When I received Solo #5 last month, I was prepared for an enjoyable comic since it was by Darwyn Cooke, a writer/artist whose work slipped under my radar until I read the recent mini-series, DC: The New Frontier. The comic was everything I thought it was, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as someone's first comic since it may be a little continuity heavy. (Actually, it isn't, but because names are dropped without context, I could see some people thinking they are missing something.)
Anyway, on page 28, out of the blue, but not out of bounds, is a replay of many a speech I've heard from healthy people flush with success, safe at home, the new version of the chickenhawks of the Vietnam era. Unless you've been in the military, honestly in with an honest chance of being sent into combat, I don't think you have a leg to stand on regarding "acceptable loses."
Best of all is Slam Bradley's response and it is one that I wish I had thought of when the necessity of this war has come up.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Movie Business
Part 1
We saw Must Love Dogs and Sky High Friday. On the whole, the latter was more enjoyable than the former, though it wasn't as funny as I thought it was going to be; the trailer shows a small scene between Dave Foley and his old "Kids in the Hall" associate, Kevin MacDonald, that is so off-handedly amusing that I'd hoped the entire movie would have that tone. On the whole, it really is nothing more than a Disney Channel movie.
However, both movies suffered from something that movies have for years and that is the "unresolved gun." I don't mean a real gun; I refer to a comment made by Chekov back when he wrote plays, before he signed up with Star Fleet. Chekov's statement goes something like this: "If a playwrite shows a gun in the first act, he has to use it by the third act."
Unlike modern film studios, editors, and directors, Chekov understood that a play, or movie, is not reality. It is a discrete whole wherein there must be a reason for every action and prop. For instance, in Sky High, Kurt Russel's character made repeated mention of his father, who had also been a super-hero. Yet, by the end of the film, grandfather never appeared (and if he had, who better for the role than Adam West). In Must Love Dogs, Christopher Plummer's character speaks of losing a woman he cared about, someone in the film, yet there is no on-screen resolution for that statement. Fantastic Four, as much as I like it, is full of such nagging problems.
The best example of a recent movie that had no unresolved guns, was The Sixth Sense. In fact, I submit that the movie only works because we film-goers are so used to unresolved moments that we resolve them internally, hence we don't question the fact that we never see Bruce Willis having a conversation with an adult. Because of the way the film is cut, we think that the conversations have been removed, so we replace them.
However, The Sixth Sense is the only movie for which that works. For every other movie maker, it is just sloppiness. Directors, restrain and think about what it means to cut or not shoot a scene. You have a continuity person on set to make sure the wrinkles in a shirt match from day to day. How about getting a continuity person into the editing room.
Part 2
A bunch of new trailers are out if you are interested:
Walk the Line. the Johnny Cash biography with Joaquin Phoenix as the singer and Reese Witherspoon as June Cash.
Doom moves from the computer to the movie screen.
The vidication of Firefly, Joss Whedon's directorial debut, and the reason we won't be seeing any "Buffy-verse" made-for-television movies (Whedon has closed his television production offices in favor of movies all come together in Serenity. Firefly was lost chance because of Fox's quick trigger finger and, for myself, annoyance that the quality of Angel and Buffy suffered while Joss was off gallivanting with his science fiction Western. (I'm not saying anything, but the season Firefly debuted, Spike was banging Buffy against a wall in an alley and Connor was around. Not that I'm saying anything, but I'm just saying.)
We saw Must Love Dogs and Sky High Friday. On the whole, the latter was more enjoyable than the former, though it wasn't as funny as I thought it was going to be; the trailer shows a small scene between Dave Foley and his old "Kids in the Hall" associate, Kevin MacDonald, that is so off-handedly amusing that I'd hoped the entire movie would have that tone. On the whole, it really is nothing more than a Disney Channel movie.
However, both movies suffered from something that movies have for years and that is the "unresolved gun." I don't mean a real gun; I refer to a comment made by Chekov back when he wrote plays, before he signed up with Star Fleet. Chekov's statement goes something like this: "If a playwrite shows a gun in the first act, he has to use it by the third act."
Unlike modern film studios, editors, and directors, Chekov understood that a play, or movie, is not reality. It is a discrete whole wherein there must be a reason for every action and prop. For instance, in Sky High, Kurt Russel's character made repeated mention of his father, who had also been a super-hero. Yet, by the end of the film, grandfather never appeared (and if he had, who better for the role than Adam West). In Must Love Dogs, Christopher Plummer's character speaks of losing a woman he cared about, someone in the film, yet there is no on-screen resolution for that statement. Fantastic Four, as much as I like it, is full of such nagging problems.
The best example of a recent movie that had no unresolved guns, was The Sixth Sense. In fact, I submit that the movie only works because we film-goers are so used to unresolved moments that we resolve them internally, hence we don't question the fact that we never see Bruce Willis having a conversation with an adult. Because of the way the film is cut, we think that the conversations have been removed, so we replace them.
However, The Sixth Sense is the only movie for which that works. For every other movie maker, it is just sloppiness. Directors, restrain and think about what it means to cut or not shoot a scene. You have a continuity person on set to make sure the wrinkles in a shirt match from day to day. How about getting a continuity person into the editing room.
Part 2
A bunch of new trailers are out if you are interested:
Walk the Line. the Johnny Cash biography with Joaquin Phoenix as the singer and Reese Witherspoon as June Cash.
Doom moves from the computer to the movie screen.
The vidication of Firefly, Joss Whedon's directorial debut, and the reason we won't be seeing any "Buffy-verse" made-for-television movies (Whedon has closed his television production offices in favor of movies all come together in Serenity. Firefly was lost chance because of Fox's quick trigger finger and, for myself, annoyance that the quality of Angel and Buffy suffered while Joss was off gallivanting with his science fiction Western. (I'm not saying anything, but the season Firefly debuted, Spike was banging Buffy against a wall in an alley and Connor was around. Not that I'm saying anything, but I'm just saying.)
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Podcasting
"Radio is so constipated and so corporate and homgenized that it has been limiting and the appearance of new voices , and podcasting will allow for this." Randy Komisar, "venture capitalist," discussing iTunes 4.9 and its addition of podcast listings. (Quote from Newsweek, July 11, 2005.)
I first heard about something called "podcasting" in the late fall of 2004. Because of the word, I, like I think a lot of people do/did at first, thought it had something to do with an iPod in particular. We didn't have one around then and, as I was deep into school at that time, and could only worry about one new technology at a time. My new toy at that time was the WizzRSS news reader for Firefox. RSS stands for "Real Simple Syndication" and I think it is one of the most amazing things about the Internet of late. Click on the "What is RSS?" button just to the left of this paragraph for more information about RSS and why it can actually save you time when checking out your favorite sites.
Anyway, in May of this year, I read a message in a television group I belong to mentioning in passing that the people that had been on-air on the old "The Screen Savers" show had started a podcast discussing computers and technology. Wanting to avoid actual studying for exams, I went over to the site not expecting to actually listen to anything since I didn't have an iPod. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could listen right on my computer, no iPod required.
Of course, that set me on a search to find out what else was out there, using my old stand-by search term "comic books." The first thing I noticed was that there were a bunch of sites that collected the various podcasts available such as iPodder.org; Podcast Alley (which appeared to be the most important because it allowed listeners to vote for their favorite podcasts); Podfeeder; and Podcast.net. None of these sites appeared to have much proprietary content, though iPodder.org appears to be the only place Adam Curry's podcast may be found. (After listening to some podcasts, I get the feeling that Adam Curry is the father of podcasting; Curry himself presents a history of podcasting here.
