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Meryl Streep Makes a Strong Oscar Bid As Margaret Thatcher

Roger Friedman
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Meryl Streep Makes a Strong Oscar Bid As Margaret Thatcher

Meryl Streep hasn’t won an Oscar since 1982, but with “The Iron Lady,” her portrayal of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher may bring her a new gold statue. The film, directed by Phylidia Lloyd, has already caused much controversy in Britain. But here in the US I suspect it will be less polarizing. Wtihout the baggage of having lived under Thatcher’s rule, we can appreciate the filmmaking here and the performances–not just by Streep but by Jim Broadbent as Dennis Thatcher, too. “Iron Lady” is, I think, a pretty sympathetic look at Thatcher.

As prime minister she’s depicted as strong and bright. She is certainly not mocked in any way. This is not a satire. What may throw the UK audience is the depiction of Thatcher’s dementia. There is broad poetic license taken as she talks to her dead husband, and the filmmakers try to imagine what’s going on her head as senior citizen battling a debilitating illness. It’s structural device for the film but I had no problem with it. In fact it softens the Iron Lady in that the film becomes quite the poignant love story between Margaret and Dennis.

Again, most of the talk in the British press came this week from people who have not seen the film. Once they do, I think they’ll be impressed. And while Thatcher’s politics might not be mine (or yours) there’s no questioning her reserve, her intelligence or perseverance by Streep’s magnificent work. There are a couple of scenes when she and Dennis are in their own mortal danger– they survive at least two terrorist attacks–and they come through with great dignity and courage.

As for Meryl Streep, she’s like the smartest kid in the class. She’s never going to be overtaken by any one. She’s almost too good. Whether she’s playing Thatcher as PM or as an elder, Streep cannot help but bring real nobility to the role. She not only inhabits Thatcher but creates her as a new dramatic device. That may be hard for Thatcher’s real life children, but objectively, it’s a superb job. You really marvel at Meryl Streep, that she continues to work this magic.

This is the first time I can think of in forever that Streep is totally carrying a film. More recent efforts — “Doubt,” “The Devil Wears Prada,” and so on–were ensemble pieces in which she was featured. This is a full on star turn, and it’s total success. Go see this film just to see an actress at the top of her craft. An Oscar might not be enough of a reward.

Woody Allen Has Used the Same Typewriter for 50 Years!

Roger Friedman
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Woody Allen Has Used the Same Typewriter for 50 Years!

Woody Allen has 14 Best Original Screenplay nominations from the Motion Picture Academy. “Annie Hall” won the Best Picture award from the Oscars. He’s written many books, and dozens of short pieces of fiction, and humor. He’s currently coming off a hit movie, “Midnight in Paris,” his umpteenth original feature since “Take the Money and Run” in the mid 1960s. And all that time, he’s written all of–every last word–on a manual type writer missing its lid. It’s an Olympia portable SM-3, circa late 1950s.

In the excellent new PBS documentary by Robert Weide that airs this Sunday and Monday, Woody shows us his little writing desk, and the culpable typewriter. He never went electric, never went to a word processor, to a computer Mac, PC, or otherwise. What about cut and paste, Weide asks him? And Woody shows us three little miniature staplers and a pair of scissors. “It’s not very sophisticated,” he says humbly. “Annie Hall,” “Match Point,” “Hannah and Her Sisters,” “Mighty Aphrodite”–you name it. This is the way it was done. And on top of that, the early drafts and notes are all in long hand, written on yellow legal pads. It’s kind of mind blowing.

Part 1 of the documentary, which runs Sunday night, is riveting if you were a fan of Allen’s from the early stages of his career. From writing jokes at age 16 for the New York gossip columns to Sid Caesar, stand up comedy, and then tentative film steps with “Bananas,” “Love and Death,” and “Sleeper,” Weide shows Woody’s evolution. It’s great to see Woody’s second wife, and funniest, Louise Lasser, offer her observations about those early days. But it’s meeting Diane Keaton and Tony Roberts, and writer Marshall Brickman, that catalyzes Woody into the career that would explode with “Annie Hall” in 1977. He says he didn’t know the movie had won the Oscar until he awoke the next morning and read it in the New York Times.

Part 1 ends with the release of “Stardust Memories,” a film that disappointed many after “Annie Hall,” “Interiors,” and “Manhattan.” But it has one of my favorite lines of all time–when a fan she says liked the main character’s movie, especially his “early, funny ones.”

