How'd They Get Away with THAT?

[Deleted]

Aug 9, 2008 21:32:50 GMT -4 @normadesmond said:

Here's one I don't get: Woody Allen. How is it in movie after movie he gets big name stars to appear? He hasn't had a hit in decades, and his movies aren't even funny or smart anymore. Most of them get even worse reviews than box office.

My inclination would be that he's now a "brand name." You know what you're getting in a Woody Allen film, and that it's got a built-in audience. If you take a part in a Jeffrey Nachmanoff film, there's more of a risk. (That particular director chosen off of a roster of upcoming films because I'd never heard of him.)

I don't get the fuss, but that could be that (a) the only Woody Allen movie I've ever seen was Annie Hall and (b) since I saw it recently, it felt like a retread of all the rom-coms I've seen in my life (I know it's the source for all the cliches, but it doesn't make them any fresher).

[wallflower]

Aug 10, 2008 0:20:49 GMT -4 clementine74 said:

Hm. I'm torn on Woody. I ADORE some of his movies, and despise others. Personally, yeah, a total douche. But I do find myself loving the good movies so much that I hope the next movie he makes will live up to some past triumph. Then it never does.
I thought Match Point was pretty entertaining, and thought both male and female lead characters were despicable.

Match Point was definitely his best work in a decade, but it certainly helped that he got a great cast together.

I tend to be able to look past the despicable qualities of the artist to enjoy their work. I figure the great masters of the past, like Dickens and Poe (especially Poe!) and Shaespeare and da Vinci etc. etc. definitely weren't all choirboys.

[Deleted]

I guess I was born at the wrong time to be able to appreciate Woody Allen. I didn't see any of his movies until I was in college and by then I already thought he was a talentless creep. The worst part was his continuing to give himself leading roles for so long. I'll admit that he used to be a good writer but the guy cannot act.

[normadesmond]

I'll admit that he used to be a good writer but the guy cannot act.

Oh, he was a good writer and director back in the day. I'm not surprised one bit he had star-studded casts two or three decades ago. But now? He cranks out a new movie every single year, and most of them are painfully unfunny and unwatchable. I guess he's such a brand name actresses just want the cache of saying they did a Woody Allen movie.

[Casino Bride]

I used to adore Woody Allen and his movies, but I just can't even watch them anymore because of that whole Soon-Yi thing. So vile and disgusting, it tainted everything. I can't love someone's work if I have no respect for them as an individual.

[Deleted]

To dredge up the game show host behavior thing, I often watch re-runs of the Family Feud hosted by John O'Hurley. It seems a lot of times there's a contestant he'll be particularly taken with -- Not in a skeevy way, in a kind of affectionate way. So there was this woman who I believe was the matriarch of this family. She was extremely petite. So, you know how they do the "fast money" thing at the end and after the person's given their answers they turn to the board to add up how many points they got, and he always says something like, "Ok, hang on tight and let's see how you did!" and the contestant and he each put an arm around each other.

Okay, so this woman was really small, like half his height. When they turned to the board he said, "Okay, darlin' put your arms around my knees and let's see how you did!"

Obviously he was referring to the fact that she was so small but I saw this brief look of horror go across his face as he realized the sexual implications of that sentence. He had this look like, "Shit, did I really just say that???"

Oh, and another time a woman with long hair had her hair so that it was covering up her name tag. He said "Let's move that hair so that our audience can see your name" in this friendly way and reached to brush it away from the name tag. But she flinched for a second like she was thinking, "Hey! What's he reaching for???" You know, 'cause the name tag and hair were right over her breast. Hopefully during a break they explained to her that he has to be able to see the names. Again, he briefly looked mortified because he realized she reflexively cringed at a man seeming to reach for her breast.

Sorry, I realize this is not on par with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski!

[groovethang]

Those are hysterical, though, Bonsai. I like John O'Hurley and it seems really cute that as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he realized how they sounded or came across.

[yournamehere]

While we're talking TV moments, one of my favorites comes from the Simpsons, Bart and Lisa are watching Krusty:

"Who do you love?"

"Krusty!"

"How much to do you love me?"

"With all our hearts!"

"What would you do if I went off the air?"

"We'd kill ourselves!"

That exchange would never make it onto the air today.

[discoprincess]

Aug 11, 2008 16:07:55 GMT -4 groovethang said:

Those are hysterical, though, Bonsai. I like John O'Hurley and it seems really cute that as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he realized how they sounded or came across.

Awww. I'm sure he meant nothing by it.

I'm surprised how Richard Dawson got away with macking on each female contestant on the original Family Feud.

[kanding]

I think back then you could get away with just about anything onscreen if you were drinking. Richard Dawson had a reputation as a drinker, so hey, that made his moves on the female contestants rather charming, no?

I remember "The Galloping Gourment" when I was really young. I can't remember the name of the host, but he was often three sheets to the wind when they taped the show. But I remember everyone thinking it was just part of the show.