Playbill Julie Andrews and Dolly Parton are both getting special Grammys this year.
Pixar Blog another FYC ad for Toy Story 3 as Titanic. Hmmm. I gotta say, I am not sure about the taste level on this one. What'cha think?
BBC Anne Hathaway discusses that Judy Garland biopic. There's some hesistancy about the singing. Here's a clue. If you can sing as well as Anne Hathaway (very well) star in a musical, not a biopic with one of the most famous voices of all time that you won't be able to replicate. Argh.
Old Hollywood, my favorite tumblr, gives a rooftop view of the filming of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1931).
IndieWire The Year of the Actress. 60 Women FYC.

Off Cinema
THR whoa. Broadway stars are on the attack after injuries on that Spider Man set. But wait there's more...
AV Club heated meetings and cancellations follow latest injury.
Wet Asphalt on "slipstream" and the continuum between genre fiction and mainstream fiction. I'm linking up to this because I read my first China Miéville novel earlier this year and am still... uncertain... about it.
Playbill HBO will film Pee-Wee Herman's current Broadway show for broadcast.
BlogStage actress audition alert: wanna be Kathleen Turner's understudy?

Anne Hathaway· books· broadway and stage· musicals· Spider-Man

My Spider Links Are Tingling

Playbill Julie Andrews and Dolly Parton are both getting special Grammys this year.
Pixar Blog another FYC ad for Toy Story 3 as Titanic. Hmmm. I gotta say, I am not sure about the taste level on this one. What'cha think?
BBC Anne Hathaway discusses that Judy Garland biopic. There's some hesistancy about the singing. Here's a clue. If you can sing as well as Anne Hathaway (very well) star in a musical, not a biopic with one of the most famous voices of all time that you won't be able to replicate. Argh.
Old Hollywood, my favorite tumblr, gives a rooftop view of the filming of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1931).
IndieWire The Year of the Actress. 60 Women FYC.

Off Cinema
THR whoa. Broadway stars are on the attack after injuries on that Spider Man set. But wait there's more...
AV Club heated meetings and cancellations follow latest injury.
Wet Asphalt on "slipstream" and the continuum between genre fiction and mainstream fiction. I'm linking up to this because I read my first China Miéville novel earlier this year and am still... uncertain... about it.
Playbill HBO will film Pee-Wee Herman's current Broadway show for broadcast.
BlogStage actress audition alert: wanna be Kathleen Turner's understudy?

Towleroad Far From Heaven being adapted into a stage musical. I've been burned on this sort of thing too many times but at least it's by the composer of Grey Gardens and that had a few lovely tunes.

 

And would make a good stage-to-movie candidate actually...

NYT the latest injury from the set of the Spider Man musical on Broadway. Wednesday matinee cancelled. I am 100% certain that someone will one day write a bestseller about the behind-the-scenes of this disaster prone production
Cinema Blend Peter Weir not interested in a sequel to Master & Commander. Awww. Maybe they should just adapt it for a stage musical instead. Kidding.

photo src

Movie|Line has a jolly interview with Mike Leigh on the eve of the release of Another Year. I love this bit on why he'd never make a superhero film (no, really. the question was posed to him in a way that's not as crass as it sounds)

I use film to make a personal kind of film in a very specific, particular way. And there is no more reason for me to do what I think you're suggesting than there would for me to give up being a film director an become the pilot of a jumbo jet flying across the Atlantic. Or a brain surgeon or, indeed, a coal miner.

I love thinking of Mike Leigh as coal miner. Tee hee. Come to think of it. He would make a GREAT director for a coal mining movie or a... wait a minute. I have it. Topsy-Turvy demonstrated that Leigh can sell a musical number. So... Mike Leigh, directing the acclaimed musical Floyd Collins about that explorer trapped in a cave!

Floyd Collins is so pretty. Let's listen to a couple of its songs.

Her Awesomeness Audra McDonald & Hair's Will Swenson doing
"Through the Mountains" from Floyd Collins. 

Matt Doyle (Gossip Girl) doing "How Glory Goes" from Floyd Collins.
This song is perfection but it must be hard to sing because there are a lot
of bad versions on YouTube. This version gets better as it goes.