There are terrific interviews with Lasser, Brickman, Keaton, Roberts and Woody himself, the most candid and revealing he’s ever been. I can remember what it was like with those films, how people lined up around the Baronet, Coronet, and Beekman theaters on the day a new Woody Allen movie opened. Weide’s documentary does a very good job conveying that time. I also love Martin Scorsese saying that Woody’s New York–the romantic, black and white one of “Manhattan”–is like another planet to him, Scorsese, the creator of “Mean Streets” and “Taxi Driver.” I’m sure the reverse could be said as well.

“Descendants” Director: George Clooney Lives Up to His Hype

Roger Friedman
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“Descendants” Director: George Clooney Lives Up to His Hype

“The Descendants” opened yesterday to just about 100% rave reviews. Alexander Payne, who’s made “Sideways” and “About Schmidt” and “Election,” knows how to adapt a novel. He’s turned “The Descendants,” based on a novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings into the year’s big American dramatic hit film. Payne is headed to the Oscars with likely many nominations–Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, and Supporting Actress in Shailene Woodley. The film also boasts a Best Actor performance by George Clooney, who will find himself, oddly, competing with his good friend Brad Pitt (“Moneyball”) and the actor he directed in another film (Ryan Gosling, “Ides of March”).

At the Hollywood premiere at the Academy in Beverly Hills last night, Clooney arrived with his lady friend Stacy Keibler.  Our LEAH SYDNEY reports that they were lovely, and gracious and George was his usual sweet self to all.  Leah writes: “George said hi to his press friends, his actor friends Christopher Heyderdahl, Virginia Madsen and co-star Beau Bridges. George also led the crowd into a happy birthday song for actress Shailene Woodley who turned 20.  Irena and Mike Medavoy chatted with Mad Men’s Matt Weiner and his wife Linda Brettler, actress/producer Colleen Camp conferred with director Jon Avnet.  Jon told us his next film will be an adaptation of Fannie Flagg‘s “A Redbird Christmas.” Jon had a big success years ago with Flagg’s “Fried Green Tomatoes.”

Payne had no trouble singing Clooney’s praises. He said: “Clooney actually lives up to his hype.  This is not a director at his premiere shamelessly promoting his star .  I could give a f–k.  He really is delightful.”

We asked him what was the best thing about working with George Clooney?

“Getting to be around George Clooney. I had been warned that he’s a super excellent presence on set and they were right.”

Payne does not seem to be swept away in the Hollywood machine.  How does he manage that?   He lives in Omaha, Nebaska when he’s not in Los Angeles.  Does he feel like an outsider?

“They seem to making room for me,” he said. “I celebrate it all-but all these things, the beautiful premieres, any of the notoriety I get from this film or my previous films is wonderfully ephemeral. If I know that, then I can enjoy it. And I do enjoy it. We have to say, ‘I’m here in this moment right now,’ because it will quickly go away. We all will get quickly swept up under the giant rug of history. We’ll all soon be ashes to ashes and dust to dust.  The knowledge of that impending loss should really force us to enjoy this all the more. Make hay while the sun shines. Everyone in then business would be better off if they knew all of this Hollywood stuff is ephemeral.”

Payne’s next film will be a father-son road trip, shot from Montana to Lincoln, Nebraska and tentatively titled, “Nebraska.”

Next film? ”I’ll be shooting back in Nebraska. a father-son roadtrip shot from Montana to Lincoln Nebraska. Tentatively titled “Nebraska.”  It’s not cast yet, but Jack Nicholson, Robert Duvall, and the semi retired Gene Hackman (come back, Gene!) are said to among the names considering the role of the father.

Golden Globes Take Ricky Gervais Back as Host–Reluctantly

Roger Friedman
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Golden Globes Take Ricky Gervais Back as Host–Reluctantly

Score one for NBC. After years of putting up with the Hollywood Foreign Press, and paying them millions for licensing the Golden Globes show, the network forced them to take Ricky Gervais back as host. Good for everyone at NBC, especially Doug Vaughn. But wait! The HFPA cannot be good sports. It’s not in their nature. They are a mean spirited bunch. So they issued this statement on their website.

“After weeks of rumours it’s finally official—Ricky Gervais will be back to host the Golden Globes for a third year.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association voted  for the controversial British comedian’s return after meeting with NBC official Doug Vaughn.

