105 shows, that's what. This is a peculiar obsession of ours because, apart from the handsome site Art of the Title, it gets precious little attention, interest, or coverage online. The awards aren't given out on air and sometimes they make terrible mistakes as to what's nominated or excluded (same as it ever was, in any category). Nevertheless we'd argue that title design is important, not just in the soulless connotations of "branding" but in its soulful counterpart "identity". A show's title sequence gives you just that (if it's good), setting the tone. We curse Netflix for letting you skip past opening titles if you're bingeing. To our way of thinking if you won't sit through the opening titles, you don't deserve the show...
Did you know that the 1970s TV show “Kung Fu” was based on an uncredited pitch by Bruce Lee? According to Lee’s widow, Warner Brothers liked (and poached) his idea of a martial arts master wandering the American West but passed him over for the lead role in favor of David Carradine. Warner Brothers claims they’d already had the concept for “Kung Fu” in the works when Lee proposed his own series (called “The Warrior”) to the studio in 1971. But even if you believe them, it’s hard not to wonder what a version of the show that starred Bruce Lee might have looked like.
Nearly half a century later, Lee’s daughter Shannon, director-producer Justin Lin (Better Luck Tomorrow, various The Fast and the Furious installments), and writer-producer Jonathan Tropper (This is Where I Leave You, “Banshee”) have created a Cinemax TV series that attempts to realize his original vision while updating it for a new generation...
WARRIOR, a sure to be crowd-pleaser features two down-and-out bruiser brothers (Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy) and their alcoholic father (Nick Nolte) all preparing for an Ultimate Fighting challenge with a $5 miilion purse. It's exactly the kind of movie you're expecting it to be. As the film begins there's Springsteen-like (Springsteen-lite?) warbling on the soundtrack and the palette's chief color, blueish gray, is smeared all over the screen. This is all handy shorthand for weary/bruised manly-man working class drama. Warrior wants you to feel as comfortable in your theater seat as you might on your couch as it works, sweats and trains towards its predictable but appropriately rousing conclusion. Which is not to say that Warrior isn't any good… just that it's both confident and content with its big meaty grip on the super familiar genre it belongs to and adores.
The first rule of Fight Club is: do not talk about Fight Club. Tommy (Hardy) is the only Conlon family member who obeys...
So... before he starts filming the Tom Hooper directed film version of smash hit epic musical Les Miserables (more on that in a second) we're going to have to sit through one of the most ridiculous movies of all time (that's a guess) just to satiate our love of Mr. Jackman. The things we do for Hugh.
Here's the poster for Real Steel.
I almost want to remove those arm bandages (tenderly!) and reapply them to the face mummy style, so as to save that wonderful movie star mug from B-film embarrasments. If you're going genre, go all out: wouldn't it awesome if a mummy was training boxing robots?
The Wrap In other Hugh Jackman news, we're getting our post Oscar 2009 ceremony wish: Anne Hathaway will probably be playing Fantine in the film version of Les Miserables. Ah, Hugh & Anne singing again. Together. Sort of. I can't recall if they have any songs together but I don't care. They're both finally doing a musical! My New Plaid Pants Good Morning World, it's Joseph Gordon-Levitt Twitch Film Josh Brolin confirmed to lead Spike Lee's remake of Oldboy. I am one of those rare souls that hates the original movie but they're still going to have a tough time surpassing its chutzpah, you know? Just Jared Tom Hardy in the new issue of Dazed and Confused on this 'manpanion' trainer and more (I personally wish he'd lay off the bulk a little; his trapezius in Warrior is frighteningly over-sized...
Playbill Sadface. Looks like that Nicole Kidman / James Franco Broadway revival of Sweet Bird of Youth is off. I do think it's wise that Franco starts dropping projects from his ridiculously overbooked calendar (you have to have time to do things right, you know) but I hope Kidman still pursues it. Would love to see her take on that classic role. Awards Daily I knew this would happen but it doesn't make it any less painful to see Ides of March trading in its excellent and interesting teaser poster -- the one with the magazine half faces -- for something so boring I already forgot what it looked like the second I started typing this sentence. SplitSider a review of the porn parody of The Big Lebowski. Yes, really.
And I'm very happy to share this video of Maya Rudolph's Prince cover band Princess -- i didn't know there was such a thing (thx WoW) -- but I love them instantly. Here they are doing "Darling Nikki" once of Prince's most infamous numbers.
Come back Nikki! Come back!!! ♪
Finally, I have no idea why there's a sudden rush of Captain America postings but here ya go... Austin Translation "Thor Loser" Art of the Title Sequence on Captain America: The First Avenger Comic Book Movie Curious. Joss Whedon will digitally resurrect the 40s actress Joan Leslie for The Avengers.
<-- Coffee Table Book Alert! Photographer Tim Palen has immortalized the bodies of Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton for a coffee table book called "The Men of Warrior" that's out on August 9th (available for pre-sale now here or here). The book as we imagine it -- all we've seen is this cover -- is a smart marketing movie for the Warrior film in which the two fine actors play two sparring brothers. Obviously people will see this for the muscle abuse alone, yes? That's why people go to boxing matches, right? I don't know. I'd never go to one -- too bloody/sadistic for me -- but I'd happily look at photos. The book has a foreward by Tom Hardy and (presumably) a ton of pictures of him.
Links in the Ring Kenneth in the (212) Have you heard about this Faye Dunaway / NYC apartment eviction story. My New Plaid Pants attends the Wet Hot American Summer anniversary party. We were just celebratin' that. GLAAD the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ranks the TV networks on their LGBT inclusive. Top marks for CW and... ABC Family? How weird. who'da thunk it? Not that you can always trust GLAAD. They've made some weird suspect calls over the years. Showtime has a smidgeon more gay representation than HBO among premium channels. Film Dr has some questions for those of you who have seen Cowboys and Aliens aqui tinha a truth Empire Steve McQueen's Shame starring Michael Fassbender has a UK release date (Jan 13th) still no word on the American release after its TIFF bow.
Alt Screen no way! Lost silent Alfred Hitchcock film The White Shadow (1923) discovered/restored. Sort of. The Critical Condition the ultimate pop song tournament continues into the second round. I like the second round less because I'm sure this is where all of my favorites start losing. Like "Edge of Seventeen" being bested by "Livin' on a Prayer" (thus far). That is so unright. My New Plaid Pants which is hotter: Dominic Cooper or a Boston Terrier?
Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 9:20AM 
