Cocoa and Caffeine Hollywood Travels

The Academy's Gold--THE 2012 NOMINEES

2012-01-24T21:53:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to ALL the newly anointed Oscar nominees!

[Especially those I know who worked on The Descendants.]

Many of the other choices were those I'd expect, but I certainly didn't see 11 nominations for Scorsese's Hugo. I haven't gotten around to seeing it. Shameful, I admit, but 3D makes me sick.

I do have love for Clooney, but for Best Actor, Jean Dujardin from The Artist will give him a run for the money. (I'd be willing to run after either one of them, by the way.) But speaking of money...

Congrats to Moneyball for making appearances with Brad Pitt (Best Actor nom) and Jonah Hill (Best Supporting Actor nom) Since so many heavy-hitter Oscar contenders have been released since Moneyball, it could have easily been forgotten. Having just seen Beginners, I'm also happy to see Christopher Plummer on the list for Best Supporting Actor. He belongs there. And the film? Even better than I anticipated.

I was somewhat surprised to see French actress Bérénice Bejo on the list for Best Supporting Actress for The Artist and not in the leading role category. It seemed odd. She carries so much of the weight of The Artist. Despite this (luckily) actresses from The Help and Bridesmaids' Melissa McCarthy still made the cut.

Art direction looks to be a solid category. Any one of these films could walk away on top here. I really have no idea. Costume design? Sandy Powell (Hugo) could be hard to beat. She's won 3 Oscars already and she's been nominated multiple times. (She won in 2010 for The Young Victoria and she was also nominated last year.) She's really just asking for someone to swipe the statuette from her this year.

No surprises on the writing front either. Although, I had to look up Margin Call (Original Screenplay, J.C. Chandor) Both Adapted and Original Screenplay fields are flooded with tough talent. The girls of Bridesmaids are no doubt tossing champagne corks celebrating their nomination. At midnight, they'll probably find themselves in a Woody Allen screenplay.

Directing is a wide open field. No one's a surprise nominee here and all are especially deserving. It depends on what wins Best Picture. I believe this year will be a year of Academy voters split on their favorites. You can't blame them-- It's been a year relatively rich in well-told stories and excellent cinema. A throwback in many respects.

STAY TUNED!
The Oscars will be broadcast on Sunday February 26

© 2012 by KLiedle

Angelina Jolie's Shockingly Ambitious Film Gaining Attention

2012-01-09T15:54:00.000-08:00

It's still too early to tell how In The Land Of Blood And Honey, penned and directed by Angelina Jolie, will be embraced by audiences. (The film is currently in limited release theatrically.) Although the reviews have been mixed thus far, there's no denying that the film is certainly receiving attention. [It's a Golden Globe® nominee for Best Foreign Language Film.]

For her directorial debut, Angelina Jolie could've chosen much easier fare than a romance that takes place during the Bosnian War of the 1990s. It appears that Jolie, approached the film passionately, smartly, and respectfully. Increasingly known for her humanitarian efforts, she should be commended for bringing awareness to a long-forgotten conflict (and for being so ambitious of a filmmaker to attempt such a feat.) Clearly, getting the film out there means a lot to her.

Many may find it difficult to watch the atrocities portrayed on film, but film as an art form is best when it has something to say-- especially when it's shocking or provoking. Filmmakers often makes statements about the plights of their characters and the world we live in. Sometimes they do this so subtly audiences are unaware of it. Not in this case: According to current reviews of the film, Jolie does so boldly and without apology.

Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that: "Jolie deserves significant credit for creating such a powerfully oppressive atmosphere and staging the ghastly events so credibly, even if it is these very strengths that will make people not want to watch what's onscreen."

About The Film
Set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War in the 1990s, In the Land of Blood and Honey tells the story of two Bosnians from different sides of a brutal ethnic conflict. At its core, the film portrays the incredible emotional, moral and physical toll that the war takes on individuals as well as the consequences that stem from the lack of political will to intervene in a society stricken with conflict.

****

Angelina Jolie appeared in an online Q&A on Thursday, January 12th to discuss her writing & directorial debut, In The Land Of Blood And Honey. This blog hosted that Q&A Live. I've since removed it from this post, but you can view the original footage at: www.livestream.com/partnershub

Looking Back & Looking Forward: My Year In Film

2012-01-04T14:22:00.000-08:00

According to my records, I watched 121 films this past year. I write them ALL down in a little book-- something I've been doing for the past few years.
I don't know if I can top that number in 2012. (In 2010, I saw 83 films.)

I could see everything currently playing in theaters if I wanted to, but life is too short to be spent watching crappy movies. I see films by filmmakers I admire or by those that truly inspire me. I see films that I really want to see, films I'm curious about, and films that have something to say.

There are exceptions, of course. The last film I logged for 2011 was on New Year's Eve. That film was The House Bunny (I'm ashamed to admit.) I didn't need to see it. I knew it wasn't going to be miraculous in any particular way or even well-written. I just thought it'd be a fun movie along the lines of the original Legally Blonde. Yes, it had heart, but even with the sparkling personality of Anna Faris and Emma Stone co-starring, it was pretty bad overall, circa 2008. I will say, however, that The Playboy Mansion looks better on-camera than it does in real life. [Note: That's probably true of most Playboy models, too.]

All that aside: As I look back, I've noticed that 2011 was not a bad year. Maybe that's why I saw more films. It also helps that there are so many ways to see films now: On the big screen, TV, Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, and an increasingly diverse number of film streaming platforms [too numerous to mention.]

It would be difficult to choose a favorite from my 2011 list of movies, but I definitely have my favorite(s): the films that I'll remember, the films that spoke to me in some way, and the films I'm still thinking about.

From my 2011 list, I offer my recommends, in no particular order. [ Note: I viewed all of these films in the traditional sense-- by seeing them on the Big Screen.]

THE LUCKY 13

*WIN, WIN
*MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
*THE DESCENDANTS
*THE ARTIST
*HESHER
*ANOTHER EARTH
*CRAZY STUPID LOVE
*THE HELP
*MONEYBALL
*DRIVE
*50/50
*HESHER
*BRIDESMAIDS

For films I discovered (or viewed) via other means, I'd recommend:

~Before & After (Meryl Streep/Liam Neeson)
~I Knew It Was You (doc about character actor John Cazale)
~Taking Woodstock (Dir: Ang Lee)
~Two Lovers (Joaquin Phoenix/Gwyneth Paltrow)
~Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (fun movie; innovative shooting style)
~Mother And Child (Dir: Rodrigo Garcia)
~The Pixar Story
~Marvin's Room (classic)
~Dandelion (independent film discovery; currently available for streaming on Netflix)
~River's Edge (starring Crispin Glover, Keanu Reeves, Ione Skye)
~The Fighter (Dir: David O'Russell)
~Extract (Dir: Mike Judge)
~Let The Right One In (Dir: Mike Reeves)
~Keeping Up With The Joneses ( A great movie for the times, with Demi Moore & David Duchovny.)
~Rabbithole (In a word: Excellent)
~It (Clara Bow silent film from 1927-- as cute as can be.)
~Tiny Furniture (Dir: Lena Dunham)-- unique & oddly compelling film that put this female director on the map back in 2010.
~Martha Marcy May Marlene (Intense portrayal of cult society and the problems with trying to escape its seduction. Despite the critical reviews, I'm not convinced that it entirely pulled off what it was trying to convey, but it's an impressive first feature for director Sean Durkin and it certainly put actress Elizabeth Olsen on the map.)

© 2012 by KLiedle

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-27T20:06:00.001-08:00

This holiday season, remember to "love your brother" (figuratively-speaking)

Love,

It's Always Smoggy In L.A.

It's Always Smoggy In L.A. - "Thespian Jesus" - watch more funny videos

Personal Gift-giving This Holiday Season

2011-12-08T22:22:00.000-08:00

After recycling much of last Sunday's paper, I noticed one of those 'holiday gift guides,' endorsed by the newspaper. During the holiday season, it always appears that advertisers are doing their best to help clueless consumers find the perfect gift for other human beings they don't really know very well. Unfortunately, some of those people we don't know very well happen to be our relatives.

We think we know our parents; they think they know us. But when it comes to the holiday season, it becomes apparent that most of us could really use a little more time getting to know one another instead of wandering the malls on Christmas Eve looking at cheap wallets and packaged perfume and manicure sets.

The holidays is also when some products re-emerge from hiding from last Christmas season. The soda-maker, for instance. I don't understand what the allure would be to making your own soft drinks. Turn water into seltzer or soda! It's like magic. How is that fun? Or even necessary?

My brother wanted to know if I'd like one of those Keurig K-cup Coffeemaker things. Sounds good, but then what? I'm stuck paying through the nose for K-cups coffee shooters because that's my only option? I'm afraid the Keurig Coffeemaker would eventually end up sharing rent space with the wafflemaker and the dusty bread machine. Thanks for the thought.

In the aforementioned newspaper gift guide (under quirky and unusual ) they highlighted the book: Crafting With Cat Hair: Cute Handicrafts To Make With Your Cat. Originally published in Japan, the book shows how you can make handicrafts from all that cat fur that your pet leaves behind-- cat fur that, God forbid, would otherwise be wasted.

I give it an A+ for odd uniqueness, but really? Really? The first thing in there is a cat hair finger puppet. Let's imagine this for a second: you harvest the cat hair, carve out time in your day to make this puppet thing and then what? What are you going to do with that? Oh wait, you can give it back to your cat as a stocking stuffer this Christmas. How special.

I love the holidays, but I get turned off by the commercialism just as much as other people do. I'm all about the gift-giving, but I don't freak out about spending lots of money. I try to make it both fun for myself and as personal as possible for the recipient. Gift-giving is hard and it takes time to do it the right way-- that's why wealthy people have personal shoppers.

This holiday season, get to know the people around you. Make something on your own that's personally meaningful. I once gave my mom a heart-filled tin filled with strips of paper. On each piece of paper, I'd typed a story or a positive childhood memory-- as many as I could remember. It was more meaningful to her than any store-bought gift. I've also done drawings and collages and personalized note cards and books for people.

If you're not the creative type, support a local or independent artist or craftsperson. Purchase an independent filmmaker's film. Donate to a charity or cause that means something to you or the person you're gifting.

**Here are a few independently spirited artists, gifts, and sites I'd recommend**

Tiffany Miller Mosaics -- Gorgeously handcrafted mosaic art.

Rachael Owens - Los Angeles-based Singer/Songwriter

American Actor -- An independent film

A Boy An d His Camera -- A storybook written and illustrated by me. (A little self-promotion never hurts.)

Jenny Mayhem's Album: Keep The Fire
Jenny Mayhem - Toronto-based Singer/Songwriter -- Acoustic/Folk

Kickstarter.com -- Help fund and support independent film.

Artbreak -- Discover up-and-coming new artists. Purchase original art and prints.

Donations And Charities:

The Film Foun dation -- $1.00 preserves and restores one frame of film.

Film Streams -- Support nonprofit cinema.

The Make-A-Wish Foundati on

UNICEF

©2011 by KLiedle

"The Artist" - When Silence Speaks Louder Than Words

2011-11-16T14:24:00.000-08:00

Hollywood's witnessed many changes in its history: the advent of 'talkies', the invasion of television, and the emergence of the internet, piracy, and streaming technology. In each instance, technology has been both a threat (and an opportunity) to Hollywood and its players.

Michel Hazanavicius' film, "The Artist," explores how the introduction of sound film affects two artists' personal and professional lives. Although, it's a silent, black-and-white film-- a fact that may turn away even the most open-minded audiences-- I say, look beyond the facts. To truly appreciate the film, one has to submit to being transported into a different era entirely: An era when people went to the movies as often as they could for both escapism and entertainment. In the late '20s, individuals and families struggled to make ends meet as the stock market crashed and the Great Depression got underway. Hollywood was their escape, the place where dreams were made.

As the story unfolds, it's 1927 and George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is hamming it up as a famed silent film star. Audiences love him and it's rather obvious that he adores being adored. Simultaneously, a young starlet, Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), starts strutting her stuff in the trenches of Hollywood. She's got a sparkle and a spunk that set her apart from the competition. She and Valentin cross paths and sooner than anyone thought possible, she rises from being an extra to a contract player to a full-fledged star. This puts her at the forefront of Hollywood as silent films are phased out. Talking pictures are the future.

By 1930, Hollywood stops making silent films entirely. Cinema orchestras, once an integral part of a silent film's presentation, are eliminated. Silent film stars are considered passe. George Valentin gets the dire news from the studio and soon finds himself unemployable. No one wants to hear a silent film star talk. They want fresh faces, new blood. He's shunned from the studio as a relic from the past.

Meanwhile, Peppy's rise to unfathomable stardom occurs just as Valentin begins a downward spiral. From their first chance encounter, Peppy and George keep tabs on each other, albeit secretly. George sees her rise to fame as a stark contrast to the momentous changes in his own life. Likewise, she feels guilty and somewhat responsible for his downfall as he forced to auction off his possessions.

One of my favorite sequences between Peppy and George was shot at the Bradbury building in Downtown L.A. Hazanavicius utilizes the grand series of staircases at that location as a metaphor for Peppy and George's relationship to each other and to Hollywood. Peppy is always ascending the stairs with her career on the up-and-up. George is always shown going down the stairs, further and further, until he disappears from view. It's a simple visual technique but showing the two characters in that way, speaks more than any words ever could.

I came to see "The Artist" with no expectations beyond curiosity and longing to see Old Hollywood lit up on the big screen once again. Hazanavicius' uses several techniques ( showing a film-within-a-film, angled shots of the stage and audience reaction shots) to make film audiences feel right at home, as though 1927, is just an arm's length away from where we are. A cinema orchestra accompanies the film presentation, as we're introduced to George Valentin. Music is primary for the remainder of the film, just as it was for all silent films. Within moments, I'd forgotten the black-and-white and the "silent" lack of dialogue. I was riveted to the antics on the screen.

It's surprising how funny "The Artist" is, without seemingly trying. All it takes is a gesture, a look, a stupid dog trick, a shimmy, and an occasional title card, and we know what's going on. But "The Artist" is also a tragedy, as experienced by George Valentin. It's ultimately his story. As such, we are limited to his silent world, even though there is "talking" all around us. When it finally hits him, that sound is the wave of the future, he's shocked to HEAR the CLANK of his own water glass on the table. Suddenly there is LAUGHING , WIND BLOWING, CLINKS and CLANKS, a world happening just beyond the reach of our senses. It's all too much for him. And then, the SOUND of SILENCE as George's world collapses around him.

Ultimately, however, "The Artist" is a love story about two artists. Entertaining is their passion; it's in their blood. Peppy and George recognize a bit of themselves in each other. Can only one of them be a star? Is there a way for the past and the future to co-exist, meet in the middle somehow? As a contemporary film, "The Artist" captures the Golden Age Of Hollywood with more success than any other movie I can recall. My grandmother lived during that era. She remembers Hollywoodland. She'd tell me stories about the old time movie stars. I'd flip through her vintage glamour and movie books and try to visualize what it must've been like... to experience Hollywood, be a part of Hollywood, during that era. "The Artist," in some small way, gave me that experience. It's pure entertainment, beautifully crafted.

"The Artist" was shot in 35 days in Los Angeles with an American crew for an estimated budget of $12 million [Imdb.com] Ever since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, the film has been gaining awards buzz. As we head into Oscar season, it just may become the film to beat.

Starring Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller
Written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius

Copyright © 2011 by KLiedle

A Bygone Era

2011-11-10T17:22:00.001-08:00

The Hunt For Human Experience

2011-10-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

“I won’t cry,” I tell myself. I hear a male voice address the crowd, but I can’t focus on what he’s saying. He sounds so far away. I look over and see a tear flowing down a classmate’s face. She’s eleven years old-- so am I.

I look away, but it’s too late. My face wrinkles up. I can feel my skin flush. Emotions start flowing. I can’t stifle the tears; they’re unstoppable. I remember Kleenex, a woman’s hand reaching toward me. I remember silence and stuffed animals. I peer into the casket and see my friend’s face. She looks peaceful, her hands folded in prayer across her chest. Maybe I don't believe in God, after all. Her face looks familiar, but seeing her like this is so foreign. I say goodbye.

****

People may say they go to the movies to be entertained, to escape the mundane realities of their own lives. While that’s often true, I’d say there’s more to it. People go to the movies to feel alive, to live vicariously through the lives of others. We seek human experiences and connections that may be lacking in our own lives. We seek to understand ourselves and our relationships just a little bit better. Looking at life through the prism of a movie, we allow ourselves to express human emotions that we may be afraid to acknowledge in real life.

Gross-out comedies. Sequels. Franchises. Merchandising. There’s a lot of schlock in Hollywood. Where have all the dramas gone? The tearjerkers? They may be harder to find, but they haven’t entirely disappeared. A handful of darker movies have been released recently. [More on the way this awards season.]

These movies reflect the emotional pulse of what people are feeling right now, given world events and economic times. These films fill a void that so many of us have tried to fill in other, less satisfying, ways. Audiences are hungry for good stories. They want films that fulfill them in ways that so many other things can’t. They want to laugh; they want to cry. They want to cringe with embarrassment on behalf of a character; they want to ponder situations they may face in their own lives. They want to leave knowing just a little bit more about themselves and the world at large. Dramas don’t have to be dark and downtrodden. Many are hopeful and inspiring. Many are funny and witty. Many are bittersweet.

I finally got around to seeing Rabbit Hole (2010). That film, based on a play of the same name, explores a marriage, a family, and previously disconnected characters that become linked by tragedy. Each of the characters handles the grief in his or her own way. Grief doesn't give you a schedule. There are no steps to follow. There is no "getting over it." You come out on the other end, forever changed. In Rabbit Hole, each character learns that to continue living in any meaningful way, he or she must move forward. Embrace one another, support each other. Acknowledge the past, but look to the future.

50/50 is another satisfying, human film. It’s rather amazing that the so-called “cancer film” was able to make it to the starting blocks, let alone get a full theatrical release. Those who haven’t seen the film may call that depressing; I call it progress. So many people are affected by cancer—directly or indirectly. And those of us who haven’t been affected by cancer worry about whether or not we might be…sometime in the future, when we’re least prepared for such news. 50/50 manages to capture both the dramatic and tragic elements of cancer diagnosis and treatment, while acknowledging that comedy can (and does) exist in those experiences, too. I’ve known (and lost) several people to cancer. There are moments when you cry and think about the possibility of living life without them. Then, there are times when you’re together and you both laugh heartily, inappropriately at the absurdity of it all:

"Your hair's growing back red and curly? How bizarre. You look like Bozo the clown!"

"But I have CANCER!" [Ahem, but you can still do your own dishes.]

These are the true moments of life. And these days, I think don’t think people want escapism as much as they want to live their lives in a real and meaningful way.

UPCOMING CHARACTER-DRIVEN FILMS:

Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) - Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult. UPCOMING CHARACTER-DRIVEN FILMS

Like Crazy (2011) - A British college student falls for an American student, only to be separated from him when she's banned from the U.S. after overstaying her visa.

Another Happy Day (2011) - A wedding at her parents' Annapolis estate hurls high-strung Lynn into the center of touchy family dynamics.

The Descendants (2011) - A land baron tries to re-connect with his two daughters after his wife suffers a boating accident.

The Artist (2011) - Hollywood, 1927: As silent movie star George Valentin wonders if the arrival of talking pictures will cause him to fade into oblivion, he sparks with Peppy Miller, a young dancer set for a big break.

Above film loglines from imdb.com

The Beautiful Challenge Of Short, Short Stories

2011-10-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

Tell a story in exactly 78 words read the contest rules.