While many welcome Gervais’s return, not everyone is happy with the decision because  last year his blunt one-liners targeting big-name celebrities caused anger and resentment in some quarters. After the show Gervais dismissed the possibility of coming back for a third time, but he gradually warmed to the idea and last month met with HFPA President Dr. Aida Takla-O’Reilly in Paris to discuss it. He  said recently that the idea of going back behind the podium “is very tempting”.

The Golden Globes awards ceremony, which will be televised worldwide, will be held on January 15 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.”

Here’s the deal. Big stars make big money. They can take the jokes. Only the HFPA can’t take it. NBC wants Ricky back because he’s edfy, and he mocks this outrageously overpaid group of bizarre people. There’s already talk that they’ve pushed “The Help,” a drama, into their Comedy/Musical category. It had neither comedy nor music. Ricky, my friend, go for it. Rock on.

Oscar Winner Tilda Swinton Returns to Cleaning School in Scotland

Roger Friedman
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Oscar Winner Tilda Swinton Returns to Cleaning School in Scotland

So many movies, so little time, so much confusion: the Peggy Siegal Company is so busy throwing screenings-and… parties for all the movies opening this season, this was bound to happen. After the premiere for Simon Curtis‘s “My Week with Marilyn,” some of us also received invites for the premiere of Lynne Ramsay‘s “We Need to Talk About Kevin.” What else could happen, but Siegal’s office sent a follow up on the Curtis premiere. The subject title of the email? “We Need to Talk About Marilyn.” A dazed Siegal herself told me, with a chuckle: “I think I’ve combined “War Horse and The Iron Lady into Iron Horse.”

Peggy’s associate, Melanie Blum, realized the error and corrected it within 30 seconds. But this may be a time when a mistake is welcome.

“Kevin” star Tilda Swinton told me at last night’s Pomellato-sponsored premiere of her film that it was one of the funniest things she’d head on her endless promo tour to launch the new film. Swinton, an Oscar winner, is in the mix for her extraordinary performance in “Kevin.” There is technically one spot open, with Meryl Streep, Michelle Williams, Viola Davis, and Glenn Close almost certain to have locks on spots 1-4.

Swinton is heading to Spain today and then back home. What will she do this weekend? “Clean my children’s school,” she said, and yes, with a straight face. One of Swinton’s great pleasures is actually cleaning –mops, pails, dusters–her kids’ small primary school in Scotland. Can’t she pay someone to do that, I asked? “Oh no. We’re very small. We do it ourselves.”

PS Thursday night, while the new and dreaded “Twilight” vampire movie opens somewhere, Peggy hosts the opening of Michel Hazanavicius’s “The Artist”–the film that’s headed to the Oscars in a big, big way…

19 Year White Jewish Rapper From Pittsburgh Has Number 1 Album

Roger Friedman
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19 Year White Jewish Rapper From Pittsburgh Has Number 1 Album

The number 1 album this week is “Blue Slide Park” by Mac Miller, real name Malcolm McCormick. He’s a 19 year old white Jewish rapper from the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I know, this is unbelievable. Miller records for Rostrum Records, an indie label from Pittsburgh owned by a guy named Benjy Grinburg. It’s the same label that launched Wiz Khalifa on Atlantic Records. For the Mac Miller album, which is hip hop with melodies, Rostrum is distributed through Universal Music Group. The songs, such as they are, are mostly juvenile rap: “f— the police” is a chorus line. But apparently Mac actually plays instruments, and is a serious musician. So give him props. And he told one radio interviewer that he loves all kinds of music including the Beatles and Sublime. It does seem like Mac Miller’s success comes from hard work and social networking on Facebook, where he has more than a million “friends.” He also has million Twitter followers. All that translated into about 149,000 CD sales, however. (Interesting, huh?) If you’re 50, and you’ve been working all your life, stay away from open windows today. Mac Miller says, “I’m full of love. I love music.” You can’t be against that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zMC_XD-Eug8#!

