Chris Penn was one of those rare birds who could slip easily back and forth between television and film. He appeared on Will and Grace, CSI Miami and Law and Order, as well as in some legendary movies. He was the kid Kevin Bacon taught to dance in Footloose. He was the sweet one in Reservoir Dogs. He was a dopey mobster in Corky Romano. He made you laugh in Stealing Harvard. But if you want to go back and see superb performances by both of the brothers Penn (yes, I'm aware of Michael, but he's a musician not an actor!) rent 1986's At Close Range. It also captures Christopher Walken in his prime. I've had a well worn copy of the video since it came out and have moved it all over the province with me. Sean Penn is incredible in it. Walken is brilliant. But Chris Penn's performance will break your heart.
When I heard about the untimely death of actor Chris Penn, my first comment was, "He Chris Farley'd". I knew enough about Sean Penn's baby brother to back up my gut feelings - a history of drug use, and a swollen body the size of a manatee. The facts surrounding his death haven't proven me right yet, though. An autopsy was inconclusive and toxicology test results won't be in for a while. It's very tragic. He really was a talented actor, as good as his Oscar winning big brother, I'd say, but by his own admission, not as ambitious or disciplined.
Chris Penn was one of those rare birds who could slip easily back and forth between television and film. He appeared on Will and Grace, CSI Miami and Law and Order, as well as in some legendary movies. He was the kid Kevin Bacon taught to dance in Footloose. He was the sweet one in Reservoir Dogs. He was a dopey mobster in Corky Romano. He made you laugh in Stealing Harvard. But if you want to go back and see superb performances by both of the brothers Penn (yes, I'm aware of Michael, but he's a musician not an actor!) rent 1986's At Close Range. It also captures Christopher Walken in his prime. I've had a well worn copy of the video since it came out and have moved it all over the province with me. Sean Penn is incredible in it. Walken is brilliant. But Chris Penn's performance will break your heart.
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What is the difference between art and highfallutin' crap? I'm not sure how to define it, but like a metal detector on a dime, I have a built-in bullshit-o-meter that goes off when an auteur tries to pass off one for the other.
My taste was admittedly weaned on the mainstream. I was raised on Top 40 radio and The Partridge Family. But as a fan of film and entertainment in general, I have worked to expand my experiences beyond the typical. When Harry Met Sally may be among my favourite films but so are Muriel's Wedding, Amelie and Delicatessan. I'd much rather watch an offbeat British flick like Shaun Of The Dead than anything with Harrison Ford or Pierce Brosnan. You won't catch me lining up for the next 300 million dollar Tom Cruise blockbuster. Director and writer Jim Jarmusch happens to turn 53 today. Wray and I suffered through his latest release last night, Broken Flowers, the one that has supposedly generated so much Oscar buzz around Bill Murray. If seeming frightfully bored while learning one might have a teenage son one has never heard about before is worthy of an Oscar, then Murray is a shoo-in. Jarmusch's little tale about an aging Don Juan who goes off in search of the son he may or may not have, appealed to me. It sounded small and intimate and quirky. What it really is, is ponderous, flat and pointless. It's as if Jarmusch went out of his way to highlight the moments in a story that can normally be assumed, like a plane flying through the sky, or Murray sitting still in his livingroom, presumably thinking, for an eternity. It's not artfully done, it's not beautifully shot, it's not even well-written. But because Bill Murray continues to break out of the mold created by SNL and Caddyshack, the pretentious farts in the industry continue to applaud him, as if he's a simple child who's finally mastered Chopsticks on the piano. Bravo Billy! Way to go Billy, I'm so proud of you!!! You can sit still on camera forever without moving an eyelash! What great acting! Broken Flowers. Broken movie. Rent The Last Casino instead. It's Canadian. It's not riding an unearned wave of buzz or getting the Hollywood elite to chatter. And its brilliance may surprise you. I'm nearly finished one of the most entertaining books I've ever read, Hollywood Animal, the autobiography of screenwriter Joe Eszterhas. I've never been much of a fan of his movies but he is a fascinating man. He wrote Basic Instinct, Sliver, F.I.S.T, Showgirls, Flashdance (that was a re-write of someone else's original screenplay) and many others. He became the first "star" screenwriter in Hollywood and its' highest paid. A tale from one of his earlier books became a highlight in my '03 book, Celebrity Tantrums. It's the one about Farrah Fawcett fertilizing the lawn at a party. I was asked about that incident in nearly every interview I did and so Eszterhas' name crossed my lips quite a bit during my media blitz.
Much of the public sees Eszterhas as an empty soul who pecks out largely scuzzy screenplays for the shock value but he has also written Telling Lies in America, Jagged Edge and Music Box - movies with depth and purpose and even an Oscar nomination. He's a Hungarian immigrant who grew up amid horrible racism and prejudice. His book doesn't contain one shred of self pity. It's poignant, honest and hilarious and full of insider tidbits about Hollywood - a few of them are blind items but must use real names. Real, big names like Sly Stallone, Sharon Stone and the heads of most major studios who do not come off very well. I have hardly been able to put it down - all 730 delicious pages of it. |