As a writer, I loved the challenge. I spend the majority of time hacking through a forest of words—the aftermath of an overwritten first draft. Everything takes multiple drafts. My brain battles with itself, the characters, the story, the whole idea I wanted to convey. I'm constantly asking myself questions:

Is this necessary? Is there another way to show this? Does killing this line make the scene more powerful?

I have to be brutal. My writing is not as concise as say, Sofia Coppola, but I’m getting better. Sometimes having constraints [whether it’s word count, budget, locations, shooting days, etc] forces you to be more creative. I loved the variety of Paris Je T’aime (2006), with its ensemble cast and eclectic group of international directors. Each of the eighteen directors had the assignment to shoot a film in a particular neighborhood of Paris. The catch was: They only got five minutes of screen-time. None of the participating directors said it was easy either, but all of them embraced the challenge.

I didn't win the contest, but no matter. As far as 78-word stories? Here are two I wrote:

Tongue-tied

Dad’s weekend. She couldn’t keep this ruse for long.

“Why so silent?” he asked.

She shrugged.

“School okay?”

The girl rolled her eyes.

“Your mom says you’ve been sneaking out. Better not be.”

“I’m not sleaking out.”

“Why are you lisping?” he demanded to know.

She stuck out her tongue. They both opened their mouths. Yelling, loud and clear.

That piercing would go! She stormed off. The door slammed. Dad had won the fight, but lost the girl.

Daisies

She smelled like Chanel. He tasted like salt. Intertwined under a comforter with daisies on it. Rays of morning light through the window. The rise and fall. One kiss had led them here. To happiness and daisies and morning light. Making love in a cheap motel.

“We can’t do this anymore,” she says.

“Sure we can. If we’re careful.”

She looks into his eyes and speaks two words:

“He knows.”

Someone pounds on the door. Room #203. Caught.

Directing In The Minority

2011-10-03T16:06:00.000-07:00

When Jonah Hill mentioned his interest in directing, at least one person was completely baffled: Darren Aronovsky. As Hill says in this month's Esquire feature, Darren wondered why anyone would want to be a director; it's so hard.

And if you're female or minority, it's even harder. The Directors Guild Of America recently circulated their 2010-2011 TV Episodic Directors By Gender and Ethnicity.

The current statistics were less than stellar. As the report shows, 77% of TV episodes this past season were directed by Caucasian males. Caucasian females were given a chance 11% of the time, as were minority males. If you're a minority female that directed a TV episode this season? You were probably the only one-- only 1% of episodes were directed by a female of any ethnic minority. Some shows, notably Bored To Death and Curb Your Enthusiasm did not have any minority directors this season. Also at 0% hiring: Weeds and Hot In Cleveland. Ironic, since both shows have strong female leads and/or casts. On the flip side, Hung, about a basketball coach turned male gigolo, employed 60% of female or minority directors last season. I presume that having Colette Burson, a female, as co-creator of the series probably helped. Treme (45%), Mad Men (31%), and 30 Rock (30%) also fared well in their hiring practices for episodic directors.

Production companies who haven't hired minority directors have their reasons and excuses. Many are ambivalent about taking a chance on a new director. Like the rest of Hollywood, they're afraid of risk.
"But the truth is that the industry hires new directors all the time; it's just that most of them are white males," says Lesli Linka Glatter, Co-Chair of the Diversity Task Force of the DGA National Board.
Aspiring directors, filmmakers, and writers need role models to inspire them along the difficult path ahead. It's so easy to lose faith in the film and television industry, in particular, because the obstacles can seem insurmountable. Seeing a filmmaker of your own gender, ethnicity, or background get a foothold in the industry can help you stay focused on your own goals as a filmmaker.

It's also important to note that it's not just about fair hiring practices either. Filmmakers have a worldview that is influenced by their own background and circumstances, as well as their identity as individuals. Many audiences are often searching for themselves and seeking answers about life when they choose to see a particular film. They want to identify with the characters and the protagonist's plight. They want to see the world from a different viewpoint.

There seems to be a misconception that minority filmmakers can only be trusted with "minority" stories. For example, the consensus seems to be: Female filmmakers direct female stories and so-called chick flicks. Latino filmmakers direct Latino stories. This doesn't mean that a female director couldn't direct an action film or that a Latino or Latina filmmaker couldn't direct a big blockbuster. It means, they generally aren't being offered these jobs. That's a shame because, as much as we get tired of seeing the same A-list actors in every big movie, we get tired of seeing the cinematic world through the eyes of the same filmmakers in every big movie. Stories are as varied as the Earth's landscape. And so are filmmakers. It's important to remember that.

There has been recent progress, however. Movies featuring minority and strong female casts, such as Bridesmaids and The Help have surpassed expectations at the box office. The Kids Are All Right, directed by Lisa Cholodenko, made a domestic gross of $20.8 million. It was reportedly made for a paltry $4 million, and even at that level, financing nearly fell through. [ boxofficemojo ] Interestingly, Cholodenko turned around and directed an episode of Hung in 2010.

We Need To Talk About Kevin, directed by Lynne Ramsay, was getting early buzz at Toronto this month. (It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May and is scheduled for limited release in the U.S. on December 2, 2011.)

Patty Jenkins, who wrote and directed the 2003 film Monster is currently in talks to direct Thor 2. According to Variety, Marvel has an "unconventional approach to offering its superhero tentpoles to filmmakers not necessarily top of mind when thinking of someone who might land an effects-laden summer actioner."

In other words, they're not afraid to take risks. And in so doing, they are offering chances to other types of filmmakers who would otherwise never be offered such material.

Blog content © 2011 by KLiedle

Image link

Buckle Up, Relax, And Enjoy Your Flight.

2011-09-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

I've flown a lot in my lifetime. Not as often as a business traveler, but probably more often than the average person. I got to experience the very tail end of the glamour era of flying-- back when kids still "earned their wings" on United and flights included not only snacks, but actual meals. As a kid, I loved playing around with the flight simulators at American Airlines headquarters in Fort Worth, TX where a family member worked. I daydreamed about being a flight attendant. Then, I got older and seriously looked into it, but I can't swim (which is a requirement in case of a water landing) and I didn't want the airline to pick where my home base was going to be. Then 9/11 happened, which sunk my interest entirely. And changed things forever.

Though the airline industry is far different now, I recently flew Delta Airlines and it reminded me of how things used to be. After the flight, I was e-mailed a survey asking for feedback on my travels. Normally, I delete those things. I don't want to take the time. Then I thought of how many people complain incessantly about airlines these days (for good reason.) There's the body scanners, removing your shoes, carry-on limitations, gels and liquids, baggage fees, overcrowded cabins...There's a lot to complain about. Since I had a surprisingly positive experience however, I felt the airline should know. Here's what I wrote:

"Flying has gotten a bad rap in recent years. I used to love to fly, now I dread it. However, I was pleasantly surprised with Delta! All 4 flights I had on my recent travels were comfortable, carry-on baggage was accommodated, even other fliers seemed to be more polite than usual. I think much of it was a result of the flight crew creating a community during our time in the skies with them. For ex: On one flight, the flight crew announced that it was our pilot's last flight; he was retiring. They passed around a framed plaque for all of us to sign. Flight attendants were pleasant and even appeared to be enjoying their jobs-- something I haven't seen in a very long time. My fellow fliers seemed to be actually enjoying the flights, too--something I also haven't seen much lately. I've flown every major airline: American, US Airways, United, Continental and several international carriers. There are some I'd never fly again, but Delta is a carrier I'll seek out in the future. I'm sure you get many more negative comments than good ones, but I'd like to say: Thank you for making my travels comfortable and enjoyable. Keep it up!"

For these reasons, I've been enticed by the the ads and billboards for the new ABC TV series, Pan Am, which is a period drama staged in the trendy world of the most famous defunct airline. I'm a huge fan of AMC's Mad Men, which jump-started the '60s nostalgia trend. That said, I have high hopes for Pan Am. I'm interested in the concept and the time period. It also stars Christina Ricci, an actor whom I think has been underutilized in recent years. I hope it's well-written. I hope the stars align and all the right elements are ready for take-off, but as with every show, the chances are slim. Maybe they won't pull it off as well as I would've liked. Maybe they're capitalizing on the resurgence of interest in the '60s. New shows, even the best of them, have a habit of disappearing into thin air. For Pan Am, I'll look to the skies and smile-- hoping for the best.

Buckle Up, Adventure calls. And thank you for choosing Pan Am!
Pan Am premieres tonight [Sept 25] 10/9c on ABC

Pan Am History

© 2011 by KLiedle

Photo credit: UW Digital Collections, Pan Am TV series promo

The Touch. The Feel. Of Film.

2011-09-16T12:21:00.001-07:00

It's nearing the end. The lights are on. The magic is gone. Movies on a flash drive, digitized and pixelated. This is where we've arrived. I knew this day would come, but I didn't know exactly how or when.

I remember when we painstakingly cleaned the 8mm family movies my grandfather had shot. We sprayed a chemical on it and carefully brushed away the dust, dirt and fingerprints. We did this frame-by-frame, reel-by-reel. The process gave me a respect for film and respect for my family's past--long before I even existed. I learned that film was to be treasured and preserved--not cast aside and neglected. In actuality, there may be no way to screen these films in the future.

In past few years, theaters have been disposing their film projectors in favor of digital projectors. This is the future, as much as I hate to admit it. Digital projectors go for upwards of $150,000 or more while an industry film projector will set you back about $35,000-$50,000. That figure's probably less now that theaters are unloading their 35mm projectors to anyone who will take them. It makes me angry and sad. The lifespan of a film projector used to be 30-40 years, but rumor has it that some theaters have apparently even resorted to selling them for scrap. In contrast, digital projectors may last you ten years, but we all know that technology will advance and those digital projectors you buy today will be obsolete tomorrow.

I admit; I'm attached to film. I'm attached to its texture, its richness, its depth, its majesticness, and ultimately, its fragility. With film, every frame-- like every moment of our lives-- flickers only briefly. Moments matter. They make up our past and determine our future.

From beginning to end, film sputters and spools its way to the screen. It works hard to put on a show: running 24 frames per second, 16 frames per foot, and 90 feet per minute. Digital is robotic. Point and click. Hit start. It does what you tell it to do. No emotion. No connection. Functional, it is. Beautiful, it is not.

Traditional studio prints are about $1500. Digital? Not much more than the cost of a flash drive. Although, the upfront cost for digital (projectors) is higher for exhibitors, it's cheaper in the long-term for everyone. Cheaper to shoot. Cheaper to distribute. Cheaper to exhibit. I'm glad that digital filmmaking has brought costs down especially for the independent filmmaker. And the quality of digital is getting better and better. However, there's no question that something has been lost... Cinema Paradiso.

© 2011 by KLiedle

Ssssh... Speaking Of The Library

2011-08-17T17:48:00.000-07:00

The bumper sticker says I ♥ My Library. It's stuck to a car that belongs to one of my neighbors. I don't know which neighbor. I've never seen the car's owner. I do know one thing though, we'd have something in common: I ♥ My Library too. In fact, I go to the library more often now (as an adult) then I ever did as a kid.

As a kid, my library card gave me entry to ONE branch library. In Bellevue, Nebraska. The two biggest downers were that it was small and you had to drive there. This was long before I could drive, but long after the days when I could read. I didn't go often. And I was annoyed that the only reason I couldn't check out books in Omaha branch libraries, was because I lived in a certain country that belonged to Bellevue, not Omaha-- which, being a much larger metropolitan area, had numerous branch libraries. Sometimes, I'd sneak by and check out books at an Omaha library but I had to lie and give my grandmother's address. This worked until they started requiring address verification with a drivers license or utility bill. Gosh darn it. I was boomerang-ed back to Bellevue.

Today things are different. In Los Angeles, I can walk to my local library. I go all the time. Probably more often than I need to (or should), but hell, I'm making up for lost time. And when I've exhausted the books in the English language section-- I can choose between a number of other branches nearby. The Los Angles Public Library System is quite extensive. I can check out books, CDs and DVDs at any of these branches I'd like, including Central Library in Downtown L.A.

As bookstores continue to disappear, a library remains a treasured, beautiful place. Sure, we can sit at home and surf the internet and read books on our Kindles and text people we may never get around to actually seeing. The library, however, is a place of community-- a meeting place where children and adults alike can learn about the world in which we live.

I always chat with the librarians there. They all recognize me. No matter how many times I go there, I always discover something new. I lucked out last time. Currently, I have several books by Alice Munro and the book, I Found This Funny, edited by Judd Apatow. If you haven't visited your local library lately, I suggest you do. Because a library is something you may not miss until it's gone, but a world with no libraries is a world I don't want to see.

The Los Angeles Public Library

©2011 by KLiedle

"Another Earth" in the aftermath of tragedy

2011-08-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

I’ve always been fascinated by the stars. Curious about what’s out there. Amazed by the sheer vastness of the universe. Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling), a young woman recently accepted into the MIT’s astrophysics program, is similarly transfixed.

At first glance, “Another Earth,” is about the scientific discovery of another planet just like our own. This planetary discovery is the headline story—announced on the radio and broadcast on TV. It’s all anyone seems to be talking about. This, however, only provides the backdrop to the drama that will soon unfold for Rhoda and the people affected by her partying and recklessness.

For Rhoda, the new planet is a curiosity that distracts her far more than it should. As a result, two human worlds collide. “Another Earth” is not so much about an astronomical discovery as it is about the shattered lives left behind by one person’s ill judgment.

Rhoda, gifted in the sciences, is not unlike John Burroughs (William Mapother), a composer, gifted in the arts. They are both highly intelligent people in their primes and at the cusp of something new. For Rhoda, it’s MIT. For John, it’s a second child. The ensuing accident irrevocably changes their connections to the world, themselves, and their disciplines.

In the aftermath, John becomes a near-recluse in his slovenly-kept home where he drinks too much. He is no longer a successful musician, a composer and a Yale professor. He no longer has a beautiful family with a baby on-the-way. That was his life before. This is his life after.

Meanwhile, Rhoda is released from prison and takes a low-level maintenance job in which she has little contact with people. At work, she’s paid to clean up after others, but all she feels compelled to do is clean up after herself. On the 4th anniversary of the new planet's discovery and thus, the anniversary of the accident, she reaches out to John in an attempt to pay for her sins in some human way. In the end, another Earth, a duplicate existence looming in the night sky, offers the possibility of a new beginning for them both.

How does one apologize for causing such a catastrophic event in someone’s life?

If you were to meet yourself, what would you ask yourself?

“Another Earth” explores more than it explains. It asks big questions, many of which it can’t answer. It contains some over-dramatized moments, but you come away appreciating what it's trying to say. It's about the healing power of music and the scars that life brings us. It's about apologies, resurrections, redemptions, rebirths, and getting to know yourself and your place in the world. In the end, I dare say, “Another Earth,” like a glimpse of heaven, is a very moving and spiritual experience.

Video/ Embedded from Youtube
Written content/ © 2011 by Kliedle

Emma Stone's Hiccups

2011-07-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

As a redhead (as we've come to know her) or her natural blonde, it seems like she's everywhere these days. Whether it's ducking in and out of magazine shoots or lighting up the silver screen, Emma Stone's certainly keeping busy. Just this summer, she'll make appearances in no less than three films: Friends With Benefits, Crazy, Sexy, Love, and The Help.

For most actors, this would be highly annoying. It would not only scream overexposure but elicit responses of "Ugh...vomit", "Go away already", and "Gimme a break..."

But when it's Emma Stone we're talking about, it's hard to feel that way because she's so darn likeable. If you threw Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz in a Tilt-A-Whirl and added a touch of Scarlett Johansson's raspy voice, you'd get glimmers of Emma Stone-- laughing heartily, a little too loud and a little too long.

She's got a presence that's hard to ignore and the beauty, talent, and charisma that makes it hard to look away. In the beginning, people were calling her the next Lindsey Lohan, but she's proved far too overqualified for that. If Superbad put her on the map and Zombieland made us ask, "Where have I seen her before?," then it was Easy A that put her on the Star Map.

Her performance in Easy A showcased a surprisingly well-written script (penned by former casting director, Bert V. Royal) and orange-kissed direction by Will Gluck. Seriously, oranges. Count them.... At any rate, I can't imagine anyone else nailing that role in quite the same way she did. She owned Olive all the way. Drama Queen.

Plus, you gotta love a girl who was so passionate about performing that she put together a power-point presentation cued to Madonna's Hollywood to convince her parents to let her go to Hollywood. How could they say no?

Flashback to more than a year ago...
I'd been camped out at El Torito for hours, freezing my butt off. Shooting nights in winter (even in L.A.) sucks. In a futile attempt to stay warm, I'd been drinking tea, copious amounts of tea. Green tea, herbal tea, herbal tea, green tea. Alternating. Trying to avoid the coffee.

The redhead sitting across from me was also sipping tea (green tea), taking a break between shots. She'd been shooting a pivotal scene for her character with lots of dialogue and, on every take, she had to slug a big, sloppy gulp of water. As Hannah, she plays a law student in the soon-to-be-released Crazy, Stupid, Love (then merely called the Untitled Dan Fogelman Project.) Waiting patiently, taking it all in, she couldn't have been more polite or professional. That is, until the hiccups erupted. Eyes wide, a twinge of panic crossed her face.

"I have the hicc--" she started to say. [Hiccup] Another one.

No doubt, she'd swallowed a lot of air with those gulps of water. Most everyone was focused on the next shot. They were ready to go: Camera set, Let's roll. [Hiccup, Hiccup...] She stood up, got to her mark. Then, 1...2...3... [Action!] she held her breath and did the work, as if to say, "I'm in control. Hiccups be damned."

Unlike those hiccups, Emma Stone's here to stay. But let's face it-- that's not a bad thing.

Now, she's all brightly colored and black-and-white with all the costume changes in the July issue of ELLE magazine and Vanity Fair's August issue. Snagged the covers for both. Damn straight. [It's a rare person I can both envy and root for in equal measure.]

As for that Stella Mccartney dotted tulle blouse and the sunshine yellow Versace ostrich feather dress she got to wear in ELLE?* That I can hate her for. But it won't last. That is, unless she goes all truffle fries on us.*

* Attn: Stella Mccartney and Donatella Versace: Will accept donations of cast-off wardrobe from above-referenced photo shoot. Or if you have ready-to-wear in dire need of someone to wear it, I'm your gal.

** Truffle Fries: If I have to explain it then obviously, you need to check out ELLE's July 2011 cover story on Emma Stone.

© 2011 by KLiedle

Will Pete ever learn? ~the Web #3

2011-07-06T14:47:00.000-07:00

Newest episode of It's Always Smoggy In L.A., "the Web #3"

The gang is forced to go to Anger Management-- Thanks again, Pete.
Keep the violence at a minimum and watch the damn episode, ya hear?

It's Always Smoggy In L.A. - 'the Web #3' - watch more funny videos

To vote for your favorite episodes and
for more It's Always Smoggy In L.A.

go to Funnyordie.com

Quick Takes: Pre-Production

2011-06-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

Quick interview courtesy of Smoggy Blogspot featuring Scott Vogel, creator of the series, It's Always Smoggy In L.A. The focus was on pre-production, but it also gets into what it's like working on the micro cinema level.

Alissa Cohen: What are some of the things you focus on during pre-production?

Scott Vogel: I try to get familiar with the script all over again because usually by the time we move into production, it's been 3 or 4 months since the the script was finished and you get caught up in other things, like casting, wardrobe, shot lists and so on... Sometimes you forget to just sit down and really read the story again to remember where the important beats are, how to hit the dynamics and so on...

Beyond that, pre-production's about trying to find the right actors for those particular parts and, if possible, get in a good half-day rehearsal before the shoot.

AC: DIY filmmaking is never easy. At a minimum, what crew positions must you have on-set? What can you get away without? What would you like to have, but don't?