WizzRSS allowed me to subscribe to podcasts, so I subscribed to as many as I thought would be interesting. The Screen Savers podcast was soon renamed "This Week in Tech" or "TWiT" at the "request" of Comcast, the corporation that bought TechTV. Others I listen to regularly are "Comic Geek Speak," which features a bunch of comic fans in Philadelphia, I believe, having the same discussions comic book fans have had since 1939; "Collected Comics Library," where the host discusses and describes paperback and hardcover comic book collections; Ron Moore's commentary, which he records at home with all the coughing and door closings intact, for each episode of the new Battlestar Galactica"; "Comicolgy," the first comics related podcast, I believe, and one that focuses a lot on the independents; I Read Comics," the only female voice podcasting about comics that I know about; "Look at His Butt" (which isn't the gay porn it sounds like, but two female Star Trek fans who, among other things, extol the virtures of Shatner)." Two others, The Dawn and Drew Show"; and "The PK and J Show" each feature two couples talking to each other, being smart asses, and pointing out where the problems are in life.
In my opinon, the fun in these shows is that they aren't studio professionals. Even the professionals, the guys on TWiT, have sound troubles, "technical" problems like someone having hit the mute button on his mike, and have a cell phone go off. I've heard people stop broadcasts to answer the phone and it isn't a Comic Geek Speak show unless a dog starts barking. I've heard the host of Collected Comics talk as much about family illnesses and golf tournaments as I have heard him discuss the latest DC Archive. I've heard many a host, working by himself, complain about the content quality of the show as he records it.
To me, this is what made podcasting enjoyable. It wasn't slick, it wasn't packaged with the content predetermined and okayed by the corporate heads. Not since the early developemental days of radio, I think, when ham operators drove innovation, has there been a similar influx of non-professionals creating product.
Then came iTunes 4.9 a month or so ago. We had an iPod by this time, so upgrading was going to be a necessity, that this version was going to include podcasts a benefit. Then I looked at the podcast directory. Guess what? I didn't see many pointers for the "Tattoo Podcast," "a weekly half-hour show devoted to the world of tattooing and tattoos" or "A Klingon Word from the Word," thoughts "about the Scriptures, through the lens of the Klingon Language." I did see a lot of ads pushing Disney owned content from ESPN, ABC News, and Ebert and Roeper. The Al Franken Show was there, which I like, but it is a radio show, not a podcast. I can listen to Al Franken live over the Internet; I can record Al Franken's show off of the Internet to listen to at my leisure.
These aren't podcasts as I've learned to understand it. Apart from the fact that so much of the content on the front page of the podcast directory is nothing more than larger conventional shows chopped into easily digested five minute bites, there is little there that isn't corporate content of the type that Komisar is railing against in the quote at the top of this post. "Science Friday" is interesting and all, but is Ira Flatow a new voice? Is an eight minute interview with "Constantine from American Idol excised from a New York FM station going to be something that won't have its own version on an FM station in Milwaukee, Chicago, and Santa Fe?
If you are at all interested in listening to some of the interesting things being podcast, I suggest searching through Goggle for one of the podcast sites I mentioned previously. You can search through iTunes, but I don't like their search engine very much and some podcasts that I listen to aren't on iTunes yet. Look around the Website of the podcaster to see if you think you'd find the shows interesting. If so, then subscribe. A lot of podcasters want you to subscribe through iTunes, but I still use WizzRSS; subscribe how you want to, if you want to, but give the homebrewed podcasts a chance first before settling for CNN newsbriefs.
By the way, right after iTunes 4.9 was released, podcasting was discussed on "TWiT" and one of the people made a statement that podcasting was one of the communication methods whose spread was not driven by pornography. I thought about that at that time and I think he was right. Some shows, like southeastern Wisconsin's "Dawn and Drew," had mature contact, but discussion of sexual acts seen on Real Sex wasn't the reason the show was in existance. I just looked at iTunes list of its top podcasts. iTunes own "New Music Tuesday," has the most people downloading it, followed by "TWiT." Then at number three is "Open Source Sex." While I've nothing against filmed sexual encounters between adults where no one is hurt, I just think it is interesting that when the corporate-driven iTunes comes on-line enough people find and subsbribe to a "podcast radio show that is half explicit erotica, and half explicit sex instruction." The show's been around awhile, but it took iTunes to bring it out into the open. When will the cry "What about the children?" fill our ears over sex-filled podcasts as they are right now over "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas"? At least, it is a homebrewed podcast, so that counts for something.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Odds and Ends
Christopher Reeve Foundation
A little while back I bought a pair of Superman tags from the Christopher Reeve Foundation.
The "proceeds" (I assume some amount less than the cost) go to the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation. The set cost just ten dollars and, believe me, I've spent more money on less worthy things.
When Christopher Reeve died last year, I admit that I was shocked. I was never a Christopher Reeve fan, though I did like him as Superman, even if only two of the movies were passable (and I don't care about any comic book fans who were crying after seeing footage from Superman Begins, I think there are going to be more things wrong with that movie than right). However, you had to admire his strength after his paralysis and I never doubted that he was going to walk again; if anyone was going to, it was going to be him. That he died the way he did, of a systemic infection, is really ironic since compared to someone like Terri Schiavo, Christopher Reeve was tap dancing in five shows a day.
Anyway, if you've the money, buy yourself a set of Superman tags. If nothing else, they are very clangy. By the way, if you go to the Christopher Reeve Website you'll find a page of people wearing their Superman tag. If you've been wondering what's happened to Joe Piscopo, scroll on down the page and you'll see a picture of the man, taking a break from his maitre d' job, to model his.
Fantastic Four movie
I'm not wanting to push a point, but the critically lambasted Fantastic Four came in third this past weekend for a total of over $118 million so far. Not that it matters, but for some reason I am very satisifed that a movie that the critics so disliked has been embraced by the public.
V for Vendetta
V for Vendetta is the next comic book based movie coming out. Like all the movies based on his work, Alan Moore has disavowed any association with the film, but the trailer looks pretty good, though I am worried that nervous studio heads in America may want to change the release date because of the recent bombings in London. At least one London based fan has given his opinion on the matter and says the film should be released as it was scheduled.
Lego Star Wars
Finally finished it and, good news, it looks like a sequel is on the way. At least that's the implication of the "secret level" that's unlocked after the whole game is completed. Since I don't have my computer connected to my television, I can't take a screen capture of the characters running around with their Frito Bandito mustaches. I did take one of the the demo when I ran it on my computer. Here's the gang from Episode I in a homage to the Three Stooges.
And here, we see Obi-Wan (on the left) on the road to becoming a great warrior.
(All images © the respective owners)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
I just wanted to announce that, unlike every other blogger, I haven't finished the latest Harry Potter novel. I haven't started it and probably never will. However, I am now into the pile of books I bought in 2001. Used biography of P.T. Barnum, here I come.
A little while back I bought a pair of Superman tags from the Christopher Reeve Foundation.
The "proceeds" (I assume some amount less than the cost) go to the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation. The set cost just ten dollars and, believe me, I've spent more money on less worthy things.When Christopher Reeve died last year, I admit that I was shocked. I was never a Christopher Reeve fan, though I did like him as Superman, even if only two of the movies were passable (and I don't care about any comic book fans who were crying after seeing footage from Superman Begins, I think there are going to be more things wrong with that movie than right). However, you had to admire his strength after his paralysis and I never doubted that he was going to walk again; if anyone was going to, it was going to be him. That he died the way he did, of a systemic infection, is really ironic since compared to someone like Terri Schiavo, Christopher Reeve was tap dancing in five shows a day.
Anyway, if you've the money, buy yourself a set of Superman tags. If nothing else, they are very clangy. By the way, if you go to the Christopher Reeve Website you'll find a page of people wearing their Superman tag. If you've been wondering what's happened to Joe Piscopo, scroll on down the page and you'll see a picture of the man, taking a break from his maitre d' job, to model his.
Fantastic Four movie
I'm not wanting to push a point, but the critically lambasted Fantastic Four came in third this past weekend for a total of over $118 million so far. Not that it matters, but for some reason I am very satisifed that a movie that the critics so disliked has been embraced by the public.