Exclusive Audio: Frank Cascio Reads the Prologue to “My Friend Michael”

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive Audio: Frank Cascio Reads the Prologue to “My Friend Michael”

Today Frank Cascio publishes his extraordinary book, “My Friend Michael,” about his life with Michael Jackson, from Harper Collins. The publisher has shared with this site exclusively Cascio reading the prologue of the book. (Official publication date is today.) Michael Jackson fans have almost as much trouble with the Cascio family as the Jacksons and co-executor John McClain. Dominic Cascio, his wife Connie, and their kids became Jackson’s second family some twenty years ago. Michael loved the Cascios. As far as I can tell, the family never took advantage of him. They housed him when he was homeless. They accepted him. When Jackson needed people around him who didn’t want anything, he went to the Cascios. Jackson fans are making a mistake, I think, when they don’t appreciate that the Cascios are Michael’s true heirs. He spent vastly more time than with anyone else starting in the early 90s. Press the play button to hear Frank, exclusively.

[audio:http://www.showbiz411.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/My-Friend-Michael-Prologue.mp3|titles=Exclusive: Frank Cascio Reads the Prologue to His Book “My Friend Michael”]

From the book:

“When Michael and I had free time at Neverland Ranch, his 2,700-acre fantastical home/amusement park/zoo/retreat near Santa Barbara, we liked to kick back and relax. Sometimes he would ask me if we should just get some movies, stay in, and “stink.” (Michael had a particular affinity for juvenile jokes about body odor.) On one of those days, when the sun was just about to set, Michael said, “Come on, Frank. Let’s go up to the mountain.” Neverland was nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley, and mountains surrounded the property. He named the tallest one Mount Katherine, after his mother. The property had numerous paths that led up to the peaks, where the sunsets were extraordinary. We drove up one of those paths on a golf cart, sat down, and watched the sun flame out behind the mountains, shadowing them in purple. It was there that I finally understood the “purple mountain majesties” of “America the Beautiful.”

Sometimes helicopters flew over the property, trying to take pictures. Once or twice they saw us up in the mountains, and we sprinted away from them, trying to hide behind trees. But this time all was still. Michael was in a reflective mood, and he started talking about the rumors and accusations that plagued him. He found it all both funny and sad. At first he said he didn’t think he should have to explain himself to anyone. But then his tone changed.

“If people only knew how I really am, they would understand,” he said, his voice tinged with equal parts hope and frustration. We sat there in silence for a bit, both of us wishing there were a way for him to reveal himself, to have people truly understand who he was and how he lived.”

Audio and text c2011 Frank Cascio courtesy of HarperCollins

Sting Swings With New IPad “Appumentary”

Roger Friedman
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Sting Swings With New IPad “Appumentary”

Rocker Sting made a surprise appearance to the Apple store on the Upper West Side Monday night–and debuted his new “Appumentary” from Radical Media. The app– a knockout–features key performances from his all star 60th birthday show on October 1st at the Beacon Theater–with Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and Lady Gaga featured. There’s also tons of rare photos, clips from every song on every solo album, and sections dedicated to the Police and his charitable work. Rock journalist Anthony DeCurtis interviewed Sting on a makeshift stage before the Englishman in New York performed two songs with bassist Ira Coleman--“Message in a Bottle” and “Fragile”–the latter dedicated to late Apple founder Steve Jobs. The app, called “Sting 25 Years,” is free, underwritten by American Express as part of both the company’s and Sting’s big contribution to the Robin Hood Foundation. By the way, as usual, Springsteen–funny man–gets the best line in: “He has too many chords in his songs!” PS In the Apple audience: Sting’s adoring wife and companion of almost 30 years, the beautiful Trudie Styler, and their 16 year old son, Giacomo--youngest of his six remarkable children.

also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXcM25Yj42c

Michael Jackson Not A Pedophile, Says Author Who Grew Up with Him

Roger Friedman
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Michael Jackson Not A Pedophile, Says Author Who Grew Up with Him

Michael Jackson was not a pedophile. So says Frank Cascio, who grew up with Jackson as a kid along with his siblings. Cascio, now in his early 30s, details his life with Jackson in “My Friend Michael,” officially published tomorrow. It’s the first real, true account of Jackson, including recent books by his brother and sister, Jermaine and LaToya.

Cascio, who knew Jackson from age 5, knew Jordy Chandler and Macaulay Culkin and all the kids who passed through Neverland, writes: “Michael’s interest in young boys had absolutely nothing to do with sex. I say this with the unassailable confidence of firsthand experience, the confidence of a young boy who slept in the same room as Michael hundreds of times, and with the absolute conviction of a man who saw Michael interact with thousands of kids. In all the years that I was close to him, I saw nothing that raised any red flags, not as a child and not as an adult. Michael may have been eccentric, but that didn’t make him criminal.”

