Day: June 7, 2022

Temple of Submission

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What did Michelle Pfeiffer’s Elvira say when she first saw Tony Montana’s “cream puff” — a beige Cadillac convertible with zebra-striped upholstery? “It looks like somebody’s nightmare,” she said.

For her and husband Seth Gabel’s Los Angeles home, Bryce Dallas Howard has approved an interior design that complements her own redhead colors — pastel pinks, light greens, creamy beiges. Her house, her design, her call.

But c’mon…what kind of dude would live in this girly-girl’ed, dollhouse environment? Ernest Hemingway would scoff at such a proposition. Where are the empty beer cans and half-eaten bags of pretzels? Where’s the man-cave? Where’s the HD flatscreen tuned to ESPN?

McConaughey’s Clearest Moment

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I’m guessing that after Matthew McConaughey‘s White House briefing room speech (delivered about an hour ago) many hardcore Republicans, not to mention the Texas gun-nut crowd (including Joe Rogan), probably regard him as a traitor.

Because what he said was eloquent and real and heartfelt. Responsible gun ownership. Background checks. Minimum age of 21 to purchase AR-15s. A waiting period. Red-flag laws and consequences for those who abuse them.

“People in power have failed to act. Can both sides see beyond the political problem at hand and admit we have a life preservation problem on our hands? We have to stand up for what we truly value…we gotta get some real courage and honor our immortal obligations instead of our party affiliations. We are not as divided as we are being told we are. We need to lead with humility.”

Depp’s Silver Years

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A Hollywood Reporter analysis piece by Winston Cho basically says that Johnny Depp, despite his triumphant court victory over Amber Heard, is out of the mainstream Hollywood game now.

He can become an indie-realm star like Mel Gibson and perhaps earn $15 million a year, the piece says, but the golden Captain Jack days are over.

Depp was on the downslope before the Heard troubles began anyway. By my yardstick he began to be seen as a seen-better-days guy six or seven years ago. Every big movie star downshifts sooner or later. Depp was at the top for roughly 22 years, starting in ’90 and then starting to downshift in ’12 or thereabouts. (Tom Cruise is roughly Depp’s age, yes, but he’s an exception to the rule.) There’s nothing wrong with being an indie hotshot. He’ll be fine as long as he lives moderately and, you know, watches the intake.

Who Woulda Thought

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…that nearly a half-century later Richard Nixon, deeply loathed by the left from the early ’50s until his resignation on 8.8.74…who would’ve thought that Nixon, ruthless and consumed by his own demons as he was, would appear by today’s post-Trump standards as a relatively decent fellow…governed by practical political considerations, of course, but at the end of the day respectful of the basic governmental processes that keep this country in order…a man who said “okay, I’ve been cornered by my enemies and there’s no way out…I could defy everyone and everything until my terms ends on 1.20.77, but I’m going to be an adult and accept the situation.” A scrappy politician tainted with the attitude of a conniver and a scoundrel, yes, but he left the White House with a semblance of honor. Certainly when compared to the behavior of former president Donald Trump, who’s just a flat-out animal. Nixon, at the very least, submitted to procedure.

Homestead

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Fairfield County is abundantly, lavishly green now…a nice, settled, soothing vibe. The NYC Metro North train is only a hop, skip and a jump away.

Pazuzu Can’t Go Home Again

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HE’s BFF and gracious condo-host Jody never saw The Exorcist when everyone else was catching it theatrically in late ’73 and ’74. Nor did she catch it on cable, DVD or Bluray over succeeding decades.

Last night I persuaded her to finally watch it, 48 or 49 years after the fact. My pitch wasn’t that it’s a classic elevated horror film (although it is), but before the Puzuzu stuff begins it’s a superbly made ’70s relationship film — beautifully shot, cut, acted, written. A probing, realistic, eerie-around-the-edges classic about the complicated lives and parallel fates of three residents of D.C.’s Georgetown district — a famous actress, her daughter and a Jesuit priest-psychologist. So we watched it and had a great time.

It was reported a few days ago that original Exorcist star Ellen Burstyn, 89, has completed her work on David Gordon Green‘s currently shooting Exorcist trilogy. I feel nothing but…well, partly contempt for this Blumhouse/Morgan Creek/Universal franchise, and partly just sad that a franchise born of a single, superbly made 1973 film is still a dog chasing its own tail.

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