V for Vendetta
V for Vendetta is the next comic book based movie coming out. Like all the movies based on his work, Alan Moore has disavowed any association with the film, but the trailer looks pretty good, though I am worried that nervous studio heads in America may want to change the release date because of the recent bombings in London. At least one London based fan has given his opinion on the matter and says the film should be released as it was scheduled.
Lego Star Wars
Finally finished it and, good news, it looks like a sequel is on the way. At least that's the implication of the "secret level" that's unlocked after the whole game is completed. Since I don't have my computer connected to my television, I can't take a screen capture of the characters running around with their Frito Bandito mustaches. I did take one of the the demo when I ran it on my computer. Here's the gang from Episode I in a homage to the Three Stooges.
And here, we see Obi-Wan (on the left) on the road to becoming a great warrior.
(All images © the respective owners)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
I just wanted to announce that, unlike every other blogger, I haven't finished the latest Harry Potter novel. I haven't started it and probably never will. However, I am now into the pile of books I bought in 2001. Used biography of P.T. Barnum, here I come.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
More on The Magnificent Ambersons
I think the magic of the movie begins immediately; it is within those first few minutes of the film that you will know if this is the movie for you. It opens slowly, a black screen upon which white letters appear. "A Mercury Production Supervised by Orson Welles." A slow fade into "The Magnificent Ambersons From The Novel by Booth Tarkington." Orson Welles begins his narration, presenting an abridged version of Booth Tarkington's prose. A few beats after the narration begins, slowly as if someone has begun handcranking a Victrola, the music for the first scene begins and the film's first image fades in.
In fairness, I think to call the first minutes of Ambersons "illustrated radio" is not far from the truth. (Some of the same "staging" Welles used earlier in the Mercury Company's radio production of Ambersons a recording of which is found here.) As the narrator, Welles's voice is seductive; he uses it to draw you into the story. His narration puts you at ease and before you know it, you have become receptive to watch a story about a spoiled youth who gets his comeuppance (though I ask you if that's really who and what the movie is really about).
Welles's voice could be booming, but that wasn't all. I think few of us appreciate the power of his voice anymore; a sample of it should be included with every dictionary definition of "plummy." If anyone recognizes it today it is because they remember Welles when he was the spokesman for Paul Masson wines: "What Paul Masson himself said nearly a century ago is true today. 'We will sell no wine before its time.'" (However, in the Ambersons radio performance, I don't think Welles's vocal work comes off at its best. He sounds like he is doing a "Henry Aldrich" imitation.)
Just as interesting as the movie is what happened to the film after Welles completed his cut. After the publicity he had received after his War of the Worlds broadcasat, Welles had gone to R.K.O. as the boy genius. His first movie under the three-picture contact was Citizen Kane and that making that picture had proven to be an uphill battle. Ambersons may not have been R.K.O.'s first choice, the studio probably would have wanted a film of War of the Worlds before an adaptation of a 1919 novel, Pulitzer Prize or not. While Welles was in South America to take location shots for a documentary, he was swept up by the Brazilain Carnival and Ambersons fell out of his control.
While he was away, R.K.O. ran two previews that went terribly bad. Looking to make money on this film, as opposed to the return on Kane, the studio cut forty-four minutes and reshot/restaged the ending without Welles's input. Welles desperately tried to get in touch with the studio, but the regime that had recruited Welles had been replaced and his pleas were ignored. The result was a movie that was nominated for Best Picture (Welles was two for two: The first two movies he'd produced/wrote/directed were nominated in consecutive years) and broke Welles's heart. Never again would he have the opportunity his R.K.O. contract had presented, Ambersons lost money and Welles's contract was ended. He would spend the rest of his life trying to make movies the honestly represented the vision he had for them, but would continually be forced to accommodate the wishes of executives or make changes because of his lack of funds.
The most cutting to Ambersons took place after the first hour. This site presents the changes to the original film. Though the first hour didn't go untouched, that hour probably presents best what Welles was trying to do. Actually, it is the little things that I think make that hour: the overlapping dialog and sound effect; the use of shadows, especially in the Amberson Mansion; the use of silence; the incredible tracking shot (which itself was cut) that follows George and Lucy as they walk through the mansion; the frosted breaths of the actors during a winter scene, filmed in an icehouse.
Personally, one of my favorite parts of Ambersons and Citizen Kane are the closing credits. Welles's theatricality is particularily evident in them, presenting curtain calls for his key crew members and his cast, leaving himself until almost the very end. The only closing credit affectation that I enjoy more was Universal's use of "A Good Cast is Worth Repeating" on its films in the 1930s.
There are movies a person likes that can't be explained, for me The Magnificent Ambersons is one of those movies. It is in black and white and slow compared to modern films, but for eighty-eight minutes, all that is left Welles's original work, give it a try. You could thank me later.
Links
Ordinarily, I like to embed links in the text as I write, but there is so much out there, that it wasn't natural this time. Below is a list of links relating to The Magnificent Ambersons or Orson Welles.
General information about Orson Welles can be found here, while Wikipedia has a nicely compact biography of the man.
This link leads to a site devoted to the film itself, including a discussion of what has been lost along with production stills from those scenes.
Here is some information about the Mercury Theatre Company's radio show along with links to listen or to download most of the show's productions, including the War of the Worlds show and the company's radio version of Ambersons. A dramatization of Mercury's run-in with the federal government over the latter's desire to stop a WPA production was shown in the 1999 film, Cradle Will Rock, while a similar working of Welles's fight to make Citizen Kane may be found in RKO 281 (1999), itself based on an earlier PBS documentary, The Battle Over Citizen Kane. Information, including a transcript of the show, is available here, while this link leads to a site that provides information about where RKO 281 deviates from history.
It is well known that Welles would take almost any job by the seventies to keep the wolf from the door. Here is a copy of a recording session where Welles struggled to read the copy for a frozen pea commercial.
The text of Tarkington's novel is available for download from the Gutenberg Project.
Further discussion of the film may be found here, here, and here.
In fairness, I think to call the first minutes of Ambersons "illustrated radio" is not far from the truth. (Some of the same "staging" Welles used earlier in the Mercury Company's radio production of Ambersons a recording of which is found here.) As the narrator, Welles's voice is seductive; he uses it to draw you into the story. His narration puts you at ease and before you know it, you have become receptive to watch a story about a spoiled youth who gets his comeuppance (though I ask you if that's really who and what the movie is really about).
Welles's voice could be booming, but that wasn't all. I think few of us appreciate the power of his voice anymore; a sample of it should be included with every dictionary definition of "plummy." If anyone recognizes it today it is because they remember Welles when he was the spokesman for Paul Masson wines: "What Paul Masson himself said nearly a century ago is true today. 'We will sell no wine before its time.'" (However, in the Ambersons radio performance, I don't think Welles's vocal work comes off at its best. He sounds like he is doing a "Henry Aldrich" imitation.)
Just as interesting as the movie is what happened to the film after Welles completed his cut. After the publicity he had received after his War of the Worlds broadcasat, Welles had gone to R.K.O. as the boy genius. His first movie under the three-picture contact was Citizen Kane and that making that picture had proven to be an uphill battle. Ambersons may not have been R.K.O.'s first choice, the studio probably would have wanted a film of War of the Worlds before an adaptation of a 1919 novel, Pulitzer Prize or not. While Welles was in South America to take location shots for a documentary, he was swept up by the Brazilain Carnival and Ambersons fell out of his control.
While he was away, R.K.O. ran two previews that went terribly bad. Looking to make money on this film, as opposed to the return on Kane, the studio cut forty-four minutes and reshot/restaged the ending without Welles's input. Welles desperately tried to get in touch with the studio, but the regime that had recruited Welles had been replaced and his pleas were ignored. The result was a movie that was nominated for Best Picture (Welles was two for two: The first two movies he'd produced/wrote/directed were nominated in consecutive years) and broke Welles's heart. Never again would he have the opportunity his R.K.O. contract had presented, Ambersons lost money and Welles's contract was ended. He would spend the rest of his life trying to make movies the honestly represented the vision he had for them, but would continually be forced to accommodate the wishes of executives or make changes because of his lack of funds.
