Eine kleine amount of webly commotion

Greetings all!

Firstly today, the Region 1 release of Pride and Glory this Tuesday has awakened many Glory-following critics from slumber, prompting a fresh batch of cyber opinions.

The film

Thoughts have been varied as usual, with several people applauding the actors whilst condemning the script:

Movie Mom judged 'most of the cast, including Ms Ehle' to be 'excellent' yet found the script predictable; the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette agreed, balancing out their general nay with mention of an 'excellent cast, including Jennifer Ehle', while the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review credits the 'stellar' cast with 'keeping the film interesting'. Sympathising with the actors is blogger William, who claims that they '[do their] best to elevate the clichéd material they were forced to work with', while it was completely beyond Cynical Cinema's comprehension how such great actors were convinced to appear in 'a movie like this' in the first place.

Mentioning a specific achievement of the cast are Screaming Blue Reviews who depart briefly from their grim nay to mention the 'sweet scene' in which Francis presents his wife with a band promising love eternal, 'played expertly and without bathos by Emmerich and actress Jennifer Ehle'.

Also making an appearance today are many outright yays, from viewers either forgiving faults or failing to see any. Says People-Buzz:

[...] Though some unfavorably compared it with We Own the Night, I much preferred Gavin O’Connor’s striking, stirring...drama. Sure, it’s familiar territory, but it struck me as piercing and emotionally authentic. [...]

The Detroit News expected problems but was pleasantly surprised, admitting 'the movie actually works' and listing a 'fine' supporting cast and Farrell's 'explosive screen presence' as reasons. Big Picture Big Sound were equally astonished, stating that 'still, for some reason, it all works', while Killer Film thought the acting was 'top-notch' and 'really enjoyed the intensity, the characters, the grittiness' of the piece overall.

The featurette

Another significant talking point has been the DVD's documentary extra, Source of Glory, which appears to be very popular.

After claiming (interestingly!) that 'many of the [film's] extras are actual gang members' the folks at Pop Journalism start off the praise:

[...] [The] bonus feature [is] described on the back cover as a 'comprehensive documentary.' And that it is. 'Source of Pride: the Making of Pride and Glory' runs just over an hour. It goes behind-the-scenes seven weeks before shooting, showing location scouts and colourful auditions, and follows the production to the wrap. [...]

DVD Talk continue the love:

[...] O'Connor periodically does video diary entries for the piece which are fascinating. ... Hair and makeup test footage is shown, script read-throughs are filmed, and some of the cast (save for Farrell) discuss their time on the film. ... Casting sessions are filmed ... It's an excellent look at the production and helps make you see what O'Connor and many others had to deal with. [...]

Showing perhaps a little too much enthusiasm is Hollywood Chicago which goes so far as to say that 'in many ways, the documentary is more interesting than the film'.

Providing a pleasant alternative to the reviews is The Daily News Online's quick exchange with Edward Norton and Colin Farrell - actors who are apparently alike in that they can 'both chew scenery'. Norton describes how he, Farrell and Emmerich are on a different acting planet than Voight and 'other guys from that era', whilst Farrell refutes claims that the film's violence is gratuitous.

If you are in Region 1 and have any roubles left from buying that Darcy portrait, visit the 'About the DVD' section of the official website for a breakdown of the three Pride and Glory purchasing options. Region 2-ers can either wrestle with a Region 1 disc or pre-order for a March 2nd Region 2 release.

Sundry items

• Apart from the brief listings mentioned in the last post, no further intelligence regarding The Greatest has yet wandered into our radar net. The large barrel of invisible roubles is thus still up for grabs.
• If you are in the New York City vicinity and have not yet made your way to Florence Gould Hall, then make haste! There are just four performances of Oscar and the Pink Lady's New York run remaining. If you are still in need of convincing, take a netly promenade to our Chat Extension to peruse Jodes' thoughts on the play and its chameleon-esque performer.
• Potentially also of interest is the Guardian's piece on the play-plus-orchestra concept currently taking over the National Theatre in the form of Sir Tom's Every Good Boy Deserves Favour.
• Elsewhere, the Post-Gazette informs us that Richard Easton has been inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame by none other than Jack O'Brien, an inductee from last year. There is a modicum of quotage from both legends. See Playbill for more.
• Lastly, did you see the Lincoln Center's 1973 revival of A Streetcar Named Desire? Well, if you were elsewhere, unable to get tickets, or as yet unborn, fear not. The News Observer has let us know that Caedmon has released an archival full-cast recording for the first time:

[...] Caedmon's audio recording of the full play is most welcome - a good performance for enjoyment and study, [and] preserving the cast of the highly lauded 1973 Lincoln Center revival. Although there are fine actors portraying Stanley (James Farentino) and Mitch (Philip Bosco), the piece stands or falls on Blanche.

Here, Tony and Emmy award winner Rosemary Harris...makes the character more calculating than some but drifts frighteningly into ever-enlarging flights of fancy as Blanche unravels into madness. Harris is especially moving in the monologue about Blanche's young husband's suicide. [...]

Visit Caedmon for a delicious audio excerpt.

Postpourri

That Fine Actress

• The Independent offers an interesting take on celebrity casting in an article about David Tennant, star of the RSC's Hamlet. Here is the relevant bit:

  [...] He is a tried and tested actor and was with the RSC before becoming a television star. But let's be honest. It's pretty unlikely that the RSC would have suddenly plucked him out of the ranks of the country's actors to play Hamlet if he had not acquired a national reputation as Doctor Who. TV stardom played a big part in this casting decision. These decisions can be slightly trickier than they seem. They don't always guarantee the packed houses that Tennant's Hamlet has achieved. In 1995, just after the BBC's massively popular Pride and Prejudice, the RSC brought the screen's Elizabeth Bennet, that fine actress Jennifer Ehle, also RSC-trained, back to Stratford to star in John Vanbrugh's Restoration comedy The Relapse. It most certainly did not sell out. [...]

"Into each life some Rain must fall"

• Two more "Reader Reviews" of Before the Rains have been posted at the New York Times. While one reviewer feels that "Merchant Ivory really struck out" with this movie, the other claims, "it's an excellent film for a discerning audience." This discerning reviewer further asserts:

  Bored by gratuitous violence, far-fetched stories and insulting comedy, I found it refreshing to find a film this week that focused on beautiful cinematography, breathless settings, moral conflict, and depth of character. The dilemma created by lust and lack of judgment was expertly portrayed by Linus Roache as Henry Moores, English spice grower. Mr. Roache's role was supplemented superbly by the performance of his assistant when inner conflict is thrust upon a man because of indiscretions carried out by his boss and role model in the midst of the strict moral code of his native culture. All actors did an excellent job of bringing life to the tragic characters struggling to resolve an unresolvable situation. This is a film for an aficionado of quality.

  Note that the average Reader Rating is still 4/5 stars = woot!
  
  
• I think it's safe to say that it wasn't love at first sight for the Irish Times and Before the Rains, but on the bright side, you can read an enthusiastic account of the movie from a member of our very own fan community by visiting the Chat Extension.
  
  
• Musically speaking, there is a somewhat mixed review of the film's soundtrack at Popmatters. It starts off nicely:

  [...] With its exotic mix of ethnic sounds, tone poem pieces, and standard symphonics, what could be a tired bit of traditionalism actually comes across as exciting and quite evocative. [...]

  But ends with this assessment:

  [...] Where once we had music that dared to combine the elements of all environs, the finish (except for tracks “Coming for TK” and “End Credits") is devoid of such out of the ordinary flourishes.

Directors and Co-stars

• According to Buzz18, Santosh Sivan's latest film, the interestingly titled Tahaan - A Boy with a Grenade, starring Rahul Bose, is slated to be released in September.
  
  
• There's also an article about Linus Roache in the Knoxville News Sentinel that includes some quotage about Before the Rains:

  [...] " 'Before the Rains' was, I think, the most unique and creative experience I've ever had making a movie," says Roache, 44. "That was a small-budget movie, but it was such an extraordinary situation and circumstance with a creative-genius director and being in Kerala, India."

  . . .

  "Henry was … a pioneering spirit," says Roach by phone from New York. "He wanted it all and didn't think of the consequences and created a huge mess. That's where the drama lay.