SV: Smoggy shoots are generally at the bare-bones minimum. We get by with just a camera man, sound mixer and assistant director. Sometimes there's a script supervisor or production assistant. Other times, not. What would I like to have? I've worked The Office and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and to me, those shows have the perfect-sized productions: about 15-20 people covering the basics. Most shows have anywhere from 40 to 60 people or more. For what we do, that would be silly, but a crew of 10 would be bliss.

AC: What excites you most about It's Always Smoggy In L.A.?

SV: The most exciting thing about It's Always Smoggy In L.A. to me, is the formula. There are basically no rules beyond keeping the general themes of the show consistent. Other than that, the sky's the limit and we're starting to really explore.

© 2011 by TSV Productions, It's Always Smoggy In L.A.
Published with permission from Smoggy Blogspot

LACMA: Beyond Tim Burton

2011-06-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

There's been a surge of visitors to the Los Angeles County Museum Of Art [LACMA] lately. Since May, the renowned art museum has hosted a major retrospective of filmmaker and artist Tim Burton. This proves that there are way more Burton fans than I ever thought. Sure, Burton's unique and quirky-goth is interesting, but it also brings to question-- What about the museum's permanent collections and exhibitions?

I wandered down to LACMA yesterday via rail and bus-- which takes some planning here in L.A. [For L.A. residents: Metro Rapid 780 drops you off directly across from the museum. It couldn't be more convenient.] I spent the next couple hours enjoying Free LACMA day [ free general admission to the museum's collection on the 2nd Tuesday of every month] And I never set foot in the Tim Burton exhibit. Sure, I may have enjoyed it, but...

LACMA has an extensive collection of art that kept my eyes and mind entertained throughout the afternoon. I started off carrying a map of the collections, but in my opinion, it's better to just walk around and discover what the museum has to offer. Some of my favorite collections were those of European art, Egyptian art, relics, and artifacts, and Japanese art. The museum has a whole room full of Picasso-- including drawings, bronze statues, and a sculpture or two. None of which escaped what I call, the "phallic Picasso touch." One of his bronze sculptures, which at first glance looks like a multi-tentacled alien, is titled The Cock. [Nice, Picasso. I'm sure you thought long and hard about that title.]

The Egyptian Art and relics from Iran boggled my mind. Several pieces date back to 1500 BC and are in pristine condition. A mummy casket, decorated with strings of Egyptian art is on display. [ So much for that mummy resting in peace... ] The cat figurines the Egyptians sculpted were beautifully crafted and highly detailed. One Egyptian figure was flashing the devil's horns with his hand as if to say, "Think you're so advanced? It started with us."

Japanese Art is housed in a separate building, full of light. It's a picturesque setting for woodblock prints and statues of Asian descent, but not so good for taking photographs-- too much glare. Some of my favorites there included classic artwork from Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, one of the masters of Ukiyo-e, a type of woodblock printing. I also had fun posing with a samurai warrior in full costume and capturing light with a Buddhist statue.

All in all, LACMA is perfect for a day trip. Whoever thinks museums are boring, should give it another try. And if you're going for the Tim Burton exhibit, leave yourself enough time to contemplate the other collections that this outstanding museum has to offer.

LACMA is located at 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90036

© 2011 by KLiedle

HESHER, the unexpected houseguest

2011-05-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

There are certain movies that will never make the rounds in my Midwestern hometown-- Hesher, being one of them. Even in Los Angeles, the film is still in limited release. This is unfortunate, because Hesher is surprisingly good. It is one of those rare movies that I was able to experience without any preconceived notions. I hadn't seen the poster or the film's trailer; I knew little, if anything about it. That alone, was refreshing.

[If you did judge the film by its trailer, you might think that Hesher is a comedy about a bare-chested, pyromaniac, bad boy, a mop-topped kid, and the RDA-recommended supplement of Natalie Portman. If that's the case, you might be disappointed.]

People have various generalizations about what a "hesher" is. Several users of the urban dictionary, have defined a hesher as "a mulleted person in acid-washed jeans and a Judas Priest T-shirt... who still lives in his parent's basement" or more simply put: "someone who smokes and drinks and loves metal."

With this Hesher what you see is not what you get. It's so much more. A multi-layered film, Hesher deals with the larger issues of tragedy, loss, love, and family relationships. While the title might suggest otherwise, the film centers not on Hesher (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt,) but on 13-year-old T.J. (Devin Brochu) who carries most of the film on his young shoulders. Of course, Hesher and his impact on T.J.'s life, can't be ignored. He is the catalyst for everything that follows.

At the start, T.J. and his small family are unraveling from the tragedy of losing one of their own. T.J. tries to hold onto the pieces of what's left of his life, knowing it can never be the same. His father, like many adults in similar situations, becomes immobilized by grief. Neither of them can let go or move on--they've stagnated in the limbo that grief leaves to the living.

Hesher, all tattoos and cigarette smoke, shrouded in mystery and Metallica, bullies his way into their household. He's like the big brother T.J. never really wanted, the devil on his shoulder, and a manifestation of everything T.J. and his family are feeling, but are unable to express. They play by the societal norms of grief: Everything happens for a reason. You pray. You grieve. With time, you move on.

You're not supposed to act out or get angry or seek revenge. And you especially aren't supposed to trespass, trash shit, and set things on fire. Hesher takes the rules and slams them like thunderbolts into the ground. Everything is to the extreme. And you know what? As much havoc as Hesher brings, T.J. and his family somehow need this shake-up. They need to remember how to pick themselves up, how to fight against whatever life throws at them. They need Hesher to remind themselves that they are, in fact, alive.

I was not at all surprised to hear that the film's director faced his own family tragedy at 13 years old-- an older brother was killed by a drunk driver. Influenced by real life, no doubt, makes Hesher an especially personal film for a director and for an audience.

Everyone's lost someone, at some point, but traces of that person, those memories, those scars never leave you. They run through your veins and express themselves in unexpected ways throughout the rest of your life.

Tragedy and loss that strike during childhood can be especially poignant. When I was 11 years old, I lost a good friend to cancer. She was also a kid, like me. We were both one month away from our 12th birthdays. After I'd heard that she died, I remember climbing my favorite tree, high above our house, to isolate myself. There, I felt like I'd found the in-between of Earth and sky-- a place where I could stay for awhile-- in grief-stricken limbo. I cried my eyes out. Alone. It was a moment of innocence lost. A realization that life wasn't all frosted cupcakes and field trips. After the tears dried up, I sat there for a good, long time peering down upon Earth, unsure what to make of it. A car coasted down the hill below me, and in that moment, inexplicably, I threw a rock at it.

Slam(!!) went the rock onto the hood of the car and Slam (!!) went the guy's brakes. I had no idea what had come over me. I didn't act out, wasn't one to get in trouble. That was my inner Hesher-- making it known that yes, life can be shitty a lot of the time, but yes, you can pick yourself up and get through it to live again and live more fully.

Hesher has its comedic moments, but the reality is that life isn't always kind. It's the drama, the small gestures, the expressions and emotions portrayed on the actors' faces that really set the film apart. It's a sad, sad story and a heartfelt film-- full of beautiful performances by everyone involved. My guess is that it was also a labor of love for the entire cast & crew. Even grown men will have tears rolling down their cheeks and, I might add, they won't feel ashamed by it.

© 2011 Review by KLiedle

HESHER
Now playing
(in limited release)
Director: Spencer Susser
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Devin Brochu, Rainn Wilson, Piper Laurie, Natalie Portman

It's Always Smoggy In L.A. - "the Web #2"

2011-05-23T16:20:00.000-07:00

Pete Learns The Hard Truth:

"If you can't do both jobs-- If you can't act, you can't script supervise, maybe you shouldn't be doing both..." --Scott V.

It's Always Smoggy In L.A. - "the Web #2" - watch more funny videos

If you like this episode, please VOTE for it
on Funnyordie.com. For other Smoggy episodes go to FunnyorDie.com/smoggyinla

©2011 by KLiedle
Smoggy content © 2011 by TSV Productions

Love And Hate: Mothers And Daughters Captured On Film

2011-05-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

Over the years, my mother and I haven't always seen eye-to-eye. There are things we'll never understand about one another. There are things she does that drive me insane. Sometimes I recognize things that I do just like her and it scares the crap out of me. We've had our spats. There were times I wanted to run away. Growing up. Resentments. Expectations. Guilt. Celebrations. Graduations. Parting ways. Intersecting Again. Love. Family.

***

The egg timer, ticking like a metronome, didn't lie. My mother always set it for 30 minutes when I was supposed to be practicing the piano. I can still hear her voice emanating from the kitchen: "I don't hear you practicing!" Then, I'd play a little and try to cheat, make time go in fast-forward. Time doesn't go in fast-forward when you want it to. Fingers plunking piano keys... 30 minutes.

Decorating birthday cupcakes with M&Ms and homemade chocolate frosting. Mom with the video camera. Licking the bowl. Getting flour absolutely everywhere. No one stopping me.

My mother, standing there aghast, missing her front tooth. The porcelain veneer cap had popped off and slid down the sink. She was getting ready to go out. I was standing over her, laughing. It was wrong, I know. I couldn't control myself.

She, in turn, would chide me about not cleaning the sink in my dorm room. Toothpaste scum, make-up remnants. A week later, I'd receive an envelope containing a ziploc bag filled with Comet cleanser. A subtle hint. Mint-green powder sprinkled all the way through the U.S. Postal Service.

***

For mothers and daughters, all these little moments add up to create one of the most important (and yet potentially volatile) relationships we will ever have.

As another Mother's Day approaches, I was thinking about movies that have featured mother-daughter relationships in one way or another. Naturally, films about mothers and daughters highlight the explosive nature of this most important relationship. Conflict is drama. And mothers and daughters are very good at being dramatic. We have love and respect for each other, even during the times we hate each other. We're not best friends, nor should we be, but we're in this life together.

Movies That Contain Elements of Mother-Daughter Relationships

* Anywhere But Here (1999, Susan Sarandon/Natalie Portman)
Based on the novel by Mona Simpson.

*The Virgin Suicides (1999, Kathleen Turner/Kirsten Dunst)
Based on the novel by Jeffrey Eugenides.

*Terms Of Endearment (1983, Shirley Maclaine, Debra Winger)
Based on the novel by Larry McMurty.

*Welcome To The Rileys (2010, James Gandolfini, Melissa Leo, Kristen Stewart)
Technically, Allison isn't a biological daughter to the Riley's, but their discovery of her [and the subsequent relationship they have with her] mirrors many parental relationships which is why I'm including it here. Plus, it's an underrated film that deserves more attention.

*Steel Magnolias (1989, Shirley Maclaine, Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Julia Roberts)

*Mildred Pierce (1945, Joan Crawford, Ann Blyth)

*Mommie Dearest (1981, Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid)

*Mother And Child (2009, Naomi Watts, Annette Bening, Kerry Washington)

*One True Thing (1998, Meryl Streep, Renee Zellweger)

*Smooth Talk (1985, Laura Dern, Mary Kay Place)
Also known as "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been", based on the short story by Joyce Carol Oates.
*Thirteen (2003, Evan Rachel Wood, Holly Hunter)

*The Kids Are All Right (2010, Annette Bening, Julianne Moore)

***
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

If you enjoy any moment in your lifetime, even if it's only one moment, you have your mother to thank.

My mother is older now. We both are. Time doesn't go in fast-forward when you want it to. Time goes in fast-forward when you're not looking...

Loop-De-Loop: Temescal Canyon Travels

2011-04-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

I walk. Every day. One hour. No questions asked. Many answers found. I consider it my "Me" time. Generally, I stick to the same route. This can sometimes get boring. And that, calls for adventure.

Ever since I went to Yosemite National Park in September, I've been motivated to seek out more of the 'wild' of Los Angeles. Even in the most urban of areas, there are plenty of local hikes where I can play make-believe adventure. I just have to be willing to seek them out.

Temescal Canyon Gateway Park is one of those places. It's been on my list for awhile. Nestled in Pacific Palisades, Temescal Canyon is a popular hiking area. From the map, I could see that the park was right off Sunset Boulevard, just west of the fringes of Will Rogers State Park. Parking inside the park is $7.00. As suggested from other online hiking sites, however, I easily [and surprisingly] found street parking just outside the park. [I'm a person that hates to spend money on the idiocy of parking my car.]

The main Temescal Ridge Trail rises steadily above Sunset. Suddenly you'll find yourself high above the Pacific Ocean. It's a dramatic view, especially on a clear sunny day. I didn't find the hike to be tremendously strenuous, but it does require more effort than a leisurely stride so you should be in decently good shape before attempting it.

There is an elevation gain of about 1,000 feet. ( In comparison, my hike to Upper Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park had an elevation gain of nearly 3,000 feet... enough to make me both nauseous, dehydrated, and crabby. Yet, I was never so proud as when I completed that hike in its entirety!)

In addition to the view, which gets better with every step you take, there are also plenty of wildflowers and little critters to see along the way-- including grey squirrels, birds, and lizards.

On my descent, just past the waterfall, I happened to see a rattlesnake stretched along the path. I find reptiles fascinating and all, but I don't mess around with rattlesnakes. I stopped and gave him space. Within moments, I saw a female jogger bounding down the trail, full speed ahead. I raised my hand high and yelled a warning to alert her. She was extremely grateful. We both paused and stared at the rattler in awe. Eventually, he slithered away-- evidently bored with our company.

I'd highly recommend a daytrip to Temescal Canyon. If you take the main trail and stick with it, eventually it'll loop around, resulting in a pretty awesome roundtrip hike. After the hike, you can get back in your car and zip down to the beach, if you're so inclined or take a cruise down Pacific Coast Highway. It's also not to far from Brentwood and Westwood.

Here are some other tips:
- Bring sufficient water and snacks, especially on warm days.
-Apply sunscreen and wear a hat, whenever possible.
-Be aware of your surroundings. Rattlesnakes do live in this area (According to forest rangers in the area, rattlesnake numbers could be high this season, so be on the lookout!)
-Take pictures!

For more information about local hikes in your area, check out: Local Hikes

©2011 by KLiedle

A grand legacy of classic film: Sidney Lumet

2011-04-10T20:55:00.000-07:00

You were at the helm of some of my all-time favorite films:
Dog Day Afternoon, Network, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead
Thank you for sharing your film legacy!

SIDNEY LUMET
1924-2011

Posted by KLiedle

Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. : How It Came To Be

2011-04-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

Thinking It. Wanting It. Seeing It. Touching It. Liking It. Doing It. Loving It. Wanting More... [chapters in Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.]

Much has been written of Audrey Hepburn and the iconic film, Breakfast At Tiffany's. In most, we're stylishly whisked away into the world of Holly Golightly. Living alone in a brownstone in Manhattan. Cha-cha-cha, isn't she just marvelous? Oh, Darling, don't you wish you could be her? Romance. Cat. Oh, poor Cat! We do belong to each other...

We're hooked and we've sunk in one smooth move. In love with Holly and all she represents, we're doomed. But Holly is a riddle. She is, by definition, impossible to define. And that is, above all, her greatest charm. Truman Capote made it so.

Sam Wasson's newest book, Fifth Avenue 5 A.M. [Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast At Tiffany's and The Dawn Of The Modern Woman] digs deeper than any other book on the subject I've read. And I've read many. Most books focus on the film and its iconic status, but Wasson takes us through more: the beginnings, the struggles, the fears, the conflicts, the contradictions and the ultimate success of the Breakfast At Tiffany's we've come to know.

As with any creative endeavor, Breakfast At Tiffany's didn't just come together. It was gestating for a long time before it was words on a page [and images on a screen in the Hollywood adaptation.] And at any given point, it could've easily fallen apart.

Would audiences coming right out of the '50s embrace a main character who, in the very simplest terms, is a high-society call girl? Played by Audrey Hepburn? Paramount Pictures was uneasy. According to Wasson's book, film producers Marty Jurow and Richard Shepherd, optioned Capote's novella, without "the faintest idea how the hell they were going to take a novel with no second act, a nameless gay protagonist, a motiveless drama, and an unhappy ending, and turn it into a Hollywood movie."

They don't end up together in the end, you know. The boy and the girl. Holly and Cat. It's not the romantic chiffon of an ending that you might have been expecting. Not in Capote's world. Holly goes on being Holly. In the novel, Cat is last seen, "flanked by potted plants and framed by clean lace curtains...seated in the window of a warm-looking room." His new owner's room. A place where, finally, he "may have arrived somewhere he belonged." And gotten himself a name. Holly leaves the brownstone behind and jets to Brazil, giving no forwarding address. She may still be there. Or in Africa. No one knows, least of all, Holly.

In the early 60s, Holly Golightly changed the game and no one even knew it was happening. She made it not only glamorous, but acceptable for a woman to be independently-minded, stylish, and God forbid-- unmarried. Holly did what she wanted. Fifth Avenue chronicles how she pulled it off and how numerous Hollywood personalities allowed her to exist well beyond the pages of Capote's novella.

Through countless interviews and research, Fifth Avenue touches on the personal details, the conflicts, and the controversies [Yunioshi anyone?] that otherwise would be nearly forgotten in the light of Breakfast At Tiffany's success since. It's that rare book where even the sources and notes in the back are fascinating subject material (and motivation for further reading.)

Loving It. Wanting More.

More Mancini Music From Breakfast At Tiffany's

Post ©2011 by KLiedle

It's Always Smoggy In L.A. - "One Noir Night"

2011-03-23T18:14:00.000-07:00

It's a dark and rainy evening here in L.A. - a perfect time to indulge in "One Noir Night," the latest in a string of shorts in the web series, It's Always Smoggy In L.A.

If you like this video, please VOTE on Funnyordie and share with friends.

It's Always Smoggy In L.A. - "One Noir Night" - watch more funny videos

Japan 日本 Someday...

2011-03-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

On my bedroom wall, next to a map of the world, I taped up the following: At least once in your life visit Japan. It's from a travel advertisement, I'm a sucker for a good slogan. I felt compelled to tear it out and keep it. It's a hope, a daydream, a dare, and a promise...

In 7th grade, I had a Japanese pen pal from Shizuoka, Japan. That experience led me to doodle Japanese characters all over folders. I learned to fold a tight origami crane. I even taught myself traces of Japanese. Some of it stuck, like gum to the bottom of a forgotten pair of shoes.

By college, the fascination had bubbled up again. I applied to the JET program [ Japanese Exchange and Teaching Programme], completed all the requirements, got my recommendations, and promptly chickened out completely. I wasn't ready to travel overseas to such a foreign culture for such a long time.

In recent years, I've reinvigorated this desire for Japan-- learning more of the language and trying to commit to learning some hiragana and katakana (phonetic Japanese characters.) After New Zealand won out as my last travel destination, Japan was next in line... rising like the sun as my near future destination. Now, I discovered, I am a bit older, more knowing of myself, more confident in delving into such a foreign culture from my Western upbringing. Now, I am ready.

Unfortunately, Japan is not.

***

The crows were circling. At the end of February, Christchurch, New Zealand was hit with a powerful earthquake. Petra Nemcova, the Czech supermodel that famously survived the deadly 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia was announced as a contestant in this year's Dancing With The Stars. Charlie Sheen went off the deep end and we watched him drown. Then on Friday, March 11, Battle: Los Angeles opened at the cineplex. Destruction brought on by alien invasion was fine by us. We ate it up like popcorn, despite bad reviews. We wanted to see destruction, armageddon, fire, death until-- until it all became too real.

It is with great sadness that I watched with the rest of the world [what seemed to be never-ending] footage of destruction in Japan the weekend of March 11. The nuclear radiation fears, the torturous tsunami-- all of it set forth by a massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake that alone, would've crippled any other land, including my own.