The most cutting to Ambersons took place after the first hour. This site presents the changes to the original film. Though the first hour didn't go untouched, that hour probably presents best what Welles was trying to do. Actually, it is the little things that I think make that hour: the overlapping dialog and sound effect; the use of shadows, especially in the Amberson Mansion; the use of silence; the incredible tracking shot (which itself was cut) that follows George and Lucy as they walk through the mansion; the frosted breaths of the actors during a winter scene, filmed in an icehouse.
Personally, one of my favorite parts of Ambersons and Citizen Kane are the closing credits. Welles's theatricality is particularily evident in them, presenting curtain calls for his key crew members and his cast, leaving himself until almost the very end. The only closing credit affectation that I enjoy more was Universal's use of "A Good Cast is Worth Repeating" on its films in the 1930s.
There are movies a person likes that can't be explained, for me The Magnificent Ambersons is one of those movies. It is in black and white and slow compared to modern films, but for eighty-eight minutes, all that is left Welles's original work, give it a try. You could thank me later.
Links
Ordinarily, I like to embed links in the text as I write, but there is so much out there, that it wasn't natural this time. Below is a list of links relating to The Magnificent Ambersons or Orson Welles.
General information about Orson Welles can be found here, while Wikipedia has a nicely compact biography of the man.
This link leads to a site devoted to the film itself, including a discussion of what has been lost along with production stills from those scenes.
Here is some information about the Mercury Theatre Company's radio show along with links to listen or to download most of the show's productions, including the War of the Worlds show and the company's radio version of Ambersons. A dramatization of Mercury's run-in with the federal government over the latter's desire to stop a WPA production was shown in the 1999 film, Cradle Will Rock, while a similar working of Welles's fight to make Citizen Kane may be found in RKO 281 (1999), itself based on an earlier PBS documentary, The Battle Over Citizen Kane. Information, including a transcript of the show, is available here, while this link leads to a site that provides information about where RKO 281 deviates from history.
It is well known that Welles would take almost any job by the seventies to keep the wolf from the door. Here is a copy of a recording session where Welles struggled to read the copy for a frozen pea commercial.
The text of Tarkington's novel is available for download from the Gutenberg Project.
Further discussion of the film may be found here, here, and here.
Essential Movie Viewing
On TCM' s series, "The Essentials," the movie being featured this week is Orson Welles's adaptation of Booth Tarkington's novel, The Magnificent Ambersons. It may been seen at 7:00 PM (CST) Saturday with a repeat at 5:00 PM Sunday.
I cannot say enough good things about this movie, though I will admit that it may take a viewing or two to recognize what you have just seen with regard to story and cinematography. It is actually one of those movies that would be better served by viewing in a theatre. (Well, in my opinion, all movies are better viewed in a theatre.) To truly appreciate Ambersons, I think you have to allow yourself to be pulled into the story and for that there must be no distractions; this is not a modern movie made for an audience used to sound bites, quick cuts, and seven minute acts before commercial.
I have some things to say about this movie, but time is running short. Go watch it and I'll post more on it later.
I cannot say enough good things about this movie, though I will admit that it may take a viewing or two to recognize what you have just seen with regard to story and cinematography. It is actually one of those movies that would be better served by viewing in a theatre. (Well, in my opinion, all movies are better viewed in a theatre.) To truly appreciate Ambersons, I think you have to allow yourself to be pulled into the story and for that there must be no distractions; this is not a modern movie made for an audience used to sound bites, quick cuts, and seven minute acts before commercial.
I have some things to say about this movie, but time is running short. Go watch it and I'll post more on it later.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Emmy Awards
The Emmy Awards were announced last week. I wanted to comment on them then, but kept getting interrupted. The complete list can be found here, but below are some of the traditional and my thoughts. I'll openly admit that I don't have HBO or Showtime, but I still think I can comment knowledgeably.
One of the things that I've found interesting has been comments like this one and this one, that Desperate Housewives shouldn't have been nominated in the "comedy" categories. While I will admit that Housewives is a black comedy, how is there is debate over its inclusion in the "comedy" categories, while the inclusion of Monk is never questioned. To me, Monk is another in a long line of "detective with an impairment" shows so popular in the seventies, like Longstreet (blind), Cannon (fat), Barnaby Jones (old), or Columbo (disheveled). Unless Monk's OCD brought on by the murder of his wife is inherently comic fodder, Monk is a drama, though not melodramatic. Hoever, except for maybe 24, no drama is strictly a straight drama any more; even the new Battlestar Galactica, unrelenting serious, allowed itself a slightly lighter episode last season; the comedic bits in Monk are just what an audience expects to see in a drama these days. If Monk which deals with murder and mental disability in every episode is a comedy, then I think there is no reason that the black comedy taking place at Wisteria Lane allows that show to be nominated in the comedy categories. Maybe the division into "comedy" and "drama" needs to be removed and the categories reordered into "Outstanding Series (Sixty Minutes or Longer)" and "Outstanding Series (Thirty Minutes or Less)."
Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series
Desperate Housewives • Pilot • ABC
Directed by Charles McDougall
Entourage • Pilot • HBO
Directed by David Frankel
Everybody Loves Raymond • Finale • CBS
Directed by Gary Halvorson
Monk • Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine • USA
Directed by Randy Zisk
Will & Grace • It’s A Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad World • NBC
Directed by James Burrows
The first question should be "Where are any nominations for any director of Scrubs?" The next should be "If Desperate Housewives is a comedy, why isn't Gilmore Girls in the same category. Looking at the list. James Burrows is out as is David Frankel; Burrows has enough Emmys on his shelf for classic shows like Taxi and The Mary Tyer Moore Show and Entourage's buzz hasn't made it to the voters level yet, so that eliminates Frankel. Gary Halverson could win if this becomes a farewell to Raymond event, but for all the acclaim that sho has received, it never felt like an All in the Family or a M*A*S*H, that is the kind of show the Academy would thank for being on television in the first place. That leaves the two non-comedies and I think the Emmy may go to Randy Zisk just because of the controversy over the Housewives nomination placement.
Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation • Grave Danger • CBS
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Deadwood • Complications • HBO
Directed by Gregg Fienberg
Grey’s Anatomy • A Hard Days Night • ABC
Directed by Peter Horton
Huff • Crazy, Nuts And All Messed Up • Showtime
Directed by Scott Winant
Lost • Pilot (Part 1 & Part 2) • ABC
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Rescue Me • Pilot • FX
Directed by Peter Tolan
The West Wing • 2162 Votes • NBC
Directed by Alex Graves
And here I thought nominations are limited to five per category. The first question to ask is "Why wasn't Joss Whedon ever nominated in this category?" Anyway, any West Wing nominations are like voting for Nader, so forget him. People could vote for Peter Horton to see how much he changed since Thirtysomething, but not enough for a win. "Huff" may remind too many people of past indiscretions, so any nominations for that show are pointless. Tarantino is Tarantino, but that doesn't mean his name earns him an award unless he is nominated for a television show he created and produced. Peter Tolan is out, too. The pilot for Lost did a great job of setting up the series; if you think about it, those two episodes made the show what it is for if people weren't pulled in by the set up, they sure weren't going to return for the rest of the series. On the other hand, people love Deadwood, even if its language wouldn't play in an AMC theatre, let alone on network television. Give it to the director of Deadwood, since Lost is going to win the bigger prize for Outstanding Drama.
Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
77th Annual Academy Awards • ABC
Directed by Louis J. Horvitz
Da Ali G Show • Rekognize • HBO
Directed by James Bobin
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • #9010 • Comedy Central
Directed by Chuck O’Neil
The Games Of The XXVIII Olympiad - Opening Ceremony• NBC
Directed by Bucky Gunts
Late Show With David Letterman • #2269 • CBS
Directed by Jerry Foley
There really needs to be a reorganization of the Emmy catagories. I don't think that when they were drawn up, the drafters wanted the Olympics to be thought of as a variety show. Since this generation's Smothers Brothers or Carol Burnett don't have shows, give the Emmy to the Academy Awards.