  "I didn't realize what a great role it was till I started playing it. He's not a hero character at all. Part of the challenge was to make him human and accessible without watering him down." [...]

Reflecting on P&P

• For an engaging read on the meaning and use of mirrors in several Jane Austen movies, visit Ellen Moody's website.

Happy Olympics, everyone!

Theatrical bits, theatrical bobs

• Firstly, one reader went to see Oscar and the Pink Lady with a fellow fan the weekend before last and has very kindly sent us a few words about the experience:

The Old Globe complex was a beautiful place, and the staff members were quite friendly and helpful. They did their jobs well. We are now fans of The Old Globe as well as Rosemary Harris! The theater is small and contributed to our enjoyment of the show. Ms. Harris was really close to the audience the whole time. She was always moving around, so people on every side could see her face easily.

We found the play to be very endearing, and Rosemary Harris was impressive from start to finish. It really was a treat to experience her performing so many distinct roles and voices at once. Kudos to her for a job well done! She is gracious, talented, and inspiring.

It was a highlight that will stand out for each of us when we look back at 2007. We loved the entire experience and highly recommend the show to anyone who is able to see it before it closes this Sunday, November 4.

Many thanks for that, and if anyone else has seen the play or is planning to in the next four days, we would love to hear from you!

• In the run-up to the New York opening of Rock 'n' Roll on November 4, Robert Feldberg of North Jersey speaks to Tom Stoppard about the play, while Hilton Als of The New Yorker argues for the oft-ignored generosity of the playwright:

[...] few if any reviewers of his increasingly ambitious work have ever called him generous. But how else would one describe this largely self-educated man, whose passion for books, ideas, and biography constitutes what’s thrilling about his work? Last season’s Tony Award-winning trilogy, “The Coast of Utopia,” was not only a lesson in how to put together an epic drama; without fear of being labelled pretentious, it gave audience members permission to care about history again. [...]

• On the subject of Rock 'n' Roll, eBay have a copy of the play signed by Tom Stoppard, being auctioned for a local charity.
• Playbill meanwhile announces that Ethan Hawke is cast in a new film, while Broadway.com talks to the actor about 'zen koans' and road-trips with fellow ex-Utopian Josh Hamilton. On what The Coast of Utopia meant to him meant to him, he says:

[...] It was so powerful to be involved in something like that. Part of it felt like going back to grad school in some weird Russian studies course combined with a master class in theater taught by [director] Jack O'Brien and [playwright] Tom Stoppard. Being part of a company doing the plays in rep was the most powerful element of the whole thing. If you're going to do a nine-hour play, you've gotta rehearse the hell out of it. To be part of those all-day performances—to be that tired and look out at the audiences who were staying right with us. It's why you wanted to be a performer. The toughest among us were moved by those days. [...]

On Tom Stoppard, meanwhile:

[...] You don't want to idolize people too much, but Tom Stoppard is a real heavyweight on the planet. He's got an amazing mind and an amazing intellect. So has Jack O'Brien. If you're interested in a life in the arts, these guys make you want to grow old. And in a culture that's always trying to convince you that you want to go back in time somehow, it was wonderful. [...]

• Lastly, IMDb are listing two more release dates for Pride and Glory - France: 26 March 2008; Netherlands: 17 April 2008. The aforementioned ones were 14 March for the UK and USA.

"Captivating study in contradictions"

• Listen to an interesting discussion about the thinkers in The Coast of Utopia at KCRW, featuring William Grimes of "The College Reading List of Utopia" fame and Keith Gessen who wrote the New Yorker feature on Herzen.
• Coming soon: Utopia the Rock Opera. Brendan Lemon reports at the LCT blog about the cabaret night when cast members showed off their musical chops.
  
