Tag Archives: Claudette Colbert

Podcast

MOV101: “Bring down the walls of Jericho!”

It’s the one hundred and first reel of COL Movies where the boys start off with 1934’s “It Happened One Night” A movie that shows up on not one, not two, not three, but 4 of AFI’s top films list. Does this one stand the test of time and earn its place on those lists in our eyes? From a romantic comedy to a movie that seems to defy typical classification we head to “The Cabin In the Woods” Did it hold up to our expectations or blow them out of the water. Last but certainly not least we head to the not so distant future to check out Seth MacFarlane’s directorial debut “Ted”. Does the idea of a foul mouth walking talking teddy bear get our fur up? All that plus news about Movie Studios, Mockingjays, Mercenaries and more on this reel of COL Movies: Bring down the walls of Jericho!

[display_podcast]

News:

The Past: It Happened One Night (1934)
Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Fresh, 92% Audience

[asa]B001GUYAZY[/asa]

Director: Frank Capra

Starring: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly

Trivia:

  • Robert Montgomery turned down the male lead, saying the script was the worst thing he had ever read.
  • Director Frank Capra came up with the idea about “the walls of Jericho” because Claudette Colbert refused to undress in front of the camera.
  • This was the first film to win the Oscar “grand slam” (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Screenplay).
  • When Clark Gable showed up for work on the first day, he reportedly said grimly, “Let’s get this over with.”
  • Claudette Colbert only wears four different outfits throughout the course of the film: a flimsy nightgown at the beginning, her traveling suit, Clark Gable’s pajamas, and her wedding dress.
  • While shooting the scene where he undresses, Clark Gable had trouble removing his undershirt while keeping his humorous flow going and took too long. As a result the undershirt was abandoned altogether. It then became cool to not wear an undershirt which resulted in a large drop in undershirt sales around the country. Legend has it that in response, some underwear manufacturers tried to sue Columbia
  • Was the first film to win both the Academy Award and National Board of Review Award for the Best Picture.
  • The first of only three films to win every major Academy Award, including Best Picture. The Last Emperor and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
  • When director Frank Capra asked Claudette Colbert to expose her leg for the hitchhiking scene, she at first refused. Later, after having seen the leg of her body double, she changed her mind insisting that “that is not my leg!”
  • Is often credited as the very first screwball comedy
  • Columbia Pictures was considered a Poverty Row studio at the time of the film’s release. Both MGM and Warner Brothers would lend out temperamental actors to Columbia as a ‘humbling experience.’ Studio boss Harry Cohn, who was loath to pay for his own roster of contract stars during the early 30’s, would invariably assign them to work on Frank Capra’s films. Although the studio had received Oscar nominations prior to this picture, its success virtually single-handedly lifted Columbia out of the ranks of poverty row.
  • Clark Gable gave his Oscar for It Happened One Night to a child who admired it, telling him it was the winning of the statue that had mattered, not owning it. The child returned the Oscar to the Gable family after Clark’s death.
  • she was so convinced that she would lose the Oscar competition in 1935 to write-in nominee Bette Davis, that Claudette Colbert decided not to attend the awards ceremony. When she, contrary to her belief, won that year for her performance in It Happened One Night she was summoned from a train station to pick up her Oscar.

Talking Points:

  • the original runaway bride?
  • The first “Screwball” comedy?
  • The portrayal of the media and differences today

What We Learned:

  • Don’t sit on newspapers with white pants.
  • You could smoke a pipe on a bus back in the day
  • You gotta be too careful with who you hit it up with
  • Darn clever those armenians
  • Watch out for road thieves.
  • Women, the colder they are, the hotter they get.
  • No two men undress the same way
  • When hitchhiking, show a little leg.

Trailer

Recommendations:
Jeff: Maybe it’s just me, but this just felt like a typical movie of these times. I didn’t feel anything special about it. I just liked it. Good old timey movie. It was good. Yeah.
Ray: This is another one of those archetypal stories… of two polar opposites finding each other while on a journey. It was entertaining and enjoyable. If you’re into old movies it’s a fun one, not boring at all. Rent it and watch it on a night in for two.
Steve: OK, I will admit that I was entertained. However, still very old school and misogynistic, which annoyed me.

The Present: The Cabin In the Woods

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Fresh; 81% Audience

Director: Drew Goddard

Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford

Trivia:

  • Shot in 2009, but not released until 2012
  • Amy Acker and Fran Kranz both had roles on Joss Whedon’s latest television series Dollhouse. Tom Lenk had a recurring role on Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as appearing on the spin-off series, Angel, in which Acker also had a regular role.
  • The project began filming in March 2009 and completed on May 29, 2009 shooting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Joss Whedon co-wrote the script with Cloverfield screenwriter Drew Goddard, who also directed the film, marking his directorial debut. Goddard previously worked with Whedon on both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel as a writer.
  • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on November 3, 2010, but the movie will still be released as one of MGM’s last pre-Spyglass films in development; the film will be released in April 2012.
  • It was slated for wide release on February 5, 2010 and then delayed until January 14, 2011 so the film could be converted to 3D. However, on June 17, 2010, MGM announced that the film would be delayed indefinitely due to ongoing financial difficulties at the studio.
  • On March 16, 2011, the Los Angeles Times reported the following: “New (MGM) chief executives Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum are seeking to sell both (a) Red Dawn (remake) and the horror film The Cabin in the Woods, the last two pictures produced under a previous regime, as they try to reshape the 87-year-old company.”
  • On July 20, 2011, Lionsgate announced that they had acquired the distribution rights to the film and set a release date of April 13, 2012.
  • On the white board in the control room when the staff are taking bets on the victims potential killers, both “Deadites” as well as “Angry Molesting Tree” are listed. These are obvious references to the The Evil Dead films which also featured a cabin in the woods.
  • Immediately after an early preview screening with fan Q&A, the first question Director Drew Goddard was asked was, “Will there be a sequel?” To which he responded, “Have you seen the ending to my movie?”
  • Among the possible choices on the facility’s betting board are the following: Werewolf, Alien Beast, Mutants, Wraiths, Zombies, Reptilius, Clowns, Witches, Sexy Witches, Demons, Hell Lord, Angry Molesting Tree, Giant Snake, Deadites, Kevin, Mummy, The Bride, The Scarecrow Folk, Snowman, Dragonbat, Vampires, Dismemberment Gobllins, Sugarplum Fairy, Merman, The Reanimated, Unicorn, Huron, Sasquatch/Wendigo/Yeti, Dolls, Zombie Redneck Torture Family, The Doctors, Jack O’ Lantern, Giant, and Twins.
  • In the tie-in book The Cabin in the Woods: The Official Visual Companion, Joss Whedon says that Hadley and Sitterson represent the writers of this movie, Drew Goddard and Whedon himself.
  • Among the various possible monsters on the control room white board, one of them is just listed as “Kevin.” Although Kevin is never seen, in the tie-in book The Cabin in the Woods: The Official Visual Companion co-writer Drew Goddard said that Kevin was meant to be “a sweet-looking guy who seemed like he might work at Best Buy–until he dismembers people.”
  • During the rampage, one of the monsters that is briefly visible is a Reaver, the main monsters in Whedon’s cult TV show “Firefly”

Talking Points:

  • So, was it what you expected?
  • our original excitement:
  • Jeff: Yeah, I’ll pass.
  • Ray: I’m there… I love that the trailer straight up calls out the fact that you think you’ve seen this movie..and then slaps you in the face with something unexpected.
  • Steve: Looks like it’s going to be just like Friday the 13th, then takes an updated spin. I love Joss Whedon, so I am clearly going to be there!
  • Anyone else hoping it was Cthulhu?
  • Sigourney cameo
  • “options” – after seeing the options, would you have rather seen something else than the zombies?
  • The reason for the delay 2009-2012: 3D conversion: The film’s release date was postponed because the studio wanted to convert it to 3D, despite objections from Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard. These plans were eventually scrapped, and the film was released only in 2D.
  • Polarizing movie – why don’t people like it? (some wanted pure horror…thought some of the “tricks” were hokey…thought it was too comedic)
  • Interesting blog comparing “Cabin” to “Buffy

What We Learned:

  • Cops will never pull over the car with a giant bong in it.
  • Never play truth or dare when you’re in a cabin in the woods.
  • Make sure you go into the cellar door that opens randomly when you’re all sitting around in an unfamiliar house.
  • One way mirrors are cool.
  • Zombies.and Zombie Redneck Torture Family are entirely separate things. It’s like the difference between an elephant and an elephant seal.
  • Asian children under 10 are much smarter than American college students when dealing with paranormal monsters, and will kick your ass.
  • Uncreative people work in maintenance.
  • You can die with them, or die for them.
  • Do NOT read the frickin’ LATIN.
  • The Virgin’s optional as long as she dies last.

Trailer:

Recommendations :
Jeff: Honestly, I have a little bit of conflicting emotions about this movie. I really liked it, especially Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins scenes, but it also felt a little flat. It’s definitely worth a look see. Just don’t expect that scary of a movie.
Ray: I’ve always said I love movies that do something you don’t expect. Of course the trailer hints at something.. I felt sort of like I was watching a really cool Twilight Zone episode. Definitely worth going to see! I will own this.
Steve: Definitely enjoyed it! Totally unique and felt very “Buffy” and “Angel” to me. Did several things I didn’t expect, even if they were almost too crazy. Joss did not disappoint me!!

The Future: Ted

Release: July 13, 2012

Director: Seth MacFarlane

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane

Summary:

John, a perfectly normal Boston native whose childhood wish for his teddy bear to come to life comes true. The bear (Ted) remains his best friend well into his adult years. Conflict emerges when Ted’s irresponsible and vulgar slacker lifestyle comes in the way of John’s attempt to embrace his adulthood and the woman of his dreams, Lori.

Talking Points

  • Seth MacFarlane directing!

Regular Trailer:

Red Band Trailer #1:

Red Band Trailer #2:

Excitement:
Jeff: You know, I’m totally excited to not see this movie. It’s going to be hysterical and brilliant. I hope everyone else goes to see it. If this was in a movie draft, I’d probably pick it up for 10 Jeffery Jeffersons.
Ray: What can I say? it’s got a dirty foul mouthed stuffed teddy bear… Voiced by Seth Macfarlane. How could I NOT be excited to see it ?
Steve: When the trailer started, I will admit I gave a huge eyeroll…but then it grew on me. I don’t know if I want to rush out to see it, but seems like I’d enjoy and it would definitely be something different. The effects – especially the interactivity between people and Ted – look awesome!

The Past:

[asa]B001D2WU9I[/asa]

The Present:

The Future:

Download Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download