This past Sunday, I braved heavy rain to attend the Los Angeles Times Travel & Adventure Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center. I'd been looking forward to gathering information about an upcoming trip to Japan. With hundreds of exhibitors from around the world within my reach, I found no travel exhibitors from Japan. There were no tour operators pushing trips to Mount Fuji. No, Japan was eerily silent. They had a presence, but it was one of peace and hope and unity. At a booth near the front, volunteers sat quietly folding origami cranes from colorful paper. Others stood, hands outstretched, collecting Japan relief money into tin canisters. I dropped some money in, as I walked by.

"Arigato," said a Japanese woman, her head bowed to the ground.

"Douitashimashite," I said, smiling back and giving a little bow myself.

At least once in your life visit Japan.

It's a hope, a daydream, a dare, and a promise...

Help Japan 日本

©2011 by KLiedle

First episode of 'the Web' ~ A Smoggy spin-off series...

2011-03-16T18:17:00.000-07:00

First episode of 'the Web' leaked to Youtube.

[ We think it was that Tyler kid... he seems a little passive-aggressive.]

the Web #1

Love,
It's Always Smoggy In L.A.

Why Being On Set Is Like Being On A Deserted Island

2011-02-18T18:04:00.000-08:00

If you were stuck on a deserted island... What would you bring? Your favorite book? A movie? Your ipod? A notepad, a notebook, crayons? Who would you want to accompany you?

It's the standard 'deserted island' scenario, but being on a film set is much like being on a deserted island. For one, you don't know how long you'll be there. Certainly, you have a general idea of how long your day might be (at least 12 hours), but even if you swim away, you might end up back there tomorrow. In reality, you don't get to leave until they, ' get it' and 'getting it' means everything.

Secondly, you generally don't get to choose the people you're stuck with. Sure, you might recognize them from other projects or learn to like them or even forge fast friendships or relationships, but if you weren't stuck on this filming island, chances are, you'd have no reason to talk to most of them-- not that some of them aren't nice people, but day in, day out-- you have these same people to talk to. It's like being stuck with the people on your airline flight for days on end; A mix of personalities thrown into a test tube. All of them, including yourself, really wants is to go home. We can only be Gilligans for so long until it gets old... really, really, old.

There is waiting and waiting and waiting followed by serious bouts of busy-ness and then waiting and waiting and waiting again until those rare moments of exhilaration when things go particularly right. Everyone wants to make the day-- accomplish all the day's work before time runs out. Since any moment may require your attention, even after hours of nothingness, you can never venture too far from the flock.

Sometimes, you'll get into deep conversations with people and just as mysteriously, one of you will abandon (with a call on the radio) or else you'll just stop talking for no particular reason and go back to your book or your crossword. I have a standard activity kit in my backpack for such occasions. It's not too different from the activity kits any parent has packed for their kid before a long car trip. I have books, magazines, my ipod/charger, notebooks, paper/pencils, etc. Anything you might bring for a long journey. I even taught myself to crochet which has proved useful.

No matter what you end up doing during those long stretches of nothingness, you'll eventually start wandering around the set (i.e. island.) The thing you have to remember is: You're never entirely sure what's real and what's not:

Is this a real wall?
Oh, whoops-- there is no longer a way into this room that used to exist.
So, that's where they put the dummy body for the morgue...

You'll find books with real hardcovers and no text inside, notebooks with blank pages. Calculators that look good, but don't work. I was doing some artwork on-set and was elated to find a huge box of glue sticks-- exactly what I needed. The problem? Even the ones still wrapped in plastic were completely dried out and useless.

Movie Listed: 15 Standouts

2011-01-26T18:08:00.000-08:00

I keep a list of every movie I see. Yes, I know this may seem weird to most people. When I first started doing it, it felt weird to me, too. After a short amount of time though, it became a habit. If you're a movie-lover or a film professional, keeping a movie list of some sort makes total sense. Most of the films I see are new to me, but I bust out my favorites ever so often, too.

The best part about having a list, is that I can look at it at the end of the year and know how many films I've experienced for curiosity's sake. I'm also reminded of the standouts-- the movies that truly made a difference for me... or the ones I'll remember for years to come.

Here are 15 standouts for me from the last couple of years (in no particular order.) Some of the films were released in 2010, but not all. None of them were in 3-D. Thank you very much. Additionally, some 2010 favorites like 'Black Swan' and 'True Grit' are excluded from this list since I viewed them... in 2011.

*FROST/NIXON (Dir: Ron Howard) / 2008
A drama. Historical. Political. Sure, doesn't sound particularly interesting on paper, but believe me, it's oddly compelling and the acting is superb.

*INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Dir: Quentin Tarantino) / 2009
When I first saw the preview, I had no desire to see this. Luckily, I didn't skip it because it proved to be one of my favorites-- in fact, I dare say, one of Tarantino's best.

*BOB AND CAROL AND TED AND ALICE (Dir: Paul Mazursky) / 1969
How open-minded are you when it comes to marriage? An interesting romp from the tail end of the '60s.

*AN EDUCATION (Dir: Lone Scherfig) / 2008
A beautiful coming-of-age story. I can't imagine anyone being better cast than Carey Mulligan. She deserves every ounce of recognition she got from this role!

*THE LOVELY BONES (Dir: Peter Jackson) / 2009
Some die-hards panned this movie. In fact, I didn't see it for a long time because I was a huge fan of the book. But a book is not a movie. Stanley Tucci's performance was fearless and Saoirise Ronan's was hauntingly beautiful. The kaleidoscope of Susie's depictions of heaven are downright gorgeous and I'll admit: I cried.

*CRAZY HEART (Dir: Scott Cooper) / 2009
A good ol' story about a down-and-out country star who's seen his better days and a woman reporter who makes him examine himself from the inside out until he is motivated to become a better man.

*WHIP IT (Dir: Drew Barrymore) / 2009
A surprisingly well-done directorial debut for Drew Barrymore. The sense of girl power and the motto of "Be Your Own Hero" are both things I can get behind when they're done well, as they are here.

*CYRUS (Dirs: Jack and Mark Duplass) / 2010
There are times I squirmed because the moments were so awkward and so funny because they were awkward. Very well-written and a good turning point for Jonah Hill. He should do more like this.

*EASY A (Dir: Will Gluck) / 2010
Emma Stone owns this role! This film could easily be slighted because it appears to be a high school flick about a girl's tarnished reputation, but it is so much more than that!

*THE LAST STATION (Dir: Michael Hoffman) / 2009
I knew nothing about Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy and I was fine with that, until this film made me care. An exploration of the tension and struggles between Tolstoy and his wife in his final years.

*IT MIGHT GET LOUD (Dir: Davis Guggenheim) / 2008
A jam session and open discussion between guitarists Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, The Edge from U2, and Jack White of the White Stripes.

*SEARCHING FOR DEBRA WINGER (Dir: Rosanna Arquette) / 2002
An intimate discussion with actresses of a certain age and the challenges they continue to face in Hollywood.

*SMILEY FACE (Dir: Gregg Araki) / 2007
OK, not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination. Anna Faris though? She rocks it into absolute hilarity with her portrayal of a chick that is so high on life that she can barely hold it together.

*WONDERFUL WORLD (Dir: Josh Goldin) / 2009
Few people probably saw this. In fact, it may not have even had a theatrical release. The unlikely blossoming of a relationship between Ben Singer (Matthew Broderick) and his roommate's Senegalese sister proves that opening yourself up to other cultures and ideas can truly alter your life in amazing ways.

*SOCIAL NETWORK (Dir: David Fincher) / 2010
How do you make a Facebook movie? Make it about a guy with an immense, almost hypnotically determined desire to succeed. Add conflict, tension, intense success and shitloads of money beyond anyone's wildest imagination and explore how that strains all the relationships in a guy's life. Make it all talk and fast-paced. Cast great actors. Done.

©2011 by KLiedle

From The Big Screen To The Palm Of My Hand

2011-01-10T15:13:00.000-08:00

The magazine rack is where I noticed him first. He was in his sixties, bearded, a bit scraggly, thumbing through a Hollywood Reporter.

"This the Awards edition?" he asked me.

"Not exactly," I told him. It's the new format of The Hollywood Reporter." [Slick and glossy. Nestled next to People Magazine's announcement of the newest baby bump and a bunch of US Weekly knock-offs.]
He seemed displeased.

"You know how hard this was to find? There' s no newstands anymore. There isn't even a bookstore in this mall. Remember Rolling Stone? The large format? A buddy of mine was a journalist at Rolling Stone. There aren't journalists anymore. Remember LIFE? You're too young to remember, but..."

"I remember Life!" I protested. "I'm not too old for that," I assured him. Then, I backed away slowly to extract myself from a conversation I knew would go on for far too long.

I do remember life. Life when 3-D was just a matter of walking outside and experiencing the world. Life was when the feature presentation of a movie presented itself in 35mm on the big screen and you were happy to share this experience with other people. Laugh when they laughed. Cry when they cried. The floor might've been sticky and the popcorn might've been stale, but you were having this shared experience with strangers.

A couple weeks ago, when I went to see True Grit in Hollywood, the theatre manager apologized as he told us they were having problems with the digital format of the film. Instead, they'd thread up the 35mm print.

35mm. In the Cinerama Dome. For a modern take on the old-fashioned western by none other than the Coen Brothers. I couldn't think of anything better. Indeed, the 35mm print was richer and more layered than even the crispest digital print could've been.

I enjoy seeing films on the big screen. I also enjoy seeing them at home. Like most people, I've embraced most of the newest entertainment viewing options. DVDs, Netflix, even streaming on my Wii. To each advance, there is a loss that is never completely re-gained.
For instance, how do I deal with subtitles on a streaming movie? Sometimes there's no option to turn them on and other times, they're rendered useless when they are cut off at the bottom of the frame. If the film's been re-formatted to fit my screen, I can't help wondering what's going on along the edges I can't see. Streaming films don't offer the director's commentary and other extras that DVDs typically offer either.

Recently, I read [in the print version of The Los Angeles Times] that during this awards season, Fox was experimenting with allowing SAG members to download award screeners from Itunes. In many ways this makes sense, saves money, and levels the playing field for films to be viewed to the wider audiences of award-voting guilds.

I think voting members would feel somewhat obligated to view the contenders in their respective categories. But who has the time? Downloading the movie to your ipod/pad/laptop/fingertips allows you to do your "homework" on a transcontinental flight, bring it with you while you're hiking, or heck, bring it into the bathroom with you while you're also brushing your teeth. It's called multi-tasking. Why not?

I just worry about what's lost when a film meant for the big screen gets shrunk down to something the size of my palm. Could I, in good faith, judge its art direction or sound editing? Would the wide-screen cinematography be as breathtaking? Would I get swept away with the story? Would I be as immersed in the time and place or as invested in the characters? I don't think I would be. How can something as special as a film seem bigger than life if I can hold it in the palm of my hand?

I agree wholeheartedly that the various entertainment guilds need to look at different ways to get their members to screen award contenders. I also think that those members have to consciously think about how they are viewing and judging films... and if their viewing habits are doing justice to the filmmakers and entertainment professionals that put it all together.

©2011 by KLiedle
Photo credits:
Library Of Congress/Commons

Santa says "He's Just Too Into You"

2010-12-24T19:17:00.001-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I haven't had a chance to post much this month since I've been crazy busy. Alas, all the hours of last-minute editing before Christmas has been worth it!

We are proud to announce, "He's Just Too Into You," the latest episode of the web series, It's Always Smoggy In L.A. Now available for viewing on Funny Or Die. [ If you enjoy this episode or any others, please VOTE on Funny Or Die!]

It's Always Smoggy In L.A. - "He's Just Too Into You" - watch more funny videos

He's Just Too Into You
Starring Julianne Dowler, Mat Lageman, Bunita Tilley, and Bethany Therese.

When The Four Quadrants Fall Flat

2010-12-03T18:01:00.000-08:00

I've never been into math or numbers or anything of the sort. The X-Y axis, the quadratic formula, the pythagorean theorem... are all terms from my past that I have subsequently avoided [rather easily] in my adult life. 'Four Quadrants' may not mean anything to you. It doesn't have much to do with mathematics, per se, but lots to do with numbers and money--lots and lots of 'box office' money.

In Hollywood, the rise of the 'Four Quadrant Picture' is most evident during the summer months and the holidays when the movie-going public is most likely to be on the prowl. To Hollywood, the four quadrants represent distinct demographic segments according to age: under 25, over 25, and gender: male, female. These are the blockbusters, the popcorn movies, the ones that bring in the bucks; Movies you can see with Grandpa as well as your little cousin. Some of them are obvious and begin with Marvel: i.e. Spiderman, Ironman... and Disney, such as the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Pixar has had its share, too-- even though at first glance, an animated movie like Wall-E or The Incredibles doesn't appear to be a 'four quad film,' it is, and a highly successful one at that. The goldmine is to greenlight a film with such broad appeal that everyone and his mother goes to see it [more than once] and buys the merchandising associated with the film as stocking stuffers. This is great and all, but--

The problem is that not every movie is a 'four quadrant' movie. And many of them still try. I just saw one-- it had the potential to be a great film. All the elements were there, but ultimately I felt it didn't succeed because it was trying to do too much, to be everything for everyone. Instead I came away thinking of it as a bit of an unfortunate, meandering and unbalanced mishmash. It was about such-and-such and then once I'd become invested in that storyline or those characters, it became something else entirely. Sometimes [as the above example] it's the execution that doesn't jive right. Other times, the 'P&A' [publicity and advertising] is to blame. When films are misrepresented in marketing to appeal to the widest audience possible it only succeeds in pissing certain 'quadrants' off as they realize they've been duped.

Filmmakers are always making compromises: some good, some bad, some consciously, some unconsciously, in an attempt to get financing, to secure cast, and ultimately to get audiences to buy tickets so they can support themselves and continue making films.

Filmmakers: If you know your characters inside and out and you know what your story is and what you're trying to say, you will have a focus and your movie will find a connection with its intended audience. Don't throw in misfit scenes, lines, jokes, or extraneous characters that have no purpose other than to appease one segment of your audience because there's another segment of your audience that's going to notice: "That's not genuine, that's not real. He wouldn't do that or say that or be there" and deep in your heart, you know they're right.

When we pass on, we can count our films.
They will count their money.
~Hal Ashby
[on the difficulties of Hollywood politics]

Women Of Great Vitality: Hollywood

2010-11-02T17:45:00.000-07:00

Every year I look forward to ELLE Magazine's 'Women In Hollywood' issue. I was pleased that, although they devoted attention to A-lister actresses in Hollywood, attention was also drawn to womens' contributions in acting, writing and directing. Women and womens' stories are a vital part of the Hollywood fabric, but through the years, we've missed a few stitches.

ELLE's coverage of currently successful women in Hollywood, as well as female up-and-comers on the writing/directing front inspired me to watch Searching For Debra Winger, a film by Rosanna Arquette. Although, it was released in 2002, this film is no less important today. If you haven't seen it, it's a surprisingly informal, yet moving portrait of the pressure and frustrations that women face in the entertainment industry-- especially women over the age of 40.

A wide array of actresses make appearances including, but not limited to, Jane Fonda, Laura Dern, Teri Garr, Martha Plimpton, Whoopi Goldberg, Sharon Stone, and Meg Ryan. Some of the interviews are one-on-one with Rosanna Arquette and others are staged as informal round table discussions amongst these Hollywood actresses that have survived the meat-grinder of the industry or nearly abandoned it-- like Debra Winger. These women become united in their desire to clear the pathway for themselves and other women to further their successes in Hollywood.

So much of Hollywood is cutthroat and competitive, petty and fickle, hot and cold. You're young, you're old. There is no middle age. For women in the general population, aging is difficult, yet unavoidable unless you die; for women in the entertainment industry, aging is death. You're the girlfriend, then the mom, then you...disappear...FADE OUT. Next, please.

If you're a female director, you better have a damn good reel [and even then, there's no guarantee that a studio will foot the bill so you can tell your story.] If you have a script with a female protagonist, she better be hot, dressed like Wonderwoman, or a badass that can hold her own with the men that audiences really care about. Men as the subject. Women as the object. Is that really how it is-- or is that how Hollywood thinks it is? Women can, and should, have their voices heard and their stories told.

Things are changing slowly, but well-rounded female characters and/or female oriented stories are still hard to come by. Regarding the lack of three-dimensionality in written female characters and the sexism that still exists in Hollywood, this is what Martha Plimpton had to say in Searching For Debra Winger:

Martha Plimpton: Humor. Intelligence. Talent. Imagination. Bravery. Skill. When you eliminate all those things, what have you got?
Ally Sheedy: Fuckability.
Martha Plimpton: That's it. So you can't blame these people for resorting to that kind of standard when they've annihilated all their other options. At least for men, there are options, character roles, you know what I'm saying?

People often forget that women were at the forefront of Hollywood in its early days-- until it was discovered that serious money could be made. We've been trying to catch up ever since, but we're making bigger strides all the time. I'm glad that ELLE was able to highlight some of them.

© 2010 by KLiedle
Photo: In the director's chair, Helen Twelvetrees--circa 1936, considered to be one of the top screen stars in Hollywood in the early days of sound.

"The Beautiful Truth" : I Am Not The Juiceman

2010-10-08T16:31:00.000-07:00

There are certain moments in movies that you never forget. For instance, remember that scene in Steel Magnolias when Shelby (Julia Roberts) has a hypoglycemic attack and is forced to drink a glass of orange juice to up her blood sugar? Of course you do. It's a poignant moment in a classic film that reminds everyone of Shelby's health situation... But when I see her choking down that orange juice and I watch it dribble down her chin, I just think "Ewwww, bleck..."

See, I'm not a fan of juice-- orange juice in particular. It's so super-tart sweet and there's something about the way it feels thick and hairy as it clings its way down my throat. It's as though it's trying to escape the digestive process. Not only do I not like juices, but it's the idea of juice. Such a waste, it seems. A drink, a gulp... it's GONE. No fiber, no chewing, no real sense that you did much of anything, really.

Recently, I saw this film called Beautiful Truth which was a semi-investigation of what's called Gerson Therapy-- touted as a naturalistic alternative therapy to curing cancer. There are some truths to it. The levels of environmental toxins that we unknowingly ingest every day has to have some effect on our systems. The rise of cancer across the board is not just a coincidence. Coffee enemas aside, the main thrust (no pun intended) of Gerson therapy is daily juicing.

According to the film, consuming large (and I mean large) quantities of fruit and vegetable juices can prevent and, in some instances, reverse cancer. This is not exactly revolutionary; most of us are aware that fresh fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients: vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and the like. There is, however, a certainly a level of conspiracy to the film. Garrett, the 15-year-old kid from Alaska that is the main character, yet not its narrator, also kind of creeps me out in a Haley Joel Osment sort of way. The filmmakers, along with Charlotte Gerson, say that Gerson Therapy has been suppressed by governments and the medical community alike. As it's suggested, the cure for cancer does exist, but big business doesn't want that information to get out there. I'm not saying that is or is not true, BUT...

CANCER is a scary word and there is certainly money to be made by anyone who claims to have a cure--whether it's the Gerson Institute's alternative therapy, the pharmaceutical companies, the insurance companies, colonic centers and liver cleanse places, or the medical community charging up for radiation, chemo, and traditional medical cancer treatments (that only work temporarily for the most part.)

I came away from the film thinking: "OK, I see some of their point, but it's a little extreme. I'm gonna eat more fruits and vegetables in whole form and buy organic on a case-by-case basis when I can (afford to.)"

I'm no juice convert-- still not a fan. I like to chew. I like to crunch my way into an apple and use my fork to spear asparagus. I like to pop frozen grapes into my mouth and slice up bananas.