• Love letter at Edward Copeland on film (part of a long and thoughtful review):

  [...] As impressive as everyone in the cast is, top acting honors must be conferred upon the luminous Ms. Ehle, who excels in three strikingly different roles. The tremulous delicacy that she brings to her performance in “Voyage” as the frail, gentle Liubuv, who finds bittersweet if fleeting happiness in the blush of first romance, exists in stark contrast to the firm-minded pragmatism of “Salvage’s” Malwida, the perspicacious German governess who exerts a steadying influence on the children of the Herzen household while keeping a wary eye fixed on the reckless behavior of its elders. It is in “Shipwreck,” however, that the actress is most prominently featured, and where she makes her most indelible impression. Far from the square-shouldered, sensible spinster of Part 3, or the pale, shy ingenue of Part I, Natalie Herzen is a rose in full bloom, a ravishing, vibrant romantic heroine who follows her heart into uncharted territory even as the ground beneath her feet begins to give way. The actress creates a captivating study in contradictions; winsome yet seductive, incisive yet wrong-headed, alternately reflective and impulsive, she provides the trilogy with its richest characterization, and its most lyrical.
  
  As evidenced by her brilliant, Tony-winning turn in The Real Thing, Ehle has an instinctive grasp of the nuances of Stoppard’s language; her delivery is so natural and assured that it doesn’t even sound scripted, but rather something being thought up freshly on the spot. This is something I haven’t observed with any other actor in a Stoppard play, or really with many stage actors in general (stage acting seemingly necessitates a certain degree of staginess). The actress’s proficiency with dialogue is made all the more remarkable by its artlessness; although her physical transformation from role to role is quite stunning, her command of the language allows her to thoroughly embody her characters to a point where the effort is no longer visible. [...]

• Ann Midgette of the NY Times interviews the tireless Jack O'Brien, who is directing Puccini's Il Trittico. He compares the two trilogies:

  [...] “ ‘The Coast of Utopia’ is very different,” he added. “The story is evolving in a historical perspective. The pieces of ‘Trittico’ are bound by Puccini’s own imagination and the sound of his music.”

  Another difference: “The incessant, extremely complex voice of Stoppard needed to be banged off surfaces,” he said. “I had to refresh you, not tire you. ‘Il Trittico’ has different problems, especially prejudices. This is not the first time you’ve seen these operas. Whereas with ‘Coast of Utopia,’ no one knew what the hell it was.” [...]

• Tom Bestor of Rational Feast reviews Salvage. Verdict:

  [...] Although I can see how some might be disappointed in this last installment (it's a bit clunkier than the first two), taken as a whole, the production of "The Coast of Utopia" trilogy is one of the most stunning works of theater I've ever seen. The scale of the sets and staging and effects and lighting that Lincoln Center can put on never ceases to amaze me. The cast is terrific, maintaining focus and energy throughout these long works. I can hardly imagine what they must look (and feel) like on the days they perform all three plays as a marathon. [...]

• Jesse Jarnow has a Thoughts from Utopia bit on his blog. He ponders:

  [...] For numerous reasons -- rhythm, dialogue, conceits -- it could never translate to film. Does the fact that it can't be mass entertainment make it pretentious? (It is, of course, but for other reasons, often indistinguishable from why it's so grand.) [...]

• At Pater Familias, Mr Schaefer has high praise for the show:

  [...] We have now watched all three parts of THE COAST OF UTOPIA. We watched all nine hours with continuous delight. We left the theater each night elated. I can’t imagine a better production of any play. The direction and production took full advantage of the resources of an enormous theater. The acting was terrific. I had thought after the first play that the production was lucky to have world class actors like Jennifer Ehle and Amy Irving in small but pivotal parts. The two later plays provided acting challenges worthy of them. I should comment that in an earlier post I said that I thought Ethan Hawke was a better movie actor than a stage actor, based on his Hotspur, which I had thought was good, but not great. I take it all back. Ethan Hawke was magnificent in COAST OF UTOPIA. [...]

  He also wonders whether Utopia would play well in the provinces. If you're a West Coaster you can see for yourself - there's an auction for a private reading of Coast of Utopia by the Shotgun Players at Berkeley.
• Elisabeth Vincentelli of The Determined Dilettante has this complaint about Salvage:

  [...] The other men are reduced to bellowing gasbags (particularly Ethan Hawke's Bakunin) and the women pretty much disappear—the etch-a-sketch treatment awarded to Malwida von Meysenbug, played with very dry humor by Jennifer Ehle, is particularly irritating. [...]

