Author Archives: Marya E. Gates
RIP Sally Menke
Sally Menke was an integral player in the making of Quentin Taratino’s career. The two worked very close together to create the fast-paced, edgy feel of his films. Sadly, she passed away yesterday while out hiking, she was 56 years old.
She has quite a diverse filmography aside from her work with Tarantino:
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
- The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1991)
- Reservoir Dogs (1992)
- Pulp Fiction (1994) [ Nominated – Academy Award for Best Film Editing, Nominated – American Cinema Editors Eddie Award – “Best Edited Feature Film”, Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Editing ]
- Four Rooms, Segment: “The Man from Hollywood” (1995)
- Mulholland Falls (1996)
- Nightwatch (1997)
- Jackie Brown (1997)
- All the Pretty Horses (2000)
- Daddy and Them (2000)
- Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) [ Won- Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Editing, Won – San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Editing, Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Editing, Nominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Editing ],
- Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004) [ Nominated – American Cinema Editors Eddie Award – “Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic)”, Nominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Editing]
- Grindhouse, Segment: “Death Proof” (2007)
- Inglourious Basterds (2009) [ Nominated – Academy Award for Best Film Editing, Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Editing, Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award Best Editing, Nominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Editing]
- Peacock (2010)
I’ve seen about eight of those films. One of the things I look at in a film is the editing and I think Menke was one of the greatest editors working in Hollywood today. She will be sadly missed.
Trailer For The Coen Brothers’ Remake of “True Grit”
I recently saw the original film, for which John Wayne won his only acting Oscar, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m usually pretty wary of Hollywood remakes, but I almost universally love Coen brothers films, so I’m hopeful for this. Also, I have lots of love for Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin and Roger Deakins’ cinematography looks to be as lush as ever.
You can watch the trailer here on iTunes. The film is due in theaters on Decemeber 25th.
Oscar Vault Monday – La Grande Illusion, 1937 (dir. Jean Renoir)
I first saw this in college for a class called “Coffee and Cigarettes: The Literature of Anxiety and Boredom” (yes, that’s really the official title of that class). I think we watched it to examine the situation the officers in the film find themselves in: a prisoner of war camp. They’re all educated men, all men who are doers, and suddenly they can’t do anything. At least I think that’s why we watched, I don’t recall much discussion after watching the film. Whatever the reason was, I’m glad we watched it; it’s a fabulous film, filled with amazing performances. It’s also one of the very first anti-war war films, a genre I tend to really love. It was the first foreign language film to be nominated for Best Picture and one of only eight to do so: La Grande Illusion (French, 1938); Z (French, 1969); The Emigrants (Swedish, 1972); Cries and Whispers (Swedish, 1973); Il Postino (Italian/Spanish, 1995); Life Is Beautiful (Italian, 1998); Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Mandarin Chinese, 2000); and Letters from Iwo Jima (Japanese, 2006). It was up against nine films the year it was nominated: Alexander’s Ragtime Band, Boys Town, Four Daughters, Jezebel, Pygmalion, Test Pilot, The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Citadel and winner You Can’t Take It with You.
Movie Quote of the Day – The Bridges of Madison County, 1995 (dir. Clint Eastwood)
Robert: I’ll only say this once. I’ve never said it before. This kind of certainty only comes but once in a lifetime.
Movie Quote of the Day – Good Will Hunting, 1997 (dir. Gus Van Sant)
[reads a note from Will: “Sean, if the Professor calls about that job, just tell him, sorry, I have to go see about a girl.”]
Sean: Son of a bitch… He stole my line.
Movie Quote of the Day – They Live!, 1988 (dir. John Carpenter)
Nada: I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass… and I’m all out of bubblegum.
Movie Quote of the Day – Big, 1988 (dir. Penny Marshall)
Billy: So what do they make you do for all this?
Josh: Well, I play with all of this stuff and then I tell them what I think.
Billy: And they pay you for that?
Josh: Yeah.
Billy: Suckers!
New Poster For “The Company Men”
Love this poster. It’s a nice homage to the poster for 1992’s Glengarry Glen Ross (which I still haven’t seen!). The Company Men is written and directed by John Wells, of E.R. and The West Wing fame. It’s set to be released by the Weinstein Company on October 22nd.
“Love and Other Drugs” To Open, “Black Swan” To Close AFI Fest 2010
Edward Zwick’s film is set to open the festival on November 4th. This could give the Jake Gyllenhaal/Anne Hathaway film Love and Other Drugs just the right kind of push to get launched into the 2010 Awards Season. I’m really excited for film. It’s set to open wide on November 24th, just in time for Thanksgiving.
Darren Aronofsky’s psychological thriller starring Natalie Portman is set to close the festival on November 11th. Portman is already the front-runner for Best Actress this year based on the buzz the film has already generated on the festival circuit. Black Swan is set for a limited release on December 1st.
Let’s not forget, as well, that AFI Fest has hired David Lynch as their first ever guest artistic director. I feel like I would LOVE to go to this festival. Hopefully one of you can go for me and revel in its awesomeness!
the diary of a film history fanatic 