In response, however, a friend of mine bought a juicer-- not the nearly $3000 Norwalk Juicer that Gerson recommends, but a juicer nonetheless. Now, it seems like more than half of all our produce gets juiced into a foamy mess of stuff I don't want to drink. We have more trash in the way of vegetable after-products (the fiber "pulp" leftover from juicing) that we can't very well compost since we live in a townhouse with very, very little garden space. (Last time we tried to compost, we got a nasty case of roaches wandering around our patio--- not exactly the friendly earthworms and good soil bacteria I was hoping for.) I'll also mention that there is nothing more rank than the stench of juiced broccoli mixed with beets. Will it kill the cancer lurking somewhere in our cells? Who knows. I may know the 'beautiful truth,' but I think I'm just as safe eating whole, unprocessed foods that I can actually chew and enjoy. And no matter how healthy beets claim to be, I just can't hack 'em. I'd rather drink a glass of orange juice.

For a good critical assessment of The Beautiful Truth and the idea of Gerson Therapy, go to Science Based Medicine. More information about Gerson Therapy, as detailed in the documentary, The Beautiful Truth, can be found at The Gerson Institute. If you want to try your hand at juicing, check out Total Juicing by Elaine LaLanne. Even though it's still not my thing, I will say that juicing is an excellent way to get your nutrients and making your own fresh juice is way better than the sugar and corn syrup-laden juices you'd get at the grocery store.

A good selection of Juicer Recipes can be found here

© 2010 by KLiedle
Photo credit: Arlo Bates/flickr.com

Spin The Sun: Evolution Of A Painting

2010-09-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago, I read about a film called The Mystery Of Picasso. In 1955, filmmaker Henri-Georges Clouzot got together with Pablo Picasso to capture the artistry and evolution of several of his paintings. Clouzot brilliantly placed the camera in front of Picasso as he worked. This produced a "mirror image" of each brush stroke and splash of color as the artist created.

In what is said to be one of the great art documentaries ever made-- the screen became Picasso's canvas.

I was fascinated by the idea-- I love Picasso and Clouzet also directed the original Diabolique, one of my favorite films. The Mystery Of Picasso, I haven't had a chance to see yet. Whenever I've searched for it, it's been unavailable. Today, on a lark, I tried again and (Voila!) Netflix has it! Soon, I shall finally be able to explore my curiosity of this film.

With my longstanding fascination of flip books and stop-motion animation, I leave you with a stop-motion animation experimental film that I created. It captures the evolution of a painting a friend of mine recently completed. I'm sure it's nowhere near what the Picasso film will be, but it was fun to create something with a camera while someone else was creating something with a brush on a canvas.

To see more art samples or to inquire about purchase, see Scott's Art Samples

"SUN STOP"
Short Film © 2010 by KLiedle

Pop-Up, Pop Art, and breathing new life into old headshots.

2010-09-05T11:19:00.000-07:00

WHEN I'm not working a bazillion hours [like that 19-hour day this past Friday] I'm usually working on some sort of creative project.

One thing I particularly enjoy is making personal greeting cards. It's fun, it's relaxing, and the results make more of a statement than any commercial card ever could. I love manipulating paper and random images-- collage, making cut-outs, folding origami style.

HERE in L.A., people ask-- "Are you an actor?" all the time. I'm not. I've done some acting, I've taken classes, and at one point I thought it was something I wanted to do. I even got headshots-- a big ol' stack of 'em. Then, I quietly changed my mind. Not for me.

The big question remained: What to do with all those headshots sitting in a box in the garage? Made of quality cardstock, I discovered that those old headshots provided a perfect base for some of my best greeting cards. Here are some of my favorites:

All of the cards highlighted on this page were made from my former headshots.

In that regard, I can honestly say that there's a little piece of me in every card I make.

© 2010 by KLiedle
Images/cards ©2010 by KLiedle

Hollywood Food Porn and a little tribute to a blogger.

2010-08-23T20:38:00.000-07:00

Movies likes Julie & Julia and Eat, Pray, Love are being lovingly referred to by critics as food porn. Gooey, Sumptuous, hot and heavy, melt-in-your-mouth... It's become a hybrid of the usual made-for-women movie. In fact, one thing it's proven is that there are a whole lot of foodies out there-- more than Hollywood even knew existed.

I did see Julie & Julia, but no, I have NOT seen Eat, Pray, Love. I immensely enjoyed the book by Elizabeth Gilbert, but the nearly 2 hour 1/2 hour running time of the film and the increasingly tiresome Julia Roberts have turned me off from seeing it. Of course, Javier Bardem may change my mind eventually, but I'll play hard-to-get for now.

[Roberts is in danger of becoming a caricature of herself-- too big a star to believably immerse herself in character. I feel the same about Tom Cruise, but I think it's too late for him. Julia can still save herself...]

Today, though I pay tribute to a blogger I've followed for awhile: Heidi Swanson. Like most women, I have my share of cookbooks. Not all women cook, but most of us dabble, and nearly everyone likes to eat.

I catalog and organize recipes I intend to make someday. Heidi's blog, 101 Cookbooks g0t me inspired to cook again. The recipes she features are generally healthy and mostly vegetarian. She accompanies all of them with scrumptious-looking photos and sometimes an anecdote or two about the recipe.

Long ago, I scribbled down her featured recipe Nikki's Healthy Cookies. It originally appeared on September 14, 2008 which just shows you how long it's taken me to actually make them. Today was THE DAY.

I was originally intrigued because the cookies looked so good, yet they had no flour, no butter, and no egg. What??!!! In fact, double-checking the recipe, I discovered there's really no sugar either-- save for the natural sugar from the bananas, coconut, and chocolate.

Slightly skeptical, I was amazed by how good these cookies actually are! I enjoyed rolling the little bits of dough into bite-sized morsels. It's makes me sad that it took so long for me to try the recipe. It's easy, they're really good, and no guilt here... So, if you'd like to check into some food porn that actually satisfies, check out Heidi's recipe blog.

**Above are my photos of the cookies I made today, but they don't even do justice in comparison to Heidi's photography of the same. However, I did a pretty darn good job... and I think I'll be making these cookies more often now.**

© 2010 by KLiedle
Photo credits: Coconut-Chocolate cookies by KLiedle

Directing: More Than Meets The Eye

2010-08-13T19:44:00.000-07:00

Recently, I've been reading quite a few interviews with screenwriters and directors, many of them from My First Movie: Twenty Celebrated Directors Talk About Their First Film with interviews edited by Stephen Lowenstein. Those interviews gave me quite a bit of insight. No matter what anyone says: Filmmaking is difficult--at any, and every level. Always.

Directors don't always know everything: lots of times they're sleep-deprived, tortured by uncertainty and just downright unsure of themselves. But they have to fake it-- all eyes are on them.
Just a few short months ago, I finished The Straight Line, the short film I directed as an episode of It's Always Smoggy In L.A. Clocking in at just under 10 minutes, it's easy for one to think that it was a snappy little piece to put together. I wish I could say so-- it consumed months worth of my time, but I wanted to do it right. Next time, I'll know how to do some things better. I'll be more confident and better able to focus on the task at hand. Sure, I'll still make mistakes, but filmmaking is a constant learning process.

Someone asked me what made it so much work? Directing is more than meets the eye. I didn't even understand this until I attempted it for myself. Directing means that you're in charge of everything and you have to answer tons of questions for yourself, the story, and from other crew members. It's exhausting and anxiety-ridden because there's never enough time. It also involves lots of lists, especially at the guerrilla filmmaking level. Here's a rundown from my first directing project:

Pre-production:
*Envision, write, and finalize shooting script.
*Post casting notices in trades and online.
*Go through casting submissions. ( Of which there were many-- including rather scary 'Drag Queens.')
*Call actors to schedule auditions.
* Casting session (1 day)
*Finalize casting and call back actors.
*Set date for rehearsal (difficult when coordinating multiple actors' schedules)
*Set shoot date.
*Go wardrobe shopping with actors; Make purchases.
*Replace/re-cast a role due to actor's scheduling conflicts.
*Rehearsal: Go over blocking/script, wardrobe approval, get signed actor release forms for usage of likeness, etc.), camera/lighting test, photo shoot with principal actors.
*Line up crew (which is NEVER easy it seems.)
* Purchase props/set decoration.
*Purchase prop food.
*Purchase craft service (on-set snacks, drinks, goodies for cast/crew)
*Purchase/coordinate hot lunch for cast/crew during shoot.
*Pre-visualization: Prepare shot-list, do a few storyboards. Make notes for actors, etc.

Day Before Shoot:
*Prepare prop food.
*Check daylight: sunrise/sunset times.
*Call actors/crew to confirm call times for shoot day.
*Charge camera
*Purchase supplies, tapes, etc.
* Tame nerves with a couple shots of whiskey which sorta helped. But not enough.
* Sleep poorly.

Shoot: (2 days)
*One crew member cancels. Off to a good start.
*Begin losing the light (daylight)... stuff I shot in earlier takes no longer matches. Exasperated...
*Day #2 goes smoother. Have to re-shoot Scene 4 due to audio problem. Sets us back about an hour.

Post-production
*Upload footage.
*Edit first assembly cut of film (this takes a huge amount of time due to my own scheduling conflicts.)
*Editing sessions to re-cut final version.
*Find music for film (takes about a 1/2 day worth of scavenger-hunting)
*Convert raw file to Quicktime and appropriate codecs for web.
*Upload to various web platforms.
*Publicize on social media, with friends, etc.

*Start planning to do it all over again. Obviously, it's a little sadomasochist and a lot crazy, but it's also enjoyable, invigorating, and I will say, worth it in the end.

© 2010 by KLiedle
Photo credit: Sepia Camera ©2010/KLiedle

Answering To A Higher Power: Enlightenment

2010-07-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I worked a few weeks on a CBS pilot about the CIA, entitled "Chaos." It was an extravagant, multi-million dollar pilot-- infamous, notorious, and... dead upon arrival. Regardless of the money spent, the A-list director/executive producer and the well-received footage, Chaos collapsed like a house of cards.

In this exact moment in time, as the world economy digs itself deeper, there is a need for consciousness, a need for awakening, a need for enlightenment.
HBO, the pay cable network known for its top-notch original series and entertainment, understood this and was willing to take a chance on "Enlightened," an upcoming show starring Laura Dern as a self-destructive woman who has a spiritual awakening and hones in on living a more conscious, enlightened life.

A series about conscious living gets the greenlight. What a welcome surprise! With Mike White and Laura Dern as executive producers, I have a feeling it's a show that is near and dear to their hearts. I recently spent some time working with and observing the crew--now shooting its second and third episodes. Worth noting, this is a production that practices what it preaches.

With Mike White sporting a "Vegan Mafia" tee, and lots of gluten-free and vegan snacks on the craft service table, I knew something was different. Half-drunk and abandoned bottles of water? None to be found--not on this set. There was a filtered water station and BPA-free, completely biodegradable bottles available to refill and reuse. I picked one up, and ended up using and reusing my bottle on-set for the next three days. Not only was it biodegradable, recyclable, reusable, and BPA free, but it was also made from post-consumer recycled material right here in California.

Craft Service made sure that recycling bins were located conveniently on-set. A few real flowers and plants adorned the set, sticking out amongst the requisite fake plants. From a purely production standpoint, this was as green and as clean as a TV series could get.

Consciously observing my little biodegradable bottle, I learned about GLASS [giveaglass.org,] a nonprofit organization with high hopes to eliminate all single-use plastic bottles from "the advertising, commercial, film and post-production industries." It's a great idea and something I think every production should at least consider.

There is enormous waste in the world, especially in the entertainment industry where, according to GLASS, U.S. commercial productions use 700 plastic water bottles every single hour. So, if you're in charge of a photo shoot, a TV series, an upcoming feature film-- Think green, Give a glass, and in doing so, you'll be making the Earth smile.

Knowing other is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment. — Lao Tzu (c.604-531 B.C.).

"The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness." - Nikos Kazantzakis

For more:
http://www.deadline.com/2010/07/shocker-drama-chaos-left-to-die-after-cbs-and-20th-tv-cant-agree-on-order/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i82908c6716f89cd135e2df3b6bb2ce00

http://www.giveaglass.org

© 2010 by KLiedle

Red Light, Green Light: A bit about moviemaking.

2010-06-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

My mom was a Spanish teacher at a Catholic high school. Before I had a car, I'd walk a 1/2 mile from my school to meet her at work so she could drive me home. Usually, I'd have to wait forever-- playing around on dry-erase boards, feeding students' standardized tests into the Scan-tron machine, getting snacks from the vending machine-- until she was finally ready to go.

In those days, I'd sometimes hear embarrassing stories about my mom from the other students. They'd love to mention just how tough she was or talk about little things she did in class. It was during those times I was relieved that I didn't actually attend the high school where my mom worked.

Now that I'm out in L.A. working in the film business as well as collaborating on my own projects [ i.e. writing/producing a web series], it's my mom who shares stories about me with her students. I'm still not sure how I feel about this. Luckily, I don't have to be there to hear them. Supposedly, she says, her students are fascinated by my "glamorous Hollywood life." It certainly doesn't seem all that glamorous to me... But after nearly 10 years, perhaps I've grown accustomed to the new 'normal.' Negotiating Los Angeles and working here-- It just doesn't seem like a big deal to me anymore, but at one time, it was a big deal. I took a risk and made a giant leap to pursue something that I really wanted to do.

As I was reminded of that one day, I got an e-mail from one of the students from my mom's school. She was genuinely interested in filmmaking and wanted to get a little bit of an idea of how it all worked [for a school research project she was doing.] I'm no genius, but I decided to help her by sharing some of the knowledge I've gained during my time in L.A. Below is a sort of transcript of my replies to her questions. The information was useful to her and, I hope, it will also be useful to someone else out there who is equally interested in filmmaking.

How long can a project take to get the 'green light' from a studio?

Unfortunately, there is no quick and easy answer to this. Most projects, regardless of how good they are, may never get a greenlight. The studios and executives that have the power to greenlight a film are relatively few and they are not known for their risk-taking. These days, studios are supremely stingy with finances. You need a name actor, partial financing or proof of foreign pre-sales on the film, a high-concept commercial idea, and so forth. The journey from script to screen can literally take years, and that’s the norm.

Generally, a studio or production company will ‘option’ a script for a set period of time (usually a year.) Many times, they sit on it. The movie never gets made, it eventually gets shelved, or it goes into turnaround (which basically means that the studio is not planning to renew its option. In essence, they release the project to the marketplace and other studios ‘bid’ on it.)

Lots of screenwriters make good money off scripts that are never made. There are so many factors that go into it. Even getting a ‘greenlight’ isn’t good insurance. A major studio can, and will, pull the plug at any point in time, even if shooting’s already begun. A studio could fire the director, then maybe the lead actor drops out because he only wanted to work with that director, and then the film could lose its financing from investors who put money in based on the hiring of that name actor. It’s a difficult thing, but that is why the success is so miraculous for those films that do make it to the screen.

Field Of Dreams is a classic example of a film that took forever to get made. Studios did not see commercial value in the story. Nor did they see commercial appeal in About Schmidt, which was put into turnaround. Judd Apatow went through years and years of trials, misfires, and rejections marked by cancellation of his TV shows, Freaks And Geeks and Undeclared, now cult favorites. The whole time, he stockpiled scripts—which is why he appears to be so prolific right now. After 40 Year Old Virgin hit it big, and he established some clout, he had all these earlier scripts of movies that he’d never been able to make. Studios, seeing dollar signs, have temporarily given him free rein to make those movies and being smart, he’s taking them up on it while the fire’s still hot. Juno, written by first-time scribe Diablo Cody, is a notable exception. From what I’ve heard, I think that it only took two to three years before it went into production-- which is remarkably fast in film terms.

I recommend that anyone check out: Easy Riders, Raging Bulls and the follow-up book, Down And Dirty Pictures, both by Peter Biskind. The books give tremendous insight and cite examples of the Hollywood climate during two critical periods in relatively recent film history: the ‘70s and the early ‘90s (The Sundance/Miramax era.)

How does a location manager go about scouting possible locations for films?

As a locations person, I’m more on the visual/creative side of things. For me, the first thing is reading the script through and through: Understanding the story, the themes, and visualizing it for myself-- much like the director does. Surprisingly, some location managers skip that step, skim the basic story, and compile a list of locations and start the logistical process. I can’t do it that way. I’m much more successful with scouting if I’ve taken the time to visualize the aesthetics of each location for myself. After I’ve read the script, I’ll make up a script breakdown. Usually by pre-production, the script is numbered by scene. So, I’ll look at each of the scene headings and highlight as many specifics as possible that the writer may have mentioned and I’ll think about other aspects of the story, too.

For example: The house for this scene—Is it on a secluded dead-end street? How much money do the characters make? Is there a mention of the style or period? Once I have a set breakdown, I usually put the locations in order (by scene) to make thing organized. For example, the main character’s house may appear in Scenes 1, 14, 28, 32 while the doctor’s office may appear in Scenes 5 and 18. That way, I know exactly what portions of the location are seen and the action that takes place there in each particular scene. This is especially important when I physically go out scouting because I’ll know what to shoot.

After all that’s done, I’ll do some research online or use the phone book for certain businesses I might want to target. However, a lot of it involves me jumping in my car and driving around, looking for abandoned buildings or storefronts that could double for a barbershop or liquor store or literally heading door-to-door in certain neighborhoods (for private homes, in particular.)

Once I’ve scouted, I’ll compile the photos either digitally or by hand. Most of the photos are laid out in a panoramic style to allow for as many angles and views as possible. Then, the director will look them over and put aside some favorites.

Hopefully, they’ll have favorites. Otherwise, you’ll be back to scouting. I’ll have conversations with the director and other members of the creative team to fine tune the location choices and begin building a unified vision for the film. Locations are a big part of that. After most of the initial scouting is done, it’s a matter of narrowing down choices, getting the director's approval on a certain location, negotiating fees and logistics, and pounding out contracts to make it possible to actually film at a said place. There’s a lot more involved in that aspect of the job, but you asked specifically about location scouting so that’s what I’ve covered here.

When a film is in pre-production, how is the cast auditioned and the crew hired? Is there a standard, set process for doing this?

In regards to a standard process for pre-production, my answer is yes—and no. Like many things, there are rules and then there are exceptions. In Hollywood, there are nearly as many exceptions as there are rules. Generally speaking, a producer secures/options the material and is ultimately in charge of hiring the crew and overseeing everything. On most films, the producer hires the director as well as a unit production manager (UPM) who is in charge of arranging interviews and hiring the rest of the crew.

Many directors like to work with the same creative team. Depending on a director’s clout and his/her relationship with the producer and/or studio, they can request certain crew people, i.e. their DP (director of photography) or a certain editor, etc. It’s easier for a director to communicate his or her vision with those who are familiar. It can save quite a bit of time and frustration. However, some directors work with different crews each time.

In regard to casting: After a casting director is hired, they usually contact reps of star name talent they hope to attract to the film. For lesser roles, they will release a Breakdown (casting notice) that is sent to Hollywood agents and talent representatives. After going through all those submissions, casting arranges auditions with prospective talent. Those actors usually go through a pre-read, a callback, and if there is still interest in them, they read for, or are put onto tape, for producers. Ultimately, the producers, the creative team, and the financing studio have the final say on the lead cast.

© 2010 by KLiedle

It's Always Smoggy In L.A. - "The Straight Line"

2010-06-15T16:08:00.000-07:00

"The Straight Line"

now available on Funnyordie.com and Youtube.com
Starring Samuel Weller, Mat Lageman, and John Sperry Sisk. Directed by Kendra Liedle.

Part of the indie web series, It's Always Smoggy In L.A. Please VOTE for your favorite episodes. Become a fan on Facebook!

Once Forgotten But Now I'm Found: International Film Archives

2010-06-08T17:51:00.000-07:00

I’ve always been impressed with New Zealand. First off, their country is beautiful and they seem to recognize how precious that is. Many countries don’t. The majority of people there also seem to be good-natured human beings and full of pride for their country. Community seems to actually still exist there and so do values. Gosh, be darn—if they weren’t so far away, I’d consider moving there. Maybe someday.

