Tribute: Thomas M. Disch

Posted on July 13, 2008 at 8:00 pm

Science fiction writer Thomas M. Disch, who died on the 4th of July, wrote one movie for families, the wonderful animated film, The Brave Little Toaster. It is the Toy Story-style tale of a group of appliances left behind by their young master who take off on a dangerous journey to find him. Disch will probably be best remembered for the books he wrote for grown-ups, but this charming film is a gem as well.

Tribute: Cyd Charisse

Posted on June 17, 2008 at 9:32 pm

USA Today’s Jim Cheng said it best: “Talk about a career with legs.” The beautiful dancer from Hollywood’s golden age died today at age 86. Born Tula Ellice Finklea in Amarillo, Texas, she was a professional ballerina at age 16 and appearing as a specialty dancer and then a leading lady on screen soon after, dancing opposite Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. Fred Astaire said of their appearances together in “The Band Wagon” and “Silk Stockings,” “When you’ve danced with her, you stay danced with.” Watch this number from “The Band Wagon.” She plays a ballerina who has not been getting along with her co-star (Astaire), an old school hoofer. One night, they go for a walk together and just naturally begin this lovely little number to “Dancing in the Dark.” Like most great movie dance numbers it tells a story about their relationship, very different at the end of the dance than it was at the beginning.

These are among my favorites:

Tribute: Mel Ferrer

Posted on June 15, 2008 at 8:00 am

Mel Ferrer, who died this week, starred in one of my very favorite family movies, the musical Lili, with Leslie Caron. She is a lonely orphan whose only friends are three carnival puppets. Her natural interaction with them leads the lonely and bitter puppeteer (Ferrer) to make her a part of the act. And the puppets allow both of them to communicate more openly than they can with anyone else. Author Paul Gallico was inspired by the 1950’s television show, Kukla, Fran and Ollie. At the moment, Lili is available only on video but I hope it will be on DVD soon.

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Remembering Harvey Korman

Posted on May 30, 2008 at 8:50 am

Jim Cheng of USA Today has a lovely tribute to Harvey Korman of The Carol Burnett Show, who died yesterday at age 81. Korman’s best movie role was as the evil Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles, one of four films he made for writer/director Mel Brooks. He was a nimble and versatile performer and an indispensable part of the finest ensemble ever put together for prime-time television. I especially loved him in the affectionate parodies of old Hollywood films. His Rhett Butler was a knock-out. But nothing he did made me laugh as hard as seeing him laugh at Tim Conway. He did his best to stay professional, but all Conway had to do was look at him and it was all over.

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Remembering Sydney Pollack

Posted on May 26, 2008 at 10:02 pm

Actor/director Sydney Pollack died today, leaving behind some enormously beloved films and performances. Here are some of my favorites:
1. Tootsie Pollack directed and appears as Dustin Hoffman’s frustrated agent in this classic comedy about an actor who dresses as a woman to get a part on a soap opera and falls for co-star Jessica Lange.
2. Out of Africa Pollack won an Oscar for directing the story of writer Isak Dinesen (Meryl Streep) on a farm in Africa.
3. Will & Grace Pollack beautifully played Will’s supportive but straying father on “Will and Grace.”
4. Three Days of the Condor Pollack did some of his best work with Robert Redford, as in “Out of Africa” and in this sensational spy thriller. (Also see Redford directed by Pollack in “The Way We Were” and “The Electric Horseman.”)
5. Michael Clayton Last year’s smartest thriller for adults featured Pollack as a sleek corporate attorney — behind the screen he served as producer.
Learn more about Pollack in the fine Australian series The Directors.

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