But, yeah, it's a minor infraction compared to what we've observed since Bush took power.