John Wayne

DVD Round Up, May 27, 2009: ‘Eden Log,’ ‘El Dorado,’ ‘Yonkers Joe’

BrianTT — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:57:35 -0600

CHICAGO – Welcome back to the Round-Up, a safety net to catch the DVD titles that fell off the mainstream tightrope. The titles this week have virtually nothing in common other than coming in two waves from two studios - a pair of classics from Paramount’s Centennial Collection and a trio of indie films from the great Magnolia Pictures.

All five titles were released on May 19th, 2009.

“Centennial Collection #8: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “”This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” Behind the camera? John Ford, a director whose name is synonymous with “Westerns.” Gathered in front of it? An ideal cast – James Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles and Lee Marvin. Now presented on two discs, with all-new special features, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance rides into town as classic entry in the Paramount Centennial Collection. Director Ford brings us to the lawless frontier village of Shinbone, a town plagued by a larger-than-life nemesis, Liberty Valance (Marvin). Stewart plays the bungling but charming big-city lawyer determined to rid Shinbone of Valance, and he finds that he has an unlikely ally — in the form of a rugged, local rancher (Wayne). The two men also share the same love interest (Miles). But when the final showdown becomes inevitable, one of the two will attempt to get the gunman … but the other one will wind up getting the gal.”

“The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” stars Lee Marvin, John Wayne, John Carradine, Vera Miles, Jeanette Nolan, James Stewart, and Lee Van Cleef. It was written by James Warner Bellah and Willis Goldbeck and directed by John Ford. It is not rated. The film is presented in widescreen and accompanied by a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track.

Special features on “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” include “The Size of Legends, The Soul of Myth,” Commentary by Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich along with his archival recordings with John Ford and James Stewart, Selected Scene Commentary with intro by Dan Ford along with his archival recordings with John Ford, James Stewart and Lee Marvin, Galleries, and Original Theatrical Trailer.

“Centennial Collection #9: El Dorado”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “”I’m paid to risk my neck. I’ll decide where and when I’ll do it. This isn’t it.” Now a two-disc presentation with all-new special features, this Paramount Centennial Collection edition of El Dorado delivers the goods. Legendary producer-director Howard Hawks teams up with two legendary stars, John Wayne and Robert Mitchum, in a classic Western drama. Mitchum plays to perfection an alcoholic but gutsy sheriff who relentlessly battles the “dark side” of the Wild West – ruthless cattle barons and crooked “businessmen.” The Duke gives an equally adept performance as the sheriff’s old friend, one who knows his way around a gunfight. Featuring a supporting cast that includes James Caan, Charlene Holt, Paul Fix, Ed Asner and Christopher George, and filled with both brawling action and unexpected humor, El Dorado is pure gold.”

“El Dorado” stars John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Ed Asner, Michelle Carey, Paul Fix, Charlene Holt, and Arthur Hunnicutt. It was written by Leigh Brackett and directed by Howard Hawks. It is not rated. The film is presented in widescreen with a Dolby Digital English mono track.

Special features on “El Dorado” include Commentary by Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich, “Ride, Boldly Ride: The Journey to El Dorado,” Commentary with critic and film historian Richard Schickel featuring actor Ed Asner and author Todd McCarthy, “The Artist and the American West (1967),” “Behind the Gates: AC Remembers John Wayne,” Original Theatrical Trailer, and Galleries.

“Eden Log”

Photo credit: Magnolia

Synopsis: “A man wakes up deep inside a cave. Suffering amnesia, he has no recollection of how he came to be there nor any idea who the dead man is at his side. The underground labyrinth is no ordinary cave but the abandoned labs of a company called Eden Log. Hunted by mysterious creatures, he must continue through this strange and fantastic world to escape their clutches. During his quest to the surface, he must uncover the secrets of what once lived in the caves and whether salvation exists above. A twisting hallucinatory parable, Eden Log is warning that the relentless exploitation of natural resources could incite nature to fight back in the most vicious manner.”

“Eden Log” stars Clovis Cornillac and Vimala Pons. It was written by Franck Vestiel & Pierre Bordage and directed by Vestiel. It is rated R. The film is presented in widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and with a Dolby English 5.1 audio track.

Special features on “Eden Log” include “French Language Version of Eden Log with English Subtitles”.

“Two Films By Wayne Wang: A Thousand Years of Good Prayers/The Princess of Nebraska”

Photo credit: Magnolia

“A Thousand Years of Good Prayers” Synopsis: “A woman in her early 40s moves from China to America to start a new life. Her father comes to visit her because of her recent divorce. Their social and generational conflicts end up revealing the darker lies and cover-ups within her family during the Cultural Revolution.”