I’ll never forget my trip to South Pacific Pictures in Auckland-- the only studio I know of that has a worm farm on the lot. There’s some environmental consciousness for you. So it came as no surprise when I read in The Los Angeles Times the other day that the New Zealand Film Archive is forming a partnership with the National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF) here in the U.S. to make a collection of 75 rare silent films available once again.

Many of these American-made films were thought to have been lost forever. Sometimes though, for a variety of reasons, old prints reappear in the most unexpected places. “Upstream,” a silent film by “Grapes Of Wrath” helmer John Ford is one such film found safely tucked away in New Zealand. Brian Meacham, who is a short film preservationist at the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, according to the Times article, happened to be on vacation when he visited the New Zealand archive. Once he started a conversation asking about the films that archive held, he made the surprising discovery that many “lost” American films were unknowingly housed in the New Zealand Archive.

Through this partnership, NFPF and the New Zealand Film Archive are demonstrating what is becoming known as “film repatriation,” whereas discovered films are returned to their country of origin. This is an effort I absolutely applaud. Although, the average moviegoer doesn’t think about it, films are very much a part of our national heritage.

During the silent era, the base of most film stock consisted of highly volatile cellulous nitrate. Nitrate is known to spontaneously combust and decay to such a degree that the emulsion bearing the image is destroyed. After about 1951, the nitrate base was replaced with cellulose acetate and sometimes, odd as it sounds, polyester. Both of these bases are considered safety film--more stable and less flammable than nitrate, yet they are not exempt from decay.

In the silent era, no one was thinking about preservation. Once a film had its theatrical run, it was done. The print was supposed to be destroyed or returned to the studio. There were times when it wasn’t worth the cost or the studio never asked for the print back. It wasn’t until the 1930s that film archives were created to preserve films for the future.

We have no way of knowing just how many silent films existed but the number is generally estimated to be at least 150,000—if not more. Only about half of the films before 1950 still exist. Even with the films archived internationally, it is difficult to catalogue them all, much less attempt to preserve them. Cost and resources are often prohibitive, but partnerships like this one, will help tremendously. And, as the New Zealand Film Archive proves—you never know what film might be hiding out just waiting to be rediscovered.

Resources: The Los Angeles Times, “Trove of silent-era films spurs cross-Pacific rally” by Susan King, The Oxford History Of World Cinema, edited by Goeffrey Nowell-Smith.

For more information go to www.filmpreservation.org and www.filmarchive.org.nz

Real Or Not - L.A.'s always in full bloom

2010-05-27T17:45:00.000-07:00

There she was again, all blond hair and breasts perfectly cupped and peering out of a shiny, black Catwoman top on the cover of GQ. I wasn't jealous so much as mesmerized. I once went to school with this girl, now very much a woman.

It was a hand and a fistful of years ago; we were both 18. I remember how self-assured and wise she was, even back then. She had a big sister quality as though she had everything figured out while the rest of us were still floundering through the last trials of adolescence. She knew exactly what she wanted in life and she went after it.

What I don't remember exactly are those breasts.

That GQ cover caused quite a stir-- not about her, but about them-- the breasts. Silicon, natural, or Photoshopped? I can't say either way. None of us had fully bloomed by then, least of all me. But I do know that I'm fuller now than I was then [ but not by much.] Really though, why does it matter if they were real or not? And the answer is, it doesn't, but the conversations continue nonetheless.

Just a few days ago, I was watching a Netflix with a friend and he spotted a girl with huge knockers. Remote point. Rewind. Ext. Zoom In. Freeze Frame.

"Think those are real?" he asks.

I take one look.

"No way," I answer. "No one has perfectly shaped disco-ball sized globes anchored to their chest like that. Plus, look at her teeny-tiny waist and lollipop head..."

Real or Fake? is a question that comes up often in L.A. Here women's breasts are always in bloom. Most of the time though, you can easily pick out the fakes. If a women is a size 0 with minimal body fat, it's nearly impossible to have 38DD boobs. Not even here in mythical L.A. does that exist naturally-- unless you're a freak of Barbie proportions. (Heidi Montag is the closest you're gonna get to Barbie and I don't think Heidi even has any of her original parts. If she were on Amazon, she'd be listed as refurbished.) Also, if a woman refers to her breasts as "the girls" or has some other pet name for them, I'm willing to bet they're fake, too.

Breasts change as we gain weight, lose weight, have babies, grow older... They are almost never identical, even to each other. As for me, I'm happy where I'm at. There are definite benefits to being lesser-chested. I'll never have to wear one of those industrial strength sports bras and as I grow older, there won't be enough material up there to sag.

And as for my former schoolmate? I offer my sincere congratulations on all fronts, not because of GQ, but because of all the other recognition she's finally getting in a career I know she's quietly been building for years.

Copyright ©2010 by KLiedle
Photo credit: " Bloom*" -- imapix/flickr

Hollywood On Horseback

2010-05-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

For awhile now, I've been yearning to go horseback riding again. Although, I've always been an outdoorsy girl, I hadn't been on horseback since I was 12. I was at summer camp. Ranch Camp, to be exact-- a rather unfortunate experience that I recount here.

I even worked at the L.A. Equestrian Center for a summer, but nope...never went for a ride...until last week. I booked an hour-long ride through Sunset Ranch, off Beachwood Drive in the Hollywood Hills. The staff was friendly enough and after filling out what seemed to be a ridiculous amount of liability paperwork, I was off.

I enjoyed riding along with my horse-for-the-day, Mustard. Mustard, did not seem to enjoy it nearly as much. He had some sort of rivalry going with one of the other horses, Buckley, I think was his name. Every time Buckley even approached to pass, Mustard's ears would go back and he'd let out a long, deep snort of disapproval. This was widely entertaining yet I was glad that I'd only opted for the hour-long ride this time around. It was just enough time.

We rode with a small group along with a leader by the name of "Poncho." [I doubt that was his real name, but then again, this is Hollywood.] Poncho would get a little anxious if anyone went faster than a short-lived trot. Mostly, we rode at a rather slow pace which, although enjoyable, got old fast. I'd recommend Sunset Ranch if you want to get outdoors and go for an afternoon ride. Next time around though, I think I'll upgrade to a trot or maybe a gallop ride someplace else-- who knows?

© 2010 by KLiedle
Photo credit: KLiedle

For More
Wild Horses Run Free: Ranch Camp Gone Awry

Ironically, just after writing the above article, I read about the existence of a book called,
P.S. I Hate It Here: Kid's Letters From Camp. I just may have to look into that...

Sunset Ranch Hollywood

Rhino Boy And His Magic Cape Whizzes Over To YouTube

2010-05-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

"Rhino Boy" originally aired on Funnyordie.com
All Smoggy episodes on Funnyordie.com/smoggyinla
Selected episodes now on YouTube

Created by Scott Vogel and produced by Kendra Liedle and Scott Vogel, each short episode of IT'S ALWAYS SMOGGY IN L.A. explores the unique effects the entertainment industry has on the people who live here. Our episodes can by kooky, they can be dark, and they can be twisted, but they are unquestionably L.A.

For future episodes and more information about the show, please see the official website: smoggyinla.com

Recycled Jewelry, Fingernail Clippings, and Mother's Day gifts.

2010-05-02T15:41:00.000-07:00

In this month's Elle Magazine Fashion Insider, I read about a couple of companies who are fashioning jewelry from recycled materials. Thrive, a company based here in L.A., makes jewelry from electrical circuit boards, old hard drives and the like. It's not exactly my style, but I applaud the efforts of a company using 'found objects'--especially computer and electrical items. With a new upgrade of something every time we turn around, I imagine they have lots of components to choose from.

Lauren Manoogian, also featured in this month's Elle, is a designer that uses anything and everything from old office supplies to used airplane parts to make jewelry for her Manu line. The resulting pieces have a very ethnic, eclectic look to them. Some necklaces look like floral leis, while others look very African-inspired. It's nice to see that flashy is out and earth-friendly, low key pieces are becoming the latest style statement.

I prefer to purchase items directly from artisans or fair trade wholesalers and online outlets like Ten Thous and Villages and World Of Good. Most items are very moderately priced and purchasing from them makes a world of difference for artisans in other countries around the world.

****

This being May, these designers also reminded me of my strangest Mother's Day gift ever. When I was about 12 [too old to make a finger-painted Mother's Day card yet too young to have money to buy much of a gift], I decided to give my mom a handmade necklace.

Weeks before Mother's Day, I started growing out my fingernails. Finally, when they were long enough, I painted each fingernail with alternating stratas of red, white, and blue. Why those colors? I really don't know. I used to be patriotic, I guess. After the polish dried, I cut my nails-- and collected the colorful, crescent-shaped clippings. Using a needle, I poked holes into each clipping and strung them onto dental floss. This, as I remember, was extremely time-consuming and harder than I was expecting. The resulting necklace did actually look kinda cool. I was impressed with myself as I handed the gift to my mom. She unwrapped it with the usual present-opening glee.

My mother held the necklace up, examined its colorful shards, and exclaimed something like, "Wow, very unique. Very colorful!"

"They're my fingernails. See!," I pointed out to her, excitedly.

"Thank you!" she said, in a flat tone that meant she had no idea what to say or how to react.

Yes, I obviously spent alot of time on it. Yes, it was uniquely me. Yes, I was her only daughter. And yes, moms are supposed to accept Mother's Day gifts no matter what. It's the thought that counts. Luckily, my mom is an artist herself, a musician-- we're all a little odd--so instead of being repelled, she was actually intrigued by the piece and shall I say, "grotesquely impressed."

She actually wore it to work and got complimented on it, even. No one knew where she would've gotten such a piece of jewelry.

"My daughter made it for me," she would say and smile, certain that no one would ever guess that she was wearing her own daughter's painted fingernails around her neck. Even now, I don't know what I was thinking, but I'm sure that somewhere, my mother still has that necklace--although I doubt she's worn it since.

Perhaps, I could've made money had the style really taken off. I'd love the idea of people the world over, celebrities included, being photographed wearing my fabulously ethnic, unique jewelry and never knowing they were wearing human fingernails around their neck. THAT would be awesome! I'd laugh to myself as I skipped all the way to the bank.

Copyright ©2010 by KLiedle
Photo credit: BrentDanley/flickr

Action Until Completion [And The Story Of My Pillow: A Romance]

2010-04-18T16:29:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning at 11:30 AM with a deep pillow crease on the side of my face. I couldn't have been happier.

I've been working nonstop for the better part of a month. Last week I logged 87 hours ( 60 of which were in 4 days.) I'd forgotten what it was like to have a day in which I didn't have to go anywhere or do anything.

'Feast or famine,' as they say, especially in the entertainment industry. At least this year, there has been a pilot season.

I said goodbye to one such pilot on Friday. I'd gotten to know the crew pretty well. During production, we passed the time by taking bets on how many 'takes' the director would get to before moving on. It became laughable-- in a very expensive way. (I appreciate the efficient directors I've worked with in the past all the more.) Minutes clicked by, $ signs escalated and after awhile, all anyone wanted to hear was 'Got it!' to 'Moving On' to 'Wrap.'

[One particular day, I'd worked from 1:00 PM one day until 6:00 AM the next morning. I was walking around like a zombie, contemplating yet another cup of coffee. At that point, no amount of money meant more to me than going home to collapse and smoosh my face into the side of my pillow. ]

The amount of prep and money that went into everything was unbelievable-- especially this pilot, which I've been told, is one for the record books-- as far as budget. They hope it gets picked up. Most of them don't. I'm just glad it's not a medical drama.

A phenomenon that is quite clear this year: A-list stars and directors migrating to TV. It used to be a step down, an invisible line that no one dared cross. Dustin Hoffman, Sissy Spacek, Kathy Bates, Jon Voight, Forest Whitaker, Kevin Kline are all headed to a TV set near you, if their prospective shows gets picked up. The Laura Dern/Mike White series, "Enlightened," has already gotten a greenlight from HBO-- who ordered nine episodes.

There is no doubt that TV, especially cable, is getting better. I didn't think there was any hope once "reality" set in. I never even watched TV--considered myself more of a film person. However, series like "Mad Men," "Big Love", and my latest obsession, "Breaking Bad" have all changed my mind. Luckily, some audiences have had their fill of non-scripted programming.

****

Production days in the L.A. area are up --- due to newly passed incentives. Most of the increases were commercials and TV. Now if we can just get the features to make a comeback.

Copyright © 2010 by KLiedle
Photo credit: 8litres/flickr

Off With My Head! [ or 3-D When Will It End? ]

2010-04-03T23:09:00.000-07:00

I may be one of the few, but I never saw Avatar in 3-D. In fact, I never saw it at all. The worst of it all is that I could've seen it for free because of my job and yet--

I just wasn't all that interested.

Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland intrigued me. Wouldn't it be grand?!! Then, the reviews started coming in and I thought twice. Hmm...maybe not. Oh heck, I still wanted to see it. I wasn't expecting to be blown away, nor was I expecting to go running out of the theater screaming in horror. I set my expectations low and thereby asked only that it be entertaining.

Alice was my inaugural experience with 3-D technology. Indeed, it was an entertaining somersault down the rabbit hole. It was dark and twisted, yet missing some of the essence of the original story's most endearing characters-- i.e. the White Rabbit and Alice, herself. The film was in 3-D, but many of the characters still felt flat and two-dimensional. Alice skulked through most of her days and Anne Hathaway as the White Queen was horrendously miscast in my opinion [and I normally enjoy Ms. Hathaway's work.]
The jabberwocky made it all worthwhile. It's as though it flew off the cover of a heavy metal album only to be slayed by an armored Alice invigorated with female empowerment.

I didn't notice it so much then, during the movie, but apparently my brain doesn't like being tricked by 3-D technology. I exited the theatre with the mother of headaches. It was throbbing, pulsating, and no matter what I did-- it wouldn't go away. At points, I wished the Red Queen in all her 3-D glory would proclaim: "Off With Her Head!" and take me out of my misery. My headache lasted all day and well into the evening--and I NEVER get headaches which made it even worse. "Never again will I do 3-D," I thought to myself.

Now it seems that avoiding 3-D will become the newest challenge for moviegoers like me. Studios are chomping at the bit to convert their studio releases to 3-D. To me, it's irritating-- not only because of the headaches or the extra 3-D surcharge, but because it makes studios believe that technology trumps story and character. Moviegoers can be put under the spell of technology and spectacle for a time. For many, however, the novelty will wear off and they'll realize they've been duped by Hollywood's latest stunt.

Copyright © 2010 by KLiedle
For All Things Alice Illustration credit: shebrews/flickr
Shebrews does Alice-inspired illustrations on vintage paper. Visit shebrews photostream to see the full collection.

For more about emerging 3-D Technology:

Dolby -Dolby 3D Digital Cinema
XpanD Digital Cinema
Some theatres are now experimenting with XpanD Digital Cinema.

The 3-D headache was brought to me by Dolby Digital 3D. For the lucky few like me, 3-D headaches are now appearing at theatres everywhere.

The common causes of headaches are allergy, emotional stress, eye strain, high blood pressure, a hangover, infection, low blood sugar, nutritional deficiency, tension, and the presence of poisons and toxins in the body.
http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/remedy/Headaches.html

Stop The Presses; Roll The Cameras

2010-03-22T22:30:00.001-07:00

"I hate snoops," Holly Golightly proclaims early on in Breakfast At Tiffany's. She'd taken care of herself a long time and felt no need to answer to anybody. And why should she?

I'm a snoop. That's right, I said it--er, wrote it. Given a choice, I'd prefer the term sleuth, but that implies that I'm playing detective and searching for something in particular. And I am no Nancy Drew-- that's for sure. I wouldn't even consider myself in the class of Harriet The Spy. I barely got through that little wimpy kid's diary-- I mean journal, but whatever.

This dirty little trait of mine dates back to childhood. In those days, I was an expert at unwrapping gifts and re-wrapping them to perfection with no one being the wiser. I got away with it for years of Christmases past until my little brother squealed on me. [ I could've told him that his beloved Castle Grayskull was from mom instead of that jolly red giant named Santa, but I didn't want to be mean.] Instead, I took to bugging phone lines and writing in ultra-mysterious code I thought no one could crack... [ 1=A, 2=B, 3=C.] I coiled a bunch of wires together and built a crystal radio that picked up strange signals when tapped into our rotary phone. On most days, I could be found in a tree somewhere, high above the rooftop, looking down on the world and eavesdropping on people. Naturally, these tendencies led to my interest in writing.

Later, I went to journalism school. There, I was forced to read books by the likes of Katherine Graham and Walter Cronkite. Cronkite complained that good, solid journalism was quickly being replaced by what he called infotainment. The integrity of news media and print media itself, he feared, could become something of the past. This was after AOL's annoying You've got mail, but before Kindle and ipods and TMZ took over.

Newspapers ceasing to exist? I thought Cronkite was being a bit of an alarmist. Less than a decade later, my favorite newsstand is now a Tijuana-style vendor stand of noisy, blinking electronic toys and ipod/cell phone accessories. The only magazines left on those dwindling racks are tabloids that everyone reads for infotainment sake, but no one admits to buying.

Lately, I've been spending quite a bit of time in an old newspaper building. As the newspaper moved out, the film crews moved in. This one is playing host to no less than three television pilots in the next few weeks. As the size of the newspaper shrank, so did its news staff. [They moved into a much smaller building to cut their losses.] At the old haunt, the hallways are long and narrow. The lunch room still has tables and a humming refrigerator. Circulation sits abandoned; Advertising is hauntingly quiet, and the presses have been cold now for quite some time.

If there's anywhere where the temptation to snoop beckons, it's on a film-set---especially on-location and especially in an old newspaper building. The typically brutal, long hours and sheer boredom contribute to the childish curiosity of snooping. After twelve hours, you kinda sorta wonder what might be in that desk drawer. You might want to do some sleuthing, that is detective work, to see what was left behind.

Paperclips, old business cards, and photo sensitive tape only tell part of the story. What was this so-called newspaper world like? I'm on the case. I open a drawer or two, in the name of sleuthing. I flip through a pile of papers as part of my investigative work. I am using my journalism degree after all, I tell myself. I find canisters of mints emblazoned with the logos of old sponsors and complimentary ticket vouchers for any Clippers game... during the '93-'94 season. I wonder if they'll swap them out. Probably not. I toss them aside. Then in the bottom drawer of a desk in one corner office, I find a golden nugget--a relic of the not-so-distant past. On a sheet of yellow-lined legal paper, a former newspaper executive handwrote:

"... The business graveyard is crowded with the tombstones of enterprises, including newspapers, that refused to recognize economic reality."

Even the newspaper business, with its most famous saying: All the news that's fit to print [The New York Times] was ill-advised as to how quickly technology would replace it. Turns out, I did think of Cronkite well beyond that journalism class. In those moments of ahem, investigative work, I stopped to ponder how the collapse of one enterprise [the newspaper business] could benefit the likes of another [the film/tv industry.]

Stop The Presses. Roll The Cameras and we begin again...

Every enterprise, every business must change to fit the new era. We may not know exactly what the new rules are, but one thing's for sure: Those who blink will lose the fight.

"Old anchormen, you see, don't fade away, they just keep coming back for more. And that's the way it is."
--Walter Cronkite (1981)

P.S. And that little wimpy kid's diary--I mean journal, but whatever-- apparently, it's now a major motion picture. We've definitely entered a new era and even if we're surrounded by a bunch of morons, it's time we face up to it.