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Arrested Development • Sad Sack • FOX
Written by Barbie Adler
Arrested Development • Sword Of Destiny • FOX
Written by Brad Copeland
Arrested Development • The Righteous Brothers • FOX
Written by Mitchell Hurwitz, Jim Valley
Desperate Housewives • Pilot • ABC
Written by Marc Cherry
Everybody Loves Raymond • Finale • CBS
Written by Philip Rosenthal, et al.
Housewives does stick out compared to the other shows with a "truer" comedy-for-television format. Raymond's finale was nice, but not Emmy worthy, unless the Academy wants to give the writing staff a "thank you" award. I'd say Arrested Development wins, but I can't tell you which unless/until I get my screener DVD,
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
House • Three Stories • FOX
Written by David Shore
Lost • Pilot • ABC
Written by J.J. Abrams, et al.
Lost • Walkabout • ABC
Written by David Fury
Rescue Me • Pilot • FX
Written by Peter Tolan, Denis Leary
The Wire • Middle Ground • HBO
Written by George Pelecanos, et al.
The first question to ask is "Why wasn't David Fury, along with Joss Whedon, nominated for writing Buffy or Angel back in the day?" Let's say Fury gets his award for the episode of Lost where we first learn about John Locke and how he ended up on the ill-fated Oceanic Airlines flight 815.
Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
Da Ali G Show • HBO
Written by Sacha Baron Cohen, et al.
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central
Written by David Javerbaum, et al.
Late Night With Conan O’Brien • NBC
Written by Mike Sweeney, et al.
Late Show With David Letterman • CBS
Written by Eric Stangel,, et al.
Real Time With Bill Maher • HBO
Written by Billy Martin, et al.
The safe bet is The Daily Show, but in this non-election year don't write off Letterman and Late Night.
Outstanding Main Title Theme Music
Desperate Housewives • ABC
Main Title Theme by Danny Elfman
Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends • Cartoon Network
Main Title Theme & Music by James L. Venable
Huff • Showtime
Main Title Theme by W.G. “Snuffy” Walden
Justice League Unlimited • Cartoon Network
Main Title Theme by Michael McCuistion
Stargate Atlantis • SCI FI
Main Title Theme & Music by Joel Goldsmith
The really don't write themes like they used for many reasons. To run a theme with opening credits takes away from a show's original content, but before that someone at one of the networks felt that to have opening credits gave a signal to viewers to change the channel. That was the season when credits were started to run with the show opening. I like a good theme myself and there have been a lot from The Dick Van Dyke Show to Maverick to The Wild, Wild West to Room 222 to St. Elsewhere and Greatest American Hero. My heart would pick Justice League because it is the Justice League, but the Emmy will probably go to Danny Elfman for Housewives,
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Arrested Development • FOX
Jason Bateman as Michael Bluth
Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Ray Romano as Ray Barone
Monk • USA
Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk
Scrubs • NBC
Zach Braff as John “J.D.” Dorian
Will & Grace • NBC
Eric McCormack as Will Truman
Kelsey Grammar won this last year, probably as a "thank you" for his decades as Fraiser Crane; I don't think Ray Romano is in the same league. Eric McCormack is a place filler and Zach Braff is there because Grammar isn't. Braff could win, but it'll probably be Tony Shalhoub.
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC
James Spader as Alan Shore
Deadwood • HBO
Ian McShane as Al Swearengen
House • FOX
Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House
Huff • Showtime
Hank Azaria as Dr. Craig “Huff” Huffstodt
24 • FOX
Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer
Freaking James Spader won this last year because he deserved it; the character he played was an amoral person with a decent heart and Spader nailed it. You just never knew which way his character was going to go. This year, however, Spader's Alan Shore was suffering from typical David Kelley and the character was becoming a caricature of a naughty fraternity boy. That, and ABC setting Legal aside for Grey's Anatomy, probably mean there'll be no Emmy for Spader this year. Kiefer Sutherland really only has one emotion as Jack Bauer, intensity, and Kiefer does it well, but that hasn't been enough in years past and it won't be this year, either. Hank Azaria has a better chance at winning an Emmy for his work as Moe. Hugh Laurie's role is the kind that does win awards, and with House becoming a huge hit, more people are seeing the his work. However, I think it is going to be Ian McShane. Deadwood be too profane and violent a Western for ordinary voters as a whole, but that doesn't mean that the work of an individual won't be recognized.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Desperate Housewives • ABC
Marcia Cross as Bree Van De Camp
Desperate Housewives • ABC
Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer
Desperate Housewives • ABC
Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo
Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Patricia Heaton as Debra Barone
Malcolm In The Middle • FOX
Jane Kaczmarek as Lois
Jane Kaczmarek is probably kicking herself. Well, she would if her artifical hips would let her, but that's beside the point. At one time, she was on the funniest new show on television; now FOX has relegated it to the 6:00 P.M. (Central) Sunday death slot. Her chance for an Emmy has come and gone. Let's see if Terri Hatcher is still as humble as she was at the Golden Globes and pick her to win.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Dramatic Series
Alias • ABC
Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC
Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
Medium • NBC
Patricia Arquette as Allison Dubois
The Shield • FX
Glenn Close as Capt. Monica Rawling
Six Feet Under • HBO
Frances Conroy as Ruth Fisher
Man, people hate Six Feet Under this year, so forget about Frances Conroy. Jennifer Garner is never going to win for Alias nor, I think, will Mariska Hargitay. Television loves slumming movie stars, but I think Patricia Arquette will be a surprise winner.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Arrested Development • FOX
Jeffrey Tambor as George Bluth Sr.
Entourage • HBO
Jeremy Piven as Ari Jacobs
Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Peter Boyle as Frank Barone
Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Brad Garrett as Robert Barone
Will & Grace • NBC
Sean Hayes as Jack McFarland
Just give the damn thing to Peter Boyle. He's the only one on the Raymond not to win an Emmy for the show and, besides, Frank Barone wears "stretchy" pants.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC
William Shatner as Denny Crane
Huff • Showtime
Oliver Platt as Russell Tupper
Lost • ABC
Naveen Andrews as Sayid
Lost • ABC
Terry O’Quinn as John Locke
The West Wing • NBC
Alan Alda as Senator Arnold Vinick
Last year he won it for a lifetime of memorable parts, now it's time for Shatner to win it because he really can act when he wants to.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Arrested Development • FOX
Jessica Walter as Lucille Bluth
Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Doris Roberts as Marie Barone
Two And A Half Men • CBS
Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper
Two And A Half Men • CBS
Conchata Ferrell as Berta
Will & Grace • NBC
Megan Mullally as Karen Walker
Jessica Walter, Doris Roberts, Holland Taylor, and Megan Mullally have their Emmys. In my world, I'd give it to Conchata Ferrell just for being in Hot l Baltimore all those years ago. However, it'll be Walter for going balls to the wall with a character far removed from her "Amy Prentiss" character that earned her her first Emmy thirty years ago.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Grey’s Anatomy • ABC
Sandra Oh as Cristina
Huff • Showtime
Blythe Danner as Izzy Huffstodt
Judging Amy • CBS
Tyne Daly as Maxine Gray
The Shield • FX
CCH Pounder as Det. Claudette Wyms
The West Wing • NBC
Stockard Channing as Abigail Bartlet
Man, a lot of people were nominated for Huff considering no one ever talks or writes about the show. This is actually a pretty tough category. Sandra Oh could win for being the new kid, but Stockard Channing has been ignored for years. Let her win be the last hurrah of the Bartlet Administration.
Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart, Host
The Tonight Show With Jay Leno • NBC
Jay Leno, Host
58th Annual Tony Awards (2004) • CBS
Hugh Jackman, Host
Tracey Ullman Live & Exposed • HBO
Tracey Ullman, Performer
Whoopi Back To Broadway - The 20th Anniversary • HBO
Whoopi Goldberg, Performer
I have to admit, Leno can knock 'em dead with a song. In my opinon, to nominate him and Stewart in this category is contrary to its purpose. I'd give it to Hugh Jackman, who really did perform as well as host, but wouldn't be surprised it Tracey Ullman wan.
Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)
Family Guy • North By North Quahog • FOX
Samurai Jack • Episode XLIX • Cartoon Network
The Simpsons • Future Drama • FOX
South Park • Best Friends Forever
SpongeBob SquarePants • Fear Of A Krabby Patty/Shell Of A Man • Nickelodeon
You know, this is like asking do you like snow on Christmas Eve night or Christmas morning. I'd choose Homer and friends because The Simpsons can't win enough Emmys, however, if Family Guy won it would truly vindicate its return despite FOX mishandling the show the first time and negative commentary by others. All that said, watch Spongebob walk away with it.
Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming One Hour or More)
Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real • Animal Planet
Star Wars Clone Wars Vol. 2 (Chapters 21-25) • Cartoon Network
Nothing grates me more than cable networks that don't program to their name. SCI FI, for instance, pushing horror shows or Animal Planet straying into fantasy and delivering a fantasy show about dragons. That Dragons wasn't on SCI FI just shows me how much network executives just don't understand thier brands. Anyway, the Emmy will go the Clone Wars. (I realize that Clone Wars shoulod in theory be on SCI FI, but because it was animated, I'll let it pass.)
Outstanding Comedy Series
Arrested Development • FOX
Desperate Housewives • ABC
Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Scrubs • NBC
Will & Grace • NBC
Arrested Development won last year over Curb Your Enthusiasm, but I don't think it can beat the Wives.
Outstanding Drama Series
Deadwood • HBO
Lost • ABC
Six Feet Under • HBO
24 • FOX
The West Wing • NBC
This really is a battle between Lost and Deadwood; 24 is a damn tense show, but the politics underlying it probably rubs the more liberal voters the wrong way. Wing is a pity nomination and Six Feet Under is an anamoly. At this point, you should ask yourself why Buffy was never nominated, yet those two shows were. Deadwood just doesn't appeal to a wide audience, no matter how good a show it is. ABC goes two for two with a win for Lost.
Outstanding Miniseries
Elvis • CBS
Empire Falls • HBO
The 4400
The Lost Prince (Masterpiece Theatre) • PBS
Elvis, despite good ratings, never seemed to catch fire nor did the next two. British class wins again.
Outstanding Made for Television Movie
Lackawanna Blues • HBO
The Life And Death Of Peter Sellers
The Office Special
Warm Springs • HBO
The Wool Cap • TNT
My knee jerk response was to declare Lackawanna the winner, then I thought about and win for The Office is a possiblity. The Academy has never had a chance to nominate the original series and to choose the special would be a way to give an award to Ricky Gervais for his work.
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
Da Ali G Show • HBO
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Comedy Central
Late Night With Conan O’Brien • NBC
Late Show With David Letterman • CBS
Real Time With Bill Maher • HBO
When in doubt, vote for Dave.
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special
77th Annual Academy Awards • ABC
Dave Chappelle: For What It’s Worth • Showtime
Everybody Loves Raymond - The Last Laugh • CBS
The Games Of The XXVIII Olympiad - Opening Ceremony• NBC
58th Annual Tony Awards (2004) • CBS
When this award was created, people like Frank Sinatra, Carol Burnett & Julie Andrews, and Fred Astaire were giving television audiences honest "spectaculars." I just don't think Raymond clip show counts. However, though it kills me to do so, I say that the opening ceremony of the Olympics will win.
Outstanding Nonfiction Special
Beyond The Da Vinci Code • The History Channel
Cary Grant: A Class Apart • TCM
Inside The Actors Studio: 10th Anniversary Special •
Live From New York: The First Five Years Of Saturday Night Live • NBC
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson • PBS
Remember what I said about clip shows? The same goes for non-fiction shows, too. I love historical documentaries and one of my favorite times for television is the winter when PBS runs The American Experience, a show that should have been nominated for best non-fiction series. Unforgivable Blackness ran as an episode of that series; why that makes the episode a "special," I don't understand, but it will win in this category.
Outstanding Nonfiction Series
Biography • A&E
Broadway: The American Musical • PBS
Cold Case Files • A&E
Dinner For Five • IFC
Inside The Actors Studio • Bravo
Let me get this straight: A single episode of an antholgy documentary series is a "special," but a mini-series on the American Musical is a series. O.k. Broadway will win and it should, as it presented an informative history of the musical and did not rely only on old Tony broadcasts. As Harlan Ellison wrote, there are only five wholly American art forms: the musical comedy, the detective novel, the banjo, jazz, and the comic book; as such, they can never be explored enough because you see the growth of the nation in the groth of the art form. (Well, maybe not the banjo, no matter what George Seigel and Steve Martin would have us believe.) However, if Dinner For Five won, that would be great. As someone wrote in Entertainment Weekly, Dinner For Five is the kind of dinner party you always wanted to give, but never had interesting enough friends. As a personal aside, I'd just like to state "Damn you, again, Time Warner of Milwaukee for moving IFC up a tier. I'm not made of money. Damn you!! I want to watch Dinner For Five again!"
Outstanding Reality Program
Antiques Roadshow • PBS
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition • ABC
Penn & Teller: Bullshit! • Showtime
Project Greenlight • Bravo
Queer Eye For The Straight Guy • Bravo
Crying, deserving families given new homes trumps everything else.
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race • CBS
American Idol • FOX
The Apprentice • NBC
Project Runway • Bravo
Survivor • CBS
I watch none of these, but I know The Amazing Race is the only show nominated that matters.
We'll see how I did come Sept. 18 on CBS.
One of the things that I've found interesting has been comments like this one and this one, that Desperate Housewives shouldn't have been nominated in the "comedy" categories. While I will admit that Housewives is a black comedy, how is there is debate over its inclusion in the "comedy" categories, while the inclusion of Monk is never questioned. To me, Monk is another in a long line of "detective with an impairment" shows so popular in the seventies, like Longstreet (blind), Cannon (fat), Barnaby Jones (old), or Columbo (disheveled). Unless Monk's OCD brought on by the murder of his wife is inherently comic fodder, Monk is a drama, though not melodramatic. Hoever, except for maybe 24, no drama is strictly a straight drama any more; even the new Battlestar Galactica, unrelenting serious, allowed itself a slightly lighter episode last season; the comedic bits in Monk are just what an audience expects to see in a drama these days. If Monk which deals with murder and mental disability in every episode is a comedy, then I think there is no reason that the black comedy taking place at Wisteria Lane allows that show to be nominated in the comedy categories. Maybe the division into "comedy" and "drama" needs to be removed and the categories reordered into "Outstanding Series (Sixty Minutes or Longer)" and "Outstanding Series (Thirty Minutes or Less)."
Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series
Desperate Housewives • Pilot • ABC
Directed by Charles McDougall
Entourage • Pilot • HBO
Directed by David Frankel
Everybody Loves Raymond • Finale • CBS
Directed by Gary Halvorson
Monk • Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine • USA
Directed by Randy Zisk
Will & Grace • It’s A Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad World • NBC
Directed by James Burrows
The first question should be "Where are any nominations for any director of Scrubs?" The next should be "If Desperate Housewives is a comedy, why isn't Gilmore Girls in the same category. Looking at the list. James Burrows is out as is David Frankel; Burrows has enough Emmys on his shelf for classic shows like Taxi and The Mary Tyer Moore Show and Entourage's buzz hasn't made it to the voters level yet, so that eliminates Frankel. Gary Halverson could win if this becomes a farewell to Raymond event, but for all the acclaim that sho has received, it never felt like an All in the Family or a M*A*S*H, that is the kind of show the Academy would thank for being on television in the first place. That leaves the two non-comedies and I think the Emmy may go to Randy Zisk just because of the controversy over the Housewives nomination placement.
Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation • Grave Danger • CBS
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Deadwood • Complications • HBO
Directed by Gregg Fienberg
Grey’s Anatomy • A Hard Days Night • ABC
Directed by Peter Horton
Huff • Crazy, Nuts And All Messed Up • Showtime
Directed by Scott Winant
Lost • Pilot (Part 1 & Part 2) • ABC
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Rescue Me • Pilot • FX
Directed by Peter Tolan
The West Wing • 2162 Votes • NBC
Directed by Alex Graves
And here I thought nominations are limited to five per category. The first question to ask is "Why wasn't Joss Whedon ever nominated in this category?" Anyway, any West Wing nominations are like voting for Nader, so forget him. People could vote for Peter Horton to see how much he changed since Thirtysomething, but not enough for a win. "Huff" may remind too many people of past indiscretions, so any nominations for that show are pointless. Tarantino is Tarantino, but that doesn't mean his name earns him an award unless he is nominated for a television show he created and produced. Peter Tolan is out, too. The pilot for Lost did a great job of setting up the series; if you think about it, those two episodes made the show what it is for if people weren't pulled in by the set up, they sure weren't going to return for the rest of the series. On the other hand, people love Deadwood, even if its language wouldn't play in an AMC theatre, let alone on network television. Give it to the director of Deadwood, since Lost is going to win the bigger prize for Outstanding Drama.
Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
77th Annual Academy Awards • ABC
Directed by Louis J. Horvitz
Da Ali G Show • Rekognize • HBO
Directed by James Bobin
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • #9010 • Comedy Central
Directed by Chuck O’Neil
The Games Of The XXVIII Olympiad - Opening Ceremony• NBC
Directed by Bucky Gunts
Late Show With David Letterman • #2269 • CBS
Directed by Jerry Foley
There really needs to be a reorganization of the Emmy catagories. I don't think that when they were drawn up, the drafters wanted the Olympics to be thought of as a variety show. Since this generation's Smothers Brothers or Carol Burnett don't have shows, give the Emmy to the Academy Awards.
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Arrested Development • Sad Sack • FOX
Written by Barbie Adler
Arrested Development • Sword Of Destiny • FOX
Written by Brad Copeland
Arrested Development • The Righteous Brothers • FOX
Written by Mitchell Hurwitz, Jim Valley
Desperate Housewives • Pilot • ABC
Written by Marc Cherry
Everybody Loves Raymond • Finale • CBS
Written by Philip Rosenthal, et al.
Housewives does stick out compared to the other shows with a "truer" comedy-for-television format. Raymond's finale was nice, but not Emmy worthy, unless the Academy wants to give the writing staff a "thank you" award. I'd say Arrested Development wins, but I can't tell you which unless/until I get my screener DVD,
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
House • Three Stories • FOX
Written by David Shore
Lost • Pilot • ABC
Written by J.J. Abrams, et al.
Lost • Walkabout • ABC
Written by David Fury
Rescue Me • Pilot • FX
Written by Peter Tolan, Denis Leary
The Wire • Middle Ground • HBO
Written by George Pelecanos, et al.
The first question to ask is "Why wasn't David Fury, along with Joss Whedon, nominated for writing Buffy or Angel back in the day?" Let's say Fury gets his award for the episode of Lost where we first learn about John Locke and how he ended up on the ill-fated Oceanic Airlines flight 815.
Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
Da Ali G Show • HBO
Written by Sacha Baron Cohen, et al.
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central
Written by David Javerbaum, et al.
Late Night With Conan O’Brien • NBC
Written by Mike Sweeney, et al.
Late Show With David Letterman • CBS
Written by Eric Stangel,, et al.
Real Time With Bill Maher • HBO
Written by Billy Martin, et al.
The safe bet is The Daily Show, but in this non-election year don't write off Letterman and Late Night.
Outstanding Main Title Theme Music
Desperate Housewives • ABC
Main Title Theme by Danny Elfman
Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends • Cartoon Network
Main Title Theme & Music by James L. Venable
Huff • Showtime
Main Title Theme by W.G. “Snuffy” Walden
Justice League Unlimited • Cartoon Network
Main Title Theme by Michael McCuistion
Stargate Atlantis • SCI FI
Main Title Theme & Music by Joel Goldsmith
The really don't write themes like they used for many reasons. To run a theme with opening credits takes away from a show's original content, but before that someone at one of the networks felt that to have opening credits gave a signal to viewers to change the channel. That was the season when credits were started to run with the show opening. I like a good theme myself and there have been a lot from The Dick Van Dyke Show to Maverick to The Wild, Wild West to Room 222 to St. Elsewhere and Greatest American Hero. My heart would pick Justice League because it is the Justice League, but the Emmy will probably go to Danny Elfman for Housewives,
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Arrested Development • FOX
Jason Bateman as Michael Bluth
Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Ray Romano as Ray Barone
Monk • USA
Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk
Scrubs • NBC
Zach Braff as John “J.D.” Dorian
Will & Grace • NBC
Eric McCormack as Will Truman
Kelsey Grammar won this last year, probably as a "thank you" for his decades as Fraiser Crane; I don't think Ray Romano is in the same league. Eric McCormack is a place filler and Zach Braff is there because Grammar isn't. Braff could win, but it'll probably be Tony Shalhoub.
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC
James Spader as Alan Shore
Deadwood • HBO
Ian McShane as Al Swearengen
House • FOX
Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House
Huff • Showtime
Hank Azaria as Dr. Craig “Huff” Huffstodt
24 • FOX
Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer
Freaking James Spader won this last year because he deserved it; the character he played was an amoral person with a decent heart and Spader nailed it. You just never knew which way his character was going to go. This year, however, Spader's Alan Shore was suffering from typical David Kelley and the character was becoming a caricature of a naughty fraternity boy. That, and ABC setting Legal aside for Grey's Anatomy, probably mean there'll be no Emmy for Spader this year. Kiefer Sutherland really only has one emotion as Jack Bauer, intensity, and Kiefer does it well, but that hasn't been enough in years past and it won't be this year, either. Hank Azaria has a better chance at winning an Emmy for his work as Moe. Hugh Laurie's role is the kind that does win awards, and with House becoming a huge hit, more people are seeing the his work. However, I think it is going to be Ian McShane. Deadwood be too profane and violent a Western for ordinary voters as a whole, but that doesn't mean that the work of an individual won't be recognized.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Desperate Housewives • ABC
Marcia Cross as Bree Van De Camp
Desperate Housewives • ABC
Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer
Desperate Housewives • ABC
Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo
Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Patricia Heaton as Debra Barone
Malcolm In The Middle • FOX
Jane Kaczmarek as Lois
Jane Kaczmarek is probably kicking herself. Well, she would if her artifical hips would let her, but that's beside the point. At one time, she was on the funniest new show on television; now FOX has relegated it to the 6:00 P.M. (Central) Sunday death slot. Her chance for an Emmy has come and gone. Let's see if Terri Hatcher is still as humble as she was at the Golden Globes and pick her to win.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Dramatic Series
Alias • ABC
Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC
Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
Medium • NBC
Patricia Arquette as Allison Dubois
The Shield • FX
Glenn Close as Capt. Monica Rawling
Six Feet Under • HBO
Frances Conroy as Ruth Fisher
Man, people hate Six Feet Under this year, so forget about Frances Conroy. Jennifer Garner is never going to win for Alias nor, I think, will Mariska Hargitay. Television loves slumming movie stars, but I think Patricia Arquette will be a surprise winner.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Arrested Development • FOX
Jeffrey Tambor as George Bluth Sr.