My brain does like to wander. Obviously needed a break from thinking / writing about Oscar Oscar Oscar Oscar Oscar...

Moving On...
Pop Eater have you heard this crazy story about 80s star Marilu Henner? Seems she has something called "superior autobiographical memory" - fascinating story really and totally unrelated: I've always thought Marilu was a hilarious celebrity.
Go Fug Yourself Fug or Fab Style: Mila Kunis
In Contention Jafar Panahi banned from making films. So terrible. As Guy says, this puts the silly annual Oscar bitching into perspective.
AV Club Will Smith and Mark Wahlberg offered $1 million to box each other for charity cuz they both starred in boxing picture, see? This story cracks me up on so many levels. Like, no movie stars would risk their billion dollar faces for charity. The only risk movie stars take with their moneymakers is plastic surgery.

Tired of critics awards yet? You can say so if you are. The London Critics Circle have offered up nominations. Sadly, The King's Speech -- the only British film that doesn't need any Oscar boost -- is the only one they're willing to back for crossover attention; it shows up on both their "Film of the Year and "British Film of the Year" lists and doubles up on Helena Bonham-Carter and Colin Firth in two acting categories, too. (sigh) Whew... I thought Colin Firth was in danger of losing his Oscar momentum there for a second. Thank god, they threw their weight behind him.

Audra McDonald· broadway and stage· Colin Firth· Far From Heaven· Marilu Henner· Mike Leigh· Mila Kunis· musicals· sports· The King's Speech· Towleroad

This Link Roundup Will Soon Be Adapted Into a Stage Musical

Towleroad Far From Heaven being adapted into a stage musical. I've been burned on this sort of thing too many times but at least it's by the composer of Grey Gardens and that had a few lovely tunes.

 

And would make a good stage-to-movie candidate actually...

NYT the latest injury from the set of the Spider Man musical on Broadway. Wednesday matinee cancelled. I am 100% certain that someone will one day write a bestseller about the behind-the-scenes of this disaster prone production
Cinema Blend Peter Weir not interested in a sequel to Master & Commander. Awww. Maybe they should just adapt it for a stage musical instead. Kidding.

photo src

Movie|Line has a jolly interview with Mike Leigh on the eve of the release of Another Year. I love this bit on why he'd never make a superhero film (no, really. the question was posed to him in a way that's not as crass as it sounds)

I use film to make a personal kind of film in a very specific, particular way. And there is no more reason for me to do what I think you're suggesting than there would for me to give up being a film director an become the pilot of a jumbo jet flying across the Atlantic. Or a brain surgeon or, indeed, a coal miner.

I love thinking of Mike Leigh as coal miner. Tee hee. Come to think of it. He would make a GREAT director for a coal mining movie or a... wait a minute. I have it. Topsy-Turvy demonstrated that Leigh can sell a musical number. So... Mike Leigh, directing the acclaimed musical Floyd Collins about that explorer trapped in a cave!

Floyd Collins is so pretty. Let's listen to a couple of its songs.

Her Awesomeness Audra McDonald & Hair's Will Swenson doing
"Through the Mountains" from Floyd Collins. 

Matt Doyle (Gossip Girl) doing "How Glory Goes" from Floyd Collins.
This song is perfection but it must be hard to sing because there are a lot
of bad versions on YouTube. This version gets better as it goes.

My brain does like to wander. Obviously needed a break from thinking / writing about Oscar Oscar Oscar Oscar Oscar...

Moving On...
Pop Eater have you heard this crazy story about 80s star Marilu Henner? Seems she has something called "superior autobiographical memory" - fascinating story really and totally unrelated: I've always thought Marilu was a hilarious celebrity.
Go Fug Yourself Fug or Fab Style: Mila Kunis
In Contention Jafar Panahi banned from making films. So terrible. As Guy says, this puts the silly annual Oscar bitching into perspective.
AV Club Will Smith and Mark Wahlberg offered $1 million to box each other for charity cuz they both starred in boxing picture, see? This story cracks me up on so many levels. Like, no movie stars would risk their billion dollar faces for charity. The only risk movie stars take with their moneymakers is plastic surgery.

