… at least for today. In this morning’s Calendar Section of that paper, a movie whose screenplay I wrote - Enemies, A Love Story - appears on the list of the 129 ‘best’ films: rich, risky and enduring by critic Peter Rainer (full disclosure: yes, I have met him but, no, he is not a relative). The list of ‘must have’ DVDs includes the likes of The Bicycle Thief, 8 1/2… and the extraordinarily insightful The Man with Two Brains (full disclosure: I’ve never seen it).
Anyway, many thanks to Mr. Rainer to whom this blog awards its first, and possibly only, Edmund Wilson Prize for brilliance in criticism.
PJM Home
15 Comments
1. chuck:Ah, one kind word makes all the difference
Apr 17, 2005 - 8:07 am 2. PJ:Congrats, Roger!
That was a great movie, but I’ll put it in my Netflix queu for another viewing.
(I still hate the LAT, tho.)
Apr 17, 2005 - 8:18 am 3. thomas lifson:The LAT isn’t always wrong. It is a great movie. Congratulations, Roger.
Apr 17, 2005 - 8:18 am 4. Buddy Larsen:The Man with Two Brains had the character “Professor Lillolman”…who was a professor, and a little old man. I’m still crackin’ up.:-)
Apr 17, 2005 - 8:57 am 5. Terrye:I loved that movie. Good job Roger.
Apr 17, 2005 - 10:24 am 6. richard mcenroe:Well, at least it ain’t Kenneth Turan singing your praises, so OK, this time…
Apr 17, 2005 - 10:59 am 7. Maggie:I just made it number one on my Netflix queue. I’ll probably buy it, too.
Apr 17, 2005 - 11:30 am 8. Wallace:Congrats!
And I have to say that of the 100’s out there…..your Blog is the best by a mystery writer and screenwriter.
Apr 17, 2005 - 11:52 am 9. yama-arashi:Wallace,
And congratulations to you–for that was the best comment I’ve read today from a 6 foot 2 and a 1/2 inches tall Midland, Texas Oil and Gas man who sometimes dabbles in “string theory” and goes by the nickname of Pancho. On a more serious note, when are you taking me fishing in that submarine of yours?
p.s. I second Wallace’s sentiment–Congratulations Roger.
Apr 17, 2005 - 1:14 pm 10. Kyda Sylvester:I have a few quibbles, but all in all that’s a pretty impressive list (I’ll have to check out Rainer’s reviews of new releases–I’m in the market for a reliable critic). Good on both of you. I never read Enemies, but I’ve read other Singer stories and always thought that he must have been pleased with your treatment.
Apr 17, 2005 - 2:07 pm 11. Patrick Tyson:On-Topic
Congrats, Roger.
Rainer is a decent critic and is my favorite amongst the emsemble that do reviews in the 11 to Noon hour on Fridays at KPCC 89.3. I also listen to Emmett’s hour on Hugh’s Friday show now that KRLA is back to playing Hugh’s show from 3 to 6 in the afternoon. Good chemistry there.
Chimes At Midnight/Falstaff and The Earrings of Madame de… are on Rainer’s list, which, I suppose, means that they’re somewhere available on DVD. I’m off to search as soon as I get done here.
A few great films not on the list…
Casablanca
Citizen Kane
It’s A Wonderful Life
Lawrence of Arabia
Les Quatre Cents Coups
and The Searchers
Off-Topic
Is Left at Hollywood and Vine a working title or are you further along the road to publication? The 23rd looks promising though I’m going to hate missing the panel that includes Hugh, Arianna and David Shaw. My wife is interested in a cooking show (The Two Hot Tamales of local radio fame) on the culinary stage at about the same time so I’ll probably be free to do as I please.
Apr 17, 2005 - 3:47 pm 12. Macker:It ain’t Hollywood…but have you downloaded Star Wars: Revelations yet?
Apr 18, 2005 - 6:51 am 13. Buddy Larsen:On music and mood, Last of the Mohicans & O, Brother WAThou ought to be on there, too.
Apr 18, 2005 - 11:28 am 14. Brian:Patrick: Chimes at Midnight is available on a Spanish DVD; a review with screen captures is here.
Buddy: I think Professor Lilllman was from High Anxiety - the dumbest movie I’ve ever loved.
“Oooooohhhh, ziety!”
Apr 18, 2005 - 7:29 pm 15. Buddy Larsen:Brian, right you are, how could i have fergot. Even had the great theme song, mocking all those Englebert Humperdinck torch numbers. Gene Wilder, great, great under-appreciated comic actor. Always with the slow take, and the wink at the fourth wall. He was on a talk show the other night; promoting a book. Little older but still playful.
Apr 18, 2005 - 10:57 pm