Entourage • HBO
Jeremy Piven as Ari Jacobs
Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Peter Boyle as Frank Barone
Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Brad Garrett as Robert Barone
Will & Grace • NBC
Sean Hayes as Jack McFarland
Just give the damn thing to Peter Boyle. He's the only one on the Raymond not to win an Emmy for the show and, besides, Frank Barone wears "stretchy" pants.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC
William Shatner as Denny Crane
Huff • Showtime
Oliver Platt as Russell Tupper
Lost • ABC
Naveen Andrews as Sayid
Lost • ABC
Terry O’Quinn as John Locke
The West Wing • NBC
Alan Alda as Senator Arnold Vinick
Last year he won it for a lifetime of memorable parts, now it's time for Shatner to win it because he really can act when he wants to.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Arrested Development • FOX
Jessica Walter as Lucille Bluth
Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Doris Roberts as Marie Barone
Two And A Half Men • CBS
Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper
Two And A Half Men • CBS
Conchata Ferrell as Berta
Will & Grace • NBC
Megan Mullally as Karen Walker
Jessica Walter, Doris Roberts, Holland Taylor, and Megan Mullally have their Emmys. In my world, I'd give it to Conchata Ferrell just for being in Hot l Baltimore all those years ago. However, it'll be Walter for going balls to the wall with a character far removed from her "Amy Prentiss" character that earned her her first Emmy thirty years ago.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Grey’s Anatomy • ABC
Sandra Oh as Cristina
Huff • Showtime
Blythe Danner as Izzy Huffstodt
Judging Amy • CBS
Tyne Daly as Maxine Gray
The Shield • FX
CCH Pounder as Det. Claudette Wyms
The West Wing • NBC
Stockard Channing as Abigail Bartlet
Man, a lot of people were nominated for Huff considering no one ever talks or writes about the show. This is actually a pretty tough category. Sandra Oh could win for being the new kid, but Stockard Channing has been ignored for years. Let her win be the last hurrah of the Bartlet Administration.
Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart, Host
The Tonight Show With Jay Leno • NBC
Jay Leno, Host
58th Annual Tony Awards (2004) • CBS
Hugh Jackman, Host
Tracey Ullman Live & Exposed • HBO
Tracey Ullman, Performer
Whoopi Back To Broadway - The 20th Anniversary • HBO
Whoopi Goldberg, Performer
I have to admit, Leno can knock 'em dead with a song. In my opinon, to nominate him and Stewart in this category is contrary to its purpose. I'd give it to Hugh Jackman, who really did perform as well as host, but wouldn't be surprised it Tracey Ullman wan.
Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)
Family Guy • North By North Quahog • FOX
Samurai Jack • Episode XLIX • Cartoon Network
The Simpsons • Future Drama • FOX
South Park • Best Friends Forever
SpongeBob SquarePants • Fear Of A Krabby Patty/Shell Of A Man • Nickelodeon
You know, this is like asking do you like snow on Christmas Eve night or Christmas morning. I'd choose Homer and friends because The Simpsons can't win enough Emmys, however, if Family Guy won it would truly vindicate its return despite FOX mishandling the show the first time and negative commentary by others. All that said, watch Spongebob walk away with it.
Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming One Hour or More)
Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real • Animal Planet
Star Wars Clone Wars Vol. 2 (Chapters 21-25) • Cartoon Network
Nothing grates me more than cable networks that don't program to their name. SCI FI, for instance, pushing horror shows or Animal Planet straying into fantasy and delivering a fantasy show about dragons. That Dragons wasn't on SCI FI just shows me how much network executives just don't understand thier brands. Anyway, the Emmy will go the Clone Wars. (I realize that Clone Wars shoulod in theory be on SCI FI, but because it was animated, I'll let it pass.)
Outstanding Comedy Series
Arrested Development • FOX
Desperate Housewives • ABC
Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Scrubs • NBC
Will & Grace • NBC
Arrested Development won last year over Curb Your Enthusiasm, but I don't think it can beat the Wives.
Outstanding Drama Series
Deadwood • HBO
Lost • ABC
Six Feet Under • HBO
24 • FOX
The West Wing • NBC
This really is a battle between Lost and Deadwood; 24 is a damn tense show, but the politics underlying it probably rubs the more liberal voters the wrong way. Wing is a pity nomination and Six Feet Under is an anamoly. At this point, you should ask yourself why Buffy was never nominated, yet those two shows were. Deadwood just doesn't appeal to a wide audience, no matter how good a show it is. ABC goes two for two with a win for Lost.
Outstanding Miniseries
Elvis • CBS
Empire Falls • HBO
The 4400
The Lost Prince (Masterpiece Theatre) • PBS
Elvis, despite good ratings, never seemed to catch fire nor did the next two. British class wins again.
Outstanding Made for Television Movie
Lackawanna Blues • HBO
The Life And Death Of Peter Sellers
The Office Special
Warm Springs • HBO
The Wool Cap • TNT
My knee jerk response was to declare Lackawanna the winner, then I thought about and win for The Office is a possiblity. The Academy has never had a chance to nominate the original series and to choose the special would be a way to give an award to Ricky Gervais for his work.
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
Da Ali G Show • HBO
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Comedy Central
Late Night With Conan O’Brien • NBC
Late Show With David Letterman • CBS
Real Time With Bill Maher • HBO
When in doubt, vote for Dave.
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special
77th Annual Academy Awards • ABC
Dave Chappelle: For What It’s Worth • Showtime
Everybody Loves Raymond - The Last Laugh • CBS
The Games Of The XXVIII Olympiad - Opening Ceremony• NBC
58th Annual Tony Awards (2004) • CBS
When this award was created, people like Frank Sinatra, Carol Burnett & Julie Andrews, and Fred Astaire were giving television audiences honest "spectaculars." I just don't think Raymond clip show counts. However, though it kills me to do so, I say that the opening ceremony of the Olympics will win.
Outstanding Nonfiction Special
Beyond The Da Vinci Code • The History Channel
Cary Grant: A Class Apart • TCM
Inside The Actors Studio: 10th Anniversary Special •
Live From New York: The First Five Years Of Saturday Night Live • NBC
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson • PBS
Remember what I said about clip shows? The same goes for non-fiction shows, too. I love historical documentaries and one of my favorite times for television is the winter when PBS runs The American Experience, a show that should have been nominated for best non-fiction series. Unforgivable Blackness ran as an episode of that series; why that makes the episode a "special," I don't understand, but it will win in this category.
Outstanding Nonfiction Series
Biography • A&E
Broadway: The American Musical • PBS
Cold Case Files • A&E
Dinner For Five • IFC
Inside The Actors Studio • Bravo
Let me get this straight: A single episode of an antholgy documentary series is a "special," but a mini-series on the American Musical is a series. O.k. Broadway will win and it should, as it presented an informative history of the musical and did not rely only on old Tony broadcasts. As Harlan Ellison wrote, there are only five wholly American art forms: the musical comedy, the detective novel, the banjo, jazz, and the comic book; as such, they can never be explored enough because you see the growth of the nation in the groth of the art form. (Well, maybe not the banjo, no matter what George Seigel and Steve Martin would have us believe.) However, if Dinner For Five won, that would be great. As someone wrote in Entertainment Weekly, Dinner For Five is the kind of dinner party you always wanted to give, but never had interesting enough friends. As a personal aside, I'd just like to state "Damn you, again, Time Warner of Milwaukee for moving IFC up a tier. I'm not made of money. Damn you!! I want to watch Dinner For Five again!"
Outstanding Reality Program
Antiques Roadshow • PBS
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition • ABC
Penn & Teller: Bullshit! • Showtime
Project Greenlight • Bravo
Queer Eye For The Straight Guy • Bravo
Crying, deserving families given new homes trumps everything else.
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race • CBS
American Idol • FOX
The Apprentice • NBC
Project Runway • Bravo
Survivor • CBS
I watch none of these, but I know The Amazing Race is the only show nominated that matters.
We'll see how I did come Sept. 18 on CBS.
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