Tired of critics awards yet? You can say so if you are. The London Critics Circle have offered up nominations. Sadly, The King's Speech -- the only British film that doesn't need any Oscar boost -- is the only one they're willing to back for crossover attention; it shows up on both their "Film of the Year and "British Film of the Year" lists and doubles up on Helena Bonham-Carter and Colin Firth in two acting categories, too. (sigh) Whew... I thought Colin Firth was in danger of losing his Oscar momentum there for a second. Thank god, they threw their weight behind him.

Glenn Close got back in front of movie cameras two days ago. Albert Nobbs has just started filming. She plays a cross dressing woman in 1890's Ireland.

[photo src]

Barring the movie going to cable (these things happen) of failing to get distribution (these things happen, too) will Glenn Close finally be back in the Oscar race next year at this time? She was last nominated for 1988's Dangerous Liaisons over twenty years ago. Since that Oscar regular heyday (5 nominations all within the 1980s) she's gone on to win 3 Emmys, 1 SAG and 2 Golden Globes for television roles.

The film is directed by Rodrigo García (pictured left with Close) who specializes in the actresses, most famously in television or in films like Mother & Child, Nine Lives and Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her. We hope he finds new inner fire as a writer/director this time. The talent with actors is obviously there but the energy of the filmmaking, some sort of electric spark is missing. So far. Will this project be the game changer?

The movie is based on the short story turned play The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs which the diva actress previously played on stage... before she was ever in a movie! I couldn't find a photo from the play but here's a review from 1982 (!) of Ms. Close's performance, the same year she first hit the big screen in The World According to Garp. Michael Gambon and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers co-star.

Albert Nobbs· broadway and stage· GLBT· Glenn Close· Oscars (11)· Oscars (80s)

Glenn Close as Albert Nobbs

Glenn Close got back in front of movie cameras two days ago. Albert Nobbs has just started filming. She plays a cross dressing woman in 1890's Ireland.

[photo src]

Barring the movie going to cable (these things happen) of failing to get distribution (these things happen, too) will Glenn Close finally be back in the Oscar race next year at this time? She was last nominated for 1988's Dangerous Liaisons over twenty years ago. Since that Oscar regular heyday (5 nominations all within the 1980s) she's gone on to win 3 Emmys, 1 SAG and 2 Golden Globes for television roles.

The film is directed by Rodrigo García (pictured left with Close) who specializes in the actresses, most famously in television or in films like Mother & Child, Nine Lives and Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her. We hope he finds new inner fire as a writer/director this time. The talent with actors is obviously there but the energy of the filmmaking, some sort of electric spark is missing. So far. Will this project be the game changer?

The movie is based on the short story turned play The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs which the diva actress previously played on stage... before she was ever in a movie! I couldn't find a photo from the play but here's a review from 1982 (!) of Ms. Close's performance, the same year she first hit the big screen in The World According to Garp. Michael Gambon and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers co-star.

Oh hello there. You're back? I'm just basking in the beauty that is this new Rabbit Hole poster. I loved the first one, too. What is happening? Posters are supposed to be terrible and they keep doing right by this film. This one visually gets at the disconnect between two people who are still very much connected,  physically, legally, experientally and emotionally. I love it.

We're down to the finish line on major Oscar hopeful 2010 releases now.

• Dec 3rd: Black Swan
• Dec 10th: The Fighter
• Dec 17th: Rabbit Hole
• Dec  22nd: True Grit
• the dread last split second of eligibility strategy: Another Year, Blue Valentine

I'm still awaiting The Fighter and True Grit (both within the next week). [Silly tangent: People were making fun of me mistyping Rabbit Hole on twitter and facebook. I keep typing Rabbit HOle or Rabbit Hold --- wtf? -- squeeze those slutty bunnies! [/tangent]

 Earlier this year I wrote a Best in Show column for Tribeca Film on the wonder that was John Hawkes in Winter's Bone. Now that he's up for a Spirit Awards, can he become something more than a longshot for Oscar? Why is it that some terrific performances have such difficulty getting traction and other adequate ones sail through to Oscar nominations? Let's not give up hope yet. Matt Singer at IFC wrote up a fine tribute to Hawkes

The man wears menace like cologne.