Copyright © 2010 by KLiedle

Photo/illustration credit/Flickr as follows:
Harriet The Spy/Louise Fitzhugh, News Presses/Belly Button Window
Nancy Drew/Peril In Pink

Chew 'Em Up and Spit 'Em Out: Toxic Hollywood

2010-03-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

I could see it in her eyes, things weren't the same. The bubbly, blue-eyed blonde, devoutly Christian girl from Illinois liked to sing and dance. She was a rising star in her hometown-- the one to watch. Like so many others, she loaded up her car and moved out to Los Angeles to be an actress. She got an agent and a personal manager (with a company I worked for.) Right out of the starting gate, she booked one of the first roles she'd auditioned for-- a principal role on a kids cable series.

She was the envy of all her acting friends. She thought she'd taken off. She thought her star was rising-- that her wholesome beauty and talent would fuel her to the zenith of Hollywood-- that the promise of fame would nourish her. Things sped along beautifully until-- the cable show tanked, the industry slowed down, and the auditions dwindled down to nothing.

We told her we needed new photos. She said she would, she just needed to get some money. She told me to submit her for anything-- even roles with nudity (something she'd vehemently been against before.) Bills were piling up; desperation had set in.

The last time I saw her, I couldn't ignore the changes. Her bubbly personality had flattened as she tried to force a smile. Her blonde hair had lost its luster. Her skin had lost its glow. Hollywood wasn't as easy as it started off to be. She walked out of our offices as a ghost of her former self-- or the "self" that she thought Hollywood had been looking for. She stopped returning our calls. A few weeks later, we ran out of her headshots.

There are so many like her-- the Ellie Parkers. Hollywood is harsh and shark-infested. It's a survivalist's game. Even those who succeed are only moments away from drowning. I think of this now, with the passing of Andrew Koenig last month and Corey Haim just a few short days ago. Oddly, I'd just watched License To Drive about 2 weeks ago for the first time in at least fifteen years. As I'd listened to the interview of Corey Haim on that disc, well before his untimely death this week, I felt the same as I'd had the last time I'd spoken with the blonde: Something in them had been forever altered.

Hollywood loves to crown its kings and queens and is quick to knock them flat. Hollywood can be toxic and it will poison you if you let it. Don't change yourself to what you think Hollywood wants. Be the person you want to be. Those with the surest sense of themselves-- the ones that know who they are as people, not actors, have the best chance of survival.

Acting is not everything. Success doesn't make you. Money can only do so much. And none of it will last. Keep stretching toward your dreams, but don't ever let them consume you whole. And if you feel that you are drowning, resist the urge to reach for drugs, alcohol, or other self-destructive crutches-- instead reach for help. It is out there.

© Copyright 2010 by KLiedle

Dressing The Part: Motion Picture Costume Design

2010-02-23T17:15:00.001-08:00

The empty cloth body of a doll is placed on a sewing table. Sawdust pours into the doll's body, giving her form. Then, yarn hair is attached, button-eyes are sewn in and suddenly a little girl in a yellow raincoat we come to know as Coraline falls into the next frame. It is with this same attention-to-detail that a costume designer approaches the challenge of dressing characters for a film.

I've always been in awe of costume and fashion designs. My mother taught me to sew by hand. All it took was a needle and thread, some cloth, and a vision. Simple, yet complicated. Enriching and intoxicating. And the details... always details.

A few years back, I discovered the Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition at FIDM [Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising] in Downtown L.A. Since then, I've gone to the exhibit every year. It offers a rare chance to see some of the best motion picture costume designs up close. When I stand in front of a some of those costumes, I can see the individual stitches, the layers upon layers of fabric, the authenticity and sheer style of the designs. Only then, can I imagine the absolute enormity of a costume designer's task.

Costumes say so much about character, about the world he or she inhabits, about the story that's unfolding before us. Designers like Michael O'Connor (The Duchess), Janet Patterson (Bright Star), and Sandy Powell (The Young Victoria) had to brush up on history and pour over research before even beginning to think about how to dress the actors in their respective period films.

It was fun to see the fashions of Julie & Julia-- from Julie Powell's contemporary chic Manhattan apparel to Julia Child's tailored suits, skirts and aprons. From the exhibit, I learned that part of costume designer Ann Roth's challenge was the real Julia Child's immense height-- a factor I hadn't thought much about in relation to costuming. Roth had to create an illusion of height and thereby help "sell" the figure of Julia Child through costuming. Otherwise, the waistlines would be off or the fabric wouldn't hang correctly. With the use of experimental shoes for Meryl Streep and countless fittings to see what could be cheated, this was achieved.

Designer Colleen Atwood had a different challenge-- creating colorful, sexy costumes for the heavily female cast of Nine, while constantly being aware of how those costumes would respond to the choreography and movement required by the actor in any given moment. Wardrobe malfunctions weren't an option. The costumes had to dazzle, but they also had to fit precisely.

A change to this year's exhibit brought about the most fun for me, personally. Puppets from the stop-motion animation film, Coraline are on exhibit. When I think about animation, I don't often think of wardrobe. With Coraline, costuming went hand-in-hand with the style and intricacies of the stop-motion animation of the film. Coraline, voiced by Dakota Fanning, had to reflect the fashions of what girls her age are actually wearing. Additionally, fabrics had to be tested to see how they read on film. Some colors and textures could be interesting for distant shots, but too much for close-ups. According to the Lead Costume Design Fabricators for the film, a total of 28 different puppets were used and each of them had numerous costume changes. The challenges posed here would be enough to drive me batty!

I was surprised and excited to see a number of stars at the exhibit, too. The real Wild Things are on display from Spike Jonze's film, Where The Wild Things Are. I was dwarfed by being in the mere presence of Carol, K.W., Alexander, and Judith-- towering above me. Up close, they look just like I imagined them to be from seeing the film [ and reading the book.] When I look up and see moisture from a runny nose glistening on Carol's face, it makes me feel sad. And when I look into her friendly, glass eyes, I feel like she's real even though my adult brain tells me she's not.

Designing the Wild Things and pulling it off in live-action form, was perhaps, one of the most difficult, yet imperative tasks of the film. The costumes for the wild things had to be a perfect combination of form and function (so the actors could move around in them.) What they couldn't be were fake-looking, giant man-suit puppets. The Wild Things had to look like creatures with the capacity for real emotion and humor. Then, there was Max's wolf suit--one costume he wears throughout the film. One costume--easy! Wrong. Since so much rides on that one costume, Max had an entire wardrobe of identical suits for different appearances and actions in the film.

Each year, the FIDM exhibit gets bigger and better. And each year, I learn more and more about the specific challenges each film poses to a costumer designer. It's rather amazing to get to be an insider for a brief moment and see the artistry and detail up close. For anyone who thinks that costume design for film is just a matter of shopping or buying fabric, think again. For the rest of you, the Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition at FIDM is open to the public until April 17, 2010. The exhibit is free and open to the public Tuesdays thru Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Fashion Institute of Design And Merchandising [FIDM Los Angeles]
919 S Grand Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90015

2010 Exhibit -- Costumes On Display from the following films:
The Duchess, The Last Station, Bright Star, Sherlock Holmes, The Young Victoria, Amelia, Broken Embraces, Inglorious Basterds, Coraline, My One And Only, Pirate Radio, Julie & Julia, An Education, Public Enemies, Where The Wild Things Are, A Single Man, Night At The Museum, Star Trek, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, The Soloist, Watchmen, G.I. Joe, Aliens In The Attic, Nine.

Copyright © 2010 by Kliedle
Where The Wild Things Are poster/Fox Searchlight
Costume Designers Guild poster/IATSE Local 892
www.costumedesignersguild.com

Electric Youth Spurs Modern Love

2010-02-12T14:39:00.000-08:00

The other day I saw Fabio shopping at the local mall. A day later, I saw Debbie Gibson at the movies. It was a throwback to the '80s-'90s sort of week. Toss in a little bit of valentines to top it off and voila, this post was born... Enjoy!

****

IM Googled, status updated, linked, and blogged. Thumbs flying, ear-buds blasting; Match.com, here I am. Did you get my text? 'Cause I am next: I am Electric Youth. Valentine's Day may be just around the corner, but how can modern love compete with my latest tweet?

In the late '80s, Electric Youth was not an adolescent with ADD and an ipod in his hand. No, no-- it was a Debbie Gibson album and a popular perfume that teenage girls clamored for. Back then, remember? Valentine's Day was still fun and untainted. We handed out Looney Tune valentines to our classmates. We baked heart-shaped cookies. We passed notes. We left notes in lockers signed, Your Secret Admirer. And we silently prayed for that boy to send us flowers and candy.

We were all hormones and innocence and Lost In Your Eyes. Big surprise...

Now, Debbie is Deborah and we barely look up. We twitter, we text, but in many ways—we don't connect. No one seems to write letters anymore. Even a phone call takes too long. Texting is fast and gets to the point. It's quickly become the most popular way to communicate because we don't have to touch... heck, we don't even have to speak.

By February 2009, Twitter had reached 7 million unique visitors (Nielsen Wire) By 2009, 72.2% of cell phone users had a text-messaging plan on their cell phone and text usage went up by 107%. An astonishing 2.3 billion text messages are sent every day! (Paul Wise, Texting Statistics, Random Facts, and Blackberry Cell Phones)

With all these distractions, modern love is certainly complicated! And to think that online dating used to be scary and utterly taboo? Now, it's become the thing to do. Online, you never have to actually meet people or talk to them face-to-face. You can date from your living room and never leave the couch. You can pick your partner like you pick your kitchen tile. We're connected to technology, yet removed from each other.

It's become way too easy to poke fun at how technology's changed our love lives. Modern Love, the latest episode of the web series, It's Always Smoggy In L.A. did just that-- hilariously showcasing the pitfalls of modern love. This year, you may rush to make reservations and order flowers or you may wear black and scowl until the Valentine's sugar high has lifted. Whichever camp you find yourself in, unplug yourself for once, spend time with each other, and become one with the world.

Happy Valentine's Day Weekend!

What You Might Have Missed...

2010-02-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

I just want to thank TotalFilm.com for mentioning my blog on their recent post:

600 Movie Blogs You Might Have Missed ... the weird, the wonderful, the well-informed.

If you're tired of watching movies from your Netflix queue, you can spend the rest of 2010 scrolling through this treasure trove. I admit, it's a little overwhelming... BUT in less time than one might think, I discovered some great new sites to bookmark. It's definitely worth checking out.

A Brief Encounter And Glimpse Of A Midlife Crises

2010-01-29T11:41:00.000-08:00

I am a big believer in public transportation. Mostly the subway, sometimes [not often] the bus. Whenever I can realistically ditch my car, I will. Yes, sometimes my fellow riders smell funny or scratch themselves or speak in funny languages I can't understand. But other times, my encounters are more revealing in other ways. Occasionally, I'm touched by the snapshots of life I'm able to observe and those people that fleetingly pass through my day. Here's one from awhile back:

Midlife Crisis on the Orange Line

Another stop. The doors open. A Latino man sits next to me. He is of stocky build and after only a moment I realize that he is in search of some kind of human connection. He asks the woman across from us if the book she is reading is good. She has her nose buried in a Margot Kidder paperback. She has short, straight blond hair and the demeanor of a typical librarian. She looks at him momentarily and replies, "Yes," and goes back to reading. She crosses her legs. The man looks away in the direction of our future destinations.

Another stop. The doors open. Some students get on. The man notices them, turns to me, and asks if I'm also in school.

"No," I reply. "It's been awhile."

I try to be polite, but I can't think of anything else to say. The man glances again at one of the students and says,

"High school... that was the best time of my life... not a care in the world."

He pauses. The student looks at him briefly and turns away. The man then hangs his head and says, unremarkably and rather glumly:

"I turn 56 next month."

Another stop. The doors open. The man and I get off. We say friendly goodbyes--as polite strangers do. I watch him walk away-- a man unaware that he has many adventures ahead if he only looks for them.

****

Photo credit: Metro Library And Archive/flickr.com

Technology: Wii, Mii, and Getting Ahead.

2010-01-18T14:45:00.000-08:00

When it comes to computers and technology, I can usually figure things out-- mostly out of perseverance. That isn't to say that I necessarily like it or that I'm even close to being technologically advanced. In some ways, it's really gotten irritatingly fast and furious. Damn those printer drivers and software updates that have rendered the "scanner" function of my perfectly good printer useless. (Thanks again, HP!)

It was only last year that I finally got an ipod. I do enjoy it, especially for working out and music on the go. Yet, I'm only utilizing a fraction of its memory and I've run out of data. I can't even fill 4GB. Does that make me an ipod loser? Then again, I'm not a downloader. I still come from the school of CDs and full-length albums. It just seems strange for me to download an itune.

I don't have texting on my cell phone. There are no games or apps and I can't surf the internet with a click of a button or check my e-mail remotely. I'm on Facebook, but I can't even begin to compete with those who change their profile pic every couple of days and put way too much thought into coming up with a catchy, cool status update to send from their iPhone [appropriately enough.] I don't have the time, the inclination, or the iPhone for that.

I got a GPS for Christmas two years ago and it was only six months ago that I finally got around to opening the box.

"This is actually pretty convenient," I thought as I wondered why I hadn't tried it earlier. [Although, I still have an old school Thomas Guide to L.A. in the car-- still the "go-to guide" as far as I'm concerned. ]

This year, I got Wii Fit Plus for Christmas. I decided to be more "up on things" this time around so I hooked it up. Although, it will never replace my regular workout, it definitely has its pluses-- especially on those rare, rainy L.A. days-- like today. I like the balance games-- namely the snowboarding, the ski slalom and even the aerobic hula hooping even though I feel [and look] ridiculous doing it. The yoga and training exercises have potential, but I hate having to listen to the trainer explain every little movement. I have exercised before in my lifetime. The little, jumping Wii balance board icon with its ultra computer-sounding voice can be super-annoying, too. Apart from that, I think I may actually use my Wii often enough that it won't collect dust. I've even gotten a reluctant friend hooked on some of the Wii activities. We're competing on top scores.

Some, okay most, of this technology is highly unnecessary. We've just allowed ourselves to get lazy and bored. I was perfectly fine without the ipod, the GPS, the Wii, and even e-mail [way back when] but all of it opens up a new world of possibilities.

When jogging with the Wii, for instance, a friend pointed out, "OR you could just jog for real outside..." Well, yeah, sure I could, but Wii jogging in place in front of a faux waterfall won't replace real jogging-- it's just a different experience.

Microwaves have become ubiquitous, yet they still haven't replaced ovens. And we were, I might mention, the last family in the neighborhood to get a microwave. (My mom was convinced that it was shooting radiation microwaves into our brains. I guess the jury's still out on that. I still try not to stand in front of the microwave for that very reason.)

In short, technology has its ups and downs. Some days I hate, hate it and other days, the convenience factor makes me never want to look back. On the other hand, some people have trouble looking forward. To this day, my mom still has dial-up internet. She can't even view episodes of our web series, "It's Always Smoggy In L.A." and she pays more than I do for DSL. Her new years resolution is high-speed. By the time she gets it, technology will be onto the next big thing and we'll both be left in the dust.

Certainly things will continue to somersault ahead of me faster than I want to follow, but technology has certainly improved some things. Although, HP, if you're out there, stop with the software updates-- seriously. Not all of us can afford to get a whole new system of doing things every time you decide to upgrade.

Copyright 2010 by KLiedle
Wii Photo Credit: Bakerella/flickr.com

Nine Divided by Nine = One Movie That Could've Been Much More

2010-01-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

2009 was the year of the Nine: As the decade came to a close, Hollywood capitalized on Lucky number '9' by bringing us District 9,( a sci-fi action film),9 (a post-apocalyptic animated film), and as if that weren't enough: Nine ( a movie based on a musical based on a film by Fellini.)

By all accounts, Nine, has suffered much from critics-- even considering its award recognition, including 5 Golden Globe Noms. LA Weekly was harsh. The Hollywood Reporter felt that much of the talent brought together for the film was all-and-out squandered. Rotten Tomatoes users and reviewers have ranked it a dismal 37% thus far.

It didn't have to be this way. Directed by Rob Marshall, who successfully brought Chicago to the screen, Nine boasted a regal cast of talent: Daniel Day-Lewis (Guido Contini), Penelope Cruz (Carla), Marion Cotillard (Luisa Contini), Sophia Loren (Mamma), Dame Judi Dench (Lilli), Kate Hudson (Stephanie), Nicole Kidman (Claudia), and Fergie (Saraghina.) It was the big-screen adaptation of a Tony Award-winning musical, itself based on a classic film by Federico Fellini. It could've been a dazzling, sexy, stylish, and visually stunning music-o-rama, but that film, it turned out, only existed in the 3-minute version of the film (otherwise known as its trailer.)

I read the reviews, heard the word-of-mouth, but was nonetheless intrigued to check it out for myself the other day. Two hours later, I'd drawn my own conclusion-- I agreed with the critics. In my opinion, "Nine" ultimately falls flat.

My opinion came with a certain amount of sadness because I really wanted to like the film. Not that there aren't entertaining moments (because they are), but the film never quite seems to gelatinize into anything meaningful or memorable. Yes, Nine has an ensemble of some of our greatest actors, wonderfully executed shots here and there, and glimmers of seducing Italiano razzle-dazzle, but it's just not enough.

The film meanders through Guido's life directionless (reminiscent of 8 1/2), but unlike that film, we as an audience, never get into Guido's head. We never really know him nor do we get a sense that he knows much of anything about himself. We do learn about the torturous pressure his success has brought him and the seductive lure of all the women in his life-- beautiful women who seem to flitter into his seemingly enchanted life like snowflakes. Each of them, uniquely yet similarly touch his skin, but remain ice-cold in one way or another. There is a disconnect to these relationships. Women who could be sexy and strong, sensitive and assertive, are instead only objectified by Guido (and by transference Marshall's lens.)

The editing merges the past and present with color and black and white-- as if a dream. The film opens with promise, as Guido escapes and seeks reassurance from his unfletchingly confident Lilli (played by the always superb Judi Dench.) Then, things start to go amiss. The musical numbers are entertaining at times, but nothing sticks-- not in the way that songs in musicals are supposed to stick. Musicals are supposed to have scores, musical numbers that define them. Day-Lewis, Kidman, Cruz, Cotillard, Hudson, Dench, Loren, and Fergie all have what equates to a "commercial break" worth of musical material. Kidman, as film star Claudia Jenssen, gets a little more than a turn at a screen test while reminding Guido that she has yet to see a script. Penelope Cruz plays the eye candy on the verge of suicide--allowing her to model a fantastic selection of lingerie, as well as shed a tear of two. Fergie and Hudson gets the lion's share of what turns out to be the film's only memorable songs, "Cinema Italiano" and "Be Italian," respectively, but even those songs are played out ad nauseum. The song selections could've been stronger, the choreography more showy and innovative. For a Hollywood movie musical, Nine merely goes through the motions.

For me, one of the most interesting aspects of the film had nothing to do with the costuming or the sets or the musical numbers. It had to do with Guido's relationship with his art and its conflict with his relationship with his wife. In this, Marion Cotillard holds her own. She's not particularly showy and she doesn't get an irritatingly memorable song to sing. Yet to me, she shines above them all. Cotillard plays Luisa with heartfelt emotion.

She stood alone onstage singing "My Husband Makes Movies" and I was captivated. She channeled real emotion; she sung with passion. I could feel her pain, her love for Guido and yet her resentment toward him, specifically the art that occupies his time and focus and the women that fill out his fantasies-- complete with corsets and fishnets. And then Cotillard's moment is over and one can only hope that Guido learns that Luisa is just the direction and stability that he needs to accomplish his art. For me, it is in this that Nine redeems itself. In the final shot, as Guido and the younger version of himself rise above the stage on a camera crane, and Guido yells "Action," I only wish that the rest of the film could've taken some and fulfilled its own potential.