“The Princess of Nebraska” Synopsis: “A China-born 18-year-old finds herself four months pregnant. She interrupts her studie sto travel from Nebraska to San Francisco to determine what to do about her pregnancy. It is a revealing look at a young woman growing up under the new economic prosperity of China over the last 20 years.”

Special features on “A Thousand Years of Good Prayers” include Interview with Yiyun Li, Interview with Henry O, and a photo gallery. Special features on “The Princess of Nebraska” include Interview with Yiyun Li, Sasha Video Diaries, photo gallery, and “Ling and Yan Yan - A Day in the Life of Young Chinese Women.

“Prayers” is presented in 1.85:1 widescreen with “Nebraska” presented in 2.35:1. Both films feature 5.1 audio tracks.

“Yonkers Joe”

Photo credit: Magnolia

Synopsis: “An ode to old time gamblers, now outdated in an age of powerful upscale casinos, Yonkers Joe tells the story of a dice hustler (Palminteri) whose dertmination to make one last big score in Vegas is complicated by the reappearance of his son.”

“Yonkers Joe” stars Chazz Palminteri, Christine Lahti, Tom Guiry, Linus Roache, and Michael Lerner. It was written and directed by Robert Celestino. It is rated R. The film is presented in widescreen with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 track.

Special features include Yonkers Joe Premiere, Behind the Scenes, “The Moves,” “The Look,” and “Meet Fast Jack”.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: Angie Dickinson on the Big Break, The Rat Pack, ‘Police Woman’

PatrickMcD — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:55:42 -0600

Angie Dickinson has brought her charm and magnetism to a career that has spanned from the Marilyn Monroe era – she was featured in the original “Ocean’s 11” – to grittier movie roles in such cult classics as “Point Blank”, “Dressed to Kill” and Ronald Reagan’s last film,”The Killers”.

But she will always be remembered for her breakthrough TV role as “Pepper” Anderson in 1974’s “Police Woman”. Dickinson was the first lead role female cop character in series television history and laid the foundation for all the women-led action series that followed.

HollywoodChicago.com caught up with still radiant Ms. Dickinson in Chicago at the Hollywood Collector Show. She reminisced about her first big break, her life with the “Rat Pack” and how Pepper was a role model for girls…and boys.

Angie Dickinson talks to director Howard Hawks while John Wayne looks on during the filming of ‘Rio Bravo’
Photo credit: Dr. Macro’s Movie Scans

HollywoodChicago.com: After bit parts in movies and the early days of television, who or what was instrumental in getting you your first big showcase film role in Rio Bravo?

Angie Dickinson: The connection was a director I had doing an episode of Perry Mason. His name was Chris Nyby. Chris was a film editor before he was a director, and had worked with Rio Bravo’s director, Howard Hawks.

So Chris Nyby said to Howard Hawks if you want to discover another newcomer, check out Angie Dickinson. Hawks saw me, I did a screen test and I was hired. That was my big break.

HC: What kind of difficulties did you have with the whole Hollywood system when you were breaking into the business during the time of Marilyn Monroe and the breakdown of the studio system?

AD: It was not easy. I found my career out of the blue. I was working as a secretary and had gone to college. I got hooked into show business a little later than most, and with no connections or background in it.

So every thing I got after that I felt lucky getting because I never aimed too high, I aimed realistically. Everything fell my way, and within four years I was cast opposite John Wayne in Rio Bravo. That was a fairly fast track considering how shortly I’d been in the business.

HC: Having been part of the actual people and the original film version Ocean’s 11 in 1960, what do you think of the whole “Rat Pack” style of cool has become so popular now? Is it deserved or do you just laugh?

AD: It is deserved and it was a blast. I didn’t think anyone could pull it off again, but George Clooney and Brad Pitt did it, and that was wonderful.

Angie Dickinson in ‘Police Woman’
Photo credit: Sony Pictures

HC: You’ve had some varied and peculiar “against type” roles in your career. What was your criteria for choosing the unusual roles you’ve done, such as in Point Blank and Dressed to Kill?

AD: Money (laughing).

I don’t know, I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, just something good. When Police Woman came along, it was great to play that role, but I wasn’t aiming for it, I was just striving to keep me career going.

Some roles were great, some not so great. But just like a ballplayer, if you hit .375 that’s not too bad (laughs).

HC: You are held up as a somewhat feminist icon for your role on Police Woman. In looking back at that era, how do you think it helped pave the way for women to get different roles in television dramas?