Beautifully put. Go read it.

VYou "What Shall I Draw" fufilled my request to draw an actress winning an Oscar, but managed to impugn my actressexuality at the same time. Check it out...

"If it weren't for Nathaniel R and his support, I don't know where I'd be right
now. Probably not chained in his basement..." LOL.

Oh relax, WSID, I only keep them in chains for a week or two, tops. After the actress has dutifully read her latest script pile and chosen her next project I release her back to the studios to provide all of us with more cinematic pleasures.  Everyone thank me!

P.S. If you haven't checked out vyou yet, you should. A lot of fun over there. I have an account but I'm having trouble with my mic. I shall answer your questions as soon as I fix. Or maybe I shall have to learn mime.

Finally, ... Broadway.com reports that Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, the irreverent historical emo rock musical political satire (yes all those things) is closing in just one month on Broadway. A lot of shows are closing actually - tough season. If you're in NYC during December try the lottery for BBAJ. That's how I saw it. You end up front row, way too close to the flying spittle but it's very funny and fast. Major selling point: Meryl Streep's future son-in-law Benjamin Walker has total star charisma. He turned down the role of Beast in X-Men: First Class to stay with Bloody Bloody so see him before he gets more famous. If casting directors are wise (always a risky "if") he'll be flooded with offers once he quits with the live bloodletting.

actressexuality· Benjamin Walker· broadway and stage· John Hawkes· marketing· Oscars (10)· Rabbit Hole· VYou

Randomness: Menacing Cologne, Chained Actress, Bloodied Benjamin

Oh hello there. You're back? I'm just basking in the beauty that is this new Rabbit Hole poster. I loved the first one, too. What is happening? Posters are supposed to be terrible and they keep doing right by this film. This one visually gets at the disconnect between two people who are still very much connected,  physically, legally, experientally and emotionally. I love it.

We're down to the finish line on major Oscar hopeful 2010 releases now.

• Dec 3rd: Black Swan
• Dec 10th: The Fighter
• Dec 17th: Rabbit Hole
• Dec  22nd: True Grit
• the dread last split second of eligibility strategy: Another Year, Blue Valentine

I'm still awaiting The Fighter and True Grit (both within the next week). [Silly tangent: People were making fun of me mistyping Rabbit Hole on twitter and facebook. I keep typing Rabbit HOle or Rabbit Hold --- wtf? -- squeeze those slutty bunnies! [/tangent]

 Earlier this year I wrote a Best in Show column for Tribeca Film on the wonder that was John Hawkes in Winter's Bone. Now that he's up for a Spirit Awards, can he become something more than a longshot for Oscar? Why is it that some terrific performances have such difficulty getting traction and other adequate ones sail through to Oscar nominations? Let's not give up hope yet. Matt Singer at IFC wrote up a fine tribute to Hawkes

The man wears menace like cologne.

Beautifully put. Go read it.

VYou "What Shall I Draw" fufilled my request to draw an actress winning an Oscar, but managed to impugn my actressexuality at the same time. Check it out...

"If it weren't for Nathaniel R and his support, I don't know where I'd be right
now. Probably not chained in his basement..." LOL.

Oh relax, WSID, I only keep them in chains for a week or two, tops. After the actress has dutifully read her latest script pile and chosen her next project I release her back to the studios to provide all of us with more cinematic pleasures.  Everyone thank me!

P.S. If you haven't checked out vyou yet, you should. A lot of fun over there. I have an account but I'm having trouble with my mic. I shall answer your questions as soon as I fix. Or maybe I shall have to learn mime.

Finally, ... Broadway.com reports that Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, the irreverent historical emo rock musical political satire (yes all those things) is closing in just one month on Broadway. A lot of shows are closing actually - tough season. If you're in NYC during December try the lottery for BBAJ. That's how I saw it. You end up front row, way too close to the flying spittle but it's very funny and fast. Major selling point: Meryl Streep's future son-in-law Benjamin Walker has total star charisma. He turned down the role of Beast in X-Men: First Class to stay with Bloody Bloody so see him before he gets more famous. If casting directors are wise (always a risky "if") he'll be flooded with offers once he quits with the live bloodletting.