Luisa Contini: Thank you.
Guido Contini: What for?
Luisa Contini: Thank you for reminding me I'm not special. You don't even see what you do to me. Even the moments I think are ours, it's just... you working to get what you want.

(From Nine --Directed by Rob Marshall, Screenplay by Michael Tolkin and Anthony Minghella.)

Review by Kendra Liedle
Copyright 2010 by KLiedle

LA WEEKLY'S Los Angeles Web Awards

2009-12-26T20:13:00.000-08:00

In January, LA Weekly will be hosting the
Los Angeles Web Awards. Through December 31st, a team of experts will be looking for the best of the web. The pubic is invited to submit their L.A. favorites in a number of categories including 'Blog post of the year,' 'humor site,' 'tweet of the year,' and 'best online video.'

I'd encourage anyone familiar with the web series, It's Always Smoggy In L.A. to submit their favorite Smoggy episode for best online video (category #24)

Submit favorite episode link to LA WEEKLY.COM Los Angeles Web Awards 2009

Deadline is December 31st
LAWeekly.com/webolution

Modern Love

2009-12-17T21:42:00.000-08:00

NEW EPISODE!

It's Always Smoggy In L.A. - "Modern Love" - watch more funny videos

Pirates, Ducks, and Swirling Teacups

2009-12-13T14:45:00.000-08:00

I recently celebrated a birthday and like many a Southern Californian this year, I spent the day at Disneyland. See, Disneyland is FREE on your birthday [at least for the remainder of 2009.] I decided to give it a go. After all, I hadn't been there since a family trip in...1985 [gulp]

In fact, that little '85 trip, in many ways, changed the course of my life. It was then that I decided I was going to live in California someday. I was just a little girl so I didn't know what I'd do or how I'd get there or how I'd survive, but a seed was planted. I came home and opened a savings account-- not for a Barbie Dream House or even a car, but for California-- something I didn't really mention to my parents at the time.

Returning to Disneyland the other day, as it turned out, was a happy yet also bittersweet sojourn. As I ventured down Main Street, I was elated at times and oddly melancholy at others. I had no idea how many memories would come flooding back to me. I had no clue I'd fight back tears waiting in line for the monorail or that I'd choke up when I saw the submarine ride that my grandfather was gaga for. I was at Disney, not as a little girl or even an adult, but as myself-- the person I've always been, regardless of age. And here I was again, nearly frozen in the same moment, as if no time had passed.

When you're a kid, things are forever-- summers are forever, your parents are forever, people don't seem to age (and neither do you) until before you realize it and those "forever moments" have fluttered away like so many migrating butterflies.

If you were at Disneyland wondering about me, the loon that cried in fits and starts while inside the gates of the happiest place on Earth, I'm really not crazy. I'm fine. The best thing about this 'happiest place on Earth' is that for a brief time, I can revisit a handful of those "forever moments" from childhood.

Things change, and yet so many things remain the same. The duck pond is exactly how it's always been. I still love Pirates of the Caribbean (although it's not nearly as fun as I remember-- since it's been redone.) I was too scared to go on Space Mountain back in '85, but this time around, it rocked! And yes, I positioned myself for a spin in a lavender teacup and relished in the insane delights of the annoying, yet enduring "It's A Small World" ride.

Disney as an adult, minus a stroller and wandering kids, is a delight to be treasured indeed. And to the little "birthday" girl next to me at the Disney Holiday Parade, high-fiving Goofy and gazing with awe at all the princesses, my wish is that you remember those "forever moments" and whirl around in a lavender teacup when you turn my age.

Copyright 2009 by KLiedle
Photos by KLiedle

Elegance In Life And Death: Becoming An Organ Donor

2009-11-23T20:52:00.000-08:00

The other day, I left for work later than I would have liked. It was early evening and already darker than dark could be. Given the time, I took my "running late route," criss-crossing the city from the freeway to city streets. Traffic had been moving fine and then unexpectedly slowed to a dead crawl. "Great," I thought. Construction, probably... or an accident-- some moron running a red light. I waited through five traffic lights at the busy intersection, glancing at the clock radio and wondering how much longer??!!

By traffic light cycle #3, I saw that spectators had already gathered onto the sidewalks outside the Walgreens. Definitely, an accident. By the time I crossed the intersection, I'd seen it-- the bright blue SUV that was completely flipped over on its side. I couldn't figure out how that happened, couldn't see any other vehicles. As I drove by, a cluster of people were talking to emergency personnel. Off in the distance, I heard more on the way. I shook my head. Days before Thanksgiving...such a shame. Damnit-- who cares if I'm late.

A few minutes later, on the same street, I saw an ambulance ahead of me. Its lights were off, its siren silent, and for a flicker of a moment, I saw a young woman in the back. She was in her late twenties [maybe thirties], dark hair. Her eyes were closed, her skin was glowing, and she looked eerily peaceful. Flash... the ambulance turned left, the moment was gone, but the image of the woman stuck. I couldn't get her out of my head. What did she do that morning? Where was she going? Where is her family? What was her last image?

"Tomorrow is promised to no one, " I read somewhere recently. Often, we take it for granted. What doesn't get done today can be tackled tomorrow. We can give our friend a call later. We can see the world after we retire. What if tomorrow doesn't come for us? What if we never retire? Flash forward-- What if the world just stops? Sure, there are lots of 'what ifs', but I've learned to accept the mystery. I may not know how much time I have, but whatever it is, it won't be time enough for the things I want to do, the people I'd like to meet, and the places I'd like to see.

Days after seeing the young woman in the ambulance, I had the mundane task of renewing my drivers license. Everything was routine until Question #3. I paused at the checkbox: Give Life! Become an organ and tissue donor.

You see, I've never been an organ or tissue donor. When I was in high school, my dad lost the majority of one of his kidneys to cancer. I was terrified that there would be a day when I'd be asked to surrender a kidney to him. I knew I'd want to say NO! but he's my dad, and there lies the complication. I lived in fear that I'd have to make that choice someday. So, the idea of someone harvesting my organs and my eye tissue in some sterile environment upon my death just weirds me out. My brain can accept the idea of cremation easier than the idea of donating my organs. Why? I don't know. It's one of those things. "You're dead. Why do you care?," people will say. Well, yeah, I'll be dead, but it's the idea of it.

I deliberated, I had an entire conversation about it in my head. And still, there was my pen, hovering above the checkbox on Question #3: Give Life!

Click, click, click... the conflicting thoughts were knocking about in my head like billiard balls. Give Life! After an eternity, my pen made contact with the paper. I checked the box. I've never checked the box and part of me couldn't believe that I had. What was the tipping point, you may wonder? I thought of that young woman in the ambulance and I thought of myself. To save my life, medical personnel might need to cut me open, carve me up, perform surgery-- do whatever it takes to save me. I may even need an organ someday. Who knows? The little pink dot that will appear on my new drivers license says that if I were beyond saving, I can save someone else. I checked the box in black ink: I'm now an organ and tissue donor.

http://www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org

Copyright 2009 by KLiedle
Photo credit: 'elegant death' by Rodrigo Adonis

Beware The Fan: A Brief History, A Fateful Encounter

2009-11-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

As long as there has been a Hollywood, there have been fans. Some are harmless, sure. They're just starry-eyed regular folks whose hearts palpitate whenever they see someone of celebrity status. They might get to talk to that person [i.e. "I love your work," "I'm your biggest fan ever!,"], shake that person's hand or ask for an autograph, but whatever that moment entails, the fan will remember for years to come and the celebrity, will more than likely forget entirely.

Then, there are the crazies. Who can forget John Hinkley, Jr.'s attempt to impress actress Jodie Foster by trying to assassinate Ronald Reagan in 1981? There are stalkers that fantasize about marrying their favorite celebrity--like 53-year-old Mark McLeod who was convinced that Miley Cyrus was destined to be his bride. Then there are those like Emily Leatherman who apparently dedicated her life to seeking out John Cusack until an unfortunate restraining order and subsequent arrest. [In October 2008, she accepted a plea deal consisting of mandatory psychiatric counseling and 5 years probation.] The "crazed #1 fan" spilled over into fiction in classic fashion with Stephen King's creation of Annie Wilkes in Misery.

Today there are more celebrities than ever before and more ways to track them-- unfortunate if you happen to be a celebrity. Recently, a posse of celebrity trackers dubbed "The Bling Ring" have been booked on a rash of celebrity burglaries committed in the Hollywood Hills. They used satellite imagery to view the best entrance into stars' homes and used gossip sites and internet resources to track stars' whereabouts. According to CNN, "authorities believe an obsession with celebrity culture could be the motivation for these crimes. "

This is nothing new. People have been obsessed with celebrities and movie stars for quite awhile now. It's just that technology has made it easier for crazed fans whereas the media blitz of the internet has made it more difficult for stars to escape from the spotlight-- unless you're Johnny Depp and rich enough to own your own island in a remote part of the world.

A couple of nights ago, I watched the film noir Laura, directed by Otto Preminger. Laura is a whodunit, murder mystery about a New York career girl named, you guessed it-- Laura, played by actress Gene Tierney. I enjoyed the film, it's not my favorite noir-- but it's worth a whirl. What spawned this post was not the film itself, but my navigation of the special features on the disc which included a biography of Gene Tierney.

For all that she attained in her lifetime, she suffered more than her share of woe. When, the U.S. entered WWII, Gene's then husband, Oleg Cassini, joined the Coast Guard. Shortly thereafter, Gene discovered she was pregnant. During this time, Gene, like many stars during wartime, did her part by serving soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen. One fateful night at the Canteen, she contracted German Measles (also known as rubella.) Alarmed, doctors assured her that her baby would be fine. That said, a few months later, she gave birth to a baby girl, Daria Cassini in 1943. Due to exposure to German measles in early pregnancy, Daria was both deaf and severely retarded. Doctors said that she would never be able to speak and would never progress intellectually beyond that of a small child. Gene Tierney was devastated.

About a year later, Gene was approached by a fan at a party. A former marine, the woman told Gene that they'd met before--at the Hollywood Canteen. The woman had so wanted to meet Gene that evening that she left her quarters where she'd been quarantined for having German Measles. Gene was shocked, but didn't tell the woman what had happened to her daughter. Daria was institutionalized and although, Gene had another daughter, her life and the life of her daughter Daria, had been forever altered by a fan she'd never forget.

More about actress Gene Tierney

If you're feeling sick this holiday season, STAY HOME!

Taking It Slow: How To Digest A Film

2009-10-16T15:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I watched a documentary called Cat Dancers about Ron and Joy Holiday and Chuck Lizza-- a trio of former dancers who became one of the first exotic tiger entertainment acts. Overall, it was a love story about people who found each other and connected intimately over their desire to entertain and care for their beloved exotic tigers on their ranch in Florida.

Their lives were happy, fulfilled, and beautiful, but beauty and happiness is never everlasting. Ron Holiday narrates the story of his life, his loves, and the tragedies that rocked the foundation of everything he'd ever known. It's powerful and beautiful and heartbreaking to watch. (In many ways, it reminded me of the richness, beauty, and tragic story of Patrick Swayze and his wife Lisa Niemi.)

Film, real and/or imagined is powerful stuff.

Imagine you've been invited to a five-course meal at a classy restaurant. Maybe you don't know what fork to use or what wine to order. You may encounter foods you've never seen (or tasted) before. The whole process may take longer than you expect it to. The conversation will be challenging, yet invigorating-- but you will walk away satiated and better for having had the experience.

Whenever you watch a film, you should embrace the whole of the experience. Notice your senses. Watch the shots, the camera moves, the depth and the textures, the colors, the emotions, and listen to the music. The composition of each shot, each frame, is like a taste, a bite with its own unique flavor and emotion that stands alone but combined with other shots enhances the experience.

We're used to digesting popcorn flicks- the movies that entertain us, fill us up in the moment, and pass the time. We're not as familiar with viewing the films that nourish us, enlighten us, and inform us about the human experience. If we take the time for formalities-- we set the table, we digest our food thoroughly, we slow down, and we take the time to interpret our lives and discuss our experiences. Film should be treated with the same level of respect.

Slow down. Be mindful. Too many times we are distracted, multi-tasking, trying to find way to numb ourselves from the experience of truly living. But we can learn more from experiencing and observing the range of human experience through challenging, intelligent films, foreign films, and documentaries. We may think that the emotional and spiritual journey of another human being (fictional or real) does not affect us. Yet if we are engaged and connected, we learn to be open to all the emotions our minds have given us to experience and we learn to be compassionate as we look at the world. Over time, we learn about ourselves and that is the major purpose of life-- our journey-- how we have affected and touched others, what we left behind, and how we will leave this world a better place in some small way.

Films should be seen like droplets of water. Filmmakers know that no one film is going to change the world. Yet, collectively films of the highest caliber can change your mind, challenge your beliefs, test your emotions, motivate you to act, and encourage you. The next time you watch a film, open your eyes and take a second look.

Copyright 2009 by KLiedle

It's Always Smoggy In L.A. - "Charlie's STD"

2009-10-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

Check out our latest episode and let us know what you think. All episodes available for viewing on Funnyordie.com

It's Always Smoggy In L.A. - "Charlie's STD" - watch more funny videos

The September Issue: There's More Than Anna

2009-09-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

Fashion is ridiculous, but fashion is a business: a serious, multi-billion dollar business and no one knows this better than Anna Wintour. She's been at the helm of American Vogue magazine for twenty years. Some may view her as "the ice queen, the devil in prada..." but what everyone can agree on is the very truth that she breathes fire into every issue of Vogue magazine.

The new documentary by R.J. Cutler, The September Issue takes viewers inside the editorial offices of Vogue magazine like never before. We can listen in on staff meetings and see the creative teams and editors come up with the spreads and proposals for the gigantic tome of fall fashion: Vogue's September issue.

From the get-go, we learn that Anna Wintour likes color and is never without her Starbucks. While her siblings may be, using her word, "amused" by what she does, Anna damn well knows what she's doing. She lives and breathes her magazine. Her weakness though, she tells the documentary crew, is "her children," namely her daughter, Bee Shaffer, who has no real interest in following her mother's high-heel steps into the fashion world.

However, if you want to see Anna spitting venom, you may be disappointed. In the film, Wintour gives you a peek at who she is and what Vogue's about, but she's not about to reveal too much. She lives by the cardinal rule: Less is more. At Vogue's offices, we see Anna gaze at the layouts and photo spreads of the issue as it comes to fruition like a film in which she has not only creative power, but final cut. She has no problem making up her mind or expressing her disapproval. Her strength, in fact, she says, is her "decisiveness." For her, it's all about business and never about emotions.

Thakoon Panichgul, a young fashion designer and prominent figure in the film, expresses his excitement and fear upon meeting Anna Wintour for the first time. During his presentation, he says that his hands never stopped shaking. At a press event, Wintour comes up to congratulate him [after getting him a gig with The Gap.] There is a sense of genuine warmth in her tone and even a smile and then she's gone. Some of his fashions even make the September issue. I doubt that Wintour reveals a soft spot here. She can recognize talent when she sees it. Again, business is what makes her heart beat.

It may be a surprise to even Anna Wintour herself, but The September Issue is not all about her. Instead, it becomes a story about passionate people and the creative process-- with a healthy dose of rivalry thrown in. There is no other magazine that can come close to touching the quality and artistry of Vogue's fashion editorial. Much of this credit goes not just to Wintour, but to Vogue's creative director, Grace Coddington. Grace, a former model herself, has been at Vogue for just as long as Wintour. Coddington and Wintour respect each other immensely, but both are equally stubborn in their own way. When many of Grace's photos are "thrown out," she's not at all afraid to make her opinions well-known, even expertly manipulating the documentary's film crew to get the scoop on Wintour's reactions to her latest photo spread. Coddington may well be one of the only people who can pull her own weight in the room with Wintour.

As Coddington remarked in the September issue of French Vogue: "Anna and I, we've known each other a long time....We have a real mutual respect for each other, even though sometimes I feel like killing her."

This spark, this rivalry, is the spine that holds The September Issue together. Wintour says that fashion is all about moving forward while Coddington looks to the past for inspiration in a markedly more romantic and passionate way. They have a certain understanding-- pushing and pulling and balancing each other. It is a necessary rivalry that, in essence, creates the perfect mix for Vogue.

Even if you have no interest in fashion, couture, or model runways, check out The September Issue. It's not just about spoiled fashion mavens, ex-models turned editors, or luxurious fabrics and couture that no one can afford: It's about quality, artistry, creativity, and the long and often difficult process that brings it all together.

Copyright 2009 by KLiedle

With Online Entertainment: Your Vote Counts!

2009-09-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

Back when studios picked the movies and television networks picked the tv shows, consumers didn't have much of a say in what was presented to them as entertainment.

Pilot season was big business. Money was lavishly spent on producing a good pilot and networks could afford to be choosy. Even so, less than a quarter of all tv pilots ever saw the light of day and even fewer went on to become successful series.

I once worked on a pilot for CBS that had a good premise and script, a known film director, and an excellent cast. It never seemed to have a chance and then...it was gone...completely vanished into the vault of never-to-be-seen-TVLand. Some TV shows, like Judd Apatow's early "Freaks and Geeks" aired, but got jerked around by the network so much that even die-hard fans didn't know when (or what day) to tune in. To the TV shows that never made it and those that didn't make it for long, there never used to be an afterlife. It was all about money, ratings, and advertising dollars. Quality content without a sufficiently large base of viewers just couldn't cut it.

Then, the DVD craze hit big as did the DVD box set. Critical darlings like "My So-Called Life" and "Freaks and Geeks" achieved cult status on DVD. Then the internet went BOOM! And with it came American Idol, Total Request Live, On Demand, Netflix, Cable channels up the wazoo, Youtube, and HBO original programming. On-demand entertainment was suddenly at your beck and call. You there, in your recliner: Who is your American Idol? What's in your Netflix queue?

The internet leveled the playing field and essentially gave the reins directly to audiences. We don't need a network executive to choose our programming line-up. Now, we have seemingly unlimited choices for entertainment. Increasingly we have even become content providers ourselves. Pick up a camera, upload a video, and voila-- you have final cut in the pilot of your own creation and instantaneously, it can be shared with the world. For better or worse.

With this comes an obligation of sorts. There's so much out there right now-- from videos of drunk squirrels to bad celebrity impersonations to funny home videos of peoples' kids that may or may not be funny at all. Then, there's the sheer number of online video sharing sites. Whereas, it started with Youtube...now there's Hulu, Funnyordie.com, Veoh, Crackle, My Damn Channel, Tubemogul--the list goes on. A quick search brought up over fifty well-known video hosting websites.

It would be impossible for one person to see every Youtube video, let alone everything out there. As entertainment consumers, our obligation is to help the 'cream rise to the top.' If you like a Youtube video, rate it! If you think a Funny or Die video is funny in the truest sense of the word: Click the Funny or Die meter to 'Funny' on the video's page. If it's worthy of forwarding to every one of your Facebook friends, post the link-- give it a Digg. Pass it along. Become a fan.

Because it's not just about getting hits anymore. Now, it's all about the quality. In the new age of online entertainment, reality is slowly being replaced again with original, scripted programming-- much of it independently produced by people who have no known Hollywood connections, but they can write and they can tell a story. They're anxious to hear your comments and get your votes. They're putting in the time for free because they're passionate about what they do and they hope to do it a lot more.

Even Hollywood talent agencies like UTA/Veoh are starting online entertainment divisions and scouring the web themselves. Let's make it easier for them to find the best: VOTE, COMMENT, SHARE, SEND. Entertainment is now a democracy.

Copyright 2009 by Kliedle

Mushroom Cloud: California Wildfires

2009-08-30T15:22:00.000-07:00

August wildfires around La Canada Flintridge, CA produce crazy A-bomb mushroom cloud in my neighborhood. Couldn't resist braving the apocalyptic air quality for some pics...