• Chris Riley of Suspended Conversation makes this unusual comparison from watching Voyage:

  [...] there was a very bizarre, disturbing character towards the end of the play - a six foot ginger cat, reminiscent of donnie darko's bunny rabbit, both in the style of its insertion into ordinary life and the sense of fate and doom that it conveyed within the story. [...]

• Star-spotting of sorts: NY Times Op-Eder Maureen Dowd is seen in the audience.
• A couple of Utopia-related conversations are going on at BroadwayWorld: on who of Jennifer Ehle, Amy Irving and Martha Plimpton might get a Featured nomination, and on which part of the trilogy to see if you can only make one (Shipwreck seems to be the favourite), and more predictions that Utopia will take out Best Play.
  
• Huzzah, a fan report from a marathon! This is from Ann, who went to the December meetup as well. Go to the forum to read it. By the way, we welcome any reports you have from the show. Email them in or post in the forum thread - no registration required.
  

In the same vein...

More from Kerry, who provided the stage door pics below.

The show was really fun - even from the second to last row! Cynthia Nixon came out and spoke a little about Wendy Wasserstein and said in her honor that they were going to read one of her more famous passages. As a movie person I had never heard of Chronicles of Heidi but she introduced JE and Julianna as Wendy worthy actresses. It was a passage in which Hedi - the main character - goes back to her old school to give a speech about where women are today. They all portrayed Hedi - not different characters. Julianna started, JE continued and Cynthia finished up. They all did a good job but JE is was the only one who had clearly memorized her lines and didn't need the crutch of the binder that was in front of each of them.

Nothin' Like a Dame stage door

Thanks to Kerry who posted this in one of the comments below. It's reproduced here in case people don't read the comments.

Hey I just thought I post a little stage door encounter -after the Nothin' Like A Dame show. I stumbled onto this site about two days before the show and as a Ms. Ehle fan thought I should go see it. I was actually looking up trivia about The River King - which I had just watched. Anyway, the show was extremely good and I had a lot of fun. Afterwards I waited to get an autograph and she was extremely polite. This is considering the fact I had planned on being very cool and casual but when push came to shove I barely got the words out to ask for her autograph!! Ms. Ehle is the only celebrity I have ever met let alone tried to encounter. The whole time I was overcome with the thought "WOW she's really tall." As a note - be prepared if you meet her - she's really tall! Her mother was equally as pleasant and now I have some very nice pictures!

...as an extra tidbit Rosemary Harris asked me which direction 8th Ave was after taking a picture with her --- they were headed to the cast party.

She also sent in these fab photos and adds:

If you make captions for [the photos] you should reference the fact that I was a complete studdering fool (couldn't even look her in the eye) and my entire family now makes fun of me. Well worth it though.

The Right Honorable Ms Ehle

A cute story from a Yahoo fan club (like EhleNews, but smaller). This dates back from The Real Thing.

Tonight I met Jennifer Ehle.

I waited by the stage door and out she came...I couldn't move. Finally I ran over to her and got her to sign my program and asked if I could shake her hand. She laughed and said, "Of course you can! My...I'm beginning to feel like I'm running for office!" Mine was not the only hand she'd been asked to shake that night. :) Oh my God, I could die right now. :)

She'd have my vote! Citizenship be damned.

As promised...

I've posted my thoughts on The River King at the forum. It's pretty long, so here's the relevant bit:

Need I say anything about JE? Of course she stood out. Of course I wanted more screen time. That, at least, was expected. Seriously though, I totally bought her as the caring teacher who’s unfulfilled by her relationship with her jerk of a fiancé. Her best scene was when they converse on entirely different wavelengths over breakfast, I reckon. Have to add, she looked fabulous in this. I dig the short brown hair. And the natural accent goodness!

However, as Chelsea noted, the affair between Abel and Betsy wasn’t quite right. Sort of gratuitous. I didn’t really understand why these characters were attracted to each other, let alone falling into bed with each other. I think it was because you don’t really get that much background about them – Abel is shown as relationship-shy in one scene, and then soon after, he’s meant to be making puppy eyes at Betsy. The kiddies’ triangle was more fleshed out and more essential to the story.