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Bryan Thomas

@munkiman.bsky.social

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Here for posts on: Music. Films. TV Shows. Writing. 20th Century Fiction/Poetry. Art. History. Science. Humor. Progressive Politics. Photography. Nature. Ecology. Hippies. Navel-Gazing Existentialism. Baseball. Women. (Not Always In That Particular Order)

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    Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social

    #OneAlbumADay; Been writing today and this album by Kenny Wheeler (trumpet & Flugelhorn) helped clear angry thoughts after Trump's morning press conference. He's backed here by a solid quintet w/o any piano: Ralph Towner, Jan Garbarek, John Abercrombie, Dave Holland & Jack DeJohnette. More: alt text

    Kenny Wheeler 'Deer Wan' (ECM 1978) creates a rich and evocative soundscape with a cinematic quality. 'Deer Wan' is often cited as a prime example of the ECM aesthetic, known for its spaciousness, clarity, and focus on melodic and harmonic textures. Wheeler himself considered 'Deer Wan' one of his favorite albums, a testament to its enduring appeal and artistic merit. "Peace For Five," the opening track, is a highlight, showcasing Wheeler's lyricism and the ensemble's interplay. "Sumother Song" and the title track "Deer Wan" are also showcases of melodic depth and improvisational brilliance.
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    Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social

    Remembering film & TV director Stuart Rosenberg, born August 11, 1927, Brooklyn, NYC (d. March 15, 2007). Favorite films include Cool Hand Luke (1967), The Drowning Pool (1975), The Laughing Policeman (1973), Pocket Money (1972), and The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), among others. More: alt text

    Remembering film and television director Stuart Rosenberg, born on August 11, 1927, in Brooklyn, NY, NY – he died on March 15, 2007, in Los Angeles, at age 79. His notable films included the movies Cool Hand Luke (1967), Voyage of the Damned (1976), The Amityville Horror (1979), and The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984). He was noted for his work with actor Paul Newman. He also directed The Drowning Pool (1975), The Laughing Policeman (1973), Pocket Money (1972), and lots of memorable TV episodes. From Turner Classic Movies: A highly competent and hard-working director, Stuart Rosenberg earned the respect of his peers and the eternal appreciation of fans for his contributions to film and television. Receiving his start as a television editor in New York in the 1950s, he broke into directing on such NYC-based crime shows as "Decoy" (syndicated, 1957-59) and "Naked City" (ABC, 1958-1963). After a decade largely comprised of small screen efforts, Rosenfeld struck cinematic gold with his sweltering prison camp saga Cool Hand Luke (1967), starring Paul Newman in one of his most memorable roles as an irascible convict serving time at a harsh Florida state prison farm. He quickly went on to direct feature material as diverse as the Jack Lemmon-Catherine Deneuve romance The April Fools (1969) and the visceral Walter Matthau crime thriller The Laughing Policeman (1973). The director worked with Newman again several times on films like the private eye tale The Drowning Pool (1975), but had his biggest commercial hit with the sensationalistic shocker The Amityville Horror (1979). Still working with the best and the brightest late in his career, he gave direction to superstar Robert Redford on Brubaker (1980) and guided up-and-comers Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts through their bravura performances in The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984). (more)After directing the made-for-TV crime drama Fame is the Name of the Game (NBC, 1966), Rosenberg took another shot at feature films with Cool Hand Luke (1967), adapted from a novel by Donn Pearce, who co-penned the screenplay. One of the most acclaimed prison dramas of all time, it starred Paul Newman as the titular ne'er do well who clashes with the boss of a Florida prison camp, played to iconic perfection by Strother Martin. Both Newman and Rosenberg earned high praise for the film that finally launched the latter's career as a filmmaker in earnest. He soon followed with European beauty Catherine Deneuve's first English language film, The April Fools (1969), co-starring Jack Lemmon as an unhappily married business man who mistakenly has an affair with his boss' equally miserable wife (Deneuve). Two more Newman films, WUSA (1970) and Pocket Money (1972), preceded one of Rosenberg's finer efforts in the crime genre, The Laughing Policeman (1973), a taught thriller starring Walter Matthau as a world-weary cop trying to solve a brutal machine gun massacre on a San Francisco city bus. Rosenberg teamed with Newman one last time for The Drowning Pool (1975), the blue-eyed actor's second turn as novelist Ross Macdonald's sardonic private eye in a case involving blackmail in the Deep South and an old flame from the detective's past. The following year, he wrangled a star-studded cast that included Faye Dunaway, James Mason, Max von Sydow and Orson Welles for the based-on-fact wartime tragedy Voyage of the Damned (1976). A Charles Bronson shoot-'em-up Love and Bullets (1979) proved far less successful than Rosenberg's other effort that year - The Amityville Horror (1979), a surprise box office hit based on the best-selling book phenomenon about a family terrorized by evil spirits upon moving into a large house in suburban Long Island. (more)The veteran helmer later replaced '60s filmmaking maverick Bob Rafelson to direct Robert Redford in the prison drama Brubaker (1980) before working with young Turks Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts in the highly-regarded, if commercially overlooked urban drama The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984). Nearing the end of his career, Rosenberg endured a frustrating experience directing the feature Let's Get Harry (1986), an action-adventure starring Glenn Frey, Michael Schoeffling and Gary Busey as a group of friends on a mission to rescue a friend (Mark Harmon) kidnapped by a Columbian drug lord. Upset after producers shot additional footage and re-edited the film in order to capitalize on Harmon's rising popularity at the time, Rosenberg expressed his displeasure by crediting himself as Alan Smithee (a pseudonym used by directors to disown a project) for the critical and commercial flop. The director's final film was the low-key modern Western My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991), starring Scott Glenn as fading rodeo rider returning home to his family and former lover after years on the circuit. Semi-retired, Rosenberg later taught directing at the American Film Institute for a number of years, where such future professionals as Darren Aronofsky and Todd Field numbered among his students. Stuart Rosenberg died of a heart attack at his home in Beverly Hills, CA on March 15, 2007. He was 79 years old. By Bryce Coleman for Turner Classic Movies
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    Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social

    I had no idea that there was a French film made from John Fante's novella "My Dog Stupid" (from West of Rome, a Black Sparrow collection published posthumously in 1986) but I don't know if I'm in the right headspace for dumb dog movie. I remember liking Fante's story, though. Have you seen the film?

    In John Fante's novella "My Dog Stupid," part of the collection West of Rome, the plot revolves around Henry Molise, an aging and discontented writer living in California with his wife and four adult children. "Henry," portrayed as a grumpy, cantankerous, and often bitter figure, struggles with writer's block and feelings of being misunderstood and unappreciated by his family. One night, a massive, ill-mannered, and seemingly "sex-crazed" French Mastiff wanders onto his property. The family initially attempts to get rid of the dog, which they name "Stupid," but Henry unexpectedly bonds with the animal, finding solace and companionship in their unlikely friendship. This relationship, however, further exacerbates tensions within the Molise household, creating friction between Henry and his wife, children, and even neighbors. The dog acts as a catalyst, triggering a "cathartic crisis" within the family dynamic. The story delves into themes of familial discontent, aging, artistic frustration, and the search for connection. The interactions between Henry and Stupid highlight Henry's underlying struggles and the dysfunctional nature of his family relationships, even as the narrative hints at the enduring power of love and companionship.
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