Cascio details all the times he and his brothers and sister slept in Jackson’s bedroom, and shares stories of other kids who got the Neverland treatment. Cascio has always maintained this stance, since I met him in 2000. His accounts jibe with those of Culkin and other young men who visited Neverland. Cascio recounts Jackson’s reluctance settle the Chandler case out of court. And he details the story of the greedy, scheming Arvizos.

This past weekend, some press accounts concentrated on Cascio’s admission that Jackson was hooked on a variety of drugs. Fair enough. But as a historical chronicle, “My Friend Michael” is about so much more. Because Cascio and his whole family had a unique place in Jackson’s life. He lived in their homes as an adult, and the Cascios were regular visitors at Neverland, and in Bahrain when Jackson went into self imposed exile. It was Frank Cascio’s minute record keeping in 2003 during the Gavin Arvizo scandal that exonerated Jackson from child molestation and conspiracy charges.

What makes Cascio’s book so compelling for Jackson fans aren’t the drug revelations. Cascio tells the story in minute detail of Jackson’s financial situation and the machinations of various people around him during a key period–from 1994 and the Jordy Chandler scandal through 2000, the “Invincible” album, and the arrest in 2003.

Cascio has no love lost for John McClain, Jackson’s sometime manager and now, by fluke of a 2002 will, the co-executor of his estate. According to Cascio’s account, which I reported at the time, McClain was a constant thorn in his side, undermining their friendship. Years later, in 2010, it would be McClain who would make a mess of the posthumous “Michael” album by encouraging fans to doubt the veracity of tracks produced by Cascio’s brother, Eddie.

“My Friend Michael” is a must read for any Michael Jackson fan. I’ll have some more bits from it as the day goes on.

 

 

James Franco Has A Seance, Lady Gaga Impersonator Participates

Roger Friedman
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James Franco Has A Seance, Lady Gaga Impersonator Participates

Tennessee Williams, the late and legendary playwright of “Streetcar Named Desire” and “The Glass Menagerie,” approves of actor James Franco. I know that because Williams was summoned twice on Sunday afternoon in seances held by Franco and filmmaker/artist Laurel Nakadate. In each of two shows–the second show had to be put on spontaneously because such a big crowd came for the first–the seance preceded clever monologue readings from “The Glass Menagerie” by aspiring actors and actresses found through a vaguely worded ad on Craigslist.

The very fun and spot on “Three Performances in Search of Tennessee” took place at the Abrons Art Center way downtown on the Lower East Side in the Henry Street Settlement as part of Performa-Arts. Franco was on a 24 hour pass from work in Detroit on “Oz, the Great and Powerful,” which has been shooting since July and won’t end until right before Christmas. He and the cheerful but intense Nakadate came up with this way to present Tennessee Williams uniquely. And so they did. A cynic such as this reporter certainly though the “seance” was staged, but the mediums on stage acted in earnest. When I mentioned to one between shows that I had better questions for Williams if he also returned for the second, the man looked aghast.

For about twenty minutes, Franco and Nakadate sat on stage in a pool of spotlight, flanking the two mediums. Their “cast” members formed a semi circle behind them in darkness. And Williams was “reached” by spiritual contact. The most we learned? He really likes James Franco, and missed a certain amount of love from his mother. He didn’t say who his favorite Blanche has been from “Streetcar,” whether he liked the Monkey Bar, or what was up with him and Truman Capote in the after life.

The second and third parts consisted of Franco pre-filmed, projected on a video screen, trading lines with actresses who took the stage one by one. They read their dialogue from lines printed on the video screen. All the ladies were found on Craigslist, and were successful to varying degrees. One was the official Lady Gaga impersonator, Lauren Francesca, who wore a leather bikini. Another swooped on stage like a female Zorro, with a cape. A third tried to upstage the event; instead of reading the dialogue she took out her cell phone and called her mother. It didn’t work.

For the men, which included performance artist Kalup Linzy as a drag queen, there were ups and downs. A highlight was Ryan McNamara, who spontaneously called Franco and Nakadate on stage to help him read his “Menagerie” soliloquy.

I can think of worse things to have done on a Sunday afternoon.

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