AD: It paved the way because it was the first. It also had the title “Police Woman” and more significantly it premiered on a Friday night, where young girls could stay up later and get the role model part of it. Also younger boys were fans as well, I guess for different reasons (laughing). Everyone needs a role model.

HC: Finally, can you tell us something about Frank Sinatra that the rest of world doesn’t know?

AD: No. (laughs)

’Police Woman - The Complete First Season’ is available on DVD from Sony Pictures. Click here for the HollywoodChicago.com slideshow of the Hollywood Collector Show.

By PATRICK McDONALD
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: Melissa Leo Channels John Wayne in Sundance Hit ‘Frozen River’

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:51:00 -0600

CHICAGO – Melissa Leo is a familiar face to admirers of the TV show “Homicide: Life on the Street”.

After playing Sgt. Kay Howard for five years on that popular series, she left the show to pursue character roles in such films as “21 Grams” and “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada”. Taking on a leading role in her latest film “Frozen River,” Leo captures the desperation and strength of a woman with everything to lose.

“Frozen River” star Melissa Leo in Chicago on July 16, 2008.
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com

A scene from “Frozen River”.
Photo credit: Jory Sutton, copyright Frozen River Productions

HollywoodChicago.com recently interviewed Leo in anticipation of the film’s release. The actress candidly talked about her character’s direction and the nature of the unusual film.

“Frozen River,” which is an acclaimed Sundance Film Festival drama, refers to an upper New York state tributary that freezes so hard in the winter that vehicles are known to drive over it. Leo plays Ray Eddy: a resident of that Canadian border town whose husband has abandoned her with two children.

He also has stolen savings that would have been a down payment for a new trailer in which the family could have lived. Leo speaks about how she landed the role and how she collaborated with writer and director Courtney Hunt.

“The first thing Courtney said to me was: ‘Will you read my short?’ I happily did,” Leo said. “Then I called her and said: ‘Let’s do this.’ We shot the short. She edited it, showed it to me and said: ‘Good job.’ Then she said: ‘Would you like to do the feature?’ I didn’t even know she had a feature.”

Melissa Leo as Ray Eddy in “Frozen River”.
Photo credit: Jory Sutton, copyright Frozen River Productions

Rating: 4.0/5.0

“Courtney knew much more about the characters,” Leo said. “There were unanswered questions in the short we didn’t even know. The characters at that time were the ‘native’ and the ‘blonde’. They had no names.”

Ray Eddy became the character’s name. She lives desperately hand to mouth. With her husband gone and her savings wiped out, she decides to begin running illegal immigrants in the trunk of her car. The way to Canada without a border check is by directly driving over the frozen river.

“Courtney gave me a valuable piece of direction right before we shot the feature,” Leo said. “Watch ‘The Searchers’ (1956) and ‘Rio Grande’ (1950). Watch John Wayne. That’s probably the most consistent piece of direction throughout the rest of the filming process. It’s a little bit of the Duke.”

Eddy partners with Lila (Misty Upham): a Native American who lives on a nearby reservation.

Director Courtney Hunt on the set of “Frozen River”.
Photo credit: Jory Sutton, copyright Frozen River Productions

Charlie McDermott as TJ Eddy in “Frozen River”.
Photo credit: Jory Sutton, copyright Frozen River Productions

Lila knows the particulars of the immigrant running. She and Eddy have parallel lives with Lila having a husband who recently died and a son being raised by grandparents. Both women are looking to make a quick score and get the money they need to move on with their lives.

“This was actually a matriarchal story,” Leo said. “The natives have a lot of female tribal heads. You see the portrayal of the tribal meetings in the film to be heavily female, which is an accurate portrayal of those types of meetings.”

Leo added: “In our film, this is women doing what women do to get by especially when the men have let them down.”

The film is heavy with thematic symbolism involving race, gender and class. Leo spoke about those elements while emphasizing another aspect of the overall experience.

RELATED IMAGE GALLERY
View our full, high-resolution “Frozen River” image gallery.

RELATED READING
More film reviews from critic Patrick McDonald.

“The strength of the film is the story – a story that most people haven’t heard before,” Leo Said. “It’s a rich story because it encompasses all those themes.”

The “rich story” also has – in what Leo describes – a “satisfying” ending. She added: “The two women have learned something, have grown and are better people by the end of the film because of the journey the audience watches them go through.”

She concluded: “We are here to grow into our best selves. That is my religion. Whatever can get you there and whatever the trials, that is what betters us. That is how the story of this film is played out.”

“Frozen River” from writer and director Courtney Hunt stars Melissa Leo, Misty Upham and Michael O’Keefe opens in limited theaters on Aug. 15, 2008.

By PATRICK McDONALD
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com